Wednesday, December 31, 2008

January 2009 Newsletter

Somewhere There wishes you a happy new year, one filled with optimism and excellent music. We closed out the first full calendar year with a relatively light program – I took essentially two weeks off during the holidays – but still managed to squeeze in 22 shows last month. Highlights include the arrival of the Leftover Daylight Series (Fridays), bumping up activity to six nights a week; the excellent (if lightly attended) Interface Series with fabulous Montréal turntablist, Martin Tétreault; and a successful Christmas Fundraiser, with edible and monetary proceeds going to the food bank. It was also terrific to host the CCMC reunion residency, and to get to know some of the long-ago membership with whom I wasn’t acquainted like John Kamevaar, Jack Vorvis, and Al Mattes. Somewhere There wishes Al a speedy recovery from long-awaited hip surgery that kept him from the last Sunday in the residency series, and a quick return to music-making.

Looking forward to January happenings, two exciting new residencies are afoot: Odradek (Wednesdays) and the return of Christine Duncan’s Element Choir (Sundays 6pm). Odradek is typically a trio of Michelangelo Iaffaldano, Andy Yue, and Jim Bailey but, for the residency, they’ve augmented the band in some cases with special guests and some delightful and delightfully oddball concepts – see below for details. The Element Choir held one of the very first residencies at Somewhere There and, week by week, filled the place with inclusive and glad-hearted music-making by a variable cast who may not have otherwise been drawn to the studio. I am keen to have them back, to hear how they have changed musically during the last year, and to watch them gear up for new performing and recording projects that may be in the works. Pianist and guitarist Simeon Abbott continues his Thursday-night residency with (at the time of writing) mystery programming. The guest curator for the Leftover Daylight Series (booking one set every Friday) is the rangy and affable guitarist and composer, Holger Schoorl, hot on the heels of his Wednesday-night residency in November and December.

Also, please note that I’m forced to raise the base entry cost to $8 in a hell-bent effort to actually cover my rent. It’s unfortunate that I have to do so, but rest assured that nobody at Somewhere There has ever or ever will turn away listeners who cannot afford the cover. You are welcome!

Click here to see the full calendar.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

News / Leftover Moves

Thanks to those of you who are based in Toronto (for the most part) and who check in readily to see if I’ve made any new postings – and sorry if my failure to post lately has prompted any mild disappointment! It’s pretty clear that I can’t sustain any kind of usefully consistent show reviews as I tried to do about a year ago. So, on some sound advice that’s come out of consultation with some key friends of Somewhere There, I want to establish a different structure.

I plan to write a couple of paragraphs every month as a kind of preview for the month to come. With live music at ST now six nights a week, there will certainly be lots to announce. As always the residency structure will be maintained, with three residencies going on at any one time (Wednesdays 8pm, Thursdays 8pm, Sundays 6pm), and I’ll surely mention whomever will be in residence. This text will be printed not only here, but also on hard-copy newsletters that will be available at ST and will include a calendar such that folks can stick it on fridges – a magnet giveaway should be in the works!

Finally, welcome to the Leftover Daylight Series, which, after five years at the Arraymusic Studio, is moving to ST this Friday, 12 December, 8pm. See the as-always-intriguing programming here, then come out if you’re able for three sets of very fine Toronto creative music.