As September arrives, some changes have happened in my gigging life.
First and foremost, Jersey Boys has finally – after 2 extremely successful years – come to a close. It’s been a great experience and I’ve met and worked with some of Toronto’s finest musicians and stage actors. What a great ride it’s been!
September is a slightly quieter month, compared to the insane amount of work I’ve been doing for most of the summer, but as I have some time off I’ve decided to spend it productively.
Today is Day 2 of The Slights’ pre-demo recordings. We’ve wanted to record the band’s new sound for some time and as we’ve been playing about 2 gigs a month for most of the summer, we feel this is the right time to do so. My home studio has definitely been getting a workout! So far, I’ve tracked keys and acoustic guitar, and have 7 individual instruments (electric guitar, bass, drums & 4 vocals) left to track! Mixing/mastering will also be a challenge, but hopefully something I’m capable of doing…
I have also been playing in retirement homes a lot recently. It started from a recommendation from a friend to an agent who needed someone to play for a seniors’ talent show called “Senior Star”. I met some wonderful people there who gave me some very positive feedback and since then I’ve entertained in over a dozen homes in the past several months. Of course, it’s meant learning several more songs from times past, but it’s been a great experience and always fun to play for an appreciative crowd.
Still, the phone keeps ringing (and emails keep coming) and I agree to do any gigs provided I’m available… it’s always interesting to meet new people and explore new challenges. Arrangements, transcriptions, performances, recording, writing… it’s all very exciting!