News http://lisrubard.com/blog.cfm Tue, 05 Apr 2011 11:18:39 GMT http://bandzoogle.com On professional musicianship http://lisrubard.com/blog.cfm?feature=496375&postid=883939 This year has seen a lot of changes in my life, both personal and professional, and mostly for the better. In music, the most significant has to be in touring.  The Loom is entering a new phase.  In our quest to make a go of it, it has become clear that since the practical collapse of the recording industry, music acts must tour to make a living.  With that in mind, we've been touring more often, and even bought a van recently. However, touring is also an excellent way to bleed money, and we're on a steep learning curve, as nobody in this group has unlimited funds to finance it if we miscalculate. I know-- you have to spend money to make money, right?  The problem with that line of thinking, though, is that it can lead into spending money without really accounting for the following, all of which are necessary to the "making" part: How much do people/acts get paid in my industry?  For what?  How does that vary with experience? How many jobs are there? Is that number growing or shrinking?  Is it geographically dependent? Is this investment of money (in schooling, equipment, training, setting up a business) necessary to my industry or to secure jobs? Is this investment likely to be paid back?  How quickly, if ever? Is there some way other than investing money to get these credentials, this equipment, this name recognition...? I'm often happy that I did this kind of accounting for myself when I was considering going to graduate school for music.  Continued schooling is a path many of my colleagues and former classmates at conservatory chose, and a valuable one.  However, considering that I wanted to redirect my course in music a great deal after graduating, did not want to teach at a college, and couldn't pin down a program I was sure would answer the above questions with an affirmative (this degree IS necessary to x job), I realized it would not be a good investment for me, especially since I could study privately without going to school, at much less cost. Which brings me back to the challenge of touring.  Constructing successful tours seems to be an art and a science: proper routing, a solid schedule (with some downtime and shorter drives so you don't go crazy in the van) of dates, responsible venues with contracts, and a less-is-more mentality.  By the last one, I mean for yourself.  On tour, you have to be ready to drive all day, sleep in the van a lot, and go play an intense, high energy show, even if you spent the last night on someone's floor being attacked by their territorial cat (true story). It's important to really want to do this.  I mean, that seems obvious-- why would you do this if you didn't want to?-- but isn't, completely.  On the one hand, the music has to be a reward enough in itself to make the hardships of touring (and professional musicianship) worthwhile.  On the other hand, if you just play for love, and don't get paid, aren't you a hobbyist, basically?  Maybe a really dedicated one, but still.  So what I mean about wanting it is that you have to want to be a professional musician.  That is, you should love music and everything in it, but you have to get satisfaction from the craft of being a musician, and being a businessperson, and want to get better at that, too.  Hint-- if the thought of being "mercenary" makes you squeamish (and if you use that word with a lot of disdain), it's probably not for you.  Not music, but being a professional musician.  Because really, we have to find ways to earn a living.  And it's harder than ever, so we have to be better at it to make less money than musicians in comparable circumstances used to make.  And, in my opinion, while we need to have debate about the best way to do this (for example, should we give digital dowloads away for free?), it would be nice if the conversation became a little less polarized.  I don't really think it's about "musicians" versus "the industry".  It's about "musicians" versus "a world that is not accustomed to paying for art/design/music/media".  It's not an easy one to figure out, and I certainly don't have the answers. So, in the meantime, I'm trying to learn from people around me, from musicians I know, from people who manage bands, from folks who work for Performing Rights Agencies, from recording engineers.  There is so much to know, and while much in the music world changes from day to day, especially legally, there is still a lot to learn that hasn't fundamentally changed in a long time, and there are people to learn craft, and technique, and business from, who are often generous, and want to help fellow musicians along.
I know-- you have to spend money to make money, right?  The problem with that line of thinking, though, is that it can lead into spending money without really accounting for the following, all of which are necessary to the "making" part:
  • How much do people/acts get paid in my industry?  For what?  How does that vary with experience?
  • How many jobs are there? Is that number growing or shrinking?  Is it geographically dependent?
  • Is this investment of money (in schooling, equipment, training, setting up a business) necessary to my industry or to secure jobs?
  • Is this investment likely to be paid back?  How quickly, if ever?
  • Is there some way other than investing money to get these credentials, this equipment, this name recognition...?
I'm often happy that I did this kind of accounting for myself when I was considering going to graduate school for music.  Continued schooling is a path many of my colleagues and former classmates at conservatory chose, and a valuable one.  However, considering that I wanted to redirect my course in music a great deal after graduating, did not want to teach at a college, and couldn't pin down a program I was sure would answer the above questions with an affirmative (this degree IS necessary to x job), I realized it would not be a good investment for me, especially since I could study privately without going to school, at much less cost.

Which brings me back to the challenge of touring.  Constructing successful tours seems to be an art and a science: proper routing, a solid schedule (with some downtime and shorter drives so you don't go crazy in the van) of dates, responsible venues with contracts, and a less-is-more mentality.  By the last one, I mean for yourself.  On tour, you have to be ready to drive all day, sleep in the van a lot, and go play an intense, high energy show, even if you spent the last night on someone's floor being attacked by their territorial cat (true story).

It's important to really want to do this.  I mean, that seems obvious-- why would you do this if you didn't want to?-- but isn't, completely.  On the one hand, the music has to be a reward enough in itself to make the hardships of touring (and professional musicianship) worthwhile.  On the other hand, if you just play for love, and don't get paid, aren't you a hobbyist, basically?  Maybe a really dedicated one, but still.  So what I mean about wanting it is that you have to want to be a professional musician.  That is, you should love music and everything in it, but you have to get satisfaction from the craft of being a musician, and being a businessperson, and want to get better at that, too.  Hint-- if the thought of being "mercenary" makes you squeamish (and if you use that word with a lot of disdain), it's probably not for you.  Not music, but being a professional musician. 

