“Come On” live by Rain Must Fall (Pittsburgh)

Here is a little video shot on a cellphone of our show in Pittsburgh.  The song is “Come On”, and was written by Hunter our bassist.  We all added our touch to make it a RMF tune.

Click here for the live video!

Rain Must Fall

 

ALDO’S in ALTOONA, PA

The gig went well last night. We rocked out the jams acoustic-style, but full band. The setlist was 45 minutes, we played with a signed band ACALASIA who are also from Altoona. It went very, very well – other than a couple sound issues (which you’ll have as an opening act), but people were very receptive to our original material, as well as our acoustic covers of No Doubt’s “Spiderwebs” and Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me”.

Good stuffs.

These are the Days We Throw Away

In order to fight all my demons, I’m going to need a bigger sword.

It’s Tuesday, the most mundane day of the week. While most of the events today kept me upbeat and smiling, my insecurities and doubts have been patiently waiting in the shadows of my mind for the slightest sign of trouble. Opportunistic, they seem to attack when I’m at my weakest point; the point where I’m more easily brought down.

Depression is kicking my ass tonight. Try as I might, I can’t conjure a positive thought about any situation. It’s like a vail that only allows me to see the dark side of things, filtering out the good for a moment in time. Or during some days, moments, as in plural. I ignore things outwardly, but on the inside I can’t help but create imaginary problems with no solid proof that there is actually something wrong.

There’s a lot of opportunity at my door lately. Band aside, I’m grateful that I’ve found Joe and that he’s stepped into my life like he has. I know he doesn’t realize how important he is to me. It’s hard to explain it, but I think I better not clutch so hard onto it. The territory is dangerous, and I know from experience that good relationships are like quicksilver. You have to hold it gently, with light regard. Otherwise, if you clutch it, it will slip through your fingers and hit the floor. I miss him when I’m at work, and can barely contain myself when I get home to see him.

I don’t however, think anyone would want to be around me all the time. Hell, I know I wouldn’t. I’ve got intense mood swings, I’m scatterbrained, and at times just stupid. Anxiety is to blame. So, I think maybe I need to not be up his ass so much, or I might lose him. Not that he’s come out and said it, but I just know how it works a little better now. That’s the last thing I want. To lose him that is. There’s something about him. My only hope is that he feels the same way about me and that he keeps me around for the long haul. I’d like to do something special for him soon, but I’ve gotta brainstorm to make it really good.

Thanks for listening.

RAIN MUST FALL: Our First Show

Bedford, Pennsylvania isn’t known for many good things, despite it being a pretty well known small town.

About an hour from my home here outside of Altoona, the band collectively decided an acoustic coffee shop gig would be the best route to take for our first show. An hour away from our roots, we took the invitation for a few reasons:

A) We’ve been rehearsing acoustically for the most part, so naturally that’s where we are sharpest at this moment as a band.

B) If we screwed up, it wasn’t going to be as damaging to our reputation seeing as how it’s not our hometown.

C) It was a free gig, with free admission, and we got free lattes!!

Suffice to say, far more people showed up for the show than expected. The girls working the counter said they’d never seen the place so full for a band, particularly on a Thursday. Furthermore, the people that came to the show, most of which were friends and family of various band members (my family didn’t get to come, but they’ll be at our August 8th show), applauded, bobbed their heads and were genuine in enjoying the music. The support was amazing, and people (including ourselves) didn’t want the show to end.

We ended up getting paid afterall, 20 bucks per person, and had a wonderful afterparty. The energy was high for a coffee shop gig, and as you’ll see from the photos, there wasn’t a minute when we sat down. We kept the energy high by moving around and involving ourselves in the music. In that sense, I don’t think it was your average acoustic gig. I think people were a bit surprised at how energetic we were, and I know they were surprised at how GOOD the original material was.

To say we were on an absolute high is an understatement. It was addicting. The friendship we have with one another is outstanding, and the HeBrew’s coffee company handed us the book and asked us to please come again as we were the “best sounding” and “best draw” they’ve had.

