Like I've said, I love this time of year. I love the feeling of resolutions and new beginnings. Perhaps that's because, so far, every year of my life has been better than the last. Even the hard years, and this was a hard year for me personally (as well a hard year elsewhere in the world).
Though the years are more and more delightful, I'm never sorry to bid them farewell. I like dusting the old year off my fingers and turning my face toward the new.
I have a mission: to be able to continue living my life as a musician without burning out. You see, I flamed out as a musician in my 20s and stopped doing it for over 10 years. Performing was too painful and scary. And I was too fragile.
I'm a much stronger person now than I was all those years ago, but still, I know I need to take care. This business can be discouraging. It's a hard living to make. It involves quite a lot of vulnerability and rejection, and it can be lonely, in between the periods of intense connection. The financial sacrifices can be a little hard to take, too.
Some days, it's easy to think: "What the heck am I doing? Why don't I go get a nice office job and sit on my backside for a guaranteed salary?"
But that's not the life I want.
What this job takes in terms of money, energy and (sometimes) heartache, it more than pays back in creativity, freedom and (sometimes) elation.
This year, as part of my burn-out prevention plan, I'm getting rid of all the "should"s.
"You should apply there, you should play at that festival, you should, should, should...."
When I have the energy, I'm going to humbly ask people for opportunities to play. But when I don't have that energy, I'm not going to worry about it. I'm just going to work at my craft and focus on becoming a better musician, a better songwriter, a better singer.
I'm going to nurture my light. And shine.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Friday, December 28, 2012
2012 Retrospective
What a year it's been.
I love this time of year. Looking back over the past. Looking forward to the future.
I love resolutions and plans. And every year I get better at taking time to absorb and appreciate the good things that have happened, as well as the lessons I've learned.
This year was full of happy shows and fun times visiting with friends, new and old(er) in the Nova Scotia music business.
Some of the most special shows were in intimate settings, like Fables in Tatamagouche. I played a show there in February for Freedom to Read Week, where I challenged myself to fight off my inner censor and sing some of the songs that scare me. I was really nervous, but the warm crowd at Fables cheered me on.
I also played for the first time at Cove Music in Sandy Cove, NS. I had never been to that part of the province before and was moved by the friendliness of my hosts and the beauty of the spot. I can hardly wait to go back when I have enough to time to continue on down Digby Neck to Brier Island.
I had a great time playing at the LaHave Folk Festival and helping to organize the Pennybrook Folk Festival. At Pennybrook Festival, I heard one of the greatest things I've ever heard: Adam Iredale-Gray of Fish & Bird playing a fiddle-to-cockadoodle-doo-et with Pennybrook Farm's rooster.
I also played some truly awful gigs this year. If I learned anything, finally, it's that I'd rather play fewer shows than pad out my schedule with gigs at restaurants where the audience is talking loudly over me and the staff wouldn't dream of asking them to take it down – just by 30 or 40 decibels to let the people who want to listen do so. I've had enough of that to last a life-time.
No, it's listening audiences for me!
Like the beautiful audience of over 90 people who packed out the hall in West Dublin for my CD launch show. We had a full band on stage with me, Jude Pelley, Jordi Comstock, Jim Bell and Liam Finney. My beautiful friends and neighbours, Pennybrook, opened the show. We had a whizz-bang celebration to launch Blackbirds, my 3rd CD, that had started months before at The Old Confidence Lodge in Riverport. People are still talking about that show.
I'm looking forward to giving people more things to talk about in 2013. What about you? What are your magical moments from 2012?
I love this time of year. Looking back over the past. Looking forward to the future.
I love resolutions and plans. And every year I get better at taking time to absorb and appreciate the good things that have happened, as well as the lessons I've learned.
This year was full of happy shows and fun times visiting with friends, new and old(er) in the Nova Scotia music business.
Some of the most special shows were in intimate settings, like Fables in Tatamagouche. I played a show there in February for Freedom to Read Week, where I challenged myself to fight off my inner censor and sing some of the songs that scare me. I was really nervous, but the warm crowd at Fables cheered me on.
I also played for the first time at Cove Music in Sandy Cove, NS. I had never been to that part of the province before and was moved by the friendliness of my hosts and the beauty of the spot. I can hardly wait to go back when I have enough to time to continue on down Digby Neck to Brier Island.
I had a great time playing at the LaHave Folk Festival and helping to organize the Pennybrook Folk Festival. At Pennybrook Festival, I heard one of the greatest things I've ever heard: Adam Iredale-Gray of Fish & Bird playing a fiddle-to-cockadoodle-doo-et with Pennybrook Farm's rooster.
I also played some truly awful gigs this year. If I learned anything, finally, it's that I'd rather play fewer shows than pad out my schedule with gigs at restaurants where the audience is talking loudly over me and the staff wouldn't dream of asking them to take it down – just by 30 or 40 decibels to let the people who want to listen do so. I've had enough of that to last a life-time.
No, it's listening audiences for me!
Like the beautiful audience of over 90 people who packed out the hall in West Dublin for my CD launch show. We had a full band on stage with me, Jude Pelley, Jordi Comstock, Jim Bell and Liam Finney. My beautiful friends and neighbours, Pennybrook, opened the show. We had a whizz-bang celebration to launch Blackbirds, my 3rd CD, that had started months before at The Old Confidence Lodge in Riverport. People are still talking about that show.
