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- Posted 1/08//08 Well, there goes another year. I hope you all had a enjoyable holiday season and a fun filled New Year's celebration. We had a great time bringing in the New Year at the WAG (Washington Avenue Grill), playing music until 2:00am. Yee Hah! One of my new year resolutions is that I am going to stop saying when the new CD is going to be ready. Rest assured I am doing all I can to get this sucker done but from this point on, all I will say is that it will be finished when it's finished. I'm getting there. I just need to say 'no' to some of the gig opportunities so that I can free up more time for the record. I look forward to seeing you along the road of life in 2008 and wish everyone all the best this coming year. - Posted 11/04//07 A CD of tunes from the live show will be available in the very near future. I'm hoping to get something ready for the The Friends of Lin Cubin Fundraiser on Nov 19th at the WAG. As for the studio CD, it has been a long haul, and I still have a ways to go, but, with any luck, I should have the CD available by the end of February 2008. That will make the CD at least a year overdue. My apologies to those who have been waiting for the release. I wish I could spend all of my time writing music, making records, performing concerts and hangin' with friends and family, but alas, it seems life has a way of swallowing up time. Speaking of time, I'm still spending lots of it playing around town, primarily in some cool and tasty local restaurants. You can find the performance schedule here. I am playing New Year's Eve at the Washington Avenue Grill with the trio. For those interested in joining us you can call the WAG for details and tickets. If you need any VHS to DVD transfers, DVD Authouring, Audio/Video Editing and other such tasks, check out harnettmedia.com. Be well. Neil - Posted 10/04//07 On that note, I want to mention to anyone that has seen me playing in the restaurants that the concert setting is where I am most at home and would encourage you to come out and join us when you can. Although I do enjoy the restaurant gigs there is no comparison between a restaurant gig and what we do in concert. Although it is not unheard of to put on a concert in a restaurant the circuit typically calls for background music only. In the performance lisings I have indicated 'restaurant style' after the restaurant listing to make a distinction between those gigs and concert gigs (just in case I do a concert in a restaurant at some point). I don't want fans or would be fans to come out to a restaurant where I am playing background music expecting a concert. I am definitely looking forward to more concert work. To that end we are heading into the studio this Monday & Tuesday (Oct 8, 9) to advance the CD project. Although I am still a month or two from completion I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel (either that or it's an oncoming train). My very dear freind Ron Gaudet passed away about a week and a half ago. I will miss him dearly. We made a lot of music together and I will never forget him. Ron I hope you have found the peace and happiness you deserve. Play on. I am still playing lots around town in the restaurant circuit and you can find my performance schedule here.If you need any VHS to DVD transfers, DVD Authouring, Audio/Video Editing and other such tasks, check out harnettmedia.com.Be well. Neil - Posted 9/20//07 The concert will open with a short performance by Thelma Gibson, after which Heidy McCurdy will take the stage. After Heidi there will be an intermission and then me and the lads should be underway around 9ish. Doors open at 6:30pm and the show starts at 7:15pm. The concert is a fundraiser for Nite of Hope in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Tickets are available from Coast Capital Theatre (604-536-7535) from 1-5pm, Tuesday to Saturday or at Romancing the Home at 1637 - 128 St, South Surrey (604-542-9600). I believe you can reserve tickets over the phone but I don't think that Coast Capital Theatre is setup for credit card or debit purchases but perhaps Romancing the Home can do over the phone ticket sales. Tickets are $35.00 and the seating is 'Festival Seating' meaning there are no pre-assigned seats. This is a great cause and an opportunity for me and the lads to play in a concert setting. Although there