Kristy Hanson :: Los Angeles Singer-Songwriter » nyc

from NYC to Baltimore, in pictures

Kristy Hanson — Sun, 04 May 2008 00:18:37 +0000

Mike’s aunt (in New Jersey) fed us entirely too much.

Yay for friends in NYC – Regan and I smile pretty in Union Square.

Mike ponders ancient Egypt at the Met.

Super-nice Kris Ortiz from WRHU, where I did a little radio interview the morning of the show in NYC.

Outside our friends’ apartment in Cambridge, MA. Sadly, this is about as far as we really got, because clearly, it was raining. This angle (and maybe the hood) sort of makes me look like a Hobbitt. I am small, but not that small…

The door at the Colony Cafe…are you excited? I am!

Colony Cafe, Woodstock (aka the coolest place ever)

Willy Porter’s soundcheck. He sounded great, in case you were wondering.

Just in case you weren’t sure how the people of Woodstock feel about corporate culture…

Gotta love the Catskills.

Getting warmed up at Read Street Books in Baltimore.

Our good friend and my personal guitar hero Tim Young cracks me up in Baltimore when we meet up…

rockwood music hall photos, round 2

Kristy Hanson — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:40:24 +0000

Here are a couple more, as promised, from James Crafford.
The first couple were kind of impromptu, before the show, and the last is a ‘live’ shot.

–
We spent the day yesterday in Boston. I’ve been there before, but I really wanted to get out and walk around the town. Boston had other plans for us, however – it got really cold and the rain really poured all day long. I figured I shouldn’t go out and catch pneumonia, so we basically stayed indoors. In the evening we had a chance to spend time with my cousin and his family over dinner and then hung out with the great friends we were staying with, so it still wound up being a good day.

The rain continued today as we drove up to Burlington, Vermont. It’s beautiful up here and getting really green – it is the Green Mountain state, after all – but it’s freezing! Well, freezing for me, around 40F. Spring has not quite sprung up here it would seem. We keep thinking we’re there and then…not quite. We got to town just in time to stop by a new local radio station, The Radiator, WOMM-LP 105.9 and I played a few songs in their little studio. Burlington’s a very cool little town with a great vibe, and the venue is supposed to draw a good crowd of people who are into live music…we’ll see if that’s the case soon enough! More later!

5th tour show, nyc

Kristy Hanson — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 01:03:58 +0000

I was extra hyped up about this NYC show, I think, and admittedly a bit nervous, because 6 pm is such an early time to play (no such thing as a 6 pm show in LA!) that I wasn’t sure anyone would make it. Rockwood Music Hall is known to be a very hip venue these days, and I always find hip intimidating. But Ken was very welcoming and the space itself is really lovely and warm(figuratively – though it’s always warm onstage!). It’s tiny and a really charming mix of brick, wood and windows, there’s great sound (again – go Ken), and a stage takes up a chunk of the room, with tables oriented towards it in a clear emphasis of what the room is about – music. Some of the tables are so close to the stage you can, as the performer, set your glass of water on the table and just reach down and grab it when you need. All of that seems to encourage people to be very, very quiet. This is definitely the first true ‘listening room’ that we’ve played on the trip, and it was jarring at first to have people indeed really listening to all your lyrics. But then, of course, that’s exactly what a songwriter really wants! It was great.

We did manage to fill the place up with some new fans (many of whom are photographers – I’ll keep you posted when there are some photos to check out) and some great old friends, some of whom I had not seen in years, and most of whom were my best friends right at the beginning of my decision to really play my music for people. Mike and I had a show at the basement black box theater of the Frieze Building at U of M in early 2001 – I don’t think they use it anymore – and that was the first real show we put together, and the release of my first CD. Seeing some of the same friends last night who had cheered me on then was a warm fuzzy trip down memory lane. Memory has definitely become more of a theme of this tour than I even realized it would be. I feel so lucky to know so many wonderful people across the country, and this tour has served as an ongoing reunion.

