.: Welcome to TomPambrun.com

September 19, 2009

Over to the lower right of this page, there's a video recap of the 10,000lb Hamburger Tour I did with A-Trak this summer. Yes, it was bright...

Also, I stupidly forgot to mention the passing of the legendary guitarist and inventor Les Paul a couple weeks ago. Every single piece of recorded music you listen to today was made possible by his inventions, no exception. This man literally changed the world in more ways than you could count. You could look at it very simply and say he just made the guitar louder, or multitrack recording just allowed you to record more parts for a song. Then think about how the electric guitar, or how recorded music changed our culture and society, not just in North America, but around the world. Not just in music clubs or on the radio, but in political movements, elections, sporting events... The list goes on.

Once I started playing guitar around 1996, one of my goals was to get my Les Paul Classic Premium Plus electric guitar signed by the man himself. That actually happened in 2003, and it was a moment I will not forget; Gibson even featured the picture below on their MySpace site for a little while, which took it to a whole other level. I saw him play two more times after that night, at his house gig at the Iridium Jazz Club in NYC (every Monday, 2 shows a night, on doctors orders), and though he may have slowed down a little more recently, the entertainment value was among the best in the city. The man leaves a hole that simply will not be filled.

September 17, 2009

So this update came a little faster... I'm slowly getting it together. I'm sitting at home for 4 more days before I head back down to Australia for the third time this year. This trip is with A-Trak. I guess things went well enough during our summer tour, so I'm getting rewarded with another trip to Bondi Beach. The suntan lotion is packed. Nice :)

Since the A-Trak run around North America, I spent two weeks in Europe with Grizzly Bear and did some random Chromeo dates. All went well, including a cool show at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado, one of the most legendary venues in America.

After the Australian run, I'll be taking another run around North America with a UK band called Noah and the Whale. This is a first time tour with these guys, but we've met a few times in the past, so I think it should go well. Stay tuned...

Other updates include the lovely Twitter box to the upper right of this screen (feel free to follow), and the Photos page is finally updated for the first time in 2009. I know, it's about time, and it's there for your viewing pleasure. Also, a new link to Sennheiser Canada is on the right, thanks to Chris Isaac for the continued support, and for featuring me on their site!

July 7, 2009

DJ A-Trak has been going well for the first week or so now. We've survived lost luggage, lost passports and have moved on with the addition of a tour horse. Details coming soon...

The day after this is done, I fly to Europe to do 2 weeks with Grizzly Bear. It's the summer of new groups, and I'm even going to a couple new places on this one. New tour dates are up. Still catching up on blog entries, won't be long. I do have time during a couple more 14hr flights coming up...

June 9, 2009

So it's about time for what has become a tri-monthly update... I've just been ridiculously busy which is always a good thing in this line of work, so I can't really apologize, but I thank you for your patience.

Since March, I've been to and from Australia a 2nd time, I've closed out the ski season with weird shows in the Canadian Rockies, I've gone across Canada again and have toiled around the east coast. The blog is completely up to date, so I'll spare the details here. You can read, I assume. You're reading this so you must be able to. Just click on the link. I still have lots of work to do for photos though...

Later this month, I have a few more dates with The Stills, and then in July I start my summer venture as tour manager for DJ A-Trak. Aside from being a world-wide DJ phenom, he's also known as Kanye West's tour DJ. And if you don't know who Kanye is, well, I just can't help you at this point...

All upcoming tour dates are posted. You can let me know when we might be crossing paths and we'll see what we can do...

March 9, 2009

My website maintenance has been lacklustre at best, I admit that. But here, now, for your viewing pleasure, is the latest news...

Since the last update, I finished a Canadian tour with The Stills, then we spent a couple weeks in Europe and took a break over Christmas. It didn't last long - we were back at it in early-January making the deadly cross-Canada trek again. Then in February I went to Australia with Chromeo for an amazing 2 weeks, had a week off back in New York, and now I'm back down under with The Stills doing a national tour supporting Kings of Leon. It's been stupidly busy so far this year, but I'm not complaining. As soon as we're done down here, I fly to the top of the planet to start working with Brand New for a few days. Then I might sleep. Maybe.

The blog is almost up-to-date, just have to catch up on the Australian stuff. The last few months are all packaged by tour instead of day-to-day. I'm sure you'll be able to deal with it... Photos are on the way...

November 13, 2008

Ok, so it's been a while. I've been busy, what can I say? Such is the curse of the tour manager... If you check the tour dates page, you'll understand. Booked through April now, details still coming... One day I'll find time to catch up on the blog...

September 16, 2008

I've updated the tour dates page yet again. I'm out til Christmas now, I've listed the dates through the end of November.

Tonight is my last night with Martha Wainwright. We're at the South Street Seaport in NYC and MW is performing the songs of Edith Piaf. Should be a good one. I will say that I'm happy the week is over though... I flew back from Europe right in to this tour and I'm more than burnt out, to say the least. I officially need a vacation. Until then, stay tuned to the blog for all the crazy details...

August 17, 2008

I've decided sleep doesn't matter. Or, more accurately, the schedule I've accepted has decided that sleep doesn't matter anymore. I have a few more dates that I can't announce just yet, stay tuned, but I can tell you that my next non-tour day is November 24th. Starting now. Check the tour dates page for the latest...

August 12, 2008

If you look at my last entry, it said my next day off would likely be Aug. 12, ie. today. Turns out that was bang on. Since that entry, I had the Blues in Ottawa, added a little Blue Rodeo to my life, spent some time with Sam Roberts & Co., and drove 8,900+ miles around North America (literally) with Chromeo. I'm tired and am now resting comfortably, at least for a week. The tour dates page has been updated with the latest and greatest, check out where I'm off to next.

