Hello, Kelly!
The rest of the guys took off in the van to head to Wal-Mart, and I stayed behind here so I could write a journal for you to read! Yay! (I'm also staying behind so I can catch up on How I Met Your Mother, one of the TV shows I follow. Muh hah hah!)
Tonight we started a 4 night run in Moberly, Missouri. We played a rock show tonight, tomorrow we're gonna be Josh's back-up band as he leads worship at this church event, and then Thursday is an off day (Oh, thank God!) and then Friday we play another rock show. So it's gonna be fun to kinda saturate this little town with our rock this week!
Tonight was a lot of fun. It's a Tuesday - usually a bad day for a rock show - but TONS of kids came out tonight! And what's better? They made us feel really welcome by screaming their crazy little faces off. I appreciated that.
I had a bit of a struggle with my guitar rig tonight. Halfway through the show it started cutting in and out, making annoying buzzing sounds and just being quite unpleasant. I had to play the rest of the show like that - it was a drag! But, nobody seemed to be too upset about it.
After the show, I fiddled around with my pedal board and found the culprit. I'm gonna replace that little cable and hopefully my troubles will be gone.
So ... I just wanted to send a shout out to everybody who has helped us out so far on this tour. It's been so wonderful! Seriously, people are giving us money out of nowhere for gas and to eat and helping us repair our van and trailer and everything. This kind of stuff is SUCH a blessing. So, in my own little humble way, THANK YOU!
I was also happy to hear that several different people told me they've been watching our video blogs. I was starting to wonder if anybody ever watches them - but apparently you are. So, that's encouraging.
.... I wonder if anybody read this journal? :) Haha.
Thanks again for stopping by!
Stay classy, San Fransisco!
francy
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Materialism!
Anybody who knows me, hopefully knows that I’m not the kinda guy who obsesses over having the newest kind of phone or laptop or car or whatever. I like to think I’m pretty simple.
BUT – I’ve been hit with one materialistic wave. And I am not ashamed. If I ever have a house of my own, I won’t be happy unless I have this:
BUT – I’ve been hit with one materialistic wave. And I am not ashamed. If I ever have a house of my own, I won’t be happy unless I have this:
We Blew a Tire!
Hello, Kelly!
So I’m going to be honest with you guys:
The tour took a bit of a turn for the worse ... but we’re troopers, so don’t worry about us. Here’s the story ... or at least as much of it as I’m allowed to tell.
First, a show or two got cancelled. And then details like hotels and meals starting falling through. We’ve been sleeping on floors and eating pizza to play shows for years so we try not to get too “rock star” with stuff like that. It’s really unfortunate, but ultimately the people behind pulling the tour together ended up pulling out of the whole thing and high-tailing it outta here. So we, Hello Kelly, were trying to be good boys throughout the whole thing. We do our best to be easy to work with, ya know?
Oh, and then we blew a tire on the trailer. Here are some photos:
And here’s how we dealt with it:
Then later that day, we saw this guy – which made things better:
Okay – so here’s the update for you guys:
The tour is still moving forward – as best it can. Some shows have been cancelled – We’ve updated the SHOWS section, so check that out. But, to keep us busy, we’ve added a couple shows – one in LaCrosse, Wisconsin and a couple in Moberly, Missouri. Following those shows, we’ll still be playing the Louisville, KY show plus the Goshen, IN show. So, if you’re in the area – you can still come out to see us!
It can be discouraging when stuff like this happens. It’s easy to start wondering things like: “Is this really worth it?” “Why are we putting ourselves through this?” “Isn’t there some other sucker band that could be doing this instead?” But once I stopped crying like a little girl and get a grip, I realized that it really is an honour to be out here. I really do believe that when life is easy and good, then something’s wrong.
When that tire blew, I looked up into the bright blue sky and said “thanks”. I think bad stuff happening means that you’re on the right track. Then again, maybe I’m just a glutton for punishment.
I know 2 things for sure though: First, we KILLED it last night in Battle Creek, MI! Second, listening to Michael Buble can ease the most intense of my worries. Geez, this guy can sing .... Mmmmmmmm ...
