Played a fun show in Sydenham, a very pretty little town. Kyra and Tully kindly lent me 20 minutes at the start of the show to play some of my stuff, and I played a couple new tunes, one really old one (from the side-view e.p.) , and filled the balance with stuff from the cd. The Mill Street Cafe (right beside Desert Lake Gardens, owned by the same cool people) was a great venue, though the crowd seem to be a bit on the, shall we say "mature" side, they were quite attentive, and showed their appreciation.
Barn Flyz things are quiet right now, but I'm hoping to set up some shows a.s.a.p. Maybe a late September thing at the Library.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
Sydenham. . .
Kyra and Tully have kindly asked me to play some songs after their set this Sunday in Sydenham. I've got to take some time today and remind myself of the bass lines to their songs. Paul Clifford has departed for Japan, so I'm back on the bass for their set.
After that? I'm not sure.
Good luck to Anthony and Derek as they start their post-secondary education. I'm hoping they can still be in the band, because along with being awesome players, they're very nice people; a rare two punch combo in music.
I want to do another show at the library, but I want to do some work to see if I can somehow get the room for less or for free -- maybe I can convince them to put on a teen-music-night or kid's music afternoon or something. The kid's librarians all know Peja, so maybe I can get her to introduce me.
Down at Dorian, I got moved to the BIG room, which has a window, and a view, and a phone, and a lot more space for me and my students -- huge thanks to Tim for the move!
Jay.
After that? I'm not sure.
Good luck to Anthony and Derek as they start their post-secondary education. I'm hoping they can still be in the band, because along with being awesome players, they're very nice people; a rare two punch combo in music.
I want to do another show at the library, but I want to do some work to see if I can somehow get the room for less or for free -- maybe I can convince them to put on a teen-music-night or kid's music afternoon or something. The kid's librarians all know Peja, so maybe I can get her to introduce me.
Down at Dorian, I got moved to the BIG room, which has a window, and a view, and a phone, and a lot more space for me and my students -- huge thanks to Tim for the move!
Jay.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Home
Two weeks of clean air, fresh water, and more family than you can shake a stick at. . . Muskoka isn't such a bad place to visit.
It's my home, I guess, as much as anywhere -- especially the cottage. I've been going there since my first summer (some think I made it there for my first christmas, which would've seen me around 1 month old), and my family's been there since '54.
When I was small, we would spent almost every weekend there, and 3 weeks or so in the summer. It was my favourite place in the whole world, and when I was older, and my family didn't have the time to go, I signed on as a nanny to my twin cousins to keep my cottage time.
I'm no army brat, but I lived in 5 different cities and towns before I graduated high school. Other familes live in the houses of my youth, other children sleep where I slept. But my grandmother's cottage, which housed us all in chaos and joy before the land was subdivided, has a hardwood floor that I remember crawling on. I hide and seek my daughter Peja in cubbies and nooks where I once hid myself.
It's my home, I guess, as much as anywhere -- especially the cottage. I've been going there since my first summer (some think I made it there for my first christmas, which would've seen me around 1 month old), and my family's been there since '54.
When I was small, we would spent almost every weekend there, and 3 weeks or so in the summer. It was my favourite place in the whole world, and when I was older, and my family didn't have the time to go, I signed on as a nanny to my twin cousins to keep my cottage time.
I'm no army brat, but I lived in 5 different cities and towns before I graduated high school. Other familes live in the houses of my youth, other children sleep where I slept. But my grandmother's cottage, which housed us all in chaos and joy before the land was subdivided, has a hardwood floor that I remember crawling on. I hide and seek my daughter Peja in cubbies and nooks where I once hid myself.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Thoughts on the fall. . .
The rest of the summer is booked up, and the band won't be doing much until the fall -- but that's only a month away.
The Wilson Room will be revisited; I think it's the perfect sized venue for us.
I'm debating finding gigs at bars. I don't know. There are some very nice pubs downtown, and it would be cool to get paid. . .
I just wrote the great Nick Peat an Email to find out if he's still down with being a Barn Fly -- if he is, with his great singing and song repertoire, I think we could handle the 2-3 hour demands that bars have for single act nights.