Because really, we have to find ways to earn a living.  And it's harder than ever, so we have to be better at it to make less money than musicians in comparable circumstances used to make.  And, in my opinion, while we need to have debate about the best way to do this (for example, should we give digital dowloads away for free?), it would be nice if the conversation became a little less polarized.  I don't really think it's about "musicians" versus "the industry".  It's about "musicians" versus "a world that is not accustomed to paying for art/design/music/media".  It's not an easy one to figure out, and I certainly don't have the answers.

So, in the meantime, I'm trying to learn from people around me, from musicians I know, from people who manage bands, from folks who work for Performing Rights Agencies, from recording engineers.  There is so much to know, and while much in the music world changes from day to day, especially legally, there is still a lot to learn that hasn't fundamentally changed in a long time, and there are people to learn craft, and technique, and business from, who are often generous, and want to help fellow musicians along.
]]> Tue, 05 Apr 2011 11:18:39 GMT CB5C55A3D2DCBFD59BC1E9BCC703CBF6 And so we traveled... http://lisrubard.com/blog.cfm?feature=496375&postid=464900 Apparently enough to keep me from writing a new blog post since SXSW.&nbsp; It was a busy spring and summer for The Loom.&nbsp; We promoted our (still upcoming) record, Teeth, at SXSW.&nbsp; In doing so, we met our manager, Emily, who has been on board with us since May.&nbsp; She is based in London, but between managing us and Philadelphia's <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thewarondrugs">The War on Drugs, she's been stateside more often. We played our first show at The Bowery Ballroom in May with <a href="http://www.theseunitedstates.net/">These United States, and had an amazing time.&nbsp; We sadly said goodbye to our previous female vocalist, Sydney Price, off to pursue other ambitions, and said hello to our new vocalist, <a href="http://www.sarahrenfro.com/">Sarah Renfro, who has proved to be a great addition to the group.&nbsp; She definitely jumped into the thick of things, as we planned a pretty grueling schedule this summer, working weeks, and spending weekends on the road.&nbsp; The first one out was the most intense:&nbsp; Toronto, Milwaukee, and Chicago in 3 days, with 3 shows and 2 live recording sessions, one for the University of Toronto radio station, and the other for <a href="http://www.daytrotter.com">Daytrotter, in Rock Island, IL.&nbsp; In Toronto, we played at the historic El Mocambo with Entire Cities and Mathemagic.&nbsp; We were invited by <a href="http://www.muzzleofbees.com/2010/03/23/review-muzzle-of-bees-backyard-bbq-sxsw/">Muzzle of Bees to Milwakee to play WSME's Radio Summer Camp Festival, and got to share a bill with the excellent <a href="http://www.myspace.com/strandofoaks">Strand of Oaks (who happens to be our friend Tim Showalter.&nbsp; Check out his amazing new album, <a href="http://www.emusic.com/album/-Pope-Killdragon-MP3-Download/12032165.html">Pope Killdragon, on Emusic-- I can't stop listening to it).&nbsp; Finally, we had our Daytrotter session (so fun to do, and the nicest people to work with.&nbsp; The session is coming out soon!), and then drove to Chicago to play at the Abbey Pub with Tim again, and with <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thedaredevilchristopherwright">The Daredevil Christopher Wright.&nbsp; I took a flight home a couple hours later (6am, I think-- it's still hazy), and went straight to work, teaching all day. That was the gist of the summer-- lots of work, and lots of playing.&nbsp; There were shows in Northampton, MA, Montepelier, VT, Providence, RI, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, PA, Boston, MA, and a few at home, for good measure.&nbsp; Not so much sleep, but all the playing definitely helped us as a band, honing the live show and gaining touring experience. For those of you in New York, we have plenty of shows coming up: tomorrow's at the Rock Shop, a CMJ show at Joe's Pub, and another Bowery Ballroom date in November.&nbsp; We're planning to keep up all the touring, too-- hopefully we'll be coming to your hometown soon.&nbsp; There probably will be more shows both local and non that I haven't mentioned here, and I'll try to get them all posted-- if you're not a member of the email list and would like to receive a digest of upcoming gigs, please message me on the contact page.&nbsp; To all the folks who came out and supported us, especially in places we've never played, thank you.&nbsp; It's an amazing and humbling feeling to arrive in a city you've never seen and come to a venue filled with friendly and attentive listeners (looking at you, Montpelier!).&nbsp; We couldn't do it without you. --Lis Teeth, at SXSW.  In doing so, we met our manager, Emily, who has been on board with us since May.  She is based in London, but between managing us and Philadelphia's The War on Drugs, she's been stateside more often.

We played our first show at The Bowery Ballroom in May with These United States, and had an amazing time.  We sadly said goodbye to our previous female vocalist, Sydney Price, off to pursue other ambitions, and said hello to our new vocalist, Sarah Renfro, who has proved to be a great addition to the group.  She definitely jumped into the thick of things, as we planned a pretty grueling schedule this summer, working weeks, and spending weekends on the road. 

The first one out was the most intense:  Toronto, Milwaukee, and Chicago in 3 days, with 3 shows and 2 live recording sessions, one for the University of Toronto radio station, and the other for Daytrotter, in Rock Island, IL.  In Toronto, we played at the historic El Mocambo with Entire Cities and Mathemagic.  We were invited by Muzzle of Bees to Milwakee to play WSME's Radio Summer Camp Festival, and got to share a bill with the excellent Strand of Oaks (who happens to be our friend Tim Showalter.  Check out his amazing new album, Pope Killdragon, on Emusic-- I can't stop listening to it).  Finally, we had our Daytrotter session (so fun to do, and the nicest people to work with.  The session is coming out soon!), and then drove to Chicago to play at the Abbey Pub with Tim again, and with The Daredevil Christopher Wright.  I took a flight home a couple hours later (6am, I think-- it's still hazy), and went straight to work, teaching all day.

