“Honestly man, it’s like gratitude tour 2022,” said Amos Lee on the phone with WXPN midday host Mike Vasilikos today. “Every show for me is extra juicy. All of these shows are a dream come true for me, there was a time when we didn’t think that was going to happen.”
Lee was calling in from chilly Portland, Maine where he and his band was rehearsing for tour, which they kicked off with a sold-out night at the State Theatre. He’s looking forward to the road leading him to another ornate theater — The Met Philly — which he says “is such an awesome place to play, it’s been so long for me to play for my family and friends and fans in Philly.”
Lee chatted with Vasilikos about his band, which features Philly friends Jaron Olevsky and Zach Djanikian. He talked about his eagerness to play not only his celebrated new album Dreamland but to maybe test out even newer material; “I don’t know how other songwriters have been over the past two years, but I’ve been nonstop.”
Lee also spun a short guest DJ set featuring a solo song by his bassist Elliott Skinner called “When Will We Know,” a staple by his longtime Philly friend Mutlu (“Good Trouble”), and the song “Shine” by Dallas artist whereisalex.
“We want to show out and show up for this Philly show,” says Lee of his Friday night gig, which also features opener Jensen McRae. “We’re going to do some special stuff, just don’t know what yet.”
Lee also talked with Vasilikos about his Tickets for Teachers program — a profession and calling he empathizes with greatly, having spent his 20s teaching 2nd grade in North Philly.
“We really wanted to offer something to teachers who have been so much over the past couple years,” Lee says. “Working hard, adapting, keep kids in a place where they can be seen and heard and learn and be connected to the world around them.”
Find out more about Tickets for Teachers here, listen to the interview and guest DJ set in full below and get tickets and more information on Friday’s Met Philly show at the WXPN Concerts and Events page.