satisaction
With the release of the new Rolling Stones record, I have found myself less interested in the songs than in Mick Jagger’s interviews. He speaks about John Lennon, David Bowie, […]
Performing
the miracle
The open stage: A retired accountant arrived with a Martin guitar and sang a ballad about his wife of forty-three years. His voice wandered in and out of tune as […]
hardest parts
The musician wasn’t opposed to activism. Some of the greatest songs ever written were acts of protest. They opposed wars, exposed hypocrisy, confronted racism, and gave courage to people who […]
new blood
Fave part of the open stage was the woman all dressed in black, never played here before, took the stage and introduced her first song in a gentle kind voice, […]
znaimer
At the show at Hugh’s Room I met Moses Znaimer and he offered me a show at the Zoomer Radio theatre studio sometime. I thought that pretty cool! I actually […]
come make noise
Playing Hugh’s Room next weekA strange gratitude about TorontoIt has been less a backdrop to this lifethan asprawling rehearsal hallevery decadeleaves one more ghostleaningagainst the wall smoking A unique listening roomstill standingwhere songs still have a chanceto arrive intactinstead […]
hope for once, justified
There is sort of a hush in the room just before a solo. A collective inhalation. Everyone present understands that a small trial is about to begin. The audience hopes. […]
robert duvall
Musicians know the person in the background is sometimes holding the entire structure together. The drummer who never overplays but somehow defines the feel of the track. The arranger who […]
thin ice
It is tricky to make a joke on stage. You can feel people checking whether you’re joking, confessing, or being accidentally honest. A line you thought clearly ridiculous can land […]
pink floyd
Open stage nights are usually modest affairs. A few chairs, tables, a borrowed PA, twelve people pretending not to rehearse in their heads while silently panicking about what they’re about […]