Post by Gene on Sept 23, 2010 10:12:13 GMT -5
Howza goin’, guys? Things have settled down after this busy summer, but I’ve learned to appreciate the quiet when I do have it. I do have SOME upcoming gigs, though:
Jr.'s Tailgate Pub, Mackinaw City, SAT, SEP 25, 9pm-12
Jr.'s Tailgate Pub, Mackinaw City, SAT, OCT 2, 9pm-12
Jr.'s Tailgate Pub, Mackinaw City, SAT, OCT 9, 9pm-12
Jr.'s Tailgate Pub, Mackinaw City, SAT, OCT 23, 9pm-12
Yeah, all at the same place, I know, but it’s a good place! I actually had a short-notice gig at Jr.’s on Saturday September 18, too, which didn’t get in the last newsletter. This looks like a very good fit and they like me there, so I’m going to enjoy this run.
I haven’t been pressing for many more appearances, since I’m content with just once or twice a week, and I’ve got that now. And, as I say, I’d like some time to decompress a bit, learn a few requested songs that stumped me this year, and maybe take on a side project. More on this later...
The Driftwood was a great time, but I had to start late and end late, and I had to pack my gear up around a fight in the parking lot that was so disruptive that the cops had to be called in. There’s always an adventure doing this, it seems! I was assured that I’d be playing there some more, but I haven’t asked for more dates there since I’m busy enough already, so maybe in November. The 9/11 Remembrance Dinner at the casino earlier that evening was short, but fun, and I got a lot of exposure among many prominent citizens in the area, so it was quite worth it. Bulwinkle’s in Moran was called off where the owner claimed it was a “misunderstanding”, which was peculiar, since I squared that up in person and we both wrote it down. THIS is the kind of “adventure” I don’t much care for, but, stuff like this also comes with the territory of doing this, I’m afraid (especially in the rural taverns around here)... No burned bridges or anything, though, so I may be playing there this coming deer season. The Mackinac Grille deck gig happening along side Arts Dockside the Sunday before Labor Day had good crowds, including quite a few friends, so that was great.
Local music is scarce right now, so the only local music I got to sample was Jimmy Bishop playing down at the Village Inn in St. Ignace. This was set up very short notice, and I just happen to catch the billboard earlier that Tuesday evening while I was walking my dog, so I popped in later, on a lark. Jimmy is the brother of Ann Marie Dewey of Catholic Girls, and Jim Bishop, the father, has been a lounge type of act in the area for decades, so he’s from a very musical family. He himself has a long resume in the area, too, being in the legendary area band Mackinaw for much of its life over the past 30 years. Jimmy’s a great player, has a devil-may-care flippant approach to his show, and has a coarse howl when he sings that is just awesome. He’s a treat to catch, and he was accompanied by Dave Jasmund on many songs that evening. I think he may be playing there on the next few Tuesdays, but if work shows up for him near Detroit, he says he’ll be gone again, so see him when you can!
The V.I. is getting a reputation as the local music geek’s hangout on Tuesdays, since Open Mics were traditionally there as little as a month ago. It gives me a chance to get hip to some local music news, and just shoot the bull with some good music guys. I learned that Open Mics are going to be turned off there for a few weeks, but will kick back up again in November, but I’m not sure exactly which week, yet. I also learned that Cedar Straits are going to be pursuing separate solo projects at the same time as keeping their duo together. They sometimes differ on artistic direction, as to be expected, and solo gigs are more profitable, which matters quite a bit to each of them, so I hope this both-together-and-apart situation can sustain and work for them. I suppose I could interpret having two more solo acoustic acts from St. Ignace as a competitive threat personally, but I’m not very business-vicious like this, these are friends of mine, and I like the idea of the local music standard getting raised with healthy competition. Audiences win with this environment, and I’m one that believes that “a high tide raises all the boats”, as it were. I know it will drive me to put my best product out there that I possibly can, and I hope that they see it the same way.
I hope to get started on some video performances I can put on my website, since this seems to be a new favored way marketing for this is done right now. I’ve either bought or borrowed all the gear for it, and I have a room ready to do it in, so I just have to get it done. I don’t know jack about video production, and I would like a high quality product, so I’ve go a lot of learning to do in the coming weeks. Hopefully I’ll have it all done in a month or two.
