conan neutron and the secret friends

A Year in Review: Lessons, Tours, and Inspiring Moments

January 1, 2026Mindee JorgensenLeave a comment

A crazy year filled with tours, travel, creativity, friends, music…and cats.

I can’t believe it’s almost over! Looking back, like what did I even do this year? Sometimes it feels like everyday is the same routine (although a nice one.) Get up and have a nice morning sipping coffee with the cats, doing some yoga, going for a walk, and then to work. Honestly one of the best parts of my year/life is that I get to teach and inspire others to play the drums. I love drumming and it is super rewarding to get to share this with others. I hope to be a good influence for those younger than I and inspire adults to take up an exciting new hobby, challenge themselves, and have a great time doing it. It can get stressful planning lessons, learning songs for students can be hard, but in the end it is me making the life I always wanted.

I did do a lot this year though! Looking back on my calendar there was so many fun adventures with friends, tours, travel, writing, recording, and learning new things! I played a total of 67 shows this year, with 4 different bands in 2 different countries. I am working on a new album with ModPods. I starting to grow my guitar skills creating a new band with some BFFs, Very Important Women. Here is my Month to Month recap of 2025.

January –

I rang in the New Year with my friend Heidi at her home. She was still recovering from the Holiday Road Trip broken foot incident. After a nights sleep I went to Descanso Gardens with Angela for their “Enchanted” light show. I played a show with Exploding Moons at Supply and Demand and was part of a Hot Snakes tribute, Audit in Progress. We played at Alex’s bar.

February –

This month I flew to VA to visit my sister Quinn and two nephews. It was great spending time with them, as they moved to England later in the year. Guess where I am heading in 2026??? My nephew Liam is a teen now, so I am no longer cool to him. My 2 year old nephew Harry loves me though!!

March-

The weather was getting nicer and I did a ton of hikes with my BFFs. I love hiking, especially exploring new trails. Did a short 3 day weekend with Conan Neutron and the Secret Friends in the LA area. It was a practice run for the big adventure that started at the very end of March…

April-

March 27th I flew to Chicago to join up with my Secret Friends. We played a show in Chicago at one of my fav places, Liar’s Club. Then Madison, Kenosha, and an all day festival in Milwaukee. Oh! These shows were all with the killer band Mr. Phylzzz.

After the all day fest (we played super late,) we got 4 hours sleep… hopped on a plane back to Chicago…had a layover… and another plane to JAPAN!! I should probably give the Japan trip it’s own blog post it was such an adventure. After the flight we had a long trip through customs. We spent a couple of hours finding out Conan’s bags were lost. Then we spent an hour on a packed train. We took another train and got lost in a giant train station. After that, we walked a mile with all our stuff in the rain. We made it to the 1st show just in time to catch the last half of the 2nd band. After 23 hours of travel and no sleep and I was on stage rocking.

We played 11 shows in Japan and traveled pretty far around the country. It was exhausting and very hard work but also an amazing once in a life time experience (except this was my 3rd Japan tour.) I cuddled with Otters, one highlight of my life lol. I got on the wrong bullet train and was late to a show. Dusty and I accidentally hiked up a thousand stairs on our day off (we entered a temple on the wrong side.) I got to see one of my BFFs Akiko. I ended up getting super sick the day before we flew back. I was knocked out with both Jet Lag and Illness for a few days after landing. Oh I also had Jury Duty this month, ugh.

May-

The beginning of the month was pretty routine. Lessons, chilling and relaxing at home. Of course a couple hikes with friends. Mid May started a month long Conan Neutron and the Secret Friends tour. The cool part was it started on the East Coast in DC. I flew in 2 days early and got to see my sister and nephews one last time before their move to England. Then…a month on the road. I feel like I have 2 lives sometimes. I love them both. Being at home with my cats, teaching drums and taking care of myself is one. The other is the unpredictably of living out of a van. Going to bed and waking up at a different time each day. Sometimes only having time to eat gas station food. Moving so fast that I forget what day it is, and sometimes what city I am in. The day before seems like months ago. It’s being part of a team on a hectic mission to get from one city to the next on time to play a show and (if things go well also make it to soundcheck.) I love preforming and playing in rock bands so it is a mission that is totally worth the stress and long days in a van.

