CELIA: NEWS!

It's been TOO LONG, my people.  But I have much good news to share!

 

First, I am delighted to report that Grand Center Inc. in St. Louis MO has seen fit to honor me with one of this year's Visionary Artist Awards.  Your support has shaped that vision, and I humbly thank you for being a part of the community that I get to make music in!  http://www.grandcenter.org/shows_events/?event=57  The awards ceremony is Wednesday, May 19. 

 

That award is in the bag, but you can help me with this one:  The St. Louis Riverfront Times has nominated me for Best Vocalist (Female) this year.  Please, take a minute and vote for your favorites.  Go here and click on "Reader's Poll":  http://microapp.riverfronttimes.com/musicshowcase/2010/

 

Besides that, here are some links to some recent pictures in the papers:

http://stltoday.mycapture.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?image=28428951&event=960849&CategoryID=38577#Tabs

 

http://stltoday.mycapture.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?image=29401117&event=1000310&CategoryID=38925

This is so fun.  That's when Cherokee Street FOOTBEAT sang in the Cinco De Mayo parade.  I am FOOTBEAT Squad Commander.

http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/atoz/2010/05/riverfront_times_2010_music_awards_showcase_washington_avenue_june_5.php?page=4

I know you like to look at pictures.

UPCOMING:  Some fun stuff - This weekend, FIRE DOG hits the road for our favorite stops in KC and Lawrence.  And next weekend, Celia's Big Rock Band plays the Mayor of Kinloch's Birthday Party!  Check out the calendar for more details, and I hope to see you VERY SOON! 

 

LOVE

celia.

 

 

Check it out!

Karma Chameleon: Celia Shacklett is a one-woman musical renaissance By Christian Schaeffer
Published on April 14, 2009 at 11:47am

To call local singer-songwriter Celia Shacklett a musical evangelist might be an understatement. When she's not leading Celia's Big Rock Band, Shacklett plays bass in Fire Dog, performs sing-along songs for kids, and teaches grade-schoolers how to sing and play guitar. Her songs are both positive and wise, and she performs with a style that's magnetic to audiences of all ages. On a sunny spring Friday in a restaurant on the Hill, Celia sat down to discuss her latest record, Transformateurs, as well as her musical friendship with folk icon Bruce Cockburn.


Christian Schaeffer: What was the process involved with making the new record?
Celia Shacklett: I rehearsed with my local band, Celia's Big Rock Band, on these tunes for probably two years. We got this particular sound together. We rehearsed and went down to Arkansas [at East Hall Studios in Fayetteville] and recorded as a band. In October of 2007, I met Bruce Cockburn in New York City and we had a rehearsal day together, and then spent a day in the studio. We had one song we had written together in Memphis in June of 2007. He basically took the beginning of a song and helped me flesh it out.

What was it like working with another songwriter?
I've only cowritten a couple of times, and the cowrite with Bruce ["Things You'll Miss"] was definitely the most — I don't want to say successful — but it made something that is going to be a part of my repertoire. Part of that was that he wasn't doing much actual writing — he was helping me refine something. He helped me more with the chord progression and the melody and a kind of delivery — which to me, when I listen to it, is the "Bruce Cockburn delivery." That's what I love about that song: It sounds like Celia and Bruce Cockburn. It trips me out. I'm a huge fan and have been forever.

How did you hook up with Bruce Cockburn?
It's a really sweet story. I'm from western Kansas, from the High Plains, about 250 miles east of Denver and 330 miles west of Kansas City. It's a very remote area. If you're driving out on I-70 and you see all the signs for the World's Largest Prairie Dog, that's where it is — out in the middle of nowhere. And for me, that's the primary miracle of this whole trip is that I ever found Bruce Cockburn's music in the first place. But my brother threw a tape at me, and I listened to it and loved it. I became a disciple and went crazy. I wrote him a bunch of fan mail but never mailed it. I just had this love for him when I was fifteen.

And then when I was eighteen my dad died, and the night before the funeral, I wrote Bruce a letter, thanking him for having this kind of impact and for being a constant in my life. I mailed it the next morning on the way to the funeral, and a few months later he wrote back. We continued to exchange letters for a while, and in 1997 he sent a postcard and said he was coming through Lawrence, and we met for the first time. We knew each other pretty well through the letters, but we really hit it off. Over the years we've gotten together whenever he's in the Midwest, or I'll travel to go see him.

This was when I knew that it was just more [than] in my mind that we were friends: He was driving from Winnipeg to LA, and he cut across Missouri to come spend the night, on the night before Thanksgiving. We stayed up all night drinking bourbon and listening to David Bowie records. It was awesome. He's a really kind man, and I think he took it upon himself to be my friend when my dad died. So for fifteen years he's been a kind and generous friend — he's been a guiding influence in my life.

He really is my most treasured hero, but I just asked him to do this with me and he said, "Oh, sure. If you can make it convenient for me, I'll do what I can." I felt like I needed to offer him some kind of payment for his work, so I called him up and said, "What can I do for you?" He said, "Celia, you can't afford me. Just get me a nice bottle of tequila, and we'll call it even."

You also play alongside Mark Pagano in Fire Dog. How do your different bands intersect?
I've known Mark for thirteen years or so. We've played a lot of music together and been on each other's recordings from when we were learning to express ourselves musically. Fire Dog is kind of a special power trio — that band has a special bond. I learned how to play bass for Fire Dog, and Brandon [drummer] dusted off his chops for the band. Celia's Big Rock Band and Fire Dog has toured together with Love-O-Rama.

