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| Posted: February 21, 2012 |
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Do We Amuse You? |
Ciao... Questo fine settimana Mama Kin avuto il piacere di giocare in Woodbridge. Non che tendiamo a stereotipo, ma la città è stato conosciuto peravere il nativo occasionale di origine italiana. |
| Sweetz Lounge is nestled in a small plaza in the heart of Woodbridge, Ontario. From the exterior it doesn’t appear to be all that much, but upon entering you are taken into a quaint little café reminiscent of the old country. Small candlelit tables with assorted plush leather lounge chairs ideal for that ever important family meeting or just going fo’ coff! Again, not trying to sterotype, but I was hearing the theme from the Godfather and anticipating the arrival of Pacino, DeNiro and/or Pesci at any moment. With names like Grosso, Verna, Zenti, and Polito all having been members of Mama Kin at one point or another we felt quite at home, mind you the rhythm section were all desperately trying to assimilate a vowel to the end of their surnames and try and figure out just what the hell Agnello Scottadittois. Apparently its lamb. If only Rochester Pete could get across the border he would have felt right at home. |
| All right first paragraph was just too easy. Upon load in we were greeted by two exceptionally attractive young ladies who would be our hostesses for the evening. Things were looking good. It was decided unanimously that such beauty could only be enhanced by a Mama Kin logo. T-shirts were summoned immediately, however unfortunately we could only accommodate our lovely young new fans with apparel that was labeled extra small, as some of us coyly hid any shirts labeled medium or up. Mind you these young ladies could wear a snowsuit and make me blush like an awkward teenager. They eagerly took their new attire and promptly took scissors to them to accentuate what the good Lord was so kind enough to bless them with. I have never seen our logo look so effective.There wasn’t a guy in the place who didn’t know the name of the band after detailed and careful study. Yes, I know, both were probably young enough to be my daughters and under any other circumstances my only thought would have been “their poor fathers”, but good heavens even Darwin would have taken a glance or two and totally re-thought that entire evolution nonsense. |
| A great big grazie to the owners, patrons and staff (especially the staff!) at Sweetz Lounge, all our friends who graced us with their never ending support, the boys from Elevation for making me nervous, and a supplementari grazie ad Alex per un lavoro eccezionale compilando like you have always been there. Great job!! |
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| Posted: February 7, 2012 |
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Happy Birthday Ainsley! |
Our most recent journeys have kept us relatively close to the GTA, providing us with what would hopefully be simple commutes to and from the club. Being from the suburbs of our great city this isn’t always the case. Especially when instructed that sound check should be completed by 8pm for a 10pm showtime. Not an impossible demand when you have all the time in the world to get there on a Sunday afternoon, but with rush hour on Friday night things can get a little tight. |
| Throw in the responsibilities to children, girlfriends and/or a couple of ex wives and it logistically relates to Custer’s battle plan at the Alamo. The idea seems do-able, just hopefully with better results. |
| When I Google the directions from my residence to our venue de jour our virtual internet gurus provide me with three alternative routes. The first usually includes that stretch of road our provincial government so kindly, and hopefully profitably, sold off to foreign investors. Using the 407 is relatively painless and not a difficult drive assuming you were clever enough to purchase a transponder. I can travel across the entire state of New York for the cost of lunch at Harvey’s but without this dashboard device I am guaranteed in the near future a bill that would rival the cost of my monthly car payment. |
| Option two is allegedly the most financially feasible of the three. It starts with the highway named after our current monarch to the 403, to the 401, to the 410. A definite cost effective route, but due to its popularity this drive will almost surely have me staring at the bumper and tail lights of a transport stuck in first gear for at least 2½ hours of a 45 min travel. While sitting in the latest traffic jam I do have the ability to multi task a little. I can listen to my favorite newscast informing me how many knuckleheads have decided to bang into each other ahead of me, await the inevitable texts from Frank asking me “Where the hell are you?!”, and do the math to see if it would have just been cheaper just to rent a helicopter to avoid all this stress. |
| The final option, although sans tolls and never ending traffic, will have me travel right through downtown, do a couple of loops through Pickering, wind my way up to Barrie and back down to my final destination. While the other options stipulate a distance of say 50km with a travel time of 47mins (yeah right) this route nearly triples the distance and time and would have me still on the road as the band is kicking in to Dream On minus a rhythm guitar player. Now these guys are just messing with me. Glad to see the small fortune your parents paid for you to attend MIT just to create a website that while occasionally helpful is now your video game designed to give me an aneurysm. |
| A great big thank you to Joe Pinto, the staff at Spot One in Brampton, happy birthday to Ainsley hope you like the shirt, Tony Verna for another guitar lesson, Franks friends and family, and Kevin and John from Elevation. |
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| Posted: February 3, 2012 |
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BANG Your Done! |
As 2012 is well under way Mama Kin is rounding into form for another great year of rocking some of our favorite venues as well as some uncharted territory. Speaking of which, the lastest venue to play host to the band was the Duke on Queen St in Toronto. The historical former Inn greeted us with agreat crowd and an eclectic set of music to keep us entertained as we prepared to rock the bar for the first time. |
| Our cordial host and sound man Charlie set the stage with a BANG!. We convened to our spacious change room to relax after sound check whilst listening to the latest sounds on the more than ample amplification system. Being fairly early in the season, we pretty much stuck to the classics save for one minor ommision. Various effects and some extra background vocals were keeping us on our toes, but we stayed the course and gave it all we had. Short and to the point was the order of the day. Our favorite guest Tony Verna was again at the controls of the lead guitar section and as usual wowed the crowd with his exceptional ability. |
| Once the show was complete we all gathered around figuring on what the battle plan was. Pack up the van, wish everyone a safe journey home and plan the next show. Spot One in Brampton will be our next stop on Feb 3 and it is sure to be another Mama Kin adventure. Special thanks to Charlie, all the staff, Andrew Hill for stopping by and a happy birthday to Brad who was rocking from the back of the house. |
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| Posted: January 17, 2012 |
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The Return of Mama Kin! |
It has been long speculated and rumored butno official confirmation had yet to be made.
The social networks had been abuzz with anticipation that the impossible could
become probable. Management could not or would not confirm nor deny the reports. Could Mama Kin actually be ready to return to the stage? Would they be
the band everyone remembered from so long ago or just a sad caricature of their former glory? |
| Since what seemed like endlessly residing in the "where are they nowfile" a reunion was now in the works. Scarves and boas were retrieved from their well kept undisclosed locations.Guitars were unearthed from various gig bags
and pawn shops and band members were summoned from all four corners of the GTA.Not only did everyone eagerly agree to attend
but the lineup would include none other that the incomparable Tony Verna onlead guitar. |
| The venue carefully selected for this monumental evening wasthe Crown & Phoenix in Richmond Hill, site of the now infamous 2006 show that had become stuff of lore. Someone had even un-earthedan authentic poster from that very show to commemorate this auspiciousoccasion. Although a vow of secrecy was held for as long as possible wordquickly spread and
by 9pm, almost 1 full hour before showtime, a select chosen few diehards
were on hand for the final soundcheck and nearly double that were braving thefrigid cold outside on the smoking patio.
