Lots of luck and all bad
I have usually had fair luck in my life. It is kind of like that Seinfeld episode where Jerry always comes out even. That is me.
This spring I have had several tours come my way, which I have recently posted about here. For one reason or another things didn't pan out and I ended up not working these tours. If my past was a barometer I should have had something else drop in my lap by now. It hasn't and I am beginning to become concerned.
The summer touring season gets underway in a few weeks.
Some good news. Five For Fighting (aka John Ondrasik) has begun recording music for his new CD. He mentioned to me he hopes to tour sometime by late summer or early fall. The guys in Finger Eleven are currently writing for their next CD. So there is potential work going in 2010.
Until then I have tightened the money belt and continue to network. I will have to ramp it up a bit I guess.
Labels: FFF, Finger Eleven, Five For Fighting, Roadies, Touring
Molson..huh..wait I don't even drink
It's back to work tomorrow night. We start back up in Boston after nearly a month off.
Hockey season is underway and I will be in Canada for the next 5-6 weeks. Not that it has anything to do with the tour.
The first part is the Molson Canadian Cold Shots Campus Music tour. I finally have a lighting plot put together. It will be interesting trying to fit all the gear into a couple of these venues. I am not even sure what the band has in mind for a set list. Oh well, pretty much the way it has been for the last 14 months.
I'm just trying to get through this tour without getting sick again. I'm still fighting off the lung infection I have had for the last month.
Labels: F11, Finger Eleven, Lighting, molson, Tour
My tour ends early
I have been so busy touring this year and I haven't been blogging here much. Well our current tour was cut short last week. We were suppose to be out with 3 Doors Down this month. We have been playing shows with them off and on since May. Along with Seether, Staind and a few other bands and doing some headlining shows.
Anyway Brad, the lead singer from 3 Doors had been struggling with his voice and it turns out he has laryngitis. He was ordered to take a week off. So while he was doing this our band flew home and the crew traveled from Denver to New York where we had a headlining show early last week.
After the NY show we left and drove to Kentucky to resume the tour. We reached West Virginia and received a phone call from the 3 Doors camp. They told us to sit tight because it looked like we were going to postpone until at least Dallas.
It was decided by our management to send everyone home and wait. So here we sit. The tour has been postponed.
In the meantime we are getting ready for a Canadian headlining tour. It will be something very different from what the guys have been doing recently up there.
I have been putting together a special sized lighting package.
I have also been fighting a cough for nearly a month. It seems to go away and then come back. I think I had a cold and now it's allergy driven.
Labels: 3 Doors, Concert, F11, Finger Eleven, Touring
Still active
I haven't been posting much here I know. Still busy touring with Finger Eleven.
If you want to read more up to date info go to our
crew page.
Labels: F11, Finger Eleven, Touring
California, 48 hours, and more
Just returned from California after doing a show in Stockton on Sunday. It's been a long 72 hours. Four flights, getting bumped to a different flight and returning an hour later than expected.
It was a good trip in the end. Our hotel was across from the venue which is located downtown near the new arena and a baseball stadium. We all flew into San Francisco on Saturday afternoon. We picked up a couple of rental vans and drove 85 miles to Stockton. Of course most of us were hungry and hit the old
In N Out burger.
Everyone decided to just hang around the hotel and chill out when we arrived. I noticed the stadium next door and decided to go. The Stockton team is a class A affiliate pro team for the Oakland A's. I bought a ticket for $7 and went to my seat which was in the first row just past the dugout. It is a nice little park and it was a beautiful evening. Spent some of the game chatting sports with a gentleman and his kids.
Sunday morning came around early and it was off to the venue. We were using rented backline except for guitars. Once the gear arrived we did our thing and set up and the guys ran through a quick sound check.
I then rushed to focus the lighting system, which went painlessly, thanks Dustin it was a great day.
The show went well. Most of the crowd was out there for over 8 hours in the heat.
Yesterday it was early morning with myself, the crew and two of the band driving back to San Fran for the trip home. After dropping everyone off, I return the van and take the tram back to the terminal. I get to the gate to check in and find out I was bumped to a different flight. It seems my original flight was delayed and I would miss my connection.
Anyway I finally made it home nearly an hour late.
