candle live from starlight

New semi-untitled song we're working on for our next album.


it's a candle in the dark
you light yours - we'll light ours
and as faces emerge from the flame
the light will spread making it's way

and i know you can't leave
but i know you can hear me

please write it down in case we should survive the fires



*thanks for the filming cassie

candle live from starlight

free lunch

At least road is spelled correctly. Now is it spelled or spelt? If 30 seconds of searching on the internet can't answer it, there is surely no answer. Welcome to the future - it doesn't matter if you like it, just try to keep up with it.

We are playing a free outdoor show in downtown Kitchener this Wednesday to help celebrate downtown employee appreciation day. There is music and stores and free lunch involved. You know you are appreciated when you are given free lunch. It's is a bit like saying, "Friend, we don't want you to starve, please have some delicious lunch, on us."

King St. will be shut down between Queen and Ontario. There will be a stage setup in front of Theatre & Co. Will Currie and the Country French will be joining us. Since it is all about downtown, appreciation and lunch - we will be starting things off at 11:15.

Downtown is a place that is changing a lot these days. You should come and check it out.

Hope to see you there!

g.

ps - we are not providing free lunch guys! it's for the downtown employees.

(we still really appreciate you though!)

free lunch

Solar North House

We have some music featured in a video made for Team Ontario/BC entry into the 2009 U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon competition. An instrumental live off the floor take of 5th of November and another piece called 'all aboard' that is floating around in the collective consciousness until it finds a place.

You can check out the video below:



Thanks Jamie!

g.

Solar North House

this Saturday in TO

I drag myself out of bed at 3pm with no motivation whatsoever. What's going on here??

We're very happy to be part of yet another stacked bill, this Saturday (sorry Pete), September 26th at El Mocambo in Toronto.

We are samiched in between two most excellent bands - Final Flash and Ketch Harbour Wolves.

Next Wednesday we are playing a cool outdoor show in downtown Kitchener. I will pony up details for that after Saturday!

Cheers.

g.

this Saturday in TO

Who loves Ponies?

Had a blast sharing the stage with Sex Dwarf and Spirits at Starlight in Waterloo tonight. After a few months time tucked away in the studio, it was amazing to get on stage at a right proper club again. I can't thank you all enough for lending us your ears tonight.

Gushing sentiments aside, werd around the bar was that a bunch of people paid to get in after we had already done our thing. Well guys, I'm sorry that you missed it - but you got to see Sex Dwarf AND Spirits and you know what they say - two out of three ain't bad. If that was your last/only ten dollars and you are seriously crushed, I feel for you though. The economy and such... I don't have ten dollars...

Email us and I'll send you something, or you can get in next time for free? Or something! ...Ponies?

Time for me to be unconscious for about 12 hours.

g.

Who loves Ponies?

361 time machine and Starlight tonight

We played a show at our old home on Victoria Street this past Sunday. What a blast. A bunch of musical people/a band called The Sauce are now living in there. Very cool guys, super fun night.

Tonight we are kicking off Spirits CD Release at Starlight in Waterloo. Our good friends and masters of groove and grime, Sex Dwarf are samiched right in the middle. I believe a crisp purple note of Canadian currency will get you past the door guardian - but they will accept a wrinkled bill too.

It's an early start for us. We'll be on around 830-9.

Hope to see you there!

g.

361 time machine and Starlight tonight

This episode is a feature on one of our favourite and probably most peculiar venue's that we had the pleasure of performing at on our KILL the FORMAT tour earlier last spring. The Big Lebowski fans unite! This place's dance floor/stage floor was made up of old bowling lane wood and the owner even installed a full length, recreational bowling alley in the back of the venue. No auto ball-return though, shucks. If you're ever in the vicinity of Enderby, B.C. we highly recommend the Crispy Chicken Salad at Lorenzo's.

- E

Tamer than Anything purgatory

As promised:



We've received a lot of good feedback about these. We're going to be doing some new songs in alternate arrangements over the next couple weeks.

Enjoy.

g.

Tamer than Anything purgatory

beckoning acoustic

A while back I posted a video of us playing our song The Raft. Here is Beckoning from that same night. I will post Tamer than Anything tomorrow.



and here is the raft for anyone who missed it:



night.

g.

beckoning acoustic

rule #1: don't mix your politiks with your art.

this is the stuff that keeps me up at night.

Why Free-Market Capitalism Will Follow Communism Into the Trash-heap of History.

Part two and three are worth reading too.

g.

rule #1: don't mix your politiks with your art.

Who Loves Horses?

The show with Sex Dwarf and Spirits at Starlight is less than two weeks away.

The band will be getting together to rehearse this week. After a brief post-tour hiatus from playing shows I know we're all 'ants-in-the-pants' to play a gig. I hope you all can make it out.

Doors are at 8pm. We are kicking things off at 830. Come on folks. LET'S DO THIS.

g.


PS - if you've got a second and want to help out - vote for Blanket Sky over at Emission. Kudos!

Who Loves Horses?

fan photo from Elkford, BC

We played two nights in Elkford courtesy of the lovely JP. Great little town. Fantastic pizza next to the venue.

Not sure if this is from $2 highball night. Even a modest tab goes too far when the drinks are that cheap.

