It's been an Unforgettable Year

This was the year that I moved twice, graduated from Grad School, was married to my best friend, got a full time job, and moved back to my hometown after 7 years of school.  I evolved from an insecure student teacher to a full time teacher. The band I played with since I was 19 years old, Elevator Art, played it's last show in September and those who have supported Daimon and myself musically continue to show support for our small group, Bow & Arrow. It's been just as much exciting as it was turbulent. Despite the challenges, I know 2014 will be a productive year, making new traditions, music, art, and memories with the people I've wanted to spend more time with.  It's been a wild ride this year but I wouldn't change anything about it. This is my mini 2013 "remember when" blogpost.

The shows we played...

The places I've walked...

Watching the places where I once walked be built again...

Moving, condensing, seriously organizing...

 Wow, now that's a space!

Feeling the most surprised I've ever felt in my life. TWICE

Welcoming a new addition to the family. I'm a first-time aunt!

The excitement and worries of starting a new job and not having to prepare for another semester. Lots of projects completed and many more to come...

The dress my sister wore to prom...

The dress I wore...

And here's something just for you for the New Year! Daimon and I contributed to this recording with Karmic Juggernaut, We Used to Cut the Grass, and Bog Iron Bloom. Enjoy! Click here.  Happy New Year! I hope you have a great one!

Local Artist Doing Her Part

I am so diggin' this girl's work. Introducing the newly released poster created by Allison Kolarik. She zombie-fies whatever she finds interesting.  Allison's been working really hard with relief efforts and on her own work. I was so surprised to be tagged in this photo of Elevator Art as zombies. Sometimes we really do feel this way.

I snapped this one of her with my polaroid camera last August.

You can check out her work here: http://www.comicbookafterlife.com/

She writes, "With this purchase, you'll be helping a grassroots effort that will ACTUALLY accomplish something good. The national charities are tied up in red tape."  I couldn't agree more. It seems as though individuals, families, volunteers, artists, and musicians are the true-blues during all of this. 

This poster is glossy, signed, and an 11 x 17

It's only $15. In her description, she is confident that a $15 donation can help fix NJ shore towns. "It goes a longer way than you think."

http://www.indiegogo.com/CBASandyRelief

A Sad Farewell

Thanks to the businesses that support us, we belong to a garden of poets, bands, and artists. Closing just one of these businesses is a loss, so you can imagine how sad I was to hear that three of my favorite spaces announced their closing dates. Trinity and the Pope and the Ocean Bay diner of Point Pleasant are closing their doors with no anticipated reopening date.  The Annex is in the process of remodeling, and some fear this change may do more harm than good since the intimate space is what we love about it. These beloved spaces gave us a place to call home. Many have invested their time and love into these businesses so they could prosper and become a melting pot of diverse people and ideas. Trinity was the place to be on a Thursday night, Chris Rockwell hosted the Spoken Word Open Mic Nights at the Annex which brought people from all over together, and how can you be a Brick or Point high school graduate and not know about the OB diner: the late nights, the conversations, and the table you felt most comfortable at. Elevator Art's very first show was immediately followed by an excursion to the OB with all the performers. It's hard to say which business I'll miss the most.

Trinity and the Pope stood out in the venue-saturated Asbury Park.  It was one of the few that didn't ask bands to sell tickets, didn't charge at the door, and provided sound in a sophisticated setting. Sure, I support venues so they can continue to survive in this economy, but Trinity was a place we all congregated because of its accessibility. There were nights where atleast one person from each band would be there and everyone was talking about their progress and future plans with their band. Elevator Art had some important conversations about the Martian Diver EP at Trinity. It was a guaranteed great show when Mad Feather Group, Lightning Jar, Accidental Seabirds, We Used to Cut the Grass, Karmic Juggernaut, or Moon Motel played at the venue. You know that awkward space that separates the band from the audience? There was none of that at Trinity; you had no choice but to stand right in front of the band, and that only made the experience better for everyone.

This goes out to you Annex,  Trinity, and OB.  At least your last weeks were in October when we are all submissive to the reality of change. You will be missed.

An Elevator Art Throwback

Every year, Elevator Art has added a new member and created a new sound with each of our talents. We can't fit any more members on stage at this point, but we love to get the audience involved so they can be a part of the band. You can tell we've gotten older! From Arnold Ave in Point Pleasant to opening for Jefferson Starship and headlining the Pony, here's the "EA" timeline:

When Elevator Art was in its infancy, Daimon, Mike and I would play in "the barn"; a safe haven in Jackson to play music as loud as we want without waking the neighbors. Daimon and Mike would write the songs, and I would add my little harmonies Our acoustic songs later became band arrangements after we picked up our drummer, Joe. The song, "The Worst Song Ever", was a tune that we ventured to record, and the only 2 venues where we played the song were the Saint, in Asbury Park, and on the green in Smithville, NJ. The song is very personal to me, was recorded by Daimon and Mike in "the barn", and the band's excited to share it with you. The song is finally available to listen to on bandcamp:  

http://elevatorart.bandcamp.com/album/the-worst-song-ever

Our ep release show is scheduled for October 20th at The Stone Pony. For more info, check out the facebook event page here.

Art Show Weekend Recap

I curated two different art shows in the same weekend.. phew! They were equally as time consuming as they were exciting. I prepared new work, printed and posted flyers, and brought my loaded polaroid camera with me!

Some of the polaroids I took this weekend...

Daimon, Gregg Bautista and I made mini dessert "burgers" for Friday's show

These guys jammed with a synth-kini and saxophone at Atomic in Point Pleasant. I jumped in with a kazoo just for laughs 

Some shots from the Tent City benefit show. I love this pic of these 2 love birds swinging

That dog hung out with the tarot card reader begging to know his future! Thought I'd take a photo since this guy, photographer and illustrator Gregg Bautista, wasn't doing his job! hehe

What a fun weekend, I love when all the people I know and love start to introduce themselves to each other. I really consider those moments to be like holidays; my family is coming together!  Richie playing his synth-kini in public, watching Chris Rockwell's set on my blanket with some awesome ladies, and playing back to back with Daimon were some of my favorite moments from the weekend... but I think my favorite one of all had to do with a jersey tomato.  I had a tomato in my bag for a snack at the benefit show, and couldn't help but share it with a nearby friend, James Herdman (musician for Accidental Seabirds and Thomas Wesley Stern).  I thought it was so funny that he found me an hour later and had managed to get a tomato from home just to share it with me!  It was the perfect summer day in Jersey; it'll be hard to forget sitting on a stump snacking on a tomato while everybody around me is smiling and having fun. It was memorable.

Here's my favorite polaroid of all.  It's interesting to me when I have a picture in my mind of how an event is supposed to go, and then it's completely different than what I imagined.  Thankfully both shows were better than I expected, and I got to connect with old friends and dance with some new ones. Hope you had a great weekend too!