All Quiet On The South Shore (for another few days)

Regular readers will have noticed a certain quiet emanating from the Musings in the past few months. While much has been happening behind the scenes, it has not been so earth-shatteringly important as to warrant blogging about. However, that is all about to change. . .

Next week your humble correspondent is heading back out on the road for a visit to New England and Ontario playing seven shows plus hosting a guitar workshop along the way.  One more was scheduled in Westport, CT but I've just heard it's been cancelled. Here's a list of the confirmed dates on the tour (all times Eastern):

• Nov 8, 2:00 pm -  Guitar Workshop - Thomas More College, Merrimack, NH
• Nov 8, 8:00 pm - Concert - Thomas More College, Merrimack, NH
• Nov 12, 7:30 pm - Songwriters Circle - Harvest Cafe, Hudson, MA
• Nov 14, 7:30 pm - House Concert - Abundant Haven, Hopkinton, MA
• Nov 17, 9:30 pm - Open Mic Feature Set - Horseshoe Cafe, Southport, CT
• Nov 19, 8:00 pm - Concert - Musiikki Cafe, Kingston, ON
• Nov 21, 8:00 pm - House Concert - Take Note Music House, Barrie, ON
• Nov 22, 7:30 pm - House Concert - Hilltop House Concerts, Perth ON

My website "Shows" page contains more information on the events - including contact information for the house concerts and addresses for all the other events. You can also send me an email and I'll send you all the details. We'd love to see you out at any of the events.  Here's a video of the kind of thing you'll see.

We are very excited to announce that through the facilities of Hilltop House Concerts, the last house concert on the tour (Nov 22) will be live-streamed to the internet. Here's a link to the NuMuBu music industry nextwork website whichHilltop will be using to share the show.

I've also started work on a couple of tours in 2015 already - one in May (which may included the cancelled Wesport show) and another one in November. I can't talk about details yet because much of it is still to be confirmed but a "Guitar Summit" may well be part of the May tour. Watch this space for more details.

In the meantime, as they used to close out The Dead Dog Cafe - Stay Strong, Be Brave and Wait For The Signs.

bobardern.ca

Fighting with Computers

Ah, the joys of computers.  They're an essential part of my job - you know, being a musician where I spend every night playing in front of thousands of cheering fans, go to after parties and ingest recreational pharmeceuticals, have sex with nubile young groupies (sometimes two or three at a time), then sleep till 4 pm in the tour bus while my driver gets me to the next gig.

Sorry, I should have put "irony alert" at the top of that description. 

In the real world where I live, I spend a lot of time at my desk using my computer - like right now as I'm composing this blog entry.  Don't get me wrong.  I need the computer and the new one I have is blindingly fast with a hi-res wide screen monitor.  It is an essential tool for many of the things I need to do as an independent business person whose product is music.

The problem I have is with the programs.  Actually, it's with the programmers and developers.  Full disclosure: I am a retired computer geek.  My degree is in Computer Science and I spent 17 years of my earlier life writing software.  So I know the theory and I remember a lot of the things I was taught in programmer school.

The concept of an "almost working computer program" was compared to the concept of being "almost pregnant."  Also when someone said, "The computer screwed up" at least two human errors had occured, one of which was saying the computer screwed up.

When I was learning the trade, people were cheap and hardware was expensive.  It was better to spend person-hours developing incredibly efficient software so that it would run fast on slow small machines.  We were taught "Don't just get it working, get it right!"  and we were graded on how good the software was, not just whether it worked.

Now hardware is cheap and people are expensive, so priorities have changed.  It's cheaper to get bigger and faster hardware than to spend expensive human resources on developing efficient code.  With the pressures of the marketplace to bring out something newer, bigger, shinier, the mantra is "Don't get it right, just get it working."   In other words, get it out the door and we'll fix the bugs in a maintenance release.

I just installed a Windows 7 partition on Julia's Mac, so she can use some software for which there is no Mac version.  It's a legal copy with Microsoft logos and product codes all over the DVD.  The very first thing I had to do after installing it was to download 152 security updates. 152 - and that's just the critical stuff, not even the optional ones.

Julia came into my office a couple of days ago and asked what all my cursing and swearing was about.  I've been editing videos of the All Day Breakfast Tour and the editing software has some "interesting" behaviours.  Again, full disclosure, I'm learning how to use it but I have run into several instances of counter-intuitiveness coupled with an absence of detailed documentation.  A number of times I have wondered what they were thinking? 

