STOLEN COAST

Last Saturday night, we experienced a slice of life in Enderby, BC.  It was quite a little adventure.  It started out with James and Nikki and Candace and Blair all managing to squeeze into our version of the “band-van”, J & N’s forrest green camry.  (Just a side note: the Camry in general, is an amazing car. I had the privilege of taking one a road trip down to the Baja a few years ago.  That sucker was loaded down and managed to tackle dirt roads that most trucks pop a tire on, without even breaking a sweat.  A worthy mode of transportation…)  So yes, The Camry, took us to Enderby.  James as our pilot for the duration, felt it must be proved that the car could make it from Lake Country to Vernon ( a good 25min drive ) with the gas-light shining orange… Determined to fuel up in Vernon and not before, he drove the rest of us skeptics (some under duress) all the way to the gas station. In Vernon.  And was proved right, the car could and did make it on fumes.  A risky and exciting way to start things off…

After that we had a rainy, yet uneventful trip into the fair town of Enderby.  The Cliffs Cafe was our destination, and shone like a beacon in the rainy half-light of evening. Run by a young, hip and thoroughly talented cook, with a penchant for excellent Irish Beer’s, The Cliffs Cafe welcomed us with great food and company.  

It ended up being a intimate crowd by the time 8 o’clock rolled around.  We had a couple people show up who had been around during sound check and wanted to see what the live painting thing was all about.  Then a few more.  We decided here was a perfect opportunity to be on a first name basis with this lovely audience who braved the spring rain.  After a round of introductions, James and I played some songs while Nikki painted.  I have to say, that I’ve played many a show, some hard and some easy, some painful, and some fun.  This one was a completely new experience.  James and Nikki, and Blair and I were now a part of this community.  Our new friends made our night.  The local paper was there and wanted a copy of some lyrics to print in the next issue, I was given a beautiful piece of pottery, we met another artist, and a girl who was cramming for her biology exam, and raised a pint with a guy who has never lived in a place bigger than Enderby.  We connected in a way that wouldn’t have happened if the crowd had been over 15 people.   It was fantastic!

I think I speak for all of us when I say that we left feeling overwhelmed by generosity.   

hey… it’s been too long.

do you want the short version catch-up… (not to be confused with catsup or ketchup, depending on your preference)… or the long version?  Well I can sum it up in one word…  

MOVING

or two

PACKING… MOVING

or three

PACKING… MOVING… UNPACKING

needless to say, half of Stolen Coast has been cut off from the world for the last little while, with the life changing event of moving to a new home.  the other half of Stolen Coast has been helping to move the moving half of Stolen Coast.  

and here’s where it gets interesting, almost sitcom-esque… one half of the band lives upstairs, and the other half of the band lives downstairs!  it’s true, it’s convenient, and “it’s so crazy it just might work!”  James and I now abide in the same house.  Of course we are separated by floors, doors, walls, and some excellent ground rules regarding boundaries.   Technically, Blair and I live in what is called a ground-level suite, not to be confused with a “basement” suite.  While James and Nikki have the upper level suite. 

charming, isn’t it?

now that we’re hooked up to this thing called the world wide web, again, we’ll keep you posted on all the new music, drama and life that’s happening in the world of SC….

ciao for now.

C

Well, after three months of planning, imagining, and the occasional bit of stressing  we are on the other side of our CD Release show.   It feels great!  Last Friday night was all we wanted it to be, and then some.  I found myself on stage, looking out at a crowd of people who were completely into what Stolen Coast is all about.  I felt honored to be there, that we were all connecting.  My favorite part of the night was the opening song, Prepare A Way.  It’s completely dark, and James usher’s in the atmosphere with the sonic waves from his guitar, enter our good friends Karsten on drums and Nathan on bass.  It was sweet.  The solid start was filled with anticipation, and I just closed my eyes, stayed in the moment and jumped in with both feet.  Away we all went, riding, on sounds and colours; Loud and joyful and genuine.

Then before you know it the show is over!  The lights stay dark for good, the stage is bare… and the big question is always: Now What?

Now, we play the next show, plan the next big event, take the bull by the horns, so to speak.  It’s sometimes easy to feel the let down, after a big show.  Strangely enough, this time, I don’t have that to deal with.  We are lucky that right now, we have opportunities coming our way.  That doesn’t always happen, and sometimes you have to make things happen… like putting on your own show.  Somehow, things always seem to come together.  My goal for this year is to live in abundance, not scarcity.  I think it is mostly a matter of perspective.  I find myself blown away by the support from our fans and friends, I’m feeling the love and am honored.  That’s abundance.

Cheers!

C