Music
For nearly a decade, Nordista Freeze had the idea to play 50 shows in 50 states in 50 days.
But then he learned that other musicians had accomplished the feat in less time. The fastest example Freeze could find was an Irish band that accomplished the 50-50 in 35 days.
Now, he wants to claim the throne. To make the trek “unimaginably ambitious,” Freeze will attempt to perform 50 shows in 50 states in 30 days as part of his aptly named “World Record” tour.
He begins the trek on May 3 in Birmingham, Alabama, with plans to end on June 1 in Kauai, Hawaii. Achieving his goal means performing up to three shows per day in some cases.
“My tour is all about the through line of independent and DIY culture across our country,” Freeze says. “My message is to unify all 50 states through a shared vision of art and culture.”
The tour is as DIY as it gets — Freeze and his videographer, Zayne Isom, will drive cross-country. The pair will document the journey, with plans to release a mini-documentary afterward. A “baton relay of friends” will cycle through city by city to keep Freeze company.
“My only fear is vehicular issues. Nothing else could deter me,” Freeze says. “And even that, I don't think, could deter me. But part of the reason why I'm trying to beat the record by five days is to allow a worst-case scenario to happen.”
Freeze is tracking it all on a spreadsheet — venue locations, drive times, show times. The most difficult part of the planning process was routing, he says. What cities should have one show, or three? What cities do you want to be in in the morning versus at night?
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Booking venues was another logistical challenge. Yes, Alaska and Hawaii proved difficult, but it was states like Wyoming and Rhode Island that Freeze says he struggled to find a venue.
The venues run the gamut — houses, clothing shops, record stores. He’ll even play at a mini-golf place in Portland, Oregon.
“The weirder, the better for me,” Freeze says.
The shows themselves will change depending on whoever Freeze collaborates with in any given city.
“I’m allowing a lot of creative vision to the people who are involved in representing their city,” Freeze says.
Freeze expects the tour to cost about $7,000 to cover car rentals, gas, food and the final flight to Hawaii. He’s accepting donations and selling tour merch to support the tour.
“We live in a divisive time in a lot of ways, and an isolated time. Those are the headlines. We know that. But I still believe that there is a cultural through line in this country that can be celebrated,” Freeze says.
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