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.

Art, Friends, and Fall

Art and friends are like the nutella and bananas of my life, or the peanut butter and jelly for you traditional viewers. It's been a great September exhibiting artwork with friends, networking, rekindling old friendships and talking about art within the artist circle in Asbury Park. This Saturday the 29th, I'll be one of the exhibiting artists at the 100,000 Poets for Change event at Trinity and the Pope. My good friend, Gregg Bautista, is the featured artist of the event. Be sure to check out his table as well as enjoying the bands and listening to the poets. It's an event you won't want to miss; everybody's coming together for it  (event details here):

I drew a friend last week and wanted to share. I know a very reputable NJ model who I've been drawing since 2006. He's the best one around, and I always hire him for the life drawing events I host. Last week, I participated in the workshop with a drawing tool that is a little unusual for me- a ballpoint pen. I found it to be very adaptable to my style of drawing and thought I'd share:

 And lastly, I decided to cover my apartment with some works in progress, gifts, and purchased prints from friends. I'm really excited to have recently acquired a print from photographer Joseph Alechko and a rough draft from Richie Brown. One of these days I'll get frames so the works have some respect. Until then, I can appreciate them the way they are.

 

http://www.greggbautista.com/

www.BlackAcrylic.blogspot.com 

http://richie-brown.com/

September band of the month goes to...

I won't be featuring a band of the month like I had planned. I didn't realize how high my expectations were to create a blog post every month that would cover aspects of each band like I would want to. If I do, it's because I had the means, resources, and ambition.  For September, I would like to introduce my "rarely featured band" of the month...

Songs by Moon Motel are ever-changing, similar to that of running water. Aspects of the songs change with every performance, adding people from the audience to come up and participate. Moon Motel's songs pluck at your heart until you're humbled enough to sing along. The singer/songwriter Jay Sales formed Moon Motel after heartbreak, and it's very apparent in his style of writing. I'm captivated and entranced by Jay's vocal decisions; I love what he does and doesn't do in the songs. He keeps plenty of "holes" in the songs so you can find your own part to sing a harmony or add an instrument.

I love how Jay often books gigs with the possibility that he may be playing it solo, but it's amazing that I've never seen him play without a group on stage with him.  Popular musicians in the scene, such as Chloe from Wakah Chan, Javier from Accidental Seabirds, and Jim Mill join Jay's performances and create a whole new dynamic each time he plays. If you build it, they will come!

photo courtesy of Gregg Bautista

Moon Motel plays in Asbury Park often, particularly at the venue Trinity and the Pope.  Check out the facebook for more show details.  Maybe we'll be singing along together!

www.facebook.com/moonmotelmusic