so here i am at panera bread - making good use of the free wifi and even better use of the free coffee refills on this, my last week of from work of 2011. it has been a great year for me and i'm looking at 2012 with optimistic eyes.
for starters - Black Cat Bone Music has taken off in ways i cannot begin to believe. i have partnered up with Lee Jergensen and we are planning some really fantastic events for next year! we are working with a couple different venues now - setting up events that will put western massachusetts on the muddy roots/deep blues map! between the polish american citizens club in south hadley, the elevens in northampton and the waterfront tavern in holyoke housing my ongoing deep blues jam series - we have the ability to bring bands into the area that we had some difficulty with placing or housing in the past.
my goal is really to make BCBM a staple in the northeast - ideally being able to host the Deep Blues Festival in the next 3-5 years.
the elevens has a new little jolt of motivation these days. the feeling is that it's got so much potential to be a really great club for live music and artistic events. i am usually the perpetual optimist in these situations - but i really feel like with a little work it can perform very well. part of that is a little action on the clubs part in getting involved with the events they have - which i think is exactly what we will see in the near future.
anyway - i'm going to shut down my netbook and refill my paper cup one last time of that glorious nectar of the gods. i have a bit of time to kill before i pick up my little buddy at school. i'll spend it checking out a couple new CD's i've been digging lately and driving around town sipping aforementioned nectar!
Have a happy holiday - i'll be back a lot more often in 2012!
-BRB
a documented account of thoughts and ramblings by Bobby Roast Beef!
Showing posts with label deep blues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label deep blues. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Friday, August 5, 2011
what a week it has been!!! i've been so unbelievably busy all week long with a handful of things happening - the first and biggest is the release of Damon Reeves' debut release "Coming Home"! i've been under the gun trying to get the release together in time for my own 8/2/11 deadline and i made it by the skin of me teeth. in the end we put out a really great sounding product and even have a nice little set-up going so that we aren't investing megabucks into a huge inventory to carry around. since that all came together in time - the next bit of work to do was get the word out about our online sales AND our little celebratory event happening at Theodores' on Saturday (8/6)! I'm holding back from calling it a "CD Release Party" only because we can't afford the upfront cost for CD's for the show at this point - so we won't have them actually available at the party. Still - the party will still be awesome! more than anything we plan on playing the CD live and a bunch of other fun tunes too. There is no cover and without there being any pressure to move units at the party to make up costs - i think it will be a ridiculously fun night!
now, i have set up a little store widget in this blog. it's located just to the right on top of al the other widgets. Basically at this point we have the album available as a digital download OR a CD that you can order. each of the individual tracks are also available as 99 cent downloads too. there are ringtones available - which is awesome if you're into that. we also have a handful of shirts designed as well - they are all new and yes, we had a lot of fun with some of these. hey, this band is a fun band - we want that to come through in the products people buy from us. oh, we will be distributing very soon through many various online music retailers as well. sites like itunes, amazon mp3, last fm, yadda yadda yadda - are all in the process of carrying "Coming Home" - yay!
this is the first time that i have had product available like this - where technology has been at the forefront as the primary method to distribute music and merchandise. i'm working toward getting a small inventory together for live shows. a short run of CD's and some digital download cards are in the very near future. we'll get some shirts to have on hand and some of the smaller promo items - but the large selection will be mainly online as far as merchandise goes. that's not to say we won't offer some live show only "special" stuff however! the feedback so far has been awesome - i'm just hoping to hear from even more people about their thoughts on the release.
we have a slow month lined up for August as far as shows go - that's a good thing though! after saturday's party we have one more event lined up - the BCBM Presents: Paper City's Muddy Roots/Deep Blues Jam Sessions on Saturday 8/27. i'm really looking forward to this as a regular series for BCBM. my goal is to bring in more artists to feature and develop working relationship with larger touring acts. a place where an artist could swing in knowing that this has a good core group of participants and spectators - and feel like it was a good stop to make on their tour. The 27th features Henry's Rifle - and i'm feeling pretty excited about having John on the bill for the kick-off BCBM Sessions!
we'll leave it at that - i do plan on a sunday morning blog entry as i work while half asleep chugging coffee in order to cling to consciousness. ahh - the life of a blue collar musician!
now, i have set up a little store widget in this blog. it's located just to the right on top of al the other widgets. Basically at this point we have the album available as a digital download OR a CD that you can order. each of the individual tracks are also available as 99 cent downloads too. there are ringtones available - which is awesome if you're into that. we also have a handful of shirts designed as well - they are all new and yes, we had a lot of fun with some of these. hey, this band is a fun band - we want that to come through in the products people buy from us. oh, we will be distributing very soon through many various online music retailers as well. sites like itunes, amazon mp3, last fm, yadda yadda yadda - are all in the process of carrying "Coming Home" - yay!
