"Most days of the year are unremarkable. They begin, and they end, with no lasting memories made in between. Most days have no impact on the course of a life." -(500) Days of Summer
September 11th was a Tuesday. I'm willing to bet that if anyone tried to think back ten years, there would be few days that stick out in their mind as being significant, just like the above quote suggests. Most days are unremarkable. September 11th was not one of those days.
Most of us have an intense recollection of that day. I had just started my senior year of high school, and I first heard that a plane had hit the World Trade Center while sitting in the Poughkeepsie High School auditorium (which was ironically gym class on that day). It's one of numerous distinct memories that I hold on to; memories that I'm fairly certain I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
But being ten years removed from September 11th, it got me thinking: what impact did September 11th have on the course of my life? It's true I did not live in New York City or Washington, DC., and I did not personally know anyone who was killed or injured in the attacks. The life of every American was impacted through the images we saw and the changes in government policy, but was September 11th a day that cause the course of my life to shift directions? I think it did, if only slightly.
In the wake of the attacks, Bruce Springsteen recorded his album, The Rising, which was heavily influenced by the events of that day. Songs like "Into the Fire," "Nothing Man," "Empty Sky," "Worlds Apart," "You're Missing," "The Rising," "Paradise," and "My City of Ruins" (originally written about Asbury Park, but which took on a greater meaning). The album was released on July 30, 2002, and I bought it purely by chance. I was walking through the mall shortly after graduation and decided to get the CD simply because Springsteen was hugely successful and I knew his Greatest Hits. It's one of the few times in my life that I've bought music from an artist that I was seriously unfamiliar with. I remember the first time I heard "The Rising" on the radio. I was in the car riding with my family and maybe some friends going somewhere - I don't remember where, I don't remember when, I don't remember if it was before of after I bought the CD, but I remember the song.
The Rising led me to fall in love with the music of Bruce Springsteen. I bought the album in July, I quickly began putting my hands on any of his work that I could find, and I saw him live for the first time that December. I saw him again the following July, September, and October - four times total during The Rising Tour. Never before had I become so absorbed in music so quickly, and up until then I didn't really have any kind of clear idea of what I wanted to be or accomplish with my life. I wear the Springsteen influence blatantly on my sleeve in the songs of my first album, and I will always be working toward putting on a live show as powerful as his.
In the past four years, my music has shifted away from Springsteen to a more piano-based sound such as Ben Folds - a result of navigating toward my own style and sound, and playing to my own musical strengths. But where Ben Folds produces keyboard-heavy recordings, I push guitars more strongly - a direct influence of Springsteen. And I always have to catch myself from writing too many lyrics about roads, and highways, and cars, because Bruce has covered all that stuff already.
So I find myself thinking that if it weren't for September 11th, I never would have discovered the music of Bruce Springsteen, and I would not be the musician that I am today. Is this the truth? Maybe. It's hard to see ten years of a road not taken. And sure, it pales in comparison to the way the attacks changed the lives of others, but I believe if the rest of us think about the past ten years, many will find similar stories and path changes within our own lives. And hopefully those changes have led to something positive.
"Come on up for the rising
Come on up lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight"
-Bruce Springsteen, "The Rising"
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
How Irene Made Sure I Got No Chubby
Last Tuesday at In The Pocket rehearsal, our trombone player, Tony, got a voicemail on his cellular telephone from a man claiming to be Tommy C, the tour manager for Chubby Checker. Chubby was scheduled to play the Dutchess County Fair this past Saturday, and Tommy wanted to talk to us. So, Tony called him back. Apparently the Chubby Checker tour was having a problem with their equipment and they were interested in borrowing an organ or a keyboard with an organ sound. He found us simply by doing a search for bands in the Hudson Valley (the internet works!). Tommy said that money was tight, but that we could obviously come to the show, as well as go backstage to meet Chubby. I offered my Roland RD-300SX, and he said that would work and he would call us on Thursday with more details.