If you go through all the dates I've done recently, you'll notice there are some larger gaps between the shows. What's the deal with that, you ask? Well, it's simple. We drive. Long, far, hard, fast, slow, etc... And one of the only ways to stay sane during those times is to look for things to photograph, so over the next few days, there will be some new photos posted. Just need to get some sleep first...

June 26, 2008

I've been really busy lately, so my apologies for lacklustre updating skills, especially in the blog department... Rest assured it will be updated by the end of June with all the details I know you're dying to hear, or I guess read... The last 3 weeks have been consumed by the Martha Wainwright promo tour in Canada and the US, and as that has now started to slow down a bit (at least for a day or so!), things with Sam Roberts Band, The Stills, Chromeo and the Ottawa BluesFest have been picking up quickly and have done their part to make sure I have no free time whatsoever. When it rains it pours... Check out the tour dates page to see what the rest of my summer is like. I think my next day off will be August 12 (seriously), but that will likely change.

It's not really stopping there either. Over the last few days, I've received enough work offers to keep me on the road until 2010! Stay tuned in the next few weeks to see what my decisions are. If everything comes together the way I'd like it to, I'll have a pretty good 18 months.

In other news, make sure you get a copy of Martha's new disc I Know You're Married, But I've Got Feelings Too..., it's great. Also out now is the new Sam Roberts Band disc, Love At The End Of The World, which I think is his best so far, and the new Stills record, Oceans Will Rise, drops on Aug. 19. All are/will be available on iTunes. I've heard the new Stills disc already and I'm pretty excited about it. The boys are going to have a great run with this one...

Again, see the note below about missing gear, from March 31st. Show some love folks. I'm willing to forgive and forget...

May 3, 2008

First off, see the note below about missing gear. I still want it back, reward available. Again, I really don't care how or why you have my stuff, I just want it back.

I've recently started using Westone products. They've been really supportive and have provided me with ES2 custom-molded in-ear monitors and a set of musicians ear plugs. The in-ears sound phenomenal and the plugs keep unwanted noise to a minimum. I'm really happy with my decision to switch, be sure to check out their stuff. Thanks Dale and co. for sorting me out.

Two new artists have been added to my touring roster: Chromeo, and Martha Wainwright. My first show with Chromeo was last week, at the Coachella festival no less. Check out the blog to see how it went, and who was there. It was wild... I'll be picking up with them again later in the summer for a festival run across the US and Canada. I'll start working with Martha in June as the promotion for her new record gears up. Watch for us in major cities in North America to start. The first few dates are on the tour dates page.

March 31, 2008

-->MISSING GEAR<--

Last Wednesday March 26th in New York City, at Webster Hall, some of my equipment went missing. Gone are my custom-molded in ear monitors (black, made by Ultimate Ears), a compact flash card with a PCMCIA adapter, and a set of clear custom-molded musician's earplugs. All of the above was in a small silver coloured case, about 4"x6", maybe an inch and half thick, last seen during load-out after the show. The cover of the case had the following engraved on it: Ultimate Ears - Thomas Pambrun - www.tompambrun.com. If you have the case, please contact me!! I don't care why you have it or how you got it, I just need everything back, desperately. Besides, everything is custom fit to my ears, so it won't work for anyone else, and it's not like anyone else will need the files for a Stills, SRB, Lennon or Morcheeba show for a Yamaha PM5D. Show some love people, help me out.

Back to regular scheduled programming... I fell behind a little bit with the updates because things have been a little crazy lately. Right after The Stills dates ended, I picked up with Morcheeba, a band from the UK promoting their new album, Dive Deep. So far so good, it's been a bit of a whirlwind though. Days are long, sleep is minimal, but the shows are happening and it looks like all but one show on the tour will be sold out. So that's what's taking up my time these days. The list of dates is on the tour dates page, catch me if you can...

Just over a month ago, I got a last minute call to go and work a birthday party in NYC. For Yoko Ono. It was wild. The cake was good. There are pictures up on the Photos page. I'll write more about that some other time, have to get back to that whole work thing now...

March 2, 2008

Just a quick note to let you know that I posted some new tour dates for the next couple weeks. Heading back down south with The Stills for some Cracker Barrel and Starbucks. It'll be amazing. If you'll be at SXSW, let me know, I'm there for 4 days. I have to keep packing now because I leave first thing in the morning, but I have a couple of stories that will pop up in the next few days. Stay tuned...

January 4, 2008

The Photos page is finally coming together. So far all my shots from the last year are up, I'll have the old ones up in a couple weeks. Check 'em out, it's a great gallery. Really lets you customize the experience, make it personal... Give it a shot, you know you want to...

December 6, 2007

Gibson Guitars has decided to make me their Featured Artist for the week of Dec. 3-9th. Scroll down the page and you can see they've set up a profile, posted a song and posted a picture of me with Les Paul on the Gibson MySpace site (The link is to an archive of the page now that the feature is over). Check it out. It feels pretty amazing to be recognized by such a legendary company.

So far, The Hidden Cameras east cost tour has been going well. A few moments of driving drama were had, but that's to be expected when you tour Canada in the winter. Check out the blog for more.

November 29, 2007

I just got back from a couple short runs with The Stills around Florida and Ontario. It was really nice to be down in Florida in the middle of November, definitely hard to come back up north. That's all for the guys for a little while now. We have one more show later in December and then they'll be locked down in the studio for a bit. The new year is going to be pretty crazy and I'll have some choices to make as all the artists I tour with will be heading back out at the same time... Stuff to think about...

