Fall Tour 2012, Dukes County Love Affair

It started back in mid-October, October 17 to be exact for the members of Dukes County Love Affair.  What could be more magical than a bunch of Island guys, a mini-RV, and a dog named Sniper hitting the road for a tour that would take them across country to Nevada? 

The plan was for the band to work their way across the country, eventually landing in Vegas to support one of their best friends, fellow Islander Jesse Sylvia. Sylvia was playing cards at the final table of the World Series of Poker.  

Something happened once the band was in Vegas: Jesse Sylvia's success – he came in second in the World Series and won $5.3 million– and the energy that flowed from that event.

The next morning Dukes County Love Affair knew Vegas was just the beginning.  

"We saw Jesse, this kid from the Vineyard, our friend, just another dude, we saw that he was more than that and that gave us a much needed confidence boost.  He was making waves, he was on the world's stage.  His performance inspired us and empowered us to believe that our music could be loved outside of our little Northeast network. We headed west that morning, and we have zero regrets," said Phil daRosa, bass player for Duke's County Love Affair.

So far they've played in Northampton, Asheville, Brooklyn, Vegas, San Diego, Los Angeles, Oxnard, Carpenteria, Ventura and that's just half way through the Fall Tour.

"We're growing out here on the West Coast. Our music is evolving, our network is exploding, and we're learning a bit about ourselves. People are hearing our music and loving it.  No better compliment in the world," said daRosa. "The other night we had a gig in Carpenteria, Ca., a small town. It was a great gig, great people, the works.  The next night we had a small gig in a spot just outside of Ventura, and oddly we saw a few familiar faces.  A group of people from Carpenteria dug our sound and came to the next night's gig.  That's never happened to us before, we can't express our excitement."

The boys of DCLA will be in California for another week or so with plans to head back east the first week of December, with gigs along the way in Denver, Pennsylvania, and in a few other New England cities.  The last show of the Fall Tour will take place at Grumpy's Pub in Falmouth but be sure to look for a late December show on-island, a homecoming of sorts.

It's a big world out there and Dukes County Love Affair is on the path to let in a few more love affairs. 

Check out their Facebook page for more updates and photos from the road.