Well friends, some new developments.
As of last night's audition, I'm playing bass and singing backup for Jane Vain, who's music is really freaking cool (woo!) and who just got signed with Rectangle Records out of Edmonton (WOO!), who put out Woodpigeon among other bands (WOO WOO!).
the pantymelters (band I'm in with Gareth) have a terrific new drummer, the wonderful Ben, a 7 ft tall British fellow who's sure to make our band name make sense with the ladies ;) Not that Gareth can't melt panties, but he's unavailable!! We also have an album recorded over Christmas 06 we hope to have manufactured and ready for distribution in April thanks to superawesome audio engineer producer type guy, our friend Ryan McVeigh from Mid-Ocean Studios in Winterpeg. So we're looking towards a CD release and a tour with our recently formed record label collective Grumpy Cloud, which includes Winnipeg bands Mr. Pine, Cone Five, The Haste, Consumer Goods, Transmitter Down and us pantymelters. If you haven't heard these wicked bands check out www.myspace.com/grumpycloudrecords
My friends Dylan and Juanita and I have started an old timey countrybilly band tentatively titled Mercury Audio. We may or may not have a drummer (any drummers reading this?)
In addition, I'm going to be programming Broken City's new film night Broken Reels which will be Wednesdays from 6-9. There will be a music feature followed by local independent films. One day a month we plan to show indie films from out of province as well, and I'd like to show some Video Vulture type material (older b-horror films mostly!) as the Vulture himself, John Tebbutt, has made some terrific recommendations. Just gotta get my hands on the goods.
Also taking a class for event management at Mount Royal (paid for by work, and full of useful info, yay) one night a week and doing some events planning: Calgary MultiArts Variety Show (next one coming up March 24 07 featuring bands, solo musicians, poets, a comedy sketch troupe and indie short films) and Holy Beep!, a night in support of jwcurry's project to type 26 copies of his extensive project Encyclopedia Beepliographic, or Beepliography. These are the works of late great Canadian experiemental poet bp Nichol. Innovative local poets and experimental bands will be involved in the fundraiser to be held July 20th 07, and Sheri-D Wilson said she is going to put some rare bp footage in my hands to show at the event. There will also be a tie-in for the post-progressive multi-disciplinary (though literary-focused) local mag I'm on the poetry editorial collective of - filling Station magazine, a nationally distributed behemoth of a read.
Finally, at the not-for-profit org I work for, Recreation Facility Personnel, we're getting ready for our 30th Annual Conference in Jasper, AB this April. If you think it would be fun to learn to drive a Zamboni, or don't know what the heck to do for a career, we offer courses across Alberta that get you well paying careers in recreation (pools arenas parks&sportsfields facility management etc)! www.aarfp.com (yep, a little plug, but again, we're not-for-profit so it's all good).
Whew! So that's why I'm so freaking busy. Just gotta figure out how to go on less sleep and to fall asleep when I need to. If it wasn't for Gareth's awesomeness, I wouldn't have the energy to do anything but write bad poems about bad relationships (story of my past few years). Yahoo!
So I leave you now so I can run home and lay one on 'im. *smooooch* Did I mention I'm planning my wedding in May? Yeah yeah, cynicism etc., but dammit - I've had a rough enough time til now so I need to enjoy it!
:)
Laurie