Aaaaalright, well, enough out of me. I’ll be back with more updates before too long. Thanks for reading!
-francy
So I’m going to be honest with you guys:
The tour took a bit of a turn for the worse ... but we’re troopers, so don’t worry about us. Here’s the story ... or at least as much of it as I’m allowed to tell.
First, a show or two got cancelled. And then details like hotels and meals starting falling through. We’ve been sleeping on floors and eating pizza to play shows for years so we try not to get too “rock star” with stuff like that. It’s really unfortunate, but ultimately the people behind pulling the tour together ended up pulling out of the whole thing and high-tailing it outta here. So we, Hello Kelly, were trying to be good boys throughout the whole thing. We do our best to be easy to work with, ya know?
Oh, and then we blew a tire on the trailer. Here are some photos:
And here’s how we dealt with it:
Then later that day, we saw this guy – which made things better:
Okay – so here’s the update for you guys:
The tour is still moving forward – as best it can. Some shows have been cancelled – We’ve updated the SHOWS section, so check that out. But, to keep us busy, we’ve added a couple shows – one in LaCrosse, Wisconsin and a couple in Moberly, Missouri. Following those shows, we’ll still be playing the Louisville, KY show plus the Goshen, IN show. So, if you’re in the area – you can still come out to see us!
It can be discouraging when stuff like this happens. It’s easy to start wondering things like: “Is this really worth it?” “Why are we putting ourselves through this?” “Isn’t there some other sucker band that could be doing this instead?” But once I stopped crying like a little girl and get a grip, I realized that it really is an honour to be out here. I really do believe that when life is easy and good, then something’s wrong.
When that tire blew, I looked up into the bright blue sky and said “thanks”. I think bad stuff happening means that you’re on the right track. Then again, maybe I’m just a glutton for punishment.
I know 2 things for sure though: First, we KILLED it last night in Battle Creek, MI! Second, listening to Michael Buble can ease the most intense of my worries. Geez, this guy can sing .... Mmmmmmmm ...
Aaaaalright, well, enough out of me. I’ll be back with more updates before too long. Thanks for reading!
-francy
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Jammin' in the Van
Hello, Kelly,
So we’ve been doing a lot of driving over the past couple days, but that’s okay because it’s part of touring! Driving for extended periods of time is one of the best parts of any road trip, and here’s why – THE MUSIC. Yeah, we’ve been having fun with all the different tunes on our different iPods.
Here’s a bit of a playlist of bands that pounded through our stereo yesterday. (I hope you’re impressed with our diversity!)
Aqua
Creed
N*Sync
Eagle Eyed Cherry
Haste the Day
Esoteric
36crazyfists
Here’s a video I put together of James, Ryan and I jamming out to “Heart Love Messenger” by Aqua. At the end of the video, there’s a “Chester” sighting. He’s our roadie, but he doesn’t come out into the public too often. When he does though, it truly is a sight to behold! Check out the video:
I’ve been enjoying listening to all this music and hanging out with the boys because it was one of my tour goals before we started. I think I already blogged about this. Before leaving on tour, we sat down and had a meeting about what goals we wanted to set for ourselves for this tour. We set some personal goals, some band goals, some business goals and some relational goals.
Some of our business goals were to walk out of every venue with 2 new contacts that could lead to another show, or to sell a certain $$ amount per person at the show. Some of the relational goals were to get to know the other bands really well, or to confide in members of our own band that we don’t usually confide in.
It’s easy to get into the van and do nothing but sleep because you’re so relaxed and bored ... so I made one of my goals to never sleep in the van unless I absolutely can’t keep my eyes open. I want to spend this time with the guys either being stupid, making jokes, or having deep conversations or working on some of the things I’m writing. We spend SO much time in this van and sleeping it all away is such a waste.
So, I’m happy to report that a lot of our goals are being accomplished! And, those goals being accomplished is adding up to a bigger goal being accomplished ... basically to have a successful tour where everybody stays happy for extended periods of time. It’s SO refreshing!
The shows COULD use more people though, so ... check the website and come see us rock out!
Miss you!