seems to be no end to the roadblocks I have encountered along the way I am still working to complete the new CD. I plan to record the performance at the Coast Capital Theatre event and if it turns out then it will also be available soon. I am still playing lots around town in the restaurant circuit and you can find my performance schedule here. If you need any VHS to DVD transfers, DVD Authouring, Audio/Video Editing and other such tasks, check out harnettmedia.com. Be well. Neil - Posted 8/3//07 The band and I will be playing a fundraiser on September 28th at the Coast Capital Theatre in White Rock. Heidi McCurdy (http://www.heidimccurdy.com) is also on the bill and it promises to be a very musical evening. I will post more information as I receive it. The event is to raise money and awareness regarding breast cancer. I have made a decision to include some cover tunes on the next CD and to release a follow-up CD within a few months. This decision is partly in response to fan requests and will also allow me to honor the many artists and writers that I have enjoyed through the years. I will be playing with the trio at the WAG on Sept 7, 8 and I have plenty of solo and duo work coming up. Check out the performance schedule for more details. If you need any VHS to DVD transfers, DVD Authouring, Audio/Video Editing and other such tasks, check out harnettmedia.com. - Posted 7/18/07 The night before (Friday, July 27), I will be playing solo at the Yellowhouse Restaurant in Kelowna, located at 526 Lawrence Avenue. The Yellowhouse Restaurant is owned and operated by Rob Ahlgren who also owns Beecher Street in Crescent Beach. I start around 7:00pm and will be playing some of my favourite covers along with my original material. The new CD has been stalled for a bit due to the rest of 'life' but I will be getting back to it in early August and hope to have it done by the end of the summer. A little too late for some of the events (i.e. Music in the Park) but better late than never. My multimedia business which involves VHS to DVD transfers, DVD Authouring, Audio/Video Editing and other such tasks has been keeping me plenty busy these days. A couple of big jobs actually contributed to the delay of the new CD. Not that I'm complaining, mind you as I do enjoy working with media. I will post some updates soon regarding the new CD. In the meantime I wish you all peace and joy (tough to find these days). - Posted 6/4/07 I had a great time working with Miles and Graeme and came out of the experience with some very cool bed tracks. For the next phase I will be working 'in house' and in facilities a little closer to home. There is lots of work to be done yet but I am still hoping to have something ready by late summer or early fall. Graeme and Miles produced an awesome CD for Laura Doyle. You can check it out at http://www.lauradoyle.com/. For the 3rd year in a row I will be playing Music in the Park up in Kamloops. If you live there or happen to be going up that way I am playing Saturday, July 28. I believe we start at 7:00pm but will update my schedule as soon as I have more details. Be sure to check out my performance schedule and come by one of the gigs, if you get a chance. In the meantime, be well. - Posted 5/11/07 I'm off to Toronto on May 25th for 5 days to do some writing with my good friend Lewis Nitikman. Lewis just landed a very cool gig as staff writer with Cordova Bay Entertainment Group and has moved to Toronto so this will be a great opportunity to get some tunes shopped. I haven't been to Toronto for many years so it should be an interesting trip and will also give me the opportunity to scope things out for the release of my new CD. The new gig at Cardero's has been going well although it does make for a late night and a long drive. Great staff, great food and a cool view. I'm there most Wednesdays from 9-12:00ish. I am playing this weekend at the WAG with my good friends Rick Clark & Stu MacDonald. Come on out and join us, if you can. - Posted April 15th I start recording the new CD Monday, April 16. If all goes according to plan (hah!) I should have it ready for release by late summer. In the meantime there will be 'on demand' CD-Rs available from the Home Cooked Series. I have recently started playing Cardero's which is a very cool venue and a great restaurant. It looks like I will be there most Wednesdays from 9:00pm - 12:15am.
