It's pretty cool having a shrink wrapped little square that no body has use for anymore. Is it just me or did that sentence remind you of a condom?
But really not a lot of people buy CD's. people download. for free, quite often.
It's basically become an expensive business card.
Either way I'm glad to have my shrink wrapped business card!
It's got my picture in there I wrote all the songs I designed it I'm very proud!
So you should all buy one!
I've played two festivals this past weekend.
Starting on Thurs with The New Music Fest in Barrie which boasted bands such as The Trews and Big Sugar. The bad part was that everyone went to see that show and the sets I played at Hooters and The Mansion were quite dead. but I did get to go back stage and hang out with The bands in between my sets. It felt pretty cool the I run off to my gig with no one.
Thus is the life starting out in the music business, playing empty rooms.
The next day off to New York for...
the MEANY fest I was offered the chance and I took it. No pay, just to go down and play meet people and hopefully get my CD out to anyone and everyone!
I had enough Aeroplan points to get me there so off I went.
Showed up on a Friday with no place to stay!
Hostels in New York are not like the one I've been to in Australia, Peru, Costa Rica, Canada etc..
How are they different?
They were all booked up!
Every one of them on Manhattan Island was booked.
So trudging around towards the area of my gig (the Delancey) sweating and tired carrying a back pack and a guitar, I got a call from my girlfriend that there was a place in Chinatown for $68 a night.
So off I went...
to find that this place was nameless, just the building number, 106, and of course no rooms for $68 dollars.
they only had $85. in i go to this closet with a square box for a bed.the hardest bed I've ever been on and I've been on some shit beds travelling!
I was able to get them into a lower priced room the next day. I asked what the diference was between them.
A window.
$20 for a window.
my window looked to the back of another building.
I hiked around the island early Sat. I checked out Ground Zero and must say I didn't get the chills or the awe I was expecting. It looked just like a construction site. I know what happened was extremely tragic. I was just expecting some kind of Wow this is where it happened moment but it never came could also be due to the fact that it was a tourist attraction basically, I was there with my camera like all the others.
Went up to Rockefeller Centre hoping I would see Tina Fey (not really, but kinda)
and wandered through Central Park. I decided I would go busking for the first time on Sunday.
The show that evening was nothing crazy I had to go first instead of second because one band cancelled and another was shifted to another venue. I played my songs and people liked what they heard. Sold some CD's met some cool bands (Ghost Ghost and Ekros) and some cool people, Kelsey and Dee who were running the show and Tim who works on a show called World of Jenks on MTV.
After the show with more drinks and off I went to drop off the guitar and wonder some more.
I love this poster on Bowery rd.
THe next day I decided not to stay in the hotel and go to the airport to sleep to save money.
THe plan was to spend the day in Central Park busk hang out and hike down to Grand Central to catch the shuttle to La Guardia Airport.
Busking was a little nerve wracking at first.
I've never done it and I've got a breathier voice, I was worried it would not travel very far.
slowly got my self set up sat on the bench and looked down as a strummed an instrumental. Right away a mom and her kid were dancing. people would sit, hang out, listen dance, take pictures, and talk to me (sometimes mid song). It was great.
My camera was broken so I asked one old gaffer to send me the shots he took and here they are.
In just over an hour I had $30 and my CD was in the hands of some new potential fans.
the rest of the afternoon I laid in the park and read.
The airport sleeping arrangements were not quite what I hoped it would be. there was no carpet or padded seats. I may have gotten 2 hours of off and on sleep. I mainly read.
I was exhausted the next 2 days, because of it.
So. New York, by myself, for one show. Would most people do it? No. A lot of people wouldn't think it was worth the time. I on the other hand think any new experience is worth it. I had offers for other gigs later in the week but sadly was leaving on Monday. But there could be more New York for me in November. I really enjoyed the city and I really enjoyed playing. I'm not a big draw yet so I need to take whats offered to me for the moment. And if that means traveling all over the world for small club gigs I'm all for it.
Up next is a Southern Ontario Tour with a couple of friends.
More soon.
-Neil
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