Domesticated Tour Blog: Day 5 Song Selection

Day Five: Friday May 6th

Wow so much going on it's hard to stop and breath and write.

Approving website changes, putting together technical info for the Rivoli and other dates, coordinating between PR lady Sue McCallum and venues, making sure the Facebook events page is built before we announce tour dates etc. It's a kooky kind of fun but it's also jam packed and all time specific.

I have found myself in a kind of a round the clock frenzy. (Actually haven't been able to make the gym much grrrrr). But because of the experts on the team (like ROO! Big Shout Out to Dale Speaking "Online Marketing Dood"!) we are now entering the world of online promotion with a lot of new ideas and a powerful locomotive engine driven by creativity and playfulness!

My online team at Dale Speaking and home skillet web mistress Lulu have been working around the clock to prepare the Micah Barnes world for The "Domesticated" Tour. It's been a huge job and I'm frankly really looking forward to how people respond to the new look and feel of all the sites. Twitter, Myspace, You Tube, Facebook and the home website… all updated to reflect the new disc and 8 city tour. Talk to me people are we looking ready for action? LOL

This week I also had the opportunity to see a whole batch of live acts at a big fundraiser for the Stephan Lewis Foundation, reminding me of just what this whole machinery is all FOR. Bringing the music to the people! Performers like old pals Holly Cole and Lorraine Segato and Ka'nan performed in support of the foundations work around Aids in Africa.. along with Rufus Wainwright, Alicia Keys and Angelique Kudjo. Inspirational indeed. I actually got to meet the legendary Harry Belafonte who co-hosted! Wow. Still a handsome devil too. Hows he doing that?

The biggest inspiration for me that evening came from Angelique who tore the stage up as only she can. Do not miss this powerhouse if you have a chance to feel her voodoo live. Rufus and Alicia, although both brilliant incredible songwriters proved to me that they are both best experienced as recording artists.

So..What is it that makes a performer truly great? Been doing some thinking about this.

A willingness to be fearless and completely honest with their audience seems essential. A confidence that they truly have a gift to give and a desire to move people at a core level is important too….

Will I achieve this on the "Domesticated" tour? Hmmmmm. I keep visualizing the venues filed with people, my heart open to give… as the lyrics and melodies and grooves wash over the crowd……

Rehearsals with Daniel went great this week as we locked down the arrangement details on the new material we're presenting during this tour before starting sessions with bassist Jon Maharaj who joins us next week.

The shows are built to present the songs from the new disc "Domesticated" along with some old chestnuts from the world of Jazz and Blues and Soul. I wanted people to get a sense of the entire musical world I live in during this show… and also have a chance to perform some special songs I've wanted to sing for a long time.

Hence, although I am shy to give away the titles, we have material by Smokey Robinson, Nina Simone, Marvin Gaye, Cole Porter, Peggy Lee, Laura Nyro, The Drifters, The Supremes, Lee Dorsey, Allan Toussaint, The Originals, etc on deck….as well as a few Nylons chestnuts of course!

There will indeed, be something for everyone. We're jokingly calling it the "Keep The People Happy" tour.

Ok this is the million dollar question. If there was one song you'd like to hear us perform on this tour what would it be?

"Domesticated Tour Blog: Day One

Day One. May 2nd. 2011

I've decided to take you guys on this journey with me as we prepare for the spring tour dates, both so you can have a peek at the process behind the scenes, and also so we can feel a little closer to the folks we are doing this all for…YOU, our peeps!

This past weekend I was still recovering from a week in NYC and literally couldn't get off the couch. Glued to my Michael Connelly crime novel (they are like crack aren't they?) and just managing to do what litle socializing I had already booked.

I actually was awoken in the middle of the night by a combination of Obama's announcement about Bin Laden on the radio and the panic in my head thinking through everything we have to accomplish this month before we kick things off. A little meditation calmed me down and let me sleep the rest of the night. -phew-

The day today started with a little chat with my romantic partnering NYC who is on Broadway (The Tony's are being announced tomorrow, so exciting!), before

rehearsal with my collaborator and bandleader brother, drummer and vocalist Daniel Barnes. Daniel and I warmed our voices up (he has become an excellent BG singer which is a LOT harder than it looks I might add) and we reviewed existing arrangements on the "Domesticated" CD before jumping into a new tune which we are preparing especially for this tour. Danielis always joking that all I bring to the table are ballads but for once I found a rousing rocking tune that will satisfy some of you Nylons fans as well as those people who love a good old fashioned soul rave up. Bet you can't guess which tune it is people! huh? huh?

Then I came home from Liberty Village where Dan's studio is to my own Queen Street apt and brainstormed an idea with Sue McCallum our publicist over the phone. Sue and I agree, she is actually well within my "audience demographic" so when we are talking through potential pitches to media etc I know she has a good handle on whether an approach will work or not. The key thing is she gets the music, which is a good thing, cause we have to fill seats for 8 shows! Tickets for London's show at The London Music Club went on sale today yahoo!

Then after some more e mail business pertaining to tomorrow mornings meeting with my online team Roo and April over at Dale Speaking I headed off to my local Y to follow through on my commitment to make my body as strong and as in shape as possible.

Performing is a physical act and the more in fit I am the more energy I feel I have left for the performance, (not to mention the traveling and the hauling gear and the missed sleep etc.) Thats one thing I learned early in the business. A good show is dependent on good rest, a peaceful unstressed out approach and being in the best physical shape possible. Thank goodness I paid attention while I was being trained this past year because now is the time when it all pays off.

Ones mental attitude changes when you are working out as well. I feel like I have the energy to do anything…which is a good place to be facing the mountain in front of us!