The Love-O-Rama tours have a multimedia aspect to them, with films being shown alongside the live bands. What is the impetus behind these tours?
Rebecca Rivas is Mark's girlfriend, and she's made a few different documentaries. She's in South America working on a documentary about the spirit songs of the Amazon rainforest. The one we toured with a few years ago was called At Highest Risk, about health care in the high Peruvian Andes. Along with [video manipulator and Mark's brother] Mike Pagano, we have four people, four brains, four different forces of energy that wanted to travel together. It's a record label and performance/entertainment collective. We aim to spread the love through music, movement and movies.

What does that love entail?
I like to think of the love as being more of a positive message. The overall vibe is meant to be uplifting — it's meant to be a fun, excitement-filled, happy, loving time. For me, it's a simple thing: having a good time together.

Greetings and Salutations!


Thank you for the honor of informing you of my upcoming musical excursions! It gives me great joy to make music and I love to share it with you!


1/ Upcoming FREE Shows in the St. Louis Area!
2/ New York and Philly, We're Coming!
3/ Express Yourself!


1/ You will find something for everyone in these upcoming shows!


FOR THE KIDS:
Wednesday, April 1
5 - 7 pm
Hartford Coffee Company
at the corner of Hartford and Roger, south of Tower Grove Park
Family FUN Night!
and it's Poisson d'Avril!
FREE


FOR THE COFFEE CLUB:
Friday, April 3
7 - 9 pm
Stone Spiral Coffeehouse
2500 Sutton in Maplewood
with Mama Blue - St. Louis SLAM Poet! FREE


FOR THE DANCE PARTY:
Saturday, April 4
10 pm - 1 am
3 Monkeys
Morganford just south of Arsenal
Celia's Big Rock Band rocks the Monkeys!
FREE


FOR THE GALLERY PROWLER:
Friday, April 10
6 - 8 pm
FIRE DOG @ Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
On Wash U Campus
Yes, we are going to rock the gallery. This is art, peeps.
Bring an unopened jar of peanut butter or jelly to benefit
LiveFeed.
FREE


2/ Friends in NYC and Philly, the rumors are true. Celia and Mark-O-Polo (of FIRE DOG) are heading out for the first installment of TRANSFORMATOUR '09 later in April. I'll write you again with more details, but here's the rundown:


4/20 Celia @ Red Lion Tavern, NYC
4/22 Celia + FIRE DOG @ Goodbye Blue Monday, Brooklyn NY
4/23 FIRE DOG @ Uncle Mike's, NYC
4/24 Celia + FIRE DOG @ Fergie's, Philadelphia, PA

Friends in these regions, come see us! We've missed you!

We're taking our show on the road!


3/ Lastly, my fine fans, I would like to invite you to publish your review of TRANSFORMATEURS on the World Wide Web. Go to my CD Baby site, scroll to the bottom, and let me know what you think! THANKS!



Spring has sprung and there are many exciting events coming up! I hope to see you and I hope you are enjoying peace and prosperity wherever you are! I thank you for your support and interest, and I am committed to this ancient commission to make music for the people of EARTH! You will hear from me again before too long.


THANK YOU

love
celia.


Celia is Rock the myspace Love-O-Rama Records

TRANSFORMATEURS is Celia's third full length studio release. The songs and music contained are influenced by artists such as Burt Bacharach, Carole King, and The Isley Brothers. Celia's aim as a musical artist is to create unique music that is fun, thought-provoking, and beautiful.


Recorded and mixed by Denise Barbarita and Chris Moore, TRANSFORMATEURS features a brand-new sound from Celia: a hybrid sound of LOVE-O-RAMA and DANGER: LIVE WIRE!

The result: a new view into the musical and magical world of grooviness. The dusty, derelict prairie meets the mud and decay of the Mississippi River bottoms.

I came to St. Louis in 2001 from Kansas and my musical journey came to new life because I discovered jazz and soul music. Then I re-discovered cowboy songs and realized the essential role of my Kansas roots in my music. TRANSFORMATEURS ranges from new original prairie folk songs to science fiction soul.


TRANSFORMATEURS was made between July 2007 - December 2008 by Celia with some help from her friends:

Celia's Big Rock Band recorded several songs with engineer Chris Moore of East Hall Studio in Fayetteville Arkansas. Celia's Big Rock Band is Celia, Melinda Winifred Jane Tentrees on voice and guitar, Herb James on bass, and Tom Collins on drums. This is Celia's St. Louis band.

Bruce Cockburn guest starred on two tracks, "Armadillo" and "Things You'll Miss", recorded at Kampo Studios in New York City with Denise Barbarita at the helm. This band featured Celia on acoustic guitar, Bruce on electric guitar, Herb James on bass, and Rich Kulsar on drums. This band was formed to make these 2 recordings with Bruce.

Some additional tracking occurred in Denise's Queens apartment and Celia's brother Shack's home studio. The mixing duties were split between Chris Moore and Denise Barbarita.

She is born, my people:

TRANSFORMATEURS.


I believe this is my best work. My music and artistic collaborators on this project are some of the finest in their fields. I am particularly honored to guest star Bruce Cockburn on "Things You'll Miss" and "Armadillo". Bruce is my friend and most treasured musical hero, and his appearance on my record is indeed A DREAM COME TRUE.

