The Paleoverb Project Diaries, Part 1

Hello, my name is Jeff Berkley and I’m a songwriter, performer, and record producer from San Diego, California. I’ve spent the last 40 years doing all of those things and have gotten to produce and record a lot of really wonderful performers and their music!

Several years back, while on the road in Kansas, I happened upon this amazing museum called the Sternberg museum. Inside the dome-shaped, underwater dinosaur museum, is an amazing room with incredible reverb. The reverb occurs from the design of the room. It’s built to make the visitor feel like they’re underwater. It works!!

When I was visiting the room and heard the reverb, I vowed to bring performers back there and record them in this incredible room.

Well, it’s happening! Below is the step-by-step chronicles of the tour and recording sessions unfolded!

Tuesday, April 15, 10am
Well, I’ve spent the last month gathering all the gear I will need for the recording sessions as well as my live rig for the shows. Luckily, it’s just me and a guitar for the shows, so there’s not much to it in that way. The guitar takes up some space but I’m really more worried about fitting the mobile recording rig into my car. I thought about getting a rental car or even a panel van, but that was cost prohibitive. In other words, too damn expensive! We’ve had some wonderful donations, but we are on a budget!

Andy Walsh is a great engineer and good friend. He’s very well educated on the kind of set up that I’ve got for recording. It’s nothing fancy, just my laptop with ProTools, 16 channels of converters (Apollo 16), 12 channels of API Mic Pres, two channels of Toft compression and EQ, and my mics. I’ve got two, C12s, two Geffels, two Coles, three M160s, and an a AEA stereo ribbon with me.

It’s tricky to get everything loaded in the car, but all the cables, snake, and converters fit in the trunk. They’ll stay nice and secure in there under the stands and sandbags. The sandbags help weigh down the stands so that they don’t fall over with expensive and heavy mics on ‘em.

https://www.facebook.com/laurenleighoffical/videos/1193671295768886

Anyway, all the mics and stuff I wanna bring in every night to the hotel room fit in the back seat pretty well with my guitar. My luggage is in there, too, just one small roller. I like to just bring enough clothes for a few days and stop at laundromat, so I don’t have to carry as much with me. It took three tries to get everything to fit right but it all worked out.

Before I loaded up, I ran a few errands for supplies. Also, I like to get the car washed before a long trip. It’s fun to get the dirt from other places all over it so that it tells its own story by the time I get home.

Andy and I checked all the recording stuff and made sure it was all in working order before I loaded it up. He left to head home, and I finished getting last little things squared away.

You know, all those things that keep us busy when we’re trying to get out of town.

Airplane pilots talk about a thing called “ground effect.” It’s just a little bit of an extra gravitational pull as one tries to lift off in an aircraft. I think of leaving town in that way sometimes. There’s just a gravitational pull that makes it a little bit more difficult to get out of town.

Nothing too challenging, though. I got to sleep pretty early!

Wednesday morning, April 16, 2025

The gang’s all here: Jeff Berkley with Lauren Leigh, Will Stucky, Marlo & Joshua from Please Ask for Paul, and Brad Colerik, host of the Wine & Song series in Pasadena!

Up two minutes before my alarm sounded. Does that happen to you guys? Like your inner clock seems to know exactly what time it is. I’m sure that’s what’s going on. I got myself together and had some coffee. Then I did a little laundry real quick and put my personal luggage together. I got it in the car and headed out at 1pm. Every last bit of space taken up in my car, but it makes it nice and cozy.

This being the first night of the trip, it’s also the first show of the little three show tour we’re doing on the way out to Kansas.

Brad Colerick was kind enough to book us on his wine and song series in South Pasadena. He does it every Wednesday night and if you’re in the area, I highly recommend it! You will see some of LA’s best songwriters and musicians. Brad’s a great songwriter and a really cool guy as well!

We all arrived in LA safe and well. Before heading to the show, I went ahead and checked into my hotel. I wanted to get everything out of the backseat and locked safely in the hotel room before I went to the gig. You can’t park cars with things in the backseat anymore. They’ll disappear for sure.

