NEWS AND UPDATES
March 26 - US Tour Wrap-up and More
After my stay in San Francisco, I was sad to leave but also eager to move onward. I drove to Albany the next day and played at Calapooia Brewing that evening. The people there had a sort of small-town warmth and kindness that I hadn't seen since visiting the Alberta Prairies. Good beer, too. I was treated well for the evening, and had a good time chatting with the locals after the show. I was more than ready for bed after driving back to Eugene to stay the night afterwards.
Then it was off to Seattle, where I played a solo set at Cafe Racer. My good friend Anthony came up from Vancouver to watch me perform, and kindly showed me around the city the next day. We had a solid afternoon of sightseeing, and we parted ways when I made my way back for the Canadian border. I had to pull over for a nap on the way, as to not injure others or myself on the road in a fatigue-induced haze.
Appropriately, the sun was setting right as I was driving home into Vancouver. I began to feel nostalgic as I noticed the seasons changing from when I had left the city two weeks earlier. I found myself in my mind replaying memories of last spring, and then backward to my childhood as I drove into the city. It really is truly incredible how quickly things change, and the ebb and flow of life never cease to amaze me.
In other news, my Indiegogo campaign is at a close. I am infinitely grateful for your donations, thank you so much. It is your support that keeps me going. I will begin recording my album on April 10, and will be sure to put your money to as best use as possible.
Much love,
-Daniel
March 14 tour blog - Late Nights in San Francisco
I'm now sitting on my bed at in a hotel room in Medford, OR. I just finished a relaxing meditation sit to down tune after a long drive from San Francisco. It's been a fruitful week, and I'll do my best to recap it for you.
The show in Oakland was great, and I was lucky enough to hear the very talented Tom Lattanand play before me. Tom is a fantastic guitar player and a total sweetheart. Thanks to the Awaken Cafe for having me. It's a lovely venue and I hope to be back soon. That evening I stayed at the venue owner's home, where I was acquainted with his friend Alex (who I roomed with) and his lovely wife and son (and dog to boot). We drank beer and talked about art, the economy and life on the road; a warm memory to be sure.
The next day I woke up with yoga, and begun my two-day venture to San Diego, which included a sleepover in Los Angeles.
The show in San Diego was at a venue called LeStats, and I performed alongside Josh Damigo. LeStats is a beautiful listening venue with a fantastic sound system. The show was near sold-out and the intimacy was incredible. It was a nice treat to have such a close interaction with the audience and left me wanting to return soon.
Then it was off to San Francisco. I drove 10 hours to that city, and barely made it in time for the gig and was left scrambling to find somewhere to stay for the night. The next day I was beginning to feel like butter spread over too much toast. I was forced to cancel my show in Salt Lake City due to unforeseen circumstances. This initially took me aback, though the next two nights in San Francisco more than made up for this downfall.
I made more friends in those three days than I ever have made in three days. I spent a lot of time checking out the city and relaxing at the beach. One night I drank at Vesuvios (where Jack Kerouac used to hang). A lot of history at that bar, and many famous musicians used to frequent it. One particularly interesting man I met in San Francisco goes by the name of "Drum". He told me about his practices with energy healing and his time spent at meditation retreats. We played music together late one night. I played guitar, and Drum played his drum.
More to come,
-Daniel
March 6 tour blog: Long Drives and Quantum Physics
I am writing this blog from the Awaken Cafe at downtown Oakland, CA. I only got in recently, and am thoroughly enjoying a much-need Chicken Salad Sandwich. My journey thus far has included a lot of driving, sleeping and some philosophical conversation.Help me fund my new eco-friendly album?
To help fund my new album, I have launched an "Indiegogo Campaign". This is a crowd-sourcing platform, meaning I am asking for donations to fund the production of the new album. It's tough out there for us musicians, and we need all the help we can get to keep the wheels in motion! Anything you can donate is infinitely appreciated. If you are unable to donate, please help by spreading the word!
I have decided to do a total "eco-friendly" release for this one, and I will be donating a dollar out of each album sold to Canadian environmental group "Ecojustice". I will also be encouraging people to download the album online or purchase the recyclable download cards as an alternative to the physical CDs. This is with the intent of reducing waste. It is also my hope that doing an "eco-friendly" release will create more buzz and discussion about environmental issues, with the intent of creating more action.
