Keeping Up, Checking In

www.myspace.com/basiamyspace

That's all.

Regina-Time

Hi All,

As some of you may be aware, I've relocated to the Queen City to finish the rest of my journalism degree. I'd like to continue the sounds, but most of them will be in Regina from now on.

And because of the craziness of school, posts may become even further apart and way less "professional", but I'd like to continue my little stories about music.

So, without further ado... I announce: "Saskatchewan!Sounds"

Um... oh the exclamation mark? No barbs at million-dollar ad campaigns in that title.

Keep reading,

- J

The Canmore Hotel

Here are some next-morning photos from the Canmore Hotel. Pictured are members of The Grass and some band photos of everyone. The Grass were great to play and hang out with. Derek the sound dude (third picture in) was both a good sound dude and a willing photographer.

Tour Wrap

Holy crap, it's done already and I'm home... home? in Regina, listening to Neil Young in a coffee shop and wondering what just happened to me. All I know is that I wish I was still on the road, somewhere between Calgary and Victoria, singing funny little songs and scribbling in my notebook.

After Victoria we headed east, across the ferry and to Edmonton. In between Edmonton and Victoria was a night of camping in the mountains, crazy amounts of road construction and twisted pavement snaking through the mountains. What the prairie navigators didn't realize was that the amount of ground covered in the mountains is roughly half that covered driving flat out across the prairie. Still, it was beautiful, and aside from occasionally jangling nerves we emerged in the flatlands unscathed.

Edmonton was a good show. In between gourmet Buddhist vegetarian cuisine and bubble tea, we played a fun set in this really cool art-space with a band called Aurora and a talented dude named Eamon McGrath.

The the next night was the ultimate tour wrap-up — an old-school party at the Canmore Hotel with equally old-school band The Grass. By old-school I mean getting slightly liquored up, playing the tambourine so hard I bruised my leg and possibly getting turfed from the bar. All in a night's work.

Check out all the photos for more concrete details on the happenings.

-J

Hiding Out in Victoria

While the rock stars played board games on the ferry to Victoria, I took the chance to take some tourist photos. Check them out.

We're currently camped out at the Fury and the Mouse house, awaiting a final practice of the superband. Tonight we play (I think I get to play the whole show) at Lucky Bar in downtown Victoria. Come one, come all!

Van-city, Day Two

Day Two in Vancouver was lots of fun. Went for breakfast with some People for Audio, some All Purpose Voltage Heroes, some People Versus as well as a little Ladyhawk.

Then it was a day spent with Shena, who works at Mint Records in Vancouver. Attempts to visit craft stores and button stores were thwarted, but we did visit a knitting store and The Foundation, which is an awesome vegetarian restaurant on Main Street.

The show Sunday night was at Little Mountain Studios, an art gallery/studio space/DVD rental store. The band let me play mini piano for the whole acoustic set, and it went really well. Didn't stick around for the groups after, but heard To Bad Catholics and the Greenbelt Collective were good. Olivia from FanShaw played a solo set, and she was incredible. She also plays with The Choir Practice. Her great lyrics and beautiful voice need to be heard by more people.

Van-city, Day One

The band played three shows in Vancouver. The first was at a fantastic deck party hosted by Joy and Jacob from the band The People Versus.

It was a great afternoon of music on a roof deck overlooking Commercial Drive. A couple of my favourites were the the bands e.s.l. and Johnny Wakeham and Featherwolf. e.s.l.'s singer Marta has a really cool voice. She also plays with the band girl nobody, who have a new album coming out on Jericho Beach this September.

After the deck party Slow Down played a set at Hokos, a cool little venue/sushi/karaoke bar. I played the mini piano for a couple songs. The owner filmed a lot of the show and posted it on YouTube (click the link). The All Purpose Voltage Heroes also played an extremely energetic set, while dressed in construction outfits and making boxes. Check them out, they really rock. Ryan Walter Wagner rounded out the night with an acoustic solo set.

Oh, Alberta

Here are some photos from the first leg of the journey. We left Saskatoon Friday around noon, and arrived in Calgary just in time for some bacon wrapped corn at The Palomino, where the band played. They played a good set, up next to local acts Summer Abney and Drunken Public Love. I sold several CD's, and one of the guys pictured in the fan club photo paid me five bucks to watch his sweater. I'm glad to have made a contribution.

Then it was back in the van for an overnight drive. Patrick handled the worst of the driving, and then Ryan drove all morning until we got to Merritt. The fourth photo was taken just as the sun was coming up in the Rockies. It was a beautiful drive.

Slow Down, Molasses: ON TOUR

WHERE: West Coast
WHEN: Aug. 31-Sept.9

www.myspace.com/slowdownmolasses

Hi Mom,

I'm in Vancouver, on tour with this band. We are all alive and having a great time. Internet use is too scarce, but perhaps photos and more posts will follow!

-Jeanette