East Coast Tour 2013

Well our trip to the East Coast of Canada was amazing and left me feeling a real sense of love for the great people of our Nation.
We were invited into homes of people we barely knew, enjoyed some of the Atlantic Ocean's wonderful delicacies in kitchens and on back porches.  One thing was true everywhere we visited, we were greeted and sent off with tons of love.
On this Tour I was joined by dear friend and former Silas drummer "Jon McMurray" seen in these photos with the bald head and long gotee.  Once we arrived in Miramichi, NB we were joined by my brother in law Dan Froese who played Fiddle and guitar on the Tour.
These guys were amazing to play with and really helped to capture the more Eastern sound that I was looking for with this tour and the release of my new album "Lucky One".
On the Tour we played in Churches, a Fishing Lodge, A Bank, A Patio, A Bistro, A Farmers Market, A Kitchen and I started working on a new song in a bathroom.
We traveled to the Following Places:
Hamilton, Quebec City, Edmonston, Miramichi, Annapolis Royal, NS, Digby NS and home again putting over 4000 kms on our old van but enjoying every part of the journey.

Farmers Market in Annapolis Royal, NS

Digby Wesleyan Church, Digby NS

All in all it was a great trip and I'm so glad that we went again this year.  As a songwriter and performer, you hope and pray that your music will be well received and as I drove home from Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia to Hamilton, ON, I felt so assured that what I am doing with my life is the right thing.  

A big thank you to Jon McMurray and family for coming and spending your Summer Vacation with us.  Dan and Marissa, thank you for hosting the 2nd leg of the journey at your home and for letting us paint your new Photo Studio.

First Taste of Summer

This weekend was my first real taste of Summer.  I'm talking sunshine, swimming, bbq, questionable beverages, campfire, marshmallows, the whole 9 yards and I must say, I enjoyed it.
As Summer has finally come to join us, I am taking a bit of time to reflect on what was a great Spring for DM Music.
Having just had the opportunity to book, promote and play a weekly gig at the Stowaway Pub for a 15 week run, I have gained a great deal of experience.  I've also learned that as an artist,  especially one who worries, it is challenging to wear so many hats.  I found myself, rushing to get to the pub and working hard to make sure that when other artists arrived, everything was organized and ready.  From sound systems working, to meeting some pretty great servers, I was attempting to make it all feel very comfortable and natural.  As that was taking place my worry that no one would show up would hit and I'd start sending facebook messages and texts asking friends to come down to the pub to hang out.
As people started to roll in - and with the exception of 2 weeks they always did - I would start to think about the fact that I also had to perform.  This was challenging for me.  Especially as I always had someone playing with me and didn't always do a good job of helping them feel comfortable and ready for their show, like I did with the other guest artists.
Something that I found I really loved about the experience was building relationships.  Jason and Rachel from the Stowaway are really great people and took a risk with their brand new biz by having DM and crew in week after week.   I met so many talented artists and got to hear some great music.
The servers at the Stowaway were always amazing to me and kept my water glass constantly full.
I would not be completely honest if I told you that it was easy to get excited about doing the same thing every Saturday.

But the biggest factor in sticking at it was my dear friend "Hooper."  Every Saturday night and Monday night, a sweet red pickup truck would show up infront of my house, we'd load up gear and head down to the Stowaway and settle in for the night.  Hooper, was a fantastic friend to have with me and really should get credit for pulling these nights off every week.  Almost every week, Hooper played drums, helped host, carried gear but more than all of that, was a huge support to me.  We had many conversations at 2am when I was exhausted and ready to pack it in and I would often hear "this is going to pick up, just stick with it" and it was just enough to keep me going.  A huge thanks to my dear friend Hooper for taking this journey with me.
With Summer finally here, it is time that Hooper and I take a Saturday night and head out on his boat with some fishing rods, snacks and bug spray to get a real taste of Summer.

