Elizabeth Riley Band at le Michel Ange Oct 13, 2012

This is my next gig with Elizabeth Riley Band... it's going to be all kinds of awesomeness. 

Sometimes I wonder if I am crazy to be continuing the music along with the studenting and teaching.  Not to mention the parenting.... things are pretty hectic these days. 

But aaaaahhhhh! there is nothing like the spaciousness of music -

I am especially excited about our rendition of 'Ghost Riders in the Sky' with Sally R. on bass and the space-punk quirkiness of Astronaut Love Triangle.

We will be at le Michel Ange at 35 Laurel St, Ottawa ON ... it's a great space and they've been hosting some exciting events lately.

Insert sexy title here

Can't think of a good title, sorry.

Looking back and ahead... the pictures here are from our Elmdale show April 22nd.  Many thanks to Rob Gilbert for the photography. 

Our next show is in Sharon ON at a one day intentional community called Spiritfest.  That's coming up fast! June 2nd!  Patricia will be running a "Women of Rockabilly" workshop - plus we get to sing and play in the beautiful Sharon Temple in the evening concert!

In other news...

Sarah is in town for a week!  Looking forward to martinis, jamming, and checking out her new outar.

We have a gig booked at THE new hip cafe in Hipsterburg - ah mean - Hintonburg... le MichelAnge - we will be appearing there on October 13, so save the date... playing avec Astronaut Love Triangle and with Sally Robinson opening.

Recently had a practice with Astronaut Love Triangle & Sally R. After a delicious stir fry cooked by Dave, with a dessert of Cherry Garcia ice cream supplied by Patricia, we created some musical goodness. ALT songs we are working on: Large American Car, I Don't Deserve This, and Helen Wheels/Roller Derby song (can never remember the exact title of that song). Plus a cover of Ghost Riders in the Sky... love moaning that one out...hellfire and brimstone sure is fun to sing about.

Sun. April 22nd Elizabeth Riley Band has an Elmdale show - 3 to 5 pm, all ages.

Openers are Heather Farrow and Richard Cote. This duo is a wife-and-husband team with amazing original songs, Ric is great on mandolin and all kinds of other instruments and Heather's voice and songwriting is just incredible. (They normally play with Faraway Star.) So you gotta come hear them.

Then our current Rileys will take over with the help of Sally Robinson on bass. Sally is kind of like a force of nature... judging from our practices so far, she seems to be able to eat, play, sing and crack jokes simultaneously... all while whipping us into shape with her impeccable ear and rhythm.
Here's an old picture of me at the Elmdale... I love the Elmdale...

Shows coming up for Elizabeth Riley Band

A few things on the horizon for us as our hemisphere warms... 

Sat. April 7th Elizabeth Riley Band (duo version - Jen and Patricia) will be part of an Easter Vigil at St. Luke's church on Somerset.  Show (known in the church world as 'service'... do I sound irreverent?) starts at 9.  We'll be playing music on the steps as people arrive, playing and singing along with some of Barclay McMillan's choral singers during the service, and doing a short set afterwards in that beautiful acoustic space during coffee, tea, goodies and fellowship.  Very much looking forward to it.

Sun. April 22nd Elizabeth Riley Band has an Elmdale show - 3 to 5 pm, all ages - openers are Heather Farrow and Richard Cote.  This duo is a wife-and-husband team with amazing original songs, Ric is great on mandolin and all kinds of other instruments and Heather's voice is just incredible.  (They normally play with Faraway Star.)  So you gotta come hear them.  Then our current Rileys will take over with the help of Sally Robinson on bass.  Sally is kind of like a force of nature... judging from our practices so far, she seems to be able to eat, play, sing and crack jokes simultaneously... all while whipping us into shape with her impeccable ear and rhythm.

Then waaaay in June.... June 2nd to be exact, we will be playing Spiritfest, Sharon ON!  It is "the alt/anti festival" with "warm intentional family/community vibe" according to David Rankine.  We are incredibly excited to be participating in this festival and playing in the Sharon Temple, known among musicians for its beautiful acoustic space.  So get out the VW micobus and come join us!

under the covers

Have not been performing or even seeing my band much lately but I've been doing covers by request over on youtube... check it out if ya want.

Astronaut Love Triangle News!

So I was pinching myself not too long ago when the band I'm in, Elizabeth Riley Band, got an email from Astronaut Love Triangle suggesting a collaboration!  We gathered in December for a practice and it was another moment of surreality for me to actually PLAY Astronaut Love Triangle songs WITH Astronaut Love Triangle!  wow.

This is Manny Blue from ALT - she is holding a genuine Salvation Army tambourine and case...

These are three of the four points on the triangle... Dave, Manny Blue and Jimmi Jetz.

We played: Large American Car, I don't deserve this and a new one about a roller derby girl...

Will keep y'all posted as the collaboration continues - they promised to help us 'space-punk' some of some of our numbers...!   :)

Merry Christmas!  Here's one of my favourite songs to sing at this time of year - very lo-fi recording conditions, but the spirit shines through... and by that I mean the materialism of the season (!)