Fully aware that this show could possibly go down in history the band wasrequested not to play a sound until the end of the hockey game. Not a single
note wanted to be missed on this legendary night. |
| Prior to the show the band was spotted catching up on their latest whereaboutsand no doubt reminiscing on days gone by. With a final rally cry of "Lets not suck!" the band tore into the first song likeit had been only a mere month and a bit since their last concert.
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| Was this just a one-off show? Will they tour? Can it ever be the same?
When asked his thoughts on the mere possibility that there may be more to comeKevin Strom from Elevation responded, " Who?"
Stay tuned....
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| Posted: December 19th, 2011 |
Happy Holidays |
| On behalf of everyone in Mama Kin we would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We will be hitting the road early in 2012 and look forward to seeing you all when we hit your favorite venue. At this time of year especially remember to always love, never hate and keep spreading that sweet emotion! |
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| Posted: December 2nd, 2011 |
Rockin Port Credit |
| With a year of what seems to be the most successful string of shows todate, it has become tradition to wind down with a small club show at one of ourfavorite haunts Roc N Docs in Mississauga, Ontario. With bigger andbigger shows and further travels than ever before we get back toreminding ourselves we can just plug in a few amps, try some new materialand rock the roof off of any place sans massive backdrops, lights and/orstaging. |
| Steve unveiled a fantastic new drum kit for this particular show and Dombrought out a few of what seems to be a continuous supply of specialty guitarsto fit every occasion. Alan would be so proud. I stuck with my mainstayTelecaster and Vox amp while Mac’s arsenal is coming together quite nicelythank you. All this fit perfectly in to a small corner setup in a very intimateclub. Frank had plenty of room for all his signature Tylerisms that I have justbecome accustomed to after a few years so as to not get whacked in thehead with an errant mic stand if I am standing at a certain spot at aninappropriate time. All in the name of rock and roll. It can become a bit of acontact sport. Brendan Shanahan would have the suspensions flying at some ofour smaller gigs if our band fell under the new NHL rules. All accidental butit can be quite dangerous if I’m not careful. |
| We are always thinking ahead and looking for ways to make our returning guestsalways want to come back for more. With such a large catalogue of material tochoose from we are throwing in a couple of new songs that are sure to bemainstays in the sets. No More No More from Toys in the Attic is the first ofmany we are pulling out and we went through that particular favorite as if ithad been there all along. Many more will be coming but we’ll save that for youto come see for yourself. |
| As always we would like to thank the very hospitable cast and crew at Roc nDocs, Ainsley and Brad for being friendly faces whenever we look into a crowd,and all those who decided to come down and get up close and personal. Our finalstop of the year will be our annual Coulson shows in Sudbury, Ontario which isa sure fire way to close out any year in style. |
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| Posted: November 22nd, 2011 |
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Pete Polumbo strikes again! |
Getting InAs seasoned veterans of crossing from one country to the next, playing a show followed by an immediate return to our homeland, we figured we are prepared for just about any scenario. Multiple questions regarding our destination and intentions upon entering the US are greeted with cordial and honest responses to minimize any suspicions of any wrongdoing on our part. |
| Discouraging any invasive cavity explorations and unnecessary gunfire in our direction are at the very top of our “try to avoid” list. |
| Customs officials come in all shapes, sizes and demeanors. There are the old school, traditional sort leftover from the Eisenhower administration whose sole focus seems to be on the lookout for invading Communists. They don’t seem to be much of an issue as long as we don’t mention we are quite proud that we have universal healthcare. “Damned Socialists!” Sometimes bringing up the game winner in 1972 helps when we thoroughly whipped that Red menace. Normally we encounter the understanding, and empathetic type. They ask all the pertinent questions to fulfill their duties to protect their country and often engage in pleasant conversation about our show and ask if they can get on the guest list just in case they finish their shift on time. On that rarest of occasion we come across the “new guy”. Fresh out of toll booth school and with manual firmly in hand, these young trainees with shined boots and shinier guns are eager to please their superiors by demonstrating they have just single handedly saved the free world and democracy from five long haired musicians in a van. These are the ones that make me nervous. We submit our passports which are then scoured in minute detail as if we had just passed them a copy of the Qur’an. It is then we are informed that our date is listed as Saturday but in Hawaii, which is part of America, it might still be Friday. “Pull over and go inside” are our instructions. Here we beg, plead and grovel to a superior who seems more annoyed that we are taking up their time with such frivolity. Upon release we race off as if we just robbed a bank with no one the wiser. |
| Getting outAt some ungodly hour we approach the border of our home and native land. After a long and grueling night of setup, performance and tear down we are all in the mood to just get home. Approaching a row of well lit, albeit empty customs booths it is usually the norm to have to tap on the window to wake the poor bugger up who has been left to protect, and defend our great country from the doers of evil or people who are bringing home cheap booze and smokes. This is followed by two questions, “Where did you go? ” and “What did you buy?” Their most significant concern is pay money on any and all items you may have purchased while away, other than that “Come on in!” There is that singular situation where the complete opposite is encountered. A welcome wagon so buzzed out on Red Bull, sugar and Starbucks espresso that there is a fear their eyeballs will pop out of their heads or they may just explode right in front of you. They pepper you with questions at such an alarming rate you don’t have time to ponder the first query and try and remember if you are an Aerosmith or Air Supply tribute. All well and good though, as long as we pay up the 3 bucks at the next window we are free to travel as we please. Must have been where Tim Horton got that all night drive through idea when he played for the Sabres.
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| A great big thank you to Tony and all the staff and crew at the Anchor Bar in Henrietta NY, Pete for stopping by and presenting us with what I can only assume was airplane fuel to quench our thirst and all those who dutifully serve and protect the world’s longest undefended border. Keep up the good work!
