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It seems to be going quite well so far, judging from the feedback we're getting at gigs, so we've decided to start work on an album! No working title yet (I suggested "Blind Ambition" but it brought up too many Madonna cone bra jokes!), but the song list is at least coming together to form a reasonably cohesive mass of pub music. We're hoping to have something ready for St. Patrick's Day 2009, so if you don't hear from me between now and then you'll know why!

Got to get back to it - those guitar tracks ain't gonna record themselves!

Cheers,

Charles

After almost 6 years of performing on my own, I got bit by the band bug - hard! After launching my second solo CD last June, I realized just how much fun it is playing with a bundh of like-minded and suitably skilled musicians, and I couldn't quite face the idea of another 4-hour pub gig on my own, So after a bit of discussion with bassist buddy Dennis ische, Blind Man's Bluff was born in August 2008. Kkarl Griffiths-Fulton joined us in late October, adding a full-time bodhran player to the mix, and we're currently considering the addition of a fourth player if we can find the right blend of instrumental and vocal skills, not to mention the ability to put up with the rest of us!

I invite you to have a wander through the band's new website at www.blindmansbluff.net . Have a lisiten to some audio clips (which we hope to update soon), meet the rest of the band and come on out tot a live show if you're in the area. Of course there's also the opportunity to book the band for your next house party, event or venue, too! (Who said shameless self-promotion doesn't work, eh?!?)

That's it for now. Until next time!

Newly placed in my musical arsenal is a brand-new-on-the-market TC-Helicon VoiceTone Harmony-G pedal. OK, I can hear you now - another guitar pedal? This is the big deal? Well, yes, this is a  big deal for all you singing guitar players out there, because this pedal is backup singers in a box, generating up to two harmony voices behind your lead singing based on your vocal input and the chord structure coming from your guitar as you play - in real time, with zero latency!

At the real risk of sounding like an advertisement for TC-Helicon, I'm going to gush over this unit for a moment, so all you anti-consumerism types can just block your ears or crochet a plant hanger for a few minutes whle I carry on. Those of you still reading are probably, like me, singing guitarist (or guitar-playing vocalists depending on the mood), and , if you're like me, play a lot of solo shows and/or can't find good, reliable backing singers for the band. Here's where the Harmony-G comes in, and it couldn't be easier to integrate into your setup. I received my little black box on Thursday afternoon, tinkered around with it for a bit, then used it live Friday night without a hitch. Easy!

But how does it sound? It sounds like, well, like you singing 3 vocal parts at the same time. Whether this is a good thing or not depends rather heavily on how good a singer and guitar player you are. The pedal is somewhat forgiving of slight pitch and/or chord deviations/finger slips, but if you sing or play out of tune, the harmonies generated by the unit will reflect that, and believe me, that ain't pretty! I look on this particular pitfall as a teaching tool - if the sound is bad, it's YOUR fault, so fix it! Tune the guitar or stop wandering off pitch in the vocals.

The other question I hear coming is "How did the crowd take it?" Short answer is that they were blown away. I've been playing solo shows or shows in which I am the only singer for a long time. Last night, thanks to the Harmony-G pedal, my live performance more accurately reflected the sound of my studio recordings - brilliant! It was also amusing to watch the faces in the crowd as folks puzzled out where the other singers were hiding! Not bad for a relatively small $300CAD, delivered! I would definitely recommend this unit for everyone who sings and plays guitar at the same time!

Ok, I'm done now. All you crocheters can tune back in now, How's the plant hanger coming?

Know your stuff before you book the first gig! No one will willingly expose themselves to amateurish performances unless they're (a) related to you or (b) want to sleep with you. Most people wil just walk out, and you'll be following them out the door when the manager realizes you've scared off his business for the night! So before humiliating yourself in public, learn the lyrics, get the guitar part down, and do a bit of homework about the songs you're singing. Being ready with an anecdote about the next song really helps you connect with the audience, and shows them that you do, in fact,  know what you;re talking about.  It also means you can get away with fewer songs per set - a useful thing when the playlist is short!

Keep it simple!  - As a solo performer, no one expects you to provide stadium rock concert sound, so don't try! Instead focus on delivering a technically clean and emotionally connected performance that will catch your audience's attention and make them stay for the evening. On a similar note, be careful with the use of backing tracks in your performances. Modern gear lets us program the sounds of an entire orchestra to sing along with if we like, but it may put audiences off if done poorly. After all, they've come to see a live show, not a pre-recorded session....

