Moon and River

I played tonight at Moon and River Cafe in Schenectady. Although I think I played well, the attendance was pretty disappointing. Four of my friends came (and thank you four very much for making it!), and there were only about four or five other people there for a brief time during the evening. The others all seemed pretty indifferent to me. Due to lack of business, the store closed early, and I only had two acts. On well. It felt good to play, anyway.

Act I

.. raisins
.. number make more numbers > science
.. shirt thane
.. lapse into memory
.. this ladybug
.. level 1
.. rules to Stone Game > I am systems > vegetables you've never heard of
.. stripes
.. yellow things

Act II

.. rocket theme
.. hello, will you be my Sheep?
.. clusterbomb
.. e blue apparatus > retro helplessness > bodymind
.. supersane
.. a Parade, yes.
.. 5 songs of fish
.. Robots: the card game
.. Collarbone Pharoah
.. in my pocket
.. send me up > Nimland
.. Pablo
.. the slippery toad
.. crescent moon

Nim Illium OM 7

I took a break from mandolin for a few days, then threw some new strings on there and went to the Illium open mic. It was fun, because I got to play a bunch of songs. I think it was my best performance of '5 songs of fish'. Also, it was the first that I'd played 'present tense' in a while, and I like to play that one.

.. Pablo
.. Superman has friends
.. 5 songs of fish [request]
.. vegetables you've never heard of [request]
.. in my pocket [request]
.. present tense
.. science

Also, at the end, I jammed with Casey and Maurizio, the latter for the first time. Although we had a bit of confusion there, it was fun and cool.

23 mp3s from Illium show

I uploaded what I considered to be the 23 best recordings from last Saturday's Illium show, and linked to them from Nimland. See the concerts page to find the files from that show listed separately, if you're interested in hearing them.

Nodal Nim's Rocket Ship EP-001

After spending quite a chunk of the day finishing it up, I am finally ready to present Nodal Nim's Rocket Ship, an internet-based audio show, a.k.a. podcast. It takes place on a living, evolving, cylindrical world currently orbitting the sun (although it can travel anywhere it wants to), and it features guests and myself singing, telling stories, reciting poetry, and improvising music together. I hope you'll consider giving it a listen, and I hope it's an enjoyable listen. It's about a half hour long, and in mp3 format.

Illium Show 1

Hi all!

I played at the Illium tonight, for a modest audience. It was fun. I cut my index finger and bled on the strings. My audience colored with crayons. I recorded it, and I may put some of the recordings online soon. Here are my three sets:

Act I:

.. buzzelling
.. crescent moon
.. 25% more monster > javelin head > rodeo clock
.. this ladybug
.. bodymind
.. in my pocket
.. sun flies > nobody knows
.. Frank
.. crabnors > retro helplessness
.. princessdom
.. let me in your hole
.. numbers make more numbers > I am systems
.. for play
.. Superman has friends
.. Alan the Duck
.. wow
.. 5 songs of fish [request]

Act II:

.. level 1
.. paperclip
.. yellow things
.. receptors & peptides
.. science > magazine chubbies
.. Juiceman
.. eat lots of apples > deposit 1 tangelo
.. a Parade, yes.
.. lapse into memory
.. raisins
.. hello, will you be my Sheep?
.. will we go out together?
.. Collarbone Pharoah
.. docky docky

Act III:

.. coloring time with Andrew > Maroon Dots > 25% more monster [request]
.. shirt thane
.. e blue apparatus > stripes
.. acrobasebombball
.. supersane > Nimland
.. rockin' out > send me up
.. Pablo
.. the slippery toad
.. love song 1
.. Dave
.. vegetables you've never heard of

Nim Grind OM 8

The Grind hasn't been as exciting lately, with a bunch of regulars gone for the schoolyear, but it had its moments tonight. I felt good about how I played. I also got to play with John, a very good djembe player, for the first time. It was fun!

.. docky docky
.. Maroon Dots [with John on djembe]

I also sold one CD and traded another. I have a new CD by an experimental local musician to check out tonight. :<)

Nim Flavour Cafe OM 1

I went to the Flavour Cafe open mic, which is on 4th Street in downtown Troy. It was a neat place, and I felt good about the performance. Good vibes there.

.. stripes
.. level 1
.. this ladybug [requested by Nick]
.. vegetables you've never heard of [requested by Rob]

Nim Illium OM 6

We played unplugged at the Illium. I'm not entirely sure if this set is right, but here it is:

.. raisins
.. vegetables you've never heard of
.. hello, will you be my Sheep?