On Wednesday, the idea was floated that this might be some kind of scam. Was this really the tour manager for Chubby Checker or just some guy trying to pull a fast one on us? My first thought was to call the fair and ask them to independently confirm that the person who called us really was from the tour. But then I thought, "Let's just Google his phone number!" Ingenious! So we did. And the first thing to pop up was the Chubby Checker tour rider through Paradise Artists, including the guy's name and phone number. We were convinced. But to be safe I decided that I was going to insist on staying with my keyboard until it was set up on-stage. I wasn't going to just give this guy my equipment and leave.
On Thursday, Tony got a call from Tommy C telling us to meet him at 11AM on Saturday morning, and to call 45 minutes before we got there. Boom. I was going to the fair for the first time in at least 5 years (and for free), we had arranged to meet some friends at the fair and bring them to the show, and we was going to meet Chubby Checker. Random and cool.
Now, I know you see where this story is going. Enter Hurricane Irene.
We were setting up for our Friday night pre-Irene show at Pat Tarsio Lanes when I got a text telling me that the fair was going to be closed both Saturday and Sunday. I verified it when I got home. No fair. No wonderfully unhealthy foods. No 4H milkshake. No carnies. No Chubby. Only rain.
And so it was.
On Wednesday, the idea was floated that this might be some kind of scam. Was this really the tour manager for Chubby Checker or just some guy trying to pull a fast one on us? My first thought was to call the fair and ask them to independently confirm that the person who called us really was from the tour. But then I thought, "Let's just Google his phone number!" Ingenious! So we did. And the first thing to pop up was the Chubby Checker tour rider through Paradise Artists, including the guy's name and phone number. We were convinced. But to be safe I decided that I was going to insist on staying with my keyboard until it was set up on-stage. I wasn't going to just give this guy my equipment and leave.
On Thursday, Tony got a call from Tommy C telling us to meet him at 11AM on Saturday morning, and to call 45 minutes before we got there. Boom. I was going to the fair for the first time in at least 5 years (and for free), we had arranged to meet some friends at the fair and bring them to the show, and we was going to meet Chubby Checker. Random and cool.
Now, I know you see where this story is going. Enter Hurricane Irene.
We were setting up for our Friday night pre-Irene show at Pat Tarsio Lanes when I got a text telling me that the fair was going to be closed both Saturday and Sunday. I verified it when I got home. No fair. No wonderfully unhealthy foods. No 4H milkshake. No carnies. No Chubby. Only rain.
And so it was.
Monday, August 1, 2011
8 Things I Learned or Reinforced Playing Beach Gigs in Jersey
The sun is hot. This might come as news to some of you, but during the summer the temperature outside can get well up into the mid-90s. And when you're loading and setting up a band's worth of gear and PA equipment after you've spent the day on the beach and in the ocean, it can knock you on your ass. Drink plenty of water, and stay in the shade.
Sand gets everywhere. I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. I was still finding it in my pockets days later.
The sun burns. You know. Your skin. And even more when the sun's rays are also bouncing off the water and the sand. The best is when you put on sunblock and you miss a spot. When we played on the beach in June we all got burned - especially on the legs. Some of us got burns on our backs in the shape of European countries. Big ones. Big socialist ones.
When your friend is wearing an American flag swimsuit, it is not inappropriate to salute it. Just don't do it around the kids.
It is very difficult to dance in the sand. Seriously, have ever tried to really dance in the sand? It's hard enough trying to walk in the stuff, let alone throw down some burning moves.
Driving in New Jersey is the worst. The roads are terrible, the traffic is horrendous, you have to go right to go left, and the drivers are ambassadors of the devil himself. (This one is obviously a reinforced truth.)
Cargo shorts were made for carrying beer on the beach. This one must be a verifiable fact. When you're going out for a late night walk on the beach, wear cargo shorts. At the very least you'll be able to bring along two extra beers in addition to the one or two in your hands.
