[Rooney frontman Robert Schwartzman is currently touring with his band in support of their new album, Eureka. They've been opening dates across the country for Hanson, who's also keeping a tour diary for PAPERMAG. Read on for Schwartzman's accounts of bikes, getting sick on the road, and stage rage.]


Backstage in Richmond.

It'sabout an hour and a half till we play.  I'm here with my band mates,Taylor, Brandon, Louie, and our tour manager.  My band mates arecurrently inventing appetizer food names, like the ones you read in aChili's menu or TGI Fridays. Things like Crispy Bacon Crispers orPoppin' Pecan Coated Pickled Chicken Littles. This is what takes placeon tour; this is how we deal with the constant away time. At leastit's creative?  

Iwent for a walk in Richmond. I use my iPhone to find local restaurantsin walking distance.  That's the other problem, no car, so we'relimited to the things around the venue. I've gotten a few rides fromfans in the past, thank you Twitter! On our Calling The World summertour, I purchased a collapsable bicycle and I've been using it eversince. It's nice to have a bike on the road, it helps alleviate anyissues with proximities to restaurants and site seeing, but it's no car. Sothere are still those limits. It's also great to take a spin and getthe blood flowing.  Being cooped up in any small space for too longdoesn't feel great. I've been trying to get on a good bike ridingschedule, but it's tough to have any real schedule on tour when settime and daily commitments are so spontaneous...and when you sleep formany many hours. 

Thetour has been good so far, some days are better than others. I guessit's like anything, good and bad, it's life. It's bad when the showisn't exciting, when the venue isn't great, when I feel like I'm notdoing my best. That usually brings me down and creates what I callStage Rage. It comes out of nowhere (the rage) and stays with me tillthe end of the set. I'm set off by the feeling of being misunderstoodor feeling like I'm not connecting with the audience. If the audienceis resisting enjoyment, things like that. There's no way of tellingwhen it will hit, it just happens when the show gets going. If I haveany vocal issues, like if my voice is feeling weak or I'm havingtrouble hitting notes, I get real sad and frustrated. It's like beinga runner and not being able to run cause you have knee pain. It's allphysical, but it's also mental, which is probably my issue sometimes.  

I'vebeen a little congested. Bought some Afrin today at Walmart, themoisturizing kind. I just read the bottle and I'm a little afraid touse it because it's addicting and it can create more issues. I've had torely on it in the past when congested on the road. It's hard to singwhen you can't feel any resonance in your head, just a wall blockingthe upper half of your head and face. I'm gonna power through it, justgotta work with it...I've decided to cancel the Afrin. 

We're almost 40shows into this tour and we've been playing pretty much every night.It's the most consecutive performing we've ever done in eight years oftouring.This next block of shows is 12 in a row and when you mix inall the sound checking, post-show meet-and-greets, and radio visits,the days are long and filled with activity. But it's better to workhard on the road than sit around in a random town on a day off wastingtime.  

I'm a bit of a twitter fanatic lately, so if you like daily messages, you're in for a treat if you follow me @rcschwartzman. [Ed note: We swiped the above photos from Robert's' twitter photo gallery]

I'm gonna start vocalizing, getting loose, getting warm.  Thanks for reading.