The Great Giffoni, iMacs, Monday Mag, CROWDED HOUSE and ME!!!

This past weekend I performed with The Great Giffoni at the Mayne Island Fall Fair. It was great to check out Mayne Island, as I have never been there before, and I got the pleasure of running into my trumpet and band friend Michelle Footz!

The audience of kids were fantastic, an audience for The Great Giffoni is never less than wonderful. There was a lot of enthusiasm, screaming, and laughs. Never a dull moment!

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I got a hold of my boyfriend's iMac... I could waste hours on that computer, and so I played around with it made this trippy video:

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My gypsy band and I have a lot happening these days. Check out this great article on the Monday Magazine's website: http://mondaymag.com/articles/entry/boo-chan-break-throughs/

As well, we were mentioned in the same status update from Monday Magazine, as one of my FAVOURITE BAND'S EVER:  

Crowded House!!!

And.... my gypsy band's article was laid out on the same spread as Crowded House's. How neat is that?

I am seeing Crowded House after the weekend, I'm very excited.

Since I was in high school I have loved Crowded House, the Split Enz, and the music of Neil and Tim Finn. When I was 15 I saw Neil Finn in concert, and afterwards had the opportunity to meet him. 10 years later, I saw Tim Finn in concert at the first year of the Rifflandia Festival, and met him beforehand as well as hanging out with his great touring crew.

I don't usually fawn over musicians, actors, or celebrities, but these guys are my music heroes. My love for their music has left me with a very strong connection to New Zealand, where they are from. Their lyrics, harmonies, voices and instrumentation speaks to me, and I love what they do.

Irish Cuteness!

Absolute adorableness from Ireland!! 

An accordion friend of mine, Terry, specially ordered two "Squeeze Me" t-shirts for his Granddaughters, Caoimhe and Cliona. 

So...what do you think? I can't get over how fantastic these little sweetie pie's look!

 

 

Check out my line of accordion wear "Squeeze Me - Accordion Chic Apparel":

Etsy Shop: http://squeezeme.etsy.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/squeezemewear

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/squeezemewear

Special orders are always welcome! Send an EMAIL with your inquiry!

Tom Fun-Accordion Mic Quest

Last night's gig at Hermann's Jazz Club was FUN!


My gypsy band opened for The Tom Fun Orchestra, who I have been a fan of for the past year. When my gypsy band first got going, I looked into many alt-marching-orchestra band's, and was delighted when I came across The Tom Fun Orchestra. Of course I'll have a soft spot for any awesome party band that has an accordion in it, but also that they're Canadian, and have great energy that I love to see in performances, especially for my band.



I used Jill Clayton's, of The McGillicuddy's, accordion mic and amp setup. She uses one clip on mic for the keyboard, and has to be loud enough to power over Celtic punk music in the form of electric guitars, drums, and vocals. I was happy with the results, although my quest to be wireless with pick-ups inside my accordion is still there.

It was good to chat with Dave Mahilik, the Accordionist from TFO, about his setup for amplifying his Hohner. Just a mic installed to the keyboard side of his accordion, because when you're in a large band you tend to play the keys more then the bass anyways.

I still ultimately want both keyboard and bass to be mic'ed. The accordion is great as a solo instrument, and usually you support yourself with melody, rhythym and bass, but within a band you're only one of these parts, and I have to remember this and wrap my brain around the idea of being an 'orchestra' of sound, and support with bass, or texture, or leading a melody.

The latest in the life of an Accordionista....

I had another great encounter with performing with The Great Giffoni at a little girl's birthday party this past Friday afternoon. There were lots of giggles, smiles, and some good enthusiastic screaming as well.

I played at a wedding reception, for an absolutely lovely couple that got married at the Starling Lane Winery, this past weekend. A shame about the downpour of rain, but it made for a much more intimate gathering within the wine tasting building, and coming from a background of working within bridal gown business I knew many wedding myths and superstitions, and RAIN is believed to bring the couple good luck.

We tend to want to flock to the smallest area when at a party, so having the rain force everyone to stay tucked away was perfect. It seemed fitting for me to sit amongst the shelves of wine bottles while I played a bunch of french musette tunes. I snuck Pink Floyd's "Brain Damage" in there, but no one seemed to mind ;-)

Yesterday was my gypsy band and I's latest full band photo shoot. Some great successful shots of the band, and video too! Stay tuned!

Tonight: I meet with The McGillicuddys Accordion player, Jill Clayton, to borrow her Accordion mics for the show happening tomorrow night Hermann's Jazz Club. My gypsy band and I are opening for the Tom Fun Orchestra. Come on out!!