The link to the campaign where you can donate is here: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/324993/
Please follow the above link for a full description of this campaign!
Much love,
-Daniel
New projects and things to come
I am writing you this blog in a half-delirious state of fatigue. I was at a fantastic party last night and we played music together and danced until 4am. Really an amazing group of kind and loving people. Everyone was so joyous that night, it was really something special to witness. I'm still buzzing from the warm vibes that were in that house. Feeling very blessed to be a part of such a fantastic community this evening.
As per the usual, I've been very busy preparing for things to come. I've recently signed on with Vancouver band Au4 to play with them at their album release shows. I'll be helping with vocals and guitars. The main event will take place in early April at Venue in Vancouver. I'll post the date when it's known. We will also be doing a performance at the Rio theatre in Vancouver on the 1st. You can hear Au4's recordings here: http://au4.ca/audio/
I've also been busy of course with the preparing of my new album. Just polishing up the last song and making demos. Very excited to release these songs. I can hardly wait.
Much love,
-Daniel
New album! U.S. tour
So this coming April I'm planning on recording my next album. The record will be a collection of songs that were all written over the past three years, and are very personal to me. The songs document different parts of my life and my personal philosophies at the times they were written. It's an interesting and nostalgic experience for me to play through the songs chronologically; I can really see how things have changed, and am brought back to the moment each song was written. As with all of my other records, there will be an underlying theme that has yet to reveal it's self to me. It seems like each of the albums end up as chapters in a book. Each with their own message and philosophy. I can only wonder at what the book will be about at the end of the line. I just sit back and let the process unfold.
Shortly before the recording of this album, I will be doing a tour of the west coast of the States. These shows will be solo performances, and will happen at the beginning of March. I'll really be changing gears quickly from adventure mode to solitary recluse mode. It will be an interesting adjustment, and it's my hope that my experiences from a recent tour will colour the recording of my new album.
Love,
-Daniel
the Importance of Optimism
Something I've been thinking about a lot lately is optimism and the law of attraction. I've been observing the lives of my friends and family members, and analyzing my own life as well. Generally what I've found, is what you put out there, is what you get back. Life is difficult and growing increasingly more complicated, and it is up to us as individuals to decide what it means to us, and how we decide to deal with it.
Have you ever noticed that the grumpy or negative people you know seem to have bad things happening to them all the time, or they just don't access much positive opportunity? This is probably because they are viewing their world through "grumpy glasses", and as such the events in their lives they perceive as further contributors to their general grumpy disposition, which in turn prevents them from pursuing positive opportunities. This is also, I believe, because they are attracting negative situations with their negative outlook on life.
In my mind, just being given the blessing of life, and the ability to experience both pain and joy is cause enough to be amazed and joyous. Absolutely every situation has both a positive and a negative outcome, and it is a choice you make which you will focus on. The more you focus on the positive side of things, the more those situations will actually become positive to you. Also, the more you focus on the positive, the more you will begin to realize there is much more to be happy about than there is to be unhappy about. The media has conditioned society to have an irrational and pessimistic perspective on life by always portraying bad news instead of good. Not because they are "out to get you", simply because this is the way the system has evolved to be more profitable. It is up to us as individuals to change those thought patterns and teach ourselves to be relentless optimists again.
-Daniel
Another new Single - Free to Download
Please listen and spread the word!
Artswells Followup and Transitions.
I got back late on Monday night from playing Artswells. It was swell to get back to the music festival community for a weekend, and what a community it is. Many old friends were seen and new were made. Both good and silly times were had. I was lucky enough to be joined by Rachel Suzanne on backing vocals for our performances. We played two shows and then an outdoor workshop called "Beatlemania". For Beatlemania, we were thrust to the stage alongside four other performers and were told to sing Beatles songs in the round. The sheer panic of knowing no Beatles songs start to finish left me with new covers for my repertoire. Thank god Rachel is a Beatles jukebox.
Some artists I saw at the festival who I would recommend checking out are Geoff Berner, David P. Smith and Wax Mannequin.
