Peru Rocks 2008

Fastball without Miles and featuring Brien McVernon on lead guitar above Cuzco, Peru at the foot of El Christo Blanco, Oct 8th 2008

I recently posted a mog about Everest Rocks which occured back in 2007 and featured Mike peters of the Alarm and Glen Tilbrook of Squeeze as they climbed to one of the base camps atop Mount Everest to perform the highest concert ever on land. Little did I realize Fastball and I would soon be hanging out with Mike in the Andes as we did this past week. We raised awareness and money to provide mobile diagnostic and treatment services to rural peruvians. We also had a hell of a good time.

Also along for the trip: Mr Cy Curnin, lead singer of The Fixx, Aussie rockabilly hero, Brien McVernon and musical genious Mr Nick Harper. We started on our 4 day hike up the Inca Trail hoping for good weather and we got it. It rained only about 5 minutes on the second day. It was a miracle as this is the beginning of the wet season in the Andes. We were all prepared for shitty conditions but got nothing but the sweetest weather.

As we progressed we all got to know each other and started playing music together. I have always been a fan of the Alarm since 1983 when they came to OC to play. I did not realize I knew so many Fixx songs, however. Fastball got to play our own songs but we also got to back up these other guys and it was super fun to play, 68 Guns, Red Skies At Night, One Thing Leads To Another, etc.

Brien McVernon with new friend

After arriving in Machu Picchu to take in the awesomeness of it all we headed down to our well desrved hotels in the small mountain town of Aguas Calientes. We ate and drank and played a concert for the citizens and were even honered by the alcalde of the town. They don't get alot of 80's british rock or 90's alternative pop up there in AC!

Brien McVernon, Miles Zuniga, Me, joey Shuffield, Mike Peters, Nick Harper live at the plaza de Almas, Aguas Calientes, Peru

So that's what's been up with me. Very happy to be back home in Austin. Getting geared up for a Fastball US tour in nov. Check our website for dates, also check out Perurocks.com for details and awesome video of the different stops on the trek and live music footage.