Starting tomorrow, I'll be working with a band called The Hidden Cameras. I've never toured with them before and it's been a couple years since I last saw them live, so it should be pretty interesting. We're heading out across eastern Canada, the dates are on my Tour Schedule page. I think I'll be breaking out the Canada Goose for this one... Stay tuned to the blog for the day by day adventures...

Still working on getting all my photos back online. This is not a fun process. Any day now...

October 22, 2007

It's been a little while since my last update, basically because there hasn't been too much going on lately. I've been home for just over a month, which is by far the longest period of time I've spent off the road in over a year. To say I have cabin fever would be quite the understatement. It hasn't been all bad though. I've had a handful of shows with The Stills in Ottawa and Montreal, and I spent a few days in Montreal working at the Pop Montreal festival, which was a pretty good time. There will be more Stills stuff in November, but that's about it as they're trying to get a new record done, as are Sam Roberts Band and Sean Lennon. So, with my 3 main clients hard at work at home, I'm hardly working. Funny how time off always sounds like a good idea when you're busy, but when it happens, it just doesn't feel quite right...

In other news, my Photos page is in a little bit of disarray right now and it should be sorted out soon. The site that was hosting all my albums went offline, and switching some 175 albums to a new server isn't the most fun or easiest task. It'll be back soon with all the old shots, and about 25 new albums from my touring this past summer. Stay tuned, I'll let you know when it's up.

September 10, 2007

So I just ran across Canada again, or at least a good chunk of it, with a couple stops south of the border. The Sam Roberts Band dates have just finished and the boys are heading back into the studio for a while. The last show was last night in Montreal, as part of Osheaga, where I got to see some great bands at my favourite festival. Funny feeling now that the summer touring season is over. I don't have anything confirmed on the horizon, but there are a couple offers out there that I'll be sorting out in the next couple days, so check back soon to see what I'll be up to next.

July 28, 2007

Well, I'm back home again after 7 weeks on the road. If you want, you can check out my blog and get the full story... I spent the month of June in the US with The Stills, and the day that was done, I flew out to meet up with Sean Lennon & co. We spent 3 weeks in Europe, did 8 festival shows. It was the best tour I've ever done. So, all in all, it was pretty busy few weeks and now I'm taking a couple days off before my next run.

Speaking of the next run, I'm heading out again with the Sam Roberts Band, but this time is a little different... No audio involved! I'm the tour manager(?!). It'll definitely be a change of pace for me, but I'm looking forward to it. All of the dates are on the Tour Schedule page. Check it out, let me know if I'm anywhere you'll be...

July 3, 2007

Been a while since I updated this page, but if you've been reading my blog you know why. I just spent the last month in the US with The Stills, and tomorrow I fly to Europe to do a bunch of Festivals with Sean Lennon. It's been pretty busy to say the least. All the dates are on the Tour Schedule page. Check it out, let me know if I'm anywhere you'll be...

May 14, 2007

So now I can say that I've mixed BB King. It was a great show, the band was good to work with and I got the thumbs up from the man himself as he walked off stage. It was a pretty cool moment I have to say; It'll be hard to top. Not everyday you get to work with a living legend. There are a handful of pics on the Photos page.

By the end of the week, you should see a few more tour dates on my schedule. Just ironing out a few final details and then I'll be gone til August...

May 6, 2007

I've posted the latest set of tour dates on, get this..., the Tour Schedule page. Funny how that works... Anyways, it's the first few dates from an upcoming US Tour with The Stills, as well as a date with the one and only B.B. King. There will be more Stills dates on the way, just waiting for final confirmation...

It's come to my attention that an I Deal Coffee location has just opened in Ottawa (176 Dalhousie St.). If you go to my links page, there's a link for the original one in Toronto, which, in my humble opinion, has the best coffee in Canada, and possibly North America (there's a place in Georgia called Espresso Royale that I have to follow up on). From now on, if I'm in Ottawa and not working, you can find me there. If you love your coffee, you owe it to yourself to make the trip.

May 1, 2007

I got home a few days ago from my 3rd trip to Europe in the last 4 months. It went really well, the shows were great and I met lots of amazing people who I hope to see the next time I go over. Check my blog for my usual daily rundown.

I'll actually be at home for a litte while now; feels pretty weird. The next run I have lined up is with The Stills in June. We'll be going down the east coast of the US and across some of the south. I'll post the dates in a few days once it's all sorted out.

I've had a few people ask me about a post on my blog from last year regarding the proper use of the rock horn, so, here's the direct link: A Lesson in Rock Horns. Enjoy.

April 1, 2007

So. Here it is. I've been meaning to redecorate for a while and this it what happened. Take a look around, let me know if you like the new look.

In real news, I just finished a 38 day run in Europe with Sean Lennon. You can read all about it in my blog and you can see some pics on my photos page.

My next big run has me going back to work with The Stills. We'll be in the UK for two weeks opening for Kings of Leon. I also have work coming up with Sam Roberts Band.

That's the big stuff for now, stay tuned for more...

Jan. 10, 2007

So my time off will be coming to an end soon. I'll be going back out with Sean Lennon for a little while starting in a couple weeks. The first set of dates are on my schedule page, more on the way.

Check my blog to find out how you can help me get a platinum record! You know you want to...