That was the gist of the summer-- lots of work, and lots of playing.  There were shows in Northampton, MA, Montepelier, VT, Providence, RI, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, PA, Boston, MA, and a few at home, for good measure.  Not so much sleep, but all the playing definitely helped us as a band, honing the live show and gaining touring experience.

For those of you in New York, we have plenty of shows coming up: tomorrow's at the Rock Shop, a CMJ show at Joe's Pub, and another Bowery Ballroom date in November.  We're planning to keep up all the touring, too-- hopefully we'll be coming to your hometown soon.  There probably will be more shows both local and non that I haven't mentioned here, and I'll try to get them all posted-- if you're not a member of the email list and would like to receive a digest of upcoming gigs, please message me on the contact page. 

To all the folks who came out and supported us, especially in places we've never played, thank you.  It's an amazing and humbling feeling to arrive in a city you've never seen and come to a venue filled with friendly and attentive listeners (looking at you, Montpelier!).  We couldn't do it without you.

--Lis

]]> Mon, 27 Sep 2010 10:15:00 GMT 60BD48334BE80B2251B3EEB1BF2854FF A traveling we go... http://lisrubard.com/blog.cfm?feature=496375&postid=203851 So, The Loom is headed to Austin for a week's worth of shows at SXSW.&nbsp; We'll be piling into a 12-passenger van early Monday morning to drive 2 days to get there--&nbsp; hopefully the snacks will hold out until at least Tennessee.&nbsp; It's our first time at SXSW, and we're really excited about our 8 (!) shows, and about being in on the road in general, something this year will see us doing a lot more, hopefully.&nbsp; Here are our shows in a nutshell: Wednesday, March 17 Covalent Records Show @ District 301 Thursday, March 18 &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Austin Town Hall Show @ the Ghost Room Pigeon's Posse Show @ Opal Divine's Friday, March 19 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Leisure Tourniquet Equinox Mish Mash @ Hot Mama's Muzzle of Bees Backyard BBQ @ private residence Saturday, March 20&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Paper Garden Records Show @ Parkside Moose Lodge Show w/ Acrylics Stem and Leaf Party @ Rainey Manor All show details can be found in the event listings.&nbsp; For more up to date info, please check our website, <a href="http://www.theloommusic.com">www.theloommusic.com, or our<a href="http://www.twitter.com/theloommusic"> twitter (theloommusic) or <a href="http://myspace.com/theloommusic">myspace.com/theloommusic.&nbsp; If you're in Austin, please come out! &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; So, The Loom is headed to Austin for a week's worth of shows at SXSW.  We'll be piling into a 12-passenger van early Monday morning to drive 2 days to get there--  hopefully the snacks will hold out until at least Tennessee.  It's our first time at SXSW, and we're really excited about our 8 (!) shows, and about being in on the road in general, something this year will see us doing a lot more, hopefully.  Here are our shows in a nutshell:

Wednesday, March 17
Covalent Records Show @ District 301

Thursday, March 18      
Austin Town Hall Show @ the Ghost Room
Pigeon's Posse Show @ Opal Divine's

Friday, March 19           
Leisure Tourniquet Equinox Mish Mash @ Hot Mama's
Muzzle of Bees Backyard BBQ @ private residence

Saturday, March 20       
Paper Garden Records Show @ Parkside
Moose Lodge Show w/ Acrylics
Stem and Leaf Party @ Rainey Manor

All show details can be found in the event listings.  For more up to date info, please check our website, www.theloommusic.com, or our twitter (theloommusic) or myspace.com/theloommusic.  If you're in Austin, please come out!
                                      
                             
]]> Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:35:00 GMT D1E95DF8ED658F2558FF4272FC08C4C8 Shows this week: Nathan Parker Smith Large Group and Knocks from the Underground http://lisrubard.com/blog.cfm?feature=496375&postid=194863 Wednesday is my first outing with the Nathan Parker Smith Large Group.&nbsp; The music is great (and challenging, whoa), and so are the other musicians.&nbsp; Come see us at Fat Cat-- 3 sets from about 9pm to midnight. <a href="http://www.knocksfromtheunderground.com"> The Loom is playing&nbsp;Knocks from the Underground's 1st Anniversry party at the Delancey this weekend.&nbsp; Come check us out Saturday at 11pm.



Wednesday is my first outing with the Nathan Parker Smith Large Group.  The music is great (and challenging, whoa), and so are the other musicians.  Come see us at Fat Cat-- 3 sets from about 9pm to midnight.




