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Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Onion link
There are some pretty good laughs in the current issue of the Onion (I especially liked the Mitt Romney & Arby's/depression articles) but the one linked to below struck a chord with me in particular- those that know me will understand completely when you read the "solution" in the very last sentence:
Culture
Culture
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Gig Diary: SFTD Tenth Anniversary Special
I haven't written a gig diary in a long, long time. I guess, since this was our Tenth Anniversary Special and since we used to always all write gig dairies for each of our shows, it might be fitting for me to try again.
I arrived with Lesa and our friend Debbie at The Bookmill at 5:30. It was drizzling slightly, but the air felt clean and crisp. I don't know why that seems to be the case there. Is it that different than the air in my tiny city of Northampton? Does it have something to do with the rushing river and waterfall behind the building? Maybe it's just my imagination.
Since this was Record Store Day, we decided to poke into Turn It Up! Inside, we found Ken and Mary. I sat in the listening station's chair while the others flipped through records and CDs. A lot of my record store experience involves me sitting or standing and waiting for others to flip through the merchandise. I went often into Boston shops with my brothers and I enjoyed looking at album covers but I never bought anything. I pretty much would only look at the Yes and Pink Floyd sections. Anyway, after the shopping, we stepped into the warm Lady Killigrew and got ourselves some dinner.
I found a big table inside where we could all fit and we were soon joined by Max and family and then Jason Bourgeois and Ryan Quinn who had been so kind as to lend us their P.A. for the show. They didn't just lend it to us, they trekked it to Montague and loaded it in and out. Troopers.
Dinner was nice and relaxed. I really enjoy arriving at gigs with plenty of time to just relax beforehand instead of having to just rush around and suddenly start performing.
At 7:00 we were able to set up and when I went up to the performance space I found Brian and Beth loading in the drums. Soon Tony arrived and we all set up the stage as some audience members started trickling in.
Max and staff members from The Bookmill brought out and set up as many folding chairs as possible to go along with the sofas and big comfy chairs. By the time our opener, Andrew Emmons, started to play, the place was at standing-room only. Andrew put on a great 30 minute set of very smartly written songs.
School for the Dead started to play at about 8:45 and we didn't stop until 10:20 or so. The room was very warm and we couldn't open the windows because they were still sealed up for the winter. We made our way through seventeen of our songs with a little break in the middle consisting of Tony playing a solo "Record Store Girl" and then the band (without me) playing the Monkees' "Sunny Girlfriend", with Brian on lead vocals.
Throughout the set, I demanded words from the audience for our MadLib and we had also passed out Instant Surveys. We collected the Instant Surveys about four songs from the end of the show. The questions were "Ten years ago I ________________________" and "Ten years from now I ___________________________". We read them off during the breakdown or "Soup of the Moment", like you do, and they turned out to be the best set of responses that we had ever gotten. It was a success. Maybe all the books surrounding the room made people extra creative.
At the end of our show (note: we did not finish with Omnivore), the band supplied some slick back-ground music and I read the MadLib. Another success. The crowd populated the thing with great words. I hope to have video of it shortly for you to see.
What else noteworthy happened? We debuted "The Rumor Mill" and it went quite well. I don't know what else. Writing these things is hard, I see now why I stopped.
Thank you very much to everyone who came to the show and for those of you who picked up our albums. I had an excellent time, I hope you did as well. Thank you.
I arrived with Lesa and our friend Debbie at The Bookmill at 5:30. It was drizzling slightly, but the air felt clean and crisp. I don't know why that seems to be the case there. Is it that different than the air in my tiny city of Northampton? Does it have something to do with the rushing river and waterfall behind the building? Maybe it's just my imagination.
Since this was Record Store Day, we decided to poke into Turn It Up! Inside, we found Ken and Mary. I sat in the listening station's chair while the others flipped through records and CDs. A lot of my record store experience involves me sitting or standing and waiting for others to flip through the merchandise. I went often into Boston shops with my brothers and I enjoyed looking at album covers but I never bought anything. I pretty much would only look at the Yes and Pink Floyd sections. Anyway, after the shopping, we stepped into the warm Lady Killigrew and got ourselves some dinner.