So as I type this I am sitting here doing laundry and will be packing so that I can fly out tomorrow morning at 7:30. Where it's off to Milwaukee to start the next leg of the tour.
I better go look at the lawn, I think it might need mowing.....
Labels: Concert, F11, Finger Eleven
what is it about June
It seems like every year around this time I hurt myself. You know a major cut, sunburn or like this past weekend a sprained ankle.
The worst part was it was a stupid accident. I rolled my foot on a broken sidewalk coming off of steps on a porch. In all fairness the sidewalk had some weeds and grass growing through and it had been raining. I haven't heard the end of it from one of my sister's kids who thought it was funny.
The picture here was from this morning, it actually looks worse now but feels better.
Lots of ice and wrapping it. Ice being the most important part especially in the first 48 hours.
The reason I mention this whole ankle story is it happened at a bad time. I leave this weekend to begin another run of shows. It's going to be a busy summer and it means a lot of time on my feet.
I also have a lot of flying to do in the next week too. Saturday it's off to San Francisco where we do a show on Sunday in Stockton California. I then fly back home on Monday. On Wednesday I turn around and fly to Milwaukee. We have to fly to Calgary within the first week of the tour too.
Thankfully I have a couple ace bandages and lots of Ibuprofen.
Labels: Airports, F11, Finger Eleven, Touring, Tours
So this is where I live....
No not the place in the picture. That is the venue at the Toledo Zoo. Yes, they have a concert venue inside the zoo. Kind of cool actually.
This recent leg of the tour wrapped up on Saturday night and I returned home on Sunday. After nearly three months without seeing home, I am now sleeping in my own bed.
The band heads to Europe next week for 7 or 8 shows. I will not be going which is sort of fine with me since I can use a break. I was offered a job with another band doing a three week Canadian tour starting today. The timing was perfect since I was going to be off during this time period, but I passed for several reasons.
I will head back out with Finger Eleven again at the end of June. It is more festival dates and a run of shows with Seether. Then it looks like shows with Three Doors Down who we have done some festival dates with recently.
In the meantime it's back to doing normal everyday stuff. It is always strange when you come off a long tour. Your home life seems to have stood still. It's hard to believe how much time has actually passed. I am trying to get put some things in order. Deal with some financial things and maybe do a few home improvement projects.
Let the decompressing begin.
Labels: Concert, F11, Finger Eleven, Touring
Hockey, Coffee and the road
We are in Norfolk for a show tomorrow.
The days are all running together right now. I haven't been home since winter and summer is just over a month away. At least it's still hockey season and my team is in the conference finals. GO PENS!! It is also the only way I actually know what day it is. I wake up each morning and go through basically the same routine. I am pretty much a robot at this point.
I decided today to shut myself down for 24 hours. No band stuff, no hanging out with anyone from the tour. Just myself going for coffee, eating lunch and walking around. I'm probably going to head to the movies alone. It's not that I don't like everyone I'm touring with, I do. It's a great bunch out here, band and crew. But some days you have to say enough.
Just twelve shows left before the break. The guys head to europe for two weeks, which I will not be doing. No need for a lighting guy. So I will have most of June off. Well not actually off since I have a bunch of projects to finish around the house.
Labels: Concert, F11, Finger Eleven, Lighting, Touring
What month is it?
The tour with Chevelle came to a close last night. That was a fast seven weeks. So now I find myself sitting in a hotel in Memphis, TN for the next four days. The guys flew back to Toronto for a couple days rest and a photo shoot.
We will pick up the tour on Friday in Baton Rouge. The next month will be some headlining dates and radio festivals. Yea I know I mentioned this before.
I didn't mention we went to Las Vegas a couple weeks ago for the Miss USA pageant. What a pain in the ass....yea right! Hanging around 51 beautiful young women and get paid to be there. I will never do that again. The sarcasm button is still on.
If they happen to be reading, hello to Miss Florida and Miss Maryland. Sure like they will be reading this.
I even ended being up around $150 gambling.
Getting back to the tour. I ended up doing lights for Chevelle for the last three shows along with the Finger Eleven guys. The LD for Chevelle ended leaving the tour early for some reason. So I was asked to cover for him. Extra money is always nice.