I'm looking forward to giving people more things to talk about in 2013. What about you? What are your magical moments from 2012?
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Local and Sustainable Holiday Shopping Ideas
I am not really a fan of Christmas. I'm not a Christian and the holiday doesn't hold much meaning for me. I'd rather give someone a present on a random Tuesday and share greetings and good times throughout the year than try to pack it all in to one hymn-laden, over-scheduled month.
I'm not a total Grinch or anything. I still believe in getting presents for kids and letting them experience the magic of Santa Claus and all that. I like having a big meal with loved ones, singing a few carols and watching the 1951 version of Scrooge (A Christmas Carol) with the brilliant Alastair "I-don't-deserve-to-be-so-happy!" Sim.
But I'm perfectly happy not to get any presents.
However, I know not everyone chooses to opt out of the season to the extent I do. And if you are shopping around for holiday treats, I happen to have some great local, indie and/or sustainable gift ideas, in Nova Scotia, in Toronto, and, as things go these days, online, too.
Nova Scotia/online:
I'm not a total Grinch or anything. I still believe in getting presents for kids and letting them experience the magic of Santa Claus and all that. I like having a big meal with loved ones, singing a few carols and watching the 1951 version of Scrooge (A Christmas Carol) with the brilliant Alastair "I-don't-deserve-to-be-so-happy!" Sim.
But I'm perfectly happy not to get any presents.
However, I know not everyone chooses to opt out of the season to the extent I do. And if you are shopping around for holiday treats, I happen to have some great local, indie and/or sustainable gift ideas, in Nova Scotia, in Toronto, and, as things go these days, online, too.
Nova Scotia/online:
- My new record Blackbirds, of course. It's available for sale at The Biscuit Eater Cafe and Bookstore in Mahone Bay, The Power House Gallery in Lunenburg and this Saturday only, from 1-6pm at the Holiday Artist's Market that is taking place at the Lunenburg Cultural Centre (I'll also be playing music there, swapping sets with brilliant finger-style guitarist Bob Ardern). It's also available online, shipping physical copies from Canada (i.e. my house) through Bandcamp, from the US through CDBaby, and digital copies through those two - and through iTunes (did you know you can gift music through iTunes? You just need to know the e-mail address the recipient uses for their iTunes account.)
- My Mom, Janet Barkhouse's picture book version of my Nana's novel, Pit Pony. (Mom will be reading and signing books at The Biscuit Eater Cafe and Bookstore in Mahone Bay this Sunday, December 2).
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- My cousin Nancy's awesome handbags. Check 'em out here at NPK designs on Facebook:
- Art from Power House Gallery in Lunenburg, especially art by Lynn Misner, the genius artist who painted, "The Caretaker", the piece that graces the cover of my new CD:
- The Ark (655 King Street, Bridgewater): a great place to buy gifts and support a community of physically and mentally challenged adults at the same time. I love the things made by the folks at The Ark, especially their handcrafted rugs, cushions and woodworking.
Toronto/online:
- Firefly Creative writing's on-site and on-line writing workshops, especially The Blog Shop, a weekend on-line workshop for aspiring and stuck bloggers.
- A Nia Dance Party with Jenn Hicks. Fun, uplifting, good times dancing with your friends.
- Creativity coaching with Danette Relic at The Radical Creative Sanctuary.
- Life coaching from Jamie Ridler. And, while you're there shopping, make sure to sign up for Jamie's motivating free newsletter yourself.
Online:
- Reflections: an inspiration journal from Paper Bag Press: an art journal to inspire artistic creativity.
- Feeling a little frisky? For those intimate friends, how about something from Kim at Ecosex.ca?
Happy holidays!
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Starving Artist? It's all relative
It's seven degrees Celsius today in West Dublin, NS. A beautiful day! So nice that I ate my lunch sitting on the back stoop and this afternoon I'm going to tackle the wood pile. I can't help but think that six weeks ago, a seven degree day was freezing! And now, it's a warm day.
I've been thinking about that in terms of money, too. I think we're all prone, and maybe artists more than some, to thinking that we're poor. Tight of funds. Struggling to get by. The image of the Starving Artist looms large. Artists pour a lot of time, energy and money into doing what we love. And then we feel strapped for cash. Crossing our fingers that just one more person will buy our new record (hint, hint) on Bandcamp and we'll be able to pay rent the next month.
But, I'm giving myself a wake-up and a shake-up. I am not poor. I am warm, properly fed and live in the most beautiful place in the world. My rent is pretty cheap and there are six cords of wood out back, just waiting to be stacked.
To find true poverty, I don't have to look very far. In the midst of our affluent nation, there are people living in construction trailers which were never meant to be residences. There are people struggling for the bare necessities.
I was reminded of that this week, when my friend Todd invited me to Share Something Day, an event that he is organizing through his 500 Kindnesses project on November 23, 2012. On the same day as Black Friday and Buy Nothing Day, Todd is inviting people to simply share something of their choice either with friends or strangers.
It happens that I have a show on Friday, November 23. I'll be singing and playing at The Biscuit Eater Cafe and Bookstore. I had a show at the Biscuit Eater last November, too, right around the time that the news about Attawapiskat was hitting its peak (remember Attawapiskat? You can find updates on how they're doing now on their web site). Last year, I donated all sales of merchandise from The Biscuit Eater show to Shannen's Dream, a charity that is working for the people of Attawapiskat. And I'm going to do the same thing this year. So, please come on out and pick up a copy of my new CD. Or a T-shirt. Or an old CD. If you can't make it to the show, consider giving to a charity of your choice, just because you can.