Dec. 29, 2006

I've been home for nearly a week and it feels incredibly weird. If you've been following my blog lately, you know why, if not, here's the story in a nutshell... Since the last update, I've been across Canada, Europe and back in the US with The Stills, and the day that tour was over and I thought I was going home, I got an offer to go out with Sean Lennon (yes, the son of John), for two more weeks and that brought me right up to the 23rd. It's been a wild fall season for me, easily best ever, but after 15 weeks on the road I'm burnt. Not that I set any travel records or anything, but the time zones, tour buses and hotels take their toll after a while...

So that being said, I'm back for a bit, updating again and I have plans to revamp this site, time permitting of course... I have a million new photos from my travels, so be sure to check those out, and read the blog. Even if you have to go through some of the archives, there's a few good stories in there...

Oct. 31, 2006

I'm actually at home. I'm sort of in shock about the whole thing, but I'll only be here another 24hrs, so whatever... Not even enough time to adjust. The first leg of The Stills fall touring is done, and it was great. Met lots of cool people, went to some amazing places, and overall great experience. We pick up again tomorrow with a run around Ontario, then we go to Europe for a bit, and we finish the touring year in New York City in December.

Aside from all that, not much has been happening; I've just been too busy to do anything else, not that that's a bad thing. I have been taking pictures though. Go to the photos page to check out some shots from our day off at the Grand Canyon as well as some shots taken during various drives. Highlights include many cactus sightings in Arizona, the Hoover Dam, Red Rocks in Utah and the Rockies, from Colorado to BC.

Sept. 23, 2006

So this job I took with The Stills has turned out to be waaaay more than I expected, in a really cool way. Just check my schedule page. It was only supposed to be 6 weeks... So far so good. We've been opening for Kings of Leon in the US (I'm in Tulsa, OK right now) and it's been great. They have amazing guys that have been helping us out alot. It's made our lives really easy and it'll definitely suck not to have them around. Given that this has turned out to be such a big deal, I really haven't done much else lately. You can keep up to date by reading my daily blog entries.

Sept. 4, 2006

Aug. 1, 2006

The quick run around Ontario with Sam Roberts was great. I forgot how much fun it was to be out with the guys. All good vibes, everything's nice and laid back. The Stills opened two of the shows, and they were great to have around as well. I've done lots of shows with them, and hopefully more to come. They have some really solid songs and they're fun to work with. The Trews opened the first of the three shows, and as usual we had a good time with them as well.

Order of the Day's debut EP Truth Be Told is now available on iTunes! CLICK HERE to buy the songs individually or buy the entire album. It's the best price anywhere so take advantage! You can also buy the hard copy of the CD at Tower Records.

It's that time of year again... it's time to Live A Day The Greek Way!!! Greekfest is coming kids! I go in on the 9th to start setup for my all-time favourite festival. I'm really looking forward to the food, drinks, atmosphere... everything. Can't wait! I will make it to the lamb pit this year, it must be done...

July 18, 2006

So Bluesfest is done for another year. 150 hours over 10 days and I can sleep again. Not for long though... in two days I make the trip down to Toronto to hook up with the Sam Roberts kids to run around Ontario for a few days. If you check out my blog, you can read my daily accounts of Bluesfest. Everything from mixing living legends and Grammy winners to the shocking chicken stir fry scandal. Everything you want to know and more... I'll have photos up as well, under Ottawa Bluesfest 2006.

July 12, 2006

After the festival is over, I'll be heading out on the road again with Sam Roberts. We'll be doing some festivals around Ontario. I'm really excited to finally be going out with the guys again; it's always a great time.

The Order of the Day cd is finally in!!! If you're in Ottawa you can pick it up at CD Warehouse, or anyone can buy it online by clicking here. Please pick up a copy, or two. We're keeping the price affordable so you don't have any excuses!!!

May 10th, 2006

The last couple days have been pretty interesting. Last night I did The Strokes in Ottawa as a PA tech, a little different from my normal spot on stage, but cool nonetheless. Part of my job was to mix FOH for the support band, Most Serene Republic. Now, being a monitor guy, I rarely venture out to FOH, let alone to mix in an arena, but I have to say it was pretty cool and I had a good show. I would even do it again (gasp! Does this affect my monitor street cred?) Even The Strokes LD came up after and said it sounded great, so something must have gone right if an LD took notice...

In my normal habitat on Monday night, I did an acoustic show with Hawksley Workman, and it was an awesome show. The man has talent, to say the least. We also recorded some bits of the show for his upcoming CD for Universal. Maybe I'll get some additional engineering credits/royalties from the record and I can retire early...

Tonight I'm mixing The Stills at the Capital. Should be a good show; I've worked with them many times now and they're a good bunch. They also have a few roadcases from Sam Roberts Band that still have the SRB logo I stenciled on in a parking lot in downtown Toronto on an off day a couple years back...

I got my orders for the Ottawa Bluesfest for this summer. Once again, I'll be living in monitor world on the main stage. You can see the list of bands I'll be working with here.

Order of the Day tomorrow night at Zaphod's in Ottawa. Doors at 8pm, show at 10pm sharp. Be there, or you suck.

May 2nd, 2006

So, one month later... The Order of the Day EP is in manufacturing right now and it should be out by the end of the month, at long last. After experiencing delays like those of a bad public transit system (ie. OC Transpo), it looks like everything is falling into place. We're working out details for radio play and distribution and we'll tell you where to look and listen very soon.

I hooked up with the Sam Roberts guys a couple weeks ago for a show in town. It was.... special. You can read about it on their website under "Ottawa: 5 Alarm Show". More coming up with them this summer, so we'll get our revenge on the evil anti-rock powers. In the meantime go out and pick up his new disc, Chemical City. If you like the last one, you'll love this one.