Man, is Derek even of age?
And the Wellington Street Theatre has been in the back of my mind for years. It's just the coolest looking building -- their P.A. facilities aren't enough, and it's twice the cost of the Wilson Room. . . But it'd be awesome.
New songs are being written, and rewritten. . .
The Wilson Room will be revisited; I think it's the perfect sized venue for us.
I'm debating finding gigs at bars. I don't know. There are some very nice pubs downtown, and it would be cool to get paid. . .
I just wrote the great Nick Peat an Email to find out if he's still down with being a Barn Fly -- if he is, with his great singing and song repertoire, I think we could handle the 2-3 hour demands that bars have for single act nights.
Man, is Derek even of age?
And the Wellington Street Theatre has been in the back of my mind for years. It's just the coolest looking building -- their P.A. facilities aren't enough, and it's twice the cost of the Wilson Room. . . But it'd be awesome.
New songs are being written, and rewritten. . .
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
An evening in the Church Basement
Well, first off, thanks to Greg Tilson (uh, I'm still guessing on the spelling, but it's gotta be close, right?) He seems to be a very nice man, and I believe I saw him play "down by the bay" at a 1st birthday party a couple of years ago.
The Basement of the Queen Street United Church somehow has a stage, and lights, and feels like a highschool gym.
I ended up going on 'round about an hour late, to a pretty small crowd -- which made it seem much more like a bar gig than a show in a church basement. But my audience was mostly made up of Skeleton Park Music Festival Volunteers, and endeavor I very much admire, so I am quite glad to have played for them. It's funny how a small crowd is much more terrifying than a large one. I think I'd rather play for 10,000 people than 8; aside from the obvious signs of a career that the 10,000 might indicate, it's just much less daunting to win over some of 10,000 than all of 8.
One time Flyz drummer Ian Montgomery was there, currently of InfoTourist fame, and I got to meet Annie Clifford, sister of Paul Clifford - who's been playing bass to my drums for Kyra and Tully lately.
Everyone was very welcoming, butI feel quite old, and somehow also like a little kid, around these folks; it's a world away from play groups and wading pools. I also just can't get my head around waiting for stuff; I've been playing live music for a decade, and I still show up on time -- always hours before anything happens. Spalding Gray uses the phrase "little drummer boy" to discribe feeling like a tag-along with other artists; I always feel a step out of time.
Nich Worby played after me, and he was really great, and quite gracious to compliments. He's opening the Wolfe Island Music Festival this year, so show up early.
My Set List:
The Slow Country Song (from my very first Sideview E.P.)
City Lights
After the Fire
Parrot (new)
Red Flag
In the Shadow of the Sleeping Giant
Tryin' You On
The Basement of the Queen Street United Church somehow has a stage, and lights, and feels like a highschool gym.
I ended up going on 'round about an hour late, to a pretty small crowd -- which made it seem much more like a bar gig than a show in a church basement. But my audience was mostly made up of Skeleton Park Music Festival Volunteers, and endeavor I very much admire, so I am quite glad to have played for them. It's funny how a small crowd is much more terrifying than a large one. I think I'd rather play for 10,000 people than 8; aside from the obvious signs of a career that the 10,000 might indicate, it's just much less daunting to win over some of 10,000 than all of 8.
One time Flyz drummer Ian Montgomery was there, currently of InfoTourist fame, and I got to meet Annie Clifford, sister of Paul Clifford - who's been playing bass to my drums for Kyra and Tully lately.
Everyone was very welcoming, butI feel quite old, and somehow also like a little kid, around these folks; it's a world away from play groups and wading pools. I also just can't get my head around waiting for stuff; I've been playing live music for a decade, and I still show up on time -- always hours before anything happens. Spalding Gray uses the phrase "little drummer boy" to discribe feeling like a tag-along with other artists; I always feel a step out of time.
Nich Worby played after me, and he was really great, and quite gracious to compliments. He's opening the Wolfe Island Music Festival this year, so show up early.
My Set List:
The Slow Country Song (from my very first Sideview E.P.)
City Lights
After the Fire
Parrot (new)
Red Flag
In the Shadow of the Sleeping Giant
Tryin' You On
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