Home...
I missed Amsterdam. I missed its innate clostraphobia, the bevy of grocery options that enable me to avoid any hint of the megastore lifestyle, the sheer insanity and ignorance expelled from every tourist dangling along Dam Square, the hot food in vending machines, the jittery trams, the rain, the canals and the fact that you have to bring your own bags to stores to save money.
I was away for a long time. Six weeks to be exact. I enjoyed my time away, especially with my family and my band, but it is time for home, and home means school. I have a paper exploring the craziness of duty free shops from a discursive analysis point of view due shortly, and throughout I have a shitload of work coming from all angles. Anywho, I'm going to enjoy home while I'm here. I do leave again next week.
x
Monday, January 29, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
In the studio,
We have been the studio for eight hours now and miraculously laid down the bare bones for four tracks, which is fantastic. Three of the songs are old and are found on "Soliloquy" but have been completely re-orchestrated and performed while one is brand new, a song called "Shivaree" which actually comes from a play that our friends What The Thunder Said scored. There have been some moments of jubilance, as everything seems to be coming together perfectly. I cannot wait for people to hear the record, and we're in good shape for having it done and ready to roll on May 1st. Right now we're sorting out the nooks and crannies for our single, "Stay Up," which un-mixed and un-mastered sounds fantastic, so I have good vibes on how it'll sound when completed.
In other news, I go home on Saturday. It has been a whirlwind week. I met some amazing people on tour, and got to spend some time with a few which was great, and I hung out with the band and K quite a bit. Things are on the up and up with this... I expect good things.
School begins on Monday, and I have a huge term paper due a week after. Welcome back to real world, Mr. Shapiro. I am excited to see my friends back at home and get to settle into my new place after I quickly moved out before going on tour. We also have a round of shows planned for May, so stay tuned for dates and stuff like that.
I am also working on some interesting articles, so stay tuned.
peace-
We have been the studio for eight hours now and miraculously laid down the bare bones for four tracks, which is fantastic. Three of the songs are old and are found on "Soliloquy" but have been completely re-orchestrated and performed while one is brand new, a song called "Shivaree" which actually comes from a play that our friends What The Thunder Said scored. There have been some moments of jubilance, as everything seems to be coming together perfectly. I cannot wait for people to hear the record, and we're in good shape for having it done and ready to roll on May 1st. Right now we're sorting out the nooks and crannies for our single, "Stay Up," which un-mixed and un-mastered sounds fantastic, so I have good vibes on how it'll sound when completed.
In other news, I go home on Saturday. It has been a whirlwind week. I met some amazing people on tour, and got to spend some time with a few which was great, and I hung out with the band and K quite a bit. Things are on the up and up with this... I expect good things.
School begins on Monday, and I have a huge term paper due a week after. Welcome back to real world, Mr. Shapiro. I am excited to see my friends back at home and get to settle into my new place after I quickly moved out before going on tour. We also have a round of shows planned for May, so stay tuned for dates and stuff like that.
I am also working on some interesting articles, so stay tuned.
peace-
Saturday, January 20, 2007
New Kae Sun Article...
It's pretty good.
http://www.echoweekly.com/viewstory.php?storyid=6064
It's been a very lazy day, conducive for thinking. I hate those days.
It's pretty good.
http://www.echoweekly.com/viewstory.php?storyid=6064
It's been a very lazy day, conducive for thinking. I hate those days.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Update...
I have a few minutes and I'm procrastinating as per usual, thereby refuting my New Years Resolution, but ah well. So, whilst procrastinating, I thought I'd update the blog. Let's start with Peterborough.
The show was great. The venue decided to make the show free, which is quite impressive for bands of our stature (Jimmy Swift Band and What The Thunder Said) so the bar was packed to capacity. Also, there was a ton of students, which just added to the party. Kids were dancing during our soundcheck, which was nice. I'm guessing they just need something to do in town, and we were it that night. We had a heck of a time getting there and back, as a misunderstanding between the band made us 2 hours late and a freak rainstorm made driving home tricky, but the response was worth it. We played for about 65 minutes, and I won't tell you the set as we have to play similar-ish sets each night because the collaboration was difficult enough to set up. It sounds fantastic, and it has been a treat playing with WTTS and K. They are all stand-up, professional cats and great guys, and what we are doing is truly unique. Combining hip-hop and progressive rock, with folk, jazz and electro. It's worth seeing.
I went to Ottawa this weekend for nero and to see Zach. Ottawa was the same as it always was, and hanging out with Zach was great. His house is filled with kind folks, and I seem to fit in as everyone is a sarcastic bastard, so we had fun. nero was also great. nero sounded like nero, spirited, loud and danceable, and seeing everyone from my past was great too. It was a big family reunion, more than anything.
Had a big show tomorrow in my hometown. The Toronto show. Shows till Saturday. Love Ya.
I have a few minutes and I'm procrastinating as per usual, thereby refuting my New Years Resolution, but ah well. So, whilst procrastinating, I thought I'd update the blog. Let's start with Peterborough.