My artwork features a one-of-a-kind Times Square street scene, a custom collage, created by Mike Pagano.

Dear Friends and Fans, Contents of this transmission: 1/ TRANSFORMATEURS 2/ NYC CD Release Party! 3/ Relay message from a musical friend 1/ TRANSFORMATEURS THANK YOU for your continued love and support! THANK YOU for your pre-orders! TRANSFORMATEURS is here! Packages will begin going out ASAP and with every order, I send my deepest gratitude and best wishes. I hope you love it. I love it. I loved making it and now, I love to look at it and listen to it. In the next few weeks, it will become available online at http://www.cdbaby.com, Rhapsody, iTunes, and more, and at 2400+ music shops all over the USA. Of course, many of you will receive your autographed copies in your mailbox. LUCKY YOU! LUCKY ME! THANK YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN! 2/ NYC CD Release Party! Special Thanks to my musical friend Emily Zuzik (http://www.emilyzuzik.com) for providing me with this opportunity to present TRANSFORMATEURS to my friends and fans in the Big Apple! MONDAY JAN. 12 9 pm at The Red Lion (http://www.redlionnyc.com) Bleeker St. @ Thompson with Emily Zuzik! as part of the Bleeker St. Folk Sessions! 3/ Relay message from a musical friend SJ Tucker, aka Skinny White Chick, aka Sooj, has recently undergone emergency medical procedures to treat pain of unknown origin. See http://www.skinnywhitechick.com/announcement.php for the complete, up-to-date information. As I understand it, she had another CT scan yesterday to determine the source of her pain, and they are awaiting results. This ordeal will likely prove very expensive. She and her team are offering music online for a significant discount in order to raise money to cover these surprise medical expenses. I am relaying this message to you because I have known Sooj for several years now and her music is as inspiring and unusual as she is, and my heart goes out to her and her team through this trying situation. This is ALSO a unique opportunity to familiarize yourself with her music and her illustrious career. Please take a look at the above link and consider buying some music or sending a small donation to help. And do include Sooj in your wishings. Earth is better for her being here and doing her good work. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU You are making dreams come true! You are making music! love your musical friend celia. http://www.celiaisrock.com http://www.loveoramarecords.com

HI Folks!

I sent off all the materials to the manufacturer yesterday via Fed Ex Overnight Express and I just recieved word that they HAVE it! That means that it is FINISHED and, before too long, I will be mailing out the pre-orders. I hate to tell you, but I don't think I'll get them to you before Christmas. I LOVE to tell you, though, that arrival is imminent! For those of you who JUST CAN'T WAIT, I have already created at digital store and you can buy a whole album or individual songs, or just hear 30 second clips RIGHT HERE:


And I posted 3 complete songs on my myspace profile, so go have a sample.

What's happening now is the manufacturing company is making sure everything is PERFECT and then they'll press cds, print and construct the packaging, assemble the products, and ship them to me. This is supposed to take place within 15 business days. So you do the math.

I'm counting the minutes, myself.

THANK YOU for your support. I hope you love it. I hope you love just one little part of it. I hope you can tell that I made it for YOU.

Hello, my friends.

Fall has been so lovely in St. Louis. It seems like every week has memorable, satisfying, and unique experiences to savor. Today I write with GOOD NEWS for you, gentle reader: new MUSIC is on the way to your ears, and the folks making the music love you, and want you to be happy. I have sent TRANSFORMATEURS to the master, Brad Sarno, of St. Louis' Blue Jade Audio, and he will put one more coat of glaze on it before we stick it in the kiln. You have been so patient with me. I am planning to send copies far and wide, in hopes of attracting positive attention to my music, so that I may come in contact with listeners who find comfort and joy in my unique voice. I welcome any suggestions or feedback from you, and I will appreciate your help disseminating my contribution to the world of MUSIC. AND, to top it all off, did you know that FIRE DOGis also working on a new recording? LOVE-O-RAMA records is kicking off 2009 with 2 brand-new releases!

Thank you for your support. I can't wait to have it in my hands to deliver it to yours. Here is the track listing of TRANSFORMATEURS:

It's Not Hard
Day B4
Time Traveler
Vic of Araby
Things You'll Miss (feat. Bruce Cockburn)
Je Me Souviens
Flirting
Big Brother
Armadillo (feat. Bruce Cockburn)
St. Patrick

My graphic designer, Mike Pagano, AKA VJ Evil Che, is putting the finishing touches on the package, and I hope to have it to you by Christmastime.

You're going to LOVE it!

We've played ARTICA before but it has never been as awesome. I set up my trusty Fender Passport RIGHT on the center plaza below The Arch and rocked it. I played a set as "Celia" and enjoyed singing and visiting with my presumably international audience. I also loved seeing many familiar faces - some of my fans from way back in the Brown Bear days were there! I played some of my favorite songs and I dedicated "TIME TRAVELER" to YOU, "The Rainbow Medley" to the ARCH, and "Ghost Riders" to Captains Lewis and Clark. What a thrill! Then FIRE DOG played a POSITIVE CHARGE set of brand-new tunes and a couple of hits like "You Don't Know My Momma" and "2004 (May These Changes Make Us Light)"

See the shots page for some visual aids. Thanks to our fave photog, Great Cate Columbatto, for the action shots.

Artica is an outdoor multi-media art festival, parade and workshop series developed to provide the people of the St. Louis metropolitan area with the opportunity to come together as a community through creative self-expression.

