Before the evening started I thought it was going to be a slow night at Pies and Pints. A couple of our regular players had other obligations and it was a nice weekend and a hot night. Nice weekends usually mean folks drain out and stay in Sunday nights. Hot evenings usually mean people avoid hot restaurants with exposed ovens like the plague.

However, shortly before playing, I got a text that my buddy Garrison would be showing up. And then a buddy, Oded, who had long ‘promised’ to come, showed up as well. In addition, the place was packed with a good dinner crowd.

After two really great sets with Tom, Colin Klein, Pat Ferris, and myself, we were joined on stage for a couple songs by Gus Clark on accordion. Gus has a booming voice and personality and it really kicked everything up a notch. After Gus, a gypsy-jazz group, let by Jusef(?) played a set of tunes. The night ended with a random set of folks kind of shooting songs off here and there. But a good time was had by all!

0 Comments | Posted by Michael Spaly in Shows

Another blog left stale… Sorry about that.

Anyway, rather than rehashing too much, I’ll just rehash a little.

Played a really fun show out in Sedro-Wooley a few weeks back. Johnny Fitzpatrick and Robert (bass) picked up Tom Rooney and myself to play the gig. It was slated for Nettlehoney, but two of their members are out of the country. A wide open venue overlooking a riverside park, the acoustics were great. On the trip out, we packaged and labeled a first-run of our CDs. Was a great feeling to sell them within hours of leaving the press ;)

Pies and Pints has been going really well. Rickie Bobby (aka Rickie Gene Powell) has been playing mandolin with us. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to focus on the fiddle. Or, in one case, when an extra fiddler arrived, to hop in on snare. Otherwise it’s been the usual suspects, with Johnny and Colin Klein alternating sets (and often playing together) on Banjo.

As for Creeping Time, we are in the final phase of mixing the album. With lots of details to fill out, we’re expecting a full public release sometime in early 2012. How about that for a 3 year recording project!

0 Comments | Posted by Michael Spaly in Recording Studio, Shows

My buddy Dave Delmar is the center of a collective called Ocean Tone, which “…is a West Coast artist network… exploring new horizons in collaborative expression”. He posts music and visual art from various people in the community. He recently called for music submissions, so I polished off a couple of tunes that had been lying around and submitted them. These songs are all roughly connected by various phantasmophonic stains – or impressions – and are available here for your listening pleasure.

Wet Town
1/2 written in Seattle, 1/2 written in Boston. Drums: Cutty Foster, Bass: Adam Cat.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Hole in my Bed
Written several years ago after inspiring Folklife weekend. Re-recorded with Johnny Fitzpatrick and Tom Rooney.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Space Camp
A night alone with some strings, a keyboard, and lots of switches. Inspired by nature.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Bob Replay (previously posted – this is different mix)
I downloaded 24-track masters of three Bob Marley songs. I muted everything except for the kick and snare drums. Recorded a bunch of guitar parts over the drums. Turned on the vocals (original Marley and backups) and everything jived perfectly!

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

0 Comments | Posted by Michael Spaly in Random Info, Songs

Georgetown Carnival – what a event! Nice & interesting folks. Saw a few great friends I haven’t seen for a while. What a great thing, bringing lots of people together. Good beer, interesting booths and attractions.

Creeping Time played first at 1:15. Really nice folks and didn’t seem to mind when our kids ate all the fruit and we fed our families. Though does it count if we played our hearts out? Felt really natural playing with everybody. The set ended 10 minutes early when Dave told us we had one song left. Apparently he misread somebody’s signal and we still had 15 minutes remaining. We definitely tried playing it like it was the last song ever.

Here are some Flickr pics.

0 Comments | Posted by Michael Spaly in Random Info, Shows

Last Sunday there weren’t too many folks at Pies and Pints that weren’t either playing music or working there.

We played unplugged because of the limited attendance, and the music felt amazing! Everything was so clear and easy, and though lacking electron-electricity, it was surely electrifying my soul. There were a few tables, so that made me sad. But everybody listening seemed as psyched as we were, and that made me happy.

0 Comments | Posted by Michael Spaly in Shows