To heck with feeling poor, I say. It's a crazy way to feel when I was born into a level of privilege and comfort that much of the world only dreams of.
Starving Artist? It's all relative.
I've been thinking about that in terms of money, too. I think we're all prone, and maybe artists more than some, to thinking that we're poor. Tight of funds. Struggling to get by. The image of the Starving Artist looms large. Artists pour a lot of time, energy and money into doing what we love. And then we feel strapped for cash. Crossing our fingers that just one more person will buy our new record (hint, hint) on Bandcamp and we'll be able to pay rent the next month.
But, I'm giving myself a wake-up and a shake-up. I am not poor. I am warm, properly fed and live in the most beautiful place in the world. My rent is pretty cheap and there are six cords of wood out back, just waiting to be stacked.
To find true poverty, I don't have to look very far. In the midst of our affluent nation, there are people living in construction trailers which were never meant to be residences. There are people struggling for the bare necessities.
I was reminded of that this week, when my friend Todd invited me to Share Something Day, an event that he is organizing through his 500 Kindnesses project on November 23, 2012. On the same day as Black Friday and Buy Nothing Day, Todd is inviting people to simply share something of their choice either with friends or strangers.
It happens that I have a show on Friday, November 23. I'll be singing and playing at The Biscuit Eater Cafe and Bookstore. I had a show at the Biscuit Eater last November, too, right around the time that the news about Attawapiskat was hitting its peak (remember Attawapiskat? You can find updates on how they're doing now on their web site). Last year, I donated all sales of merchandise from The Biscuit Eater show to Shannen's Dream, a charity that is working for the people of Attawapiskat. And I'm going to do the same thing this year. So, please come on out and pick up a copy of my new CD. Or a T-shirt. Or an old CD. If you can't make it to the show, consider giving to a charity of your choice, just because you can.
To heck with feeling poor, I say. It's a crazy way to feel when I was born into a level of privilege and comfort that much of the world only dreams of.
Starving Artist? It's all relative.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
The Curse of Longing to be Cool
It feels like it been part of me as long as I can remember – a yearning to be cool.
I'm a younger sibling, so when I was a kid, it was my big sister who was the epitome of cool for me. She was so cool. The way she dressed, the things she said and did. So cool. I always felt like the geeky, gawky little sister. Blushing around my sister's cool friends. Stammering.
I was a brainiac in school – so, not cool there. In high school, I hung out in the band room and floated between cliques. People liked to copy my Poly Sci notes, but they didn't often invite me to their parties. And when they did, I rarely went. No car. No boyfriend-with-a-car. Living in the middle of nowhere. Didn't drink, smoke or do drugs. Not cool.
When I went to university, I found my people. My residence house (which had had trouble with wild, drunken parties the year before), was packed with scholarship students in an attempt to improve house behaviour. We became a strange family of geeks and nerds, getting high GPAs, having deep conversations at three in the morning and eschewing coolness. (At the same time that we blushed and stammered around anyone we thought was cool).
I never mastered cool. Never even got so I could simulate it. Somewhere along the way I learned that it is just not me. I'm not myself when I'm trying to be cool. I'm the big, open-hearted, sloppy, emotional, vulnerable, messy geek type and I always will be.
Funny that I wound up in a business that loves coolness. We love the artists who are so well put together. The shiny people. The ones who seems impervious to the hurts of the world, even if they sometimes write songs about them. The invincible people we can dream about being.
As I think about going to Nova Scotia Music Week today, my longing to be cool is fully alive. I would like for all the people I've met before to remember who I am. I would like to be the person everybody knows, to have tons of cool conversations with cool people. But I know that's not what will happen. I'll be a pretty anonymous 41-year-old woman. I'll see a few friends and have great conversations with them. A couple of people will tell me they've heard my new record, and that they like it. But mostly, I'll float around, watching and listening to the cool people. I'll think about who we might book for the coming season of the Little River Folk Society. I'll think about my community and all the different ways we build that together. I'll meditate on the coolness that seems just out of reach for me. And I'll think about how happy I am to be alive and absolutely myself, with no need to compromise that for any reason. And maybe I'll write a song about it.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
What a magical night!
Wow. I am still a little breathless after the beautiful show we had here in West Dublin this past Saturday night (September 22, 2012) to launch the new CD, Blackbirds.
We packed the old hall out and made the rafters ring. There were friends, neighbours and family galore, we sold heaps of cds (if you couldn't be there, you can get yours at Bandcamp or CDBaby), and received kudos from one and all. We brought our community together to hear songs about right here - songs written on the beaches, on the ferry, along the river road. There were also songs about anywhere, any time - an anti-fracking song (Can't Be Rich On Shattered Land) that would work just as well in Colorado or upstate New York, and Moonshine and Mischief which is as timeless and placeless a love song as I've ever written.
It was a tremendous group effort and I feel very, very grateful to be surrounded by such love and support. Thanks to everyone who came. You made every bit of work feel totally worth it!