The Loom is playing Knocks from the Underground's 1st Anniversry party at the Delancey this weekend.  Come check us out Saturday at 11pm.
]]> Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:40:00 GMT A9BBAF3803933AFAB960C0783F440C26 The Loom in the news... http://lisrubard.com/blog.cfm?feature=496375&postid=177160 We've had some nice press lately-- here are a few selected clips. &quot;The group is joined by the beloved Brooklyn sextet The Loom, who have lately been guiding their chamber-folk sound to decidedly louder sonic territory.&quot; <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/arts/events/nightlife/2010/01/11/100111goni_GOAT_nightlife#ixzz0cK0TKJSG"> --The New Yorker &quot;Brooklyn band The Loom have it all if you ask me. They sound like a good old fashioned folk collective, a la Rock Plaza Central; they have multiple ladies in the band; they feature a lot of work with banjos. Recently, the band raised enough money to go into the studio and record their debut album, and I&rsquo;m pleased to bring the group to your attention, as I&rsquo;ve been listening to the band&rsquo;s 2008 EP since I first got my hands on it a year or so ago via a friend in New York. They&rsquo;ve received stellar reviews, played solid CMJ shows, and for those of you who haven&rsquo;t heard them, now is your chance. Unfortunately, this is an old track (though it&rsquo;s probably new to you), but it shows nothing but promise of great things to come from the quintet.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="http://austintownhall.com/2010/01/07/new-old-tunes-from-the-loom/">--Austin Town Hall &quot;The openers for the night, The Loom, have a brand new album coming out early 2010. They&rsquo;ve had some line-up changes and refined their sound, and are definitely a band to watch. If you can find tickets to this sold-out show, Mercury Lounge is the place to be this Saturday night.&quot; &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="http://newyorkrockmarket.com/2010/01/09/recommended-saturday-show-rural-alberta-advantage-and-the-loom-at-mercury-lounge/">--The New York Rockmarket &nbsp;&quot;Continuing my little nostalgia trip for the first weekend of 2010, today I want to focus on a couple of my favorite tracks from 2008 that still strongly resonate with me today. Song for the Winter Sun was hands down my most listened to track for a period in 2008. It lived in my skull and spawned my new obsession with woods rock and folk. Its sense of rhythm is perfect and like nothing else makes me want to move to a remote village and live there forever. I really want The Loom to release a proper debut this year.&quot;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thestureidexperiment.com/2010/01/few-faves-from-08.html?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheStuReidExperiment+%28The+Stu+Reid+Experiment%29"> -- The Stu Reid Experiment &quot;The loft filled up to a full, but still comfortable level by the time The Loom came on. As people came and went all night, partially due to informative tweets about the capacity level, it stayed just full enough until The Love Language ended their set (slightly by force) at 2am (we ran late... didn't want to upset the neighbors). It was the first time I had seen The Loom live, and at the time I tweeted that they were &quot;killin it with horns&quot; (though none of the pictures below actually show them playing horns). I'm excited for the new album they said they were working on. &quot;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2009/11/bv_loft_during.html">--Brooklyn Vegan&nbsp; (from the CMJ loft party-- click the link to see the great photos of the show!) We've had some nice press lately-- here are a few selected clips.


"The group is joined by the beloved Brooklyn sextet The Loom, who have lately been guiding their chamber-folk sound to decidedly louder sonic territory." --The New Yorker

"Brooklyn band The Loom have it all if you ask me. They sound like a good old fashioned folk collective, a la Rock Plaza Central; they have multiple ladies in the band; they feature a lot of work with banjos. Recently, the band raised enough money to go into the studio and record their debut album, and I’m pleased to bring the group to your attention, as I’ve been listening to the band’s 2008 EP since I first got my hands on it a year or so ago via a friend in New York. They’ve received stellar reviews, played solid CMJ shows, and for those of you who haven’t heard them, now is your chance. Unfortunately, this is an old track (though it’s probably new to you), but it shows nothing but promise of great things to come from the quintet."    --Austin Town Hall

"The openers for the night, The Loom, have a brand new album coming out early 2010. They’ve had some line-up changes and refined their sound, and are definitely a band to watch. If you can find tickets to this sold-out show, Mercury Lounge is the place to be this Saturday night."     --The New York Rockmarket

 "Continuing my little nostalgia trip for the first weekend of 2010, today I want to focus on a couple of my favorite tracks from 2008 that still strongly resonate with me today. Song for the Winter Sun was hands down my most listened to track for a period in 2008. It lived in my skull and spawned my new obsession with woods rock and folk. Its sense of rhythm is perfect and like nothing else makes me want to move to a remote village and live there forever. I really want The Loom to release a proper debut this year."  -- The Stu Reid Experiment

"The loft filled up to a full, but still comfortable level by the time The Loom came on. As people came and went all night, partially due to informative tweets about the capacity level, it stayed just full enough until The Love Language ended their set (slightly by force) at 2am (we ran late... didn't want to upset the neighbors). It was the first time I had seen The Loom live, and at the time I tweeted that they were "killin it with horns" (though none of the pictures below actually show them playing horns). I'm excited for the new album they said they were working on. " --Brooklyn Vegan  (from the CMJ loft party-- click the link to see the great photos of the show!)



