Amsterdam Bar 10-23-14

We got the whole band together last night for our last show for a while (definitely not forever).

Look at how cute we are!

I adore playing with these folks. Photo by Matthew Becker.

We played an eclectic set as we had Colleen and Laura singing back up on a few songs, and then Shawn and I doing a couple of duo songs as we are still getting everyone up to date on the full catalog.

Photo by Drew Forsberg.

Photo by Matthew Becker.

Set list for Amsterdam Bar 10-23-14

• Lens
• Car
• Good to Know
• Float
• Blind
• Can't Even Tell
• Easy to Blame
• Here
• The Reminder
• Beg, Borrow, or Steal
• Yesterday

We're off to finish the new album now. We'll see you soon!

Ani Difranco At First Avenue 10-18-14

Whenever I think I'm over Ani Difranco, I just need to go see her live and all the love and admiration I have for this woman comes bursting out.

I almost didn't want to go to this show. I was going alone (as I could not find anyone else to spend $40 on a ticket). It was a Saturday night, which meant the probability of a much more drunken crowd (and many of her fans tend to be extremely obnoxious already). And the First Avenue concert calendar had labeled that a show in the Record Room would be starting at 10pm. The Record Room is a little offshoot of First Avenue's mainroom where people go and listen to bass heavy dance music at an extremely loud volume. When I saw Amanda Palmer there, I left early because the Record Room was drowning out her performance and ruining the show for me.

But enough complaining because there was nothing to complain about last night.

She played so ferociously. All the power and energy she puts forth on stage was in full throttle mode. The sounds she makes with those acoustic guitars is unreal. You can talk about her politically charged lyrics, her beautiful soaring voice...but don't forget to talk about her guitar. She can play like nobody else I've ever seen.

The crowd was excellent. They were really into it, yet super respectful of everyone - including Ani. No "I LOVE YOU, ANI!!!" were shouted. Only one drunken woman was screaming the lyrics in my ear - but it was only for one song towards the end.

The set list was amazing and she played so many songs I hadn't heard in ages...including "Tis of Thee" which is a song I've recently fallen in love with again. It's like, how did she know that song was on my brain and to pull it out of obscurity? ; )

Ani's set list
Manhole
Half-Assed
Marrow
Shy (good god this was so amazing and fun)
Careless Words
Not a Pretty Girl
Fuel (crazy cool version with opener Jenny Scheinman doing some wicked things with a violin)
Tis of Thee (totally cried)
Woe Be Gone
Angry Anymore
Harder Than It Needs to Be
Dithering
Genie
Swan Dive (this is the song the shout singing woman started up on)
Both Hands
Out of Habit
Gravel
Fire Door
32 Flavors

I just will never ever miss a show she plays. Ever.

 Ani flagged down the beer guy cuz she was thirsty. 

Recording Days 9 And 10....And Other Things

The vocals are done, man.

Last week, Colleen and Laura finished their beautiful backing vocals and last night I finished mine.

Listening back to the rough mixes and I'm just so incredibly happy with them. Things are sounding really good. I cannot wait for this album to come out.

I put together this little video with a snippet of a new song...



I think, if all goes according to plan, we have just one more day of recording left. Just all those bells and whistles I've been talking about.

Deep breaths...

In other updates, I sang at a Uke Fest last weekend. Uke Fest is a festival started by musician Katy Vernon. All proceeds go to The Arc Greater Twin Cities. It was super fun. Only ukulele players allowed. So I got my uke out - after way too long of not bringing it out - and played a couple of songs: "Blue Whale" and  "Walking" (which I had never played live before). Then Katy and I led a sing along of Taylor Swift's new song "Shake It Off"...on our ukes. I love that song. Have you heard it? (Beware the earworm)



Katy also had these super cute ukulele necklaces made so I had to get one:

I guess other than that, not much else has been happening. Just trying to get the album finished. Going to see Ani Difranco tomorrow, so expect a write up about that. Oh, and prepping for our next show. Full band. We'll be in St. Paul next Thursday, October 23rd. See you there?

Recording Days 7 and 8

We are deep into vocals land in the album recording process. Most of my vocals are done and this week we brought in my friends, the fabulous singers, Colleen and Laura.

These ladies are singing all over the new album. They are sisters. They've been singing together for a long time and their voices just know how to do it. They do harmonies that blow my mind. And they do them seemingly effortlessly. It's really lovely to listen to it and I'm thrilled that they want to be a part of it.

It's a lot of work to put songs together. Sure, some come along with more ease than others. The basics of a song can take place in minutes. But when you really start to dig in and make them something special, it takes time and focus and I'm just always stunned that people want to spend their time on songs I've written. How incredibly lucky am I to be surrounded by all of these ridiculously talented people who want to create and perform music with me? It can really swell a girl's heart, you know?

We go back in a week to finish the backing vocals. After that, it's just all the little bells and whistles (not literally bells and whistles...but maybe?) and then the tracking is done. Then mixing. Then mastering. Then actually getting the physical things made.

The goal is still mid-spring...