There are places on the Jersey shore that are nothing like the TV show. I mean, I've never seen the show, but I have heard stories and seen things about the poor excuse for commercials (and I even unknowingly passed Snooki in the mall once). In my time at the Jersey shore not once did I run into a Snooki.
Sand gets everywhere. I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. I was still finding it in my pockets days later.
The sun burns. You know. Your skin. And even more when the sun's rays are also bouncing off the water and the sand. The best is when you put on sunblock and you miss a spot. When we played on the beach in June we all got burned - especially on the legs. Some of us got burns on our backs in the shape of European countries. Big ones. Big socialist ones.
When your friend is wearing an American flag swimsuit, it is not inappropriate to salute it. Just don't do it around the kids.
It is very difficult to dance in the sand. Seriously, have ever tried to really dance in the sand? It's hard enough trying to walk in the stuff, let alone throw down some burning moves.
Driving in New Jersey is the worst. The roads are terrible, the traffic is horrendous, you have to go right to go left, and the drivers are ambassadors of the devil himself. (This one is obviously a reinforced truth.)
Cargo shorts were made for carrying beer on the beach. This one must be a verifiable fact. When you're going out for a late night walk on the beach, wear cargo shorts. At the very least you'll be able to bring along two extra beers in addition to the one or two in your hands.
There are places on the Jersey shore that are nothing like the TV show. I mean, I've never seen the show, but I have heard stories and seen things about the poor excuse for commercials (and I even unknowingly passed Snooki in the mall once). In my time at the Jersey shore not once did I run into a Snooki.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Wedding #2 - I Make A Toast!
Well, my second weekend out of town in a row turned out to be a good one. My oldest friend (not in age, but the amount of time that I've known him) got married at the Seaview Resort in Galloway, NJ. Fun times.
Friday night after the rehearsal and dinner we hit the Borgata in Atlantic City for some blackjack, but of course I didn't win. At one point I was up maybe $40, but I put it all back in. I played for about 4 hours or so. But two of my friends - one in particular - had a very good night. And he got wasted on the free drinks they feed you while you're gambling. He couldn't stop counting his winnings in front of us. He then slept on the floor and felt terrible all day on Saturday.
On Saturday, we got together around noon to start taking pictures and doing things. Between noon and 1:30PM when we left for the church I had 3 beers and a shot of tequila. We then stopped for pizza on the way to the church, and the guys working the joint didn't even mention the fact that we were all in tuxes. Though honestly, that's how we dress every day. The wedding itself went well and we stuck around to take pictures, then hopped in the limo for a trip to the Atlantic City beach for some more. We must have looked odd - a big group of people in tuxes, formal dresses, and flip flops. But that's just how we roll.
The reception was a freakin' blast. Our friends The Big Shoe played the party, and everyone had a great time. The crowd was ready to go from the moment they started playing and the energy in the room was fantastic. And I gave a toast (I think I lived up to my wedding toast reputation). I did a cool Mad Libs thing, and I will try to get the video to post soon. People who liked my speech included the people at my table, the bar staff, the father of the bride, and a guy in the bathroom who said to me, "You know I've given best man speeches before, but I never talked like that." At least, I think that's what he said. Which brings me to my next point: after a Jack on the rocks and a Sam Adams, I was drinking wine all night. Need I say more? I also sang "Sweet Caroline," complete with wireless mic. Have I mentioned that I badly want a wireless mic? Recently?
Sunday after checkout we hit the boardwalk for some lunch and light gambling, then headed home. And by the way, thanks to New Jersey I now know what a "Silver Alert" is - but did I really need to know?
Work it, work it...
Reading the Mad Lib that I put together with the help of the wedding guests
Three of the groomsmen - me, Seth Rivers, and Steve Peluse
Friday night after the rehearsal and dinner we hit the Borgata in Atlantic City for some blackjack, but of course I didn't win. At one point I was up maybe $40, but I put it all back in. I played for about 4 hours or so. But two of my friends - one in particular - had a very good night. And he got wasted on the free drinks they feed you while you're gambling. He couldn't stop counting his winnings in front of us. He then slept on the floor and felt terrible all day on Saturday.