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| A packed house: photo courtesy of Katy Hopkins of The Picture House. |
We packed the old hall out and made the rafters ring. There were friends, neighbours and family galore, we sold heaps of cds (if you couldn't be there, you can get yours at Bandcamp or CDBaby), and received kudos from one and all. We brought our community together to hear songs about right here - songs written on the beaches, on the ferry, along the river road. There were also songs about anywhere, any time - an anti-fracking song (Can't Be Rich On Shattered Land) that would work just as well in Colorado or upstate New York, and Moonshine and Mischief which is as timeless and placeless a love song as I've ever written.
The band was smoking hot: Jude Pelley played lead guitar, Jordi Comstock was on drums, Jim Bell on bass and Liam Finney on banjo and mandolin. Our opening act was Pennybrook: Jude Pelley and Charlie Wilson playing and singing their fascinating original tunes and a few old-time covers.
Charlie helped decorate the hall (including the brilliant idea of having blackbirds fly out of the poster), Shelah Allen of Lunenburg Town Walking Tours kindly staffed the door and merch table, my parents did a million amazing, wonderful things, my mom and her friend Cynthia made cookies, the Little River Folk Society helped sponsor our amazing sound man, Art Eaton and Mike Western, of Free Range Designs, made this gorgeous show poster.
Of course, the CD itself uses a painting as the cover art: "The Caretaker" by Lynn Misner of the Power House Gallery in Lunenburg. Lynn and her 129 Lincoln compatriot, Steve Welsh (who's also my housemate) of Steve's Art Supply kindly donated decorating supplies for the occasion.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Never enough hours in the day...
Have you sent it here? Have you sent it there? Have you sent it everywhere?
There are so many things to do when launching a new CD. Sending out promo copies, making sure everyone hears about the release show, updating this web site and that one, Facebook updates, tweets, rehearsals, figuring out how to pay the band for the release party, blogging...
Sometimes it feels like I could be working 16-hours-a-day and still not have time to do everything I SHOULD be doing. Sometimes my head spins.
There are helpful suggestions from friends and family. There are made calls and missed calls and made opportunities and missed opportunities galore. Whoo-hoo, got it on the radio! Oh, you should have... Oh, that festival deadline was yesterday...
It is easy to lose sight of the big picture.
The big picture is this. I got together with a bunch of friends and colleagues and made a record and it is awesome. There is stunning musicianship and original songs that tell part of the glorious stories that I'm living or imagining. These songs resonate with many people.
It'd be great if you came to a show or bought a copy of the CD. It'd be great if you told some friends and they came to a show or bought the record, too. It would be great because then you and your friends would get to enjoy some brilliant songs. And I would be under less crippling debt. Who knows, I could break even - or maybe make some money.
But, that's not part of the big picture. Money aside, if I died tomorrow and my parents were left carting all these boxes of CDs out of my apartment, not even that could change the fact that I made something beautiful and unique and interesting. And as long as I'm alive (which I hope will be for a long, long time), I'm going to celebrate.
I'm going to celebrate at the CD Release Party on September 22.
There are so many things to do when launching a new CD. Sending out promo copies, making sure everyone hears about the release show, updating this web site and that one, Facebook updates, tweets, rehearsals, figuring out how to pay the band for the release party, blogging...
Sometimes it feels like I could be working 16-hours-a-day and still not have time to do everything I SHOULD be doing. Sometimes my head spins.
There are helpful suggestions from friends and family. There are made calls and missed calls and made opportunities and missed opportunities galore. Whoo-hoo, got it on the radio! Oh, you should have... Oh, that festival deadline was yesterday...
It is easy to lose sight of the big picture.
The big picture is this. I got together with a bunch of friends and colleagues and made a record and it is awesome. There is stunning musicianship and original songs that tell part of the glorious stories that I'm living or imagining. These songs resonate with many people.
It'd be great if you came to a show or bought a copy of the CD. It'd be great if you told some friends and they came to a show or bought the record, too. It would be great because then you and your friends would get to enjoy some brilliant songs. And I would be under less crippling debt. Who knows, I could break even - or maybe make some money.
But, that's not part of the big picture. Money aside, if I died tomorrow and my parents were left carting all these boxes of CDs out of my apartment, not even that could change the fact that I made something beautiful and unique and interesting. And as long as I'm alive (which I hope will be for a long, long time), I'm going to celebrate.
I'm going to celebrate at the CD Release Party on September 22.
I'm going to celebrate at my other shows in Nova Scotia and Toronto this month and next.
And I am celebrating in my heart. Right now.
Feels good. Why don't you come along with me and my Blackbirds.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Summer and Fall Shows 2012
Saturday, July 14, 2012, 8pm
Trellis Café
Hubbards, NS
Back to the Trellis for more awesome pan-fried Haddock!
Sunday, July 22, 2012, 7pm
West Dublin Hall - Song Circle with Postcard Comets & Liam Finney
West Dublin Community Hall
10 Huey Lake Road
West Dublin, NS
My friend David Partridge a.k.a. Postcard Comets is coming down to NS and we're putting on a song circle at the West Dublin Hall with Liam Finney. There will be old-timey, there will be folk-rock, there will be funny banter. Please come on down. $10. Advance tickets are available for $8 at the West Dublin Farmer's market (which is also at the West Dublin Community Hall) on July 21 from 9am-1pm or by e-mailing me to reserve: alex@alexsings.ca
Sunday, August 5, 2012, 2pm
Lunenburg Bandstand
Lunenburg, NS
In the weekend leading up to the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival, I'll be playing at the bandstand in Lunenburg. Free show! I'll be joined by the stellar Jude Pelley on many stringed instruments.
