Liquid Metal membership winner Randall (pictured above)
Thought I might share the first few sessions of the League of Rock rehearsals in a photo blog today. It's been a blast so far, getting ready for what is to come next. There were so many shots to choose from, I'll pretty much let the pictures speak for themselves.
By the way, next week we hit the famed *room 10* at NAL Jamspace to prepare for our mid-way showcase at the Yale. This is where the newly formed bands will for the first time perform their songs for the other members of the league. For many it will be their first 'live' performance and I can just feel the nervous excitement! ~woot~
"Fun and scary all at the same time" is how coach Shaun Verreault (Wide Mouth Mason) so aptly summed up the LOR experience during a recent session. Shaun is sizzling in the scene nowadays and our members are fortunate he so regularly joins the cast of esteemed coaches
who are willing to share their time and experience. If you are a true admirer of great musical talent do yourself a favour and check out the video I'm posting below!
So the best story ever goes like this: I was chatting to my Liquid Metal membership winner Randall, and he told me he read my recent blogpost (where I mentioned him and his winning the contest) while his 4 year old daughter was sitting in his lap. He reported that when he came to the part of the story where he told me his daughter was the 'sunshine of his life' she stopped him mid-sentence and asked wide-eyed...."Did you really call my your sunshine Daddy?" I a felt whole wave of whoosh when he told me that. Coolest story ever.
And for the musical portion of the program today I direct you to this amazing video shot by my pal Gene Greenwood of Farting Puppy Productions. This video features our own coach Shaun playing a Liquid Metal Guitar at the Yale in one of the most solid musical line ups you could possibly hope to watch. Mike Norman(keys), Dennis Marcenko(bass), and Jerry Adolphe(drums). Man this really smokes! Enjoy~
Were you screaming your face off along with the rest of Canada when the men's Canadian hockey team won the Olympic gold medal? It was a little surreal wasn't it?
I was backstage watching the game at the Surrey 2010 Official Olympic Celebration site when the final puck whizzed past the goal line and into the net. It was beautiful, our Canadian hero's had just pulled off a magnificent, nail biting win that prompted the country to erupt with excitement. I barely recall running up onstage with a couple dozen others to film the festivities and cheer along with the crowd of thousands. I stood there holding my camera above my head to capture as much of it as I could and I actually imagined that everyone across the country was cheering in unison with as much passion and joy as this crowd right here!
One quick search on You Tube will show this was very true, there are countless videos taken at exactly the same moment this one was shot........ I almost had a mind to load up 10 different videos from 10 provinces to this blogpost and then was going to invite you all to scroll down the page and click 'play' on them all at once so that you could have the full on cross Canada experience,...... but I figured it would take too long to load them so maybe instead, just watch this one and enjoy the memory of the moment!
I originally went to the Celebration site to watch Randy Bachman and his band close the Olypmics at the Surrey 2010 Official Celebration site, and because the concert happened just moments after our huge Gold medal win the event turned into a mega concert that grabbed everyone who was close by and drew them right in. The crowd was so happy, all we wanted to do was celebrate, dance, sing along, play air guitar, and rock to amazing music and who better to lead the party than the architect of Canadian rock and roll himself, Randy Bachman. Randy welcomed the crowd and we greeted him with open arms, then he and his band put on a Gold medal worthy performance.
I once had a large collection of mixed songs to play in my jeep back in my...ahem....younger days, and strongly represented in my playlist were BTO and the Guess Who, so watching this concert was like taking a musical step back towards a magical time in my life when I listened to music simply because I loved to listen to it, not just because I have to learn it for a gig. The crowd was filled with adoring fans like myself and I felt just so privileged to be there hanging out backstage and in the media pit taking pictures and absorbing all the good energy and excellent music played by the finest of musicians.
Randy Bachman
The crowd loved the guitar solos of course and Randy did a few tricks to impress.