On an unrelated topic, I am in a period of transition in my life. I have never written more music in such a short period of time. Everything is changing and that is a good thing I think. It seems that for me, change is coming at an exponentially faster rate. Is this the same experience for you? I think that change is growing exponentially faster for the whole world right now. Not limited to only technology, but relating to spirituality and general day to day living as well. I think humans are in a significant period of evolution. Please write me an email about it, this is something I am actually curious about.
Love,
-Daniel
June 30
So North by Northeast in Toronto was a swell experience as per usual. My showcase went great, thanks to all who attended. It was fantastic to see old friends and see some great music. Toronto was just as blistering hot as I remembered it. The highlight of the weekend for me was the chance to see the Flaming Lips perform a free concert at Dundas Square. It was easily one of the best performances I've ever seen, but it was in a gloomy light unfortunately. Radiohead was in town on the same night, and their stage collapsed in Grandview Park, killing one person. The Lips did the right thing and dedicated their set to the friends and families of those affected by the tragedy.
Whilst in Toronto I recorded a new song. It's is called "Today the Clouds". I am thrilled with how the recording turned out and am very excited to show it to you, internet. It will be released sometime soon this summer.
And finally, I will be hopping on the Greyhound next weekend with a backpack and guitar to play three shows in the Okanogan. Have a look over to your right to see the dates. It would be lovely of you to come and say hello. Time will tell about what other cities I will be visiting this summer, but it's looking like a secret show in Edmonton is in the works. Looking forward to playing at Artswells 2012 this coming August. I've been singing with the lovely Rachel Suzanne lately, and can't wait to showcase our new harmonies to you.
Much love,
-Daniel
NXNE and summer happenings
G'day, internet. I wanted to write you a blog to let you know about things to come in relation to my music career. Next month I'm headed back to Toronto for the 2012 NXNE Festival. I'll be showcasing on June 14 at C'est What, and it would be lovely to see you out. Hopefully Toronto will be somewhat less than lethally humid this time around.
As you can see to your right, I've got some dates scattered around Western Canada over the next few months. These may or may not be coupled with a tour. Time will tell what is happening with this. For now I'm content with sitting in the sun and listening to Alexander "Skip" Spense's "Oar". This is a fantastic record and anybody who knows what's best for themselves should listen to it immediately. The album was put out in 1969, and was the only solo release from Skip. This was due to him sadly struggling with schizophrenia and drug addiction. Wild stories about this guy. Apparently he chopped down a door with an axe with the intent of murdering a bandmate. Claiming he had to "Kill him to save him from himself". Wild.
Love,
-Daniel
New Single for Free Download
Check out my new single, called "You are a Shield". You can download said single for free. Spread the word!
February (Keanu Reeves is immortal)
My life has been changing so quickly these days, and I've fallen behind a bit on this blog. Sorry about that. I think about it a lot, and plan every day to write something on here, but some force beyond my control has been consistently keeping me from following through with my personal obligations. I usually just end up Googling articles on proof of immortality among humans. Apparently Keanu Reeves is one of these immortals. If you don't believe me, Google it. Keanu doesn't age for one (look at photos from 1994 and compare to 2008), and also has lived through time with several confirmed identities. Two of said identities are Charlemagne (748-814) and Paul Mounet (1847-1922). Friends have said I need to get out of the house, but "Why leave?", I demand, when there are such groundbreaking discoveries to be read about upon one's computer?
February is a notoriously difficult month, and for me this year has been no exception. I've been getting through it by bombarding myself with new music, which has been untraditionally plentiful lately. I don't know what it is, but I've been more musically inspired in the past two weeks than I have been in a year. A couple of albums I would suggest looking into are Low's "C'mon" and Bonnie "Prince" Billy's "Wolfroy Goes to Town". Both are brand new releases and have immense therapeutic value.
I'm going back into the studio next month, this time to Greenhouse studios in Vancouver. We are polishing up the new single to be released very soon. I promise.
Love,
-Daniel
Tour Cancelled
I'm sorry to say that we've had to cancel every show except in Edmonton for the tour this month. There were several issues and it just wasn't in the cards this time around. This is more of a relief than anything. Both my manager and I had bad feelings about this tour and the wintery roads, leading us to believe it's a good thing we're not going. With that being said, I'm still looking forward to playing a solo set at the Wunderbar this Friday in Edmonton. Stay tuned for new tour dates and happenings.