Friday, August 17, 2012, time TBA
House Concert
Berwick, NS
An intimate house concert in Berwick, NS, near my Nana's old stomping grounds.Please e-mail me for more details.
Saturday, September 15, 2012, 8pm
Trellis Café
Hubbards, NS
This will be the lead-up to the big Official CD launch the following week. It'll be the first public show where my new album will be available for sale.
Saturday, September 22, 2012, 8pm
OFFICIAL CD LAUNCH - Blackbirds - West Dublin Hall - w/ BAND
10 Huey Lake Road
West Dublin, NS
Chances are you've never heard me sing with a band before, because I haven't sung with a band since the 90s. But this will be the night - a smoking hot band with Jordi Comstock, Jude Pelley and Liam Finney will accompany me on all the songs on the new album. You will be blown away. I guarantee.
Thursday, October 11, 2012, 7pm
Rose and Kettle Tea Room
Dartmouth Heritage Farm Museum
Dartmouth, NS
Rose and Kettle rocks. Check out this video of me singing there this past spring.
Trellis Café
Hubbards, NS
Back to the Trellis for more awesome pan-fried Haddock!
Sunday, July 22, 2012, 7pm
West Dublin Hall - Song Circle with Postcard Comets & Liam Finney
West Dublin Community Hall
10 Huey Lake Road
West Dublin, NS
My friend David Partridge a.k.a. Postcard Comets is coming down to NS and we're putting on a song circle at the West Dublin Hall with Liam Finney. There will be old-timey, there will be folk-rock, there will be funny banter. Please come on down. $10. Advance tickets are available for $8 at the West Dublin Farmer's market (which is also at the West Dublin Community Hall) on July 21 from 9am-1pm or by e-mailing me to reserve: alex@alexsings.ca
Sunday, August 5, 2012, 2pm
Lunenburg Bandstand
Lunenburg, NS
In the weekend leading up to the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival, I'll be playing at the bandstand in Lunenburg. Free show! I'll be joined by the stellar Jude Pelley on many stringed instruments.
Friday, August 17, 2012, time TBA
House Concert
Berwick, NS
An intimate house concert in Berwick, NS, near my Nana's old stomping grounds.Please e-mail me for more details.
Saturday, September 15, 2012, 8pm
Trellis Café
Hubbards, NS
This will be the lead-up to the big Official CD launch the following week. It'll be the first public show where my new album will be available for sale.
Saturday, September 22, 2012, 8pm
OFFICIAL CD LAUNCH - Blackbirds - West Dublin Hall - w/ BAND
10 Huey Lake Road
West Dublin, NS
Chances are you've never heard me sing with a band before, because I haven't sung with a band since the 90s. But this will be the night - a smoking hot band with Jordi Comstock, Jude Pelley and Liam Finney will accompany me on all the songs on the new album. You will be blown away. I guarantee.
Thursday, October 11, 2012, 7pm
Rose and Kettle Tea Room
Dartmouth Heritage Farm Museum
Dartmouth, NS
Rose and Kettle rocks. Check out this video of me singing there this past spring.
Friday, October 12, 2012, time TBA
Seaforth House Concert
Seaforth, NS
The lovely folks in Seaforth are going to host me and my new album for an evening of revelry.
Saturday, October 13, 2012, time TBA
Fables
Tatamagouche, NS
Back to Fables, which is tied with Rose and Kettle as my favourite place to play in NS.
Seaforth House Concert
Seaforth, NS
The lovely folks in Seaforth are going to host me and my new album for an evening of revelry.
Saturday, October 13, 2012, time TBA
Fables
Tatamagouche, NS
Back to Fables, which is tied with Rose and Kettle as my favourite place to play in NS.
TORONTO and GTA
Saturday, October 20, 2012, 8pm
The Old Nick
123 Danforth Ave.
Toronto, ON
East end friends, let's pack out the Old Nick on this Saturday night! The new record will be on sale.
Monday, October 22, 2012, 3:15pm-5:20pm
Sorauren Market
Sorauren Field House
Toronto, ON
For old times' sake, I'll be playing a couple of sets at the West End Food Co-op's awesome market. Drop by and say "hi".
Saturday, October 27, 2012, time TBA
Schoolhouse Concert Series
Aurora Cultural Centre
Aurora, ON
I'm really looking forward to kicking off the 2012-13 season of this concert series at the Aurora Cultural Centre.
The Old Nick
123 Danforth Ave.
Toronto, ON
East end friends, let's pack out the Old Nick on this Saturday night! The new record will be on sale.
Monday, October 22, 2012, 3:15pm-5:20pm
Sorauren Market
Sorauren Field House
Toronto, ON
For old times' sake, I'll be playing a couple of sets at the West End Food Co-op's awesome market. Drop by and say "hi".
Saturday, October 27, 2012, time TBA
Schoolhouse Concert Series
Aurora Cultural Centre
Aurora, ON
I'm really looking forward to kicking off the 2012-13 season of this concert series at the Aurora Cultural Centre.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Writer's Block
It has been a long time since I wrote here. My last post was in February, in tribute to my beautiful grandmother.
