CD Release Show!

Live footage coming soon!!!

OK, so I didn't get to post the day after the CD Release Party, as there was a special birthday I was celebrating, but it was quite an evening. It was uncertain whether the CDs would even arrive by the show date, but thankfully they came in that day. Picking them up early that Friday afternoon, I was certainly nervous about everything would look. Then I was nervous about what would be waiting for me once I popped into a CD player. It all looked and sounded great, however. I made it over to Cafe du Nord around 6PM to get the merch table set up and film the guys playing their soundcheck.

Things got started rather promptly just after nine with a small, but attentive crowd gathered throughout the venue for openers, The Specs. I've been wanting for us to play with them since I saw Katie Ann's set at Annie's Social Club - she dressed as a cat, playing Pat Benetar covers under the name Cat Benatar. Their 20-minute set was full of brilliant pop concoctions and Katie is quite entertaining with the between-song banter. They also brought cookies! The Dilettantes were up next. Fronted by Joel Gion - who became legendary when the doc Dig displayed his charming antics as percussionist for the Brian Jonestown Massacre - the Dilettantes bring a Nuggets-ish late sixties vibe. Their sound is tight and Gion certainly oozes star power.

As we hit 10:30, Du Nord was getting pretty packed while the Passionistas set up an American flag and balloons to accompany their set. There was some tension, however, as drummer Tim had not yet arrived. When the band started playing, their producer (and the night's headliner) Kelley Stoltz played drums ... while I scurried around outside hoping to find Tim a parking space. Midway throuh "Going Gay," Tim hopped on the stage and swapped places with Stoltz. He started banging just as the chorus hit, while Stoltz danced with a balloon. It was a genuinely fantastic moment. Then the show kicked into high gear, and the crowd really seemed to be enjoying it. I was doing a bit of scurrying, schmoozing and manning of the merch table that I did get really get to enjoy the set from a comfortable location. I did get to hear Aaron dedicate "Y2K" to me, adding, "He signed us and maybe that was a mistake, but this song is all about mistakes."

After the set, we sold a pretty good number of CDs and much chatting ensued. Amongst the packed house were a number of friends, family and local musicians. The whole atmosphere was just really positive and gave me a lot of confidence regarding this venture.

It was fitting that Stoltz headlined - seeing as how he produced God's Boat and it was my short doc about him that helped the band find me. Stoltz is just a brilliant performer - on stage and on album and this was no exception. The set was filled with phenomenal songs from last year's Below the Branches and a great cover of "And Your Bird Can Sing." I'd heard him play it during soundcheck and was glad to hear it included in the set. We hung around quite a bit after the show - movin' and shakin' - and there was a great feeling of accomplishment. I wasn't home until three, which is quite late for me. It was all well worth it though. We'll see what the future holds.