That’s about all I got. ‘Til next time!
–Gene.
Jr.'s Tailgate Pub, Mackinaw City, SAT, SEP 25, 9pm-12
Jr.'s Tailgate Pub, Mackinaw City, SAT, OCT 2, 9pm-12
Jr.'s Tailgate Pub, Mackinaw City, SAT, OCT 9, 9pm-12
Jr.'s Tailgate Pub, Mackinaw City, SAT, OCT 23, 9pm-12
Yeah, all at the same place, I know, but it’s a good place! I actually had a short-notice gig at Jr.’s on Saturday September 18, too, which didn’t get in the last newsletter. This looks like a very good fit and they like me there, so I’m going to enjoy this run.
I haven’t been pressing for many more appearances, since I’m content with just once or twice a week, and I’ve got that now. And, as I say, I’d like some time to decompress a bit, learn a few requested songs that stumped me this year, and maybe take on a side project. More on this later...
The Driftwood was a great time, but I had to start late and end late, and I had to pack my gear up around a fight in the parking lot that was so disruptive that the cops had to be called in. There’s always an adventure doing this, it seems! I was assured that I’d be playing there some more, but I haven’t asked for more dates there since I’m busy enough already, so maybe in November. The 9/11 Remembrance Dinner at the casino earlier that evening was short, but fun, and I got a lot of exposure among many prominent citizens in the area, so it was quite worth it. Bulwinkle’s in Moran was called off where the owner claimed it was a “misunderstanding”, which was peculiar, since I squared that up in person and we both wrote it down. THIS is the kind of “adventure” I don’t much care for, but, stuff like this also comes with the territory of doing this, I’m afraid (especially in the rural taverns around here)... No burned bridges or anything, though, so I may be playing there this coming deer season. The Mackinac Grille deck gig happening along side Arts Dockside the Sunday before Labor Day had good crowds, including quite a few friends, so that was great.
Local music is scarce right now, so the only local music I got to sample was Jimmy Bishop playing down at the Village Inn in St. Ignace. This was set up very short notice, and I just happen to catch the billboard earlier that Tuesday evening while I was walking my dog, so I popped in later, on a lark. Jimmy is the brother of Ann Marie Dewey of Catholic Girls, and Jim Bishop, the father, has been a lounge type of act in the area for decades, so he’s from a very musical family. He himself has a long resume in the area, too, being in the legendary area band Mackinaw for much of its life over the past 30 years. Jimmy’s a great player, has a devil-may-care flippant approach to his show, and has a coarse howl when he sings that is just awesome. He’s a treat to catch, and he was accompanied by Dave Jasmund on many songs that evening. I think he may be playing there on the next few Tuesdays, but if work shows up for him near Detroit, he says he’ll be gone again, so see him when you can!
The V.I. is getting a reputation as the local music geek’s hangout on Tuesdays, since Open Mics were traditionally there as little as a month ago. It gives me a chance to get hip to some local music news, and just shoot the bull with some good music guys. I learned that Open Mics are going to be turned off there for a few weeks, but will kick back up again in November, but I’m not sure exactly which week, yet. I also learned that Cedar Straits are going to be pursuing separate solo projects at the same time as keeping their duo together. They sometimes differ on artistic direction, as to be expected, and solo gigs are more profitable, which matters quite a bit to each of them, so I hope this both-together-and-apart situation can sustain and work for them. I suppose I could interpret having two more solo acoustic acts from St. Ignace as a competitive threat personally, but I’m not very business-vicious like this, these are friends of mine, and I like the idea of the local music standard getting raised with healthy competition. Audiences win with this environment, and I’m one that believes that “a high tide raises all the boats”, as it were. I know it will drive me to put my best product out there that I possibly can, and I hope that they see it the same way.
I hope to get started on some video performances I can put on my website, since this seems to be a new favored way marketing for this is done right now. I’ve either bought or borrowed all the gear for it, and I have a room ready to do it in, so I just have to get it done. I don’t know jack about video production, and I would like a high quality product, so I’ve go a lot of learning to do in the coming weeks. Hopefully I’ll have it all done in a month or two.
That’s about all I got. ‘Til next time!
–Gene.