Since then, I've had so much to write about:
I recorded my third CD at the Old Confidence Lodge in Riverport, with Diego Medina on the console, and an amazing band comprised of: Jude Pelley (guitar, mandolin, dulcimer, bass whistle, vocals), Jordi Comstock (drums and percussion), Jay Crocker (bass) and Alan Jeffries (banjoy, vocals), with special appearances by Tom Terrell of the Modern Grass (vocals, guitar) and Jennah Barry (vocals, keys). It was a wonderful and exhausting experience. I learned a ton and had heaps of fun.
I've played a bunch of shows.
I've received some important rejections from some very important festivals.
I've gotten some lovely invitations to play at a bunch of gorgeous homes and small halls.
I've been busily making arrangements for the CD's official launch, which will be held on Saturday, September 22, 2012 at the West Dublin Hall (basically, at home!)
And, I've been making plans to go up to Ontario on tour in the fall, to bring my CD up to all my friends in T'rona.
What I haven't been doing is writing. Not only haven't I been writing here, I haven't been writing any songs, either. Nothing.
I've been volunteering my time with my local not-for-profit concert series organizers, Little River Folk, with the local public transit advocacy group, Citizens for Public Transit, and Bridgewater's Sustainability Festival. I've been working with my friends and neighbours to put together the Second Annual Pennybrook Festival in our 'hood on September 1, 2012.
But, I haven't been writing.
Not a note, not a lyric, not a ditty, not a tune.
Not a blog post.
Until today. Here's hoping this is the first step that opens the floodgates. I'm ready for more songs.
Since then, I've had so much to write about:
I recorded my third CD at the Old Confidence Lodge in Riverport, with Diego Medina on the console, and an amazing band comprised of: Jude Pelley (guitar, mandolin, dulcimer, bass whistle, vocals), Jordi Comstock (drums and percussion), Jay Crocker (bass) and Alan Jeffries (banjoy, vocals), with special appearances by Tom Terrell of the Modern Grass (vocals, guitar) and Jennah Barry (vocals, keys). It was a wonderful and exhausting experience. I learned a ton and had heaps of fun.
I've played a bunch of shows.
I've received some important rejections from some very important festivals.
I've gotten some lovely invitations to play at a bunch of gorgeous homes and small halls.
I've been busily making arrangements for the CD's official launch, which will be held on Saturday, September 22, 2012 at the West Dublin Hall (basically, at home!)
And, I've been making plans to go up to Ontario on tour in the fall, to bring my CD up to all my friends in T'rona.
What I haven't been doing is writing. Not only haven't I been writing here, I haven't been writing any songs, either. Nothing.
I've been volunteering my time with my local not-for-profit concert series organizers, Little River Folk, with the local public transit advocacy group, Citizens for Public Transit, and Bridgewater's Sustainability Festival. I've been working with my friends and neighbours to put together the Second Annual Pennybrook Festival in our 'hood on September 1, 2012.
But, I haven't been writing.
Not a note, not a lyric, not a ditty, not a tune.
Not a blog post.
Until today. Here's hoping this is the first step that opens the floodgates. I'm ready for more songs.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
In Memoriam, my Nana
My grandmother, Joyce Barkhouse, died on Thursday, February 2, 2012. (Here's a lovely commemorative article about her on the CBC News Web site.)
She and I were very close. I feel extremely lucky to have been able to spend a lot of time with her over many years and also to have enjoyed a lengthy correspondence with her.
I wanted to write something here to commemorate her life and express how she has always been one of my greatest inspirations in my creative work.
My Nana was a children's author who published almost a dozen books and countless short stories, articles and poems. It was not easy being a woman and a writer in Canada in the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s. Any one of a number of setbacks or discouragements would have caused another person to give up in despair (and no doubt, did). But not my grandmother. The flame of her creativity was so strong that nothing could quell it. She had a tenacity and a joy in her work that would not be dampened or destroyed.
After writing and publishing countless short stories, my Nana had her first book published when she was 60 years old. That was George Dawson: The Little Giant, which remains my favourite of all her books. The book is excellent and always makes me cry, but more moving than the book itself is the fact that Nana had the courage not to give up or let it be "too late".
She worked hard at her craft and took great pleasure both in the process and in her successes. She loved children and believed that literacy was the greatest gift a child could receive: a lifelong gift that gave pleasure and greater liberty to every child who achieved it. She often told how, as a teacher in the 30s and 40s, she could immediately tell which of her students had access to books in their homes and which did not. She was a passionate advocate of early reading programs.
Nana was a matchless storyteller who shared family stories and Canadian historical stories with equal zeal. She taught me a love of place, a love of people and the importance of narrative and humour in our lives and in our creative work.
My Nana was one of the first people to sing to me and teach me a love of singing. She often visited when we were children and we would always ask her to sing the longest songs she knew at bedtime, just to stretch out the fun of being put to bed by her. She was not known for her singing voice and always said that her grandkids were the only people who enjoyed hearing her sing. I would just add that, despite her fairly accurate self-assessment, her singing voice was one of my very favourite ones in the whole wide world.
I was in my mid 30s when I realized that I could not deny the call to join the "family business": writing. She always cheered me on as a songwriter, and encouraged me to write about the things I found in my heart. She bought many copies of my CDs and kept them on hand to give as gifts to people who visited her.