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| Posted: November 17th, 2011 |
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Joe Tall, the best there is! |
So another show across the great divide that we call Fort Erie border this past weekend. So, after meeting at the 50 road where some of us believe is closer to the US then we think we rearranged our gear, packed in the van and headed south. Once we crossed the border it was a hop, skip, jump and yell to Chuggers! Yes, the bar that takes its name from what they do best! |
| Now playing Chuggers is always fun, but when you get Joe Tall doing sound? Well, you get two things… Great sound and enough dirty jokes to make Andrew Dice Clay blush! After pleasantries were exchanged and bear hugs given we did our best to set up for the show. Little did we know that once we arrived we would be in the middle of a “diaper party”… Yes that’s right a “diaper party”. Now as perverted as that may sound, it’s just another name for a baby shower. A baby shower at a bar named Chuggers? Sometimes the jokes just write themselves! The night proceeds with us going to our standard Canadian hangout Tim Horton’s for a bite to eat and musician-type conversation and then we head back to rock the house! The place gets rocked, we get done, we pack up we say goodbye to Mr. Tall and then we head back across the border as the sun starts to rise in the sky. As we reflect on the night with ringing ears and sore stomachs from laughing, we ask ourselves. Why do we do this? Well, you just read why… All this and we get paid too. Wouldn’t want any other way… Remember Rock and Roll is not for whiners or haters, it’s for people that like to have a good time! See you all next week when we head back over the border to Henrietta, NY to play Anchor bar. Come by and say hello if you are in the neighbourhood.Cya! |
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| Posted: November 3rd, 2011 |
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Westbound and Down! |
In June or July we received a call from our agent asking us if we were interested in a trip out west. The tour would involve one show in British Columbia and two shows in Alberta. We were all for it. Vancouver is a lovely city, I have been told that Banff is gorgeous and Calgary or Edmonton would be new ground for the band. So we signed on the dotted line and thought nothing of it. |
| Now, when the day goes to sleep and the full moon looks
The night is so black that the darkness cooks
Don't you come creepin' around
makin' me do things I don't want to |
| Lo and behold the contracts and flight schedules arrived in September and the tour was on. First show Fort Nelson, BC followed by a show in Grand Prairie Alberta and to be concluded with a one nighter in Peace River, Alberta. Having never been out there myself, I just assumed these must be the suburbs.
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| One minor issue was due to previous commitments Dom was unable to accompany the band so we enlisted Tony Verna to fill in. Tony is the lead guitarist for the incredible Kiss tribute band Destroyer. Not only is he a brilliant guitar player but he and the band go way back having played together on many occasions over the years. The fact he is Italian and he and his singer have been dubbed “the Barley Brothers ” was a huge bonus. Frank had an ethnical equivalent and I had a drinking partner, the line up was set. Tony was in. |
| Can't believe that you need my love so bad
Come sneakin' around tryin' to drive me mad
Bustin' in on my dreams - making me see things I don't wanna see
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| On October 26 we headed frighteningly early to Pearson airport and parked the van in lot A12 awaiting for our park and fly bus. First stop, after a few trips in the air on the ground and back in the air, was Grand Prairie Alberta. “This is just where we pick up the rental car“. The first show is actually in Fort Nelson, British Columbia. We still had a bit of a drive yet. Some one in the office back home has yet to discover Google maps it appears.
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| The Pheonix Theatre was our first show hosted by our promoter Doug Roper, who also happens to be running for mayor in this quaint little town about 100 miles just south of the Yukon (the actual distance was argued several times by the locals as they seemed to not want to go any more north than they absolutely had to). The show was a big success as the crowd danced and sang the whole time. Off to the hotel after a couple of hand shakes and pictures, for a well deserved beverage and some rest before the next show. |
| Better than Fred's in Grand Prairie, Alberta was the venue for our second show. A well known establishment in the heart of town that was a few stop lights and at least two Tim Hortons bigger than our previous engagement. There seemed to be wi-fi so our crew was quite content. Our promoter for this show John was a quieter fellow who didn’t like to say much, talked a little slower than most but wished us well and went about his business adjusting his rifle for a little digital carnage. The Sam Roberts Band, Big Sugar and Wide Mouth Mason were kind enough to pay the town a visit on the same evening which was quite thoughtful. Remind me to send them a Christmas Card. |
| October 29 was my 44th birthday and the day of our final show. I had this overwhelming sense of total euphoria as we raced along the northern highway through some of the most breathtaking scenery I had ever experienced while the haunting vocals and guitar of the opening 12 of the Rolling Stones “Gimme Shelter” blasted through the speakers of our luxury suburban. This was touring at its finest and there was no better way to celebrate being on this earth than to see it up close in all its glory. The Bell Petroleum Centre in Peace River, Alberta was our final stop and we were greeted with a complete sellout with an audience decked out in an vast array of Halloween costumes. Prior to the show we posed for a few pictures, signed a few signatures and then put on a Mama Kin show second to none. We collapsed in our hotel to prepare for the journey home. |
| 'cause you're da green manalishi with the two prong crown
All my tryin' is up - all your bringin' is down
Just taking my love then slippin' away
Leavin' me here just tryin' to keep from following you
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| In the morning we drove to the airport in Grand Prairie for our final trip back to Toronto. The flight to Calgary was a bit bumpy but I had full confidence the boys behind the wheel were in complete control of our vessel and not messing about with the satellite radio or searching for wi fi on their I Phones. I kept saying to myself “Keep her steady boys, we got a show in Buffalo in two weeks”. We finally arrived safely in Toronto on the Sunday evening and patiently awaited our shuttle to the car park. Do yourselves a favor and splurge for the valet as it seems they have an unlimited supply of these vehicles whilst our economy bus was a singular entity, although with a seemingly entrepreneurial spirit. Final destination car park A12 was reached and getting out was a more daunting task than getting in. |
| A great big thank you to Andy at the Booking House, Live Tours, Doug Roper in Fort Nelson (you have our vote), John and Nathaniel in Grand Prairie, Toni in Peace River, Boston Pizza, Judas Priest and especially Tony Verna for an unbelievable job. You are a definite pro and a good friend. Cheers!
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| Posted: October 6th, 2011 |
Back In The Saddle |
| Back at it!
