Nim Illium OM 4

I finally had a Tuesday night free to play open mic at the Illium. First, I played three tunes with Casey J. Chapman. I mandolined, and it was mandoliny. I had a good time with that, and I think she did, too. The audience liked it.

Then, I played my last set with Dave for a while. We did the whole thing together and played actually three songs that are very old, from our high school rock band days. It was very nice, a good last session together.

.. Juiceman
.. I am systems
.. in my pocket [first performance as Nodal Nim]
.. untitled [first performance as Nodal Nim]

=

I also did some recording with Teo, Nick, and Oliver. We worked out a weird arrangement of e blue apparatus, with Teo on keyboard (electric organ sound), Nick on guitar (distorted and played through a teeny tiny amp), and Oliver on bass. Oh yeah, and me on mandolin and voice. We did several takes. None was perfect, but they were all fun.

=

Tomorrow (technically today) is the last Rock the World, the W.R.P.I. radio show I've done some playing on, since Teo is going to college and nobody else is trained as a DJ. Nick is planning to train and carry on the legacy. They're planning to be on air until like 6:00 in the morning. I'll be there, and it will be a lot of fun. Very delarious, I am imagining.

Nim Daisy Bakers OM 6

I forgot to update last night. I played open mic at Daisy Bakers on Monday. Let's see if I can figure out what I played...

.. Superman has friends [requested by Nick] > will we go out together [requested by Dave]
.. member of the Real > rockin' out
.. love song 1
.. let me in your hole [with Dave on djembe]

Ah yes, that looks right.

Schaghticoke show with the Mathematicians

I opened at a night of music fun that featured the Mathematicians, a superfantastic band. I met some neat people, sold two CDs, and played the following set:

.. e blue apparatus > member of the Real > send me up
.. the slippery toad
.. javelin head > deposit 1 tangelo > vegetables you've never heard of
.. receptors & peptides
.. Pablo
.. 5 songs of fish
.. 25% more monster
.. hello, will you be my Sheep?

I also played a pre-show for Nick, Teo, Oliver, and Sarah, who came at 7, when I thought the show was going to start, instead of at 8, when it actually did. Here was the set, I think:

.. science > Nimland > Maroon Dots
.. e blue apparatus > 25% more monster
.. Collarbone Pharoah
.. Superman has friends > raisins > I am systems

Nodal Nim in Schaghticoke, NY TONITE!

Hi there!

I am the emergency opening band for a night of free music fun at the American Legion in Schaghticoke, NY! There will be some other great bands in attendance as well, including The Mathematicians, Analog Casey, Judo For Japan and Harry Pyle. I am kicking things off at 7:00 with my mandolin magic, and I would absolutely love to see some new faces there!

August, 20 2005 at The American Legion
S Main St, Schaghticoke, NY 12154
Cost: FREE

Be there by 7:00 to catch Nodal Nim in action!

I'll be selling my sexy CD, Nodal Nim at Hurley's, for $6.00 a pop. That's 77 minutes of Nim magic, and I'd like you to have it.

So join me!

Thanks, and I hope to see you there,
Andrew a.k.a. Nodal Nim

Nodal Nim's magic box...

I have a magic box.

I am totally evil.

My magic box is a very small cabinet with two drawers. The side of the box displays the following information:

Nodal Nim
CDs 4 sale
$6.00 each

Nimland.net

The top drawer contains some Nodal Nim CDs for selling. The bottom drawer is probably the coolest part of the box. On the side of it, visible when the box is pulled out, are the words "tips for the mandolinist!" and on the top of it is a piece of cardboard with a hole cut in it for dollars and coins.

I debuted the top drawer of the box at open mic tonight, and sold 2 CDs (one to Casey J. Chapman, and the other to her friend, whose name I haven't the foggiest clue about... sorry! I am bad that way...). When I have a real gig, I will debut the bottom drawer!

The side of the box acts as a billboard, not only for CDs, but also for my website. After coming to open mics often enough and seeing the box, few people will be able to forget Nimland.net!

I am totally evil.

I have a magic box.

Nim Grind OM 6, food songs for the kiddies

I actually played two short sets at the Grind tonight. The first was shortly after it started, when there was practically nobody else around to go. I played the following:

.. 5 songs of fish
.. vegetables you've never heard of [requested by Kevin]

Then, when more friends of mine came and there still weren't very many musicians, I asked the substitute man-in-charge, Jack, if I could play again, and he said sure. So I played a second set:

.. e blue apparatus
.. this ladybug > wow

=

Also, all this week I've been helping Kim McMann at the library with a program involving food in various ways. I played a couple food-related songs for the kids today, and they seemed to enjoy them.

