Jeremy Porter Road Blog

Road Blog: Thursday October 22, 2026 - Chattanooga, TN

Road Blog
October 22, 2026
Chattanooga, Tennessee

We had a long drive yesterday, from St. Louis to Chattanooga. Basically 7 ½ hours plus stops, so 8+, and we also lost an hour when we got close to Chattanooga, so closer to 9 ½ on the clock. I took the bulk of the drive, staying awake by popping Buc-ee's gummy bears and peanut M&Ms like they were trucker speed. We stopped at our usual- McDonalds for breakfast. I was a bit worried that I’d pay for the Egg McMuffin (minus egg + xtra ham) with my digestive soul, but it seemed to land ok without any severe consequences.

We rocked some Pink Floyd – The Final Cut, which was mostly leftovers from The Wall. It was…good, better than most of the early stuff, but not as good as The Wall. We also listened to Robert Earl Keen (Happy Prisoner album), The Smithereens, The Long Ryders movie soundtrack (Ry Cooder), fIREHOSE-Flyin’ the Flannel, and some other stuff. JakeE Jacob was on the phone when it was his turn to get a tank of gas so Troy had to cover for him. While shit happens, and it’s no big deal, the kid has to learn that there are consequences to one’s actions, so I queued up my Whitesnake playlist, and he had to sit through it while he thought about what he had done. I’m a fan, but oddly, he is not. He seems to think the lyrics are juvenile and full of innuendo, not sure why, but whatever. My playlist takes us from the beginning through Slip of the Tongue, and I like to tout the genius of John Sykes and man-splain the lineup changes over the years and the differences between the two versions of “Here I Go Again” every time while JakeE rolls his eyes and questions the life choices he’s made that put him in that van at that moment.

Our AirBB is actually in Georgia, about 10 miles southeast of Chattanooga. As the terrain changed we realized this run took us from the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains to the western foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. We’ve got a mother-in-law house sitting in a big yard beneath another house up the hill that our hosts presumably live in. I’ve got my own bedroom with a bathroom attached, Troy has a little girl’s bedroom with pink sheets, a bright, floral comforter, and a sign that says “Be Happy Be You” on the wall. JakeE is taking the big couch tonight, with the fake fireplace and TV that turns on but gets no channels. We didn’t have much time to dally after the long drive and before load-in, so we headed into town. We had dinner at Taqueria Jalisco which was pretty great. I got the Enchiladas, subbing carne asada in place of chicken, and took one to-go for the AirBB later.

We parked behind Barlery Chattanooga and loaded in and onto the stage. We met Connor the bartender and Kurtis the owner and they were super friendly. The bar consists of a back room for bands and two front rooms – one with a pool table and dart boards, and the other with the bar. There’s an open-air patio out front and big garage doors that open the pool room to the street. Kurtis helped us get our sound dialed in and we had a round before the show. Troy’s Brother-in-law Kyle showed up and they had some nice conversations while Jake and I set up merch and chatted with the staff.

We went on a little after 8pm to what we’ll generously call a thin audience. Let’s say it was better than Lincoln and Columbia, but that’s a low bar. But hey, we had a couple faces, they were engaged, they enjoyed the show, they bought merch, and they didn’t leave. We’ll take that as a near win. Seriously, we’re cool if anyone is there. We played a couple loose sets, trying some different stuff, going off on some tangents, taking the piss out of each other a bit… we made the best of it, and as is our M.O., we didn’t phone it in. That said, it’s been two slow nights in a row and we’re ready for a winner tonight in Knoxville.

At 11pm we packed up, loaded out, did a round of tequila shots with the staff, and headed out. TrooperGirl22 was calling so we chatted in the van with the boys tossing in their $.02 where they felt it made sense. She’s busy as all get out back home, feeling a little socially over-extended, but in good spirits, and like me, looking very much forward to a chill and domestic November. It was obvious we were a little loopy from the lack of sleep, the crazy drive, the week+ behind us, and the partying in Chattanooga, so she played along for a few and we wrapped it up. See ya in a couple days, kid! Nap, Taco Bell, and the Lions!

Back at the AirBB we had a nightcap and gulped down our Mexican leftovers like we hadn’t eaten in weeks. JakeE called home to sing Rosie “Happy Birthday,” Troy figured out the coffee grinder, and I did some band business before crashing out around 1am. Big thanks to Kurtis, Connor, and the Barlery in Chattanooga. I love this city and I haven’t played my last show here. These guys have a great room, and we’ll come back as they continue to grow.

This morning I’m up and at `em at 8am, feeling good after a solid 7 hours of sleeps, be best sleep yet on this run. We’re gonna head back into Chattanooga for some breakfast then up to Knoxville for some record shopping, grateful to have just a couple hour drive today. Tonight we're back at one of our fav rooms – the Preservation Pub in Knoxville! Just 2 nights left and they’re gonna be bangers! See ya there! Tucos 8-11PM. Xx