Mama Kin recently took a few weeks off for a little rest and relaxation. Well I did any way, everybody else decided they couldn’t get enough of each other and did some dates together with the classic rock band Next of Kin. A fantastic cover band mixing everything from sixties rock to funk to disco. I am waiting for them to cover Maroon 5’s “Moves like Jagger” that will definitely be a treat! There were a few bits of gear missing upon their return however. Don’t know how that would have happened but there must be some reasonable explanation. |
| We decided to make our return to a great bar called Hollywood on the Queensway. Located, ironically enough, on the Queeensway in Etobicoke, the venue has a great stage, killer lighting and a very capable soundman. Centrally located it gave ample opportunity for local friends and loved ones to come out and see if the rust had shaken off. |
| I myself arrived completely under the weather. A few weeks back we performed with the majority of the band looking like they were ready to be fitted with toe tags and I quickly came to understand what they were going through. As previously stated there are no sick days in this band. I don’t have any delusions that my vast musical talents or undeniable expertise are an integral cog to this wheel however, knowing this sympathetic bunch there is a catastrophic fear that if I so much as sneeze they have three guys on standby and I will be playing bar mitzfahs at the Comfort Inn to get my rock and roll fix. I think Typhoid Mary would have received a warmer reception when I informed the crew I had a case of the sniffles. |
| The show went off without a hitch. We rocked through the sets as though we were in mid tour form and even threw in a couple of requests to keep us sharp. Luckily for me Frank was kind enough to not have us plow straight through another 2 ½ hours straight. I wouldn’t have made it. It is funny how you lose all sense of your surroundings when you are on stage. I felt great the whole time I was playing but once that last chord ended I felt like I had been hit with a sledgehammer and couldn’t move. “Yeah yeah, boo hoo time to pack up the van sick boy and don’t touch anything without gloves, we don’t want to catch whatever you got”! |
| A very special thanks to all the staff and crew at the Hollywood for a fun evening. This week I get to play my hometown of Burlington, Ontario at the Boston Manor for the last of any local shows for next little while. So come on out and play some pool, enjoy some food and drink, and watch North America’s best tribute to Aerosmith. I will be the one with the i.v. drip. |
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| Posted: September 15th, 2011 |
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Rochester Rocks! |
As our exceptionally busy schedule of festivals, shows and travels starts to wind down, this past weekend we had two stops before we slow things down a bit and get to know our families again, or see if we still have one. Over the past several months it has seemed to be an endless procession of pack up, load in, play a show, tear down, head home and do it all over again. |
| It can get a bit overwhelming at times and I don’t think I have unpacked my suitcase since mid April. The stage clothes are becoming that science project at the back of the fridge. |
| First up Friday night at the Green Bottle in Oshawa, Ontario. I took advantage of our local Go Train system to get me to the venue. The train was packed which probably was due to the Film Festival being in town, a baseball game at the dome or all sorts of other events that normal people do to keep themselves entertained. I just thought they were all heading out for a night of Mama Kin. It was discovered upon arrival that more than half the band was not feeling all that great. The majority were sick, feeling like hell, and just wanted to go home to bed. But the show must go on. No sick days in this band. Another tidbit passed our way was that none other than Sir Elton John was playing a mere two blocks away, plus we had a great opening local act called Goldirocks making their hometown debut . With all this competition we plugged in not one, but five new Aerosmith songs for the crowd (well new for us anyway) plus an entire reggae version of Sweet Emotion. |
| Due to logistics I was graciously offered to spend the night at Mac’s house so the next travel day would be a little quicker. Ok I invited myself but he only put up a small argument so it seemed like an open invitation to me. He was very hospitable, throughout the evening he was very eager that I consume as much alcohol as possible and even gave me a blindfold to wear when we got in his car for the ride home. In fact he was quite adamant about that. After a great night sleep I was treated to a fantastic homemade breakfast made special to order just for me. I was made to feel just like one of the family. Although, Mac did seem the whole time to have this look of sheer terror on his face that sort of said, ”Don’t feed him, he wont want to leave!” |
| Off to Rochester. Nola’s Barbecue in upstate NY was our second stop and a venue we have played many times. During dinner our promoter Lisa, came and sat with us sharing stories and welcoming us back. Many times she has put the band up when we were in town. Usually we would stop by her place after the show for a nice cup of tea and have a quiet conversation at her dinner table then off to sleep before the hour got too late. It was odd though, she informed me she had recently moved and when pressed she was quite insistent that she couldn’t share her new address. |
| Frank has recently discovered that when pushed ,the band can play straight through the night with no breaks. So we treated the full house to a non stop two and half hour show. Im starting to get the feeling he just doesn’t want me to have the opportunity to stock up on beer for the second set so come tear down time I am quick to tear down and help pack the van so we can get home without delay. Didn't work. After the show we got all loaded in and headed back to Canada. |
| A great big thank you to all the staff at the Green Bottle, Goldirocks for a kick ass set, Lisa, Pete and all at Nola’s. Mama Kin is on a short, well deserved break until the end of the month so this week Im gonna stop by Roc N Docs on Saturday night to catch Next of Kin. A fantastic classic rock band featuring all the members of Mama Kin except me….That’s odd, probably just a coincidence. |
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| Posted: September 9th, 2011 |
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Born To Ride! |
An advantage of traveling and playing to thousands of people over the years is the variety of audiences we perform to each night. One night its families at an outdoor festival, friends and family at a local venue, then on to a college crowd all wired up for another year of late night study sessions, cramming for exams and being homesick. |
| Ok who's kidding who, keggers, wild frat parties and the discovery that student grants and loans usually only last until the first week of October. Luckily enough for us when we ventured off to pursue our higher education we didn’t have to worry that our juvenile and moronic college exploits would be broadcast for the entire world to see on Youtube or Facebook. We saved that for the band. |
| This past Labor Day weekend we were welcomed to return to the Hog Farm in upstate New York for the annual Hogarosa. An entire weekend of thousands of bikers who thought the best way to enjoy Mama Kin is to stay up for two or three nights partying, pack themselves all into a rain soaked tent and have the band play on Sunday night to finish the weekend off in style. The typical reaction that we are performing for the hardcore motorcyle legions is envisionments of ornery, dangerous and downright scary gang members who would sacrifice you to the Harley gods at the single mention of Suziki or Kawasaki. Nothing could be further from the truth. The most respectful, hospitable and helpful people you ever want to meet. |
| Case in point. Being the designated van driver, I was instructed to reverse our vehicle to the back of the stage so that it would be an uneventful load in and wouldn’t damage any gear due to an excessive amount of rain passed on from Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Sally or whatever her name was. A simple task in normal conditions however this particular navigation had to be maneuvered in a hilly field of mud, in the rain, through hundreds of revellers, between various sleeping accomodations, but most importantly motorcycles! Not just any motorcycles but dearly loved custom designs that meant more to them than any love they have ever had. The owners could tell you the historical and deeper meaning of every nut, bolt and sprocket they applied to their machine with the care a mother has for her child. |
| As I am nervously backing up I discover I have no traction and begin to slide downhill and sideways towards a collection of campsites. Normally taking out a campfire would bother me but during this out of control mudslide with a van attached the only thought racing through my brain was, ”DEAR GOD DON’T HIT THE BIKES!!!!” I couldn’t have cared less if that tent on the left contains 3 nuns, a group of orphans or a puppy. I could live with that guilt. But the slightest chance I even grazed one of these cherished masterpieces was something I know would have ended it all. |
| Thankfully a group all came to my rescue. A half dozen gathered around the van to protect their environment from this geographically challenged guitarist from doing any serious damage. One of the helpful approached the window, kindly peeled my white-knuckled fingers from their ten and two death grip on the steering wheel and said, “Let me do this for ya son, ” I was gently guided to a seat by the stage and comforted with a cold beverage whilst my replacement easily spun the van around like Jim Rockford and wheeled it in for a safe landing without so much as misplacing a blade of grass. Ok I may be exaggerating a little but it was impressive. |
| Now that all the gear was saved from the rain and the audience was saved from me we thanked them with a marathon 4 hour set including any song we could pick off the top of Franks head. They enjoyed every minute of it, dancing and singing along to every tune . A few ladies hopped up on tables to show us their moves and probably distracted the crowd from us, but we didn’t care it was a blast. |
| A very special thank you to the entire crowd for sticking with us, the hosts at the Hog Farm Grott and Ruthie and in particular all the guys who saved me from doing any permanent injury to myself or anyone else. See ya next year. Don’t worry I’ll take a cab. |
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| Posted: August 30th, 2011 |
Happy Anniversary |
| As is usually the tradition, after a string of multiple large outdoor festivals we always finish the trek with a small intimate show at a local bar. Bringing us a little closer to the people and an opportunity to have friends and family see us without having to pack their bags and spend countless hours in a vehicle with a bunch of tired, road weary musicians who just want to sleep in their own beds. So to cap off the summer we have our good friend Phil Naro book us at Roc N Docs in Port Credit. Located on the shores of Lake Ontario just 10 minutes west of Toronto, this venue has become a homecoming staple for us to plug in a couple of amps and keep our show nice and simple. No flashing lights, ramps, risers or sirens just five guys turning up to 10 and making music.
