Archive for January, 2009

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Greetings to all!  I’ve finally done something that I’ve had in mind to do for a while now, which is to book a solo show!  It’s going to be April 4, 2009 at the Galactic Quest comic book store in Lawrenceville.  By the way, I did choose the date for more reasons than just the fact that it’s my birthday, although I can’t think of too many things I’d rather be doing on a special day.  What is most significant about that event is that it is my first solo show ever and the first time many of my original songs will have been performed.

I acknowledge that I am a somewhat unknown quantity in the solo venue and that many people might not know what to expect, so here is some vague idea.  I will be playing acoustic guitar for the majority of the songs but will use the djembe for a few.   That drum isn’t going to get shelved any time soon because, as many of you have heard, the only way to ensure that a musical instrument stays in optimum condition is to play it a lot.  I’ll be focusing on original songs, many of which have been waiting patiently (or not) for years and years for their chance to be played, but I will also do a few covers and a few traditionals.   Some of my originals are from the heart, some are silly, some are both, and most are at least loosely based upon my life experiences, whether those experiences were in college, in Nashville, at renaissance festivals, or anywhere else.  I write it like I see it, and I often have some strange ways of seeing things.   Add a few brief anecdotes, put it all together, and the show as a whole is fairly autobiographical, but the main thing I want it to be is fun.  This is an exciting time for me, and the goal I’ve set for myself is for you to have as much fun as I plan to have!

The store itself is on Highway 120 in Lawrenceville, less than a mile east [consults map-yes, east] of Highway 316.  If you’re coming from 316 it’s on the left just after Phoenix High School and just before Captain D’s, both of which are also on the left.  There’s a yellow sign on the brick building that says “Comics”.  The Lost Boys show there last month was fun, and Kyle looks forward to developing the stage area and continuing to establish that store as a music venue, and I’m grateful to him for giving us all the opportunity to help with that.  The show in April starts at 7:30 on that Saturday night, and the best part is that there’s FREE ADMISSION!  And like the calendar page says, don’t buy me presents- all I want is your presence.  Your attendance, support, and noise will make my evening!

In other goings on, the Dancing Monkey Cabaret (for which I am currently serving as musical director) will have its next weekend of shows January 30-February 1 at the Academy Theater in Avondale.  And no, they’re not scared of competing with football that Sunday night.  The theme is “New Year, New World”, and it and looks to be a very entertaining show.  Looks like I might even be performing one of my originals as part of the program.

Apologies again to all who are pretty sure you signed my mailing list but can’t figure out why you never got that confirmation email, as many have told me.  If you haven’t gotten a newsletter by now, your address never made to the first one.  I changed services within a couple of weeks after I launched the site and imported the email addresses, and the new one actually has someone working in support.  So be sure and go to the MAILING LIST page and sign up if you haven’t already done so.

That’s the news for now.  I hope to see everybody April 4 or sooner!

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Happy New Year to all!

Thanks to everyone who came out to Galactic Quest.  It was a very special night for me in many ways and for many reasons, and I’m relieved to have made it through singing “Ode to an Unfetter’d Fowl” without an emotional breakdown.  All the best to the Lads!  That night, however, was in no way the end of my friendship with anybody or even my working relationship with  Geoffrey Brown, as last weekend I had the opportunity to be present for the realization of a lifelong dream of his, which is to host a cabaret show.  I am very happy not to have vanished into musical oblivion as I have taken on the role of musical director for the Dancing Monkey Cabaret and the drummer for the house band, which Geoffrey has dubbed The Chromatics.  The first shows were last weekend.

This is an old-school all-ages variety show which included music, comedy, juggling, disturbingly comedic interpretive ballet, comical puppetry, and illusion.  Between acts and during introductions, bassist Drake Kennedy and I got to provide ambience by vamping in the background- Drake on an upright bass and I with brushes, and I responded percussively when somebody told a joke.  It’s very relaxed and fluid, and the unscripted can become part of the show, which is nothing new for me.   Geoffrey didn’t have to twist my arm when the guy on the front row called for a drum solo, and it was also the first time in my life that I got to play drums with a parrot on my shoulder.

Geoffrey and business partner Aaron Gottlieb are looking to do shows once a month for now, increasing to twice a month, and eventully running every weekend in their own permanent location.  I will also begin doing solo shows this year.  And who knows what else?  Keep checking the Calendar page on here for details.  If you sign my mailing list on the SIGN MAILING LIST page the details will be delivered to your inbox.  My apologies to all who tried to sign my list when the site launched.  I did a few test emails with the original service from NotifyList, but I’ve heard from far too many people who said they tried to sign up and never got the confirmation email or whose addresses I never saw.  It’s a dud.  I wrote to somebody with another list service and got a quick response that  “it’s live” and have switched.  If you have never gotten an email from my original list then you are not on the new one, as I imported what relatively few addresses I had.

I wish everybody a bright and prosperous 2009, and I hope to see everybody soon!