And so, the circle is squared. August 8th we play at a bar in Altoona, opening up for Acalasia, a band signed to an LA management company. August 28th we go back for another gig at HeBrew’s, and we may be heading to Pittsburgh in September for a benefit/frat party appearance with Acalasia as well.

I’m sure that more gigs will be filling up the weeks in between, so stay tuned. Enjoy the photos from the show, courtesy of our friend Todd Bennett. (Man was I a hot mess! Somebody turn on the air dammit!)

The Rain Falls Here

My life is a busy one as of late. With a new boyfriend in my life, band practices now four times a week, family dramatics, and work, I’m learning how to manage my time and money a bit better than I had before. I’ve been taking a lot of pictures, and working on artwork as well.

Bills Bills Bills!

My rent is paid. (Not late this month.) And I just paid my overdue comcast bill. I haven’t had internet service for about a week, so I was very happy this week when I started raking in the cash at work. Our competitor resturant is closed this week, so we’ve been getting the extra business which has allowed me to play catch up on all the overdue bills. Such a burden has been lifted already, now to aim for my car insurance and the remainder of my bills!

My Grandfather

My grandfather is in the hospital with kidney damage, and extremely high blood pressure that should’ve and most definitely would’ve stroked him out the other day. His alzheimers has worsened within the past few days and he is in the intensive care unit at a local hospital. Doctors will not allow him to return home. If he makes it through, they are forcing him into a nursing home as he has reached the point of no return in terms of caring for himself.

My Boyfriend

I’ve been seeing Joe for about a month now. We’ve been talking closer to two. Seems like I got a good guy this time, but we’re still in the budding stages of our relationship. The sex is good. The sex is often. And overall, he’s just really good for my soul. He even comes to band practices and has already been to a few family functions. He took me out for sushi last night. He bought me a shirt with fender guitars on it, and overall just seems to think of me and make time for me. He’s pursued me pretty hard, so I feel pretty confident that this relationship could last. There is always that recurring doubt though, when you’ve been in shitty relationships. It turns you into a negative nancy. But when push comes to shove, there is a lot of potential here.

Here’s a photo of him I took the other day at Tytoona Cave. Silly goose.

Band

My band, Rain Must Fall, just had some photos taken in Hollidaysburg, PA at Chimney Rocks. We’ve booked our first gig, an acoustic show in a coffee shop called Hebrews. We’ve finally found the perfect people to fill the other spots, and we are as one. The nice thing is, everything is balanced now and every single person in this band considers it their own!

…stay tuned.

Going On

Well folks, I need some strength. My “bite off more than you can chew, then chew it” theory on life is really wearing me thin lately. Perhaps there’s a reason for it. Perhaps it’ll all pay off in the end. Or, perhaps I’m a damn fool who can’t make up his mind. (I haven’t decided which.)

Aside from drama at my j-o-b unfolding on a daily basis now, many of my favorite co-workers (and people who are very much the backbone of the resturant in its current state) are leaving. Today was JoAnna’s last day, Heather has gone to work at Penn State, and one of the only night dishwashers who was any good is done after tonight. My favorite hostess is also getting out, which brings me to the uncomfortable position of possibly finding a new j-o-b.

I’ve got some ideas, not sure how many I’ll follow through with yet, but all of them include a 20 minute commute, which isn’t too bad I suppose. I’m spoiled though, considering my current work location is a mere 4 minute drive from my apartment.

So, I’m getting ready to go in at 6 to wrap up mixing on the last two tracks of the EP “Burned (acoustic)”, and “Cry With Me (acoustic)”. This will conclude recording for these sessions, and will set us up nicely to begin working on shows, both acoustic and full blown band shows.

Still waiting on the final mixes of Wonder (full band) and Superficial Stain from Steve in Altoona.

Between work, band stuff, and managing my own finances/bills/social life I’ve had little time to fish so far this spring. I’m not complaining in terms of the band stuff. Lord knows it’s been my only relief in these tough times.