That process wasn’t too difficult. I checked in and used a rolling cart to get everything up to the room. Easy Peezy. I changed clothes and headed to soundcheck. Only a half hour late! Luckily that gave Please Ask for Paul, Stucky Leigh, and Brad Colerick an opportunity to do their sound check. I arrived and plugged in pretty much ready to go. When it’s just me and my guitar, I can actually sound check on the fly. In other words, the sound person just turns it up and makes it sound good in the moment. That’s what happened, the sound person at this show was great! His name is John. They are all named John. Every sound person I know is named John.

Brad opened the show with a couple songs and then got Stucky Leigh up on stage.

The wine and song format is pretty cool. Everyone who’s on the show plays a few songs during the first set and then again during the second set; it actually works pretty well. It’s not that big of a logistical nightmare; at least the sound person made it feel that way.

Of course, Lauren and Will completely destroyed! This was a fresh audience for Stucky Leigh, and they were all stunned! I followed and capitalized on the warm audience. I had a really fun set! People seemed to really enjoy it, which is great! After that, Please Ask for Paul came up and filled the space with beautiful, melancholy vibes! People were in a trance! It was fun to watch all the folk music fans hear a different spin on the delivery of a folk song. Stuckey Leigh and Please Ask for Paul are unbelievably talented and full of magic!

It was a packed house and we left them on their feet! Afterward, we all scattered to our hotel rooms and got some sleep for the drive to Tucson tomorrow.

Thursday, April 17, 2025

Seen along the way.

Got up early after a pretty good sleep and a very comfortable bed! It’s always hit and miss on the road, but it sure is nice to come across a place that allows you to get a good rest. Several years ago, I started carrying a white noise machine with me, which helps a lot. Hotels can be loud, and this seems to cure that for me. I still haven’t figured out a way to keep the stupid curtain closed! There’s always that little opening that shines light right onto the pillow you’re sleeping on!

Anyway, all the microphones back on the rolling cart and down the elevator to the car! Got everything loaded up quickly and found myself a Starbucks. It’s not the best coffee but at least you know what you’re getting right? I also like those egg bite things they have there. It’s mostly protein and a really good breakfast that you can count on.

I made a reservation at a hotel in Tucson that looked good and was inexpensive. I set my GPS to those coordinates and headed out east toward Tucson on Interstate 215 and then I-10. Should be about six hours to Tucson.

Today, I have to be careful because there are always speed traps just west of the Palm Springs area, also known as Coachella Valley—right there where you see all the windmills as you come up over that ridge, west of the turn off to Joshua Tree, and you look over the Coachella Valley. You start to speed up and the cops know that.

Sure enough, I must’ve passed 10 cops. One of them pulled out as I passed by, but they pulled over the driver behind me. I felt relieved but also bad for whomever that was. It must be a little bit like what a wildebeest feels when a lion gets one of theirs. Sad for their comrade, but relieved it wasn’t them.

Anyway, time to head out into the desert! I’ll cross the California-Arizona border. That isn’t as scary as it used to be for a weed smoker like myself. Now that it’s legal in both California and Arizona they don’t have dogs at the border anymore. There was a time when there would actually be armed Border Patrol agents—in camouflage—with machine guns and dogs. Several of my friends were shaken down pretty hard there. Knock on wood I’ve been very lucky and also very stupid! I’m not quite as stupid as I used to be, but still pretty stupid.

Thursday evening, April 17
After a pretty drive across the desert, through Phoenix and down to Tucson, I was ready to get out of the car. I got to the hotel and loaded all the microphones into the room. Changed my clothes and was off to sound check.

What a surprisingly great show in Tucson! This was a brand new venue for all of us and so you never know exactly how things are gonna go. Doug and his amazing staff at Club Crisole really rolled out the red carpet for us. Even when the wedding party in the other room got loud, they closed the doors to make sure that people could hear us and not be interrupted. It was very sweet and allowed us to really win over the crowded room. No one there had ever heard of us and all three of our sets went really, really well! I think we made some new fans and definitely some new friends at Club Crisol!