Gear down! Tailor your PA gear and other equipment to your needs and no more. If you play small bars, there's little need for a 3000 watt PA system with massive speaker arrays and fancy light shows. I gig with a small combo amplifier, a guitar and a mic. Period. I don't take 6 guitars along "just in case", nor do I stockpile amplifiers or huge PA speakers. I don;t need them for 99% of gigs, so if I do run across a venue for which I need more gear, I rent it for the occasion. It's simple, easy and I can get all my gear to the car in one trip!

Get the crowd's attention and keep it!  This may sound idiotically straighforward, but alas, common sense is not that common! Put a bunch of your best material in the opening set to catch attention and hold it for the rest of the show. Banter with the audience and play requests if you know the song. It may not have been in your playlist for the night, but the 2 minutes it takes to play a favourite song is worth it to impress and retain an audience! Got a heckler? Be professional and use a touch of humour to shut him up. Never insult your audience - their beer purchases are financing your fee for the night!

Bar owners and managers love to see performers who can handle themselves on stage, so if crowd control isn't your strong suit, find someone who can teach you the finer points. It's worth the efrfort to get your stage banter down pat!

That's it for now! I'll chat at you again soon!

My wife and I took the kids to Marineland in Niagara Falls, ON yesterday, one of those summer day trips strategically planned to tucker the litle buggers out so much that the bickering in the back seat pauses for a few blessed minutes. We had planned it for weeks, kept the ultimate desitnation secret from the kids to give them something to ponder, and were all up early to hit the road to adventure.

I won't spend time here relating my overall sense of disappointment about Marineland's almost total lack of updating since I was a kid (same rides, same restaurants, same food - ick!), nor my frustration at the marathon walks between attractions, the disturbing shortage of washroom facilities, or the staff's almost total lack of knowledge about the animals they are paid to care for (and I quote: "Um, the walrus is, like, from the Arctic, I think?"). Instead, I need to draw attention to a shameful chapter in Canadian music history.

As we sat down to eat our $8 hamburgers, we watched the great, multiple-Grammy winning polka king Walter Ostenak set up his gear in the bandshell. Apparently, and unbelievably, Ostenak is playing Marineland daily this summer, cranking out polkas for the benefit of tired, cranky, unappreciative parents and their tired, cranky, unappreciative children.What a way to go out! Having lived in Kitchener, home of Oktoberfest, for the last 15 years, I have seen the reception Walter Ostenak gets from his fans - the cheering, the clapping, the shouting out of song titles - a reception befitting the man's status as a bona fide star.  Even if you hate polkas, you have to give Walter props for a long and successful career.

In sharp contrast, it looked for all the world like the Marineland administration had never heard of Walter Ostenak - no mention of his performances on the incessant TV commericals,  no marquee at the main gate announing his showtimes, indeed nothing more than a handwritten note on a piece of photocopy paper taped to the bandshell! I think the resident seagulls paid more attention to him than the crowd, but only until they realized he had no french fries. The real kick in the head was listening to Walter and the band play the Marineland jingle as kids had their pictures taken with King Waldorf, the park's walrus mascot..... It sent a shudder of fear and despair right down this musician's spine, and I'm sure Walter was thinking the same thing:

Isn't there an Ontario casino out there that will give these guys the repect they deserve?

I'm hoping to use this space to share my experience of the folk music scene here in Kitchener, ON. I'll also post news about upcoming gigs, CDs, musical collaborations and other points of interest. 

 You, the reader, will also have a voice here in the blog, as you may submit your comments and feedback on what's posted here. I hope this will become a place where KW area folkies can come together to network, share ideas and pass on information about concerts, workshops and other events in the area.  Lord knows it seems there are precious few of us at times - a little solidarity might be just the ticket! 

Alright, onto the news for the day! I'm playing a new venue for me this Friday night (11July), which is always a good thing! You can catch me at Lulu's in Pioneer Plaza (corner of Homer-Watson & Pioneer Drive) in Kitchener starting at 7:30pm. It won't take many people to fill the place (kind of like my first apartment), so come on out and enjoy what promises to be an intimate show.

Next week, you can find me back at my regular stomping ground at Flanagan's from 8pm til midnight. The last time I was there was for the launch of the new CD, 'Home & Away', on June 20th. If I'm lucky, I may be able to cajole, threaten or blackmail parts of the CD Launch band to join me for the evening, so keep your fingers crossed!

That;s it from me for now. I'll be back soon with another entry, so stay tuned!