A day at the office

It has been quite on my blog front for some time now. But a LOT has been happening behind the scenes here.

There are always new things going on at my website, mainly right now the addition of some summer tour dates with The Ranchhands. There is the addition of my YouTube channel which holds links to special live performances with The Ranchhands, mainly in Europe, and hopefully one day will include some great, behind the drumset shots during a show (still in "development"). I am working now with Ableton software, Georgia Perimeter College and Gembeck Music to write some curriculum for a book to be published in 2009 for a college course in audio technology.

In addition to all of this, I have also been in fairly heavy audition mode this past week. I auditioned this past Tuesday for a new nightclub opening here in Nashville called FUSE. It opens this sunday night, June 1. I practiced all weekend, did some research on the gig, and found out Wednesday that I, along with another percussionist, got the gig. It is a welcoming opportunity to be able to play, make budget, and stay in town more. The flip side, is that it is a whole different world that I am not used to.

I spent today at sound check at the club, breaking the new silver MEINL congas and silver sparkle bongos to match. After they got tuned up, they sounded awesome! From there, I then had a hair appointment at their salon on site, to get trimmed, and highlighted, you know, to spice up the dew a little for The Look. I then had a meeting with the resident costume/wardrobe consultant who outfitted me in some killer threads, shoes, the whole deal, and tomorrow morning, I go in for rehearsal with the DJ and then I start playing sunday night. Talk about jumping right in!

Now, let me explain. This gig is super cool, and super different from what I have ever done in the past. I am playing on a collection of congas, bongos, timbales, hand cymbals and cowbells/tambourine/woodblocks (and a djembe, coming soon) on a stage, with killer lighting, and at the same time, a DJ, DJ Ty in this case, is spinning tracks from his booth, and together, it makes one killer soundtrack for the club. A really different concept for the area, but something that has been happening in Las Vegas, California, Chicago, and even New York for a while now. It should be a lot of fun.

In addition to playing at FUSE, I will still playing with The Ranchhands, touring this summer in Europe with them, and a few dates this coming fall, so be sure to check out the schedule on my website to see if we'll playing near you this fall! The line-up we have as been getting tighter and tighter musically every show, and it the last several shows have ben incredible!

Until next time friends . . .

Approaching

Tonight was the first gig with The Ranchhands on a ten day run. We played tonight in Bloomington, Illinois, at a little place called Six Strings. It was a pretty fun show. It felt good to climb back in the saddle, and to hit the skins again, playing with these great players. It was so much fun. I look forward to the next several shows we will playing over the next week plus.


On our set breaks, I took some time to sit, and rest on a side hallway, in the back, away from the sound, and away from the lights and people. It was nice to rest, even briefly, and to re-hydrate, before going back out for another set. I shot a picture or two from the far end, and yo can see the stage lights, silhouetting the other guys. Anyways, I say that, to share the following picture.


I'll write more when it's not so late at night/early in the morning.