Being Sick Sucks

Well I did it again. I managed to run myself down due to staying up late and too many long days without rest. I should have learned the last time I was sick! Oh well, I'm now taking it easy today, practicing my guitar and flutes, writing a song and getting lots of rest. Too much to do to stop altogether but I have slowed down quite a bit from the norm. Colds are never fun but especially not fun when you've gotta perform, keep the business running and attend shows. Luckily, I was able to crash after my two shows on Saturday and I haven't done too much since. I missed the Great Lake Swimmers show at the Black Sheep yesterday but I don't think anyone would have appreciated a coughing individual in the audience. I guess there's always next time but how I was looking forward to that.

I had a very nice surprise waiting for me when I checked my email this morning! It looks like CD Baby online sales are increasing for the Rozalind and Friends album...I was so happy to see that... a fan in Finland and in Quebec both liked what they heard enough to purchase a copy each. That just made my day. It's such an amazing feeling when people demonstrate that they believe in what you are doing. It makes all the difference. Thank you to all of you who have supported me through the years. I appreciate every bit of your help and will continue to make you proud, that's a promise.

Well, time to go back to bed and take care of this cough. I am determined not to get pneumonia this year...

Love Rozalind

Joel Plaskett, Peter Elkas and Matthew Barber

I'm finally getting caught up with blogging! I was feeling so bad this week about holding off on sending my last touring posts. Now that everything's stored in the laptop, it'll be easier to keep on top of it all.

So I had so much fun last night at the Black Sheep in Wakefield, helping out and selling merchandise for the Peter Elkas, Joel Plaskett and Matthew Barber show. Those guys all did amazing sets. It was the first time I had ever seen Joel and Pete play live. Listening to Joel's new CD "La De Da" as I write - pure magic. Those guys had the audience captivated from the very get go. It was something to watch. Joel and Pete's performance of "Happen Now" gave me goosebumps. After last night's show, Joel, Matt and I hung out upstairs, listening to Joel's interesting stories about his recording experience in Arizona and all about how he purchased his beautiful acoustic guitar. I also had a good chat with Pete earlier that evening about the Island as he recorded his CD "Party of One" with Don Kerr at the Gas Station. I'm really looking forward to recording there this summer.

Fun times...How I love meeting all these new folks. Peter and Joel are performing a second show as we speak and I'm sure it's just as magical as last night's was. Definately check those guys out next time they perform in your city. I can't recommend them highly enough.

Not much more to report for now...I'm taking it easy today, enjoying this gorgeous sunshine and working on a new song. Can't wait until I get better at writing lyrics. So far, I feel like a complete beginner and everything's coming out like I'm in grade 3! All my songwriter friends tell me that it gets easier and I certainly hope so as I suck at it right now!

Talk soon,

Love Rozalind

TO...

in Ottawa, Tuesday April 12, 10am

Wow, fun times in TO…

I am actually writing now that I am home in Ottawa…Had a very busy time in Toronto. Saturday’s show was great. BlueScreen did an amazing set and the Elmo sound technician almost got the sound right for the bansuri. Sound technicians can never seem to get the level right for my bansuri. He did get it really nice for the second song on the classical flute though. I tell you, I just can’t wait until I can afford to hire a good sound person for touring. It makes the whole experience so much easier if you can let someone else take care of those things.

The Disraelis were a real hit at the Elmo as well. What a great band. Lots of energy and such a cool sound. I really enjoyed checking out their set. The guys from Montreal's Brighton had some sweet melodies going as well. Unfortunately, I missed out on Ghostlight as I was showering and eating before the show…Next time…

Saw another great band at Wavelength on Sunday, The Empires. I was really impressed. It was also fun times to hang out with Brad from ISOL and Pete from The Diableros. Great people, good times…what else do you need in life? : )

So now that I’m home, I’m trying to get back on track with all the biz side of things. It never stops but hey, it’s all fun stuff to do. I’ve been so excited about playing the classical guitar lately and it seems as if creativity is pouring out of me right now…very cool.

Gotta embrace moments like these ones and get back to it...

Love Rozalind

The Sleepless Goat

The Sleepless Goat, Kingston - Saturday April 9, 2pm

How I love having a laptop. I’m sitting at the Sleepless Goat, an amazing veggie restaurant in downtown Kingston. Kingston is such a nice place! It’such a sunny beautiful day…I’ve been walking around downtown, checking it all out. I even stumbled upon a farmer’s market this morning which was pretty cool. I wrote a song about my first experience hanging in Kingston while jamming on my friend Chris’s guitar this morning.

Chris was super sweet to let me stay at his place last night. I am always amazed by the generous hospitality people offer me while I’m on the road. Chris left me the best directions for finding his place when I stumbled in at 5am this morning. It’s the little things that I always seem to notice the most, like how Chris posted signs up on the doors and on the floor to direct me to where I was going in his apartment. Lucky me, I got my own room as the Brood and Acorn guys had to share one small hotel room!!! It really helps to have friends in distant cities.