]]> Fri, 05 Feb 2010 03:25:00 GMT 62F5F58B51477A8AFC2306E1164393DD First listen-- new album tracks up! http://lisrubard.com/blog.cfm?feature=496375&postid=167393 So excited to be able to say this-- we have two tracks from our upcoming album up on myspace now!&nbsp; Check out &quot;Helen&quot; and &quot;The Middle Distance&quot; at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/theloommusic" target="_new">http://www.myspace.com/theloommusic.&nbsp; Hope you like them! http://www.myspace.com/theloommusic.  Hope you like them!
]]> Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:55:58 GMT 3B740EC784E093CF7DA5C8E84100273E Album Update! http://lisrubard.com/blog.cfm?feature=496375&postid=136764 First of all, thanks so much to all of you who pledged money to our Kickstarter project! We managed to raise $4165, which was 167% of out original funding goal. What a relief to know that we had the money we needed to pay for the recording... We really could not have done this without all of your help. I had meant to write this sooner (an unfinished draft says &ldquo;we just finished recording!&rdquo;), but in the end, I&rsquo;m glad to be able to say more than that we recorded, because, honestly, there is so much more to this process. First, we did record at <a href="http://www.mavericksrecording.com">Mavericks Studio in Chinatown, from October 29 to November 2. Most of the basic tracking was done with all of us playing together in the main room, including our engineer/producer <a href="http://farmelo.com">Allen Farmelo, and his assistant, Sean O&rsquo;Brien (the engineer&rsquo;s console is in the room at Mavericks, a somewhat unusual arrangement, but one that worked really, really well for us). We arrived at the studio around noon, and often didn&rsquo;t leave until 1 am or so. Allen and Sean were able to work and function amazingly well on little sleep, few breaks, and lots of caffeine (Allen) and Gatorade (Sean). Plus, they were unfailingly kind and patient, even when one of us had a less than stellar moment. The room itself is lovely, and sounds larger than it is because of hundreds of cleverly arranged wooden blocks that diffuse the sound and alter the wave patterns. Besides that, it&rsquo;s a nice place to spend time, and we all enjoyed spending so much time playing together, being able to leave all the gear set up, and getting a taste of what it would mean to do this in a more full-time fashion. Those of us not actively recording would hang out in the back room, a space conducive to both naps and sing-alongs&hellip; It was a little hard to adjust back to regular life, though for John, Sydney, and Alex, things were really just getting started. The three of them spent the next two weeks doing vocal takes and guitar overdubs at Allen&rsquo;s home studio. For the rest of us, it was hard to wait to hear how things sounded. We all met shortly before Thanksgiving to hear the complete rough tracks. Since that time, we have entered the mixing process, which we&rsquo;re still in, but it&rsquo;s going very well so far. So, a lot of people have asked me two things: &ldquo;How did the recording go?&rdquo; Answer: Great! and &ldquo;When can we hear it?&rdquo; Answer: &hellip;.uhhhhhhh. Well, we&rsquo;re not exactly sure. The recording itself will probably be completed sometime around the New Year, but we do not have any kind of a definite release date. There are a few reasons: we still have to name the album and design the album cover and packaging, and more importantly, we&rsquo;re still trying to determine the best way to put the record out. We&rsquo;d like release it on a record label, because we feel there are some things labels can offer, especially in the ways of bookings, tour support, and public relations, that we simply can&rsquo;t match with our own efforts. So, while I am incredibly excited to have you all hear it, it&rsquo;s probably going to be a little while until that is possible! In the meantime, though, you can catch us, and the album material, if you live in town. Our <a href="http://www.mercuryloungenyc.com/event/3785">next show is January 9, 2010 at the Mercury Lounge, opening for our friends the <a href="http://myspace.com/theraa">Rural Alberta Advantge.&nbsp;
First of all, thanks so much to all of you who pledged money to our Kickstarter project! We managed to raise $4165, which was 167% of out original funding goal. What a relief to know that we had the money we needed to pay for the recording... We really could not have done this without all of your help. I had meant to write this sooner (an unfinished draft says “we just finished recording!”), but in the end, I’m glad to be able to say more than that we recorded, because, honestly, there is so much more to this process.

First, we did record at Mavericks Studio in Chinatown, from October 29 to November 2. Most of the basic tracking was done with all of us playing together in the main room, including our engineer/producer Allen Farmelo, and his assistant, Sean O’Brien (the engineer’s console is in the room at Mavericks, a somewhat unusual arrangement, but one that worked really, really well for us). We arrived at the studio around noon, and often didn’t leave until 1 am or so. Allen and Sean were able to work and function amazingly well on little sleep, few breaks, and lots of caffeine (Allen) and Gatorade (Sean). Plus, they were unfailingly kind and patient, even when one of us had a less than stellar moment.

The room itself is lovely, and sounds larger than it is because of hundreds of cleverly arranged wooden blocks that diffuse the sound and alter the wave patterns. Besides that, it’s a nice place to spend time, and we all enjoyed spending so much time playing together, being able to leave all the gear set up, and getting a taste of what it would mean to do this in a more full-time fashion. Those of us not actively recording would hang out in the back room, a space conducive to both naps and sing-alongs…

It was a little hard to adjust back to regular life, though for John, Sydney, and Alex, things were really just getting started. The three of them spent the next two weeks doing vocal takes and guitar overdubs at Allen’s home studio. For the rest of us, it was hard to wait to hear how things sounded. We all met shortly before Thanksgiving to hear the complete rough tracks. Since that time, we have entered the mixing process, which we’re still in, but it’s going very well so far.

So, a lot of people have asked me two things: “How did the recording go?” Answer: Great! and “When can we hear it?” Answer: ….uhhhhhhh. Well, we’re not exactly sure. The recording itself will probably be completed sometime around the New Year, but we do not have any kind of a definite release date. There are a few reasons: we still have to name the album and design the album cover and packaging, and more importantly, we’re still trying to determine the best way to put the record out. We’d like release it on a record label, because we feel there are some things labels can offer, especially in the ways of bookings, tour support, and public relations, that we simply can’t match with our own efforts. So, while I am incredibly excited to have you all hear it, it’s probably going to be a little while until that is possible!

In the meantime, though, you can catch us, and the album material, if you live in town. Our next show is January 9, 2010 at the Mercury Lounge, opening for our friends the Rural Alberta Advantge. 

]]> Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:40:00 GMT DFC66BBE5833B359606D015E6E59A76C October's Featured Show-- CMJ! http://lisrubard.com/blog.cfm?feature=496375&postid=101033 Okay, so it's not just one show, it's six, but since they're all within the span of four days, I think it counts.&nbsp; This week is New York's annual CMJ Music Marathon.&nbsp; It's a bit crazy-- there will be CMJ shows monopolizing the majority of downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn clubs this week, and since we're doing six (twice as many as last year) you should definitely check out one of them!&nbsp; Here's a quick rundown: Wednesday night: VoxPop Cafe, Ditmas Park Thursday afternoon: Bruar Falls, Williamsburg Thursday night: Sycamore, Ditmas Park Friday afternoon: Trash Bar, Williamsburg Friday night: Whisk and Ladle, location TBA (see Events) Saturday night: Union Hall, Park Slope In the spirit of actually picking a show to feature, I'd recommend Saturday's show at Union Hall.&nbsp; We'll be playing with some great bands, and it's one of our favorite venues to play.&nbsp;&nbsp; And since it's the last show, we'll either be really tight, or really loopy (or both).&nbsp; Should be a good time either way!&nbsp; Also, this will be a great chance to check out our newest member, Alex Greiner, on guitar, banjo, and madness (he can play his guitar with a headlamp.&nbsp; Really.)! Okay, so it's not just one show, it's six, but since they're all within the span of four days, I think it counts.  This week is New York's annual CMJ Music Marathon.  It's a bit crazy-- there will be CMJ shows monopolizing the majority of downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn clubs this week, and since we're doing six (twice as many as last year) you should definitely check out one of them!  Here's a quick rundown:

