Just a quick update to my last post…
The new EP is now in the mixing stages and I’m excited to tell you that it will be officially launched on 9 September 2009 at the lovely Lizottes Newcastle! I will be bringing along some of my friends who played on the album to share the stage, and the Midnight Dailies will be opening. It’s going to be one very special evening. You can already buy tix by clicking HERE or by calling 02 4956 2066.
Speaking of Lizottes… I now won’t be making an appearance with the Badloves in August, but will be popping in on July 5 to open for Adalita, who is taking a break from her band Magic Dirt to do some solo shows.
Despite a slightly out-of-tune piano and some trepidation about jumping into the unknown, our little unplugged gig at Bar Me went surprisingly well. The modestly sized but gracious audience were on their best behaviour, hanging on our words as we bumbled on with our stories and songs. It was certainly an experience I’ll never forget.
Seems it attracted some outside attention too… http://…heraldarticle.jpg
Don’t ask me where they got that photo… somewhere deep deep in the archives.
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I originally started this blog entry about 4 weeks ago when I was sitting in a hotel room in Perth on a glorious midweek morning. I was lucky enough to spend a week there soaking up some sunny days and enjoying the company of some great people. I had the intention of writing about a few things that are/were coming up, but there was so much to write about that I decided to leave it for a later time when I was feeling more focussed.
Well later came and went… and here I am now… still not particularly focussed, but none-the-less very excited about things to come. However, first, I need to go back a few steps…
It started on the day of my last show at Bar Me in Kings Cross. I’d written a song that very morning… it was perhaps the most organic and intuitive songwriting experience of my life. For the first time I really felt like that proverbial “vessel”. I really wanted to play the song that evening, but I wanted the audience to hear it the way I heard it… completely unplugged and unedited. So I took to a corner of the small stage and played right there, literally in the audiences faces. I don’t really know how the audience perceived it, but for me it was incredibly liberating. My good friend and fellow artist Renny Field was in the crowd and approached me after the show about an idea that this little stunt had inspired… why not perform a whole show in this same fashion? Completely unplugged; nothing to hide behind, just pure song performance.
Well next weekend (Sat 13 June) it will all be happening, again at the lovely and intimate Bar Me on the cnr. of William & Brougham Sts. Kings Cross. Renny and I will both be playing our brand new tunes (maybe even a few together). I imagine it will be an experience to say the least.
In July, I will be heading off on a mini-tour of sorts, starting on July 11 at Newcastle’s ever impressive View Factory with great Sydney artist Maxine Kauter. The tour will see me head south for the winter (a strange decision considering what a cold frog I am) to perform shows in Sydney, Wollongong, Canberra and Melbourne.
In other show news, I recently played at the new Lizottes Newcastle in Lambton and FELL IN LOVE. This venue is so special and perhaps the best thing to happen to Newcastle music in a LONG time. I had a chance to speak with the owner Brian Lizotte, who is incredibly passionate about live music and is doing an amazing job of creating a magical atmosphere in the gorgeous 99 year old building. I will be back at Lizottes on Aug 29 supporting The Badloves and then for my CD launch in September…
Oh did I mention the recording is going fabulously? I’m enjoying working with the very clever and insightful Gareth Hudson and things are sounding beautiful. I posted a little mobile phone video on my facebook profile showing a sneak preview of the first day of tracking… you can see it here.
Well that’s probably enough from me for now. Looking forward to the days, weeks and months ahead.
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There’s nothing quite like the sense of something new…
Last week we locked in some dates for pre-production and tracking of my new record and I can’t wait to get started. I feel very fortunate to be working with fellow Novocastrian and composer/producer Gareth Hudson (not to be confused with Garth Hudson of The Band, who some people recently told me they thought I was working with! Now that might be some wishful thinkin.)
My writing has really started taken on a life of it’s own… literally. It’s hard to explain, but it has been like this big ‘letting go’… just going with wherever the songs take me rather than the other way around. It’s incredibly liberating. Anyone who knows me well can attest to the fact that I am a total control freak, ESPECIALLY when it comes to music, so this is all new territory for me and I’ve gotta say… I’m loving it.
We’re also currently planning a bunch of tour dates around July and September heading south towards Melbourne and Adelaide respectively. It’s been a while since I did a proper road trip so I’m really looking forward to getting out and sharing the new tunes around.
