Trans-Siberian Orchestra from the fourth row

Saw Trans-Siberian Orchestra from the fourth row last night!

Our seats were in the fourth row on the left side of the stage. It was awesome; we could see the band really well, it was like being on stage with them. Great showmanship. They rocked, they were professional, they had a great light show. We could feel the heat from their pyrotechnics. Flame jets! They were classy too, wearing tuxedos with tails.


One of the hallmarks of the approching Christmas season is when I start hearing Trans-Siberian Orchestra music, and I start hearing the song O Holy Night. At the show, it was both in one, since one of the songs they played was an instrumental version of O Holy Night done Trans-Siberian style, on electric guitar.

Mastered Painted Smiles

Painted Smiles is done and mastered. The song is ready for posting to GarageBand.com; I'll take care of that later this week.

I've already put the "finished" version of Heart Like a River to GarageBand.com. I put it in the acoustic genre. Reactions have been slow so far; I've only had one review come in so far. As I recall, the reviews started coming in pretty quickly after I posted The Great Escape earlier this year. I don't know if it's because of the time of year that people just are too busy to be reviewing the music, or if it's because the acoustic genre is a different market from the progressive rock genre and therefore has a different behaviour.

Back to the garage

I haven't been in to my GarageBand.com account for several months, not since the review for The Great Escape started slowing down. I logged into my GB account this weekend, first time in many months, and found that I had a message from a friend with whom I lost contact several years ago, half a dozen unread reviews for The Great Escape, and an invitation from an A&R company in New York to send them my material. Whew.

I'm submitting Heart Like a River to GarageBand.com this week. Next week I'll be getting Painted Smiles mastered and then I'll be submitting that to GB as well.

I like my life today.

Saving the world

Several weeks ago, end of the work day. I pack up my laptop and put on my coat. I have an evening session at the studio, to work on Heart Like a River. "Good night," I say to my co-workers. "I'm off to save the world".

This weekend. Jan's benefit dance. J and I pack up and drive to the hotel where we will stay for the night. I bring a box of Heart Like a River CD's to be sold, proceeds to go to Jan's fund. There is a silent auction. There is goldfish racing. There is dancing, there are speaches. I videotape them. Jan makes a speach. My tape runs out just after she starts. I have another tape, but to unwrap it, replace the tape in the camcorder, will take too long and take me away from from what Jan is saying. I put the camcorder down and give her my full attention instead. She makes a stunning and valiant effort. Her ability to speak is much improved since when I talked to her on the phone about a month ago. She stumbles over her words a few times. She pauses at one point, trying to find the words to express what she wants to say. The audience waits in total silence, gives her the space she needs. Jan finally completes her speach. Everyone applauds.

Near the end of the evening. Jan's sister in-law refers to me as a special friend to the family. Priceless. An honour, a designation I am pleased to hold.

This morning. J and I check out of the hotel. Looking for a place to have breakfast. Decide to stop at the casino. Stuff ourselves at a buffet lunch. Unexpectedly are given two comp tickets for Frankenstein, a rock musical. We eat well and we are entertained well. We came on this weekend to give our generosity at the benefit dance; we receive generosity at the casino.

Almost midnight, we're at home. I am tired and ready to go to bed. J gets a call from her brother. He is in town, for training, he is sick. She boils some water, finds some Neo Citran. "Will you come with me to take the Neo Citran to my brother?" she asks. Is it even an option to say no?

I put on my coat and shoes and find my keys. I guess we're not quite done saving the world yet.

Putting together the Heart Like a River mini-cd

Now that I've completed Heart Like a River, I've been thinking about how I want to present it at the fundraiser. I decided that putting just the one song on a CD won't do it so I've put together a compilation that includes a couple of instrumental mixes I've recorded as well as a worship song that Jan and I recorded a few years ago. When I listened to the compilation, I was totally pleased, if I may say so, I am quite pleased with myself, with the quality of music that is on this compilation. It sounds really damn good, and I'll hold it up to any professionally recorded work.