I could go on.  I'm sure you've had your own fights with computers.  It's a love-hate relationship.  I couldn't do my job without one but sometimes the idiocy of the people who designed and wrote the programs drives me crazy.  Maybe if they did a bit more research into what people do with the software, the programs would be better.

With the video editing software, I'm ahead on points and I think if I go the distance I'll win but it will be a split decision.   Watch this space - when we're ready to release the finished videos, I think you'll like them. 

May - The tour's over and it's back to work.

As you know if you've read earlier posts in the blog, a good portion of April was spent on the road touring in the US Northeast with Manitoba Hal on The All Day Breakfast Tour. See the previous posts for how we started out. In summary, we had a fabulous time playing at house concerts, arts centers, radio stations, coffeehouses and a couple of open mics.

The performance evolved as we played. At the first gig, we did a separate solo set each followed by a third set of duets. After a conversation in the van, we changed the format so that we did the first set as a song-swap, both on stage at the same time. This format allowed us to exchange ideas, play off each other and generally have fun with the music. As Hal has said many times, "We're not just musicians, we're entertainers." We are good musicians and the audiences are music fans but the All Day Breakfast stage show is about connecting with the crowd and making sure they have a great experience.

There were many memorable experiences, including getting up at 6:00 am to drive from Orleans, MA to Provincetown at the end of Cape Cod. Our host, Tim Sweeney, told me that Provincetown is a beautiful place but it was a cold foggy day and we couldn't see much of anything. It was very like Lunenburg when the fog rolls in off the sea - the mournful cry of the foghorn and visibility measured in centimetres (OK, inches because it was the US). The reason we were up so early was to appear live on WOMR Radio with host Kathy Tarr. I discovered later that OMR stands for OuterMostRadio because of its position at the end of the road.

Later that night after zooming from Provincetown to Malden, MA, we played in the First Lutheran Church in a fund-raising concert for the church's Food For Life program. The next night we went back to Orleans (I gotta talk to the booking guy about itineraries for the next tour) for a show at the Old Firehouse. It seems that a lot of people are up and about at 7 am on Cape Cod listening to Kathy's program because half the audience had heard us on the radio.

A few nights later, we're having dinner before our gig at the Bing Arts Center in Springfield, MA. I'm facing the door and I see a woman who looked a lot like Nicole Colbeck (our manager) come in. I said to Hal, "That woman looks like Nicole." The reason it looked like Nicole is because it was Nicole. She was on her way to Lennox, MA on family business and it's only an hour from there to Springfield, so she and her lovely daughters, Carolynne and Léanne, came out to the show. Hal knew they were coming but they kept it a secret from me until they actually arrived.

The fun side of the ADB tour was about finding breakfast joints along the road. Our best story was in Brewer, ME outside of Bangor. We're on our way to the last gig in Lubec and we stop in the Eagle's Nest, a lovely little diner right on the Penobscot River. Their menu says Breakfast Served Till 11am. Undaunted, we cast our eyes down the menu and discover on the lunch menu a "Toasted bacon and fried egg sandwich." They tried to dress it up as lunch by serving it with french fries and a dill pickle but what part of bacon, eggs, and toast is not breakfast and if they can cook all those things at 2:45, why can't they serve breakfast after 11?

The finale of the tour was held at The Crow Town Gallery outside of Lubec, ME. It's a beautiful spot with a great view across Cobscook Bay. We had a fabulous time. The room was pretty much full and we received a standing ovation and did a couple of encores. Fred Pierce (head honcho of Cobscook Bay Music) shot a video of the entire performance and one of my next tasks is to do a little editing and post some of the performance on YouTube. Watch this space for details.