This tour started on the East Coast and traveled to Minneapolis, where we played Caterwaul Fest. Conan is part of the team that throws it so we had a couple days off. After our set, I went to spend a couple of days in Sioux City with my family. I met up with the band two days later when we played my hometown. It was nice to see my family and get to meet my new nephew Juleon. It was also very stressful, as the environment in my home is very chaotic and intense. Got a touch of PTSD with that one.

That was about half way though the tour, we still had the West. I was excited to play 2 state I had never played before, Montana and Wyoming. My Grandmother grew up in Montana and it was special to her. In Iowa I picked up her ashes and took them with me the rest of the way to CA. I brought her through her home state which felt special.

We played these shows and a few others with our band friends Elephant Rifle. We ended our run with them at a great festival in Reno. We made our way to Seattle, and I got to see so many old friends! Amber lives there, Sioux City Pete, and my BFF Joe Ross!

June-

So that US tour brought us. into June. Back to normal life for a couple of weeks. The end of June I taught drums at CRSELA. A rock camp for female, trans, and non-binary youth living in South East LA. I really look forward to this camp. It is fun to teach to a group and not just 1 on 1. The environment the organizers create for the campers is extra magical and inspiring. The people I work with are super cool and welcoming!

July –

July 6th is Manny’s birthday, and we had a tribute show for him. I played my first show with a NOFX tribute band called “Three on Speed.” It was really fun. I have been jamming with 2 of my coworkers, who have turned into band mates and friends. It was cool to get to do it live. So many friends came out to support, and his friend’s also preformed. It was a night of real positive and happy energy despite how much we all miss him. Even cooler, my friend Jazmin flew in from Oregon and didn’t tell me, it was the best surprise. I also flew to Green Bay to play UFO fest with the Secret Friends and we recorded a music video.

August –

August was back to my usual routine of lessons and time with friends. I hung out with my drummer friend Elena. I don’t get to see her too much because of how far apart we live. Went to Shakespear in the Park with Angela and did a hike and B-day dinner to celebrate BFF Mary’s B-day. Angela, Heidi and I did a weekend camping adventure/ Very Important Women writing retreat. I also did some “drum tech” work for Dale Crover when Redd Kross played in MacAuthur Park. It was fun to be behind the scenes at that show and help them out.

September –

September was quite calm. I stayed in LA and did a lot of drum lessons. I did get to do Yoga with Kangaroos!!! That was a very special day with my friends, and Mary and I went on a fun leisurely hike afterwards. ModPods went into the studio to record a single. We have been busy writing this year so no live shows but lots going on behind the scenes.

October –

Joe came to LA with his band Miscomings. Excited I got to see him again (and again exactly 2 weeks later.) There was a 10 day Secret Friends tour that went through the Midwest, Colorado, Utah, Idaho and Oregon. It ended in Seattle playing the Rat City Recon Festival. That was a blast and yet again I saw Joe. It was also a very intense tour. I found an unresponsive gal in a women’s restroom in Lincoln (she was alive thankfully.) Then in the middle of nowhere Oregon we got into a car accident. We were all safe but the van, being old and high mileage, had seen it’s last day. RIP Supernaut. We missed one show but we did make it to our Portland show where I got to see BFF Jazmin!!

November –

Another 10 day Secret Friends tour. This time it was the South. This tour went way smoother than the October one. We stayed in some nice homes with some very kind and welcoming people (and adorable dogs.) We played New Orleans which I have not played since before COVID, and even had time to walk around. I had a blast in Atlanta too. We also came across a farmer’s market with goats running free. I made a special connection with a 3 legged goat name Finnegan.

Thanksgiving was a fun holiday, I. spent it with Manny’s family. I love them so much and am lucky to still have them in my life. His aunt Jenny was in town so it was a lot of family. They sang Happy Birthday to me because November 30th is my B-day!

