American Cancer Society
On Friday, June 4th, the band performed for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, which is a fundraiser designed to heighten awareness about cancer and cancer survivors. This is the ACS's largest event, and has been held for the last fifteen years. More details are here: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/GI/gi_1.asp
The relay was held at the racetrack in Greenfield, MA. We set up in the center of the track, and the relay'ers circled us as we performed. The weather was very nice for this event; it was a little bit cool and perfect for walking.
We brought our own PA, which was a good thing as the modest PA that was provided wasn't really up to par. Our PA has quite a bit more power, and that allowed us to be heard at all points of the racetrack. We rocked em for a couple of hours, made some new friends, and got asked to return for next years event.
It's nice to do these benefit gigs as they offer us the chance to perform for lots of different people who might never get the opportunity to see us perform in the traditional places where bands can get gigs. All of the people we talked to were wonderful towards us, and we made many new friends and fans that night.
Ramblings about music and more. An occasionally updated soapbox for reporting on my observations of the world around me.
Saturday, June 12, 2004
American Cancer Society
On Friday, June 4th, the band performed for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, which is a fundraiser designed to heighten awareness about cancer and cancer survivors. This is the ACS's largest event, and has been held for the last fifteen years. More details are here: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/GI/gi_1.asp
The relay was held at the racetrack in Greenfield, MA. We set up in the center of the track, and the relay'ers circled us as we performed. The weather was very nice for this event; it was a little bit cool and perfect for walking.
We brought our own PA, which was a good thing as the modest PA that was provided wasn't really up to par. Our PA has quite a bit more power, and that allowed us to be heard at all points of the racetrack. We rocked em for a couple of hours, made some new friends, and got asked to return for next years event.
It's nice to do these benefit gigs as they offer us the chance to perform for lots of different people who might never get the opportunity to see us perform in the traditional places where bands can get gigs. All of the people we talked to were wonderful towards us, and we made many new friends and fans that night.
On Friday, June 4th, the band performed for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, which is a fundraiser designed to heighten awareness about cancer and cancer survivors. This is the ACS's largest event, and has been held for the last fifteen years. More details are here: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/GI/gi_1.asp
The relay was held at the racetrack in Greenfield, MA. We set up in the center of the track, and the relay'ers circled us as we performed. The weather was very nice for this event; it was a little bit cool and perfect for walking.
We brought our own PA, which was a good thing as the modest PA that was provided wasn't really up to par. Our PA has quite a bit more power, and that allowed us to be heard at all points of the racetrack. We rocked em for a couple of hours, made some new friends, and got asked to return for next years event.
It's nice to do these benefit gigs as they offer us the chance to perform for lots of different people who might never get the opportunity to see us perform in the traditional places where bands can get gigs. All of the people we talked to were wonderful towards us, and we made many new friends and fans that night.
My trip to the The Academy of Music
The Academy of Music, located in downtown Northampton, MA, is a wonderfully restored movie theater. It has a cool vintage vibe, and the architecture is very eye catching. I really like how the place ids laid out, and there are some very nice private box seats along the walls.
On Thursday night I had to opportunity to see myself playing guitar on that very screen as I had a part in the new movie about Roger Salloom. This was my first time appearing in a movie, well, in a "real" movie, anyway. I don't think my many appearances in home videos qualify. Over the past four years, Roger has hired Janet Ryan and me to augment his band during his annual concert at the Pines theater in Look Park in Northampton. We rehearsed for the shows in an old mill in town where a couple of guys repair pianos. As I walked into the piano factory building, I noticed the film crew setting up extra lighting in preparation for the days film shoot, and I thought to myself, yeah, that is interesting. As we ran through the material that we would perform at the Pines Theater show, I noticed one of the camera operators was swinging a camera in my direction, and as my solo slot in the tune came up, I saw the red light on the camera illuminate. The timing was perfect, and I was pretty animated during my solo. I played well, too. I had wondered if my scene would actually make it into the movie, or end up on the cutting room floor, and to my great amusement, I filled up the screen about one half hour into the movie. Janet Ryan was featured singing one of her great original songs, and then I got to rip a cool guitar solo.
The movie was well done, and paced well. There were many shots of Northampton, MA, and a lot of locals made it onscreen.
All in all it was a great experience to be involved with the movie.
I found this promo piece in the Greenfield Recorder newspaper.
Thanks Sheryl.
ROGER SALLOOM
by Sheryl Hunter
Local singer songwriter Roger Salloom has a long list of
accomplishments to his credit and he's now about to add movie star to
the list.
Salloom, a resident of Northampton, is the subject of a new
documentary film by award winning filmmaker Chris Sautter of
Washington D.C. The film is titled "So Glad I Made It: The Saga of
Roger Salloom, America's Best Unknown Songwriter." It will make it's
area debut at the Academy of Music in Northampton on Thursday, June
10 at 7 p.m.
The film, which was shot mostly in the Northampton area in 2002,
follows Salloom as he decides to revive his career after giving up on
the music business for some 20 years. The movie also looks back on
his days as a folk singer in Worchester and his life during the
late '60 music scene in San Francisco. Back then, Salloom fronted a
psychedelic band that shared the stage with Santana, Van Morrison and
Love. He later went to Nashville where he worked as a songwriter and
briefly played with the remaining members of Credence Clearwater
Revival, released an acclaimed album, and ultimately ended up in
Western Mass. raising a family.