Backing up Randy is his outstanding band who not only record and tour worldwide with him but they also play on their own as Cease and Desist. These boys are amongst my favorite musicians in this city and all of them are multi talented players who are really nice guys to boot. So nice in fact that all of them help out as coaches with one of my personally favourite projects, the League of Rock which is something you only really ever get involved in if you are the sort of person who is willing to lend a hand up to people by sharing your own experiences. Marc La France (drums/vox), Mick Dalla Vee (bass/vox), and Brent Howard (guitar/vox) are all stellar musicians heavily involved in the music industry doing everything from performing
to songwriting to recording/publishing/production/ and promotion
of other artists (like yours truly! Mick recorded/produced my pre-release CD)
When the finale rolled around Randy sang TCB, you know the one, and the crowd loved it and roared the chorus along with them every time it came around. We were so loud I think Langley heard us.
You can find more of Randy every week on Randy’s Vinyl Tap CBC Radio One. The show is fantastic, and I know personally there are countless numbers of musicians who listen to it on the way into their gigs on a Saturday night, I hear about it from bandmates frequently when we are backstage (I was listening to Randy's show on the way in and.........). Also featured in these photos my friend Gene Greenwood who took video of the bands thoughout the Olympics. Gene has some of the hottest footage of some of the best musicians in the city and you can check out his videos here!
So there you have it, a big moment in Canada's history caught on film and a classic concert photo series for you to enjoy. If you wish to see more photos from the concert you can go here! And please do stayed tuned for the release of the new Bachman Turner recordings, I've heard a rumor that Randy and Fred have hit the studio recently and there is a seriously kicking album and single due to be released.
I've been asked the question "Why haven't you been discovered yet?" quite a number of times by well meaning people who seem to be disappointed for me that I have not 'made it'.....
I completely understand where this comes from, it seems a lot of people think all musicans are looking to become chart topping pop tarts and while I have nothing against chart topping pop tarts, I think am just too old and attached to my sweatpants to even fancy myself in the running. At the end of the day I am a Mom first and I like to be at home, the most. I was a stay at home Mom for 6 years and it suited me beautifully, were it not for a change in my life circumstances I'm sure my guitar would still be standing in my living room collecting dust.
But life happens and this is where I am, and if you really want to know the truth I feel like I have 'made it'. Yes I often live hand to mouth, um, welcome to the club. I still feel fortunate, not in the pocket book but in the soul. How lucky I feel to be able to say that I love my job. My day at work begins when most everyone else's is ending so usually I am around people who are celebrating and in a great mood. This is pretty key......I mean just imagine you are the head of the complaints dept at Wal Mart or something.....who would you have to deal with all day??? On the other hand, my customers? They are all singing along, dancing, laughing, connecting with each other and for a brief moment in time, together as a crowd we know what magic feels like. It's is the ultimate campfire.
I also hang with the members in the L.O.R. who are adult non-pro musicians, many of whom are still learning their way around a stage......I know what it feels like when everything is a first, I remember it well, and I like to share those moments with people and experience the excitment with them. I am realizing that in some way, some how, I am even helping people find their confidence while playing music which is weird and relevant only because it has taken me so long to find my own. In a way, seeing myself reflected in them or anywhere for that matter, propells me forward as I recognize how to get past own roadblocks. You can't buy this kind of experience.
I am also able to use music to connect with children. This is especially interesting to me because we sometimes manage to grab the kids who are not as engaged by traditional teaching methods as the rest. Kids who are easily distracted, bored and for whatever reason are just not connecting with the curriculum. Kids who are like I was.
I received an incredible letter recently from a Mother of one of the students who was in one of the concerts I recently worked on. She wrote to tell me that her family had just suffered a serious tragedy and her boy had been morose and unreachable. She thinks her son's participation in the Voices of Nature concert changed his life, or at least brought the spring back to his step. She shared with me that it seemed to her that her son got a real spark from the music and that he had spent a lot of time at home singing and practicing the choreography for the concert.........she reported that it was the first time since the tragedy that she saw a light in his eyes. Her thanks were so heartfelt.....my eyes are tearing up as I type this....... to read that Mother's words...........especially being a Mother myself.......... That was just one of countless stories or mini moments that brought me to tears, the good kind. It makes it worthwhile, slugging all the gear around and doing all the work part of my job, which we won't talk about. Why spoil a nice blog post. ;)
I feel so much happiness when I work with these kids that I can't imagine disconnecting from what I perceive as 'real life' to enter a world of plasti-glam where I really don't belong or long to be, and I know a lot of musicians who feel the same way, we are just happy to be working and making music that is meaningful to people. And glad to go home at the end of the day able to live a normal unfettered life.