-francy
So we’ve been doing a lot of driving over the past couple days, but that’s okay because it’s part of touring! Driving for extended periods of time is one of the best parts of any road trip, and here’s why – THE MUSIC. Yeah, we’ve been having fun with all the different tunes on our different iPods.
Here’s a bit of a playlist of bands that pounded through our stereo yesterday. (I hope you’re impressed with our diversity!)
Aqua
Creed
N*Sync
Eagle Eyed Cherry
Haste the Day
Esoteric
36crazyfists
Here’s a video I put together of James, Ryan and I jamming out to “Heart Love Messenger” by Aqua. At the end of the video, there’s a “Chester” sighting. He’s our roadie, but he doesn’t come out into the public too often. When he does though, it truly is a sight to behold! Check out the video:
I’ve been enjoying listening to all this music and hanging out with the boys because it was one of my tour goals before we started. I think I already blogged about this. Before leaving on tour, we sat down and had a meeting about what goals we wanted to set for ourselves for this tour. We set some personal goals, some band goals, some business goals and some relational goals.
Some of our business goals were to walk out of every venue with 2 new contacts that could lead to another show, or to sell a certain $$ amount per person at the show. Some of the relational goals were to get to know the other bands really well, or to confide in members of our own band that we don’t usually confide in.
It’s easy to get into the van and do nothing but sleep because you’re so relaxed and bored ... so I made one of my goals to never sleep in the van unless I absolutely can’t keep my eyes open. I want to spend this time with the guys either being stupid, making jokes, or having deep conversations or working on some of the things I’m writing. We spend SO much time in this van and sleeping it all away is such a waste.
So, I’m happy to report that a lot of our goals are being accomplished! And, those goals being accomplished is adding up to a bigger goal being accomplished ... basically to have a successful tour where everybody stays happy for extended periods of time. It’s SO refreshing!
The shows COULD use more people though, so ... check the website and come see us rock out!
Miss you!
-francy
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Another Update from Francy
Hello, Kelly!
Wanna know what feels weird? Being on tour and not feeling completely burnt out! Don’t get me wrong – it’s not like I wish we DID feel burnt out. It’s just a huge pleasure to be on a tour that’s so organized, professional and easy-going.
I think another part of it is that, before leaving, we had a little meeting and outlined some band goals for this tour and so far everything’s going really well. The goals were stuff like to have as few little band fights as possible, to get to know the other bands more, to spend more quality time with the people at shows and other stuff like that. We play our third show today, but it already feels like we’ve been out for a week.
I guess time really does fly when you’re having fun!
Okay, so here’s the update!
Last night, I took some time to really watch The Great Transparency’s set. They’re a pop-rock band from Ohio … a lot like us, I guess – but mix in a little more Run Kid Run, maybe? Anyway, their set was great! They did a cover of “(I Just) Died in Your Arms” by Cutting Crew. This is a song that I’ve wanted to cover for a LONG time! But after getting over my initial surge of jealous rage, I came around to thinking their version was really great. I loved it. Definitely check them out online.
The bad news is that their lead singer Jeremiah is sick and says he can feel his voice dying. We don’t get a day off for about a week – so it’s gonna be tough on all the vocalists. If you’re the praying type, you should definitely put in a good word for Jeremiah with the big guy upstairs. And then you should leave a sweet comment on their MySpace!
There’s something I need to explain to you guys right now. A while ago, we posted here that we were looking for a lead guitarist. Well, as soon as we start posting live photos and videos, you’re gonna notice something fishy going on. Here’s what happened: Our drummer Josh is actually a GREAT guitarist, so he dusted of all of his guitar stuff and he’s playing lead for this tour. On drums, we’ve got a good friend of ours – Ryan Donais – filling in. He’s incredible, and we sound great! If you’re in the USA, you should definitely try to make it out to a tour date. If you live in Ontario, you’ll have to come to our show in Toronto in October.
So Ryan, Josh, James and Mat all brought their hockey sticks and street hockey balls! The idea was to challenge the other bands to a street hockey tournament, but lately the guys have been practicing by playing against each other. (You know, they have to sharpen their skills before dominating everybody else on the tour.) We’ve got some videos posted now that shows you all of our street hockey fun, so you should definitely check that out!