Labels: Chevelle, F11, Finger Eleven, Lighting, Touring
how did you spend your Sunday?
Today was Easter and for myself and everyone on the tour it was spent on the beach in Florida. Nice weather is always a plus. Now if everyone could be on the same basic schedule. I tried to organize an afternoon of go carts. These plans would soon fall apart.
Oh well maybe in Corpus Christi later this week.
Tomorrow begins three shows in a row.
Labels: F11, Finger Eleven, Touring
what day is it?
Holy crap, March is almost over already. It's Easter weekend and we are in Alabama. You have to love the irony in that. Tonight we are playing a fabulous club, (note sarcasm). Nothing like trying to fit three bands on a postage stamp.
Also we have 24 par cans for a light show. Guess what some of them do not work. Imagine that!!
At least we enjoying some beautiful weather and tomorrow is another day off which will be in Florida.
Labels: Finger Eleven
How much is too much?
Yesterday was the fourth show in Canada this week. The guys were booked into theaters with several thousand capacity. This meant we were able to bring in a larger production. I did a three truss design which was basic because of a rigging problem in one of the venues. Don't get me wrong it is a nice size show.
The band decided to play a thirty minute set acoustic before kicking into the regular set. James came up with a concept of having a video projection behind them during the first part of the show. The image is of space and a comet slowly heading toward the stage. It is morphing the entire time as it grows larger. Just before the electric part of the show the image brightens and explodes. We then release the cyc that the image was on to reveal the large backdrop with the pile of band equipment on it.
It's a nice effect and the transition works very well. We are hoping to take it on a full tour later this year.
Now yesterday was interesting. The venue was changed to a large club. This meant we had to scale back considerably. I was still able to get about 30% of the show into the place and things went well.
The band and some of the crew have flown to LA to do some sort of acoustic performance. Since I was not needed I get to stay in Toronto for a couple days. Going to LA for the weather would have been nice, but I can't say I missed the plane ride.
So on Saturday it's back to the states and a show on Sunday where we resume the tour with Chevelle. Glad we will be heading south soon.
Labels: Concert, F11, Finger Eleven, Lighting
Toronto
Just a few days into the tour and I am tired already. It's sucks getting old. Things kicked off on a solid note in Columbus the other night. Everyone was a little rusty but the show went pretty well and the crowd was appreciative. Day two featured a trip to the motor city. Besides some issues with the bands monitors the show went ok. Again the crowd seemed to enjoy it and sang along at several points in the show.
We arrived in Toronto around 5 am yesterday morning and I found myself venturing to my room while still half asleep. Along with point a couple of the guys in the right direction since they had a bit much to drink on the ride here.
It's a busy schedule the next couple of days. We set up yesterday at MTV for a private event that they are having tonight. The guys will be closing the show. One of the other artists on the bill is Alanis Morissette. She is going on early and playing an acoustic set.
This afternoon we head over to Muchmusic so that some of the guys can perform a short acoustic set.
For me today it is easy since I won't be running lights for either performance since television is involved.
Tomorrow is a different story. We will be at Massey Hall for a concert. I have a lighting system coming in that I designed and will be using for three of the next four shows. If you are attending any of them you will be seeing the band in a whole new light. Pun intended. They actually will be doing something special for these Canadian shows.
The interesting part of the next couple days will be the weather. It appears a major winter storm will be coming up the east coast and will impact the northeast part of the US and southeast part of Canada. They are calling for up to a foot in most areas. So it will be interesting to see what happens as far as the show. Hopefully it won't be postponed.
Last time I was in Toronto with the guys back in December we had a major snow storm. I think someone is trying to tell us something.
Labels: Concert, F11, Finger Eleven, Snow
Puttin On The Foil...no wait....
That would be a backstage pass. After a two week delay it's finally time to get back on the road. Things kick off for the guys in Columbus Ohio tomorrow night. We then go to Detroit on Wednesday and then up to Canada for a week, before returning to the states.
The guys are Canadian of course and some of them are hockey fans like myself. Being from the Toronto area they are Leafs fans, while I am an old Penguins fan. I think I am driving them nuts since my team is having a much better season. Plus it's only a little more than a month from the playoffs. It's a good thing we have a satellite dish on the bus.