So now it's back to work:  bookkeeping, booking the next gigs, editing videos, preparing showcase applications, writing blogs and if there's time, perhaps playing the guitar (and my new bouzouki).  A huge shout out to everyone we met on the first All Day Breakfast Tour. Many people came out to see us play, gave us bed and board, had enough faith in us to book us for their venues and bought our music. At one show, I was adding Facebook friends during the intermission. To quote Chuck Brodsky, "For the kindness of strangers, I often give thanks." Without all the kindness you have given to Manitoba Hal and me along the happy trail, we would be much poorer. We're planning another tour in the fall. Hope to see you along the road. 

bobardern.ca

April - Craftsman and The All Day Breakfast Tour

Hello from the road.  Your humble correspondent has embarked on the All Day Breakfast Tour with my good friend Manitoba Hal.  At the time of writing, we are ensconsed at the Abundant Haven in Hopkinton, MA rehearsing and getting ready for the first gig on the tour.  We did a dress rehearsal this evening in Northborough and it sounded pretty good for a first time on stage.  In truth, Hal and I have been on stage at the same time before at festival workshops but this is the first time we're doing it as a planned double act.

On my way to the first gig on this tour (one of two Bob solo dates) I stopped in the post office in Calais, Me and sent out around 150 or so copies of Craftsman to radio stations around the US.  Just before I left on the tour, I took another 35 or so copies to the Lunenburg post office for destinations in Canada and overseas - mostly Europe but also to Korea and Australia.

As an aside, a few more reviews of Craftsman have come in and you can find links to them on the reviews page of bobardern.ca.

But back to the All Day Breakfast Tour.  The show comprises three sets, a solo set of Bob (mostly instrumentals but the odd vocal might creep in), a solo set of Hal (with offerings from his new double CD Down In The Kitchen) and a closing set of duets featuring both Bob and Hal originals arranged for two guitars or guitar and ukelele.  The dates include Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Maine.  Full details of dates and locations are available at alldaybreakfasttour.com  Contact information for us is also available on the tour website.  In addition to the performances, Hal and I will also be appearing on radio station WOMR in Provincetown, MA on Tuesday morning (April 8).

Interlude. . .

I put down the blog for a while and am now just getting back to it.  In the interim, we went to the Luthier's  Co-op in Easthampton, MA for the first official gig.  The Co-op is an interesting venue, part neighbourhood bar part guitar shop concentrating on vintage and used instruments.  Hal and I wandered around the place looking at instruments before the show.  Tonight (as I type this) we're off to the Armagh Coffeehouse in Concord, MA. 

It's the usual whirlwind of a tour and if you want to follow what we're doing (including pictures of every diner where we go for All Day Breakfast) you can follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobALunenburg and https://www.facebook.com/hal.brolund.

Coming to finer diners and breakfast joints throughout the Northeast, this is the All Day Breakfast Tour signing off for now.

Cheers, Bob

bobardern.ca

Don't just take my word for it . . .

While Dave Findlay and I were working on Craftsman, we were confident we had a good album.  The music was good, the performances from all the musicians were good, the artwork was good, but there's always a feeling of trepidation when you show off your baby to the world for the first time.  We needn't have worried.  We've just had the first review and the news is good.  Bill Binkleman likes it too.  Cue the huge sigh of relief. Here's a couple of  snippets from Bill's review:

Craftsman is a delightful album, one that, if you are a fan of "down home" acoustic music, with influences from the rich tradition of folk and roots music, as well as hints of Appalachian hill music, you are certain to enjoy it.

Craftsman is an apt title for this highly listenable and hugely entertaining recording. Bob Ardern takes the making of music seriously, but not the music itself, i.e. there is a lot of fun present on the recording, and while there are some quieter or slightly darker moments, they are few and far between. Along with his guest players, Ardern puts his "craft" on display throughout the album, not in an overly showy "look-at-me" way, but in simple, unostentatious fashion that leaves no doubt as to the quality of the "product."

The review will be posted on Binkleman's Corner at Zone Music Reporter in a few weeks, but in the meantime you can read the entire review on my website at: http://www.bobardern.ca/reviews/binklemancraftsman.html 

Our Indiegogo fundraising campaign is winding down.  We haven't raised as much as we'd have liked so we're asking one more time for any support you can provide.  Many thanks to those who have pre-ordered the CD and thanks in advance if you're planning to join in the next few days.

Here's where you can view the campaign and contribute.      

The manufacturing is done for Craftsman and I have copies of the disk in my office so if you order the CD before the end of the campaign, an autographed copy will be sent to you as soon as we process the order.

Now, in an agony of haste, I have to get ready to go out on tour.  At the end of the month, I'm hitting the road for three weeks to do a couple of solo shows and several double bill shows with my good friend Manitoba Hal.  The All Day Breakfast Tour will take us into New England, New York and New Jersey.

