Upstate uprising!

Written by Joel Blizzard :: Thursday, 19 March 2009 22:45

We just got home from a little road trip up north to the Roc to perform at the Water For Sudan Benefit.  Rochester's premier venue, the Water Street Music Hall saw a slew of great bands come through tonight.  A shout out to Sleeping Giant who invited us to take part, to SubSoil, Jatoba, The Buddhahood all rocked the building.  We are honored to have been a part of the show.  

Back in December, our friend Sam Mason invited us to play at the Westcott Theater for the NextAid Benefit, opening up the house for Soulive.  What a night!  A blowing cold night in Syracuse, but the furnace blasted in that room that night.  The theater asked us back so we set the date for this Saturday March 21.   We are proud to bring with us our beloved I-Town fam Sim Redmond Band and Jsan & the Analogue Sons, on the wheels throughout the night will be the one and only DJ AFAR.  Doors at 8pm. $12. All Ages.  524 Westcott Street in Syracuse.  See you!

Floyd Fest '08 announced

Written by Joel Blizzard :: Tuesday, 17 February 2009 14:07

We are excited to be performing at this summers Floyd Fest in Floyd, VA.  We have been given "featured artist" status in the Under the Radar Music Series, which is so very awesome.  We will be playing 2 sets, exact times to be determined.  Come down!

 Also just announced shows: 

March 6 in Manhatten at NuBlu

March 7 in Northampton, MA at Bishop's Lounge

March 8 in Allston, MA at Great Scott

 March 21 in Syracuse, NY at the Westcott Theater with the Sim Redmond Band and Jsan and the Analogue Sons - I-Town Invasion '09!!!

Check out our Facebook page to see these events and be sure to invite your friends so that we can pack these places up.

SoulForce is free today!

Written by Joel Blizzard :: Tuesday, 20 January 2009 11:48

Blessings to all on this day of transition.  Let truth be the light by which we are guided and by which we guide.  Soul is a force far greater than guns, media, and greed.  SoulForce is justice through goodwill and powerful intention.

"Let Freedom Ring!" - Aretha Franklin & Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Meet your neighbors, love them.  Talk to the old folk, love them.  Teach the youth, love them.  Together we can build the world we dream of.

[This link has expired.]

Making history

Written by Joel Blizzard :: Monday, 19 January 2009 22:54

Greetings and One Love!  What can be expected of such a historic time?  It will be whatever each of us takes to heart; it will be what we go home with.  It is indeed, what we make it.  At this time, we can assume the change is happening all around us, out there, and that the process of building a positive cultural experience is trusted to politics and power.  A lot can happen there that can make sweeping changes.  However, it really should stand as a grand inspiration to people and nations to look within.  Wherever any one of us lives, true change has to be achieved in our local communities first, in order for the dream to come true.  The symbolic change we see in Washington is just that - a symbol of what each of us must now instigate in our own neighborhoods.  Ask: What are people growing and eating?  How are conflicts in our communities being resolved?  What can be done to create equity of services amongst public schools between those with less tax base and those with more?  What conclusions do our children come to, when they begin to see an obvious disparity in the distribution of wealth between people of different ethnicity?  Even though the race is over, racism still exists.  It is crucial for us now to see that divisive realities persist for people.  White guilt may be quenched for a moment; the rough places can be made plain, and the crooked places can be made straight.  However, the real work begins when we all take responsibility for our part in the story.

We can interpret the national experience that Obama has brought to us, in many ways.  Again, it means something unique to each one of us, regardless of what the news says it is.  The question remains:  how can we take this powerful good feeling and channel it in the most effective way possible?  Talk to people. In the summer, sit on your porch more.  In this cold winter get out to any of the countless events and see what other people are doing.  Get on the board.  Join that committee.  Write music and perform it.  Get a grant that supports arts education.  Network for change. 

Obama lead a force of a few supremely focused individuals who were decisive, goal oriented, patient, and excellent at communication.  It suggests a kind of calm knowing of self, executing plans with incredible efficiency and moving on to the next, like it ain’t no thang… but a grand inspiration.

On this Martin Luther Kings Jr. day of birth, we stand witness to an intense time in history where the past faces its future and shakes hands.  We are part of this.  You are part of this.  We are thousands of individuals, thousands of intricately woven fibers in a sail on the boat of time, thousands of ones.

In honor of this most significant time, we decided we could let the music flow freely for a day.  Beginning at the moment of inauguration, you will have 24 hours within which to download our recent release "SoulForce".  With the money you would have spent on the cd, go to the local coop and purchase some greens from a local farm.  Or whatever... just put the album on and enjoy it as theme music for these interesting times.

Check back here after the inauguration of Barack Obama to download.