There will be more updates to come! Until then, keep it straight – you’re doin’ great!!
-francy
Wanna know what feels weird? Being on tour and not feeling completely burnt out! Don’t get me wrong – it’s not like I wish we DID feel burnt out. It’s just a huge pleasure to be on a tour that’s so organized, professional and easy-going.
I think another part of it is that, before leaving, we had a little meeting and outlined some band goals for this tour and so far everything’s going really well. The goals were stuff like to have as few little band fights as possible, to get to know the other bands more, to spend more quality time with the people at shows and other stuff like that. We play our third show today, but it already feels like we’ve been out for a week.
I guess time really does fly when you’re having fun!
Okay, so here’s the update!
Last night, I took some time to really watch The Great Transparency’s set. They’re a pop-rock band from Ohio … a lot like us, I guess – but mix in a little more Run Kid Run, maybe? Anyway, their set was great! They did a cover of “(I Just) Died in Your Arms” by Cutting Crew. This is a song that I’ve wanted to cover for a LONG time! But after getting over my initial surge of jealous rage, I came around to thinking their version was really great. I loved it. Definitely check them out online.
The bad news is that their lead singer Jeremiah is sick and says he can feel his voice dying. We don’t get a day off for about a week – so it’s gonna be tough on all the vocalists. If you’re the praying type, you should definitely put in a good word for Jeremiah with the big guy upstairs. And then you should leave a sweet comment on their MySpace!
There’s something I need to explain to you guys right now. A while ago, we posted here that we were looking for a lead guitarist. Well, as soon as we start posting live photos and videos, you’re gonna notice something fishy going on. Here’s what happened: Our drummer Josh is actually a GREAT guitarist, so he dusted of all of his guitar stuff and he’s playing lead for this tour. On drums, we’ve got a good friend of ours – Ryan Donais – filling in. He’s incredible, and we sound great! If you’re in the USA, you should definitely try to make it out to a tour date. If you live in Ontario, you’ll have to come to our show in Toronto in October.
So Ryan, Josh, James and Mat all brought their hockey sticks and street hockey balls! The idea was to challenge the other bands to a street hockey tournament, but lately the guys have been practicing by playing against each other. (You know, they have to sharpen their skills before dominating everybody else on the tour.) We’ve got some videos posted now that shows you all of our street hockey fun, so you should definitely check that out!
There will be more updates to come! Until then, keep it straight – you’re doin’ great!!
-francy
Saturday, September 20, 2008
The First Update of the Tour
Hello Kelly,
We're finally out on the road again, and it feels fantastic! Last night Josh was a gentleman and offered to sleep on the hotel room floor so that I could have a bed, (there are six of us in this room) so I'm feeling particularily chipper, thanks for a good night's rest. James, Ryan and I woke up early to get free breakfast. Raisin Bran, bagel and a banada = Breakfast of Champions!
We're all really excited to be out here. Yesterday, we woke up at 5:00am in Canada and drove all the way down to Maryland in the USA. The lady at the border wasn't the most pleasant we've ever experienced, but Josh turned on the charm and managed to make her budge. I expected to be there for hours but we were in and out in minutes. Oh, Josh - what a smooth operator ...
By the way - I just watched the Season 3 recap for "How I Met Your Mother" in preparation for Season 4, which starts on Monday - and I can feel the excitement swelling up inside of me. It doesn't equal my excitement for The Office, but that should go without saying. Will Jim propose to Pam after all??? Dun dun dun!!
The other bands on this tour are Eleventy Seven, Manic Drive and The Great Transparency. Yesterday's show was pretty rushed and a little stressful, so I didn't really get a chance to spend time with Manic Drive. (They're running sound and lights on this tour - VERY hard workers!) We DID get to meet the other two bands though, and it was really great. Eleventy Seven's style of music isn't what I normally listen to, but when I saw them perform last night, I think I finally caught the vision for what they're earning and developed respect for those guys. Their new record is really shimmery and poppy, but I was happy to see them still retain that hyper-punk feel for the live show.