I’m back at my room in Tucson now. It’s been a long day of driving but tomorrow’s a day off so I’ll sleep as late as I can.

We ended up with the day off for a terribly tragic reason. Our host for the House Show we were going to do in Albuquerque passed away unexpectedly. He was a wonderful man named Kent Koefler. He was exceedingly kind from what I understand. I never did get the chance to meet him, but I sure am thankful for his kindness to my friends.

Time to hit the hay.

Friday, April 18
Friday started out nice and easy. I grabbed some coffee and communicated with the other bands. We kind of have a loose caravan going. It’s actually pretty great to know you have allies out there.

I love being on the road and I love a day off! I decided to not go through Albuquerque from Tucson on my way to Oklahoma City. I wanted to see Roswell, New Mexico just for the experience. The route also took me through White Sands, New Mexico and the area where they first tested the nuclear bomb.

It was a little more disturbing than I thought it would be. Just dark. Just a vibe and a feeling. I’ve experienced this several other times on the road. Some places just feel that way. Memphis has that in some ways. I’ve also experienced some really joyful times there.

So, I lit out first on Interstate 10 where we all stopped at “the thing.” It’s this really kitchy stop in the middle of nowhere. You go in and discover what “the thing” is! I won’t ruin the surprise.

After that, I went a ways more and crossed the border into New Mexico. From I-10 I took I-25 north to Highway 70, which runs northeast through the desert and all those places I mentioned like Roswell and White Sands.

I got a text from Lauren (Stucky Leigh), saying “heads up. There are dust storms a foot along our route.”
The others had decided to go up through Roswell as well.

When I stopped and researched the dust storms, it seemed like they were not extremely severe, and the roads were still open although they had been closed in the morning. I went for it! I consider myself a decent driver and ironically pretty safe. About three hours into the road to Roswell the dust storms kicked up. It was sort of like when there’s a fire nearby in California. At least my experience was. Just hazy and dusty and visibility gets kinda low from time to time. Imagine one of those really heavy rain downpours. You know the kind where your windshield wipers aren’t enough anymore? It’s like that for a few feet here and there. Once or twice, I started to pull over and it cleared up. So, it wasn’t so terrible, but it was exciting and a little psychedelic!

At one point, the dust cleared for just a few seconds and long enough for me to notice a banana shaped convertible car driving on the other side of the highway. He was going the opposite direction in a wide open topless banana with goggles on during a dust storm. Like I said, psychedelic.

After a leisurely nine hours on the road, with plenty of stops and side trips, I made it to Roswell. I checked into my hotel and unloaded all the gear into my room.

It was actually still light out, so I got to drive around and take some cool pictures. I walked around a bit. I tried to go in the Roswell black light, alien experience, but they weren’t open anymore.

After sightseeing, I decided to go ahead and grab dinner. The others were still a ways out from Roswell and it was past dinner time. I stopped at a grocery store and got some salad fixings. My room at the hotel had a sink and a refrigerator. There was silverware and some plates, so I was able to eat pretty healthy that night. There weren’t many choices for food that wouldn’t have impacted the way I feel the next day.

The older I get the more I have to be careful of how I treat my body on the road. It’s not like it’s really extra taxing, but a gig every night and sitting in a car all day can cause some issues. The last thing one wants to do is eat poorly. I always have better trips when I go out of my way to find healthy food.

Believe it or not, there are whole books and websites dedicated to this just for performers like us. Dar Williams, an amazing singer-songwriter, has a book to check out for sure!

I went back to my room and started making my dinner. That’s when I heard from the others who had arrived in Roswell and found a place to stop and eat. They were gonna look around a bit and keep driving toward Oklahoma City as far as they could. Both Will from Stucky Leigh and Joshua from Please Ask for Paul are from Oklahoma and have lots of family in the area. They used the day off to get to Oklahoma City a little quicker.