The event takes place along the Mississippi riverfront in order to revitalize an area that has been polluted, neglected and abandoned for far too long. Although our audience is primarily all of the citizens of the St. Louis metropolitan area, the whole world is invited to attend and expected to participate as co-creators during the festival.

Artica’s development is as fluid as the river it celebrates, and its scope depends greatly upon the involvement of the community.

Artica happened on the St. Louis riverfront between the Arch and the water, north of the Poplar Street Bridge, and south of, and upon the riverfront main stage.

Artica took place on October 11 & 12 (Saturday and Sunday), 2008.

Find out more about Artica so you can come next year: http://articafest.ning.com

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for caring. If you can see this, you are standing close enough that I can feel you there, and I thank you for checking in. My new record is sounding terrific. I tracked the first elements last July at East Hall Studios, then a session with Maestro Bruce Cockburn in NYC's Kampo Studios. I spent the winter and spring traveling to NYC and Fayetteville AR for refinements and mixing, and now we're almost there! Still mixing at the moment, and then mastering and production. . . I hope I'll have something for you by my birthday in September. Meanwhile. . .have a great summer! Stay tuned!

My hero and me.

I have just returned from New York City, where I spent a portion of the last 2 weeks working on my recording project, TRANSFORMATEURS. This was the second set of sessions with NYC engineer/producer/songwriter Denise Barbarita. In August, I spent some time with Denise mixing tracks I recorded with Celia's Big Rock Band in Arkansas at East Hall Studios with my brother, Shack at the helm.

Maestro Bruce Cockburn joined me on Thursday, Oct. 18, along with Denise, drummer Rich Kulsar, and CBRB bassist Herb James, for a rehearsal in Denise and Rich's funky midtown practice space. We spent the afternoon together playing music, working out the arrangement and getting our sound together for a song Bruce and I wrote back in June in Memphis called "The Things You'll Miss". We also worked on a few other things, just in case we might have time do do more in the studio the next day. Everyone sounded fantastic and we had a really nice time.

Rich and Herb.

Herb arrived the night before. I picked him up at Port Authority and we walked over to Times Square to catch the subway. Herb was very excited to find himself in the heart of The Big Apple!

Cheesin.

Herb, jammin at the Craic Shack, before heading over to rehearsal.

Herb and I, waiting for the bus.


Friday morning, Herb and I headed out to meet Bruce, Denise, and Rich at Kampo Studios.

Being in the studio with Bruce was so special to me, a real live dream come true. He is so warm and willing and kind, a true friend, and a monster musician. We all had a great time making music together.

Our heads really were on fire.

Calmed down a little.

You can see some more photos of my trip and my friendshere.

A heartfelt THANK YOU to the folks that helped me in NYC:

Angie

Emily

Denise and Rich

Megan and Zula

Jeff and Jomei

Jeremiah

Herb

And, of course, the Mystic of the North, Bruce Cockburn.

Stay tuned for more pictures and stories from New York. TRANSFORMATEURS is moving along. For all you generous pre-orderers out there, please know that your copy is guaranteed, though release date is indefinite yet. I LOVE YOU. Thank you for helping me. If you would like to pre-order, I'm on the line at celia@celiaisrock.com. Hit me up!

My friends Greg and Erin, along with their parents, hosted the first ever LOVE-O-RAMA wedding in July in Muskegon MI.


See more pictures here.

LOVE-O-RAMA Spring Tour!


ACHTUNG MUSIC LOVERS:

LOVE-O-RAMA is hitting the road in May and June for a short run of shows in the mid-Western United States! Also, "At Highest Risk" is going BACK to Peru, with LOVE-O-RAMA artist Mark Pagano as musical ambassador and helpful side-kick. Click on the little pictures for more info on participating artists! Check back for updates!


May 10
New Orleans LA


May 11
Atomic Cowboy


May 12
In the Village
Ayacucho, Peru


May 18
Fullbright Commission
Lima, Peru



May 23
Montevideo, MN
Java River Cafe

May 24
Minneapolis MN
Acadia Cafe DEMO Showcase

May 25
Faribault MN
Java Live

May 26
Ames IA
Cafe Diem

June 7
Lawrence KS
Gaslight Tavern

June 8
Kansas City MO
The Brick

June 9
Columbia MO
The Blue Fugue

June 10
TBA
St. Louis MO

AND THAT'S NOT ALL! Many other dates in St. Louis MO and elsewhere on the horizon! See the Calendar for info and check in with all your favorite rock stars with the provided links. WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU!

You Don't Want To Miss This Show!

Click for the Big View!

See Below for Links!


Benchpress Burlesque!
The In?
FIRE DOG!

and
Celia's Big Rock Band!

We made it home safely after 2 months. That's 32 gigs in 14 states for the first ever LOVE-O-RAMA tour.

Here's 2 months in 3 minutes!

See the press page for what they're saying about us. Thank you for helping us SPREAD THE LOVE!

LOVE*O*RAMA personnel:

Me, as host and emcee, and performing my acoustic vaudeville supa-funk music. celia.