Details of all the dates on the Performance page of my website.   

We're still looking into the details but there may be a stop in Lunenburg at the end of the tour as well.  Watch this space.

Craftsman CD is just about ready ...

Hi everyone.  I’m pleased to be able to let you know about the progress on my new CD Craftsman.  It’s a follow up to Wires Rosewood & Roots released in 2012 and we’re hoping Craftsman will be at least as big a success.  Featuring musical contributions from David Findlay, Kev Corbett and Alyssa Wright, the album was recorded, mixed and mastered in Lunenburg, NS at Otitis Media and produced by David Findlay.

The music is completed but before we release the CD, we’re launching a fund-raising campaign to help with the next stages in the process.  We’d like to ask for your help in raising a portion of the funds we need to manufacture the disks and get the new music out.  For as little as 20 bucks, you can help get the new music into your hands and other fans’ hands.  As well, you will be helping us broaden our horizons and reach out to new fans. 

The campaign is being managed through Indiegogo and we’re asking for your support to cover some of the costs of manufacture, promotion, and distribution.  With your help, Craftsman will be available for purchase and for listening on folk and new age radio programs around the world.   We are targeting an official release date of March 15 and as a thank you to everyone who contributes to the campaign, we'll be sending out pre-ordered CDs at the end of Febuary so you’ll get yours before the general release.

Follow this link to Indiegogo for more information and to make a contribution. 

The campaign page contains a video of one of the new songs, more information on the music, and a set of contribution amounts and the perks you will receive for your contribution.

We know that in these tough economic times, you have a lot of demands on your wallets and we are extremely grateful for any contribution you can make to the project - whether it be a financial contribution or other non-monetary support.  Any musician will tell you that the appreciation of the fans who listen to us is one of the main reasons we make music.  Without you, our audience, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do.

One last favour. . .  Even if you can’t contribute financially, we would be incredibly grateful if you would share the link to the campaign with your musical friends and help us to get the word out. As they used to say on the old wine commercials:  Thank you for your support.

Cheers, Bob

bobardern.ca

Welcome to 2014 and The All Day Breakfast Tour

A year or so ago, my friend Manitoba Hal and I were chatting during the break when Hal was playing a gig in Lunenburg.  I commented on a restaurant that I'd stopped in on a recent tour saying that they served breakfast all day so it was my favourite kind of place.   Hal commented that it's a shame our music wasn't more compatible because we'd travel so well together.   Turns out all day breakfast is one of Hal's favourite things too.

Hal went back on stage and finished his show and life moved on but the seed found a little corner of my mind in which to germinate.  During a conversation with our mutual manager, Nicole Colbeck at Little Acorn Music Management,  I asked her if she thought it was a silly idea because I thought it could work. Hal and I have travelled together for short periods and we do get along so maybe we could tour together.  Nicole was encouraging and said we could call it The All Day Breakfast Tour so Hal and I started talking about the concept. 

I can hear some of you thinking, but Bob is a mostly instrumental finger-style guitar player and Hal is a ukelele bluesman.  How would that work?   Well, when I met Hal, he was a fine finger-style guitar player in his own right and still is.  He has a number of instrumental pieces that he originally wrote for guitar then transposed to ukelele and his fans have been asking for more.

Fundamentally, we are both finger-style musicians.  Although we have differing styles we have worked out a format that will be appealing to both Hal's fans and mine.    We tried it out at the Folk Music Ontario Conference in October.  We played together at a Private Showcase and several people came up to us after and said we sounded good together.  The structure of the tour show is that we  each do a solo set and then have a grand finale set of duets.

The planning for the tour is now underway.  Your humble correspondent is heading back into New England at the end of March and Hal is returning from a tour of Australia through Florida and we're planning to meet in Boston and play some dates together.  Three weeks in April will see us in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine and we're looking to add more dates to the schedule.

There will be more to come on The All Day Breakfast Tour in later posts but for now, keep watching this space.   As more details are confirmed, we'll let you know.    Also visit us online at alldaybreakfasttour.com - the site is still under construction but please bookmark us.

In the meantime, best wishes for a happy and healthy 2014.  It's been pretty chilly where we are so I hope it's warm where you are.

Cheers, Bob.

bobardern.ca