I had had enough excitement for one day and was perfectly content to hole up in Roswell.

What a wonderful way to spend the day off! Long, beautiful drive through an expansive and breathtaking desert. The sky is so huge, and the terrain gradually changes from desert to mountains back to desert again. A feast for the soul. Probably got a couple songs started too.

Good night, weary travelers!

Saturday morning, April 19

More shenanigans on the road.

Up at 5am for the long drive to Oklahoma City, hoping for decent weather. I got myself together, loaded up the car with all the gear and luggage and then departed the hotel. I found some coffee and then hit the road northeast toward Amarillo and then Oklahoma City.

Today I’ll get through to the other side of New Mexico and head into Texas and the underwhelming panhandle. Texas is a good place to keep the cruise control right at the speed limit. So, I’m gonna keep it all low profile today. Oh, forgot to get gas, more soon…

What a drive! So beautiful watching the desert slowly turn into the Ozark’s. I love this long old road.

Got to the room and unloaded everything. Quick turnaround back in the car to soundcheck. Tonight we play at my buddy Greg Johnson’s place, the Blue Door, in Oklahoma City. It’s a mainstay of the American folk music circuit. I’ve played there several times and so have all of my friends.

The owner and witch doctor, Greg Johnson, reminds me a bit of Java Joe. He has created an incredible space that feels and sounds amazing to the soul and ear. He knows how to create a safe and magical place for artists to have the best shot at winning over people’s hearts. He’s been around a while and probably smokes as much as I do. I didn’t know for sure if he’d remember me but as soon as I walked in the door, his face lit up and he yelled “Jeff Berkley” and he came over to hug me and offered me a joint. Now that’s a load in!

Veronica May and Will Stucky.

As we were loading in, some rain started to hit. It had been raining all day but had calmed down a bit once we arrived in Oklahoma City. That’s when the big storm hit. Rain was actually coming in under the doors of the venue. Not the blue one, thankfully! Greg and his staff knew how to handle it, no problem. There were tornadoes just south of us and I couldn’t help but reaching out with my heart to those affected. I sent up some sage for them. We’re supposed to have rain through tomorrow.

Having GPS and weather tracking apps have really changed the safety issues of traveling like this. I check in on the weather and roads around me every couple hours. It just gives me a bigger sense of security out here in the world. I’m so grateful for those things.

The show went off without a hitch and was crowded with people. Josh from Please Ask for Paul and Will from Stucky Leigh are both from Oklahoma, and their families and friends came out and supported us all. It was so wonderful to watch them stun their families with profound and beautiful magic.

These three shows, on the way out to Kansas, have been surprisingly wonderful, well-attended, and full of wizardry! I’ve made lots of new friends! I’m so glad we booked those shows. Everybody really pitched in and had a hand in these shows. It was just wonderfully fun and amazing! Can’t wait to be back!

Sunday, April 20
Up and at ‘em quickly and into the car with all the gear. Today we drive to Hays, Kansas and set up for our first session tonight with Veronica May! She’s joining us from Colorado where she lives.

This project has been years in the making and is about to actually happen today. I’m so excited, proud, and terrified all at once! I can’t wait to get these musicians into this room and hear what their sounds do in that room. I suspect the sounds will bloom like roses! Heading to get coffee and then hit the road to Hays.

In part two, I’ll tell you all about the sessions and the trip home.

Here’s a little taste of the recording. Magic!

This project has been like a spark in my life. These people and songs have become a part of my family. I’m so thankful and grateful to be here and can’t believe folks got behind this project like they have. Please Ask for Paul and Stucky Leigh have been unbelievably trusting and willing to go the distance. I can’t wait to tell you all about it in my next column.

I love this mean old road!

Ed. note: For a little background on the Paleoverb Project, read Berkley’s column from March! (https://sandiegotroubadour.com/underwater-dinotour-recording-project/)