this is the first time that i have had product available like this - where technology has been at the forefront as the primary method to distribute music and merchandise. i'm working toward getting a small inventory together for live shows. a short run of CD's and some digital download cards are in the very near future. we'll get some shirts to have on hand and some of the smaller promo items - but the large selection will be mainly online as far as merchandise goes. that's not to say we won't offer some live show only "special" stuff however! the feedback so far has been awesome - i'm just hoping to hear from even more people about their thoughts on the release.
we have a slow month lined up for August as far as shows go - that's a good thing though! after saturday's party we have one more event lined up - the BCBM Presents: Paper City's Muddy Roots/Deep Blues Jam Sessions on Saturday 8/27. i'm really looking forward to this as a regular series for BCBM. my goal is to bring in more artists to feature and develop working relationship with larger touring acts. a place where an artist could swing in knowing that this has a good core group of participants and spectators - and feel like it was a good stop to make on their tour. The 27th features Henry's Rifle - and i'm feeling pretty excited about having John on the bill for the kick-off BCBM Sessions!
we'll leave it at that - i do plan on a sunday morning blog entry as i work while half asleep chugging coffee in order to cling to consciousness. ahh - the life of a blue collar musician!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
summer in the city....
wow!! it's been a while since i have been posting any content up here. i should mention that readers of this amazing bit of literary gold can always stay connected with me via my social media outlets. i am, in fact a huge proponent of social networking and am a bit of a social media whore at times. i have links to my online profiles posted on the sidebars of this here blog - but for those who prefer to not seek them out and for my own love of posting links i'll leave them right in this entry too!
My Facebook Page
Follow me on Twitter
My You-Tube Channel
Black Cat Bone Music on ReverbNation
Damon Reeves & The Love Thieves
as for what has been going on in my life - well for a month or so my wife and i have been dieting and exercising - it's paying off! We have been careful with what we eat and have been taking vitamins and supplements along with being active and drinking tons of water. i have noticed that i actually don't have the back pain i was having while spending 4 hours a night on my drum throne. that's huge since i hated the idea of spending so much time doing something i love was leading to my back killing me.
last night i took the whole family to see Eva Cappelli and her band perform at a great little outdoor venue in Easthampton, MA. the kids had a blast and Holly did too. it was a nice little crowd that gathered for the show too. i was talking to a woman in the crowd and she told me that they have these free outdoor concerts each friday. the venue is literally on the bike trail, right off the section that crosses ferry street. i am hoping to track down a schedule so i can find out what the other events are so i can get the kids some exposure to live music.
still very much looking forward to the Deep Blues Festival this July. unfortunately - it's looking like it won't be the nice trip that Holly and i had in mind a few months ago. money is really tight right now and if she doesn't find work we really won't be able to afford the trip together. problem is we have a hotel reserved for that weekend and it's already paid for. so, she insists that i go without her and find someone/a small crew to come along. that will help make the trip do-able. we'll see what happens - still about a month to go until the trip, so we'll see what happens.
over the last couple of days i have had BBQ FEVER in the worst way possible! for the last handful of years (mainly since living in this 3rd floor apartment) i have been hoping each summer i would be able to spend a day with 3 things sun, beer and barbecue (all the while being kidless of course)! the summer just slips away so fast and i get tied up with other things. this year however, i am planning on buying a portable smoker and making it a priority to make my dream come true. i want to go portable so that i can take it camping with us as we've been acquiring camping equipment so that we can begin to take the family out enjoying the outdoors! the rainy weather outside at the moment has curbed my desire to smoke meats and veg in the sun while sipping beers - or diet approved mixed drinks until i reach my goal weight. i have scoped out some smokers out there that will allow me to do this on the cheap - which of course is very necessary. i have considered going with an electric or propane route for control - but there is the caveman aspect that i want where i actually have to control the fire myself. so, charcoal it is!
my coffee cup is empty.
My Facebook Page
Follow me on Twitter
My You-Tube Channel
Black Cat Bone Music on ReverbNation
Damon Reeves & The Love Thieves
as for what has been going on in my life - well for a month or so my wife and i have been dieting and exercising - it's paying off! We have been careful with what we eat and have been taking vitamins and supplements along with being active and drinking tons of water. i have noticed that i actually don't have the back pain i was having while spending 4 hours a night on my drum throne. that's huge since i hated the idea of spending so much time doing something i love was leading to my back killing me.
last night i took the whole family to see Eva Cappelli and her band perform at a great little outdoor venue in Easthampton, MA. the kids had a blast and Holly did too. it was a nice little crowd that gathered for the show too. i was talking to a woman in the crowd and she told me that they have these free outdoor concerts each friday. the venue is literally on the bike trail, right off the section that crosses ferry street. i am hoping to track down a schedule so i can find out what the other events are so i can get the kids some exposure to live music.