Mark Pagano, and his Rock and Roll ballads of Truth and Intrigue, with me on bass and backing vocals, occasionally incorporating percussion in select venues. FIRE DOG


VJ Evil Che, tickling the visual ivories to produce some of the most mind-bending video displays of the 21st century. SEE BOTH


Rebecca Rivas, resident documentarian and support staff. Author of "At Highest Risk: Maternal Health Care in the High Peruvian Andes"

and Featuring, in select venues: Melinda Winifred Jane Tentrees, Big Jill Abou from St. Lou, Herb James, Brandon Manitoba and Great Cate, Dan Bob Huck, Christine "Groucho" Marx, and Tom Collins!

THANK YOU. Thank you. Humblest thanks. We couldn't have done it without you.

Portland, after the show. Spitzseeds, New Belgium Brewery, and Powersquid sponsor gifts.

Oct. 27
Arsaga's The LOVE-O-RAMA Halloween SPOOKTACULA!
Fayetteville, AR

Our last show. And, boy, was it SPOOKY! My brother, Shack, helped us out with his p.a. and even sat in with me on a couple numbers. This was a very special show for me because my very own family was in the house.

Here's my baby niece, Ivy, and me. We do "Sweet Potato".

Mom and Ivy watching the Spooktacula!

We were packing up our gear that night when we learned that the Cardinals won the world series!
WORLD CHAMPS!

And that was the end of tour.

How I felt about tour being over. Those are real tears, people. This is booing and hooing.

We spent some time with my family that night and the next day before heading to Springfield to see Mike and Mark's sister for a Halloween Outing.

A group shot before we headed out. Scary.

Thanks, Maddie, for hosting us over night. Thanks, LOVE-O-RAMA, for the life-long memories. I love you all - Never change!

Oct. 21
Kristin's House
Gallup NM

This wasn't really a "show", but it really was a LOVE-O-RAMA. Kristin and her daughter Hala greeted us with beer and food, and Hala played with each and every one of us until we were all played out. Mark sat and played a whole bunch of his classic tunes from another time, and after dinner, Rebecca showed the movie to Kristin and her guests. It was a relaxing evening at home in Gallup - thanks, Kristin! And thanks for breakfast the next morning! We left ready to take on Route 66 all the way home!

Oct. 21
The Blue Dragon Albuquerque NM

My brother Shack suggested we talk to Norm to land this gig, because it was the "hippiest-dippiest" coffeeshop around. No better description for a perfect LOVE-O-RAMA venue. When we arrived, there was a ceremony/performance going on in the performance area, complete with tai chi and didgeridoo. We had some calzones and then Norm helped us load in. Norm was so sweet to us, and a very talented singer in the Tuvan style! He warmed up the stage, singing along with Evil Che's Mingus DVD, and then sat in for my set and FIRE DOG's! Norm was very encouraging and helpful all evening, and we look forward to visiting this community and neighborhood oriented, locally owned and operated, "closer to the hand" coffeeshop again. Thanks, Norm!

After our show, we drove up the road to our friend Peter's place, the Pinon Ecovillage, adjacent to the Pojoaque Pueblo in Santa Fe county. We spent 3 days and 3 nights with Peter and Jacque and their two lovely boys, Charlie and Oliver. The weather was perfect and we had some time to explore the area.

Me, Mike, and Mark in the beautiful Jemez Springs.

Mark in the ancient cliff dwellings of Bandelier National Monument.

The canyon at Bandelier.

Me in the Kiva.

The Land of Enchantment.

Gettin' their kicks. . .

Oct. 18
Lestat's San Diego, CA


LA was a great big adventure. It, in fact, did me in. I woke up the morning after the Fais Dodo show with strep throat. Special thanks to our LOVE-O-RAMA physician for your expert advice and treatment! I was at least better enough to sing at Lestat's for our last gig on the west coast.

Josh Damigo, our local act, was so enthusiastic and so were his fans! Great to meet you, Josh! Also, take a minute to meet our soundman, the great Louie Brazier!

We drove all night to get to Tucson because we really wanted to get some rest before the show the next day. Our friend Archer greeted us just after dawn and fixed us a fabulous breakfast before putting us all to bed!

Oct. 19
Rainbow Planet Tucson AZ

Well, the key to a LOVE-O-RAMA is, of course, spreading the love. And the Planet Coffeehouse, though tiny, was full of love that night. Rebecca's uncle came to watch the movie with a friend of his, and Archer was just about the music-lovin-est audience yet.

We got to spend all morning and into the afternoon the next day enjoying the sunshine in Tucson. Archer fixed us another wonderful meal and we headed out for Phoenix a little later.

Oct. 20
Naucalli - House of the Four Directions Phoenix AZ

We arrived to the smell of menudo cooking on a pot outside this indigenous peoples' center in Phoenix. The place was ours for the night. We set up the screen and p.a. outdoors because the weather was so nice, and we were positively DELIGHTED to see so many folks out! This community center has quite a community! The folks really loved the movie and they stayed late while Mark and I played music under a clear, star-studded sky. Some of Rebecca's family came out and gave her some extra special support and refreshment! We stayed at Antonio and Theresa's (thanks!) and Antonio made us some delicious omelets in the morning. Rebecca's family came by and we spent some time playing with the kids and visiting before we headed out for Gallup, NM.

Oct. 12
Echo Park Film Center Los Angeles CA

We drove all day to get to LA from Santa Cruz. Once we got to town, we scoped out the venue and then headed over to our friend Ryan's place to chill for a bit and have some Thai food. Jill and Herb took a more scenic route through Big Sur, so they met us a little later. We got to the Echo Park Film Center and Paulo was cheerfully making the place ready for our show. We had a small but enthusiastic crowd for this film screening, including a bunch of young people who happened by on their way home from church! Thanks, Echo Park Film Center, and Ryan Wylie, for providing us with a soft place to land in LA!

