100 Year Picnic

The Loopy Trio Live

Photo by Breann Neal, May 23, 2009.  Thanks Bre!!! 

Reminder: T-Scool Party Not To Miss

Hey, just a reminder, Kurt, Edwin, and myself are doing a little shindig at Theatrescool (403 N Main, Bloomington, IL) this coming Saturday, May 23, 8 - 10 pm.  About half the songs are from 'Splash' and the other half from 'Sky', some oldies we haven't played in awhile.  With cello, bass, guitar, loops, vocals, and special effects, this will be a very different show than the last one at T-Scool.  

We are sharing the evening with our friends Tommy & Breann Neal. Again, we are allowed to bring our own bevies. It's a party with original music. Seating is very limited, so please send me an email, leave a comment here, or accept our facebook invite if you plan to come to the party, and we'll make a reservation for you.

I Don't Know What To Tell You

Here's our first try recording and editing a show for youtube. My son, Steven, was in charge of cameras and we recorded this on March 7, 2009, at TheatresCool in Bloomington, IL.  And thanks to Steven, our director of social media, we now have a 100 Year Picnic youtube channel!  Check it out!

Cello, It's Me, The Loopy Spring Tour 2009, 100 Year Picnic

Busy people get the most done, right? Well, we are definitely busy. Wifey is launching a new business, kiddies are work/work/workin' so hard at their new Jr. High School, and Dad is mixing a new record and keeps booking shows! What's up with that?  

Here's what we have on the books so far this spring. Come out and get silly with us. We are going to break out the loop pedal and do the next few shows as an acoustic trio: Me, Ed, and our good friend Kurt on the CELLO. 

April 18 (Saturday), Springfest!, Rhinos, 602 N. Main, Bloomington, IL, 4:45 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

April 19 (Sunday), 2009 Earth Music Art Festival, Recycled Office Furniture Factory, 407 S. Main (under the bridge!), Bloomington, IL, 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

May 23 (Saturday), TheatresCool, 403 N. Main, Bloomington, IL, (sharing the bill with Tommy & Breann Neal), 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

May 30 (Saturday), Mulberry School Event, El Toro, 3805 Ballybunion Rd, Bloomington, IL, 5:00ish p.m. 

June 23 (Tuesday), Uptown Normal Farmer's Market, Amtrak Parking Lot, Normal, IL, 3:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Awesome times will be had by all.

Thank You Bloomington!

Thanks to everyone who came out to our two sold out shows at TheatresCool. Both audiences were awesome. We had an absolute blast with y'all. I guess we are gonna have to do this again...    

We did get some good video footage, so my son and I are in the process of putting together some video for youtube. Also, our friend Matt Edwards from Redcorn Studios (and The Redboy Podcast) was on hand to capture some amazing photos, including the photo in our new website header. Here are a few more great shots from Matt...

We Are Actually Going To Put On A Couple Rock Shows

We are pleased to announce two very special shows coming up on February 28th and March 7 at TheatresCool in downtown Bloomington.  

Update:  We are booked solid with reservations for both shows!  Tickets are at the door though, so we recommend that you arrive early for a seat.  

We are finally going to have the opportunity to put together a full cast of characters to deliver this album to you LIVE, from start to finish.  We have a slew of talented friends, singers, and players that are going to help us out:

• Alex Chadwick: Guitar, bass, vocals
• Jennifer Rusk: Vocals
• Tony San Filippo: Drums, percussion, keys
• Kurt Hoffman: Cello, vocals, keys (28th only)
• Brian Choban: Trumpet, fluglehorn, percussion.  

I'm pretty sure Ken Thornton is going to be joining us too for one of the shows.  Ed is playing bass for most of the show, and I'm on acoustic guitar, piano, and vocals.  

See what I mean? We are currently rehearsing for this show, and we are having a blast.   

A couple other things.  TheatresCool is a GREAT listening room with tiered seating, couches, and all around good vibes.  We will have some coolers with beer and soft drinks that come with the price of admission.  You are also welcome to bring your own beer, wine, or beverage of your choice for the show.  

Get this one on your calendar!  If you would like to come out to one or both of these shows, please email me with your reservation.  The seating is very limited.  Can't wait!  

100 Year Picnic Awarded 2nd Place In The Indie International Songwriting Contest

We just found out we took 2nd place in the pop category with "Looks Are For Free." You can check it out on their homepage or on the winners page for their fall/winter 2008 songwriting contest.  

This is a song that Greg Pare and I wrote together as an experiment through email. Greg played a huge role in this particular arrangement. I sent him this little acoustic track with ideas for melody, chord progression, and song title, and a few days later, he sends me back a slew of lyrics and this big idea of a production. The track also features stellar arrangements and performances from Kurt Hoffman on cello and Ken Thornton on the slide guitar solo. Don't tell anyone, but we recorded it in Garageband.   