The new Tool record, 10,000 Days, is phenomenal. They've come to the table with a solid collection yet again. How many bands do that? Every record is better than the last. And how about the artwork? Stellar.

Check the photos page for new shots from Sam and a show I did with Jeff Martin at the New Capital last week.

I put up new links for my favourite morning show (Mancow) and radio station (Q101) when I'm in Chicago.

On a sad note, I had to put my dog to sleep this past Sunday, April 30th. It was his 10th birthday. If you want to know more, there are a few more details in my blog.

April 2nd, 2006

Order of the Day has provided two songs for a Budweiser promotion in the US. You can get the details here. You can also see a feature about the band that appeared last week on Chart Magazine's website. We're looking at a May release right now, and for the latest updates check orderoftheday.net.

The new Sam Roberts record comes out Tuesday April 11th. Make sure you go out and get a copy, or buy it on iTunes or something.

If you're looking for a monitor tech or guitar player right now, please get in touch. I'm dying to get back on the road right now.

March 7, 2006

So we opened the New Capital Music Hall last weekend with back-to-back Metric shows. If you had seen the place 24 hours before doors opened you never would have thought it was possible. Somehow things worked out, and while the situation is far from ideal, the shows happened and the club is in working order. We'll make some adjustments in the next couple weeks as we do some more shows and it looks like the club will be great.

I worked a little bit on the David Copperfield show in Ottawa last night. I think I'm on to a couple of his tricks but I can't talk about it. I might vanish into thin air...

The new Order of the Day CD is on the verge of completion. So close... There have been a few delays in the whole process, but that happens in this world and we believe the final result will be worth the wait. Go to the website and sign up for the mailing list to get more details. There will be more announcements about all kinds of things in the next week or so.

The Velvetbox trip to CMW turned out to be a great opportunity for all kinds of reasons. Lots of business deals in the works, talk about a new video, some shows, etc... Check the site for more info.

Other than worrying about the new Capital, just been doing lots of smaller shows lately, nothing of note. I did work a Jazz Festival Showcase with a band called Cubanismo! that was pretty cool though. I've been writing alot lately when not running around with my head cut off. There are some new photos from the new Capital and the destruction of the old one, as well as shots from the Metric shows.

Feb. 20, 2006

I finished off Winterlude this past weekend with shows by Daniel Lanois and Stars. It's the 3rd time in the past few months I've worked with Dan and once again it was unreal. There are only a handful of artists I've worked with whose shows actually inspire me to go home and write, and his performances never fail. I actually learned alot about mixing this time around, which kind of surprised me because their monitor mix is so braindead simple, but it only works because of the calibre of the musicians. Aside from all that, it's also nice to know that people from Ottawa can make it in this industry. Here's a guy who was born a five minute drive from where I live who went on to become arguably the most influential musician/producer in the world in the last 30 years. Crazy.

Now that the heated floating stage has been shut down, I have a few days off before we open the New Capital Music Hall. The last one was torn down over the last few days and it was quite the display of power. It was pretty wild to watch a building just get ripped apart, literally. Even more so than usual (I would assume) because of the nostalgia involved. Alot of major performances happened in that building, and we're just not going to see that in Ottawa anymore. The new place will work out fine I'm sure, but it will only be half the size of the old one and as a result we will never see a semi and a fleet of buses lined up behind the venue. Oh well... what can you do?

Things in the Order of the Day world slowed down for a minute the last couple weeks, but everything will be back at full speed in March. New disc will be released late in the month and two songs will be tied into a major promotional campaign in the US. More on that later...

In the Velvetbox world, you can vote for the song "I'm Ugly 'Cause You're Beautiful" (by Larry Caroll and Scott Norena) at the Radio Star website. It's a songwriting competition run in conjunction with Canadian Music Week. The winner gets a truckload of prizes and instant rock superstardom.... or so they'd have you believe... ;) All the same, it would be great if you could take a minute and vote, it would be much appreciated.

I've been pretty active in the blog world lately. You can read some of my random musings, some funny, some serious, some weird, on my very own blog page. You know you want to....

Check out the photos page for shots of Jully Black, Daniel Lanois and the destruction of the Capital Music Hall.

Jan. 28, 2006

So.... what to report... busy couple weeks at Xmas, like everyone else... Since then, I've seen a few podiums, I worked a 5 day showcase of Franco-Ontarian artists (kind of like COCA) and I'm currently working a corporate show that Great Big Sea will play tomorrow. The opening act is made up of the company's executives. They've been rehearsing for 2 days. They even rented guitars. They're playing Mustang Sally, but I'm still waiting for Summer Of '69. Nuff said.

Next week I start working the Snowbowl Stage at Winterlude here in Ottawa. The stage is actually built on scaffolding secured in the ice on the Rideau Canal. It's virtually floating. It's heated very nicely as well, almost like being on a beach. Some of the artists coming through are Tom Cochrane, Daniel Lanois and Stars, and someone had the seriously brilliant idea of not having opening acts, so life will be good on the floating beach stage. That will take me through the end of February.

In guitar playing news, I've entered the "hired gun" world to play with a band called Velvetbox. They won a songwriting contest on The Bear, the local rock station, and we'll be playing Canadian Music Week in Toronto as a result. Should be interesting. Rehearsals start in a couple days.

The Order of the Day EP is getting mastered now and will be manufactured in Feb., still planning for a March release. Go to the website and join the mailing list to get the updates.

I posted some shots from the Sick Kids Benefit show I did in Toronto with The Hip and SRB. Go to the photos page and look for the "Phoenix Sick Kids Benefit" album.

