Sept. 2011

SEPTEMBER 2011 E-ZINE
We interrupt the twin non-stop streams of 24/7 natural disaster and in-depth sports coverage to bring you the September E-Zine. Thanks to everyone who tuned in for the vidcast last month, and hope you enjoyed the experience as much as my bandmates and I did. Bound for the midwest this month, and again later on in the year - thanks for telling your friends, they make the road a much friendlier place!

Concert details, latest news, much more at http://andrewmcknight.net
1. Upcoming Shows
2. Live CD/DVD Update
3. A Question for You!
In My Ears: Queen "Live at Wembley"
Essay: "Me and the 'I' of the Storm"

Help a little or a lot by sharing a song or CD from the website via email or Facebook, hosting a house concert or something in between: http://andrewmcknight.net/help
Thanks most of all for reading this!
________________________

1. UPCOMING SHOWS More details and links at website.
TH 9/8 * SHEPHERDSTOWN WV - Opera House (with Beyond Borders), 8pm
With a full set from special guests and friends Aca-Perco; at 131 W. German St. [ZIP 25443]

FR 9/9 * STRASBURG VA - Cristina's Cafe, 8pm
Cool and earth friendly cafe/music venue in the northern Valley; 219 W. King St. [ZIP 22657]

SU 9/11 * "A Day Without" - Andrew observes a day of online silence in remembrance and reflection

TH 9/15 * PARKERSBURG WV - John's House Concert, 7pm
RSVP required but all welcome - johnnypm427@yahoo.com [ZIP 26101]

FR 9/16 * EVANSVILLE IN - Concerts at the Cabin, 8pm
RSVP required but all welcome, http://indianafolk.com [ZIP 47712]

SA 9/17 * FERDINAND IN - Ferdinand Folk Festival, 12:30pm
At 18th Street Park [ZIP 47532] http://ferdinandfolkfestival.com

SU 9/18 * LOUISVILLE KY - "Earth Day Every Day" Special Music Service, 10:55am
All are welcome. At First Unitarian Church, 809 South 4th St. [ZIP 40203]

FR 9/23 * ELKHART IN - Benefit Concert for CCS Food Bank, 8pm
at UU Fellowship of Elkhart, 1732 Garden St. [ZIP 46514]

SA 9/24 * MCMURRAY PA - David's Music House, 8pm
at 1011 Waterdam Plaza Dr. (Peters Township) [ZIP 15317]

SU 9/25 * LEESBURG VA - Lawn Concert at Morven Park (with Beyond Borders), 6pm
Indoors if inclement weather; 17195 Southern Planter Ln. [ZIP 20176]

SELECT UPCOMING HIGHLIGHTS
FR 10/14 * NEW BERN NC - Trent River Coffee (resched from 8/25), 8pm
SA 10/22 * SPOTSYLVANIA VA - House About Tonight Concerts, noon
FR 10/28 * LUBEC ME - Crow Town Gallery, 7pm

And of course, that indeed implies that we're trying to line up another show or two mid-October in NC and late in the month through New England - as always, help and suggestions gratefully accepted, as are weeknight house concerts for two handfuls of your friends and neighbors.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

2. LIVE CD/DVD UPDATE
The audio mixing is finished and is in the hands of veteran mastering engineer and friend Bill Wolf, who just finished mastering a live concert CD and DVD for acoustic guitar virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel and PBS. We're hard at work trying to finish all the video editing, graphic design and packaging and all the other million details so you can have it before the holidays.

We should have more to hear from the project before next month, and at least one of those preview tracks will be a special E-Zine subscribers exclusive listen. Another will be a Facebook fan exclusive, so if you haven't done so already, please visit http://facebook.com/AndrewMcKnight.Musician and click "Like" at the top of the page. There's also a recent video of Andrew singing the as yet unrecorded "One More Year" from his front porch.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

3. A QUESTION FOR YOU!
For over a year now, Andrew has been doing music with toddlers and preschoolers at his daughter's daycare. In addition to singing, dancing and learning some basic concepts about music and movement, he's also been writing songs as well as teaching the kids (ages 2-6) some classic songs. While over the years a great many people have asked about the possibility of a kids music CD, it's only recently that he's seriously considered the idea of recording children's music. What we'd love to know is - what folk, bluegrass and gospel style songs rise to the level of classics that every kid should know? We're thinking about two levels - songs for preschoolers and songs for elementary school kids. Share your thoughts and suggestions with us by email - connect@andrewmcknight.net

And this is but one of three or four projects we have percolating at the moment. One thing is certain - there is going to be a lot of music coming out of the hills of northern Virginia over the next year, and we look forward to sharing it with you. Thanks for staying tuned!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"IN MY EARS"
In honor of what would have been their legendary frontman Freddie Mercury's 65th birthday, the rock band Queen offered two days of free continuous video streaming of their epic 1986 concert at London's Wembley Stadium;
http://www.youtube.com/queenofficial
When I was a kid, I remember that summer of 1975 when "Bohemian Rhapsody" was all over the radio. Part ballad, part mock opera, part hard rock piece - I'd never heard anything like it, and neither had the rest of the world. Aside from Mercury's eccentric genius in crafting, arranging and somehow bringing some 180 tracks into perfect sync (with only a 24-track tape recorder), the rich killer sound of Brian May's guitar screaming out of the radio all summer long might have been the original inspiration for air guitar, who knows! So to be able to step back in time and enjoy the full diversity and range of Queen's song catalog and hear how well the four of them did it live was quite a joy this week - if you are a Queen fan it is a must-see.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

ANDREW'S ESSAY: "Me and the 'I' of the Storm"
With special thoughts for friends facing fire in Texas, flood in the northeast, drought and heat on the High Plains.

"I've written a lot about the weather in these essays over the years, both casually and as a primary topic. This year it feels like all I write about, even though I strive to do otherwise - life is a lot more than rain or shine, after all. But between riding out an earthquake(!) with my little daughter, and explaining to her what hurricanes and wildfires are (adding to her knowledge of threatening meteorological events like tornadoes and blizzards), it seems like I talk about it at home a lot too.

A recurring theme is best described paraphrasing Shakespeare; "Beware the I storms" :) In the last 8 years I have had considerable run-ins with hurricanes Isabel, Ivan and now Irene. That's not to neglect others that were a royal pain - oh yes Fran, I'm talking about you! - but the storms with I names will forever keep my attention focused until they are completely disappeared and dissipated. . ."

[Read the rest at http://andrewmcknight.net/me-and-i-storm-sept-2011]

**********