On Saturday, we got together around noon to start taking pictures and doing things. Between noon and 1:30PM when we left for the church I had 3 beers and a shot of tequila. We then stopped for pizza on the way to the church, and the guys working the joint didn't even mention the fact that we were all in tuxes. Though honestly, that's how we dress every day. The wedding itself went well and we stuck around to take pictures, then hopped in the limo for a trip to the Atlantic City beach for some more. We must have looked odd - a big group of people in tuxes, formal dresses, and flip flops. But that's just how we roll.
The reception was a freakin' blast. Our friends The Big Shoe played the party, and everyone had a great time. The crowd was ready to go from the moment they started playing and the energy in the room was fantastic. And I gave a toast (I think I lived up to my wedding toast reputation). I did a cool Mad Libs thing, and I will try to get the video to post soon. People who liked my speech included the people at my table, the bar staff, the father of the bride, and a guy in the bathroom who said to me, "You know I've given best man speeches before, but I never talked like that." At least, I think that's what he said. Which brings me to my next point: after a Jack on the rocks and a Sam Adams, I was drinking wine all night. Need I say more? I also sang "Sweet Caroline," complete with wireless mic. Have I mentioned that I badly want a wireless mic? Recently?
Sunday after checkout we hit the boardwalk for some lunch and light gambling, then headed home. And by the way, thanks to New Jersey I now know what a "Silver Alert" is - but did I really need to know?
Work it, work it...
Reading the Mad Lib that I put together with the help of the wedding guests
Three of the groomsmen - me, Seth Rivers, and Steve Peluse
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Wedding #1 - 882 Miles
Here are some highlights from this past weekend's trip to my old stompin' grounds, Western New York:
-Having my first trash plate in probably 4 years, which I admittedly forgot how to order. I got it from Charlie's in Webster, and believe me when I tell you it was dynamite. My friend Tim thinks I set some sort of speed record. Maybe it was a personal best.
-Saw my grandparents. It's rare these days that I'm in the area, so I made a special trip to see them.
-Crashing the rehearsal dinner at Shadow Lake. OK, so I didn't really crash it, but suffice to say that I was not in the wedding party, and "crashing" sounds more badass.
-Two of my closest friends from college - Dayle & Scott - got married! I got to see all my closest friends from my Geneseo days and a handful of people that I haven't seen in years.
-The food at the reception was out of this world. It was on-site barbeque catered by Smokin' Hot Chicks. I really can't say enough about it. The bride and groom really did their homework on that one and it was amazing.
-And of course, I went to Wegmans. It is by far my favorite supermarket and I miss it dearly. Anyone who is familiar with it knows what I mean. Over the course of three days I made two trips, and got a three-berry muffin and "Danny's Favorite" wrap. It's like I never left.
Here is some video that I took at the wedding reception:
This upcoming weekend I'm in Atlantic City for the wedding of my oldest friend. And I'm in this one. Giving a toast. Look out.
-Having my first trash plate in probably 4 years, which I admittedly forgot how to order. I got it from Charlie's in Webster, and believe me when I tell you it was dynamite. My friend Tim thinks I set some sort of speed record. Maybe it was a personal best.
-Saw my grandparents. It's rare these days that I'm in the area, so I made a special trip to see them.
-Crashing the rehearsal dinner at Shadow Lake. OK, so I didn't really crash it, but suffice to say that I was not in the wedding party, and "crashing" sounds more badass.
-Two of my closest friends from college - Dayle & Scott - got married! I got to see all my closest friends from my Geneseo days and a handful of people that I haven't seen in years.
-The food at the reception was out of this world. It was on-site barbeque catered by Smokin' Hot Chicks. I really can't say enough about it. The bride and groom really did their homework on that one and it was amazing.
