It's the early hours of the morning and I cannot sleep... in a motel room in Young, NSW. Ruminating on the past couple of weeks...
The Gold Coast Launch at The Basement, Arts Centre Gold Coast, went very well! The band came together for the 1st time in public, the slideshow images were bright & beautiful, the audience were plentiful (having had a worried moment about pre-sales they showed up on the night!)... and it was good! I had not played with a band for years and this felt so good! Unusual lineup, but it works! Sani Bolton is my sidekick I can rely on to not only harmonise perfectly and keep constant with those acoustic instruments but also to take over interacting with the audience when I have to desert the stage to find my hat! Elvis Kernaghan, my son, kept the audience intrigued as he was hidden behind his long blond hair much of the night whilst he played - shredded indeed - but in all the right places to bring sweet melody & expression to the stories, showing much maturity in his playing for one so young; whilst Greg Kernaghan, my partner, added light & shade with percussive rhythms & Chinese cymbals as well as moody bass where needed.
It was great to find we are a real band!!!
Onwards to Sydney to the launch at Foundry 616! Again a great venue with an atmospheric stage - and a grand piano!!! This was a treat! A relaxed great vibe! Everyone settled in with good food & wine, the staff were wonderful and we had a celebration! No slideshow this time - but I didn't feel we missed it... everything flowed. For me this was a real returning to my hometown, with some dear friends whom I hadn't seen for years present. But a big mention has to go to Lynne, whom had been at the Gold Coast Launch also: her train was cancelled so she spent 5 hours waiting at Gold Coast airport before finally flying into Sydney and coming straight to the show!!! The only person - apart from the band & my daughter Arwen - to have attended 2 launches!!! How did the band do? Even better!!! I loved having the baby grand's ivories to tickle (oh I love autoharp & acoustic guitar too... but there is something special about the resonating strings of a real piano) and the band gelled even more - great musicians! There is a video snippet of Born Good on my Facebook page :-)
Now we are headed to Melbourne. ROADTRIP!!!
On Friday night, 12 August, we're having The Melbourne Launch at The Bar of Bengal, Kindred Studios, 212A Whitehall Street, Yarraville VIC 3013, doors open 7pm and we'll be kicking off at 7.30pm. Tickets are only $10... you can buy them in advance http://maryencairns.com/event/1614099/280912921/maryen-cairns-melbourne-launch or on the door. please spread the word!
Very pleased to find that lots of RADIO STATIONS are playing the album! What is especially exciting is that they are all playing different tracks from Femina Australis... so far I have heard that Kate Kelly, Mary Reibey, The Wreck Of The Georgette, Born Good, Caroline, Granny Lum Loy, Smoking Gun and Tarenorerer have all received airplay.The stations are mainly community stations, and all have access to at least 3 tracks through AMRAP AIRIT, so feel free to request a song from your favourite stations :-)
Since it's almost 3 in the morning I guess I'd better try to sleep again!
Best,
Maryen xx zzzzzzzzzzzz....
The Gold Coast Launch at The Basement, Arts Centre Gold Coast, went very well! The band came together for the 1st time in public, the slideshow images were bright & beautiful, the audience were plentiful (having had a worried moment about pre-sales they showed up on the night!)... and it was good! I had not played with a band for years and this felt so good! Unusual lineup, but it works! Sani Bolton is my sidekick I can rely on to not only harmonise perfectly and keep constant with those acoustic instruments but also to take over interacting with the audience when I have to desert the stage to find my hat! Elvis Kernaghan, my son, kept the audience intrigued as he was hidden behind his long blond hair much of the night whilst he played - shredded indeed - but in all the right places to bring sweet melody & expression to the stories, showing much maturity in his playing for one so young; whilst Greg Kernaghan, my partner, added light & shade with percussive rhythms & Chinese cymbals as well as moody bass where needed.
It was great to find we are a real band!!!
Onwards to Sydney to the launch at Foundry 616! Again a great venue with an atmospheric stage - and a grand piano!!! This was a treat! A relaxed great vibe! Everyone settled in with good food & wine, the staff were wonderful and we had a celebration! No slideshow this time - but I didn't feel we missed it... everything flowed. For me this was a real returning to my hometown, with some dear friends whom I hadn't seen for years present. But a big mention has to go to Lynne, whom had been at the Gold Coast Launch also: her train was cancelled so she spent 5 hours waiting at Gold Coast airport before finally flying into Sydney and coming straight to the show!!! The only person - apart from the band & my daughter Arwen - to have attended 2 launches!!! How did the band do? Even better!!! I loved having the baby grand's ivories to tickle (oh I love autoharp & acoustic guitar too... but there is something special about the resonating strings of a real piano) and the band gelled even more - great musicians! There is a video snippet of Born Good on my Facebook page :-)
Now we are headed to Melbourne. ROADTRIP!!!
On Friday night, 12 August, we're having The Melbourne Launch at The Bar of Bengal, Kindred Studios, 212A Whitehall Street, Yarraville VIC 3013, doors open 7pm and we'll be kicking off at 7.30pm. Tickets are only $10... you can buy them in advance http://maryencairns.com/event/1614099/280912921/maryen-cairns-melbourne-launch or on the door. please spread the word!
Very pleased to find that lots of RADIO STATIONS are playing the album! What is especially exciting is that they are all playing different tracks from Femina Australis... so far I have heard that Kate Kelly, Mary Reibey, The Wreck Of The Georgette, Born Good, Caroline, Granny Lum Loy, Smoking Gun and Tarenorerer have all received airplay.The stations are mainly community stations, and all have access to at least 3 tracks through AMRAP AIRIT, so feel free to request a song from your favourite stations :-)
Since it's almost 3 in the morning I guess I'd better try to sleep again!
Best,
Maryen xx zzzzzzzzzzzz....