.. raisins
.. vegetables you've never heard of

The former drove Kim nuts, because she vehemently despises everything raisin. The kids told me they enjoyed the expressions she was making during the performance!

=

I've been continuing to record for Nodal Nim's Rocketship, the podcast that I'm going to start. Tonight, I recorded the so-called Postal Crew (name provided arbitrarily by Dave Shaver), consisting of Amy, Iris, and Beth. We each told of dreams we'd had recently, Beth and Iris sang Silent Night, Beth read some poetry, and we all jammed out on whatever musical instruments were at hand, with Iris on lead vocals. It was smashing fun!

2 gigs scheduled at the Illium

I scheduled two gigs tonight for the month of September. I'll be playing Saturday night, the 17th, from 5-8. I will play Sunday afternoon, the 25th, from 11-2. These shows are both at the Illium coffee house on 2nd street and Broadway, across from the monument in front of city hall in downtown Troy, NY. No other gigs do I have scheduled at this time, but I plan to do some more seeking very soon, and of course, I'm playing open mics every chance I get!

Teo's second-to-last Rock the World

Hi all!

A number of bands and musicians played live on Teo's Rock the World on W.R.P.I. this evening. There were solo artists, myself among them, and two bands, one from Troy and one from Saratoga. I played a short set: two songs with Dave, one song solo, by request.

with Dave
.. deposit one tangelo > vegetables you've never heard of
.. hello, will you be my Sheep?

solo
.. 5 songs of fish [requested by many, via instant messenger]


It was a very fun and cool evening. Teo and crew broke their record for number of people in the air studio at once; the bar is now set to 18. There's one Rock the World left, which is supposedly going until 6 in the morn! Tune in next Wednesday starting at 8. It should be quite ridiculous!

making rockets

Hi!

I have decided to start a podcast. For those of you who don't know, a podcast is like an internet radio show on-demand. Internet users can subscribe to any number of podcasts, and when new episodes in the podcast are uploaded by the podcaster (the person doing the show), they are automatically downloaded to the subscriber's podcatcher (a program for collecting podcasts). The subscriber can then listen to the new episodes whenever they want to. It's a little confusing, but it sounds like a fantastic bandwagon to jump on.

So my plan is to create a zany show called Nodal Nim's Rocket Ship, on which I play songs, talk about things, jam with guests, and do all sorts of wacky stuff. So tonight, with Teo, Nick, and Dave, I recorded some crazy jams that will do nicely in the pilot (and probably episode 2 as well). I also invited some friends, following open mic and preceeding a game of Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot, to tell stories, read poetry, and otherwise shoot the poo. I think it's a great start to something great!

It'll be a little while before I have enough stuff, mix the pilot episode down, upload the giant mp3, and learn how to actually set the podcast up. But that is definitely the plan, and I will keep any interested parties informed through this blog. Nodal Nim's Rocket Ship will be up and away as soon as I can pull it together!

If you folks out there have any suggestions or encouragement to give me about where I'm going with this, please email me! I'd be delighted to have some support with this project. My email address is: gtrpkt at yahoo dot com

NimDaisyBakers OM 4 - 5 songs of fish

I had a great time playing a relatively long set at Daisy Baker's on 2nd street tonight. Some old friends came to see, made some requests, etc. I debuted a brand new one: 5 songs of fish, written very recently at 7-something in the morning, having not gotten to sleep yet. Here's the set list:

solo Nim:
.. science
.. you've got your own life [requested by Kim and Gia]
.. Nimland > I am systems
.. 5 songs of fish [debut]

Nim plus Dave Shaver on djembe:
.. Juiceman [requested by Amy]
.. deposit 1 tangelo [Beth] > vegetables you've never heard of [requested by Kim and Gia]

SPECIAL NOTE: For those of you keeping track, I have decided to recapitalize my song titles. I think it is unnecessary for them all to be capitalized, so now I am only capitalizing certain words, including most proper nouns and words I deem for whatever reason to be important. I have also decided to use double periods as bullets and a single greater-than sign to connect song titles in medleys. I am continuing to use square brackets for special notes as I did before.