It's tough some days though since we are doing shows while the games are on.
Our schedule is filling up quickly. We are going to be out with Chevelle until April 20th. It looks like we will then be jumping onto a bunch of radio festivals right after that. May will be more of those and possibly some headlining shows mixed in. The summer is being filled in with more festivals. Hopefully the guys will end up on a nice shed tour. I haven't heard of anything in that regard but I'm hoping. I love sheds in the summer.
Hopefully I am able to get out tomorrow since the weather is suppose to get ugly in the morning.
Labels: F11, Finger Eleven, Hockey, Touring
To the Five For Fighting fans
Over the last month or so I have noticed a lot of people coming to this blog after searching for Five For Fighting tour dates. I'm sorry to say that there are no plans for John and the band to do any touring anytime soon. John has been playing a few charity, corporate and other events solo but no band shows.
I am not sure what his plans are for 2008. Our conversations have centered around hockey lately. Plus I have been busy with the Finger Eleven camp and their tours which continue next week.
Feel free to contact John at his
website or myspace. I know he tries to answer all his email.
In the meantime if you haven't done it, go out and buy the latest concert DVD from his most recent tour. You will get to see my work right on your tv or computer.
Labels: Concert, F11, FFF, Finger Eleven, Five For Fighting, Touring
let me correct myself
The tour dates that I posted recently are correct except that I mentioned they were all with Chevelle. Let me correct that they will not be on any of the Canadian dates except for Toronto.
I have spent several days working on a lighting and set design for the Canadian shows. The band will have some surprises in store for those shows.
We will not be carrying production for the US tour dates at this point. I am a little disappointed but it was not my call.
It looks like we will be fairly busy at least into the summer.
Labels: F11, Finger Eleven, Lighting, Touring
Tour dates updated
Originally we were scheduled to start the next tour on the 19th of February. Things have been pushed back to March 4th. Most of the shows are with Chevelle. There are some dates you will find posted for Chevelle around the net that the guys will not be on. All of the dates posted here are the two bands together.
Also the guys will be performing at Juno Awards in Canada in April. They are also up for single, album and artist of the year.
I haven't posted anything about these changes till now. Things have been pushed back due to illness with a band member. He is going to be fine but was ordered to rest. I will not discuss it here until the band posts it on their site.
Here are the updated shows.
Mar 4 2008-Newport Music Hall- Columbus, Ohio
Mar 5 2008-Fillmore - Detroit= Detroit, Michigan
Mar 8 2008-Massey Hall- Toronto, Ontario
Mar 10 2008- Hamilton Place Theatre- Hamilton, Ontario
Mar 11 2008- Capitol Theater-North Bay, Ontario
Mar 12 2008- Centennial Hall- London, Ontario
Mar 16 2008-The Hippodrome-Springfield, Massachusetts
Mar 18 2008-Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel -Providence, Rhode Island
Mar 19 2008-Rams Head Live! -Baltimore, Maryland
Mar 20 2008-Toad’s Place -New Haven, Connecticut
Mar 22 2008-Sammy T’s- Huntsville, Alabama
Mar 24 2008-The Swamp Ft. -Walton Beach, Florida
Mar 25 2008 -Strand Theatre- Shreveport, Louisiana
Mar 26 2008 -Diamond Ballroom (Oklahoma City)- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Mar 29 2008 -The Pavilion @ Concrete Street -Corpus Christi, Texas
Mar 30 2008-Whiskey River- Waco, Texas
Apr 1 2008-Midnight Rodeo- Amarillo, Texas
Apr 2 2008-Fillmore Auditorium Denver, Colorado
Apr 8 2008-University of Akron- EJ Thomas- Akron, Ohio
Apr 9 2008-Bogart’s- Cincinnati, Ohio
Apr 11 2008-Univ. of Pittsburgh-Johnstown- Johnston, Pennsylvania
Apr 12 2008-Machine Shop- Flint, Michigan
Apr 13 2008-Streeters -Traverse City, MI, Michigan
Apr 15 2008-House of Blues - Chicago -Chicago, Illinois
Apr 16 2008 -Pageant- St. Louis, Missouri
Apr 18 2008- East Peoria Event Center- East Peoria, Illinois
Apr 19 2008 -Uptown Theatre 1800 -Kansas City, MO, Missouri
I am looking to get back out there.
