Miss 604 at the Meet and Tweet!

Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while, may recall that I was recently interviewed byMiss 604, Rebecca Bollwitt, for an E Online story about being a working performer and singer/songwriter in Vancouver.

Its funny but, whenever I spend time this woman, my online exposure level goes up another notch. First, she introduced me to Twitter, she simply insisted I sign up for an account, and with one single tweet about me to her followers, I had almost a hundred followers on my first day of Tweeting.

Believe me, I saw the power. I have been watching and learning ever since.

I often check in with Rebecca on her blog, she is a busy young woman with her finger on the pulse. She is the "Internet It girl", and not only is her image travelling around plastered on buses all over town, she is also a regular guest on 1410 the Buzz of Vancouver, the talk-radio station I tune into when I need to just turn off the music. ( yes it happens )

So last night, I took my handy little video camera with me to film Rebecca as she mingled and gave a speech at the Tech Valley Social Club's first ever Meet and Tweet which was held at a gorgeous venue called Dublins Crossing . If you would like to know more, or view photos and find links to all the fine people involved in this networking event, I invite you to visit Miss604's recap of the night.

My personal reasons, why I filmed this event, was to illustrate to my musician and industry friends, the power of using the internet (and specifically Twitter), for business and social networking.

You can easily apply this technology towards promoting your band or your CD. Sure its great to be on Myspace where you connnect with other musicians, but I'd say most of them are trying to sell their music to you. If you are like me, you need to connect with real customers and talent buyers whether it be a pub, club, event, or concert venue looking for entertainment, or the bride, parent, or spouse who is looking for a band for their party. Twitter is also great for connecting with industry people and the businesses that will be helpful to your career (photographers, web designers, artists etc).

No matter what your business, you want to find and focus on your customers, and the people who know them. That is what Twitter can do, if used effectively, it can take your Tweets, and multiply them.

My final note on this, is to update you on how my online life has changed since my last meeting with Rebecca.

Because I was following her around all night, I wound up meeting and hanging out with some pretty incredible Twitter-holics. In particular, there were two fellows whom I am quite certain are responsible in part, for the FLOOD on Twitter followers I am receiving, due to the tens of thousands of followers they themselves have. I believe I have had over a hundred new followers in less than a day. I can barely keep up, this is powerful stuff folks.

So I want to specially thank Rainer from @ThinkReferrals, and Gary, @bluefur for giving me a shout out "tweet"! And to all the other great people I met, and those of you who have also been sending some "tweet love" my way, thank you! I hope you all enjoy the way I chose to document and share the night.

Final note, the people from Domain 7 did an excellent job of putting it all together.

To those that missed it, better come to the next one!!!