Wednesday night: VoxPop Cafe, Ditmas Park
Thursday afternoon: Bruar Falls, Williamsburg
Thursday night: Sycamore, Ditmas Park
Friday afternoon: Trash Bar, Williamsburg
Friday night: Whisk and Ladle, location TBA (see Events)
Saturday night: Union Hall, Park Slope

In the spirit of actually picking a show to feature, I'd recommend Saturday's show at Union Hall.  We'll be playing with some great bands, and it's one of our favorite venues to play.   And since it's the last show, we'll either be really tight, or really loopy (or both).  Should be a good time either way!  Also, this will be a great chance to check out our newest member, Alex Greiner, on guitar, banjo, and madness (he can play his guitar with a headlamp.  Really.)!
]]> Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:45:00 GMT 68095A17FD001C626C5A49690512A6C7 August's featured show: The Loom's Jezebel Feature at Public Assembly http://lisrubard.com/blog.cfm?feature=496375&postid=52747 Photo by Jen McManus, Jezebel Music The Loom is Jezebel Music's featured artist for August, and we have a great show August 13 at Public Assembly with Mia Riddle, Arms, and the Spring Standards.&nbsp; We also gave an interview to Dan D'Ippolito at Jezebel.&nbsp; Here's the start: &quot;At a communal dinner gathering in a spacious Williamsburg loft, a band sets up their equipment as guests digest a hearty, home-cooked meal with the aid of artisan cocktails and beer. On the second floor of this roomy, open-space apartment, the six musicians assemble an array of electric, acoustic, and percussive devices. While the group prepares to perform, cheerful chatter and consumption continues. But as The Loom launches into its first song, what had begun as dinner and drinks turns into a full-blown loft party. When the ukulele and French horn the audience had pondered during the band&rsquo;s setup are combined with electric guitar and drums, the result is a wonderfully entertaining concoction of folk, Americana, and straight up rock. Never a dull moment, The Loom churns through an intoxicating set of festive folk-rock as the crowd sways and dances, drinks in hand. The band&rsquo;s colorful melodies and intriguing lyrics &ndash; sung almost entirely in two-part male/female unison &ndash; are potent party favors. The morning after, The Loom&rsquo;s MySpace page is a destination for those wishing to continue the good times, or to hear one of many memorable hooks once more. A year and a half later, The Loom has performed numerous shows at NYC&rsquo;s finest small-sized venues, and continues to regularly win new fans with their rock energy and folk charm. After auditioning potential new members at their Gowanus practice space, JezebelMusic.com met with John Fanning (vocals, guitar, piano, and ukulele), Lis Rubard (trumpet and French horn), Jon Alvarez (drums and vocals), and Dan Desloover (bass and vocals) and discussed The Loom, past, present, and future.&quot; Read the rest <a href="http://www.jezebelmusic.com/feature">here. Hope to see you out August 13! Photo by Jen McManus, Jezebel Music
The Loom is Jezebel Music's featured artist for August, and we have a great show August 13 at Public Assembly with Mia Riddle, Arms, and the Spring Standards.  We also gave an interview to Dan D'Ippolito at Jezebel.  Here's the start:

"At a communal dinner gathering in a spacious Williamsburg loft, a band sets up their equipment as guests digest a hearty, home-cooked meal with the aid of artisan cocktails and beer. On the second floor of this roomy, open-space apartment, the six musicians assemble an array of electric, acoustic, and percussive devices. While the group prepares to perform, cheerful chatter and consumption continues. But as The Loom launches into its first song, what had begun as dinner and drinks turns into a full-blown loft party. When the ukulele and French horn the audience had pondered during the band’s setup are combined with electric guitar and drums, the result is a wonderfully entertaining concoction of folk, Americana, and straight up rock. Never a dull moment, The Loom churns through an intoxicating set of festive folk-rock as the crowd sways and dances, drinks in hand. The band’s colorful melodies and intriguing lyrics – sung almost entirely in two-part male/female unison – are potent party favors. The morning after, The Loom’s MySpace page is a destination for those wishing to continue the good times, or to hear one of many memorable hooks once more.

A year and a half later, The Loom has performed numerous shows at NYC’s finest small-sized venues, and continues to regularly win new fans with their rock energy and folk charm. After auditioning potential new members at their Gowanus practice space, JezebelMusic.com met with John Fanning (vocals, guitar, piano, and ukulele), Lis Rubard (trumpet and French horn), Jon Alvarez (drums and vocals), and Dan Desloover (bass and vocals) and discussed The Loom, past, present, and future."

Read the rest here.

