The Dorian Recital

I can't imagine a day-to-day situation in my life that wouldn't be easier, more fun, and more memorable with Peja's company. Bank meeting? You need someone to make, "hey, you know they love loaning money to unemployed musicians" asides, right?

So, after going with her to a 5 year old's pirate themed birthday party (which was awesome) this morning, Peja came with me to the music school's recital. In short, I was wicked proud of all my kids, and really impressed with the rest of the students who played. Tim has gotten so used to me picking Weezer tunes (3 this year) that he mislabeled a Matthew Sweet song as a Weezer tune in the program. . . Just like last year, the show was very well received -- I think when you take a group of people heading to a music recital, and instead give them a rock 'n roll show, it's generally going to get a good reaction.

Thanks to Tim, Kevin, and Rob for putting it together. It seems like a real pain in the ass during rehearsals and stuff, but in the end it's so clear that it's worth it. Also, while accompanying my students, I got to play bass, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, drums, sing, and rap! (uh, let's burn that tape, alright?)

In other news, Kevin Cooke, Dorian's esteemed bass, vocal, ear-training, and everything else teacher has formally agreed to play with the Barn Flyz at our next show, the details of which are getting smashed together as you read these words at this moment. July 19th. Mark it down. Maybe outside. Cost? Uh, I'm leaning towards "pay what you can" with a big tin with a slot in the top sitting somewhere. Time of day? Probably somewhere in the late afternoon / early evening.

I ran through the setlist playing on Itunes while I tried to play and sing along, and for the most part, I seemed to know most of the chords. . . Next up? Remember the lyrics. . . Uh. . . Never my strength. . .

Show Notice

Sunday, July 19th. Something will happen.

Well, like, more than just the ol' sun coming up, death, taxes, gravity, etc. . .

There will be a Jay and the Barn Flyz rock 'n roll show.

Where? It's up in the air.

My dream is to do an free outdoor show in Peja's school yard. I've talked to a few people who seem to think this would work.

Kev's coming down to play the drums. A different Kev is gonna rock the bass. I've had preliminary talks with a third Kev about playing some lead guitar. And, just to mess up the pattern, I'm going to get my cousin Tom to play some keys. Although, I might just introduce him as a forth Kev. The media loves that stuff. It's sure to make us famous. Like a two-headed baby lizard.

Oh, hey, in other news, the future-baby is doing well in Sienna's belly. It waved at us on the ol' ultrasound machine, and even appeared to say something.

Peja had her last day of Junior Kindergarten today -- this will be our last summer hangin' out just the two of us, so I'm trying to plan the greatest summer ever. I figure it will start early tomorrow morning with me saying "Jesus Christ, it's 6:45 in the morning, leave me the hell alone!" Ah, the memories we're making. . .

Birthday Peja, Skeleton Park, Via Rail, NXNE, Tennis at the Club, and Tea with Grandma

A big thanks to the Kyra and Tully spectacular touring adventure for ignoring my complete lack of rehearsal attendance and letting me join them on stage at not one, but two festival gigs on Saturday.

We played at 11am at the Skeleton Park Music Festival and we were absolutely terrified when the amazing Skeleton Park band too the stage right before us and completely destroyed. They were amazing. And their combined age is like 50. I think ours was about 284. As they played, Daniel (k&t's drummer) looked at me and said "we're screwed". These musicians had youth, energy, and the rock and roll on their side. Of course, they had to follow the Purple Dragon Puppet Show, which was nearly as daunting a task.

We climbed the stage at 11 and congratulated the young men on their amazing set, and set about setting up our gear. My choice for a greeting to the crowd would've been "hey, we're old and tired!", but once the music got rolling, I felt like we played our best set ever. The energy came from the park to our arms, from the crowd to our fingers, from our instruments to the air. It was great, and I had a fantastic time.

Now, that seemed like quite enough of a day, and I would've been thrilled to spend the rest of the day hangin' out with the birthday girl (yeah, Peja's 5!), but Kyra and Tully got invited to rock the awesome NXNE festival in Toronto, so around 2pm I gave Peja one last "happy birthday" and headed to the train station. The train was 90 minutes late, which made my sprinting to the station a little less dramatic. . . I hit the city at 6:30, a good 30 minutes late for load-in, but I made it in time for sound-check, and at 8 we played a really solid set for a fantastic crowd.

I navigated the crazy city at got to my Aunt's house around 10 -- she kindly made me some dinner, and I fell fast asleep in the basement with Sasha (crazy dog) sleeping on the chair next to my futon.

I got up early the next morning (thanks for the pancakes Auntie Lynda!) and my friend Chris (hey Chris!) picked me up and we played some tennis. Well, he played some tennis, and I played whatever a retarded wounded monkey plays when handed a tennis racket.

I rushed back to my Aunt's house to have Tea with my 93 year-old Grandma Gert. She is awesome. I managed to coax Peja's dance routine video out of a 10 year old laptop, and all were pleased.

One more VIA rail ride (dead ipod, but window seat = better deal than the opposite), and I was back in the warm arms of my family who crammed a whole day of Father's Day awesomeness into 6-8pm. Peja even bought me a candy necklace (truly my favourite candy), and Sienna made an amazing father's day cake. Mmmmmm. . . Father's Day. . .

Oh, and to my father, Paul Alan Middaugh, Happy Belated Father's Day!

Pardon the Delay. . .

Sorry for the lack of blogging action lately. I started a draft post the day after the show at the Community Garden with Kyra and Tully way back whenever that was. . . And then I didn't get back to it for a while. . .

The show was great, and better than that, Peja came along at spent the day like a farm girl, climbing on hay bales, getting dirt in her hair, and even winning 2nd place in a sack-race! (For the record, that 1st place gal was like 12, 14, 22, some older age. And, really, I think she was juicing.) The little people were kept alive with sugared apple slices while the band competed with rototillers for creative control of the soundtrack of the afternoon.

I played a set somewhere along the way, which was fun -- Daniel was kind enough to accompany me on drums, which allowed me to rock out with "Society Dames", which really needs something more than just acoustic guitar.

Spent a bunch of time in my studio going over old stuff, tweaking demos, adding bits of guitar here and there. I just figured out how to import stuff live into my macbook, so I'm thinking about doing a little "hey, here's my shitty demos, want to help me decided what to do on the next record" video. Keep your eyes peeled. Might have to get a Vimeo account.

Look for Kyra and Tully on the big stage at the Skeleton Park Music Festival this weekend. I'll be the guy standing at the back. If you smile at me, I'll smile back, and then hit a wrong note, and then frown, and then stare at my feet for a while.

News about a gig coming soon. I swear. Just have to check a couple more things. . .

Mini-Show. . .

There's a community garden opening at the North end of Victoria Street tomorrow (Sunday), and Kyra and Tully have been asked to play. The great Lia Dawson is going to do a set, and there are rumours of some acoustic Jay and the Barn Flyz (maybe I'll get Peja to rock some bongos). So, that's sort of a show, right? Boo-yeah.

Jay.

Summer Show?

Hey y'all, we're trying to pull something together for around July 19th. . . It's a sunday. If you happen to be a Barn Fly, resemble a Barn Fly, or want to be a Barn Fly, maybe keep in touch.

That is all.