They're also REALLY great guys - so that was refreshing. It's encouraging when you show up for the first show and everybody's friendly. Phew.
The crummy part about last night was that the electricity wasn't very reliable. The power cut out for The Great Transparency at the end of the show, and for us right at the beginning. It was a little discouraging to start a show like that, cause - and anyone who's in a band can probably relate - once you lose a crowd, it's SUPER tough to get them back. But, I'm VERY happy to report that even after that little disaster, we put out an extra dose of energy and, by the end of our set, everybody was really into it. Sure, it was a bit of a stressful show with all the power issues, but I was proud of us for pulling it together!
Then the power cut 4 times for Eleventy Seven. Sigh. But they dealt with it like champs. (You really need to come out to a show to see these guys - if for nothing more than to just witness the experience. I can't really describe it with words.)
Sorry about this journal entry coming across as a little spastic. Everybody's yelling at me to shut the computer and get going. Sooooo ... I suppose I should do that.
Talk to you soon!
francy
We're finally out on the road again, and it feels fantastic! Last night Josh was a gentleman and offered to sleep on the hotel room floor so that I could have a bed, (there are six of us in this room) so I'm feeling particularily chipper, thanks for a good night's rest. James, Ryan and I woke up early to get free breakfast. Raisin Bran, bagel and a banada = Breakfast of Champions!
We're all really excited to be out here. Yesterday, we woke up at 5:00am in Canada and drove all the way down to Maryland in the USA. The lady at the border wasn't the most pleasant we've ever experienced, but Josh turned on the charm and managed to make her budge. I expected to be there for hours but we were in and out in minutes. Oh, Josh - what a smooth operator ...
By the way - I just watched the Season 3 recap for "How I Met Your Mother" in preparation for Season 4, which starts on Monday - and I can feel the excitement swelling up inside of me. It doesn't equal my excitement for The Office, but that should go without saying. Will Jim propose to Pam after all??? Dun dun dun!!
The other bands on this tour are Eleventy Seven, Manic Drive and The Great Transparency. Yesterday's show was pretty rushed and a little stressful, so I didn't really get a chance to spend time with Manic Drive. (They're running sound and lights on this tour - VERY hard workers!) We DID get to meet the other two bands though, and it was really great. Eleventy Seven's style of music isn't what I normally listen to, but when I saw them perform last night, I think I finally caught the vision for what they're earning and developed respect for those guys. Their new record is really shimmery and poppy, but I was happy to see them still retain that hyper-punk feel for the live show.
They're also REALLY great guys - so that was refreshing. It's encouraging when you show up for the first show and everybody's friendly. Phew.
The crummy part about last night was that the electricity wasn't very reliable. The power cut out for The Great Transparency at the end of the show, and for us right at the beginning. It was a little discouraging to start a show like that, cause - and anyone who's in a band can probably relate - once you lose a crowd, it's SUPER tough to get them back. But, I'm VERY happy to report that even after that little disaster, we put out an extra dose of energy and, by the end of our set, everybody was really into it. Sure, it was a bit of a stressful show with all the power issues, but I was proud of us for pulling it together!
Then the power cut 4 times for Eleventy Seven. Sigh. But they dealt with it like champs. (You really need to come out to a show to see these guys - if for nothing more than to just witness the experience. I can't really describe it with words.)
Sorry about this journal entry coming across as a little spastic. Everybody's yelling at me to shut the computer and get going. Sooooo ... I suppose I should do that.
Talk to you soon!
francy
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Medieval Times!
So last night, to celebrate my sister's and two brothers' birthdays, a bunch of us went to Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament.
I'd gone one time when I was in Grade 6. But seeing the whole thing again last night was pretty funny. Things I drove home thinking about:
1. Even though I'm allergic to them, horses are pretty smart to know all those moves. I think I'm gonna have a new appreciation for big epic war movies with hundreds of horses on screen at once. (As if I don't already have a huge appreciation for epic war movies. Lord of the Rings? Yessssss!)
2. Those guys playing the knights have to be crazy. What if your partner misses his cue, and raises his shield instead of lowering it, and gets a spiked ball of iron to the face? They must have expensive insurance.