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| I recently have decided to join my brothers and try desperately to become a non smoker. Not only for health reasons but realizing the money I could save would help me afford some of the finer things in life that I have been missing out on. Fancy phones, computers that were made post 1985, food, clothing heat etc… You get the idea. As in previous unsuccessful attempts to rid myself of the nasty habit, gigs always seemed to be the most trying of my nicotine cravings. Surrounded by smokers, free flowing alcohol, and the “hurry up and wait” itinerary that shows entail, keeping myself as occupied as possible seemed to be the best alternative. Maybe I will actually tune my guitar or learn some of the songs. Nah, too much work. I am happy to report the test was passed successfully and not one cigarette touched these lips the whole night. I think I chewed enough gum to keep Trident in business for awhile and perspired like a crack head in rehab but successful none the less.
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| It is always entertaining to see the crowd up close and personal at these venues. They come in all shapes and sizes, young and old, various ethnic backgrounds and orientations, it doesn’t seem to matter. We are an equal opportunity band and we don’t care if you think Justin Bieber is a candidate for the Rock and Roll hall of Fame or you saw Chopin on his first tour. One young gentlemen approached our lead singer during the first set and declared ”I know you can sing Steven Tyler but I bet you cant sing like Robert Plant!”. This kid didn’t look old enough to remember Pearl Jam’s first record let alone Zep but I would like to congratulate his parents on raising him right The gauntlet was thrown. Little did this guy know that he just opened Pandora’s Box and Frank was more than happy to show this young whipper snapper how its done. I began the first few bars of Whole Lotta Love. I have heard Frank sing Plant before but this time it was different, he blew the roof off the place hitting every note like a man possessed . Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
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| Another appreciative patron decided he could repay us by offering up his girlfriend to the stage. A pretty young thing was presented to us like a virgin at the mouth of the volcano. I would be careful about that you may not get her back the way you gave her. She appeared to be young enough to be one of our daughters though and knowing the late eighties and early nineties that is a pretty good possibility. Not to worry son, most of the guys in the band are quite happily married and the ones who aren’t are a little gun shy right now so your precious little cargo was safe with us. For now.
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| A great big thanks to Phil, the staff at Roc N Docs and all the people who let us hit the stage and have some fun. A big congrats to A & B on 18 years of bliss! Thanks for the lift, always great to see you. Next week we hop the border for Hogarossa. A great big, fun gathering that is as enjoyable as it sounds. Better pick up some Nicorette for that one, smokes should be the least of my worries!
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| Posted: August 19th, 2011 |
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AWESOME! |
For the past seven years Mama Kin has made a yearly trek to North America’s rock and roll capitol. New York, LA, Cleveland you ask? Brownville Junction Maine is without question the rowdiest, loyal, diehard music epicentre in existence. Never heard of it? You should visit there sometime. In the heartland of New England this quaint little town amongst some of the most beautiful scenery, annually breaks out its party goggles and does it up big time! |
| Having numerously made this venture, each year we pre plan well in advance the easiest and most economical way to get us all there without killing each other. One year we packed a large 12 seater van with so much gear our knees were up between our ears (and not in a fun way), last year we took 2 separate vehicles and spent a kings ransom on gas alone. So this year we rented a trailer for our ever growing stage set and traveled in an exceptionally comfortable suburban, complete with Satellite radio, an executive perk I was informed , and separate temperature controls for each compartment of the vehicle. Luxury at its finest. |
| With the drive being in excess of 15 hours to Brownville, the boys decided to brainstorm a way to break up the monotony and have a little stop at Greenfields in Ottawa Ontario to do a show, earn a little cash for fuel and say hi to a few friends we havent seen for a while. As usual, whenever Mama Kin comes up with a plan it never goes well. Ottawa was awesome! A great show, wonderful crowd and a fabulous opening act gave us time to eat and prepare for the first of our two show mini tour.Heres where the fun begins. After a rowsing 2 hour set it came to our realization not only do we have to do yet another tear down but follow it with a 10 hour drive through Quebec and into a part of the US that has yet to be discovered by Columbus let alone our Garmin employed tour guide Julie. |
| Finally arriving to our destination we were greeted with hugs handshakes and a menu that would feed an army. Again we came up with a plan. “If we set up the stage now we can still get a few hours sleep before showtime” So we unloaded the trailer, set up a killer stage, took a few obligatory snapshots and reconfigured the ampitheatre into our own. Came up with another plan. “If we set up the backdrop now we can still get 3 hours sleep before showtime” So up went our biggest backdrop, draping across the front of the stage with our logo in plain sight of the entire field and probably half the state.Antlers were suggested but amazingly that plan wasn’t ours. It did look good. So we came up with another plan. “If we eat now we can still have 2 hours sleep and have time for a shower before showtime” So a healthy helping of the most mouth watering bacon cheeseburgers and some rabbit food for Frank was served before we finally went to our cabin in the deepest part of the forest for a reviving 1 ½ hours rest. |
| Showtime. With a somewhat rested and finally clean smelling band we were greeted by the ever faithful Junction gathering for a great show. The weather held up for the most part in spite of Frank’s all in good fun pokes at Mother Nature, while the rest of us got on our knees, prayed and apologized hoping we weren’t in the line of fire at her first lightning bolt directed at our well meaning lead singer. After the show we came up with a plan. ”If we tear down now we can get up real early and be home in time for dinner with our families.” So we tore everything down, re loaded the trailer and headed back to the cabin for what seemed a never arriving slumber. During this time of much deserved and pretty much necessary body recuperation, the two guitar players decided that sleep was far too much over rated. I, in a blurry haze decided that I needed to get up for a bit and walked right out the front door, meanwhile Dom discovered there was plenty of gravity in a wooded cabin especially off the top bunk. Luckily we travel with insomniacs who rescued the pair of us and prevented an unfortunate phone call home informing our loved ones that the two idiots had killed themselves sleep walking! |