So when someone asks me why I am not successful in music..... I think about how genuine my smile is in the above video and I look at the unbelievable musicians I get to go onstage and into the studio with.......and I tell them that I am truly lucky and extremely grateful to be able to do the things I get to do. And to do all this and still be available and at home for my kids..........really......how much more successful can a woman possibly ask to be? :)
Ok, well actually I could definitely do with a raise in pay, but then again couldn't we all?
;)
Video of the performance of Blue Sky.
Written by Holly Arntzen and Kevin Wright in conjunction with "Project Blue Sky", where you can learn about reducing your "Carbon Footprint" Filmed at the Norman Rothstien Theatre in Vancouver BC. The song Blue Sky is on Holly's latest CD release.....the fabulous musicians who are on the album and who participate in the Voices of Nature concerts as part of the Dream Band are:
If you would like to see your children's school participating in the Voices of Nature concerts please contact Holly Arntzen to find out how to have your school included in next years series!
See you onstage somewhere....
with hearts...
Rach xo
Well I have been talking about it and talking about it and finally................ last Wednesday we held the kickoff for the third session of the League of Rock and I will report that I left the Yale with a big smile on my face and with the feeling that this was going to be one hell of a fun session. We were delighted that LOR founder Terry Moshenberg flew in from TO to meet all the bands and kick off the third round with us, really there is always an extra level of excitement buzzing around when Terry is in town. I adore it! This was also everyone's first chance to plug in and play one of the Liquid Metal Guitars and I can happily report that the rumours are true, everyone who picked it up thought it was ~sweet~! I already know it looks hot, and I loved the feel of it myself just as I just strummed it unplugged that day I met it ( by the way this guitar can be heard surprisingly well unplugged) but it's also nice to hear from real guitar players.
Terry began with an introduction and brief outline to the new members of what to expect and tips on how to make the most of their time in the League.
Next up was coach musician/producer Mick Dalla Vee (Randy Bachman, Bachman Turner, Cease and Desist, Atlantic Crossing, Revolver), who stepped up to the stage to tell the members that the coaches are there to help them get them most out of the League and they should feel free to take full advantage of the advice and information that will be offered. I just watched Mick playing last week for the Olympic closing ceremony at the famed Surrey 2010 Celebration site in Holland Park. He and the rest of his band regularly play with/back up Randy Bachman who was headliner for the big closing ceremony. They owned the stage out there just like Canada owned the podium. You can see my pics HERE. They also include Marc La France on drums and Brent Howard on guitar, just two more of the esteemed coaches that LOR members can look forward to working with this session.
Then we had a little 'riff off' where guitar players in the crowd were
given a chance to try out the Liquid Metal guitar.
It was in this batch of players that I found my Liquid Metal membership winner, Randall!
I had a feeling about Randall from the moment I walked in, he even beat Terry, Rob and myself to the Yale. He's keen, I liked that. But it was when he got onstage and started playing that I really knew, I could see how much he loves music, that it is in his DNA and that was enough for me. Terry and I had a quick powwow and the announcement was made. :)
Later, I sat down to talk to Randall and found out he is father to a young 4 year old daughter who is the sunshine of his life. It is very clear that his family is his priority. He told me that while he is a busy family man he doesn't necessarily want to forget about the musician that is a part of him. And he shouldn't, he is good, he should be making music. I know the League will give him a chance to honour that inner rock star once a week and yet still allow him to be everything he needs to be for his family.........
Randall is an ideal example of who this League is for.
And why I love it so much. :)
How cool, I totally made the right choice~
With our Liquid Metal Membership winner decided, we went about the task of introducing the band members to each other.............ROLL CALL!!!!!
The three newly minted bands all sat down to meet each other and start the process of deciding on names and song lists. I can't even tell you how many people were just delighted with the way the bands were put together, the night was just fun and everything seemed to fit. I still don't know how Terry does it but I have watched it happen three times now and it just always somehow works. Maybe it's magic.
