A Week In The Life - June 4 - June 10 2007

I'm writing this in point form to add to the hectic tone. I didn't bring my camera so unfortunately I have no pictures to share.

June 4 - Leave for airport at 3:30AM PST - flights to Nashville. Arrive at 4:30PM MST - hotel by 5:30PM. Quick nap - 7:30PM leave for gig at Stage lounge on Broadway. Gig at 9:30PM with Aaron Pritchett - back to hotel at midnight.

June 5 - Leave for airport at 5:30AM MST - flights back to Vancouver. Arrive at 1:00PM PST - get in car and drive to Vancouver Island ferry to Victoria. Ferry is delayed an hour. Arrive in Victoria at 6:00PM. Soundcheck at 6:30PM - gig at 8:00PM with Vancouver party band Dr. Strangelove. Back to hotel at 1:30AM.

June 6 - Leave hotel at 6:00AM - ferry to Vancouver at 7:00AM. Arrive in Vancouver at 8:45AM and head to gig - CKNW Orphan's Fund picnic at 9:30AM - have pre arranged my gear to be waiting for me - it was tight but I made it. Home at 2:30PM -sleep for two hours - head to Coquitlam (suburb of Vancouver) to a casino for a casual - soundcheck at 7:30PM - gig at 8:30PM. Home at 1:00AM

June 7 - 6:00AM - pick up my wife from the airport - back home at 9:00AM (rush hour) - sound absorbing fabric guy arrives to install panels in my brand new home studio and isolation booth. Pay bills, learn new material etc. until he leaves. Afternoon nap again - gig at 9:00PM - home at 1:30AM.

June 8 - Session at 9:30AM - three songs - organs and keyboards. Home at 12:30PM - pack and head to airport for 3:30PM flight to Toronto. Arrive in TO at 12:00AM EST - hotel at 1:00AM.

June 9 - 8:30AM lobby call - two and a half hour drive to Minden, Ontario - a small town with a big heart. Soundcheck at 4:00PM - gig at 8:00PM with Aaron Pritchett - back to hotel at 12:30AM.

June 10 - 4:30AM lobby call - drive back to Toronto. As some of flights leave earlier than others we arrive early to YYZ - my flight is at 11:00AM. Email - eat and catch the flight. Back in Vancouver at 4:00PM PST. Session at 5:30PM - the producer on the session has taken very ill and needs me to bail him out while he recovers - I create drum loops and play my parts for 14 songs - it has to be done by 9:00AM the next morning. I work - drink coffee - work - nap - work - order pizza - work - eat - nap ...

June 11 - 8:30AM - Done! Acoustic guitarist is arriving at 9:00AM - however - the producer is still ill and someone has to record the guitarist .... he's a friend and I agree to do it. Andreas Schuld (the guitarist) arrives and wails through his parts - they sound great and go down very quickly. Home at 11:30AM - and sleep. 2:30PM I awake - unpack - put gear away - laundry - string arrangement for a producer ... send it off. Bed.

June 12 - Recap and write the blog.... so there was a quick snapshot into my life as a musician. Good times.

Aaron Pritchett Band - May 19-25 - Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and beyond

Roll Call - Aaron Pritchett, Mitch Merrett, Ron Briggs, Mike Sanyshyn, Darren Parris and me (the band), Scooter Findlay, Warren Dieno (the crew), Carmen Choney (tour manager) and Dwayne Nemlander (bus driver, security).

May 18 - The bus rolled out at 9:00PM for an overnight drive to Creston B.C.. The "sedative" of the evening is a beverage called the Mojito - discovered by the band in Boston. Although the recipe for this drink has several regional variations, the band seems to favour a mixture of crushed mint, cane sugar, ginger ale and white rum. Being the teetotaler of the band I have my own version of the drink which excludes the rum - the "Nojito".

May 19 - Creston B.C. - We arrived at the District Center - the gig was a fundraiser of some kind. Our opening act was Jessie Farrell - a wonderful young singer destined for greatness. The gig went well - nice stage sound considering the room and a nice way to start the gig off. Aaron had a lot of family in the area which is always a good thing.

May 20 - Travel Day - drove to Jasper - stayed overnight - uneventful - other than the bear we saw on the drive up - see picture at top!

May 21 - Fulham, AB - A mid day gig in a community about 2 hours west of Edmonton, this gig was another fundraiser for a local charity of some kind (I guess I should pay better attention to the causes we're playing for). Mitch bought some firecrackers and set them off in a field. Good times.

May 22 - Day off - We travelled to Edmonton. Aaron, Mitch and I did a radio spot with a fellow named Mike McGuire from a local country station. Nice guy and a gracious host. After that we retired to the hotel where I went over the score for the next days gig with the ESO.