| Finally day broke and after a fuel up of the breakfast buffet we headed through Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Quebec and finally into Ontario. Arriving safe and sound & no worse for wear we parted ways and were pretty much glad to be rid of one another by that point and before anyone else in the band came up with yet another plan. |
| Thank you to John and Izzy at Greenfields, and especially the entire Belvin clan for giving us a reason to come up with ideas to do this all again next year! |
| For hire: A well organized person to plan tours for a traveling tribute act. Must be able to multi task, program a gps and ignore idiotic suggestions from band members. Ability to load and unload a trailer is an asset. Please send photos. |
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| Posted: August 9th, 2011 |
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PLaying with Fire! |
Another summer is in full swing and Mama Kin is in the midst of festival season. The best time of year for us as we hit the heartland of America and bring our traveling road show to every corner of the country that will have us. The crowds are larger, the food fantastic and the local breweries are working extra shifts just to quench the thirst of thousands of sun soaked rock and roll fans. |
| The Chadwick Bay Beach Bash in Dunkirk New York located along the shores of Lake Erie towards the Pennsylvania border was the party de jour. The town roped off a large section right by the water, hosted every little league prospect within a hundred miles that had a glove and set up a stage for an evening of musical entertainment. |
| One of the elements we have to plan for during this time of year is the weather. The unbearable equatorial heat that we have had to endure this summer has been something out of a lost chapter of the old testament. Moses and his followers had a more comfortable time in the Egyptian desert than we have had circling the great lakes over the last few weeks. Every time I complain about it I remind my self of my first show with Mama Kin. Racing up highway 69 in a mid 70s van in mid February. The temperature was a mind numbing minus 25, three feet of snow was on the ground and I was clutching my large double double so tight I still have the imprint of Tim Horton’s autograph embedded into my hands. My teeth were chattering so hard I think I lost three fillings. |
| After a lengthy journey and set up it is always good to grab a quick bite early enough so that there is time to digest a small meal before the evenings performance. About 6 pounds of charbroiled meat from every known land mammal was piled onto my plate for my consumption. Appropriately served with a little fried rice and some grilled pineapple, just to prolonge the inevitable coronary, the cook then asked me if I would like a roll with that. A roll? Good lord I think I need a set of fibrillaters to go as a side to this meal. Not exactly a lean cuisine but damn it was good. Note to self, when enjoying an outdoor dinner with a sugar based carbonated beverage always look above into the nearest tree to see if there just happens to be a large hornets nest hovering and multiple insects patiently waiting to share in your bounty. |
| As an added bonus for our well receptive audience, the local township decided to have a little campfire following our performance. Their little campfire was equivilent to their little snack. They piled every skid they could swipe from the local Purina plant and set it ablaze. If Gilligan and the Skipper had built one of these they would have been rescued after two episodes. Atlanta during the Civil War had a small kitchen fire compared to this inferno. The Americans sure now how to do it right. |
| A great big thank you to the township of Dunkirk, Renee and Mark for making the journey and little Jimmy who proclaimed that he is now our number one fan! Next week a quick stop in Ottawa to Greenfields, then it is off to our annual party at the Junction in Brownsville Maine. Home to big trees, big helpings of pulled pork and hospitality that would make you never want to leave. Swing down if you have the weekend off. We will light a little fire to show you the way. |
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| Posted: August 3rd, 2011 |
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STERLINGFEST ROCKED! |
Hey Kinship!
We officially entered festival season this past weekend in Sterling Heights Michigan when we headlined the main stage Saturday night at Sterlingfest. From now till Labour Day weekend we will be playing outdoors at festivals all over the US. and we love it. This was our first visit to Sterlingfest so we didn’t know what to expect but we got way more then we could have hoped for. Click here to see the pics. |
| When we arrived we were treated to a huge stage that allowed us to use every riser and platform Steve has ever built. The stage was so big it even inspired Steve to start work on his masterpiece, the riser of all risers. He sent us CAD drawings of it this morning and we gotta admit it looks awesome. After set up, soundcheck, dinner and quick showers to refresh ourselves we found we had time to walk around the festival and take in the sights. We realized pretty quickly that most people already knew who we were and were pumped about the show so it just added to the excitement we always feel before a gig. After taking several pictures with some lovely local lady’s it was time to get ready. |
| We headed back to get ready for the show and relax for a minute in the comfort of our air conditioned dressing room. A moment to relax in the cool air was just what we needed and then we hit the stage for what turned out to be two and half hours of non stop Aerosmith. We played, we sang, we ran, we jumped, we kicked beach balls, we expended every ounce of energy we had and then, even though we were only supposed to play for 90 minutes, because the crowd was so awesome we played another 45 minutes. There is nothing better then standing on stage and seeing 4,000 people bouncing up and down to the music and hearing their response after each and every song. It’s also very cool to see such a wide range of ages at these family events. From kids getting their first taste of live music to the adults reliving some past moment in time to in one very special case 70 year old Rosemary Debowski who rocked front row centre as hard as anyone else in the audience for the entire time we played, and temperatures were still in the 90’s. She was Awesome! |
| In the end we couldn’t have played another tune if we’d wanted to because we had given away every pick and drum stick we had with us. So to those that didn’t get anything we apologize and we promise we will bring more of everything with us next year, because we've been told by the organizers that for the first time ever they are planing to bring a band back to the main stage two years in a row. |
| Thanks to Mike for having us at your festival, everything was amazing; to the rest of the festival staff for all the hard work and going above and beyond to care of us; to TnT for returning back home and gracing us with your presence and for the great pictures and Sharpies; to all our friends who continue to support us and make it out to shows that are so far from home; to Rosemary for showing us age is just a number; and to everyone who was in the audience Saturday night, we had a great time and we hope you did too. |
| See you all next year or better yet come check us out in Dunkirk, New York this Saturday at the Chadwick Bay Beach Bash.