Labels: Concert, F11, Finger Eleven, Touring, Tours
2008 and the Finger Eleven dates are in
Well some of the Finger Eleven tour dates have been officially announced. I actually received them plus a lot more that are not confirmed a couple weeks ago. Their management office sends everyone in the band and crew dates whenever they come from the agent.
The first six weeks of shows will be with Chevelle. It looks like large clubs and a few small theaters, mainly in the 1200-2000 range. The majority of them are in the United States but there looks like there will be some Canadian shows too.
February 2008
19 - Flint, MI - The Machine Shop
20 - Traverse City, MI - Streeters
22 - Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater
23 - Cincinnati, OH - Bogart's
24 - Akron, OH - University of Akron/ E.J. Thomas Hall
26 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
27 - Saint Louis, MO - The Pageant
28 - East Peoria, IL - East Peoria Event Center
March 2008
1 - Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian Room @ Murat Centre
2 - Sault St. Marie, MI - Kewadin Casino Dreammakers
4 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
8- Toronto - Massey Hall
10- Hamilton, ONT- Hamilton Place Theatre
12- London, ONT- Centennial Hall
14 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance
16 - Springfield, MA - The Hippodrome
18 - Providence, RI - Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel
19 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live!
20 - Richmond, VA - Toad's Place
22 - Huntsville, AL - Sammy T's
24 - Ft. Walton Beach, FL - The Swamp
25 - Shreveport, LA - The Strand Theatre
26 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom
29 - Corpus Christi, TX - The Pavilion @ Concrete Street
30 - Waco, TX - Graham Central Station
It looks like we will be touring for most of 2008.Labels: Concert, Finger Eleven, Lighting, Touring, Tours
Hockey and wildlife
The trip to Florida was fun but too short. The weather was perfect which is what you expect this time of year. It was nice to see family. I also went to see the Pittsburgh Penguins play in Tampa and they won of course. There were a lot of fellow Pens fans in the arena. I love going to games, especially when it is my team.
We also went around to some of the nature sites. I have been to Tampa dozens of times over the years but never really do the "tourist" stuff. I you live there you know about the manatees that hang around the power plant. There is actually a viewing area there. It seems this hydro plant pushes out very warm water that they love. When the Gulf of Mexico is cool they come into the bay. Pretty interesting and I got some nice photos. There are also a lot of schools of fish that hang around there too.
We also went to a couple parks and also went to wilderness refuge.
I would have stayed longer but my nephew went with me and he had to get back to school.
It appears that I will be going back out on tour in mid February. There have been no changes at this point. The guys appeared on Regis and Kelly this morning. They were on Leno last week, so it appears the marketing machine is gearing up again. Paralyzer is still going strong, especially in the US.
Labels: Finger Eleven, Florida, Hockey
I'm out of here
The holidays are finally over and we are into another January. It has been pretty cold here in the Northeast. Of course that is not that unusual, it is winter. Wouldn't you know we are going to have a big warm up here.
I had decided last month to take a small vacation since the guys are taking most of the month off. I figured I would go see my mom in Florida. She lives down there during the winters now. Besides the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are my favorite team are playing the Lighting in Tampa on thursday.
My nephew is going to travel with me and will be attending his first NHL game. He is more of a baseball and basketball fan. I think he will become more of a hockey fan once he has been to a game.
Anyway I got a call from the bands management on Friday. It seems there is some sort of a concert for them in NYC on Jan 13. Where and when I have no idea, I should know more tomorrow. The guys will be on Regis and Kelly the next day. I am going to be flying back on Saturday from Tampa. So now I am trying to figure out what to do about this show and getting back to New York. I will actually be flying through there on that day, but with my nephew traveling with me I will probably return home and then fly back the next day. I could send him on home, he is 17. It's just a hassle rearranging flights.
I wasn't planning on doing any shows this month, but hey I will take the pay.
Oh yea
GO PENS!!!!!!Labels: Finger Eleven, Florida, NHL, Penguins, Vacation