Celia's Big Rock Band, Cali-style.

We drove back up the road that night to Santa Barbara, where a kind supporter of the arts had offered to keep ALL of us for 2 nights at his fabulous mansion at Hope Ranch. Thanks, Doug and Nina Katsev and family, for this generous donation to our cause! We spent Friday looking around Santa Barbara before hitting the PRIVATE BEACH, and then back to the Katsevs for a quiet night of pizza and horror movies - a much-needed break from the hustle and bustle since we emerged from the Redwoods!

Herb in Santa Barbara.

Herb enjoying the private beach.

Saturday morning, we drove back in to LA to look around this GIGANTIC city. Herb and I took a ride over to Inglewood to see some of his family, while Jill and Mike cruised around Venice Beach, and Mark and Rebecca hooked up with Ryan and Mitch. We all met up around sunset at beautiful Venice Beach. This is my FAVORITE place to visit in LA.

After some fun-having, Herb, Mike, Jill, and I drove on down to the LBC, where my friend Megan hosted us for a night on the town! What fun! LBC knows how to PARTY!

Oct. 15
Club Fais Dodo Empowerment Works! Bohemian Sunday
Los Angeles CA

WOW! Thanks, Melanie and Cafe Fais Dodo, for having us out! What a great night!

Here's the club!

Here's the gang!

We couldn't have asked for a nicer venue and a more mutually supportive situation. We loved Empowerment Works!, and they loved us! Please see the press page to read a letter from Melanie St. James about our collaboration at Cafe Fais Dodo. We also got to share the bill with an old friend and bandmate of mine from the Kansas days, Melineh Kurdian!

There's Melineh!

It was cold at Crater Lake. We'd considered camping there originally but we arrived at dusk and, though the view was beautiful, the campgrounds were closed for the season. We drove on south for a LONG TIME to find a campground. After
breakfast and some map-reading, we headed on down US 199 into the spectacular Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, where we stayed for the next 3 days and nights.

That's a big tree.

Our little river beach home.

Almost got us all.

There I am!

Kind of mist-ical, huh?

This is our little cooking fire and my little headlamp that I used everyday of tour.

There's a little tiny person way over there. Hi, Rebecca!

Here's Mike and Mark.

Mike in the tree-cave.

Different tree cave.

Mark and Rebecca.

Banana slug
Sequoia Sempervirens
Oct. 5
Kimo's San Francisco, CA

We came out of the redwoods truly refreshed and ready for the second half of tour. We stopped off in Mendocino for one night and also had lunch at Japhy's in Arcata with Mark's friend Danjo. Maybe we were a little disoriented, because we were very surprised to hear from our friend Joey in SF that we were listed in the paper for a gig that night at Kimo's! We called and explained that somehow we'd overlooked this booking altogether and hadn't even sent posters, but they said to come on by and do the show. So we did, and luckily some of our friends in town came out with some of their friends and we had a splendid night! Thanks, Harlowe, for the friendliness and the DANCING, and thanks, Mikal, for your music! We made some friends at Kimo's, and THAT'S a LOVE-O-RAMA!

This is how SF parties.

What luck we hit upon in SF. The next day found us enjoying the (hardly) Strictly Bluegrass festival in beautiful Golden Gate Park with our new friends Scott Clark, Jillian, and Mikal Shapiro!

My friend Joey, aka Pleasuremaker, and me in the park, enjoying the festivities.


Oct. 8
The Riptide San Francisco, CA

What a special show! Our friend Lyndsey Scott really saved the day by loaning us wheels to get everything together for the show. Our new friend Scott Clark brought the drum set for the show, and Herb and Jill had just arrived from St. Louis, ready to ROCK! David at the Riptide was so accommodating right from the start, and even bought a red LOVE-O-RAMA shirt and sported it all night. (Lookin FINE, David!) Mikal Shapiro and Scott Clark played an knock-out set between Celia's Big Rock Band and FIRE DOG, and our jukebox hero Cree Rider topped off the show with a set that he designed expressly for the LOVE-O-RAMA! What a great night! Lots of dancing and lots of L-O-V-E! Thanks for buying those shirts, David, and thanks to the guy that shared his lasagne with me when it was all over. And huge heartfelt thanks to Mikal and Scott Clark for being the best new friends a Love-O-Rama could ever hope for!

We headed down the coast to Palo Alto where our friend Jo lives and she took us to the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, where we checked out some sea stars, sea anemone, all manner of mollusks, and many other unusual marine lifeforms.

Tide pools.


a little Sea Anemone.


Unusual lifeforms. (Jill, Jo, and John)

Jo then took us back to her cute little house in cute little Palo Alto where she and her roommate, Gina, hosted a delightful dinner party just for us. Need I even say it? It was a LOVE-O-RAMA!

Oct. 11
E3 Playhouse Santa Cruz, CA

We got to Santa Cruz a day early so we could screen some more shirts. This was an extra special stop on tour because Santa Cruz is home to one of LOVE-O-RAMA's cherished sponsors, Powersquid, and my personal friend, inventor Chris Hawker and his team. Chris helped me to put together many ideas that we put into practice on this tour, and bringing LOVE-O-RAMA to his town was, to me, the manifestation of a dream realized.