I found a big table inside where we could all fit and we were soon joined by Max and family and then Jason Bourgeois and Ryan Quinn who had been so kind as to lend us their P.A. for the show. They didn't just lend it to us, they trekked it to Montague and loaded it in and out. Troopers.
Dinner was nice and relaxed. I really enjoy arriving at gigs with plenty of time to just relax beforehand instead of having to just rush around and suddenly start performing.
At 7:00 we were able to set up and when I went up to the performance space I found Brian and Beth loading in the drums. Soon Tony arrived and we all set up the stage as some audience members started trickling in.
Max and staff members from The Bookmill brought out and set up as many folding chairs as possible to go along with the sofas and big comfy chairs. By the time our opener, Andrew Emmons, started to play, the place was at standing-room only. Andrew put on a great 30 minute set of very smartly written songs.
School for the Dead started to play at about 8:45 and we didn't stop until 10:20 or so. The room was very warm and we couldn't open the windows because they were still sealed up for the winter. We made our way through seventeen of our songs with a little break in the middle consisting of Tony playing a solo "Record Store Girl" and then the band (without me) playing the Monkees' "Sunny Girlfriend", with Brian on lead vocals.
Throughout the set, I demanded words from the audience for our MadLib and we had also passed out Instant Surveys. We collected the Instant Surveys about four songs from the end of the show. The questions were "Ten years ago I ________________________" and "Ten years from now I ___________________________". We read them off during the breakdown or "Soup of the Moment", like you do, and they turned out to be the best set of responses that we had ever gotten. It was a success. Maybe all the books surrounding the room made people extra creative.
At the end of our show (note: we did not finish with Omnivore), the band supplied some slick back-ground music and I read the MadLib. Another success. The crowd populated the thing with great words. I hope to have video of it shortly for you to see.
What else noteworthy happened? We debuted "The Rumor Mill" and it went quite well. I don't know what else. Writing these things is hard, I see now why I stopped.
Thank you very much to everyone who came to the show and for those of you who picked up our albums. I had an excellent time, I hope you did as well. Thank you.
Monday, April 18, 2011
A Nice Picture of our Tenth Anniversary Special
 |
| School for the Dead's Tenth Anniversary Special photo by Dennis Crommett. |
Brian - On Our Ten Years
Hop on over to Brian's place to read about Our Tenth Year Anniversary Special and his adventure spinning vinyl on the radio Saturday: Where's That Sound Coming From?: Yesterday Was National Record Store Day...And a 10...:
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
School for the Dead in the News: Valley Advocate Part 2
More news about School for the Dead's Tenth Anniversary in The Valley Advocate. Thanks to Gary Carra.
"In other news, School for the Dead (schoolforthedead.com) "headmaster"/mastermind Henning Ohlenbusch says that the venue he has selected to commemorate his band's decade of existence literally speaks volumes about what they hope to accomplish.
"We are known to put on energetic, loud and intense concerts at times, but at the Montague Bookmill, we'll play the level we practice at," Ohlenbusch says of his auspicious April 16 engagement. "We'll play so each note of each instrument can be heard, as can every word of every song ,so that we can freely communicate with the audience."
Kicking off the festivities this Saturday will be Hampshire College-based Andrew Emmons. Though best known for his work with the band Homer and Langley, the multi-instrumentalist is presently focused on his new solo effort, Homebones, due out this summer."
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
School for the Dead in the News: Valley Advocate
There's a nice article in the Valley Advocate this week about School for the Dead turning ten. You can read it here if you'd like: Art In Paradise: Ten Years of Dead
Sunday, April 10, 2011
School for the Dead's Tenth Anniversary Video
I made this pretty funny video with a new App at YouTube. I just picked a bunch of random pictures from flickr, uploaded a song from iTunes, and pasted the text from a press release. There was no preview or anything so I just went with it blind and this is what appeared:
Saturday, April 09, 2011
A Shout for Sheehan Benefit Concert
Tonight there's a big benefit show at The Elevens in Northampton, MA
Jason Bourgeois says: Chances are that if you live in the Valley and also happen to be a musician, you know Mark Sheehan pretty well. If you've been going to local shows in recent years, it is likely you have gone to a show that Mark has organized. If you know Mark Sheehan on a personal level, it’s quite possible that he’s shown you inappropriate photos via his telephone… sorry that list bit was from my monologue for the Mark Sheehan Celebrity Comic Roast. Date and time TBA.