About Indie International

"The Indie International Songwriting Contest is a semiannual song competition to give recognition to some of the best emerging songwriters in the world, help develop their talent, and provide useful tools for developing the success of the artist."  www.indieinternational.com

 

That seems like a good cause. Thank you Indie International.

The Illinois Entertainer Gives Us A Fun Review

It is always nice to know that people continue to discover the music. Here's a sweet little review from the Chicago-based print and online pub, the Illinois Entertainer:  

"Bloomington duo 100 Year Picnic delivers a stunning collection of songs on Tales Of A Modern Splash. Friends/neighbors Jeff Greeneberg and Edwin Pierce revel in family and the everyday humdrum of life lived to the fullest while channeling The Beatles and Wilco. Greeneberg dons a slithering John Lennon on “I Don’t Know What To Tell You” before switching gears into Calexico’s Joey Burns’ twin brother on “Isolation.” Guests Brian Choban and Jennifer Rusk imbibe the funky “Everything’s Perfect” with sweaty trumpet bleats and Prince-worthy calisthenics. (www.100yearpicnic.com)"
– Janine Schaults

Thank you Janine.

I Hope We Can Be, Become Friends

Come out to see 100 Year Picnic's first show of 2009.  We are the opening act for Chicago songwriter Matt Robinson and his band at NV Lounge in Normal IL on Saturday, January 31. Festivities start around 9.  

Last summer I had the opportunity to sing background vocals and play drums on Matt's vibey LP, Everybody Dreams Under Big Trees. The record features a nice mix of country-tinged, folky, blues rock with big themes, lonely highways, blue skies, and haunted dreams. There's plenty here that rev-up, but the chilled-out ballads are my favorites.  

Matt conveys his unique perspectives in plain yet descriptive language with a sincere vocal delivery.  In the Neil Youngish Sing Me Do, "A young couple's love spills out onto the fire escape." The happiest sad song on the album is Sad Song Honey, where Matt laments, "And in this city, I'm never alone. It crawls through my closed window and I just want to be alone."  

My favorite tune on the record is Time Will Only Tell.  You will believe Matt when he delicately sings, "Yes time will only tell, if I will find you well. The moon lit our path, it turned red, and now it's black. I hope we can be, become friends."  It's an understated and beautifully arranged track, with violin, vibraphone, moog, percussion, and acoustic guitar.  If you're like me, and I know I am, this one will sneak up on you.

My friend Tony SanFilippo produced the album at his Oxide Lounge studio where he recorded and co-produced the last several Backyard Tire Fire albums.  Anyway, it was a blast working with Matt and Tony, plus some other music friends, including my lovely wifey who lent her sweet lullaby voice on Into A Dream.  To check out the music, visit Matt's website and CDBaby page.  And come out to the show!

Mother Lode

A good friend of mine is a generous and giving soul.  To me he is someone who gives freely from his heart and I'd like to be more like that.  He's also a gifted musician and you would know his brilliant cello arrangements and performances on Looks Are For Free and Come On. 

He's also a goofball who writes some of the wackiest yet somehow sincere tunes.  Like, he has a new one called Sputnik, which is an earnest dedication to his beloved vacuum cleaner from the 60s.  Then there's the wild and psychedelic round of golf in "Fear In The Heart Of A Sportsman."  And how could we forget that summer beach classic "Conch Shell" about blowing loudly into a conch shell just to annoy your lover?  Well, you get the picture.  You need to hear these songs!  He's planning to put together a website later this year to share these fun little tunes.

But for now, he has given me permission to share one with you here on our website.  The song is called "Mother Lode," and it's by Kurt E Hoffman.  Right click to download it:  Mother Lode  

Here's what Kurt says in the song:

In my life, I have loved, then there's all those things that I was born with
And I was lucky as we all know, to have known the Mother Lode.
And I was lucky to have found, a love that would last and last, 
And I was fortunate to have a family with a future and a past,
Guess I got me here the Mother Lode, Yes I got me here the Mother Lode.

As I look back on this crazy year, this song puts everything in perspective for me.  Despite all the ups and downs, I am so very thankful for the love in my life, my beautiful wife, awesome kids, great parents, friends (and neighbors), and so much music.  

I think it's interesting that he chose the Mother Lode as the metaphor for Love, because the term came from the mining industry and usually it implies hitting the paydirt or finding the main source of gold or silver.  A life of love is indeed a rich life.  

Kurt then goes on to say:

And if we're all just as lucky to have found the Mother Lode, then maybe we can all return the favor.
I believe the Mother Lode is a treasure that we all, can share upon.
So I will put my best foot forward in an effort to lighten up the store, 
And we give this all to the Mother Lode, including all those things that we adore.

Yes, it is not enough to be gracious and grateful for this gift, but we must also give it back.

So here now in 2009, I will put my best foot forward in an effort to lighten up the store.  Kurt, thank you for this gift of a song, and here's to the new year brother.  Cheers!