Thanks Nikki.

g

fan photo from Elkford, BC

a new song live

This is a song we've been playing since March. We've done it a bunch of ways now, but this is where we're working toward taking it for the album.



Filmed March 20th at Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo. We did a bit of music after a very informative lecture from Marc Kielburger of 'Free the Children'.

The first bit of video is from sound check. Jamie Usas (visuals) just happened to be filming. The audio in it's entirety is from a zoom h2 in the audience. Near the beginning you can hear someone ask, "Should I be videotaping?" The answer is, "Yes." No big deal though because the way it worked out you can imagine that the first bit of video is from the past, but the audio is happening right before your ears! Sensory time travel ladies and gentlemen.

:) We still love you April.

g

a new song live

Thought you guys would like this...



p.

haze transforms into steam

I try and try to keep up on this thing but am super easily distracted. I don't think I'd get anything done if there weren't 3 other people in this band.

We've been recording away. last two weeks haven't been super productive. The wind is picking up and we'll be sailing along in no time. I was just listening to a song of ours from 1998. Wow.

In other EXCITING news... we will be playing with SPIRITS and SEXDWARF at STARLIGHT on SEPTEMBER 17th. Clear your schedules ladies and gentlemen because for $10 it does not get any better! This is going to be an excellent night. Working on my sales pitch - how's it coming?

I have sent out the digital carrier pigeon to collect the details, but have not yet heard back. If/when the details come in I will share them with you. I'm pretty sure it's an early start. 8pmish?

Well. I hope everyone is enjoying the swelter here in KW. Can't wait to get this record to you all.

Cheers.

g.

Ps - I thought this was a pretty cool article. especially about the type of people who seek power/control over others

haze transforms into steam

Studya Vidya 01

here's another little bit of random video. recording some acoustic guitar, me trying to figure out a melody on accordion (not the easiest instrument to figure something out on) Emeri reviewing a drum take and Emeri and I working out some details for a drum part.

These poorly chopped up videos aren't going to replace our "Onward, Downward" series. We just don't have a lot of time to be editing mini movies at the moment. I hope you enjoy this stuff, stay tuned for more.

Cheers.

g.

Studya Vidya 01

more words from the studio

We celebrated Emeri's birthday on Monday with a cherry fritter and some slurpies courtesy of Hilary and Paul.

We are making good progress on drum/bed tracks. Emeri is committing some great takes to 'tape'. Right now I'm really into multiple drum kits/beats happening at once and there'll be some of that in there. It's amixing nightmare, but totally worth it.

Here is a short video clip of what we were working on today.




g

more words from the studio

Drums... drums... drums. Not a whole lot to say but drums. Emeri is starting us off for the next Vacuity album. Weird to say that... the next Vacuity album, I guess there will be a lot of these "albums". You would think that I would be use to making records by now... but I am not. It's different every time.

We'll have some quick little snippets of the new tunes soon enough... stay in touch and check back. Sorry we have been dropping the ball on updates etc. Lots going on, business to music... crazy.


Looking forward to hearing what you guys think, stay tuned.
Thanks
p.

video talk. recording talk.

This past week we met up with our good friend and visual collaborator Jamie Usas. The subject of discussion was music videos and the creation of them. He has some really great ideas that we're all quite looking forward to working with him on. If you've been with us for a while now, you might recall a time when we were shooting a video for 'The 5th of November'. While Jamie was in Rome and we were on our fall tour out west his hard drive containing all of the footage was stolen from his desk. Needless to say, that video is not going to reach completion. That is a tragic shame given that the shots I took during production look pretty promising.

Emeri and I have spent a number of afternoons working on drums and computer beats for a song of ours that we are currently calling, 'Farsight'. For a while it was looking like this one wouldn't make the cut. At this point I cannot say how many tracks will be on our next release. People believe me - I am pushing for an album of at least 10, but if the magic isn't there, it could be an EP of 5-6. Not sure, too soon to tell, to early to try and say.

Maybe some video clips and audio snippets next post. I will try.

Best,

g.

video talk. recording talk.

IRIS birthday.... Piano

Saturday night we played a show at Maxwell's Music House for Carrie and Todd - I.R.I.S. -one year birthday celebration. KW/Hamilton band Spirits headlined the evening. It would be a modest statement to say it was a most excellent night.

We first met Carrie in my shitty old apartment back in 2004. We were just releasing our first record, 'The Middle Ground'. Now here we are 2 albums later and onto number 4.

Oh the places you'll go! A back alley almost as far west as the roads of this country go. Across the parking lot a door opens. A slice of light brightens the pavement. The day's warmth lingers, or is it the cigarette Longevity John - the promoter/owner - is smoking that is making my head light? Suddenly a flood of miniature furrballs pours from the doorway. 14 dogs surround me. I reach for my camera, but the moment has passed.


On Sunday - after moving a van full of gear for the IRIS show - we drove to Walkerton to pick up a piano for our studio. It needs a tune, and a little bit of love, but we're happy to have it aboard. Even if it did break all of our backs. What studio is complete without a piano?

We're going to go make a new album now. Stay tuned for lotsa bits and bites until it's ready for you.

Cheers!

g.

IRIS birthday.... Piano