Hope to see you out August 13!
]]> Sun, 02 Aug 2009 10:10:00 GMT F3E5538415C9BBBB431998D0233A09D5 "Famous Friends" on Good Morning America http://lisrubard.com/blog.cfm?feature=496375&postid=47752 Recently, The Loom received a request from ABC to use &quot;Of Vegas and Vanity&quot; and &quot;All Your Famous Friends&quot; for Good Morning America's &quot;Your Three Words&quot; segment.&nbsp; This week, they used &quot;Famous Friends&quot;!&nbsp; Check out the segment here (the announcer's manner while introducing the song is pretty great as well):&nbsp; <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Your3Words/#">http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Your3Words/# Recently, The Loom received a request from ABC to use "Of Vegas and Vanity" and "All Your Famous Friends" for Good Morning America's "Your Three Words" segment.  This week, they used "Famous Friends"!  Check out the segment here (the announcer's manner while introducing the song is pretty great as well):  http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Your3Words/#

]]> Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:10:00 GMT C585995A9B5651CD8C254AED71C7793C Featured show of the month: The Loom at Union Hall with Cotton Jones http://lisrubard.com/blog.cfm?feature=496375&postid=45538 Cotton Jones (photo courtesy of www.billions.com) I'm going to attempt to keep these news updates more up-to-date, and in that vein, I'm going to start posting an item once a month about a particular gig I'd like to showcase.&nbsp; I could say that all my gigs are great (and of course they are!), but there are definitely special ones I don't want people to miss, so I'm going to feature those here, roughly like I did with the info about Pulse, below.&nbsp; So, here is the info-- The Loom will be back at our favorite haunt, Union Hall (not Pool; in Park Slope, not Williamsburg) this Saturday for a great show with Cotton Jones, from Maryland, and The Wild Moccasins, from Houston. With recent writeups at <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99742476">NPR, <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/04/22/breaking-cotton-jones/">Rolling Stone, and <a href="http://www.daytrotter.com/dt/cotton-jones-by-a-garden-of-beleaguered-thorniness-and-cool-skin-ripples-concert/20030702-3737757.html">Daytrotter, it looks like Cotton Jones are making the right moves, and their music can certainly stand up to all the scrutiny.&nbsp; Sydney Price (photo by Kelly Brown) &nbsp; In other news, we're very excited about our newest bandmate, Sydney Price.&nbsp; Sydney recently took over the female vocalist spot in the band and has added her rich timbre and beautiful harmonies to our blend.&nbsp; She's a talented songwriter as well-- check out her song &quot;Prisms&quot; at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/sydneyprice">her myspace page. Hope you'll join us-- Lis
Cotton Jones (photo courtesy of www.billions.com)
I'm going to attempt to keep these news updates more up-to-date, and in that vein, I'm going to start posting an item once a month about a particular gig I'd like to showcase.  I could say that all my gigs are great (and of course they are!), but there are definitely special ones I don't want people to miss, so I'm going to feature those here, roughly like I did with the info about Pulse, below. 

So, here is the info-- The Loom will be back at our favorite haunt, Union Hall (not Pool; in Park Slope, not Williamsburg) this Saturday for a great show with Cotton Jones, from Maryland, and The Wild Moccasins, from Houston. With recent writeups at NPR, Rolling Stone, and Daytrotter, it looks like Cotton Jones are making the right moves, and their music can certainly stand up to all the scrutiny. 

Sydney Price (photo by Kelly Brown)
 
In other news, we're very excited about our newest bandmate, Sydney Price.  Sydney recently took over the female vocalist spot in the band and has added her rich timbre and beautiful harmonies to our blend.  She's a talented songwriter as well-- check out her song "Prisms" at her myspace page.

Hope you'll join us--

Lis


]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:55:00 GMT BFFF0D017AF947E4451833D7D93C8529 Pulse: Songs from the Hudson River http://lisrubard.com/blog.cfm?feature=496375&postid=34651 This Friday, February 13, I get to play in one of my favorite projects, Pulse.&nbsp; Pulse is a composers federation of six very diverse and talented New York composers.&nbsp; Each of them performs and writes on his or her own, and many run big bands, but Pulse is their chamber music (for lack of a better term) project, employing classical, jazz, world and other musics to great combined effect.&nbsp; Each Pulse project centers around a theme or jumping off point; this season's is the quadricentennial of the discovery of the Hudson River, and the composers have collaborated with singer-songwriter Joy Askew to write pieces inspired by the great river and its environs. The Pulse ensemble will feature outstanding musicians Joy Askew (voice and guitar), Dan Willis (woodwinds), Julianne Carney (violin), Will Martina (cello), Dan Loomis (bass), and Diana Herold (percussion), and me (horn).&nbsp; If you're interested in hearing what really talented musicians and composers can produce when inspired by technique and compositional choices, but not bound by them, this would be a great concert to check out.&nbsp; Contemporary chamber music can really be fresh and accessible while still maintaining its complexity. For more info on Pulse and its composers, please visit their blog: <a href="http://pulsecomposers.typepad.com">http://pulsecomposers.typepad.com.
This Friday, February 13, I get to play in one of my favorite projects, Pulse.  Pulse is a composers federation of six very diverse and talented New York composers.  Each of them performs and writes on his or her own, and many run big bands, but Pulse is their chamber music (for lack of a better term) project, employing classical, jazz, world and other musics to great combined effect.  Each Pulse project centers around a theme or jumping off point; this season's is the quadricentennial of the discovery of the Hudson River, and the composers have collaborated with singer-songwriter Joy Askew to write pieces inspired by the great river and its environs.

The Pulse ensemble will feature outstanding musicians Joy Askew (voice and guitar), Dan Willis (woodwinds), Julianne Carney (violin), Will Martina (cello), Dan Loomis (bass), and Diana Herold (percussion), and me (horn).  If you're interested in hearing what really talented musicians and composers can produce when inspired by technique and compositional choices, but not bound by them, this would be a great concert to check out.  Contemporary chamber music can really be fresh and accessible while still maintaining its complexity.