I miss her terribly and, at the same time, I am filled with a profound gratitude that I had knew and cherished my Nana – and that I always will.
She and I were very close. I feel extremely lucky to have been able to spend a lot of time with her over many years and also to have enjoyed a lengthy correspondence with her.
I wanted to write something here to commemorate her life and express how she has always been one of my greatest inspirations in my creative work.
My Nana was a children's author who published almost a dozen books and countless short stories, articles and poems. It was not easy being a woman and a writer in Canada in the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s. Any one of a number of setbacks or discouragements would have caused another person to give up in despair (and no doubt, did). But not my grandmother. The flame of her creativity was so strong that nothing could quell it. She had a tenacity and a joy in her work that would not be dampened or destroyed.
After writing and publishing countless short stories, my Nana had her first book published when she was 60 years old. That was George Dawson: The Little Giant, which remains my favourite of all her books. The book is excellent and always makes me cry, but more moving than the book itself is the fact that Nana had the courage not to give up or let it be "too late".
She worked hard at her craft and took great pleasure both in the process and in her successes. She loved children and believed that literacy was the greatest gift a child could receive: a lifelong gift that gave pleasure and greater liberty to every child who achieved it. She often told how, as a teacher in the 30s and 40s, she could immediately tell which of her students had access to books in their homes and which did not. She was a passionate advocate of early reading programs.
Nana was a matchless storyteller who shared family stories and Canadian historical stories with equal zeal. She taught me a love of place, a love of people and the importance of narrative and humour in our lives and in our creative work.
My Nana was one of the first people to sing to me and teach me a love of singing. She often visited when we were children and we would always ask her to sing the longest songs she knew at bedtime, just to stretch out the fun of being put to bed by her. She was not known for her singing voice and always said that her grandkids were the only people who enjoyed hearing her sing. I would just add that, despite her fairly accurate self-assessment, her singing voice was one of my very favourite ones in the whole wide world.
I was in my mid 30s when I realized that I could not deny the call to join the "family business": writing. She always cheered me on as a songwriter, and encouraged me to write about the things I found in my heart. She bought many copies of my CDs and kept them on hand to give as gifts to people who visited her.
I miss her terribly and, at the same time, I am filled with a profound gratitude that I had knew and cherished my Nana – and that I always will.
Monday, January 30, 2012
You can always live on rice and potatoes...
...but sadly, you can't have a kickin' CD recorded for rice and potatoes.
If you could, I would. I'd establish my own little rice paddy here on the west bank of the LaHave River, add in the spuds I grew in the barrels out back last summer, and I'd be all set.
But it doesn't work that way.
So, I'm asking for your help.
I'm looking to record my third CD in April. I have a bunch of amazing songs, I'm looking to put together a brilliant band, and the album is guaranteed to be emotionally gripping, thought-provoking and very, very listenable. It's going to be the kind of cd you're going to want to sing along with when you're cooking at home, out for a walk, in the car, on the bus, or enjoying a quiet evening alone or with friends. You'll hum the songs on your bike, around the office, walking down the street. These songs will fill your heart and soul and make you long for something you ain't quite found yet, or maybe something you had and lost and are working to regain, or maybe something you know you have and celebrate every single day.
David Francey often jokes about the "lucrative world of Canadian Folk Music". Sometimes, it doesn't seem like there's a living to be made here. I certainly haven't been able to pay myself a cent for the time and energy I put in in the studio on my first two CDs. Everyone else got paid, but I worked for free.
Fortunately, as Old Man Luedecke says, I can always live on rice and potatoes.
But I simply can't make this next album without you.
Please, if one of my songs has ever made you smile or laugh or cry or sing or dance, pre-purchase my third CD by going to Kapipal.com/alexsings. (If you don't feel comfortable making an on-line donation, contact me by e-mail and we'll work something else out.)
And thank you very, very much.
P.S. If after reading this, you are craving listening to Old Man Luedecke's awesome song, I Quit My Job, here's a link.
If you could, I would. I'd establish my own little rice paddy here on the west bank of the LaHave River, add in the spuds I grew in the barrels out back last summer, and I'd be all set.
But it doesn't work that way.
So, I'm asking for your help.
I'm looking to record my third CD in April. I have a bunch of amazing songs, I'm looking to put together a brilliant band, and the album is guaranteed to be emotionally gripping, thought-provoking and very, very listenable. It's going to be the kind of cd you're going to want to sing along with when you're cooking at home, out for a walk, in the car, on the bus, or enjoying a quiet evening alone or with friends. You'll hum the songs on your bike, around the office, walking down the street. These songs will fill your heart and soul and make you long for something you ain't quite found yet, or maybe something you had and lost and are working to regain, or maybe something you know you have and celebrate every single day.
David Francey often jokes about the "lucrative world of Canadian Folk Music". Sometimes, it doesn't seem like there's a living to be made here. I certainly haven't been able to pay myself a cent for the time and energy I put in in the studio on my first two CDs. Everyone else got paid, but I worked for free.
Fortunately, as Old Man Luedecke says, I can always live on rice and potatoes.
But I simply can't make this next album without you.
Please, if one of my songs has ever made you smile or laugh or cry or sing or dance, pre-purchase my third CD by going to Kapipal.com/alexsings. (If you don't feel comfortable making an on-line donation, contact me by e-mail and we'll work something else out.)