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NEWS - Posted 4/12//08 OK. I know I haven't updated the news section in some time. It's been a busy stretch. Seems to be that way for everyone I talk to. What the heck is going on? Can't we just chill out now and then - jeesh! I am starting a new gig on Friday, April 25. It's the Kingfisher's Waterfront Bar & Grill in Maple Ridge. You can get there using the Albion Ferry from Fort Langley or via the Maple Ridge exit on Hwy 1. I start at 9:00pm and finish at 12:30. I will be playing there again on May 16, 17. Although I still have lots of work ahead of me to finish the new CD, things are moving along and I will have made some serious headway by the end of April. If all goes well I will launch a new website along with the CD release. Just ahead of the Somewhere CD release I am planning a release of the live show we did at the Coast Capital Theater last September. We are planning to have a release party at a Roaming Soul Club event. It has been way too long since the last Roaming Soul Club event and I look forward to the next one as the debut RSC event was awesome. Here's hoping we will cross paths somewhere along the road of life. Be well and embrace the good things in life. If you need any VHS to DVD transfers, DVD Authoring, Audio/Video Editing and other such tasks, please check out harnettmedia.com. - Posted 8/08//08 As some of you may already know, I am going through a very sad time right now. I have canceled my gigs until further notice. I will update my performance schedule as soon as I can to reflect the changes. My daughter, Amy, is in intensive care in critical condition. I will be supporting my wife and Amy for as long as it takes for Amy to be safely on the road to recovery. I dedicate the following tunes to Amy. These tunes are from the upcoming new CD which is almost complete but will have to be on hold until the end of this crisis. - Neil Posted 9/01//08 My daughter, Amy, is out of intensive care and has been moved to acute care. She is still in a 'light' coma in a hospital in Victoria and I will continue to support my wife and Amy for as long as it takes for Amy to be well on her way to recovering. As soon as Amy is transferred back to the mainland I will finish up the new CD and let you all know when it is available. I will not be returning to full-time performing for some time, I will be performing part-time and will post upcoming gigs at the appropriate time. I dedicate these songs to Amy. They are from the upcoming CD. Be Well. - Posted 10/01//08 (news archives) My stepdaughter, Amy, who is like a daughter to me, was in a very bad 'on the job' accident on August 4th, 2008. She suffered severe head injury, was in a coma for approx 6 weeks, required facial reconstruction and has severe damage to her left eye. Amy started waking up almost two weeks ago and has been talking more and more since then. She is also starting to stand and walk, although she needs lots of assistance and can only last for a short while. Amy is a very strong and feisty gal and we are hoping for the best possible recovery but know that this is just the beginning of a very long road. As such, I will be playing part-time (see schedule) for the next while as I will be spending most of my time with my wife Julia and with Amy. Amy is a precious and rare gem and we love her with all our hearts and will stand by her through her journey to wellness. I will continue to put in time, when I can, to finish up the new CD. It's interesting that many of the songs on the CD are about hope, love and never giving up. As such it is befitting that the CD will be dedicated to Amy's recovery. Here are a few tunes from the upcoming CD. They are dedicated to Amy. Amy, We Love You So Much! Stay Strong Sweetie. NEWS - Posted 12/25//08 We are finally home from Victoria where we've been for the last 4 1/2 months caring for and supporting our daughter in her recovery from a very bad accident. We have a long journey ahead of us but it is good to be home. There will be many changes in our lives but we love doing all we can to help Amy. She continues to be the best part of our day. I will be finishing up the new CD early in the new year and will let you all know when it's finished. It's absolutely mind boggling how many times I've had to put the project on hold but it will happen. The following tunes are dedicated to Amy's recovery and are currently provided as a free download. I will be removing them soon but you will still be able to preview them at my myspace page where you will also find some other tunes. I have also included one of the songs I wrote for Amy when she was still in a coma. It's a very basic recording using one USB microphone directly to mono, one pass, no overdubs. Amy, We Love You So Much! Stay Strong Sweetie. You've come such a long way. NEWS - Posted 6/07//09 (news archives) In my last update I said the CD was in the mastering stage and barring any further hurdles it would be off to the manufacturer within weeks. That was back in mid-March. Well, there were further hurdles because the person I hired to master the CD did not do a good job and left me mopping up the mess. Since then I have re-mastered many of the tracks myself and hired Justin Shturtz from Sterling in New York to re-master the rest, except for 'Never Quit which was mastered my David Jewer from Spin Digital Media. Justin and David did a great job. Along the way I have also been working on the graphics and have hired Gary at Mercury Graphics in Langley to help me finish up. He's been great to work with and I highly recommend him. I will be putting together at least one or two shows once I have the CD in hand and will let you know when and where that will be. Be well. Neil Other places you can find me.
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