The show was great. The venue decided to make the show free, which is quite impressive for bands of our stature (Jimmy Swift Band and What The Thunder Said) so the bar was packed to capacity. Also, there was a ton of students, which just added to the party. Kids were dancing during our soundcheck, which was nice. I'm guessing they just need something to do in town, and we were it that night. We had a heck of a time getting there and back, as a misunderstanding between the band made us 2 hours late and a freak rainstorm made driving home tricky, but the response was worth it. We played for about 65 minutes, and I won't tell you the set as we have to play similar-ish sets each night because the collaboration was difficult enough to set up. It sounds fantastic, and it has been a treat playing with WTTS and K. They are all stand-up, professional cats and great guys, and what we are doing is truly unique. Combining hip-hop and progressive rock, with folk, jazz and electro. It's worth seeing.
I went to Ottawa this weekend for nero and to see Zach. Ottawa was the same as it always was, and hanging out with Zach was great. His house is filled with kind folks, and I seem to fit in as everyone is a sarcastic bastard, so we had fun. nero was also great. nero sounded like nero, spirited, loud and danceable, and seeing everyone from my past was great too. It was a big family reunion, more than anything.
Had a big show tomorrow in my hometown. The Toronto show. Shows till Saturday. Love Ya.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Long weekend,
I feel like half of my time in Canada is spent on the highway. The show is Peterborough went extremely well on Thursday. The bar was packed because Peterborough is a town that parties if and when there are things to do, and the band we were playing with, Jimmy Swift Band, are quite well known.
Spent the weekend in Ottawa and saw nero twice as well as Zach and his house. I'll explain more later when I have time, but it was a blast. Back to work :)
I feel like half of my time in Canada is spent on the highway. The show is Peterborough went extremely well on Thursday. The bar was packed because Peterborough is a town that parties if and when there are things to do, and the band we were playing with, Jimmy Swift Band, are quite well known.
Spent the weekend in Ottawa and saw nero twice as well as Zach and his house. I'll explain more later when I have time, but it was a blast. Back to work :)
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Tour...
I haven't been on the road playing music since April, and I am definitely nervous to get back on stage in front of people tonite, as I play with Kae Sun in Peterborough. I am excited too, but nervous as well. The guys I'm playing with, What The Thunder Said and K himself are terrific, so it should one hell of a throwdown...
Otherwise, I have been so busy I can barely think about anything else. It's been work, work and more work the past 10 days, as 2007 has started off busy, but well. Anything to beat 2006. I am looking forward to coming home to Amsterdam and resume some sort of normalcy, but I am on the road so often normalcy is becoming a malleable connotation. I'm in the UK Feb 7-12 and Germany Feb 27 - Mar 2. I'll probably be in Belgium as well in between then, hitting up Antwerp to see a friend.
Also, today I interviewed a living legend, Jimmy Carter from the Blind Boys of Alabama. These guys are the kings of traditional gospel, and it was an honour. I'll have a piece written about them this weekend. See you on tour!
I haven't been on the road playing music since April, and I am definitely nervous to get back on stage in front of people tonite, as I play with Kae Sun in Peterborough. I am excited too, but nervous as well. The guys I'm playing with, What The Thunder Said and K himself are terrific, so it should one hell of a throwdown...
Otherwise, I have been so busy I can barely think about anything else. It's been work, work and more work the past 10 days, as 2007 has started off busy, but well. Anything to beat 2006. I am looking forward to coming home to Amsterdam and resume some sort of normalcy, but I am on the road so often normalcy is becoming a malleable connotation. I'm in the UK Feb 7-12 and Germany Feb 27 - Mar 2. I'll probably be in Belgium as well in between then, hitting up Antwerp to see a friend.
Also, today I interviewed a living legend, Jimmy Carter from the Blind Boys of Alabama. These guys are the kings of traditional gospel, and it was an honour. I'll have a piece written about them this weekend. See you on tour!
Monday, January 08, 2007
Quiet,
Life is so busy here, but in a different way, that I rarely have time to update this. I am super excited to play these upcoming shows, as the band sounds terrific. I promise all who support us a blisteringly fantastic show. Other than that, home is home and life is well, unentertaining. I hate driving, something being back home has reminded me of, but I have enjoyed seeing many of my friends. Lots to do this week. Up early tomorrow.
Life is so busy here, but in a different way, that I rarely have time to update this. I am super excited to play these upcoming shows, as the band sounds terrific. I promise all who support us a blisteringly fantastic show. Other than that, home is home and life is well, unentertaining. I hate driving, something being back home has reminded me of, but I have enjoyed seeing many of my friends. Lots to do this week. Up early tomorrow.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
2007...
is 4 days old, but it is shaping up to be a doozy. I love the word doozy. This will be another short entry, as I am just on my way out in Toronto to enjoy another unseasonably warm evening in Canada's biggest city. Lots of Kae Sun stuff upcoming, so check www.myspace.com/kaesun to keep up. Love You.
is 4 days old, but it is shaping up to be a doozy. I love the word doozy. This will be another short entry, as I am just on my way out in Toronto to enjoy another unseasonably warm evening in Canada's biggest city. Lots of Kae Sun stuff upcoming, so check www.myspace.com/kaesun to keep up. Love You.
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