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| Posted: July 18th, 2011 |
Playing Margaritaville |
| Sorry no pics this week. Four guys forgot to bring a camera and the one that did forgot to recharge the batteries.
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| This past weekend we were cordially invited by our very own ‘special agent’ to play a last minute booking at a brand new venue in St Thomas called Kenny Iguanas. Now I am not particularly sure if the native habitat for any type of cold blooded reptile is south western Ontario, but the name of a venue is irrelevant as long as the people show up. Located in a small suburb of London, the club should be fairly simple to find as long as the town doesn’t decide to give the same name to pretty much every avenue, lane, crescent and boulevard.
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| One of the perks of playing in Mama Kin is certain venues will generously offer to complimentarily feed the band as techs, soundmen and crew scramble to locate and improvise mic and cable placements for the ideal sonic quality to recreate the best of Aerosmith. Generally we are instructed to limit our orders to small appetizers or whatever the resident cook feels was unservable to the general public, however, our gracious host was kind, or foolish enough to give us free reign of one of the most intriguing menus. Word to the wise, if you are going to be standing behind your singer for the duration of the evening it is highly suggested as a band you should veto the plan for him to order the Mexican Platter. We personally recommend the ever changing daily grilled cheese.
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| Having played with the band for several years it would be safe to assume that after voracious study of the music and countless, vigorous rehearsals, the show should at this point be ingrained into my subconscious. Our fearless leader usually has other plans to make things interesting. The free lyric substitution can often keep me in stitches throughout the show and Frank has unfortunately discovered if he randomly calls out songs, whether we know them or not, we can usually recreate a reasonable facsimile. Watching Mac fiercely shake his head indicating that a particular song is probably not a good idea then Frank smiling and leading the count in to the said song is pure comic genius. Kind of like telling your four year old “You better not eat that cookie!” As I am giggling uncontrollably it comes to my attention that I probably don’t know this tune and I better fake something and fast.
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| A very special thanks to Joe Brett, Kenny Iguana and his entire staff for letting us get just a little silly and thoroughly enjoy our selves. This weekend we actually have a rare weekend off so a little payback is in order where we will convene on Franks house,eat him out of house and home and have his neighbors start a petition to have him removed from the neighborhood.
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| Posted: July 13th, 2011 |
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AND THEY’RE OFF! |
Saturday morning at 9am can feel quite early for even the most disciplined of musicians. When traveling to the US I usually need to go through my checklist the day before just make sure that all necessary items and all arrangements are made so my journey can be as simple and uneventful as humanly possible. Vernon Downs Casino was our most recent destination so I was extra diligent with my packing as there was a 5 hour drive ahead of me. |
| Due to logistics and the fact that someone in the band has difficulty remembering their sunglasses I was formally instructed to rendezvous at a local restaurant to meet up with my fellow bandmates. The remainder of the band was to meet at a pre determined locale to begin the day’s expedition. The boys all arrived with suitcases, passports, extra clothes and toiletries in the event we were unable to return that evening. They were all quite pleased with themselves that they knew the difference between the 401 and the 407, GPS devices were all programmed to the venue, and were all well rested as we had two shows to perform that evening. After exchanging pleasantries and discussing the upcoming day, they all had that eerie feeling that something was just not right. All paperwork is in order, Satellite radio is set to the Boneyard, that’s important, the rhythm guitar player isn’t here but that certainly isn’t a deal breaker. What the hell are we forgetting? THE VAN!!! After a rousing Abbott and Costello routine of “I thought you were getting the gear!” Mac was dispatched to retrieve our belongings that are absolutely necessary to perform a Mama Kin show. I have played with many bands over the years and this group definitely breaks the stereotype. All members are well-educated, responsible family men and upstanding members of their respected communities. We even have a ‘nono” thrown in there. Steve could redesign the Space Station on a cocktail napkin and have it get free satellite & Mac, I’m sure could program something to make my mortgage go away but still refuses. But every now and again that musician quality pops up just make writing notes that much easier. |
| Our first performance of the day was as a special gift from the GM of the Casino to his staff for all their hard work. The best my boss can do is let me leave 5mins early so I can get to my gig. I still think he is deducting it off my pay. After a 3hr break and a feast of food from the buffet we then had a 9 pm performance for the paying public. Normally we do two different sets, but this show we actually had to perform the same show twice. Doesn’t seem that difficult for the previously mentioned intelligent performers, but as the song progresses you always have that little voice in your head asking “Didn’t I already do that solo?” and then you pray that you don’t screw up the chorus. |
| An extra special thank you to the hospitality shown by all the management and staff at the Vernon Downs Resort and Casino and the boys from BAM Productions for showing us how to be prepared. |
| “THAT WAS EASY!”
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| Posted: July 6th, 2011 |
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Rock and Ribs! |
Hi y'all! There really isn't a lot of firsts for Mama Kin after all these years, however, this past weekend we were able to check mark off yet another item off the rock and roll bucket list! After a brief Spinal Tap moment trying to find the stage by driving around Centennial Park trying to find the entrance to the stage, we finally did so with really no help from anyone but the brass balls of Steve.
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| Who basically told the pimple faced kid that he was going through the gate regardless of what he said. Thankfully we finally found the stage and started a whirl wind of a set up. Keeping our fingers crossed that Mother Nature wouldn't rain on our parade, the hard worked paid off as we set up in record time. Sweating with anticipation we head off to the trailer got changed and it was off to the races! While we rocked and rolled, people ate danced, screamed and were completely taken by the fact that we could play for 90 minutes in the scorching heat and not pass out! We came close a few times, but thankfully not enough to to do a face plant on the stage. |
| After the show we didn't have time for the obligatory hugs, kisses and pictures. We had to haul ass to get our gear off the stage for Sonic Boom. So, after getting changed it was time for ribs and some more rock and roll as we head over to the second stage to watch Dom perform minutes after the Mama Kin show ended in his classic rock band Mason Dixon! All in all it was a great night and Mother Nature was kind enough to unleash her fury for the drive home. Thanks to all who came out to support a great night! Next stop for Mama Kin, Vernon, NY for a night of rock and roll Casino style! |
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| Posted: June 29th, 2011 |
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A Date to Remember! |
Hey Loyal readers and newbies! This past weekend brought us the best of both worlds or should I say the best of both musicians as we shared the stages of the Hollywood on the Queensway and the Oakwood with Tony V. on the Friday night and our resident guitarist Dom Polito on the Saturday.