-And of course, I went to Wegmans. It is by far my favorite supermarket and I miss it dearly. Anyone who is familiar with it knows what I mean. Over the course of three days I made two trips, and got a three-berry muffin and "Danny's Favorite" wrap. It's like I never left.
Here is some video that I took at the wedding reception:
This upcoming weekend I'm in Atlantic City for the wedding of my oldest friend. And I'm in this one. Giving a toast. Look out.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
2011 SongHall Induction
Last week I had the incredible opportunity to attend the 42nd Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Gala, thanks to my friends Jason Kingston and Peter Bliss. Here's a rundown of the night - a bit more in-depth than my twitter posts:
The event was held at the Marriot Marquis Broadway Ballroom in Times Square, and my ticket was for the balcony. I arrived around 7:30 after grabbing a hot dog and failing to find a street vendor with any knish. Sad day. I met fellow infamous "B Group" member Melvin Vasquez there, and we went in to find seats. Sadly, the way the seats were set up if you didn't get one of the first 3 in any row then you couldn't really see. But I was not to be detered. Luckily, I was able to finagle a seat that allowed me to see most of the stage, and practically all of it if I stood up (there was no one behind me). Then after some investigation I was able to procure a program for the event. Rock on. I snuck from my flask and prepared for the show.
After a brief welcoming introduction by SongHall Chairman Jimmy Webb, Billy Steinberg & Tom Kelly opened the show with a performance of their song, "Like A Virgin" (gee, who sings that?). They were then inducted by Pretenders lead singer Chrissie Hynde, who gave the crowd a fantastic version of "I'll Stand By You." This was the first of numerous times when I got chills. There are some serious people in this room.
Dwight Yoakam then came out and performed "Superstar," which was co-written by Leon Russell. Leon emerged with a white maine, sat down at the piano, and performed a beautiful rendition of "A Song For You." Afterwards he dedicated his award to his friends in the crowd who work to help him with his hearing problems, but who also work so hard to help hearing-imparred children receive the gift of sound.
Boz Scaggs inducted Allen Toussaint, and since I'm not really familiar with either of their work I'm not sure what song he performed first. However, the two of them did join together on a duet of "What Do You Want The Girl To Do." You know a song is great when you've never heard before it but can remember it the next day. I have some homework to do on them.
Dominic Chianese (Uncle Junior from "The Sopranos") gave the Towering Song Award to "It Was A Very Good Year," an his performance of the song was impressive. Jimmy Jam presented the Hal David Starlight Award to Aubrey Graham from "Degrassi: The Next Generation"...I mean, Drake. He performed a song that I didn't know, and to be honest it's not really my thing, so let's move on.
Skylar Grey did a great medley rendition of "Crazy For You" and "Human Nature" to begin John Bettis' induction. I guarantee that he's written so many songs that you know. He was officially inducted by Paul Williams, then performed "Top of the World."
Trisha Yearwood performed a medley of Hal David songs including "Do You Know the Way To San Jose," "I'll Never Fall In Love Again," "What the World Needs Now," and more as he was given the first Visionary Leadership Award. Sam Moore & Bill Medley then gave the Johnny Mercer Award - the SongHall's highest honor - to Billy Mann & Cynthia Weil, and performed a fantastic duet of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling." And let me tell you, when the band slammed into the chorus after the breakdown the place was absolutely electric. More chills. Sam and Bill were actually really funny with their back and forth bickering. They should take their act on the road. Valerie Simpson then presented the Howie Richmond Hitmaker Award to Chaka Khan, who performed a rousing version of "I'm Every Woman."
The night's last inductee was Garth Brooks, inducted by Billy Joel. Garth was incredibly humble at the award, especially since he confessed that he's never considered himself a songwriter. He gave a fantastic performance of "The Thunder Rolls," then invited BIlly back on stage for a show-closing performance of the Billy song that Garth took to the top of the country charts - "Shameless."