So Thankful

As I sat down to my desk in my bedroom this afternoon I couldn't actually see the desk due to the collection of items that have collected themselves there.  It reminded me that I need to stop for a second and collect my thoughts.
Part of the reason why it is so messy is due to the fact that although I have a deep desire to be a tidy/well organized person, I am in fact not that guy.  But it is also due to the fact that I have literally been out every night for the past few weeks doing music.  When I am home, it is to sleep or to grab a different guitar and box of gear.  This stretch of music has reminded me that it is hard work to do music full-time.  It is tiring to be out late every night and be up at 7am getting my kids ready for school, but I am so thankful for the opportunities.
As we (Otic Poets) prepare for the iTunes release of our brand new record "Frontiers" on Tuesday June 4th, 2013 I am reminded of the last year of my life.  In this year I have had the opportunity to play in so many different situations and I am so blessed to have had them.  I'm also reminded of this as we have the opportunity this week to open for Jon Bryant who is making a huge musical splash with his music.
Playing music feels very right for me.  It is something I have wanted to do since starting my band "Silas" back in the late 90's.  Now I get to play music everyday.  It's such an amazing gift.
So I will let you know how the show goes this week in Whitby.  Or perhaps I will see you there.
 

The Velo Stage

I have had the opportunity to play in many locations in my career as a musician, but this morning may have been the coolest yet...

A few months ago my friend Reuben told me about an idea that he had to build a stage that would go behind his bike.  He asked if I would be willing to play while he rides around town and It thought it was kind of a crazy idea.  Crazy enough for me to jump in with both feet.  So this morning we joined "Ride to Work" day and traveled around on the streets of Hamilton playing a mix of original and cover music.  By mid morning we were on the front page of the Hamilton Spectator's web site. thespec.com  It was truly a sweet experience and created quite a buzz for both the limitless abilities of bicycles and Darin Martin Music.  Be on the look out for other artist who might play the Velo Stage on a street near you. To read more about this event go to. http://raisethehammer.org/article/1864

Darinmartinmusic.com is Under Construction

Hello friends,
There are lots of very cool and exciting things happening right now with DMM.  Just wanted to let you know that the website darinmartinmusic.com is currently being totally redesigned by a professional designer and will be live very soon.
I also wanted to let you know that I am actively writing for a new Album.
I had been using this blog for promoting Acoustic Saturdays but to create less confusion, we have made acousticsaturdays.blogspot.ca the new home for all things "Acoustic Saturdays".
I will post a new blog again very soon.

Introducing "Acoustic Saturdays" Blog

In trying to streamline information, we are doing some minor construction and making acousticsaturdays.blogspot.ca the hub for all of the information on our upcoming gigs and artist features.  Please subscribe to that blog and get up-to-date information on all of the happenings.

Saturday May 11th

Rachael Bawn grew up in the small town of Hopeville, ON., the second youngest of 6 girls. Her musical roots stemmed from having been surrounded by the bluegrass music her uncle's would play, along with exposure to her older sisters' musical preferences, which included: No Doubt, Alanis Morissette, Whitney, Mariah and Madonna. These influences have given Rachael a wide appreciation for all types of music. Her love of song began at the age of 2. At 4 years old she gave her first stage performance in a church talent show, and at 13 years she started writing her own lyrics and melodies. At the age of 14 she joined a choir which performed in local towns, giving her the backbone and experience to perform in front of an audience. After gradutaing highschool , Rachael moved to the Greater Toronto Area with the hopes of pursuing a career as a musical artist. It was during this time that she met and teamed up with music producer Ron Allen. After writing and recording for over 2 years, Rachael is working on getting her music out into the world.

"Wade Hunt is currently a student and songwriter working out of the Niagara Region. Nomadic trajectories of the War Machine is what most influences his writing (2013)"

Darin Martin
“From the moment you hear Darin speak on the mic, you are captivated by his quiet and sincere tone. This is only amplified once his brilliant guitar and powerful vocals are added. Darin has played many times at the Freeway and each time we are excited to have him back on the stage! ”

Miranda Ciarroni - Music Coordinator @ the Freeway

"Engaging and personable; Darin Martin's live performance moves you and his music stays with you long after the moment passes. Just between me and my headphones, this is one artist I want to keep on repeat."

Rebecca Doll - Heart of The Hammer Cafe

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