3. Those knights probably think they're pretty awesome, eh? I saw them after the show, leaning against the open bar, drinking beers. And then the Blue Knight started hitting on this poor unsuspecting lady. He was probably thinking: "Hey baby, I'm a knight in a royal tournament!" And she was probably thinking: "Ummmm, gross! You're a desperate little man pretending to be a knight in a royal tournament!"
All in all, seeing animals do tricks and men pretend to kill each other on the field of battle was worth all the sniffling and sneezing I endured from my allergies to horses.
My sister told me that I should find a pretty girl and take her on a first date to Medieval Times. I told her I'm gonna do it someday ... but I'll make sure I have allergy medicine next time. :)
Thanks for reading! We're playing in Michigan today with Superchick!
francy
I'd gone one time when I was in Grade 6. But seeing the whole thing again last night was pretty funny. Things I drove home thinking about:
1. Even though I'm allergic to them, horses are pretty smart to know all those moves. I think I'm gonna have a new appreciation for big epic war movies with hundreds of horses on screen at once. (As if I don't already have a huge appreciation for epic war movies. Lord of the Rings? Yessssss!)
2. Those guys playing the knights have to be crazy. What if your partner misses his cue, and raises his shield instead of lowering it, and gets a spiked ball of iron to the face? They must have expensive insurance.
3. Those knights probably think they're pretty awesome, eh? I saw them after the show, leaning against the open bar, drinking beers. And then the Blue Knight started hitting on this poor unsuspecting lady. He was probably thinking: "Hey baby, I'm a knight in a royal tournament!" And she was probably thinking: "Ummmm, gross! You're a desperate little man pretending to be a knight in a royal tournament!"
All in all, seeing animals do tricks and men pretend to kill each other on the field of battle was worth all the sniffling and sneezing I endured from my allergies to horses.
My sister told me that I should find a pretty girl and take her on a first date to Medieval Times. I told her I'm gonna do it someday ... but I'll make sure I have allergy medicine next time. :)
Thanks for reading! We're playing in Michigan today with Superchick!
francy
Thursday, September 11, 2008
A Bittersweet Day
Hello, Kelly!
So today was my sister's birthday! But instead of being around in the morning to wish her a happy 20th, I was at work. Sigh. (That's right. Us Hello Kelly boys have DAY jobs!) But I quit early, spent some time rehearsing our set with some of the other guys and then I made it back in Orangeville in time to catch dinner with my sister and family! It was a really nice time, and our waitress at Montana's was really pleasant and, let's be honest, she might have been really pretty too. :)
Okay okay okay, seriously though. My sister's birthday is September 11th- but that day is known for something else now. Ever since that crazy intense day 7 years ago, every time I talk about my sister's birthday, I also get this uneasy feeling in my gut. Kinda like that feeling I get when I think about how big kids used to smash my Lego structures - except WAAAAAAAY worse.
As a Canadian, I guess I have a bit of a unique perspective on 9/11 compared to Americans, but those stupid terrorist attacks DID affect everybody on the planet in a pretty substantial way, didn't they? I don't have any kind of dramatic story from that day of heroic triumph or tragic loss - I'm just a dude with a guitar who was nestled safely in Canada away from harm.
But, from my perspective as a Canadian, I guess I just want to extend a hand of unity and a word of prayer to any Americans who might be reading this blog. If you're mourning a loved one, praying for somebody in the war, or just trying to make sense of all the fighting and hatred in this world, I (and Hello Kelly) pray that you would find healing, comfort and peace from God this season.
I guess the point is that if everybody on earth was just nice to each other for a change, then things would be a lot better. I know the old dudes in suits who run the countries probably aren't gonna get that right for a long time ... so maybe it's up to us to just be decent people and love each other. Kinda seems like it shouldn't be that hard, you know?
So I dunno ... let's do that, yeah?
Just a sidenote - the Canadian Gospel Music Association will be announcing the nominees for the 2008 Covenant Awards next Tuesday! We're REALLY hoping to be nominated for one or two things - so don't forget to check back for news on that!