The show was about 2 and a half hours long, and afterward I ended up in the elevator with Valerie Simpson. Cool. Watch a short video about the induction here.
I never did find my knish.
The Red Carpet (It's the only picture I got. Sorry.)
The event was held at the Marriot Marquis Broadway Ballroom in Times Square, and my ticket was for the balcony. I arrived around 7:30 after grabbing a hot dog and failing to find a street vendor with any knish. Sad day. I met fellow infamous "B Group" member Melvin Vasquez there, and we went in to find seats. Sadly, the way the seats were set up if you didn't get one of the first 3 in any row then you couldn't really see. But I was not to be detered. Luckily, I was able to finagle a seat that allowed me to see most of the stage, and practically all of it if I stood up (there was no one behind me). Then after some investigation I was able to procure a program for the event. Rock on. I snuck from my flask and prepared for the show.
After a brief welcoming introduction by SongHall Chairman Jimmy Webb, Billy Steinberg & Tom Kelly opened the show with a performance of their song, "Like A Virgin" (gee, who sings that?). They were then inducted by Pretenders lead singer Chrissie Hynde, who gave the crowd a fantastic version of "I'll Stand By You." This was the first of numerous times when I got chills. There are some serious people in this room.
Dwight Yoakam then came out and performed "Superstar," which was co-written by Leon Russell. Leon emerged with a white maine, sat down at the piano, and performed a beautiful rendition of "A Song For You." Afterwards he dedicated his award to his friends in the crowd who work to help him with his hearing problems, but who also work so hard to help hearing-imparred children receive the gift of sound.
Boz Scaggs inducted Allen Toussaint, and since I'm not really familiar with either of their work I'm not sure what song he performed first. However, the two of them did join together on a duet of "What Do You Want The Girl To Do." You know a song is great when you've never heard before it but can remember it the next day. I have some homework to do on them.
Dominic Chianese (Uncle Junior from "The Sopranos") gave the Towering Song Award to "It Was A Very Good Year," an his performance of the song was impressive. Jimmy Jam presented the Hal David Starlight Award to Aubrey Graham from "Degrassi: The Next Generation"...I mean, Drake. He performed a song that I didn't know, and to be honest it's not really my thing, so let's move on.
Skylar Grey did a great medley rendition of "Crazy For You" and "Human Nature" to begin John Bettis' induction. I guarantee that he's written so many songs that you know. He was officially inducted by Paul Williams, then performed "Top of the World."
Trisha Yearwood performed a medley of Hal David songs including "Do You Know the Way To San Jose," "I'll Never Fall In Love Again," "What the World Needs Now," and more as he was given the first Visionary Leadership Award. Sam Moore & Bill Medley then gave the Johnny Mercer Award - the SongHall's highest honor - to Billy Mann & Cynthia Weil, and performed a fantastic duet of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling." And let me tell you, when the band slammed into the chorus after the breakdown the place was absolutely electric. More chills. Sam and Bill were actually really funny with their back and forth bickering. They should take their act on the road. Valerie Simpson then presented the Howie Richmond Hitmaker Award to Chaka Khan, who performed a rousing version of "I'm Every Woman."
The night's last inductee was Garth Brooks, inducted by Billy Joel. Garth was incredibly humble at the award, especially since he confessed that he's never considered himself a songwriter. He gave a fantastic performance of "The Thunder Rolls," then invited BIlly back on stage for a show-closing performance of the Billy song that Garth took to the top of the country charts - "Shameless."
The show was about 2 and a half hours long, and afterward I ended up in the elevator with Valerie Simpson. Cool. Watch a short video about the induction here.
I never did find my knish.
The Red Carpet (It's the only picture I got. Sorry.)
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
2011 SongHall Abe Olman Showcase
It's one of the worst parts of the music industry. If you play events or showcases you undoubtably suffer from hurry up and wait. You also suffer from it trying to get good concert tickets or when flying, but that's not what I was doing last night.
