Busking on St Catherines

It's funny how playing music on the streets makes you so aproachable. On Sunday of the May Long weekend I went out busking at noon. I set up infront of this beautiful church with shade from a tree. The moment I started strumming this tiny, round, italian man strode over with a purpose. He walked right up to me turned around and started shaking his tooshie at me! Now, keep in mind I was playing a slow romantic jazz tune to set the mood and this man must have been at least 65...As he was dancing these four, young, bravilian travellers decided to join in. They started clapping and dancing with him and then came over and started to do the same with me. They tried to convince me to pack up and go for a drink with them, but I declined seeing as I had only begun playing.. Usually when I play I bring a tea and a big bottle of water, my shades and my set up includes my amp a mic and stand a funky outfit and some flyers or buisness cards for people to grab while passing.

After about what I would say was an hour this alternative midthirties street kid named Rob aproached me. He had sat across the street while I was playing and had made a soap stone carving and was now presenting it to me. He asked if I would give him 5 dollars because he wanted to by some shoe polish to finish the job. " It's doesn't need any shoe polish," I said, " But did you need the 5 dollars?" " I haven't eaten yet today, so yes that would be nice." And so we exchanged gifts and I continued playing. I would say one of my all time favourite songs to play on the street is Video by Indie Arie.

All the city folk were in they're hussle and bussle with there new packages, or strutting in there Sunday best. I particularily noticed this old Lady scuttling along with quite a few shopping bags. She looked down at my case and ask, " Dear, do you think you could use a bag?" I smiled' " Well sure!" So she produced a brand new plastic wrapped handbag and without a word dropped it in my case and continued on her way...How funny is that?

I really appreciate the small things....I think now more than ever:)

Toronto

So I finally made it to Toronto. Those street cars are the thinest form of public transportation I've ever seen...I was confused, couldn't quite make an opinion of what the city reminds me of. I think it's old like Montreal, new like Seattle, and has Street Cars like San Fransisco. My friend Mark Harris is such a character. When we got on the Street Car of course he would assume the position of tour guide announcer with all the quips and started pointing out the different sites as we rode by.

Gig number one was set for Thursday Night at the Free Times Cafe in Downtown Toronto. The ambience gave it a 90s Comedy club feel with the checkered tablecloths and the curtains framing the stage. Darren played this amzing Quartz singing bowl that made the whole room shake. His Voice is amazing and he has sooo much feeling when he sings. David St Bernard has such a fresh sound. His voice is young R&B coupled with with wiity lyrics and guitar. Mark Harris has a unique sound. Sometimes Folk, sometimes Jazz, sometimes hip hop, matched with a comedy and stage presence that brings the audience right in. I enjojed playing that stage because it was dark and felt underground.

Gig number two was at Vapour Central. The stage was great, the audience changed every hour, and we had the whole night. The opening at was a new young female artist. Her voice was similar to that of Dolores O'Riordan, vocalist from The Cranberries, and accompanied herself with an acoustic Bass. Mark Harris played a totally diferent set, experimental Comedy Synth, He's a risk taker and it seemed to go over well with the crowd. Playing at the Vapour Lounge was interested. There was a big audience but I could help feeling like I was in a giant livingroom.

Overall it was a great weekend. Got to visit UofT and sample the cafeteria food, went to a Library, played 2 gigs, jammed with an old friend and saw a lovers quarrel on the street get broken up by a policeman on a horse. Best part was that he never got off the horse...Hope to visit again soon.

Busking

City life is strange...people feel so stressed and nervous about everything. Why is it that when someone looks you in the face on the street they immediately look away. The moment your eyes meet there's they have to look away. It's like they're worried there going to offend you or something. I often find myself giggling in the middle of these situations.
In Thailand my friend Flo and I decided to conduct an experiment. We decided to drop the Good Morning Bomb on whoever looked us in the face that morning. It was great. Some people smiled, some people didn't noticed. But the best was this middle aged Russian Lady. We strolled up and both chimmed in at the same time"Good Morning." She looked like she was going to have a heart attack. She grabbed her chest and said in a thich Russian accent," aah...rg...Hi." It was fantastic.