Us Brood and Acorn folks all partied with a bunch of locals last night after the show. It was a lot of fun. I love meeting new people all the time. One definate advantage of being on the road, that’s for sure. So the show was so much fun last night although we didn’t get as many people out as we were expecting and were really rushed to do the sound. The Brood guys wowed the audience and had everyone dancing to their truly addictive high energy tunes. The Acorn guys are sounding really tight and I’m loving the fast tempo tunes they are now writing. I think the Brood energy has been getting under their skin in a good way as their performance last night was extremely captivating. I had so much fun performing “Books” with them. The flute sounds really nice in it. Never got the chance to play with the Poets as was planned due to a rushed soundcheck but expect a guest appearance in the near future and there’s also some talk of recording as well.

OK, I think it’s about time to go…Gotta meet up with Brad and the other blueScreen folks to get to TO for tonight’s show. Such a short stay in Kingston but how I love this place so much already. I could see myself really enjoying spending some time here…

Love Rozalind

Frog Frog Duck!

Grad Club, Kingston - Friday April 8, 9pm

What a fun couple of days I’ve been having. Right now I’m in Kingston with the Elliott Brood, The Acorn and As The Poets Affirm folks. We’re just setting up the sound at the Grad Club and as always, there’s lots of waiting around until the sound’s all ready to go. I love being the flutist in the band – not much gear to carry, little to set up with the sound…it’s pretty cool. Most of my work comes from carrying everyone else’s gear which I never seem to mind. It’s good exercise. But right now, I’m chilling out, listening to good tunes and enjoying some quiet time typing to you as I sit in the green room…

Have I mentioned how much I adore the guys from Elliott Brood? Man, did we ever have a good time driving from Ottawa to Kingston today. Casey is an absolute hoot! He had me in stitches all day and I mean, that kind of laughing that makes your tummy hurt. He was playing this kid’s toy keyboard that Steve bought for his child that’s on the way. It had sounds of frogs, dogs, ducks and birds and this hilarious version of jingle bells. We just couldn’t get enough of Casey’s non-stop entertainment and he was actually coming up with some pretty cool sounds. It was the kind of joke that just keeps going and one that you never grow tired of…I’m sure that they will be joking about the frog duck dog sounds for the entire tour. Too bad my time with those folks ends tonight as I’m having suck a good time. Oh well, more good times to come…The BlueScreen folks are picking me up in Kingston tomorrow for their show at the Elmo tomorrow night. I’m really looking forward to that as well…

I’m discovering the true importance of being on the road with people you enjoy spending time with. It makes all the difference, especially during stressful and challenging situations. When you’re on the road, you spend so much time traveling together and waiting around that it’s always nice to spend that time with people you actually like. For example, traveling with the Brood boys today was so much fun that it kept me smiling all day long and now I’m totally pumped to perform a great show.

I’m thinking that tonight’s going to be packed. There have been so many people here since we arrived and they don’t look like they’re leaving anytime soon. It’s that time of year when all the students are out going for their last pints with their professors and drinking themselves silly. Queens seems like a pretty cool place. The Grad Club staff have definitely been wonderful to us so far…very friendly. Can’t wait to have the show start…

On that note, I better get back to helping everyone out…

Love Rozalind

Playing with Constantines

Since I had such a great time watching Constantines perform in Ottawa last weekend, I thought I would post a few pics of a memorable performing moment with them...

In this photo, I'm playing "Shine a Light" with Constantines at Toronto's Olympic Island show last summer. Sloan/ Sam Roberts/ Death From Above/ Broken Social Scene/ Arcade Fire/ Pilate ...What more could you ask for in one show? One of my absolute fave concerts ever...

A Very Cool Moment

Another pic of a very cool moment...same song...

Imagine me holding a high E on my flute as the Constantine guys hold up their arms and 6000 people are enthusiastically screaming in the audience. What a great moment. One I'll never forget...Ah, to be on the big stage. I itch to do that again soon...

The Final Blow Up - March 26, 2005

The Final Blow Up in TO

I know, I know, it took me long enough! I've been busy! Really, I have been.

So the final Blow Up at the El Mocambo was absolutely amazing! I haven't had that much fun at a party in years! It's seems like everyone who was at Blow Up had an amazing time. It feels like an end to an era, the moment when you feel like nothing will ever be the same again.

DJ Davy Love started Blow Up in 1995, inspired in part by the London club of the same name, as a space to dress sharp and dance late into the night to the latest UK imports mixed with '60s soul and psychedelia. For 10 years, it went strong, being hosted by a bunch of Toronto bars including the Green Room, the El Mocambo and Lee’s Palace. I spent many Saturday nights dancing away at Blow Up with my fellow In Support of Living bandmates after our rehearsals. We always had a great time. Thanks to Davy who put on an awesome party for those 10 years. We're gonna miss it.

The Final Blow Up - March 26, 2005 - El Mocambo

The Bands:

The October Guard
The Long Knives
The Positions
The Gardens Faithful
In Support Of Living
*The Disraelis
*The Empires
*The Diableros
*The 2 Koreas
Headquarters
The Ladies & Gentlemen
Boy Ballz

* my fave bands

And the DJs:

Mike McCann
Darrell Joseph (Bangers)
Matt Blair
Duncan Rands
Adam Gorley
Trevor Young (Mash)
Davy

The Elmo was packed that night with so many outrageously fun and cool people from all over Toronto. And the best part of the night was definately when The Soundtrack of Our Lives from Sweden performed a surprise set!!!

A night to remember...