We had so much fun at the E3 Playhouse. Wes' mission of "Education, Entertainment, and Eatery" made for a perfect fit with our show, and we enjoyed our salmon dinners just as much as we enjoyed Wes' pro gear and solid sound system! Cree Rider came down from SF to play the closing set, and it was a real winner, complete with me sitting in on the drums and Mark singing back-ups with Cree and Joe! What a night! My heart swelled with pride the next morning when Chris said, "Good for you for creating something that you LOVE." Well, I love YOU, Chris and Sommer and Tanner, and thanks for the inspiration!

Trinidad State Beach

Sept. 28
Luckey's Club Cigar Store Eugene, OR



Boy, was I excited to get to Eugene. I spent some time there when I was younger and I LOVED it, plus I have an old friend there that I hadn't seen in years. We pulled right up to Luckey's, the oldest bar in Eugene, and the folks there were super nice. Things run a little late in this sleepy little college town, so we had plenty of time to set up our merch and Mike's screen before The Dead Americans showed up. I was so happy to meet Zak after all the emails we had exchanged, and he was just as nice as he seems on the world wide web. He also brought his dad, Mike, who plays the "Louisiana Saxophone". He sat in on a couple numbers with Celia's Big Rock Band, much to the delight of all of us. Plus, the Dead Americans brought out a SWEET crowd for us to play to, and they were DIGGING it! The Dead Americans played a SMOKIN set, and FIRE DOG rocked out last, completing a trilogy of heartfelt and lusty soul ROCK! Thanks a million for loaning us gear, John and Josh! I particularly loved playing bass through Josh's SWEET amp. The Dead Americans RULE and I can't wait to collaborate again.

The Dead Americans

Celia's Big Rock Band at Luckey's

We stayed up late over at my friend Jessi's house and kept her up. Good thing she and Sven are so cool.

Mark and Rebecca and Dan Bob left early the next morning and Mike and I stayed on in Eugene. Melinda and Brandon and Great Cate drove on up to the Oregon Dunes and they had a blast. I don't remember much about Friday because I was resting almost all day. I woke Mike up a few times and then I'd find him sleeping somewhere else. I think we were pretty tired.

Jessi and Sven threw a party for us Friday night and I loved it. They also put EVERYBODY in the whole crew up and acted like they wouldn't mind if we stayed forever. Then they drove Mike and I to Portland the next day after showing us around Eugene AND taking us out for Yumm Bowls. What sweet people. You'll never get rid of me, Jessi.

Sept. 28
The Know Portland OR

For real, folks, it was unbelievable how many JAYHAWKS were at this show! Long-lost friends and people I thought I'd never see again! Hi EVERYBODY! What a great little bar - just like Kansas! Thanks so much for coming out and supporting us! The local band, my friend and fellow Kansan Noah Earle's brother's band, Keep Your Fork, There's Pie. Oh, how I wish I could give you a link for them. What a special, hilarious treat for all of us! And Mary Jo used to be in a band, The Roundups, that I shared a bill with sometimes back in Lawrence! You know what that is. . .it's a LOVE-O-RAMA!

This is the guy from Keep Your Fork, There's Pie juggling during FIRE DOG's set. FU-UN! Look how Brandon Manitoba's eyes are shining behind the drumset!


Oct. 1
Cozmic Pizza Eugene OR

Back to Eugene. I remembered thinking, a dozen years ago, that Eugene was this really BIG city. We got off the highway and pulled into Eugene with no real idea how to find this place. So we sidled up to a guy by the road and he says, "oh, it's right down there a block" and points right at it, then says, "hey, are you the ones who emailed me on Willamette Valley Music Scene?" And I realized, a dozen years later, that Eugene is a very small town.

This was a nice gig. I really liked the pizza. Some midwives came to the movie, and we were all delighted to have our friend from St. Louis, Willy Zep, sit in with his hand drums that night! Mark and I both enjoyed playing on the BIG STAGE, and I think Mike liked the BIG SCREEN afterall, too.

Of course, we went back over to Sven and Jessi's and got to spend some more time with them before heading out to Crater Lake the next day.

Wizard Island at Crater Lake.

Sept. 24
The Can Can Seattle, WA

This little cabaret at Pike Place Market was HIP! Our opening act, Orchestra L'Pow! wowed everyone with their swing band and burlesque show! And what a show! We were all delighted.


Firedog and Celia's Big Rock Band rocked it FOR REAL with the help of our newly-arrived crew: Dan Bob Huck, Melinda Winifred Jane Tentrees, and Brandon Manitoba, and then we enjoyed the space-rock jams of The Glass Goblins until late night. 5 let me sit in with the Goblins and I played the best solo I've ever played in my life. 5 is a very inspiring character.

Mike and 5.
Thanks a million, 5 and Wes, for loaning your drums and bass rig to us.
Sushi with Marin.

Monday night, after A LOT of sushi and exploring Pike Place Market, Dan, Mark, Mike and I joined 5 at his regular gig at Mr. Spot's Chai House and I got to jam on 5's guitar. Then Mike improvised some of his best work on the mic. I can't remember any of it except that it was so good.
5's friend Heidi had us over for a visit that night after the show we enjoyed some friendly Rat City neighbors.

Sept. 27
Nectar Seattle, WA

Marin sent me a link to some photos from this gig. They're a little too small to post here, so see here. I hope it works. Thanks for all the shots, Marin. This is a big album, you fans, so get ready for the inside scoop on LOVE-O-RAMA tour.