For my B-day celebrations, some of my friends and I met up. We ate Indian food in Burbank. Then, we walked around looking at lights and hung out in an arcade. The day of Dale Crover did a solo acoustic set at a coffee shop so we went to that. Angela, Mary and I went on a nice hike, and I got dinner with Mary,

December –

December 5th was a big show at the Redwood to celebrate Conan and my birthdays. Lots of friends and even more strangers, it was packed. It was a blast. The Secret Friends year ended as it started, with a weekend in LA. Heidi, Angela, Mary and I took the Holiday Road Trip. We went to Hasting Ranch and walked around like giddy kids looking at the lights. This year we exclusively listened to all the Holiday Road covers on Spotify. Another weekend Lindsay, Heidi, Mary and I dressed in cat attire and went to a bar to karaoke. Kitty Kat Kristmas Karaoke. Jeremy and ModPods had a pedal party. Jeremy helped me build my pedal board. Then we had to walk down 22 flights of stairs. Christmas eve was with Manny’s family. Christmas day was a rainy day in bed with my cats. That was followed by dinner and a long downtown stroll with Mary.

It wasn’t a wasted year, and it wasn’t a bad year. A pretty good one actually. Adventure on the road, and peacefulness at home. Super grateful to live the life I do surrounded by special people. Life isn’t perfect. I would give anything for Manny to still be here. I still deal with grief, but that is out of my control. As for the things I can control, I have a pretty awesome life. Hello 2026!

Conan Neutron and the Secret Friends Midwest Tour 2024

June 26, 2024Mindee JorgensenLeave a comment

Including a Hometown show in Sioux City and Caterwaul 2024

I had a great time reuniting with my bandmates Conan, Tony, and Dusty for a short Midwest run of shows. I also made many new friends including Loren, who played second guitar on the first 3 shows.

Late in the evening, after a long day of travel, I arrived in Omaha NE and met up with Conan, and met (literally lol) Loren. As usual Tony’s flight was delayed, so we got some food at the ever famous midwest late night diner… Perkins. Living classy. The diner drama we were entertained by while indulging in our fancy fried feast included the overnight waitress being a no call no show, and the one server on the floor was moments away from snapping. The tension from the kitchen radiated out into the dining room.

That night was a hotel night, and we awoke to a sweltering hot midwest morning. First things first, we had to rehearse. Our one and only practice was the morning of the 1st show. It was at the Omaha Guitar Center, which was super accommodating and friendly. After a few hours of rehearsal we hit the road to my hometown of Sioux City Iowa.

I gave the band a warning that Sioux City smelled, but they were still blown away by the stench of the air as we rolled into the city limits. We stopped at Floyds monument for some Sioux City photos, and then took a nice break from the heat at The Siouxland Conservatory of Music.

The show was amazing, it was at a very cool coffee shop/art gallery. It was all ages so I got to see not only my friends and family, but also all their little ones. So many good friends showed up, and I also got to spend some time with my Dad. We did a late night La Jua’s dinner, and then stayed with my BFF’s Sam and Jenny, who made sure we were cozy and comfortable.

The next day was a 7 hour drive across the monotonous state of Iowa to Madison WI. Iowa isn’t quite as boring to look at as Nebraska, but close!

The Madison show was fun, and the green room looked like it hadn’t been changed, or cleaned, since the 70’s. The whole room had a yellow tint from years of smoking. The next day, Milwaukee had a similar time capsule green room, complete with a rotary land line phone.

Milwaukee was an afternoon show, and we played promptly at 4. Tony had a flight to catch which departed at 530, so we were on a time crunch. He had an uber waiting and was off stage and out the door before the feedback of our last song subsided. It was a very rock n roll exit, and he did make his flight.

I had the next day off in Milwaukee and got some much needed alone time. I went to a cool bio-dome place to look at the plants and habitats, got a haircut, took a walk by the river, and had some coffee with Loren. Oh, and of course did my laundry.

We were up and out the door at 7am, to make it to a radio interview at 8. I was so tired, any questions they directed to me were all one word answers lol. Then a few hours drive into Louisville to grab Tony and Dusty on our way to Cincinnati.