The way I see it…if I can survive this recession on my own, I’ll never have to move back home. Ever.

Please wish me luck and prayers in the upcoming times.

Six Years Later

We uploaded the first of what will be three full band tunes onto our gotti, busy, and unprofessional myspace page.

The song, titled Six Years Later kind of has a 90’s alternative feel to it, and is pretty good I think considering that we’ve only just begun!

Full band versions of Wonder, and Superficial Stain will be wrapped up tonight and uploaded as soon as possible. This week Bree, Jarrett, and myself wrap up recording on 6 acoustic tracks for the remainder of the EP tentatively called “Carving on Coffee Tables”. Three of the six tracks are recorded, I go in tomorrow to help my uncle with levels and such – all three of us go in Thursday to record the other three.

All in all we hope to have 9 songs completed, recorded and thrown onto discs by late May.

Stay tuned! And let me know what you think!

Spring Photos

Just a few shots of spring, because I’m in the mood. =)

Mushrooms, Turkey Hunting, and Music

So, the mushroom season is off to a pretty crappy start. My black morel patch was raided recently, and among the missing are many choice morels I was letting grow. We were surprised to find they passed our two yellow morels, the first of the season, as they are still too small to be harvested.

The yellow morels we found are dubbed (by shroomers) as the “Gray Morel”, because this particular phase of the yellow morel looks gray, and ghostly. This color phase of yellow morel is so different that people argue its a different species. Mycologists have discovered it is not however.

Finding the ‘grays’ was nice, because it’s a sign that the yellow morel season is starting. Yellows are easier to spot, and also tend to get bigger than the black morels I have been hunting since March 31st. And, with my black morel patch not yeidling much of anything in the way of blacks this season, I’m looking ahead to my yellow patches in hopes they’ll yield more than the blacks.

The dogwoods are nearing full bloom and spring has arrived. My father, an avid turkey hunter, had a lot of success Monday using one of his own handmade wild turkey calls. He bagged a mature tom with inch and a half spurs and a long 11 inch beard.

Pennsylvania, where wild turkeys see a lot of hunting pressure – hunters are enjoying boutiful turkey seasons because of good wild turkey management. This is thanks in part by the hunters who started programs like The Wild Turkey Federation.

So Jarrett, Bree, and myself all headed to the studio last night to begin work on an upcoming EP we are hoping to have done by mid-May. You see, our friend Cory has a high quality recording studio in his basement, and the bassist from his band (Steve) is basically the engineer, producer, and programmer of the show.

The vocal booth has removable walls, there are a barrage of different mics, pro tools, and tons of equipment I didn’t even know existed. Then Steve played us some examples of his work with another artist, as well as his own bands work, and I must say I was impressed! The three songs we’re recording are going to sound great!

What was exceptionally nice about Steve is the fact that he is a judge of good vocals, and he said I had a really, really, really good voice and that we were going to have a lot of songs recording the three songs. His praises meant a lot to me, because it made me glad I made the choice to grow some balls and start singing in the first place.

So, last night we recorded the scratch tracks for the three songs; Wonder, Six Years Later, and Superficial Stain.

Played to a metronome acoustically, the scratch track acts as a reference guide for everyone as they come in individually to record their parts.

Drums are first. Seeing as how Erik hadn’t been to a practice in over a month, and had just quit the band due to 2 jobs and a girlfriend, our friend Cory is playing drums. He’ll be recording them Wednesday night, and Jarrett will record his bass parts. (Jake, our bassists just started so he doesn’t really know these songs yet.) Friday, Jarrett and Bree come in to record their guitar parts, and then last will come my vocals.

We expect to be done with this within the next two weeks. Recording, mixing, deciding, creating. Steve and Cory’s band leaves for tour in mid May so we’re going to move things right along.

After recording the three tracks, we’ll be recording three acoustic songs at Floyd’s to throw on to the EP for additional material. Once it’s all mixed and completed, we’ll be burning copies and handing them out to everyone to generate hype about us prior to our first show.

And yes…I can send you all some copies too!!

Stay tuned…