Local viewers will enjoy the movie not only because Salloom is
well known to music fans here, but the film also includes plenty of
area shots including scenes at the studio of WRSI (93.9 FM) and the
Daily Hampshire Gazette. Local blues singer Janet Ryan also makes an
appearance.
Sautter chose Salloom as subject for this film because he knew
him when they were both students at Indiana University in the
late '60s.
"In those days, Roger Salloom was a charismatic folk singer
turned rock and roller who was hailed as the next Bob Dylan," said
Sautter.
Sautter's first film, "The King of Steeltown," won "Best
Political Documentary" honors at the New York International
Independent Film Festival in 2001.
Salloom said, "America's Best Unknown Songwriter? I am not sure
what to say about that but it makes me feel great. It is an opinion
and if enough people have it then democracy-in-art works its miracle
again. All I know is that I am a very good songwriter, some days it
feels that that is all I know!"
The film will be followed by a question and answer session with
Sautter and Salloom. Tickets are $7 in advance and $10 at the door.
They are available in advance at State Street Fruit Store and the
Academy of Music Theater in downtown Northampton, and Cooper's Corner
in Florence. Presented by Academyarts, the proceeds will be split
between the Northampton Arts Council and the Academy of Music Theater.
Copyright c. 2004 by Sheryl Hunter.
The Academy of Music, located in downtown Northampton, MA, is a wonderfully restored movie theater. It has a cool vintage vibe, and the architecture is very eye catching. I really like how the place ids laid out, and there are some very nice private box seats along the walls.
On Thursday night I had to opportunity to see myself playing guitar on that very screen as I had a part in the new movie about Roger Salloom. This was my first time appearing in a movie, well, in a "real" movie, anyway. I don't think my many appearances in home videos qualify. Over the past four years, Roger has hired Janet Ryan and me to augment his band during his annual concert at the Pines theater in Look Park in Northampton. We rehearsed for the shows in an old mill in town where a couple of guys repair pianos. As I walked into the piano factory building, I noticed the film crew setting up extra lighting in preparation for the days film shoot, and I thought to myself, yeah, that is interesting. As we ran through the material that we would perform at the Pines Theater show, I noticed one of the camera operators was swinging a camera in my direction, and as my solo slot in the tune came up, I saw the red light on the camera illuminate. The timing was perfect, and I was pretty animated during my solo. I played well, too. I had wondered if my scene would actually make it into the movie, or end up on the cutting room floor, and to my great amusement, I filled up the screen about one half hour into the movie. Janet Ryan was featured singing one of her great original songs, and then I got to rip a cool guitar solo.
The movie was well done, and paced well. There were many shots of Northampton, MA, and a lot of locals made it onscreen.
All in all it was a great experience to be involved with the movie.
I found this promo piece in the Greenfield Recorder newspaper.
Thanks Sheryl.
ROGER SALLOOM
by Sheryl Hunter
Local singer songwriter Roger Salloom has a long list of
accomplishments to his credit and he's now about to add movie star to
the list.
Salloom, a resident of Northampton, is the subject of a new
documentary film by award winning filmmaker Chris Sautter of
Washington D.C. The film is titled "So Glad I Made It: The Saga of
Roger Salloom, America's Best Unknown Songwriter." It will make it's
area debut at the Academy of Music in Northampton on Thursday, June
10 at 7 p.m.
The film, which was shot mostly in the Northampton area in 2002,
follows Salloom as he decides to revive his career after giving up on
the music business for some 20 years. The movie also looks back on
his days as a folk singer in Worchester and his life during the
late '60 music scene in San Francisco. Back then, Salloom fronted a
psychedelic band that shared the stage with Santana, Van Morrison and
Love. He later went to Nashville where he worked as a songwriter and
briefly played with the remaining members of Credence Clearwater
Revival, released an acclaimed album, and ultimately ended up in
Western Mass. raising a family.
Local viewers will enjoy the movie not only because Salloom is
well known to music fans here, but the film also includes plenty of
area shots including scenes at the studio of WRSI (93.9 FM) and the
Daily Hampshire Gazette. Local blues singer Janet Ryan also makes an
appearance.
Sautter chose Salloom as subject for this film because he knew
him when they were both students at Indiana University in the
late '60s.
"In those days, Roger Salloom was a charismatic folk singer
turned rock and roller who was hailed as the next Bob Dylan," said
Sautter.
Sautter's first film, "The King of Steeltown," won "Best
Political Documentary" honors at the New York International
Independent Film Festival in 2001.
Salloom said, "America's Best Unknown Songwriter? I am not sure
what to say about that but it makes me feel great. It is an opinion
and if enough people have it then democracy-in-art works its miracle
again. All I know is that I am a very good songwriter, some days it
feels that that is all I know!"
The film will be followed by a question and answer session with
Sautter and Salloom. Tickets are $7 in advance and $10 at the door.
They are available in advance at State Street Fruit Store and the
Academy of Music Theater in downtown Northampton, and Cooper's Corner
in Florence. Presented by Academyarts, the proceeds will be split
between the Northampton Arts Council and the Academy of Music Theater.
Copyright c. 2004 by Sheryl Hunter.
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