Love,
-Daniel
December 14
Hello internet. I'm headed west for Edmonton in about a weeks time. This will be my last movement before the tour of Western Canada planned for January. Will be good to get back to see some familiar faces before the doom predicted by the Mayan calendar unleashes it's self across the globe and causes the demise of our un-expecting, cozily-sleeping societies. Still drunk off the last bottles of holiday port.
I was worried about the unnecessarily chilly Edmonton air, but the city has enjoyed above zero temperatures for the past three weeks (quite a change from the usual -15). Who could have predicted such a change in climate I ask you? Definitely not the scientists at the UN Conference on Human Environment in Stockholm in 1972.
Just kidding,
-Daniel
New Single and Electric Bicycle
The past few days I've been in Vogville Studios busy recording a new single. Mitch Rutherford, Jordan McDonald and myself squeezed our brains together to produce a song which we feel turned out very well. My manager Shannon Luttmer and her dog Twinkie made the whole process incredibly smooth and pleasant. Said single will be released this January at the latest, right before a tour of Western Canada. Tour dates will be posted very soon. Keep checking back!
In other news, I've bought an electric bicycle. It is my well thought conclusion that this action kicks ass. It's an Ezee Forza with Throttle Control, and zips around the streets of Vancouver like a bastard. A bike as sweet as this requires such profanity to express the intensity of it's excellence. I've got an idea to do a solo tour of Vancouver Island with said bicycle. We'll see how this idea manifests it's self in the coming months.
Love,
-Daniel
October 10
So the last little while I've been busy battling a mold issue in my apartment. It seems there is always some external force in my life disrupting my respiratory rhythm. If not cats it be the inhalation of black mold spores I suppose.
It started with a leak from the shower soaking into a cheap baseboard, and quickly grew to an ugly brew of white and black mold which infests the whole fucking wall. This issue has corrupted both mine and my roommate's thoughts as well as our lungs. When not crouched in a ball hiding in a far corner of my room with the window open, dwelling on the damage being done to my body by said mold, I have been busy churning out new songs. I've got a few new ones I can't wait to release. I'll be heading into the studio in the coming months to record a single, which will be released as soon as it's ready.
I've got a show in Victoria coming up on the 27th of January. At the Fort St. Cafe. I'm very excited to share the stage with the talented Roger Dean Young and the Tin Cup. This should be a great show, please consider attending if you're in the area.
I'm now headed out to stroll around the neighbourhood. Get some clean air in my lungs. A break from this treacherous scene.
Forever yours,
-Daniel
Tour update 2
After our show at Opus in Penticton (which was lovely, by the way), I stayed in the city and Kevin headed back to Kelowna to spend some time with his family. I slept at a mutual friend's house who didn't happen to be there at the time, but who leaves his doors unlocked. I don't know why it was that every single place I slept on this tour housed a cat. I think the universe wanted me to have allergies that week. I'm sure there was a higher purpose in mind.
In the morning I went downtown to eat a sandwich and see what the city had been up to lately. I found myself at a community and volunteer run art gallery, where I saw a girl who was at our show the night before. We proceeded to play scrabble. It was good for my brain, I think.
Slept at an old friend Aaron's house that night, who also had a cat. We played mandolin and banjo on his porch while Aaron took several sips of whiskey. I continued to be congested, itchy and generally concerned for the well being of my vocal cords.
We finished off the tour with a packed show at the Bean Scene in Vernon. Kevin and i drove back to Vancouver the next day feeling content with our gigs. Kevin is now on a two week sprint of house concerts via the Home Routes program. Hope you're tour is going great!
Much love,
-Daniel
Tour update
So last Sunday Kevin and I kicked off our tour with a show at the Railway Club in Vancouver. As per usual at the Railway, it was an enjoyable time. Thanks to Cary and Rob for playing with me. You guys are real swell at what you do. Kevin and I got up early the next morning and hit the road for Kelowna, where we played another show at the Minstrel Cafe. I ate curry before and after the performance. The portion was larger than the last time I had the curry.