Nim Grind OM 5 - introducing the Blue Demon!

I guess the Demon's a hit! I played two songs and sold four CDs! At first, the tone through the PA sounded tinny and trebley, but Steve and I worked it out, and it was smooth sailing after that!

- Science
- Wow

What fun!

The Blue Demon.

I got one of these today:

Fender® FM-62SE Acoustic-Electric Mandolin

It's a beaut! I got the blue one, nicknamed it the blue demon. It feels really nice to play, and it's totally lovely. I'm in Potsdam, chilling with Tiffany, who's off practicing at Crane right now, so I plugged the mando into her guitar amp. Sounds really good! I'm delighted!

I need to get a keyboard amp to use as a mini-PA, and then I will be ready to play a gig anywhere I can get to! Hooray!

NimDaisyBakers OM 3 - Fun with requests!

Tonight was great fun, playing a set a Daisy Baker's for an enthusiastic audience of many friends! I filled multiple requests and had the pleasure of Mr. Dave Shaver joining me on djembe for the last tune, Let Me In Your Hole. The atmosphere was a lot better tonight, much more relaxed and fun, and that makes me happy.

- The Slippery Toad
- Level 1 [requested by Amy]
- Pablo [requested by Kate]
- Wow [requested by Dave]
- This Ladybug [requested by Ian]
- Maroon Dots [requested by Beth]
- Let Me In Your Hole [with Dave Shaver on djembe]

Lobel premieres at YAG informance!

It was an exciting afternoon, as a theatrical work I've been putting together with some kids and teachers at the R.P.I. Young Actor's Guild was informally premiered at the annual summer informance! I've been writing music for two original skits based on books by Arnold Lobel (Whiskers and Rhymes and Ming Lo Moves the Mountain). Elana Architzel has been helping adapt as well as direct, and Groups 1 and 2 were our performers. It was most certainly a "work in progress." Anyway, it went over well, and the program director Mary has asked me to continue working on it so we can eventually get it published and do fun things like tour elementary schools! This is way neat!

I didn't invite anybody to the informance because it's really just for YAG students' parents. My mom came. If this goes somewhere and we have a more public venue, I'm going to do some general invitations, but that won't be for a little while.

Anyway, there are some exciting possibilities here, and I'm going to stick with it and see where it goes!

Nodal Nim at YAG and Grind OM 4

I played at the YAG Birthday Bash again, but with less success. This semester, my lack of amplification (which came as a surprise to me, because I naively expected to get the stage and system in the Playhouse) plus lots of bratty kids made it impossible for me to play too very long. After a relatively short Veggies, I ended by saying, "I think I'm going to get some cake." This was my set up until then:

- Raisins
- Science -> Birthday Round
- This Ladybug
- Alan the Duck [request]
- Maroon Dots [request]
- Docky Docky
- Vegetables You've Never Heard Of [request]

Later, Mary had me close the party with more song:

- Maroon Dots -> Wow [request]

This is further evidence for me that I need to get a PA, or at least a keyboard amp with a couple inputs. If I'm reliant on others for amplification, I can't do very much. Grr.

=

I also played at the Daily Grind. A short set, as they always have to be. Sloppy and out-of tune, and Dave says the mix was bad (too much mandolin), but I was pretty ok with it. It was a good night at the Grind. There were some new people there, friends, audience, and performers. Went to the 76 Diner after for yums.

- Send Me Up [request] -> Pablo
- Retro Helplessness

NimIlliumOM 3

- Level 1 -> Javelin Head
- Stripes
- Wow -> Maroon Dots

NimDaisyBakersOM 2

Solo.

- Love Song 1
- Maroon Dots
- Buzzelling -> Lapse Into Memory
- A Parade, Yes. -> Member of the Real

Nim plus Dave!

- Deposit One Tangelo -> Vegetables You've Never Heard Of
- Juiceman
- Let Me In Your Hole

=

I was delighted to have Dave join me again on djembe. He plays a beautiful beat. It was the first time that I recall us playing Juiceman together since we had a band in high school (SOL Pendulum). Let Me In Your Hole was fun, as always, as was everything, really.

I'm continuing to work on more complex improvisational stuff for Member of the Real. I think it's getting better.

The slight audience at Daisy Baker's is just not into Nodal Nim. Not surprising, but somewhat frustrating. Steve wants me to keep playing, in spite of my concerns that it pisses the patrons off. I've decided to at least give it one more week.