Sydney friends can get a pre-tour teaser on May 17 at the Roxbury Hotel in Glebe. This is an early Sunday evening “dinner and show” and at the recession-busting door price of only $5 how can you go wrong? 
Talk soon…
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Finally back on home soil and my head is still somewhere up in the clouds. Our whirlwind trip to Canada and USA literally left me spinning. I don’t really know where to start… or where to go from that point for that matter, so I’ll keep it brief.
The little shows I did in Vancouver and Toronto were really special and all quite unique. I met some amazing people that I’m sure I’ll remember always and hopefully see again one day. I’m attempting to post a couple of photos… unfortunately I only had a dodgy camera and a slightly less dodgy photographer (sorry dad) so they’re not great, but still carry the memories.
Then it was off to South By Southwest in Austin Texas. If I had to choose one word to describe this event it would be “circus”. There was a healthy dose of the weird and wonderful, but also some amazing live performances that I’ll always remember (Lisa Hannigan followed by Laura Marling at the Central Presbyterian Church being one of the highlights for me.
It was great to be part of the annual SxSW Aussie BBQ and witness some blossoming Aussie artists (The Boat People and Josh Pyke were my favourite performances on the day) and catch up with some friends and people I haven’t seen for a number of years.
But now it’s back to reality and back to work on the new project. My overseas experiences are already inspiring many new ideas and creations… I’m feeling enlightened and poised.
Looking forward to the next Sydney show on Good Friday at Bar Me with three lovely lads… Chris Arnott, Bennie James and Barry March. Hope to see you there…
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Today is our fourth day in (freezing) Toronto and despite sometimes subzero temperatures I’m finding myself warmed by the lovely and passionate people here.
I did my showcase on Fri night at the Tranzac Club, an Aussie & NZ club in the city. The showcase was presented by Sounds Australia and New Found Frequency. I’m hoping to post some links and photos here soon as I get some time (might be a few days yet).
The gig was great… I was very humbled to be in the company of some great Aussie artists, including An Horse (who you might have seen recently on Letterman). I met some great people and even saw some familiar faces which was awesome.
Yesterday we attended some of the CMW conference seminars. There are people here from so many different areas and levels of the industry. It’s interesting and quite daunting at times. I’m always fascinated (and mildly amused) by the way people speaking at these events try to analyse and quantify things that are so abstract and subjective. Everyone has different theories, models and measures for why and how music is what it is and does what it does and very few are prepared to admit that there really are no black or white answers; no right or wrong… Only individual emotions and connections, all of which are random, intangible and incalculable. But I guess that’s a whole other blog…
Went to Niagara today to do the tourist thing. Tomorrow is a show day… open jam at the Free Times Cafe… then onto Texas on Tuesday. We’ve already met a lot of people at CMW who are heading to SxSW so should be fun.
Before I sign off… two small notes:
When I say ‘we’, I’m referring ofcourse to Mike (my father and part-time manager) and myself. I asked Mike to join me on this tour because I’m really terrible at the whole networking thing and he has, shall we say, a gift for it. He also has a nice broad Aussie accent which some Canadians and Americans find endearing (the key word being ’some’).
Secondly, in the title of this blog I allude to the title of a new song demo (Fall to Zero) - one of four I recorded in the week before heading to Canada. I’m contemplating posting a couple on myspace… Will let you know if that happens.
Till then… stay warm.
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It’s nearly 2am Thursday morning Vancouver time… around 8pm Thursday night Newie time. Either way, I’m feeling very sleepy. But inspired.
What a beautiful place this is. We’ve only been here a couple of days so far.. it’s extremely cold but sunny and the city and the people are enough to wipe away the winter blues.
I’m patiently typing on a dodgy hotel computer that keeps crashing, so i’ll be keeping my comments brief.
Let’s just say I’ve done two gigs here so far and so far I’m having a ball.
A special thanks to the amazing people at the Mocha Room in Langley. More about this soon.
The website is slowly coming together… we will be working on it over the coming weeks.
Till then…
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Welcome to the new home of Amy Vee!
In the coming weeks, Amy will be blogging about upcoming gigs, overseas adventures, and the recording of her new solo album - so check back in regularly.
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