Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Go Canucks! (hanging behind the scenes with Kelly Brock, singing the anthems)
OK Boys! Playoff time is upon us and I thought I'd take a moment to tell you that........we love ya!
PS: The night I made this video we had a winning game! Someone might want to ask Kelly Brock to sing the anthem again during the playoffs, it appears she's lucky for us! ;)
xoxo
~woot~
Rach!
PS: The night I made this video we had a winning game! Someone might want to ask Kelly Brock to sing the anthem again during the playoffs, it appears she's lucky for us! ;)
xoxo
~woot~
Rach!
Monday, April 12, 2010
I'm calling it now.....this was the event of the year!
I could go on and on and on about the concert. I could gush about the incredible talent in the room, the hundreds of hugs I recieved, the connections I made with friends new and old............but honestly the thing that really, truly blew my socks off was witnessing how incredible our music community is. Seeing first hand that we will so wholeheartedly pull together to help one of our own.
Mike Norman is a divinely talented musician who has shared the stage and studio with many of Canada's finest. His credits span all genres, country, rock, pop, blues, and he is perhaps one of the most gifted people I personally know. And he is battling cancer. Fuck Cancer. Yes, I said it, out loud and everything, and I won't apolgize for it because that is how I feel. I'm sick of cancer just like everyone else who was in the room that night. You see, the concert was for Mike, and virtually hundreds of people from all corners of the music world came out to show their support and devotion, and it was incredible. I didn't get shots of everyone present, that would be impossible because the whole room was practically a VIP. I also didn't find any photos of the Odds who started off the night, but I hear they rocked the stage and they need to be thanked! The order of the photos are not the order of the show by the way, but I tried to get as much of the night as I could.
Shaun Verreault of Wide Mouth Mason is a wicked guitar player and has the ability to grab an audience and hold them hostage. Mike and Shaun are great pals and when they get onstage along with some of the coolest cats in the city the result is pure magic. The sweet guitar in Shauns hands is none other than the Liquid Metal Guitar I have been raving about ever since I first saw one. Hearing it played live exceeded my expectations.
Together we collectively raised well over 15 thousand dollars. I know that Mike was deeply touched by the fundraising effort, but I think what really, truly spoke to his soul was the amazing outpouring of love and support that has come his way. I captured a small drop of the love and you can find it on the video. You see, I brought my camera with me and as I chatted around the room, it took some footage of people saying whatever they wanted to to Mike. Watch and you will see, it becomes very clear how deeply this man is loved. Mike emailed me after watching the video and he said, and I quote: "I just got home and watched the video .... wow it's so fantastic. I've watched it a few times and it's tremendous. Thank you so much .... it means the world to me. Lots of love!"
To all of you, the people who put it together, the sponsors who donated silent auction prizes, the musicians who showed up and gave hearts to the audience, and you who came to support the event.... I thank you all for making this one of the most memorable events of the year!
We love you Mike, from Rach xox
Monday, April 5, 2010
test driving the new Chevy VOLT~
Have you ever considered buying a car you have to plug in? I didn't, until I drove one........I want to direct you to another stop in the blogosphere, Erica Ehm's chic website the Yummy Mummy Club where I did a guest post as a test driver for the brand new smokin hot electric car..... the Chevy Volt.
See the post by clicking HERE!
See you soon
Rach xo
See the post by clicking HERE!
See you soon
Rach xo
Saturday, April 3, 2010
League of Rock photo blog!

photo blog!
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~
pic: Rach and Rob Boshaw ( LOR Chapter Head)
"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!
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!


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~
Just keeping you looped, see you soon!
Rach xo
Friday, March 26, 2010
where were you.............
......moments after we won the GOLD?
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.
Woot!! New tunes to rock to, can't wait!
Rock on everyone! Rach xo
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