#graveyard orchestra

[lifeliss]

TONIGHT! I will be joined by The Graveyard Orchestra for a full-band set at Cattivo in Pittsburgh, Pa! Wear your fancy clothes and let's enjoy this tropical 30 degree weather!!!

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!!HOMETOWN GIG ALERT!! Performing with The Graveyard Orchestra on Friday, Nov. 7 at Basement Transmissions in Erie Pa! Doors: 5:30pm All Ages! No drinking. No drugs. No drama.

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The Graveyard Orchestra GOBigWKND

The Graveyard Orchestra stuck by me through this entire, psychotic weekend of highways, byways, parties, performances, theatrics, work schedules, and, naturally, MAYHEM! Brian, our lead guitarist, performed between morning shifts at work (I'm talking 8am, people. A time at which some of us think only happens when we "go to bed really, really late"). It impressed the hell out of me how he went from slouched on his amp, trying to keep his eyes open at HOME Fest, to the TV news anchor he was born to be the moment his microphone turned on. I absolutely love what he adds to the music, as well as the personality of the group overall. He is one of the founding members and, in fact, one of the reasons I thought the name "The Graveyard Orchestra" would be a fitting title for our project. Which was actually quite different when we first discussed an experiment in "satellite bands." Digg-It Dave, our drummer, performed between rehearsals for a theatrical production at PACA Which also happens to be the space where we all meet to rehearse our Graveyard Orchestra set. He's been there since the beginning, since I started playing music, and he's helped provide a backbone for what I'm trying to create. It's so much easier to make music when you're able to groove with a strong beat. Or an exotic beat. Or a militaristic call to arms! He also helped me build the website I'm currently using. Hopefully, we're all planning to be a part of Return of Attack of the PACA. Hopefully, that is not too presumptuous of me to say! Frank Ferko, our 7-string bassist, wrote a whole, really cool song for our set! Called: "Bereft" Okay, so Frank probably has a million songs, right? But I still appreciate him contributing a something like that to The Graveyard Orchestra. And I normally don't like to perform other people's songs. I have to like it an inordinate amount. And I hope you all like the lyrics that I've written... so far... I also really love Frank's enthusiasm for the project overall. And I have a great time chatting with him about band stuff. Especially since I really hope to continue putting on these performances where all four of us can get together, party with our friends, and play some groovy tunes. Pardon my lengthy explanation of why I enjoy our band. I am supposed to be a journalist. Haha. It was a super fun weekend. Thanks guys.

[lifeliss]

I'm at that point of delirious exhaustion where reality starts breaking down.

Time and space no longer have meaning.

And I'm reminded of Matty B and the Dirty Pickles' 2010 New York Tour. I got to tag along as their embedded journalist for the Erie Times-News.

Very little sleep happened. But the times, oh, they were so good and plentiful.

Much love to them for showing me how it's done. I continue to admire and emulate their work. Matt Boland, currently from the band Potwhole, encouraged me to start performing the moment I picked up a guitar. And he will forever remain an inspiration and one of my very first influences. In fact, The song "Meant For More" is about one of the many times Matt & I ended up in NYC together. To be honest, I can't even remember which one.

I'm honored to share a stage with my very close friend, colleague, and ally, Digg-It Dave. We've been performing together since I was too shy to even ask him to accompany me. Luckily, the man loves to play, took the initiative, and started making my music sound better damn near the same moment I finally left my bedroom and got behind a microphone. I love you guys. You are an inspiration. Thank you so much. For the friendship. For the memories. For the music. <3 These videos kinda exemplify I feel right now. But not quite as intense! Matt caught me on camera crying from exhaustion in the video below!