On Dec. 19, indie duo Jim and Sam’s unique 365-day tour brought them to the Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The two musicians embarked on their journey on Nov. 3, just a few blocks from the University of Michigan’s campus. They have already traveled to Sweden, Germany and London, in addition to a growing list of U.S. states. Jim and Sam have vowed to perform at a new location every single day, with venues ranging from traditional music halls to comedy shows, nonprofits, private parties, schools, factories, under the stars, in airports, across the blue ocean and anywhere in between.
“The idea has been bouncing around for a few years now,” the artists said during an interview prior to the show. “It’s taken different shapes and forms, and then a few months ago, we realized it was time. We wanted to take our career into our own hands and not ask anyone for permission to do so. This tour is also a way for us to reconnect with all of the amazing people we’ve met along the way and make them all a part of one big project. We also wanted to test our limits and see what happens when we play one show every day for a year.”
After just a month and a half of their tour, the duo is already feeling the pressure of scheduling and performing every day in a new location. They haven’t shown any signs of backing down from this challenge, though, and Monday night’s show was a prime example.
As they glided effortlessly between performing and striking up witty conversations with the crowd, it certainly didn’t seem like performing for the previous seven consecutive weeks had put a damper on their energy. Towards the end of the show, it became evident that Jim and Sam began this tour out of a genuine yearning for adventure. Between reconnecting with old friends, collaborating with new musicians and simply getting to meet new faces along the way, it has already developed into a very memorable and inspiring tour, and their show reflected this perfectly.
“The world is really small and also really big. Some doors open and some doors never will. It’s more fun to walk through the open ones than stand outside in the cold ringing the doorbell,” the artists commented.
To follow them on their travels, find them on Instagram at @wearejimandsam.
Photos and story by Alex Melagrano