Today is a lazy day. We're just hanging out at Kevin's mom's place killing time until we head to Penticton. Tonight we're booked to play at Opus. Man, am I excited to get back to Penticton. That city is one of the first places I toured to, and holds a special place in my heart. Hopefully I'll see some familiar faces around town. Will be good to take a day at Penticton's waters before the winter.
-Daniel
July 8
Here is my update. This is it.
Last week I moved again. For the fifth time in two years. I think I've finally found a nest that I can coop in for some time to come. Really a beautiful spot. I'm doing the landscaping for our garden next week and we had the compost going a few days ago. Turning into a nice shelter to fend through the coming winter.
This September I've got plans to play some solo sets around British Columbia. I'll be touring along side the lovely Kevin Kane, who also fronts the Grapes of Wrath. I'll soon be announcing the show dates.
North by Northeast in Toronto was lovely and productive. Played a nice set at the Cameron House. Thanks for all who attended. Special thanks to Mr. Clive Desmond and Marco Stornelli for being my band. I am infinitely grateful for your hard work.
In a couple weeks I'll be heading back to Edmonton for a show at the Haven Social Club. July 22. Will sure be a trip to re-visit that scene...
Yours,
-Daniel
My birthday at North by Northeast
This Saturday I am going to be exactly Three Hundred Sixty-Five days older than I was the last time June 18 came around. I am going to celebrate this mentionalbe occasion by performing a show with my band in Toronto. The show will be at the Cameron House (408 Queen Street West), and is part of Toronto's annual North by Northeast Festival. Admission is $10 and we will play at 10:30. It would be lovely for you to come out. We can have a beer together.
Love,
-Daniel
May 15
G'day, world. I've got a new music video coming. We're shooting it here in Vancouver next month, and you can expect it will be out later this summer. Expect really wild and crazy things, to be sure.
I've built a lovely new band out here in Vancouver, and we're going to take our show to a few different cities this summer. Have a look on your right and see what the deal is. A couple highlits over the next couple months will be a showcase at NXNE in Toronto (the Cameron House) and another showcase at New Music West in comfy Edmonton (venue TBA). More shows will be announced as they're confirmed.
New songs on the way as well. Crafted just for your own precious ears. Stay tuned.
Love,
-Daniel
April 16
So I have been in Vancouver for about a week now, and am still getting my life organized. This city is gorgeous. A real Garden of Eden, regardless of what you've been told. I spent the greater part of yesterday roaming about West Vancouver and gazing into the mountains. Feeling very comfortable and at home. Enjoying the misty spring air.
I have one show booked for next month and there will be several more to come. Have a look to your right for details. It would be great to see you out if you live in the Vancouver area. I may be touring in July, but will definitely be playing some shows across Western Canada regardless of if I tour or not, so please keep in touch.
Lot of love,
-Daniel
March 27
Hey folks. I'm at home in Edmonton right now. The showcase in Toronto with Kevin Kane went well. You can see photos if you follow the link below. Canadian Music Week was again a productive experience, and visiting it for the second time further affirmed my knowledge of how the music industry is an esurient, ravenous bastard. A thoroughly pleasant experience.
Last night I had the pleasure of playing the TransCanada Alberta Music Series in Calgary. I shared a set with the lovely Lyra Brown, and we were lucky enough to play to a sold out crowd in a beautiful theater. Axis of Conversation, Rae Spoon and Christian Hansen also played. Everybody's sets blew me away. Thanks for having us.
I am now realizing how little time I have left myself to prepare for my move to Vancouver, which will happen in two weeks. I will be scrambling to get my life organized for the next few days. If you want to buy a green love seat and sofa set, drop me a line.
Love,
-Daniel
Tour Photos
Check them out here
March 9 - I am a disorganized traveler
Montreal was lovely. Ottawa was lovely. Both shows had mostly full rooms and the audiences were receptive towards my music. I am fully empathetic towards both cities for welcoming me, but man did they ever have shit weather. Even though it was thirty degrees below zero when I left Edmonton, nothing compares to the wet and slicing bastard that is the wind of eastern/central Canada. Let alone the hail. Man what a dirty fucker the weather in Canada is. Completely destroyed my shoes. I am building back muscles from lugging around my travel pack and guitar, however. I will return to Edmonton slightly more toned than when I left.