Hey, fans, if you have any photos from our visit to your town, email them to me at celia@celiaisrock.com and I'll try to post them.




Sight seeing in Seattle:

Jimi and me.

That's me overlooking Puget Sound.

Here's our bitchin LOVE-O-RAMA crew rockin down the street.

See? So action-packed you can't even see em clearly.

Touring is hard work.

Mark and Rebecca and Mt. Ranier.

Great Cate and Brandon Manitoba.

VJ Evil Che Pagano, providing Live Art with Environment.

Melinda and Dan Bob, providing tour support and X-tra coolness.

What is going on here? Cold s'more.





CHEERS!

We drove up the Yellowstone Valley to the beautiful little cow town, Livingston, MT, where we stopped at the Dusty Boots for a late lunch. Then Mark and Rebecca bought me a whole bag of jellybeans that I enjoyed on the way to Missoula, where we had some nice lentils when we got to Elizabeth, Molly, and Nabil's house. Thursday was cold and wet, so after Mark and I screened some t-shirts, we spent most of the afternoon at Butterfly Herbs, sippin tea and catching up with the inner-web. We also caught up with Purrbot, our local act. The show was GREAT, movie and all; what a nice room, and a really supportive and friendly crowd. Special thanks to Damon for being so patient and persistent with the sound. I loved the music of Purrbot and Screech Owl, and I loved the Moose Drool.

The next morning, we drove out of Missoula on Scenic Highway 12 over the Lolo Pass and I thought the mountains would never stop. This mountain range is THICK. After (no kidding) about 3 hours of driving through mountains, the road opened up into a spectacular valley, and, though we were in Idaho by this time, I can certainly see why they call it Big Sky Country!

View of the valley from the Palouse.

Then we started driving up 195 on the The Spiral Highway, also known as the Lewiston Grade. All the sudden, the mountains disappeared behind us and we were in the midst of these gigantic, yellow, grassy, humps!
I found out later that this formation, called The Palouse, produces 90% of the U.S.'s lentils and peas!


Sept. 21
One World Cafe Moscow, ID

Well, things were looking a little grim by the time we arrived at this bustling coffeeshop in this cute little town on the Palouse. They had no P.A. for us and Mark was really feeling sick. I didn't want to abandon the show quite yet, but it was 5 pm and music stores were closing soon, not to mention that we might wind up spending more to rent a p.a. than we'd make on this night. Luckily, I have a friend who just played there a month before, and she hipped me to the guy with the DEAL! Thanks, Molly Irene! And, for SURE, thanks a MILLION, Guitarist's Friend, for the SWEET DEAL!

Good thing it all worked out, because this show was a real jewel. We met so many nice people and the cafe provided us with dinner that night and breakfast AND lunch the next day! What a bonus! I also particularly enjoyed the special pumpkin roll brought to me especially by my personal friend Kristin, who is also a MAJOR Love-O-Rama supporter. Thanks for putting us up in such delightful style, Kristin! Next time, we'll stay a little longer!

Sept. 15 and 16
Coal Creek Coffee Laramie WY

We're in the wild west now. It was 80 degrees farenheit when we left Denver, and we got to Laramie 2 hours later and it was about 40 degrees. We showed the movie at this great little coffeeshop right in the middle of Laramie. And Laramie is right in the middle of the valley between the Snowy Range and the Medicine Bow mountains. And there's a railroad track right beside the downtown and trains go by all day long.

Saturday we tried to attend the Fat Crack Festival at Vedauwoo but it wasn't going on because six inches of snow fell that morning. Not too good for an outdoor climbing workshop. So we went back to town after a little climb and I got a nice hat to keep my ears warm.
That's me on Vedauwoo.

We played music at Coal Creek that night and it was very low-key - a nice ending to our very chill(y) time in Laramie.

We drove back to Fort Collins that night and arrived just in time for some New Belgium beer and a hot tub party! Thanks, Stacy and Jay! that's why I call it FORT FUN!

Sept. 17
Avogadro's Number Fort Fun, CO

Stacy and Jay made us breakfast and then we headed out to the Sustainable Living Fair to hand out some fliers and enjoy some delicious New Belgium beer. I learned a lot there and had a nice nap on a hammock.

The show at Avogadro's was really special - I loved seeing my old friends. And meeting their kids!
The drummer for Motorhome, John Motley, sat in with FIRE DOG and sounded AWESOME. And Mike Craft, our old friend and New Belgium ambassador to the world, played congas. Then Motorhome played a rockin set and then we loaded up the van, loaded up the van, loaded up the van. (we do this a lot.)

We left in the morning and drove through WYOMING. Here are some pictures, in chronological order, of some things we saw.

We stopped in Thermopolis for a soak in the hot springs and some other unusual attractions. Extra special LOVE-O-RAMA Coolness Award goes out to Jon Bushey, who put us up that night just because he's a friend of a friend. Now, THAT'S a LOVE-O-RAMA!

Here's the LOVE-O-RAMA crew at Hell's Half Acre.

That's me at Hell's Half Acre.

Les Trois Tetons!

Wyoming is pretty fantastic. We saw so many pronghorns. Then I woke up ON MY BIRTHDAY in Yellowstone National Park, the first National Park in the WORLD, established in 1870. We saw bison walking down the way and a coyote in the tall grass and plenty of geothermics.


Geothermal Activity.