still very much looking forward to the Deep Blues Festival this July. unfortunately - it's looking like it won't be the nice trip that Holly and i had in mind a few months ago. money is really tight right now and if she doesn't find work we really won't be able to afford the trip together. problem is we have a hotel reserved for that weekend and it's already paid for. so, she insists that i go without her and find someone/a small crew to come along. that will help make the trip do-able. we'll see what happens - still about a month to go until the trip, so we'll see what happens.
over the last couple of days i have had BBQ FEVER in the worst way possible! for the last handful of years (mainly since living in this 3rd floor apartment) i have been hoping each summer i would be able to spend a day with 3 things sun, beer and barbecue (all the while being kidless of course)! the summer just slips away so fast and i get tied up with other things. this year however, i am planning on buying a portable smoker and making it a priority to make my dream come true. i want to go portable so that i can take it camping with us as we've been acquiring camping equipment so that we can begin to take the family out enjoying the outdoors! the rainy weather outside at the moment has curbed my desire to smoke meats and veg in the sun while sipping beers - or diet approved mixed drinks until i reach my goal weight. i have scoped out some smokers out there that will allow me to do this on the cheap - which of course is very necessary. i have considered going with an electric or propane route for control - but there is the caveman aspect that i want where i actually have to control the fire myself. so, charcoal it is!
my coffee cup is empty.
Monday, February 21, 2011
titles - we don't need no stinkin' titles!
presidents day is wrapping up and what a day it was! let's start with last night - had a cake with Holly and the girls to celebrate Holly's birthday. Cerrato's Pastry Shop done did it right again! this cake was called a "semifreddi" (sp?), anyway - it was chocolate cake-raspberry liqueur-black currant mousse-goodness! Then, Holly went over to her friends place to make tie-dye stuff for the girls. i put the girls to bed and hung out till the wife got home and we went to bed. Delaney slept like a rock too - it was a great nights sleep.
wok up to a few inches of snow on the ground - whatever. coffee was brewed already because i ACTUALLY had the cognitive capacity to set up the coffee pot the night before - go me! anyway, i was out the door and on my way to work ready for a day of minimal bullshit, thanks to the federal holiday. so, i'm at work and i fire up the netbook hoping to hoping to make this blog entry about twelve hours earlier than i'm typing now - and Blogger is blocked. Actually - i knew Blogger was blocked on the machines in the facility - but to block it from the network i was accessing was new. no sweat, i did a little research when i got home and found a work around. i will have to wait to share my posts via social media, but hey - i can live with it for a while. actually i COULD try and do this via my phone. regardless, i can work with it!
so you have probably noticed how insanely excited i am about this up coming event at the basement in northampton next month. really, this is way more than a gig with Damon Reeves. it's about my love affair with this genre of music and wanting to be involved in it. i love blues music - i also have come up in the hardcore/punk/metal scene in this area and have learned a lot from that. i see a lot of the same fire in these artists. the DIY way of doing things and the punk mentality seems to be the way of deep blues. i feel kind of connected that way and want to DO something to build an audience of such bands in my home area. then there is the really selfish part of me that wants to share the occasional bill with really kickass bands - i suppose that's just gravy however!
i have a wishlist of bands i'd like to bring into town. we'll see how it works out. i'm actually working on the next showcase already! mainly just trying to line up a date and bands, but it's a start. Here's one i'd love to have play a BCBM event! Ladies and Gentleman... Mr. Husky Burnette
before i wrap up let me say a few words about Chili. tonight my wife made a killer batch of Chloe and Delaney friendly Chili. i did kick it up with a little small batch ghost chili sauce from Dave's Insanity. now, anyone out there who knows me - knows that chili is one of my favorite things on the planet. all types, white chili's, texas chili, chili spaghetti, veggie chili's - i'm game. i make a mean chili myself - aptly titled "Fatboy's Chili - Big Meat; Big Heat". as a matter of fact, last summer and i was planning a big chili cook-off. unfortunately, things got kind of derailed in the fall - but it's on the back burner so to speak. anyway - my wife can throw down in the chili kitchen department. she pretends she doesn't like it (not many people are as obsessed as i am), but she plays off like it's just not good - haters. back to my point, i got a message from her saying that she had to sacrifice one of my craft beers in the fridge for the chili. i wondered what she used being as i had a lagunitas brown shuggah, a dogfish head IBA and Raison D'Etre, and a couple Oskar Blues Ten-Fidy cans in the refrigerator. out of all of those choices - of which she's not a fan of any - she chose the Raison D'Etre! my friends, she did that chili right - damned right. i was thoroughly impressed with the outcome!
yea - if you made it to the end of that ramble of culinary bullshit - you are truly a dedicated blog reader/follower - i appreciate that more than you know!
-Beef out-
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