I find the only way the city folk can redeem themselves, for me, is when I busk. People have a reason to smile when they catch my eye. There so much more human and real. They start strutting on tempo to the music and catch themselves smiling,

Some moments~

~This little girl about 100 metres down the road started running through the crowd. She ran right up to me and put out her little hand. "My mother makes these. It's a ring", she said, "and she said I could give one to you." She waited with her small hand streched for me to stop playing and take it out of her hands. She smiled and started runing back through the street.

~Playing outside on St Catherines last summer... I was jamming away with the sun beaming in my face. This man walked up and grabbed my hand and gave it a good strong hand shake. "Make it happen "he said, I opened my hand to find a twenty dollar bill...

~The sun was going down and It was starting to get a little cold playing underneath the Bay Centre in Montreal. This older gentlement dropped a 5 dollar bill in my case while strolling by. A few steps down he turned around. " Do you smoke?" He asked. We leaned against the wall beside my gear and had a cigarette. As he lit mine he started telling me about his life. How he had been a photographer to the stars. Moments after he left this young guy zoomed on to the curb on his long board." Do you mind", he said as he caught his breath, " If I just stood over here and listened for awhile?" "Of Cousre not," I said and I smiled. It was like being a fly on the wall. He wasn't looking at me. He was just leaning on a light poll and gazing dreamily into the sunshine while I watched his expression change as the music changed.

~When I was 18 years old I started busking in Victoria on the harbour where the boats come in. On this one sunny afternoon I could here these 2 men shouting. It was coming from out in the water. I turned around and to my delight two guys were waving from there sailboat at me while dancing to the music.

I'm starting to realize that no matter how many times I try to fight it there's nothing else I want than to play music. It may not be glamoruus but it's mine. I hope that everyone has something in there life where they get to say," This is mine and you'll never take it away from me," because that's what music is for me.

Dready dread dread

Not sure if it was a good or bad idea. Maybe it was the sea air, maybe I was tired of society's view on how we should look but for better or for worse...I have dreads..!

What I'm About

Verse

Well I want the smorgasbord lifestyle,
I feel it's not about the one
It's about the sum of experiences
The wisdom I've gained from standing on my own two feet,
Younger than you, I suspect.

The memories I've lost, though I'm looking for some answer
and for whatever reason I'm not in any hurry, I'll find it
One day I'll walk right by it. Introduce myself,
add small talk then fast forward to what I have to say...

Chorus

So where have you been? Your taller, I feel much smaller
But your rosey cheeks are gone whats wrong, don't run stay with me
Tell me I need to know what's on your mind
Help me define what's mine
Help me define what's mine
Help Me define what's mine

Bridge

Five more minutes please
Just five more minutes please

Verse

I sing
Sometimes when I'm alone I feel I need a man
in my life for that balance
said
I want a relationship please, not someone who'll sneeze
at anything I through in his direction
"Your Cute" He'll say "Can I see you in Private?"
Then you realize he's a thousand miles further from shy than you though.
I've got gut rought,
Do you ever feel like your body's floating like a floation device?

Chorus

So where have you been? Your taller, I feel much smaller
But your rosey cheeks are gone whats wrong, don't run stay with me
Tell me I need to know what's on your mind
Help me define what's mine
Help me define what's mine
Help Me define what's mine

Bridge

Five more minutes please
Just five more minutes please

My Life

This adventure has done soo much for me as a person. I feel stronger in my own skin. Like I can finally wear my true personality on the outside. Everything feels different, better. I went to a vipassana retreat in Chaing Mai with Gabby. We signed up for 10 days and managed to finish 4 before sneaking out. When we were on the street it felt like I hadn't seen a Car or a store for ages. I think thats sort of how I feel now. Like I get to have the new sock feeling everyday:)

A few moments...

~Gabby and I were having breaky together in Chang Mai at this wicked cafe that was actually someones house. We sat in this back courtyard that was deliciously decorated in random paintings and plants and furniture and jars of snakes and chaos...When saying thank you to the owner and telling him how much we enjoyed his place he started telling us about his life. How he meditated everyday. I asked him what kind of meditation he was doing?(feeling quite savvy after doing my 4 day retreat) "It doesn't matter what you do, he said, just try to concentrate on one thing for awhile and give your mind a break...I paint."

~In the ruins of Angkor on our second day we started to get creative. We decided to climb through the rubble to see what we could find. We peaked over the roof to find a family of locals just chilling and eating lunch.

