Keeping travel dreams alive and setting goals has never felt more important. We can all agree that 2020 has been an unfortunate year so far, and almost every facet of daily life has been wrought by this ongoing global pandemic, the start of which now feels like forever ago. The arts has been one of the hardest hit areas, so The AU Review has kickstarted a Q&A series “looking past the pandemic”, encouraging creatives from around the world to share their travel hopes, dreams, and the thoughts or things that are getting them through 2020, while also highlighting essential experiences in their own country.
Gregory Alan Isakov (Boulder, Colorado)
Colorado-based indie-folk darling Gregory Alan Isakov has become widely known these past few years not just for his Grammy-nominated work as a musician, but his deep passion for horticulture, often using gardening and sustainable farming to keep him grounded when he isn’t on tour. In between two loves, Isakov has had a storied career thus far and its evident that his gentle, beautiful style of folk is perhaps most informed by strong communion and hands-on approach to nature.
We caught up with Gregory Alan Isakov to look past the pandemic.
When travel opens up completely, the first place I’m going is…
Australia. I am so excited to come back to Australia to play some shows. We had an incredible time there last year. Probably the first place I’ll head back to is Sydney and then head south and west from there.
Spots in Australia I think everyone should visit at least once in their life…
I thought the Gold Coast was indescribably beautiful. And the coast near Perth as well. Standing on that coastline was the farthest I’ve been from home.
Whenever I have a visitor in my city and I want to show them a good night out, the first place I take them is…
Usually we hang here on the farm—play some songs perhaps or make some dinner. In the wintertime, I would probably take them into my local town, Boulder. Pearl Street has a ton of incredible restaurants scattered along it, many of which we grow produce for here on the farm. I love Arcana, River and Woods, and the Jamestown Mercantile up in Jamestown, Colorado.
We’d end the night at…
The Sundown Saloon is a classic dive bar here in Boulder. But if they want a good view of the stars, usually I’ll drive up Flagstaff Mountain.
Most memorable thing I’ve eaten on the road…
Australia has the best veggie burgers I’ve had! Beets on them?? Great idea.
The one international venue I’ve always wanted to play…
Sydney Opera House. I’ll send that wish out into the universe.
The one international destination I’m yet to visit but have always dreamed of…
We hit most of the major cities during our tour there, but I’d love to explore Western Australia more.
The three things or thoughts that are getting me through this pandemic…
I’m so grateful to be growing food for our Community Supported Agriculture program this summer (people in the community have a membership to get a weekly box of produce from my farm). It’s been a huge sense of accomplishment and has been really busy and challenging. I’m so grateful for the gardens. I’ve been recording at home as well, which I would be lost without. And I suppose the third thing would be the held dates we have for next year’s tour, which I’m hoping will happen.
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For more on Gregory Alan Isakov you can head on over to his official website here. And for more on the Colorado places he mentioned head on over to colorado.com.
Photo by Israel Nebeker.