May 23 - Edmonton, AB - APB with the ESO - The big day! This gig has been on the books for a while and I had been really looking forward to it. Maestro Claude Lapalme wrote arrangements for 9 of Aaron's songs (Big Wheel, Lucky For Me, Gone, The Weight, After The Rain, Done You Wrong, Drivin' Song, Warm Safe Place and Hold My Beer)/ The day began with Aaron and I doing another on air spot for another Edmonton radio station. After that, it was off to the marvelous Winspear Centre for the soundcheck and rehearsal. Claude conducted and did a marvelous job of coordinating over 50 musicians into one big beautiful sound. It was a great night - the CBC recorded it for broadcast at a later date - looking forward to hearing it again!

May 24 - Fort MacMurray, AB - Cowboy's Night Club. - Going from the Winspear with the band being augmented by 53 members to a Northern Alberta nightclub was an interesting transition - the surroundings were a little more rustic - the volume was several decibels louder - the alcohol was served in bottles and shots rather than glasses.... but it was a good time.

May 25 - North Battleford, SK - Gold Eagle Casino - Newly renovated - the gig was great. The house techs were great. It was a nice way to end the trip. Until next time....

Bass/ Keyboards/ Guitar/ Vocals - Aaron Pritchett Band April 12-15, 28

I had a couple of interesting gigs with the Aaron Pritchett band this month. I have always benefited in my career as being a guy who plays a few instruments (keyboards and saxophone tie for first - bass is next on the list an guitar would be fourth - flute and other instruments barely qualify but depending on your standards of quality I play a few others as well). With Aaron's band currently having a rotating bass guitar chair I have been thrust in the rotating instrumentalist role. I enjoy it because it keeps me thinking. We played Calgary's Rodeo Royale on Thursday which is a precursor to their famous Calgary Stampede. The gig was good although not as enthusiastic as most other AP gigs - due to the fact that the Calgary Flames were in the venue right next to us in a do or die playoff game. This was the second gig for Darren Parris - a tremendous bass player known mostly for his work with singer Daniel Powter (remember 'Bad Day' from American Idol? That's DP on bass). Darren kicked some serious ass on this gig and the band loves him which is good as he was my recommendation - no one except myself knew him.
However as Darren is working with singer Hayley Sales on her upcoming debut he was unable to join us for the gigs in Banff so to save some headaches I was elected to play the bass and double where I could on keyboards. It was good - the only thing really lacking from the gig in it's normal 6 piece configuration were the rhythm guitar parts. However Mike Sanyshyn, Mitch Merrett and I rallied and they covered some of the crucial rhythm parts. 75% of the keyboard parts I played with my right hand while fretting the notes on the bass with my right - easier on the ballads but tricky on some of the up-tempo numbers like Perfectly Blue (which is a 12/8 thing with a feel a la 'Sea Of Love' or 'Treat Me Like A Fool'). I enjoyed watching our stage tech Warren laughing at me as I played both instruments and sang harmonies - it was pretty amusing. I managed to cover everything with minimal error - so much so that I reprised this role for our gig in Boston.
Our gig outside of Boston (in Waltham at Bentley College) was an eye opener for me. Aaron's people have been trying to make inroads for his career in the US and has started looking into college gigs like this. Aaron is generally an unknown artist in the US so I wasn't expecting a huge reaction. However what was reenforced to me in this gig was the power of the internet and downloadable music. A lot of the people attending the shows knew a lot of Aaron's tunes (we even got a request for 'You Can't Say That I Didn't Love You', a tune from the first album). I could feel the "ground beginning to break'. Anyhow - fun gig and nice people.
When I get home amongst other things we begin demos for the next record with Aaron.... looking forward to getting creative!

Aaron Pritchett - Thunderbird Stadium April 12

We had a great gig last night. We were palying on a bill that included Finger Eleven and Sam Roberts. As Aaron tends to lean a little more to the country side, I must admit I get a little skeptical as to how we're going to go over with a body surfing audience. However, since I've been playing with Aaron nothing surprises me anymore. The crowd was great. They sang along to all the hits (even the verses of the ballads) and Aaron won over several more fans. I wish I brought a camera as the crowd was wild. Our bass player for the gig was Darren Parris who played the gig for the first time and nailed the set.