Thanks a lot for reading!
francy
So today was my sister's birthday! But instead of being around in the morning to wish her a happy 20th, I was at work. Sigh. (That's right. Us Hello Kelly boys have DAY jobs!) But I quit early, spent some time rehearsing our set with some of the other guys and then I made it back in Orangeville in time to catch dinner with my sister and family! It was a really nice time, and our waitress at Montana's was really pleasant and, let's be honest, she might have been really pretty too. :)
Okay okay okay, seriously though. My sister's birthday is September 11th- but that day is known for something else now. Ever since that crazy intense day 7 years ago, every time I talk about my sister's birthday, I also get this uneasy feeling in my gut. Kinda like that feeling I get when I think about how big kids used to smash my Lego structures - except WAAAAAAAY worse.
As a Canadian, I guess I have a bit of a unique perspective on 9/11 compared to Americans, but those stupid terrorist attacks DID affect everybody on the planet in a pretty substantial way, didn't they? I don't have any kind of dramatic story from that day of heroic triumph or tragic loss - I'm just a dude with a guitar who was nestled safely in Canada away from harm.
But, from my perspective as a Canadian, I guess I just want to extend a hand of unity and a word of prayer to any Americans who might be reading this blog. If you're mourning a loved one, praying for somebody in the war, or just trying to make sense of all the fighting and hatred in this world, I (and Hello Kelly) pray that you would find healing, comfort and peace from God this season.
I guess the point is that if everybody on earth was just nice to each other for a change, then things would be a lot better. I know the old dudes in suits who run the countries probably aren't gonna get that right for a long time ... so maybe it's up to us to just be decent people and love each other. Kinda seems like it shouldn't be that hard, you know?
So I dunno ... let's do that, yeah?
Just a sidenote - the Canadian Gospel Music Association will be announcing the nominees for the 2008 Covenant Awards next Tuesday! We're REALLY hoping to be nominated for one or two things - so don't forget to check back for news on that!
Thanks a lot for reading!
francy
Monday, September 8, 2008
This past weekend! (update from Josh)
Hey everyone!
Well, Im in a little bit of pain today to be honest. Last week I woke up in the morning and my shoulder kinda hurt. I just figured I slept on it funny or something. As the week went on, I started finding hard to even turn the steering wheel when I'd drive. So I just sucked it up. Well, Saturday night rolled around, and here we are having to rock it for Danny's (our guitar player) last show. I did my best and gave it all I had anyways. Andddddd......it hurt....alot! Not to mention having to play drums in church the next morning (that was even more painful!). Anyways, Im in pain, and sucking it up to keep bringing the rock (and in Sunday morning's case... the worship).
Thanks to everyone who came out Saturday night in Welland. We were bummed TFK couldnt be there, but we all know how these things work sometimes. Sometimes things happen out of everyone's control. But anyways, thanks to everyone who came and packed the place out, and didnt leave when they found out TFK wasnt going to be there! It was one of our favourite shows ever, and big thanks to Nicole the promoter for all her hard work!
Last night I went against all things practical and went to see Starfield in concert with a couple friends. It was an awesome night! I really enjoyed Starfield, and the hearts they have for what they're doing. I got introduced the band after from the promoter, and it turns out the Starfield guys consider themselves Hello Kelly "fans"! I laughed figuring they were joking.. but they certainly werent! They are awesome guys, and be sure to check them out online if you can! We're hoping to set up a tour with Starfield in the new year, which will be tons of fun!
Anyways, thats all for now from me! Looking forward to seeing all you CRAZY and awesome Americans on the Eleventyseven tour next week!
Well, Im in a little bit of pain today to be honest. Last week I woke up in the morning and my shoulder kinda hurt. I just figured I slept on it funny or something. As the week went on, I started finding hard to even turn the steering wheel when I'd drive. So I just sucked it up. Well, Saturday night rolled around, and here we are having to rock it for Danny's (our guitar player) last show. I did my best and gave it all I had anyways. Andddddd......it hurt....alot! Not to mention having to play drums in church the next morning (that was even more painful!). Anyways, Im in pain, and sucking it up to keep bringing the rock (and in Sunday morning's case... the worship).