And thank you very, very much.
P.S. If after reading this, you are craving listening to Old Man Luedecke's awesome song, I Quit My Job, here's a link.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Buy More Buddhas Video Project - The VIDEO!
Here it is!!! I hope you'll enjoy it. After you watch, please check out my post thanking all the photographers who contributed to this crowd-sourced beauty.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Buy More Buddhas Video Project - Photog Shout Outs
The Buy More Buddhas video is about to be launched. I can hardly wait. I'm going to put it up on this blog on Friday.
In the meantime, I want to take a moment to thank all of the photographers who let me use their photos to create this video; I couldn't have done it without their generous sharing of their work.
Thank you. Very, very much (in no particular order) to:
Patti McCabe - an old friend who sent me shots of the Buddha in Boston.
@SPPictures - a previously total stranger who sent me four glorious Buddha photos. Check out her twitter feed and/or her web site.
David Croft - a shot of a Fredericton Restaurant Buddha - thanks, darlin'.
@AtTheHappyAmber - a previously total stranger who sent me a picture of her buddha raising the roof
@gnomeygg - my dear friend and haiku-writing genius. Check out her twitter feed.
Mireille Parizeau - sent me a shot of her own, personal Buddha. Thanks, my dear!
Lorenda Barkhouse - my beloved cousin sent me many wonderful shots of Buddhas in Korea and southeast Asia.
Yvonne Westhaver - sent me a shot of her own buddha, sitting on her windowsill.
Yawn Temesiva, lead singer of Normal For Once sent me the awesomely weird shot of a friends' buddha with a bicycle chain around its neck.
@gunsinger aka Cynthia Gunsinger, Coach extraordinaire, sent me a shot of her own Buddha.
Else Lindner, a friend in Germany, sent shots of her own buddhas, as well as several lovely southeast Asian Buddhas.
Helen Tremethick, Chief Word Nerd at The Communications Distillery, sent me photos of her personal Buddhas.
Indira Sinton, Poet and Writer, sent me several lovely shots of Buddhas, including my favourite photo in the video.
Joshua Mac Hannigan, Film Maker, sent me more that 2 dozen amazing buddha photos. I couldn't have made this video without you, Joshua. Thank you.
Marlo Mackay, newly-made friend, sent me a photo of her personal Buddha.
Jude Pelley and Charlie Wilson, musicians in the breathtakingly awesome traditional duo littlehouse, created the odd potato Buddha "Spuddha" which I photographed and included in the video.
In the meantime, I want to take a moment to thank all of the photographers who let me use their photos to create this video; I couldn't have done it without their generous sharing of their work.
Thank you. Very, very much (in no particular order) to:
Patti McCabe - an old friend who sent me shots of the Buddha in Boston.
@SPPictures - a previously total stranger who sent me four glorious Buddha photos. Check out her twitter feed and/or her web site.
David Croft - a shot of a Fredericton Restaurant Buddha - thanks, darlin'.
@AtTheHappyAmber - a previously total stranger who sent me a picture of her buddha raising the roof
@gnomeygg - my dear friend and haiku-writing genius. Check out her twitter feed.
Mireille Parizeau - sent me a shot of her own, personal Buddha. Thanks, my dear!
Lorenda Barkhouse - my beloved cousin sent me many wonderful shots of Buddhas in Korea and southeast Asia.
Yvonne Westhaver - sent me a shot of her own buddha, sitting on her windowsill.
Yawn Temesiva, lead singer of Normal For Once sent me the awesomely weird shot of a friends' buddha with a bicycle chain around its neck.
@gunsinger aka Cynthia Gunsinger, Coach extraordinaire, sent me a shot of her own Buddha.
Else Lindner, a friend in Germany, sent shots of her own buddhas, as well as several lovely southeast Asian Buddhas.
Helen Tremethick, Chief Word Nerd at The Communications Distillery, sent me photos of her personal Buddhas.
Indira Sinton, Poet and Writer, sent me several lovely shots of Buddhas, including my favourite photo in the video.
Joshua Mac Hannigan, Film Maker, sent me more that 2 dozen amazing buddha photos. I couldn't have made this video without you, Joshua. Thank you.
Marlo Mackay, newly-made friend, sent me a photo of her personal Buddha.
Jude Pelley and Charlie Wilson, musicians in the breathtakingly awesome traditional duo littlehouse, created the odd potato Buddha "Spuddha" which I photographed and included in the video.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Colour My World
A friend and I were just having a little gabble on my Facebook Page about what I'll be wearing today when I go to tape an episode of the radio show, The Bluenose Opera House with Paul Kellogg.
I know, it's radio, so who cares what I'll be wearing?
Getting dressed for this show and describing my outfit made me realize just how important colour is to me. Wearing as many colours as I can in a single outfit satisfies my little kindergarten-y soul. And bright colours always make me feel more creative and alive.
How does colour impact you and for your creativity? How can you use colour to make your days more exciting?
I know, it's radio, so who cares what I'll be wearing?
Getting dressed for this show and describing my outfit made me realize just how important colour is to me. Wearing as many colours as I can in a single outfit satisfies my little kindergarten-y soul. And bright colours always make me feel more creative and alive.
How does colour impact you and for your creativity? How can you use colour to make your days more exciting?
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