About five years ago, Mark was the ID checker at the Basement and slowly worked his way up to booking acts on Saturday nights. These weekly concerts, which quickly became the meeting grounds for musicians in what some considered a burgeoning local scene, garnered some electrifying performances. He later moved his talents to the Elevens (in which he still hosts the friendly “Happy Valley Showdown” battle of the bands series) and also began a very popular Thursday music night at the Sierra Grille with the slogan “re-animate the Bay State”.
Mr. Sheehan has opened the doors for countless groups and solo acts with original material. Many can attest that he granted their inexperienced band their very first gig. He’s always booked music that he loves and has not been necessarily concerned with what’s a guaranteed draw. What we have is a man with an enormous heart and one of the few people I’ve met in my life who possesses a bottomless supply enthusiasm.
Mark was recently in a serious car accident that will leave him out of work for an indefinite amount of time. Various musicians and colleagues that he’s supported over the years are currently rallying to put on a special fundraiser this Saturday April 9th at the Elevens (located at 140 Pleasant St. in Northampton) called "A Shout For Sheehan". The admission charge is $5 (or more), doors are at 8:00 with music starting at 9:00 and with a line-up featuring (and subject to some fluctuation):
Paper Piano
Erik Allan
Ribboncandy
The Lay Jains
Fancy Trash
Whistle Jacket
Sore Eros
Crescent Hill
Fawns, School for the Dead & Sitting Next To Brian
Claudia Malibu
Spouse
Also starring deejay Amanda Freeman
And Hosted by Xtian Perfection
Hope to see you there and please pass this on.
Jason Bourgeois says: Chances are that if you live in the Valley and also happen to be a musician, you know Mark Sheehan pretty well. If you've been going to local shows in recent years, it is likely you have gone to a show that Mark has organized. If you know Mark Sheehan on a personal level, it’s quite possible that he’s shown you inappropriate photos via his telephone… sorry that list bit was from my monologue for the Mark Sheehan Celebrity Comic Roast. Date and time TBA.
About five years ago, Mark was the ID checker at the Basement and slowly worked his way up to booking acts on Saturday nights. These weekly concerts, which quickly became the meeting grounds for musicians in what some considered a burgeoning local scene, garnered some electrifying performances. He later moved his talents to the Elevens (in which he still hosts the friendly “Happy Valley Showdown” battle of the bands series) and also began a very popular Thursday music night at the Sierra Grille with the slogan “re-animate the Bay State”.
Mr. Sheehan has opened the doors for countless groups and solo acts with original material. Many can attest that he granted their inexperienced band their very first gig. He’s always booked music that he loves and has not been necessarily concerned with what’s a guaranteed draw. What we have is a man with an enormous heart and one of the few people I’ve met in my life who possesses a bottomless supply enthusiasm.
Mark was recently in a serious car accident that will leave him out of work for an indefinite amount of time. Various musicians and colleagues that he’s supported over the years are currently rallying to put on a special fundraiser this Saturday April 9th at the Elevens (located at 140 Pleasant St. in Northampton) called "A Shout For Sheehan". The admission charge is $5 (or more), doors are at 8:00 with music starting at 9:00 and with a line-up featuring (and subject to some fluctuation):
Paper Piano
Erik Allan
Ribboncandy
The Lay Jains
Fancy Trash
Whistle Jacket
Sore Eros
Crescent Hill
Fawns, School for the Dead & Sitting Next To Brian
Claudia Malibu
Spouse
Also starring deejay Amanda Freeman
And Hosted by Xtian Perfection
Hope to see you there and please pass this on.
Friday, April 08, 2011
School for the Dead on Valley Free Radio Tonight. 7:00 - 8:00 PM
School for the Dead will be stopping by the studio at Valley Free Radio in Florence, MA this evening from 7:00 to 8:00 to talk about our tenth year anniversary and to play a few songs. You can listen on the radio if you are in the Northampton, MA area at 103.3 FM or online at Valley Free Radio.
Monday, April 04, 2011
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