I showed up to the theatre just after 2PM and was able to soundcheck with Jason Kingston very shortly after that (we only had two run-throughs of the song, by the way). Then we had time to kill since the event didn't start until 6PM. So, we walked around Washington Square Park and got some food, then went back and were asked to prepare programs! Haha. But it was cool - after all it was a SongHall event and we were the SongHall representatives in the showcase, so I was more than happy to pitch in to help make the event as smooth as possible.
Jimmy Webb arrived around 5:45 and immediately went backstage. His master session interview began around 6:10, conducted by Phil Galdston, and it was good. He gave some great insights into some of his songs such as "By the Time I Get To Phoenix," "Up, Up, and Away," and "Adios," as well as the music industry and life as a songwriter. He ended the interview with a performance of his song "Where Words End," which is on an album released last year.
During the intermission we hurried backstage and then...waited. Again. Each award recipient was introduced and given their award. In my opinion, some of the intros dragged on a bit but for the most part it was good. Then we finally got to play, and we were the first performers. Now, if you ask Jason he will probably talk up my piano playing, but the truth is he's the one that really killed it last night. He's got a great powerful voice that can just knock you on your ass...and it did. I think we did our job of setting the bar very high for the other performers, and I'm hoping to have video to post soon. Some of the other performers that I liked from last night were Rachel Brown, Markeisha Ensley, and David Marenberg.
Afterwards a few of us went out and ate some average college food. Nothing fancy. But how's this for funny: my parents came to the showcase and a guy approached my mom and asked if she wrote The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. I think she should've said yes.
Below are a few pictures from the evening:
The award winners posing for pictures with their awards.
Jason Kingston introducing his song, "Lucky," while I futz with the damn piano bench. (Yes, I know the picture is terrible quality. Suck it up.)
A mini-reunion of the infamous SongHall Workshop "B Group." Me, Jason Kingston, SongHall Activities Coordinator Peter Bliss, Melvin Vasquez, and Loriel Leander.
I showed up to the theatre just after 2PM and was able to soundcheck with Jason Kingston very shortly after that (we only had two run-throughs of the song, by the way). Then we had time to kill since the event didn't start until 6PM. So, we walked around Washington Square Park and got some food, then went back and were asked to prepare programs! Haha. But it was cool - after all it was a SongHall event and we were the SongHall representatives in the showcase, so I was more than happy to pitch in to help make the event as smooth as possible.
Jimmy Webb arrived around 5:45 and immediately went backstage. His master session interview began around 6:10, conducted by Phil Galdston, and it was good. He gave some great insights into some of his songs such as "By the Time I Get To Phoenix," "Up, Up, and Away," and "Adios," as well as the music industry and life as a songwriter. He ended the interview with a performance of his song "Where Words End," which is on an album released last year.
During the intermission we hurried backstage and then...waited. Again. Each award recipient was introduced and given their award. In my opinion, some of the intros dragged on a bit but for the most part it was good. Then we finally got to play, and we were the first performers. Now, if you ask Jason he will probably talk up my piano playing, but the truth is he's the one that really killed it last night. He's got a great powerful voice that can just knock you on your ass...and it did. I think we did our job of setting the bar very high for the other performers, and I'm hoping to have video to post soon. Some of the other performers that I liked from last night were Rachel Brown, Markeisha Ensley, and David Marenberg.
Afterwards a few of us went out and ate some average college food. Nothing fancy. But how's this for funny: my parents came to the showcase and a guy approached my mom and asked if she wrote The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. I think she should've said yes.
Below are a few pictures from the evening:
The award winners posing for pictures with their awards.
Jason Kingston introducing his song, "Lucky," while I futz with the damn piano bench. (Yes, I know the picture is terrible quality. Suck it up.)
A mini-reunion of the infamous SongHall Workshop "B Group." Me, Jason Kingston, SongHall Activities Coordinator Peter Bliss, Melvin Vasquez, and Loriel Leander.
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