~In deep practice during the vippassna retreat. I was in my room speaking, we're not supposed to be speaking but me, Gabby and this Australian Actress Kat were in my room speaking. This monk walked by and yelled, "everyone practicing" and in a panic the three of us ran into my tiny bathroom in giggling hysterics. We were plotting mine and Gabby's escape from the temple. I had asked earlier to our teacher, Chi Bo Din, " we'd like to leave today. We've decided that this type of meditation is not what we're looking for and we'd like to have our closing ceremony and leave the monastery this evening."
"Mmmmm, Yes yes, He said, Everyone practice in the temple today. The construction here is to loud." "No We'd like to leave today." " Yes, you go to the temple for practice today" and strolled off, barely even acknowledging the fact that I'd said anything.

~On Ko Chang Island I met so many musicains and so many Rastas. One in paticular named Tong was insanely good at playing Bass. I asked him one day, " how did you get so good on guitar? You know so much theory." " I go to school, he said, "My friend, my friend and I live togetha for 3 years. He go to school and I wait at home. Then when he comes home he teach me what he learn. That way we have more money for ganga. His money for school, my money for ganga..."

~Let me try to give you the mental picture. Your zooming up a half built road, cautiously but also with a ton of adventure lurking in your mind, you ride almost straight up. You come to a peak in the road and you stop. The sun is bright because it's about to set and it's golden rays are shining. Your standing between these 2 dirt cliffs on both sides from the most insane beauty you've seen in maybe years. as you coast down you stare at the bay and the valley of trees and the turquoise water, not a glimpse of civilization in site...All I could think was this is my life!

I hope that all of you are living in whatevere way makes you happy. If your not happy then get out. Even though I know it's cold back there at this time just be thankful of all the people and moments and food is about to be around you. I expect all of you to take an extra peice of Turkey and eat it for me.
I wish for you all everything that you want for yourself in this life.

Annie B

Fast forward

How can anyone be sad when the see puppies and butterflies everyday?

Sooo after Bangkok I headed up north to Chang Mai. I was feeling like some zen time and decide to take on the 10 day Vippissanna. White clothes, free room and board, beautiful surroundings, and meditation(sigh). It's funny, if someone told me at home that I could stay silent and meditate for 7 hours a day I wouldn't believe it...But I did. Mind you it didn't last long. After speaking to my travel pal on day four we decided to leave the monastery. It just wasn't the type of meditation we were compatible with.

Walking down the street after cleaning our rooms and sneaking out it felt soo new and different. I felt so content with anything. Everything seemed so simple. On day 14 we left for the Mountains for three days of trekking. The hike on the first day was beautiful but was almost entirely straight up. There were parts of the trail where the palm trees were completly surrounding us giving me the feeling of being one of the three kids trapsing through their backyard in 'Honey we Shrunk the Kids.' But the view was spectacular.

On day 20 we travelled from Chang Mai all the way to Siem Riep in Cambodia. We were going to Angkor Wat.

We started our first day with a sunrise. It was the coldest, dustiest ride ever. Super bumpy, pitch black, my eyes were mushed with sleep, and the air was freezing. Angkor Wat is huge.There is a moat the size of a lake around it. Not only the bigges religious structure in the world but I think it may be the only religious monument that combines 2 religions, Hinduism and Buddism. As I walked along the walls of the different scenes I wondered if they were myth or reality. It is as magical as I thought and I feel both honoured and blessed for laying my eyes and my hands on it.

As of now, day 33 I think (and travelling solo!) I'm on this darling island in Thailand, Ko Chang. First day I was here I wondered about with my guitar on my back to investigate the area. By night fall I had new friends, a wicked bungalow, and was invited to play regularily at a Rasta Bar in exchange for free food.

~ At home I was thinking that it would be harder to meet people...
Travelling(in the sense of meeting people) is like being in a ski lodge cafeteria. Everyone has red sweaty faces, matted hair, and stinks. You look over and see an older lady struggling to get her boot off and you rush over to give her a hand cause you know exactly how she's feeling and how awesome it's gonna feel when she gets it off.

You tug and tug until you fall backward with the boot in your hands and both start laughing. She thanx you and you smile...

~ Never be afraid to travel because it's just like being at concert. You already have something in Common:)