News from 11/23/04

Thanks to all those who came out to the show at Youth Services -- hope you had as much fun as I did!

Apologies for the site issues. My hosting company seems to be confused about just when the domain renewal process should happen -- hence the warning page that replaced this one over the weekend. Hopefully they'll get it all sorted out in the next few days so it doesn't go away again...

If you're trying to pick a show to come to, I'd highly recommend the next one, at Raven's Bistro on December 4. Since it could be the last one for a while. See the SHOWS page for address & time & stuff.

But things are happening regardless. I've been moonlighting on the solo act -- that is, playing with other musicians and enjoying it -- and hopefully you'll be hearing more about that soon.

And that new issue of News From Around the Bend is imminent. Finally. Really.

Meantime, I'll be looking for a new web hosting company.

-- R

News from 11/9/04

Your Friendly Neighborhood Roadshow Team, closing up shop after the NOLA BookFair.
(left to right: some geek, Jim, Abram, Amber, Eric)

Let's talk about...

... Driving. Specifically, how I'm a little bit sick of it right now. Twenty-five hundred miles in a week can sometimes do that to you.

... Writers. Specifically, how much fun I had touring with three of them last week. They're all in the links section now, and I highly recommend you checking out their stuff.

... Books. Specifically, how mine is finished and you should look into getting yourself a copy. It's got all the lyrics from the first two CDs, pictures, some X-Rays you've seen, some X-Rays you haven't seen, and a bunch of other stuff you've never seen before. Come to a show -- there's one next week -- or email me -- ross @ acousticross.com -- and I'll hook you up.

... Past Shows. Specifically, how much fun I had on the fall tour, and how in four days I played in a coffeeshop, an art gallery, a bar, and a school bus. Really. There was supposed to be a video store in there too, but that show got canceled. Soon you'll be able to read all about it on the Tour Journals page, and I'll post some more pictures there too.

... Upcoming Shows. Specifically, how I'm back at Tulsa Youth Services next week. Free show, good cause, a fun way to spend a Saturday night. I had a blast last time and expect no less this time. Plus, it could be the last solo show for a little while.

... Bands. Specifically, how a new band should be arriving on the Tulsa scene soon, and how they probably won't suck. And how that has a lot to do with the upcoming Acoustic Ross hiatus.

Finally, let's talk about News From Around the Bend. Specifically, how it's been months since a new issue came out, and even longer since I updated the NFATB page here at AcousticRoss.com. It's been a long year -- have I mentioned that? -- but things are looking up. The clippings and donations have been coming steadily and I haven't forgotten about them. And readership may be up a little -- I gave away a lot of NFATB back issues at the NOLA BookFair last week, including a stack donated to the Denver Zine Library. This week I'll be working on the next ish -- number 93 -- and beginning work on some big changes coming to the print version of the NFATB. The NFATB pages here are going to get some redesign too, starting with a somewhat plain index page I've put up today. Bear with me, and I assure you it will be worth it.

News from 10/12/04

First Things First: My biggest, most honking THANKS to everyone who came out to the shows in Denton and Tulsa last week! The 48-hour tour with Wally Pleasant was absolutely worth the gas prices and the sleep deprivation. Hope we can do it again soon!

New Business: Lotsa new stuff on the site today. Particularly on the SHOWS page -- see below -- but the LINKS pages have been retouched a bit as well. Take a look around!

Really New Business: The big tour later this month! Details are on the SHOWS page. We're calling it an exploratory edition of the Perpetual Motion Roadshow. Jim Munroe, an indie author from Toronto, conceived and maintains the PMR, which is an always-different trio of indie authors/zinesters/artists/etc. touring monthly on circuits around North America. It began a year and a half ago with a northeast loop (Toronto, Montreal, Brooklyn, Boston, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, and others) and later added a west coast loop (L.A., San Jose, Portland, Vancouver, Seattle, Ashland, San Francisco, etc.) for the winter months (click the logo for more about the Roadshow and its history).

The version of the Roadshow I'm going on later this month -- me, Jim, and authors from New Orleans and Portland, Oregon -- is a test run for a southeastern loop. Unfortunately, hurricane season being what it's been this year, we had to scale back the original plan quite a bit, and it looks like we'll do four or five of the original 'want list' of eight shows. If things go well, there's a chance this thing could spawn a southeast and a south-central U.S. loop in the future. (That's why you should spread the word to anyone you know in or near Pensacola, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Austin...) Again, head over to the SHOWS page for details.

Other New Business:

The book is almost finished. Final editing this week, then it's all printing and packaging from here out. It'll make its debut on the Roadshow tour.

After the tour, I'll be back to a normal pace with shows in Oklahoma. Seriously.

I'll also be working on some major site modifications. It's time. Don't know if I'll completely catch up on X-Rays again, but I'll definitely get some more posted soon.

And if Dennis, Mike and I follow through on our threats, you'll start hearing about a new band on the scene as well.

As usual, I've got more ideas than time.

And I wouldn't have it any other way. See ya.

-- R

News from 8/25/04

Well then.

That was quite a summer.

So you might be wondering where I've been. Immediately after the last gig on the April tour, I was forced into hibernation in order to serve as the Executive Producer (and Editor, and a number of other things) on this little thing we called "Gimme the Mike! Oklahoma." Maybe you saw an episode or two. Seems like a lot of people did -- we beat pretty much everything but the Olympics in the ratings over our 6-week run. BIG thanks to everyone involved, including all the contestants and everyone who auditioned way back in May. And I was honored to have some fantastic local music luminaries on the judging panel: John Wooley, Chuck Cissel, Mary Cogan & Rusti Love. The live finale is over, the prizes have been awarded, the obligatory complaints are trickling in via email, we're officially in the history books. And it looks like we'll be back, maybe next summer.

(Plus, in the midst of all of that, I packed up and moved my desk at work -- twice -- and both my home and work computers got virused. In a 2-day period. I've got a new one at home now, which is quite nifty, despite the horrible timing of it all.)

Anyway, it's time for "Acoustic Ross" and "TV Producer Ross" to go their separate ways again, and not a minute too soon. "NFATB Publisher Ross" has had a quiet summer too, and he needs to get in gear pretty soon too.

But for now, Acoustic Ross has the helm. We start by catching up on X-Rays again (I just posted #61), with a Fall Tour schedule on the horizon.

And just so you know, the fall tour is going to be another unusual one. It's really more of a press tour -- including two zinesters and an indie author/publisher from Toronto -- and it's going to be a wild ride. If you live anywhere in the American Southeast, get ready -- we'll be there this October.

The Fall Tour will also include the release of another bit of Acoustic Ross merchandise. I think you'll like this one. Think "Text."

But starting in two days, I'm on vacation, and heading to Kansas City and Ohio.

More soon. And I promise you won't have to wait two months this time.

-- R

(P.S. Go Browns)