Today we’re in New Jersey packing up and taking care of necessary things we’ve been neglecting, like laundry. Shortly, we’re off to Danville, Pennsylvania for a show in another little venue that seems to be oriented toward the performer. The owner of Brews ‘n Bytes just seems to be very, very into music and has been very nice over email, so it will be good to meet him. The town itself and at least the outside of the venue is very cute; we drove by really briefly on our way to NJ because I was curious. We’re backtracking a tiny bit to get there, but it’s not too much of a drive. I’m looking forward to a nice low-key day and show. Then tomorrow we’re off to Boston for another show! Whew. We got a little comfy with our days off, but these next few days, show after show, is making it really feel like a tour. I think that’s actually better, because though tiring, it helps you get a rhythm. Each place and show feels a little different, which I love. Ok! I really do need to pack now!

rockwood music hall photos, round 1

Kristy Hanson — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 00:58:44 +0000

Oh, so first off, I forgot to mention, in my last blog, Matt Jones – he performed after us at Rockwood and completely rocked it with his band. He’s very soulful and is a very nice guy to boot, so check out his music.

There were actually a few people photographing the show yesterday, which was pretty funny – with all the clicking at the beginning in particular, I felt that it was a high-profile media event rather than our lil’ show…

I’ll share all of them eventually, but for now, a few courtesy of Adam Jason Photography:

Love this one!

This is the part of the show where I get sweaty.

Me, looking all ‘earnest singer-songwriter’

Mike and I rockin’ the Rockwood!

lazy day in NJ…ah.

Kristy Hanson — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 01:10:03 +0000

Today is Shakespeare’s birthday, and in his honor I’ve composed a sonnet AND written a stunning play about treachery, love, and many other timeless themes…

Ha, just kidding. I just realized that today’s the day, but I couldn’t have been less creative or productive today. Mike and I drove all day and then got into New Jersey, where we’re staying, on Monday night somewhat late. His aunt fed us well and then we got up the next morning and met a friend in the city, in the area she describes as ‘north Gramercy’ (she could call it anything, what do I know?). It was a lovely day, a lovely lunch, a lovely time just catching up. It was such a spring-y day, and we went through enough wintry weather on our way out here that I felt I could enjoy it along with the New Yorkers, even though we should be used to sun. This friend enjoys what I enjoy – walking and talking, eating, drinking a coffee – nice, laid-back fun.

The Port Authority bus station and the traffic to get back to NJ was not exactly laid-back, however, and I think Mike and I were just wiped out this morning. He had some stuff to do, and both of us had errands to run. So he wound up doing some work at Barnes and Noble while I wandered the store and the surrounding mall, looking at fancy NY chain stores with stuff I can’t afford (ooh, Marc Jacobs.) Sometimes I’m particularly weak on that sort of thing, but I enjoyed just the browsing today.

It was kind of the pace I wanted to go – suburban pace – which is weird for me. Maybe I’m just over needing the hustle and bustle since moving to LA and working downtown, taking the train everyday, etc. As a kid I always dreamed about living in NYC but ultimately decided that I am such a high-strung person, I might need a place that itself moves a little slower or I would just become a big ball of anxiety. I imagine you get used to it, and there truly is no place like NYC. But for now I feel like LA is just right. Lots of traffic, yes, but lots of green and more space. It’s been just over 2 weeks and while I’m very excited for the NY show and all the others to come, I do find myself longing to see a palm tree, if just for a moment. I had a little daydream about living in Cleveland again (for real, it was just like that 30 Rock episode, have you guys seen it?), but I suppose there are no palm trees there. Dilemma.

Returning to Mike’s aunt’s house today, I napped for a couple hours, which more or less brings me to now. I can’t remember the last time I napped, or even slowed down, because things have been hectic for months, even before we left. I’ve been kind of plowing ahead, ignoring the fact that traveling and performing is pretty tiring, not only because I need to play the shows but because I need to spend time getting the word out about them, trying to get on the radio and in papers and generally make the tour a ’success.’ Hard to know what would make it a success to me, since I set my own standards pretty high. But thus far I feel great; I’ve gotten some help here and there but pretty much built this crazy thing myself. To see it come to life as a real tour is pretty satisfying. We’ve met lots of new people, made some new fans, laid some groundwork in some new places. And we’ve certainly been having a great time, so that alone should count for something. None of it is worth it if you’re not enjoying it…

Ok, off to be over-fed by Mike’s aunt again and round out the day with a little NJ evening.