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| The Hollywood show proved to be a blast with some friends and family showing up to help us rock the night away. We love sharing the stage when possible and we were honored and humored by Dave Freeman who can not get a break if his life depended on it. He seems to always lose the fight with either a strap or a cord! LOL. |
| Saturday night was more of the usual at the Oakwood as we welcomed back Dom to the fold as he got back from playing rock star in the States! The Oakwood has a certain charm that could only be explained in a cheesy 70s movie staring Charles Bronson. Leather and jeans seems to be the clothes of choice and everyone including the oldest women in the club have a tattoo on their ankle... Including the women that looked at Steve using his cell phone and said "you don't have to call me baby, I'm already here!" how right she was and we were thankful for her and everyone else who rocked out with us on Saturday night. |
| Thanks to all who came out both nights for their support and constant ego stroking! Next week brings Mama Kin another first as we play Toronto Rib Fest at Centennial Park in Etobicoke... Hope to see you there! |
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| Posted: June 22nd, 2011 |
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FORE! |
This weekend being Fathers Day we decided to pay tribute to our dads, some here some not, by holding the first annual Mama Kin Open in Sudbury Ontario at Cedar Greens Golf Club. Thats right we got Frank all dressed up in his best Herb Tarlek outfit put a few metal sticks in his hands and hit the links. While a young Irishman was draining birdies at the Congressional like Tony drains beer, four of us desperately just tried to find the first tee and tried not to hit any of the other players on the course.
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| The club was even brave enough to put us in golf carts, which will probably skyrocket their insurance premiums. Minimal damage was incurred. Our very gracious host Chantelle kept us cracked up and filled us with aiming fluid, while we tore through the front nine with minimal Tin Cup impressions. I dont think anyone on the Championship Tour is in any danger of losing their tour cards to this foursome. In the end we were all crowned champions and headed back to the hotel for the obligatory golf nap. Not keeping score was probably the sanest decision we made all weekend. One of the greatest Mama Kin outings bar none. |
| Also this weekend we as a band hit the 21st century and discovered Twitter. We have had an account for some time but none of us seemed clever enough to actually figure it out. After numerous attempts we are now officially tweets or twits. Not sure which, but I'm sure either one applies. Although we don't have Charlie Sheen numbers in terms of followers we can now easily ridicule each other in a new high tech way. One of our favorite past times. You can follow us on @mamakinrockscan |
| Seeing as we were in Sudbury we decided to play a couple of shows at the Coulson. A legendary bar, described numerously in this column that always provides laughter, fun and the need for about three days recovery when it is all said and done. Thanks to Craig, his wife, the usual dungeon crew, the features at the ballet and all the staff at the Nite Club. We will be back in December which will be perfect for winter golf We are just foolish enough to try. Until then dont drive on the greens! |
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| Posted: June 7th, 2011 |
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Cheers! |
Five guys walked in and four guys and what appeared to be a chick walked out. This is a clear indication Frank is ready and
that Mama Kin is about to hit the stage. The host stage for this show was Cheers in West Seneca in upstate New York.
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| Being veterans of border crossings we tend to pull up to Americas finest with all the necessary documents and a reasonable confidence that all is in order and we should answer a few questions, usually inquiring if we watched American Idol because Steven Tyler is on it or to discuss the border guard's favorite Aerosmith story. All pretty routine stuff except for a few minor mishaps in Sarnia and a rather unfortunate slight misunderstanding in Sherbrooke Quebec that I would rather not get into. Luckily no gunfire was exchanged. Ocassionally we come across an over-eager recent graduate who could care less that we are in a band and that our clever banter and friendly smiles are less than charming. This is the point we start begging and pleading and promising to be as well behaved as humanly possible. All just part of the job. |
| We arrive well in advance to start unloading the van and bring in enough cases to fill two clubs. Our gearlist that we presented to the previously mentioned border patrol is getting dangerously close to resembling an inventory list that would make Walmart think of cutting back a bit. Either the van is getting smaller or we just keep getting more stuff. |
| Upon completion of our successful load in we are approached by a young lady hosting a charitable event and asked for our assistance and support. Cancer, AIDS, raising money for a young girl who lost an ear in a tragic pie eating contest? None of the above, we were asked to show our support for a little pussy. I dont think I have ever seen the guys wallets come out faster. Within seconds Frank was wearing a t shirt, Mac is handing out flyers and Steve, Dom
and I were buying up every raffle ticket we could get our hands on. We then discovered we were helping a non profit organization aiding homeless cats. Hope for Cats Inc was the
recipient of our generous although somewhat misguided eagerness. A very worthwhile cause, yes and dont get me wrong I like cats as much as the next guy, but not exactly what we were thinking. You can help out by visiting www.hopeforcatsinc.org |
| A great turnout of good friends including Dave, Lisa, Claudio, Carolyn and Mike Z came out to lend their support to their favorite cause Mama Kin. Thanks to the staff and crew of Cheers. Next week we celebrate the opening of E5 studios and then it is off to Sudbury and the Coulson!! We may need a telethon to help us after that weekend. Give till it hurts!! |
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| Posted: June 1st, 2011 |
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Fabulous at 50! |
Hey Kinship! We were back in Port Credit at our favorite intimate venue, Roc N Docs, on Friday night for what turned into more than just a normal gig. We had a milestone birthday celebration going on and everyone was invited to the party. Mac's long time friend, John Purdy, hit the big FIVE OHHHH and his wife decided Mama Kin was the perfect band to supply the soundtrack.
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| So with Frank giving us his usual pre gig pep talk which consists of "Hey Guys lets try not to suck tonight" we hit the stage. We played all John's favorite Aerosmith tunes just the way he used to hear them when he turned on his 8 track player back in the day, anyone under 45 won't get that reference. He was especially appreciative of the encore tunes when we decided to play some Led Zeppelin for him. At least we think he was. He was a little hard to understand at that point due to massive alcohol consumption, so no surprise that he and Mac are friends, birds of a feather as they say. In the end everyone had a great time at least until Saturday morning when we're sure more then one person woke up and swore they were never drinking again. |
| Mama Kin would like to thank all the staff for taking care of us, Tony Verna for doing an awesome job filling in for Dom once again, all the people who came out to see us Friday night, Corinna Purdy for throwing a great party, and the Napanee crowd for the mini reunion.
Last but not least, John, we hope you had a great 50th birthday and we will all be joining you on the Other Side soon enough. |
| Next up Cheers in West Seneca NY. on Saturday night. Hope to see you there.Later! |
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