Dec. 19, 2005

Last week I travelled to Toronto to work the annual Sick Kids benefit at The Phoenix, which is organized by Eggplant Entertainment. Like last year, I mixed Sam Roberts and Sarah Harmer. I also had the honour of mixing this year's special guests, The Tragically Hip. That was quite the experience. Not everyday you get to mix a band at that level. All in all, the show went really well and everyone had a good time. I'm looking forward to next year already.

Things have been pretty sleepy in the work department at home, nothing major to report. Just lots of corporate boredom to pay the bills.

The Order of the Day EP will be mastered very shortly. We've also been looking at duplication options and there are some pretty amazing deals out there these days. More later, or check the band site for more regular updates.

That's all for now. Still looking for gigs, will travel. Talk to me.

Dec. 5, 2005

Since last time, I did shows with Kathleen Edwards, Bad Religion, and Theory of a Deadman. Good to see my old SRB roommate Hoogie and my buddy Fabby with Theory, and they bestowed the honour of "Bass Tech" upon me. I'm still waiting for the certificate.

There are new pictures from Kathleen, Joel Plaskett and BR in the photos section.

Doing a show next week with Mobile. My friend Chris Zakoor is taking care of them right now. They're worth checking out if they go through your town.

The Order of the Day EP is mixed and waiting to be mastered. Still sounds great. I forgot how much work goes into these indie releases. Looks like I'll be tangled up in that for a loooong time...

Other than those little tidbits, things are slowing down for the winter, so if there's any good openings for people like me, let me know. Every little bit helps this time of year.

Nov. 20, 2005

We start mixing the Order of the Day EP this week. Ken Friesen will also be on board for that. We had a really great time recording with him and he's been instrumental in getting the sound we were looking for. The rough mixes we made sound great so things can only get better from here.

The work world has been steady lately, but nothing too exciting. Mostly corporate stuff - dinners, podium support, etc... Good times. I did a Bacardi Rum party last night with Metric that was a good time, if you could get over the smell from the Sears perfume counter that seemed to mercilessly engulf the room... At least the rock was brought to the people.

Nov. 4, 2005

Order of the Day is done tracking for the new disc. Everything is sounding incredible and the experience working with Ken Friesen has been amazing. The project is exceeding all of our expectations and we can't wait to get the disc out, which will be in early 2006. Mixing is next. Check the soon-to-be-redesigned and relaunched band site for more regular updates.

That being said, I'm currently having my musical world shattered by the East Village Opera Company. Their new disc is absolutely unbelievable, provided you're into Broadway-style performances of classical and opera music (I've discovered that I am). This is unquestionably my favourite for Album of the Year in whatever category you think of next. This is one of those discs that makes you think "Why do I even try, and where did I go wrong?". Damn. Excuse me while I go find my guitar and pull that silly music degree out from under my bed... it'll have to be good for something.

I'm trying to think of other things I have to say and I'm literally in shock listening to EVOC as I type. Click on the link above to check them out. They're playing in Ottawa and Toronto this week. I've mixed them before and I'm saying from experience that it's an absolute must-see. I don't know what else to say. It's just sick. I haven't been struck by a record like this since I Mother Earth released Scenery and Fish in 1997.

There's new pics up from Thrice on the Photos page. I'm going to go listen to more EVOC now.

Oct. 21, 2005

Things have been fairly busy in the last little while. Like I mentioned last time, lots of shows with good bands. I mixed Broken Social Scene last night, and next week I have Thrice and Tesla (throw the horns!). Kathleen Edwards is coming soon, as is Theory of a Deadman, Bif Naked and so many more...

With all the shows lately, I've run into a lot of friends I met on the road and it's been a great time. To name a few, there was Troy Ryan with Matt Mays, Ken Friesen and Matt Lamarche with David Usher, John Watt with The Heck, Marty Kinack with Broken Social Scene and Chris Zakoor with Mobile. It's not stopping either. Charlie Ferguson will be in with Kathleen and Hoogie, my occaisional roomate with SRB, will be in with Theory. It's nice everyone's coming to see me for a change, although the cabin fever is starting to get pretty serious.

Order of the Day will be playing tomorrow night in Ottawa at Mavericks. Details, as usual, are on the band site. In the days following the show, the band will start recording the debut EP "Truth Be Told" with Ken Friesen at Signal Path. There's no firm timeframe for the release yet. It'll be done properly, no rush, but it will be out in early 2006 for sure. It will be exciting to be back in the studio again, especially with someone of Ken's calibre. Without question this will be a great experience.

Check the Photos section for new shots of The Stills, Metric, Matt Mays, Wide Mouth Mason and ways to kill time in Chicago, and nearly kill yourself on the 401.

Oct. 10, 2005

Again with the whole busy thing... I have a couple days off right now that I'm spending in Chicago, then back to the daily grind on Thursday with no day off in sight until November. It's ok though, there's some good shows coming up, like Matt Mays, Broken Social Scene, Kathleen Edwards and so on... A few corporate shows (with amazing guests, believe it or not!) to fill in some blanks as well.

I've been working on websites lately, spefically in the MySpace world. I think I'm becoming addicted to the whole thing, which may or may not be a good thing depending on your perspective... The sites I've been working on are for myself and Order of the Day. Go check them out, let's be friends.

Order of the Day has a show coming up in Ottawa in a couple weeks on Saturday the 22nd. If you're around, make sure you come out. All the details are on the band site.

New photos soon from The Stills, Metric and other stuff I've since forgotten. Stay tuned.

I'm looking to get a US work Visa. If you can help out, let me know!