After the show in Ottawa on Monday night, I returned to the hostel (which is an old prison-turned hostel in the middle of downtown) confident that my bus didn't leave till' much later during the day. I slept in till' about 10:30am thinking I had all the time in the world to get to the station. After taking a much longer time that I usually would to pee, given my relaxed schedule, I looked at my ticket to see that in fact my bus leaves for Toronto at 11:30am. Motherfucker.
I quickly had the front desk call me a taxi, and gathered my things eagerly in front of the building. When the taxi showed up, I put my guitar in the trunk, and my backpack on the back seat, closing the door with plans to sit myself in the front passenger side. As I was walking to the front of the cab, it started to drive away, without me in it. Motherfucker. I tried to chase him down the road, but after a block or so I was soon to realize I couldn't outrun a taxi-cab. about fifteen minutes after calling the host company, he made his way back to the hostel, and was far too proud to apologize. I just made it to catch the bus to Toronto.
I am now in Toronto for Canadian Music Week, and will be here until this Saturday. I am playing a showcase at 10pm at Mitzi's Sister with the accompaniment of Mr. Kevin Kane (the Grapes of Wrath) on bass guitar. We had a rehearsal today and it sounded lovely. I am very excited. Another update to come soon.
Love,
-Daniel
March 7 - Ramblings with Brazilians in eastern/central Canada
Hello internet. I've been riding the greyhound for a few days now and wanted to update you on my journey thus far.
I flew into Toronto early thursday morning with plans to ride to Peterborough the next day. The intent was to get a restful night of sleep at the hostel, and play a satisfactory show the next day. Whilst unpacking my things in the room, I started chatting with a Brazilian fellow who I was bunking with by the name of Alberto. Albero is a 20-year-old businessman, and makes fifteen thousand dollars a month running his own event promoting business back home in Brazil. My gears quickly shifted upon immersing myself in conversation with this Brazilian, and we soon took to the streets of downtown Toronto for beer and hysteria.
We hopped from bar to bar, taking turns buying the rounds and mingling with the stiffs of downtown Toronto. We visited the most upscale stab-you-in-the-gut-for-looking-at-you-the-wrong-way Russian Mafia lounges to the seediest pubs we could find, fully emmersing ourselves in the multiculturalism of the city. Never have I seen women flock over anybody, let alone a Brazilian, as much as they flocked over Alberto. Really a surreal sight. Thanks for a good time, Alberto.
I bused to Peterborough the following morning and played a packed show at the Ossia. Thanks to Charlie Glasspool for a lovely set, and thanks to the city of Peterborough for the heaps of promotion we received for the gig. Couldn't have asked for a better show. Afterwards, I realized that the ticket I had printed with me was not in fact a bus ticket, but a sheet of paper telling me to pick up my ticket at the Greyhound station before arriving. The Greyhound station was closed, and this was completely fair with the time being 2am. I begged my way onto the bus, and got a couple hours of sleep before arriving at Ottawa at 5am. Needless to say I was utterly exhausted after waiting two hours for the next bus to Wakefield at 7am, and crashed like a log as soon as I got on.
I woke up in a daze, and stumbled to the front of the bus to find out that I had missed my stop in Wakefield. Luckily, this gave me another 5 hours time to sleep while driving a completely pointless extra five hours around Quebec, waiting for the bus to loop around back to Wakefield. After arriving at my destination, I had been on the bus for 13 hours. Luckly the Blacksheep Inn is one of the best venues I've had the pleasure to play, and it was packed with locals to listen to our music. Another great night. Thanks to Mon Petit Chum for your gracious hospitality.
I was ecstatic to meet up with my friends Emily and Sam in Montreal the next day. Two of the best people I know who I hadn't seen for months. Thanks for Honey Martins for the nice show. Am now in Ottawa, and am headed to the Manx to perform for the night. Another update with photos to come soon.
Much love,
-Daniel
New song - "Penticton"
Check it out here
Moving to Vancouver
G'day all. This coming April I'm going to be moving myself to Vancouver. The reasons being to further pursue my musical endeavors and to be with the mountains. This move has been a long time coming, and now feels like the right time to do it, so I'm going to. None the less, I'll continue to frequent Edmonton with shows. No doubt all you lovely Edmontonians will be missed!