Thanks to everyone who came out Saturday night in Welland. We were bummed TFK couldnt be there, but we all know how these things work sometimes. Sometimes things happen out of everyone's control. But anyways, thanks to everyone who came and packed the place out, and didnt leave when they found out TFK wasnt going to be there! It was one of our favourite shows ever, and big thanks to Nicole the promoter for all her hard work!
Last night I went against all things practical and went to see Starfield in concert with a couple friends. It was an awesome night! I really enjoyed Starfield, and the hearts they have for what they're doing. I got introduced the band after from the promoter, and it turns out the Starfield guys consider themselves Hello Kelly "fans"! I laughed figuring they were joking.. but they certainly werent! They are awesome guys, and be sure to check them out online if you can! We're hoping to set up a tour with Starfield in the new year, which will be tons of fun!
Anyways, thats all for now from me! Looking forward to seeing all you CRAZY and awesome Americans on the Eleventyseven tour next week!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Hi! I'm Chester the Roadie!
Hello there everybody,
My name is Chester, and I've been helping Hello Kelly out here and there by being a roadie. When Hello Kelly asked me to start posting journals on their website, I was so excited! I'm hoping to write very often about my experiences as Hello Kelly's roadie.
Last Spring I was on their Rock, Hop and Roll tour, helping load gear and change strings. That kinda thing. Heath McNease, the hip hop guy on that tour, even let me play bass with him for a couple shows. That was a lot of fun.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to coming out on the Rage Against Abuse tour in 3 weeks. If you come to shows, you'll have to keep your eyes peeled for me. Come say hi, introduce yourself and we can take a photo together.
I have a big white beard, and usually wear my yellow toque. You can't miss me!
I'll post more journals from the road as often as I can. I hope you're ready to get the inside scoop on Hello Kelly!!
Talk to you soon,
Chester the Roadie!
My name is Chester, and I've been helping Hello Kelly out here and there by being a roadie. When Hello Kelly asked me to start posting journals on their website, I was so excited! I'm hoping to write very often about my experiences as Hello Kelly's roadie.
Last Spring I was on their Rock, Hop and Roll tour, helping load gear and change strings. That kinda thing. Heath McNease, the hip hop guy on that tour, even let me play bass with him for a couple shows. That was a lot of fun.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to coming out on the Rage Against Abuse tour in 3 weeks. If you come to shows, you'll have to keep your eyes peeled for me. Come say hi, introduce yourself and we can take a photo together.
I have a big white beard, and usually wear my yellow toque. You can't miss me!
I'll post more journals from the road as often as I can. I hope you're ready to get the inside scoop on Hello Kelly!!
Talk to you soon,
Chester the Roadie!
Monday, September 1, 2008
The Hello Kelly Mobile Mob
Hello, Kelly!
We're launching our first ever mobile community: The Hello Kelly Mobile Mob at Mozes.com.
Here's how it works. Just text "hellokelly" to MOZES (66937), and then you'll be asked to join our "mob". Once you join, you can receive mobile updates from us when we're in the studio, on the road, or just hanging out. AND you can even text us to let us know your favourite song, your favourite colour or your favourite Dennis Quaid movie.
Also, when you join our "mob", you'll have access to free stuff like ringtones, wallpapers and downloads! Now I can't wait til Christmas so we can start sending Christmas presents right to your phone!
You can also join by using this handy little widget:
Don't forget to send us messages, okay?
Go check out our profile at Click here!!
Thanks for listening!
-francy
We're launching our first ever mobile community: The Hello Kelly Mobile Mob at Mozes.com.
Here's how it works. Just text "hellokelly" to MOZES (66937), and then you'll be asked to join our "mob". Once you join, you can receive mobile updates from us when we're in the studio, on the road, or just hanging out. AND you can even text us to let us know your favourite song, your favourite colour or your favourite Dennis Quaid movie.
Also, when you join our "mob", you'll have access to free stuff like ringtones, wallpapers and downloads! Now I can't wait til Christmas so we can start sending Christmas presents right to your phone!
You can also join by using this handy little widget:
Don't forget to send us messages, okay?
Go check out our profile at Click here!!
Thanks for listening!
-francy
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