Speaking of magic, my dear friend Stephen got up to do a song solo. If you have been following my blog you will remember that Stephen went through the first two sessions of League of Rock and you may even recall that Stephen's first time on a stage was less than a year ago. Now, to see him take the stage SOLO, after 2 sessions in the League, well, it just impresses the heck out of me. High five pal. :)
I actually did manage to get up onstage to play the guitar and found the guitar was beautiful to play, then the floor opened up and the boys all jammed some blues for a while. Here is a shot of LM membership winner Randall, Terry and Rob Boshaw ( Vancouver LOR chapter head ) closing the night!
So there we have it, the bands are minted, our first rehearsal is Wednesday at NAL sound and
I can't WAIT to hear these bands as they evolve,
We have a lot to do over the next 10 weeks, I'll be sure to keep you looped!
Talk about a celebration! The Olympics 2010, hosted right here in my hometown! I was not particularly looking forward to the Olympics as I'm not interested in standing in lines or waiting in traffic pretty much ever, for anything, but it all turned out to be pretty easy to deal with in the end and I must admit I got swept up in the excitement. Overall for Canada, I think that we put on a bright and positive event that probably inspired children everywhere to try harder and push farther as they move forward and try to emulate their hero's. On a human level that's a good thing. Rather than worry about the politics of the Olympics, I'm more interested in how and when they affected people in a good way.
Musically the games were a blessing as musicians from every arena, genre and culture seemed to be represented and given a stage to sing from. I think that every band or artist who took their opportunity to put on their best show deserves our admiration.
I sang at the casinos a number of times throughout the Olympics with the fabulous Hitmen. You can catch some of the video promo I made from the footage that my dear Mother took, in the clip below. Just so you know, the band actually is full of singers and we all equally sing songs throughout the night so it is a very diverse set list... usually............but of course my Mom had control of my camera and she only shot me......... so, I turned it into a promo for my blog. For more info on all of the Hitmen click HERE.
I was also delighted to be able to sing for at least one official Olympic Event out at the Richmond O-Zone with dear friend Kelly Brock who was one of the artists in the Musical Expressions concert. Musical Expressions is an ongoing series for local musicians which features both published recording artists as well as up and coming and locally relevant independant artists. The series is produced and hosted by Cherelle Jardine. Cherelle and I share the same kind of passion and desire to see other people succeed and as a result she is not only a wonderful artist but also a successful promoter. I see good things surrounding her and if you are a musican or music lover, you should visit her website. Definitely take the time to go out and see one of her Musical Expressions shows if you are interested in hearing your local musicians and celebs in a venue that is up close and personal.
In the meantime why not enjoy our most recent All Access Pass which was just a lot of fun to shoot. It is a true backstage pass video, I shared the day as I saw it through my own camera lens. I even took footage throughout Kelly's whole set while I was singing so that you can see what you in the audience look like to us up on stage. What a day for music it was, here is your behind the scenes peek!
The musicians in the band Andre Kunkle(keys/bass), Todd Taylor(guitar), and Guido Thylmann(drums). Special guest John Higgins of the smashingly successful trio known as, the Higgins, joined Kelly for a duet which was excellent fun and very well received! There were a number of acts throughout the day, I was there to film a couple of them as well so this video also features music and behind the scenes clips from my visit with Steven Sainas from Mud Dog, and Dustin from the Dustin Bentall Outfit .
I leave you with this photo of me and the girls. I am just so glad to know so many amazing, talented, creative, supportive sisters in this city. Honestly, all of my girlfriends out there rock with talent, beauty, creativity, kindness and most of all, heart.
Rehearsals at NAL, League of Rock
So the best story ever goes like this: I was chatting to my Liquid Metal membership winner Randall, and he told me he read my recent blogpost (where I mentioned him and his winning the contest) while his 4 year old daughter was sitting in his lap. He reported that when he came to the part of the story where he told me his daughter was the 'sunshine of his life' she stopped him mid-sentence and asked wide-eyed...."Did you really call my your sunshine Daddy?" I a felt whole wave of whoosh when he told me that. Coolest story ever.