This March, before I move, I'm going to be playing some dates scattered across Canada. Have a look to your right and see if I'll be stopping in your town. There will be one Edmonton farewell show TBA.
Much love,
-Daniel
November 20
G'day, folks. I've announced a concert in Edmonton for this coming January the 8th. I'll be performing with my new band at the Haven Social Club alongside Trevor Tchir and friends. This will be my only foreseeable show in Edmonton until the summer, and is sure to be a fully enjoyable evening of bathetic and deeply affecting songery. Playing some new material at this. I'll post a link to buy tickets when available!
In March I'll be doing a little tour of the Ontario/Quebec circuit. Keep posted for show dates, I'll be announcing them soon for your viewing pleasures.
Please keep warm through the wintertime. Hold steadfast and true to your values and morals. Wrap your head in materials to keep it from getting cold.
November 5
So I've been sick as a dog for the past month and a half on and off, the worst of it hitting me in the past week or so. I think I've got the bastard beat. Left the son of a bitch on his back just begging for death we did (me and my immune system). Pitiful sight really, but show no mercy to those who'll give you none in return.
So my little tour out west was nice. Spent 27 hours on the Greyhound and 24 hours on the Via Rail. Two lovely shows in Penticton, a lovely show in Vancouver and three lovely shows on the train to passengers crossing the country. They treated me like a king. They fed me like a king. The staff were jovial. It made me jovial, as well. Very romantic riding the rails through the mountains of British Columbia at 3am... Nothing but the sounds of Nick Drake and the hum of the train's engine to sooth me to sleep.
Am building a new band. Planning tours. Building songs. Planning plans!
October 24
This coming Tuesday I'm hitting the road for a little tour. I'll be riding the greyhound and the Via Rail all week, playing a couple dates in Vancouver, Penticton and on the Via Rail. The dates are posted on the lower right. If I'm coming to your town, come out and introduce yourself! I'll keep in touch on here, updating you on my travels as I go.
September 26
Hello all. Sorry for not updating this page sooner, things have been busy as usual and I've been sick, but I'll be sure to make this page a priority again. I had a couple of nice shows in the past two weeks, one at the Vic Juba Theatre in Lloydminster last weekend, and I opened for Tracy Grammer at the Northern Lights Folk Club last night. Good times, thanks to all who attended. I've also been busy backing the lovely Alanna Clarke on guitar. Will be performing with her next weekend. Will post the venue when I know it.
Am now getting ready to head out west on the Greyhound/Via Rail for a few solo shows in B.C. and planning my course of action for the next year. Don't know how long I'll be staying in Edmonton. Perhaps a music video. Time will tell.
September 2 : Delirium in Vancouver
Turns out the stranger who asked me to play the drums was named Max. Very interesting and likeable fellow. He had a woman join us on the bass guitar (also who had never heard his songs before). The gig was to celebrate the grand opening of a new hipster clothing store in Penticton, and the night proved a drunken success. The music was a flailish blend of Shoegaze and Punk Rock I think. New friends were made and good times were had by all.
We slept at the local hostel that night, almost getting in a scrap with some honkeys before bedtime. The next day we played at a venue called Voodoo's, and my good friend Aaron Goodwin was kind enough to offer a bed to us for the night. We jammed at his place in the format of a six-piece band that evening (most musicians who played the show that evening came to play music at Aaron's after), and in the morning we hit the road to Vancouver.
Cousins of Joe's who put us up were kind enough to take us to a restaurant/bar called Stella upon getting into the city. They fed us a variety of exotic beers, one of which was called "Delirium", and none of which were lower than 8.5 percent in alcohol content. A night of planned calm and restful sleep was quick to morph into a viscious excursion of hysterical rambling. The beer is right to have a title such as "Delirium".
We played the Railway Club in Vancouver the next night, and we couldn't have asked for a better show. Thanks to Jody Glenham for joining us for the night. Beautiful set.
