Threshold Fesival ’12

So we played at Elevator Studio (bar) today for Threshold Festival ’12 (Robert Mulder band). Over the week, we spoke about a number of improvements we’re gonna work towards to as a band and more to come. I’m currently listening to the recording of “Waste of Space” we recorded at Parr St Studios last Sunday. The feel of it is awesome, you can just groove along to the music and feel how the music transfers its energy to you as a listener. The band chose to do a live recording instead. I think that kinda helped the whole vibe of the song (it’s a really good song!). Click for pictures: Robert Mulder band facebook

So as we proceed further to discuss about upcoming tour plans, I can’t seem to find a reason not to love this band more each day! The band has definitely grown over the past mths of playing together. We’ve got a great pool of musicians and co-producers in the band, I feel our ideas gel together perfectly. Also, after speaking to Keith (lecturer) on Wed and his advice was to just keep gigging, I think that’s exactly what we’re gonna do and it’s actually beginning to pour in; We’re playing at The Caledonia this coming Thursday.

As you know, I’ve been waiting to get some vibraphone lesson, which Tim Pike, after much scouting, managed to arrange and I’ve had 3 lessons with Vidar (LIPA graduate) since the start of the term. I’ve been working on trying to build a repertoire of standards and eventually gigging them. In the current repertoire are: Moanin’, Blues in C, Blues for Gilbert (this is killer). I mean, playing just the melody lines are not a problem, it’s the improvisation part that I have to work on.

I’m gonna also be playing in a musical called “Putting It Together”. There has been 3 to 4 band rehearsals since and I’m really glad that people are beginning to recognise me for the instruments I play (unconventional). Although I have to play some drums occasionally but it’s all in the package (of being a percussionist) isn’t it?

Then I had a few gigs with Orian and Gemma’s band as well. Speaking of the Orian band, we’re in the midst of changing our sounds to sound more “pop-ish”, more like what Ido produced with “Try Hard”. It had this dance feel to it. It’s not bad at all, this new production. She even played it to this A&R guy who came the week before for masterclass and he just told the sound guy to cut the music 15seconds into it because it was too good and would suit the Australia dance scene especially in Brisbane.

Anyway, I felt the change wasn’t as well received by me on Thursday during rehearsal firstly cos I didnt have my usual set of instruments. I was really having a setback that day, like feeling maybe I’m not even meant to be ard anymore. It is to be more electronic now onwards and I just felt that some sounds/effects didn’t suit my liking/is too harsh/sounds fake. However, during the week before, we had 3 gigs and one of them happened to be at the Old Roan which was a 20minute drive from LIPA. Orian felt it was good experience to play to a non-LIPA crowd, kinda like trying to test the water (music). Some people came up to us saying that it sounds different from other stuff they’ve heard which I thought it was great.

And Gemma has had 1 show since we got back, at Mello Mello. I just felt that this gig could have been better and more well rehearsed. The band wasn’t tight together. And now with Leon and Marius out of the band, it’s just Gemma, Dan and myself left in the band. The direction of the band has to improve a little in order to move forward. I mean, Gemma’s got a great voice and her songs are really sweet as well.