Yeah…..Cincinnati was the bummer show of the tour. The rest were pretty good but this one was so off. We played to no one, didn’t get paid, and the local bands lacked proper band etiquette. On the bright side we played a killer set, super tight! We then drove like 2 hours back to Louisville where we had a killer Air B+B waiting for us. I got my own room and bathroom, yeah! We got to sleep in too.

The next day was the Louisville show, so we had a free afternoon with no driving. We got a fancy breakfast and then did some of the tourist stuff. We went to see Coronal Sander’s grave, and a super sweet hotel from the 20’s where Al Capone had a bunch of secret rooms and passageways.

The show was great! The venue was Planet of the Tapes, and had so many cool things to look at. It was our first night with Part Chimp, and they are a killer band and solid dudes. I also have friends in Louisville and it was nice to see familiar faces. To top it off there was even a storm!

Next day we were off to Chicago. After a semi long drive, (longer than it needed to be thanks to traffic,) we stopped by a cool music store where Tony fell in love with a white Flying V custom bass. We ate some amazing Thai food, and I really needed a vegetable so that was great. I swear we stopped at a gas station rest stops where the only vegetable in the whole store was a pickle, ugh.

Chicago was for me the best show, both playing wise and all around great time. Huge crowd, every band was good, the bartenders were a blast, made new friends, and probably got too drunk…almost. The drive to the hotel I had to hold the new Flying V, since it didn’t have a case yet. In return I was allowed to name it and went with Paddington V.

Friday was a drive day, Chicago to Minneapolis for the 1st day of the 4 day Caterwaul fest. Dusty’s band was playing, and Conan runs the fest, so they were both a bit on edge. I just got to sit back and enjoy the day…as much as you can in a van for 8 hours. The bar on Friday night was cool, but I was worn out and my ears needed some silence. Tony and I were going to uber back to our swanky Air B+B (another room all to myself for 3 days…yesssss….) However, it was like 50 dollars so we decided to walk the 3 miles. It was a nice night and good exercise after a day in the van.

Saturday was our day to play at the fest. It was an outdoor stage at Palmer’s bar. A full day of bands, and we were on in the middle. I kinda felt like a rock star with workers who unloaded the van and set everything up. I will say it wasn’t my best set of the tour, the only one I really made an mistakes. I believe because I mistook a THC beverage for just CBD…and it hit right as I was on stage lol. It was still a kick ass solid set.

After that my duties of tour were done. I had Sunday as a day off in MN, where I did laundry and took a long walk by the river, and then hung out at the fest. My flight home was Monday morning at 6am midwest time, so by the time I got to LA I was so jet lagged. Took a nap, but my band BFF’s Lung were in town and staying at my studio. So it was one more night of music before my ears got a day of silence. It was great seeing Lung, I love that band. Some of the coolest and realist people I know.

So, that was my tour. People ask how was your tour, and there is so much to it I can’t really answer in one word, even one sentence. Very up and down, good shows and bad. Cozy beds and crappy beds. Long drives and easy days. The cool thing about touring is it keeps me grounded and in the moment. You never know what the day will bring and have to be able to go with the flow no matter what obstacles come your way. I love touring, and it also makes me appreciate my home life, apartment, and cats. It is like I get to live 2 different lifestyles. Road life and home life.

A few songs from our Chicago gig at The Liar’s Club.

Conan Neutron and the Secret Friends March tour with mclusky!

March 23, 2024April 2, 2024Mindee JorgensenLeave a comment

I hit the road for a quick 4 show tour with my friends Conan, Dusty, and Tony (aka Conan Neutron and the Secret Friends) at the beginning of March. We did a couple shows on our own in Newport Beach and Bakersfield, and then opened for our friends mclusky at The Echoplex in Los Angeles, and The Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco.

Lots of good times, although I wish it wasn’t such a short tour! We were just getting warmed up! Good news though, we are doing a longer tour in May! That tour will be starting in my hometown of Sioux City IA on May 17th!! Going to be seeing you soon midwest friends!

Scroll to the bottom for a video of our Echoplex Soundcheck of a new unreleased song, “Who Dares!”