Sept. 14, 2005

Long time, no updates. The words "insanely busy" come to mind. I worked a bunch of Frosh Week shows last week with bands including Sum 41, Sam Roberts, The Trews, K-OS and too many more to mention. Good times were had by all and there's no break yet...

Tonight I worked the CHUM Ottawa 5th Anniversary Party which featured a performance by flamenco guitarist Robert Michaels. It was a good time, got in some good networking and the band was great to work with. Sometimes the corporate gigs can be fun.

Order of the Day has been asked to support Hurst in a couple weeks in Ottawa. Hurst is the brainchild of Trevor Hurst (ex-Econoline Crush) and Ross Childress (ex-Collective Soul). It will be an amazing night for sure. Check the band site for all the details.

Check the Photos section for some new additions. Includes the Ottawa Greekfest, Sam Roberts last week and some views from my new experiences in the USA (that's a whole other story...).

August 23, 2005

So it's been a little while. Things got pretty crazy and I lost track of time. The trip up north to Waskaganish was pretty cool. There's a few details in the blog section that I won't bother repeating here, so, if you want, check out the stories in the blog.

Right after I got back from that, I worked an inconsequential weekend car show, and then I started the Ottawa Greek Festival. Now that was a great gig. Amazing food, rings of fire and smashing plates makes for a good festival. It's definitely one I would do again next year. I'll post some photos later this week.

After 10 days of Greek food, I moved across town to do the Ottawa Folk Festival. Nice and relaxing sitting out in the sun listening to quiet music all day, loud and painful in the hotel at night, but it was all good. Got to mix a few really good artists so it was ok.

I acutally have a few days off now. I'm in shock and don't know what to do. It's amazing. Just a bit of calm before the September storm when things get back to normal.

Order of the Day will be playing at the Ottawa Super Ex this coming Friday. Come check it out, free with admission to the fair.

July 25, 2005

I just got word that I'm going up to northern Québec for a few days this week, Waskaganish to be specific. It's a Cree Indian reserve on the edge of James Bay. Should be pretty interesting. I don't know what the show is yet but it should be a good time. I've never been neither that far up north, nor to a reserve and I look forward to the experience.

July 18, 2005

I survived the Ottawa Bluesfest. Everything went well, but after a couple weeks of 4 hours of sleep per night (when lucky), things start to get a little long. I posted loads of pictures in the photos section. Here's the schedule and list of bands from my stage.

The beauty of working the main stage is that none of the bands suck, and there were great surprises from James Bryan, India.Arie, Ruthie Foster and Kaki King, among others. Mixing Daniel Lanois again was also very cool. I got to mix about half the headliners, which I didn't expect; usually they have all their own techs. Getting to mix War was probably the most interesting. It was an intense show with lots of cues to learn at the last minute, but everything worked out and the band was really happy.

All in all the festival was a good time and I look forward to doing it again. Hopefully next year there will be a different hospitality menu though. Two years of chork (not quite chicken, not quite pork) can leave a sour taste in your mouth...

July 2, 2005

Check out some new pics in the photos section. New albums from the Franco Festival and a corporate show I did with Sass Jordan.

The Franco mega-show on June 30th was quite the experience. Thankfully there were two of us mixing monitors, my partner in crime being Frederic St-Onge from Good Sound Advice in Sudbury. We took what looked like a crashing airplane and made it soar at great heights. As I mentioned, there are pics from the show in the photos section. Getting to mix Daniel Lanois was a personal highlight, and I'll be mixing him again in about 10 days. Can't wait for that.

My next gig is the Ottawa Blues Festival. I'll be mixing monitors on the Main Stage this year. I'm really excited about that. It's one of those gigs you always hope for but never really think you'll ever get.

Order of the Day has shows coming up in August, and there will be alot of recording done over the next few weeks. Keep checking the band site for more details and updates.

The new Failsafe Music Company head office will be in Chicago, IL. More details in a couple weeks.

July 2, 2005

Check out some new pics in the photos section. New albums from the Franco Festival and a corporate show I did with Sass Jordan.

The Franco mega-show on June 30th was quite the experience. Thankfully there were two of us mixing monitors, my partner in crime being Frederic St-Onge from Good Sound Advice in Sudbury. We took what looked like a crashing airplane and made it soar at great heights. As I mentioned, there are pics from the show in the photos section. Getting to mix Daniel Lanois was a personal highlight, and I'll be mixing him again in about 10 days. Can't wait for that.

My next gig is the Ottawa Blues Festival. I'll be mixing monitors on the Main Stage this year. I'm really excited about that. It's one of those gigs you always hope for but never really think you'll ever get.

Order of the Day has shows coming up in August, and there will be alot of recording done over the next few weeks. Keep checking the band site for more details and updates.

The new Failsafe Music Company head office will be in chicago, IL. More details in a couple weeks.

June 16, 2005

Just been doing small gigs to stay busy lately. Nothing too exciting. Looking forward to the upcoming festivals. I wish I had something more exciting to report, maybe next time.

The head office of Failsafe Music Company will be moving to the United States in September. We've narrowed the choice down to 2 cities and we'll announce the decision shortly. A satellite office will remain in Ottawa, Canada with the current contact info.

June 1, 2005

Not much to report lately. Haven't worked or played any particularily exciting shows. The Capital's been dead, the freelance world slow.

Order of the Day will be recording soon. Keep an eye on the bands site for updates. Join the mailing list while you're there.

Later this month I'll be working a 10 day stretch for the Festival Franco-Ontarien. Nice festival to start the summer with. Daniel Lanois is the main headliner this year.