For more info on Pulse and its composers, please visit their blog: http://pulsecomposers.typepad.com.
]]> Wed, 11 Feb 2009 11:40:00 GMT 26AA16C10A8A8107F4B8F3B3DAFA5122 Some nice reviews... http://lisrubard.com/blog.cfm?feature=496375&postid=31192 Image from <a href="http://www.tinymixtapes.com">Tiny Mix Tapes I thought about titling this &quot;They really like us!&quot; a la Sally Fields, but I think what I picked is more apt. At any rate, The Loom is starting to get written up a lot more, and there have been some very complimentary reviews lately, both of our EP, At Last Light, and of our live shows. Additionally, we've had EP tracks, especially &quot;Song for the Winter Sun&quot;, featured a number of places, including RCRDLBL and MTV 2 Subterranean Radio. Here's a selection of recent clips, if you'd like to check any out: David Bevan, RCRDLBL: &quot;...Working heavily in gothic watercolors, the Loom kick out glow-in-the-dark folk wailers that flirt with the anthemic, but never abandon the quiet spaces they were born in...&quot; <a href="http://www.rcrdlbl.com/2008/09/29/exclusive_new_download_the_loom_of_vegas_and_vanity_song_for_the_winter_sun">more... Heidi Vanderslice, Tiny Mix Tapes: &quot;...It&rsquo;s pretty impossible to fake the French horn, and Lis Rubard set an example for all you punks out there who think it looks easy, at times leading the entire crew with its gentle tenor. The sheer volume of instruments employed by The Loom is hard to describe without listing every single one, so just peep this video and trust me. These guys don&rsquo;t fuck around...&quot; <a href="http://www.tinymixtapes.com/CMJ-2008-Day-4?var_recherche=Loom">more.. John Niederkorn, Pensatos.com: &quot;...The group could almost pass for a more upbeat, electric-folksy version of The Evens and At Last Light is frighteningly brilliant in the way of progressive music. Look for The Loom to have a long lasting impact on the music world.[...]The Loom is a &lsquo;tell-your-friends-about-this-band&rsquo; band. At Last Light is a well-configured compilation of simple but honestly invigorating hymns mixed with an intoxicating male/female duo that brings a full-flavored harmony to each track leaving each new listener begging for a full-length LP.&quot; <a href="http://pensatos.com/2008/11/24/the-loom-%E2%80%93-at-last-light-putting-the-ep-back-in-extended-play/">more...
Image from Tiny Mix Tapes

I thought about titling this "They really like us!" a la Sally Fields, but I think what I picked is more apt. At any rate, The Loom is starting to get written up a lot more, and there have been some very complimentary reviews lately, both of our EP, At Last Light, and of our live shows. Additionally, we've had EP tracks, especially "Song for the Winter Sun", featured a number of places, including RCRDLBL and MTV 2 Subterranean Radio. Here's a selection of recent clips, if you'd like to check any out:

David Bevan, RCRDLBL:
"...Working heavily in gothic watercolors, the Loom kick out glow-in-the-dark folk wailers that flirt with the anthemic, but never abandon the quiet spaces they were born in..." more...

Heidi Vanderslice, Tiny Mix Tapes:
"...It’s pretty impossible to fake the French horn, and Lis Rubard set an example for all you punks out there who think it looks easy, at times leading the entire crew with its gentle tenor. The sheer volume of instruments employed by The Loom is hard to describe without listing every single one, so just peep this video and trust me. These guys don’t fuck around..."
more..

John Niederkorn, Pensatos.com:
"...The group could almost pass for a more upbeat, electric-folksy version of The Evens and At Last Light is frighteningly brilliant in the way of progressive music. Look for The Loom to have a long lasting impact on the music world.[...]The Loom is a ‘tell-your-friends-about-this-band’ band. At Last Light is a well-configured compilation of simple but honestly invigorating hymns mixed with an intoxicating male/female duo that brings a full-flavored harmony to each track leaving each new listener begging for a full-length LP." more...

]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:40:00 GMT D89D9FD95BA43BEC9442F2E7BC9F641F Another nice review from Dan at NYCTaper... http://lisrubard.com/blog.cfm?feature=496375&postid=31190 Here it is: &quot;Friday night at Cake Shop saw the next step in the evolution of the excellent band The Loom &mdash; the first time we have seen them play before a packed house. When a band with tremendous musical chops, harmonies and songwriting ability begins to accumulate critical praise, as The Loom have throughout 2008, it is only a matter time before the word spreads and the crowds grow. The band responded with quite a bit of friendly banter with the crowd and a prototypical strong set. We continue to be impressed with the work of guitarist-multi-instrumentalist Mark Rogers and his seamless transition into the band. The set also saw the inclusion of several new numbers and one apparent debut performance, which should mean that the anticipated follow-up to the At Last Light EP can not be far away...&quot; <a href="http://www.nyctaper.com/?p=449">Read the whole thing, and you can also download Dan's recording of our whole show. In the meantime, check out the podcast of &quot;For All My Friends in Spring&quot; from this show.&nbsp; (Thanks, Dan!) Here it is:

"Friday night at Cake Shop saw the next step in the evolution of the excellent band The Loom — the first time we have seen them play before a packed house. When a band with tremendous musical chops, harmonies and songwriting ability begins to accumulate critical praise, as The Loom have throughout 2008, it is only a matter time before the word spreads and the crowds grow. The band responded with quite a bit of friendly banter with the crowd and a prototypical strong set. We continue to be impressed with the work of guitarist-multi-instrumentalist Mark Rogers and his seamless transition into the band. The set also saw the inclusion of several new numbers and one apparent debut performance, which should mean that the anticipated follow-up to the At Last Light EP can not be far away..."

Read the whole thing, and you can also download Dan's recording of our whole show.

In the meantime, check out the podcast of "For All My Friends in Spring" from this show.  (Thanks, Dan!)]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:35:00 GMT 42A9C57897DE14CFDDB515E51EEECDE3