The last show on the tour was at the Minstrel Cafe in Kelowna the next day. We drove 15 hours overnight back to Edmonton after the show. I only recently arrived back in town. Am now unwinding and looking forward to my next trip out west in October. What a wonderful way to wrap up the summer and welcome in the autumn.
August 29 : Permaculture in Penticton
So the night before last, Joe Nolan and I played the Marquee Room in Calgary. Nice little show with Noel Johnson, thanks to all who attended. Crashed at my relative's home, performed a few songs for Mix 97.7 the next day and then hit the road to Penticton.
When we arrived it was about midnight. We had no place to stay and little cash. After a brief stop in a local club we proceeded to mingle with the locals in hopes of finding a bed. We found ourselves talking to a nice gypsy woman by a poutine stand who kindly offered a bed to us at the house in which she is staying. In exchange for this we promised to help her harvest vegetables in the morning to sell at the local market.
We arrived at the house at about 3am, and got up at 7 to go to the garden. She kept us busy picking produce for an hour. We helped her set up a stand at the market, and decided to busk to try to make some pocket cash. This proved an excellent idea. We played our songs and I was lucky enough to see several familiar faces around the market. While catching up with a friend from the area, a friend of his (and a stranger to me), turned to me and said: "Want to play drums for me tonight"? I replied, "Yes."
I will play the show with this stranger and tell you about it later.
August 22
Check out this video blog made while on tour: www.youtube.com/watch
This was after a 12 hour drive on the way to Toronto.
August 10
Montreal was beautiful, but our show was cancelled last minute. Didn't stop us from having a good time, however. We had some good friends about to show us around the city and feed us poutine.
On Wednesday we drove to Ottawa to play at the Rainbow. It was a great venue and the house was packed. A drunk real estate agent bought me several whiskeys. A great night all around.
The next couple days were filled with copious amounts of driving. We ended up at a Backpacker's hostel outside of Thunder Bay, which was the most beautiful Hostel I've ever seen. It's owned by an elderly couple, who happen to own the company as well. The layout of the place is the couple's home on a beautiful land site, and they have no issue with strangers coming and going at all times of they day. A real loving and comforting vibe about that place. Gorgeous garden. The man(owner) had a lot to tell us about his life and his foster children, and his days driving to Mexico in a school bus he had bought (inspired by "the Electric Cool-Aid Acid Test" by Tom Wolfe). He had an enormous collection of essays written about his thoughts, and he was generous enough to share them with us. I'll be quick to return to be sure.
After leaving Yorkton I was fast to put Diesel fuel into our vehicle. It soon broke down. I bused it to Saskatoon with my guitar to make it for a radio interview/peformance. We made it for the gig later that evening.
This one was a really interesting tour and I'd say it was a successful one. Looking forward to going east again.
August 1
More tour photos! Checkem' out here: www.facebook.com/pages/Daniel-Moir/10629258133#!/album.php
July 27
Things have been really wild lately, I apologize for not writing this note sooner. Barely finding the time to update you on events so far.
After our brief stay in Regina we drove to Winnipeg and met Dave the Futurist. He had a lot to say about the future and science. He told us about how soon computers will answer your questions before you even ask them. I was impressed to say the least. You can see him if you look at our tour pictures here;
www.facebook.com/pages/Daniel-Moir/10629258133
He's the skinny dude with long curly hair. Far out.
We ate some greasy breakfast to nurse the hangover in Winnipeg, after which we drove to Thunder Bay. We played at Kilroys there and then drove around until 5am trying to find the promoter's house, where we crashed for a few hours. They had pet rats.
We left Thunder Bay at 5pm, and arrived in Toronto at 10am the next day. 17 hours of energy drinks, strange music and stranger thoughts. After a heated argument in the hostel lobby in downtown Toronto, we slept for three hours then headed to C'est What to play a gig. Both shows in Toronto were great and our moods were easily lightened by the excitement of the city.
Am now in Montreal, trying to summarize our ventures with the least amount of words possible, but am finding myself out of time. Have to load up and drive to Ottawa. Another update to come soon.
Click above to listen to songs from the new full - length album, “Road”.
June 8 / Comox Valley, BC / Elevate the Arts Festival
July 19, 20, 21 / Duncan, BC / Islands Folk Festival
Contact: daniel@danielmoir.com