best, Rach!

~~~~~~~

~Mama Cried~

This tells the story of a 16 year old, who ran away from an abusive home, straight into a life of being abused on the streets. The sad truth is, she had learned what she lived.

Closing time
theres no where else to go
everybody is curious
but no one lets it show
closing time
no more drinks for free
everyone's gone home now
and its only me

I thought I saw a shelter in the alley
maybe theres a blanket in the bin
if I had a quarter Id call Mamma
not that it matters now
because I don't know
what part of town I'm in


Mama cried
when I said I had to leave
poor delusioned Mama
she just can't believe
someone lied
and I know it wasn't me
something isn't right here
beneath this family tree

Guess I've got to make it on my own now
I look pretty old for just 16
If I had a quarter I'd call Mamma
just to say I love her
and Im happy because I am finally free

City lights
keep all the ghosts at bay
no one asks me questions
no one turns me away
spend my nights
with 'friends" that I have made
they give me protection
and a place to stay

Guess its not so different from my home now
at least I make a dollar for my time
when I have a quarter I call momma
just to I can tell her
that just like her I live a lie.

Rachael Chatoor c 1997

Trapped in an elevator.......

............for 41 HOURS

I found this both difficult and fascinating to watch.

What would you do?

Story is in the New Yorker

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rach hanging out with recording artist, AJ Woodworth

Hi everyone,

I was visiting last week at the home of recording artist AJ Woodworth.

She is just gorgeous inside and out, plus she has fantastic vocals, great songs, and a really nice energy. But don't take my word for it, check out the video I made of my day hanging out with her.............isn't she completely adorable?

Please do feel free to show her some love, go visit her website! And watch the horizons folks, this girls star is going to rise!!!


http://www.ajcountry.com/

Also in this video, the fabulously talented Jesse Tucker. (guitarist/co-writer)
http://www.myspace.com/jesse_m_tucker
Warmly, Rach~

McRock skool for TEENS.

This link will take you to the Vancouver Courier, where I am featured in an article that describes a FREE McRockSkool seminar for TEENS, taking place THIS Tuesday March 31st.

McRockSkool, is a band bootcamp for teens, and I am so excited to see this thing finally taking off because I have been dreaming about something like this happening in Marpole, since 2007, when the area was plagued by a rash of mini garbage can fires which were started by bored teenagers.

It all started to take shape with the creation of a very cool "clubhouse" which was customized especially for teenagers, by designer Ami McKay from the Makeover Wish television show on HGTV. Back in the Fall of 2007, Ami Mckay and host Erin Cebula (and crew), spent several days transforming a drab classroom portable, into a cool hang out for youths, complete with a stage full of gear and music equipment.

It is truly an amazing place to hang out (even without the stage, guitars and drum-kit) and it also boasts an air hockey/pool table, books, games/game tables, an ipod dock, and even big comfy couches surrounding a large flat screen with a Wii video game.

The space is called Safe Base, and it belongs to the Spare Time Fun Centre, a 35 year, non-profit, out of school care organization which I have been a part of ever since its doors opened.


I was enrolled in STFC when I was 5, and now, 35 years later, my children go there today. I have been teaching dance classes, skits, and musical numbers to the children who attend the centre, on and off, ever since I turned 12 and was too old to be enrolled in the centre myself.

So here we are today, and we have Safe Base, which is something we are all very proud of. The 120 plus children in the daycare respect it, and they take care of it, it is simply gorgeous, and we are all extremely protective of it.

Which is why it took me nearly a year and a half to invite someone to use the space. Not only did I want to find an excellent program that would engage teens and distract them away from trouble, I wanted a self contained program (which the McRock Skool is), facilitated by an instructor whom I felt comfortable trusting with the space. Someone who would lead by example, and require the kids to respect the space and the opportunity to be there. Someone who would make the teens cognizant of the fact that using the facility and its equipment is a privilege, not a right.


Enter Mick Dalla Vee, who is the man behind the McRock Skool, Mick is an excellent multi- instrumentalist, performer and producer who is extremely well respected in this city. He is a long time member of Randy Bachman's band, and when Mick is not on the road rocking out to sold out shows with Randy, he is likely playing with one of his incredible corporate bands (Cease and Desist/Atlantic Crossing) which tour worldwide.

In studio sessions one day at Mick's, I learned that he had been spending most of his time staying in Richmond where his lovely better half lives. As he told me this, I think I heard a "PING" go off in my head, because Richmond, is a mere hop skip away from Safe Base. Knowing that Mick had a McRock Skool ( which was previously run in Abbotsford ) I ventured to ask if he would be willing to offer his course in Marpole, and I invited Mick to come and have a look at Safe Base. Immediately Mick saw the value in it. In fact, he must have had his own "Ping" moment because as soon as he saw the facility, he started talking about also using the space for a different music program he is involved with, which is geared towards enriching the life of people with Down Syndrome.

I knew at that point, I had asked the right guy.

Anyhow, back to it, I see great value in a music program like the McRock Skool, where a professional artist draws from his life experiences on the road, and shares what he has learned from working in and putting together bands over a lifetime career. No questions in my mind this is win, win.

Mick and the McRock Skool, is just the first of a few professional working artists I will eventually be inviting to use the space. Once the Rock School is going, dance classes will be the next addition to the centre.

Next door to the Safe Base, we have another fabulously decked out portable, complete with dance floor, small stages, lights, and a wall of mirrors.
It is an incredible dance room and I already know an amazing professional dancer whom I hope will be able to teach some classes in between her regular schedule of live shows (wink, wink Alecia). She performs with and choreographs for Mooncoin Productions ( the company who produces the Abba show I sub for).

I still have to learn songs, perform, write, play guitar, shoot and edit videos, as well as work online and hang out in blogland in a basic workday, so everything does take time. But for now, I introduce and welcome you to the McRock Skool, its just starting to nudge itself off the ground and now is really the time to get in, because I know it will eventually get to waiting list status. If you would like to know more about it, please come down to the Seminar on Tuesday night (March 31st), its free, and parents are encouraged to come and see the space and meet Mick for themselves. If you are reading this after March 31st please do visit the website to find out more, and contact Mick for enrollment info.


I will leave you with this request folks, If any one of you reading, knows a family with a musical teen (singer/guitar player/bassist/drummer) who lives in/near the Vancouver/Richmond area. I would sure love for you to pass on the link and information.


http://www2.canada.com/vancouvercourier/news/story.html?id=60ff928e-fb79-400e-be5f-bb644d10d601

Warmly, I thank you, Rach.

(PHOTO of Mick/Rachael courtesy- Dan Toulgoet Vancouver Courier)

Puppy update video..........the babies are growing so fast!

well I did it bloggers!! my first solo acoustic gig.........see how it went......

You all know that I have been gearing up to add a solo gig into my bag of trix right?

Well, on Friday night I played a solo gig on a Paddlewheel boat for a private party..................

The full video, showing the Paddleboat, singalongs and more of the party can be viewed here!