Susan Aglukark and Sierra Noble - Vimy Ridge - France - April 5-9 2007

Tom Mckillip (bandleader for Lisa Brokop, producer for Aaron Pritchett, Amanda Stott and many others) called me a month ago and asked if I would like to be in the house band for a celebration that was taking place April 9th at the Vimy Ridge Memorial in France. The Vimy Ridge Memorial is a huge monument that was dedicated in 1936 to pay tribute to the many Canadian soldiers that perished during a big and bloody battle on April 9, 1917. While the battle was considered a victory for the Canadians and the French, the death toll was staggering and many of the bodies to this day have not been found. The names of the missing are printed on the monument. If and when a body gets found and the identity is established (which does happen from time to time) the name of the found soldier is filled in and a military funeral takes place.
The monument itself is overwhelming. It was designed by Walter Allward over a period of 15 years and is made from limestone from a quarry in a Croatia. Unfortunately time had worn down the monument. The Canadian Government saw fit to refurbish it in time for the 90th anniversary of the battle.
Drummer Craig Bignell, bassist Phil Hall, Tom and I left on April 5 for Lille, France on a military flight to begin rehearsals with singer Susan Aglukark and violinist Sierra Noble to perform two small sets after the main ceremonies. We had a lot of downtime which was okay with me as it gave us a chance to explore the monument up close as well as take in some of the ceremonies. The 110 piece military band was awesome - excellent arrangements and despite some cold weather during Saturday's "Sunset Ceremony", their intonation was impeccable.
On Sunday we attended a dinner with Canada's Prime Minister Steven Harper and performed with Sierra. Especially fun for me was getting to hang with Tom's long lost cousin Major Jim Mckillip - the man primarily responsible for the ceremony. A man of considerable clout and intelligence, he was charming and an excellent hang. One of the boys.
Monday's ceremony was brilliant. Jets screaming overhead, choirs, soldiers with parachutes, the military band, the Canadian PM, the French PM, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip - it was all grandiose and a fitting tribute in my mind. After the main ceremonies I couldn't but feel that what we did was a little insignificant - however it was all made worthwhile watching Major Mckillip grinning from ear to ear.
As I write this I'm beginning my 15 hour commute home. It was all very worthwhile - another amazing experience all thanks to the fact that I play music. How lucky am I.

Aaron Pritchett Eastern Canada Dates March 21-April 1 Part 3

Yes indeed - the band's weary heads rose slowly after a night's worth of good natured debauchery. The hospitality in Burlington was amazing by all accounts (I was holded up in my room recording vocals for producer Allan Rodger so as a result I missed the festivities).
We arrived in Tweed, a municipality near Trenton, Ontario. It was an interesting locale - a "lived in" venue. It's a dance hall with a bar and hotel attached to it. Once again we were welcomed with open arms. The gig had sort of a "community dance" vibe to it - except we did our regular 90 minute show. The crowd was once again over the top crazy.
The party continued and I once again bowed out to complete my vocal tracks from the night before.

April 1 - London, ON - Cowboys

The final night of the tour. We got into London late due to a few traffic snarls on the 401. After a brisk soundcheck we headed back to the hotel - got cleaned up and hit the stage at 9PM. Another great crowd - the place was packed. A few people who saw other gigs on this tour made it out to this gig for one more look. A great way to end this trip.
The bus left the hotel at 3AM and we made our way back to Toronto for our 7AM flights. Band and crew (with the exception of myself and Dwayne) are fast asleep in their bunks. We fly home and Dwayne deadheads the bus back to Edmonton for some upgrades and then to Vancouver. I don't envy him.
So ends another exciting APB jaunt. More to come at a later date. Over and out.

Aaron Pritchett Eastern Canada Dates March 21-April 1 Part 2

March 27 - Toronto, ON - Gibson Show Lounge

This gig was set up as a show for contest winners in the Toronto area as well as for industry types as invited by OPM records. The show is a one hour acoustic show with guitars provided by the Gibson people - makers of quality instruments for many years.

March 28 - Whitby, ON - Johnny B's

Just outside of Toronto is Johnny B's. A lot of effort went into this gig on the part of the promoter - great sound crew - nice stage sound. Promo throughout the town - cars sporting wraparounds with Aaron's picture driving throughout town spreading the word. Also excellent was the dinner we had at the restaurant. Gourmet all the way - I enjoyed Chilean Sea Bass with fresh vegetables and jasmine rice. Delicious.

March 29 - Toronto, ON - Sheraton Downtown

This was what we call in the business a "corporate gig". We were hired to play a private concert for a bunch of people who worked in the insurance business all over Ontario. Corporate gigs, generally, are humdrum affairs. You get in - set up - play a polite set to an empty room as have the people are in the foyer drinking and socializing. It is a way for bands to make a quick and healthy wage.
This gig was different. I have NEVER been in a room at a corporate gig (and I've done a lot of them) where everybody sat back, listened and enjoyed it. There was no audience murmur, nobody who left, no requests for "Brown Eyed Girl". They were an excellent bunch of people and one of my favorite gigs on the tour.
My one question though .... explain to me why, when staying at a Sheraton, the local phone calls are $2.00.... yet when you stay at a Comfort Inn they are free?

March 30 - Burlington, ON - Big Bucks Saloon

After a grueling 45 minute bus ride we arrived at our next gig. Our hotel? A COMFORT INN! Free calls! Free breakfast! Free internet! Love this place! We had an interesting twist before the gig. Carmen informed us that there were some contest winners whose prize was a four song acoustic set aboard our bus. All of us (except Ron) piled onto the bus and situated ourselves on a couch. The fans came in and we did the three new songs as well as an barbershop arrangement of 'Hold My Beer'. Let me explain. When 'Hold My Beer' first hit the charts in July of last year it was (and still is) getting a great crowd response. After an excellent festival gig the libations began to flow on the bus. One thing led to another and we came up with different ways to perform the song.... heavy metal, reggae, cocktail jazz. Barbershop was the style that stuck. Hopefully we'll document it someday.
The gig was an exciting 90 minutes - filled with screaming women, really loud guitars and drums. I bailed out of the post gig party to do some work in my room. I'm looking forward to the post gig report tomorrow.