The Sam Roberts Band is starting to announce tour dates for the summer. Stop by monitor world and bring me beer. You know you want to.

May 16, 2005

The Order of the Day shows in Kingston and Ottawa last week were a huge success! Thanks to everyone who came out, and it was great to see familiar faces and meet new people. Keep checking the band site for upcoming shows.

There are a few new pics up in the photos section. Highlights are from the Order of the Day show in Ottawa, a crew pic from the War Museum Grand Opening, and some shots from my old band The Prototype on the Vans Warped Tour in 2002. Funny what you can find in an old shoe box...

May 9, 2005

Order of the Day plays their first shows this week in Kingston and Ottawa. This has been a long time coming. Be sure to make it out if you live in one of those towns. They will both be shows to remember. Check the band site for more info.

I posted a few pics from the Motörhead show here. These were taken by the house LD, Lars. Mine will be up in a few days.

I worked at the Grand Opening of the new Canadian War Museum this week. It was a fun few days out in the sun. Go spend a couple days checking out the museum. It's pretty interesting and it will make you think.

Collective Soul put on a great show. Really polished, top notch arena style. I'd be disappointed if it were anything less. It was really cool to hear the songs I used to love so much a few years back. Back in the day, Collective Soul was actually the 2nd real rock show I ever saw; it was at Porter Hall in Ottawa. The first was Van Halen w/Our Lady Peace supporting at The Super Ex in Ottawa.

May 4, 2005

Order of the Day has some shows coming up in Ontario next week. Check the band's site for details.

Motorhead was insane. The word loud doesn't begin to describe it. Check back soon for photos.

Collective Soul tomorrow night at the Capital. Should be a really good show. I'm looking forward to hearing the songs I couldn't get enough of 8 years ago (am I getting old?).

The Sam Roberts Band touring machine is getting ready to start up again. Keep your eyes open for dates throughout Canada this summer. Make sure you come say hi and buy me a beer.

April 26, 2005

I mixed FOH for the Lynn Miles CD Release Party in Ottawa last night. It was a win-to-get-in held at the Majic 100 Studios in the CHUM Building in the Market. Everything went really well. Great band and a great mix, if I do say so myself... :)

Loads of new photos to check out, including Canadian War Museum install, featuring the backwards fighter jet I that I can't get enough of. There's also an interesting shot of a bullet-riddled windshield in a UN vehicle. Freaky stuff. Other new pics are from Rise Against, Hot Hot Heat, The Futureheads and ...Trail Of Dead, all at Capital in the last month.

Latest news for Motohead at the Capital on Thursday: Tripling the size of the PA for a total of a comfortable 53000 watts. Yes, you read it right. 53 Thousand. We expect it will be around 120 dB A weighted, 135-140 dB C weighted. Bring your earplugs.

April 22, 2005

So last night I mixed Hot Hot Heat at Capital. Pretty good show. Unfortunately for them, The Futureheads were supporting and completely blew them away. It was something else. They had their own crew, so I could've spent their set outside getting fresh air, but I found myself glued to the stage and watched the whole thing. It's best summarized by HHH when they took the stage: "We'd like to thank The Futureheads for upstaging us yet again." For my part, I ran out to get the CD this afternoon. Must See live band.

There will be pictures of The Futureheads and Hot Hot Heat posted early next week, along with pics from the new Canadian War Museum.

April 20, 2005

I worked on the install for the new Canadian War Museum today. Lots of really cool gear and I'll have photos of it soon. It looks like it will be a cool place to work at, though all the machine guns and tanks aimed at you feels a bit weird, to say the least. Too bad they built the museum around the fighter jet while it was pointing 180 in the wrong direction... You have to see it to believe it.

Hot Hot Heat tomorrow at Capital. Should be a really good show.

April 13, 2005

There's a few thoughts to check out on the blog if you're up to it.

Order Of The Day has a couple shows coming up in May. All the info is on the site. Check out the new messageboard too and feel free to join the community.

If you live in Australia, check out the Sam Roberts boys live this month. Get the dates here.

If you live in Ottawa, check out Sarah Slean tonight at Barrymore's. It's a must see, in my humble opinion.

March 26, 2005

I have a blog! I'm so web savvy... Check it out here. Leave your thoughts and comments if you feel like it.

Failsafe Music Company has the beginnings of a site too. Still growing, but stop by and let them know what you'd like to see.

There's a song available at the Order Of The Day site. Check it out.

March 23, 2005

I've been working as the monitor engineer for an awards show over the past few days. Rehearsals are done and the Gala des prix Trille D'Or will be broadcast live on Thursday, March 24 at 7:30pm on Radio Canada TV(cable 5 and 12 in Ottawa) and radio. The awards recognize the accomplishments of Franco-Ontarian musicians, and there are definitely some worth checking out. In particluar, the opening sequence featuring Swing is excellent.

March 16, 2005

Check out the new game taking the internet by storm: Where's Tom?. Provided courtesy of Mr. Shawn Scallen.

March 4, 2005

Still home, waiting for the tours to pick up again. I'm spending most of my time at the Capital Music Hall in Ottawa. Lots of good shows, including Xavier Rudd and Steve Earle.

I've also been rehearsing and recording with a new band called Order Of The Day. Watch for shows in the near future.

Check out a band called East Village Opera Company. I did a show with them last week and they were amazing. Opera classics performed as a rock band. Really cool.

I've added a links page. Check it out, it's sure to keep you busy for a while.

Check out the photos page. Just added Oliver Black from Barrymore's Feb. 16/05

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