Nim Daisy Baker's OM 7

I've been neglecting to update with set lists this week, so I'm doing them all now. Daisy Baker's was my worst performance in recent weeks, with a very apathetic and audience. Oh well.

.. this ladybug
.. javelin head > 25% more monster
.. science
.. let me in your hole

songs & audio

I made some rather significant updates to the songs page!

First, I moved my audio from Soundclick.com to Ourmedia.org.

Then, I integrated links to all my mp3s from the songs page on my website, using color-coding for "batch" (early), "demo," and "live" recordings.

Next, I created a separate page just for recorded medleys and put links on the songs page to the various medleys. So, for example, when you click on the "M" next to 25% more monster, you'll go directly to a medley that includes the song 25% more monster on the medleys page.

Then, I converted all the files from my February 17, 2005 show (featured on Nodal Nim at Hurley's) to mp3s, put them online, and linked to them.

Next, I created another page that reassembles concerts, using links just like the ones on the songs and medleys pages.

Finally, I linked them altogether, added an updated link to the main page, and put it all online.

So see for yourself! It's quite a lot of interactive fun.

-Nim

p.s. You will probably notice that there are no lyrics anymore. I plan to put lyrics back up in a different form, eventually. For now, there is just lots of audio.

Nim Grind OM 7

I played to a small and disinterested crowd left over from the art gallery opening that went up before open mic. It was somewhat frustrating and pointless, but at least I got to practice some old songs.

.. you've got your own life
.. eat lots of apples > crescent moon

I'm very much looking forward to my upcoming real gigs.

Nim Illium OM 5

I returned a few days ago from an enjoyable trip to the West Coast (Seattle area), and played my first open mic in a little while tonight at the Illium. I thought it was ok, except that my mandolin's tone was way off. I think next time I will EQ myself at the mixer, if I need to. It was very trebly and clangy. Anyway, here is the set:

.. numbers make more numbers > level 1
.. the slippery toad
.. 5 songs of fish

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.

NimGrindOM 3 - Dave again!

Dave joined me again on djembe for two Nodal Nim songs at the Daily Grind's open mic tonight! It was a way-fun night, and I think we played well. We also met neat new people.

- Hello, Will You Be My Sheep?
- Let Me In Your Hole

Rock le Nim

Nim played two songs on Rock the World, W.R.P.I. Thanks to Teo and everybody for having me. It was fun!

- E Blue Apparatus [requested by Oliver]
- Hello, Will You Be My Sheep?

NimIlliumOM 2

Nodal Nim played open mic at the Illium tonight:

- Receptors & Peptides
- Raisins -> I Am Systems
- Shirt Thane -> The Slippery Toad
- Member of the Real

I may have a gig this weekend: Saturday morning. I'll let you know soon!

come to the Illium!

I'm planning to do a Nodal Nim set during open mic at the Illium tomorrow night (Tuesday), and I think it will be fun. I had a good time there last week, and this week I won't be able to go the Grind on Thursday, most likely. Don't know if I'll have any friends there tomorrow, but I'm hoping to make some.

Much love,
-A

Nim at Daisy Baker's open mic

'Twas the first night of open mic at Daisy Baker's, on 2nd street in Troy. Steve Candlen is hosting a Monday night thingy at this restaurant/bar, and I played a set to an audience of mostly middle-aged bar-people. I wasn't their favorite, but it was fun! I debuted a song and experimented with more extended improvisation in Member of the Real (which propelled me into a spontaneous medley). All-in-all, successful for me, even if the audience was mostly indifferent or annoyed.

- Retro Helplessness -> Will We Go Out Together
- Hello, Will You Be My Sheep? [premiere]
- Pablo
- Nimland -> 25% More Monster
- Member of the Real -> Send Me Up -> This Ladybug
- Level 1
- Science

NimGrindOM 2 - with Dave!

Wonderful percussional brother Dave Shaver joined me tonight on Nim songs at the Grind open mic!

- Javelin Head -> I Am Systems
- Collarbone Pharoah

Nim at TPL

I played a few Nim songs tonight at a program at the Troy Public Library, prelude to the reading of a short story to a small group of adults who apparently have nothing better to do on Wednesday nights. I think it went alright. I've been happy to play much mandolin lately!

- You've Got Your Own Life
- Numbers Make More Numbers -> Retro Helplessness -> Stripes
- Science

Also, I haven't mentioned that I've finished or almost finished a bunch of new songs recently. I've decided not to mention them by name or put them on the songs list until I have premiered them. Will probably premiere at least one tomorrow night at the Daily Grind!

Nim at the Illium open mic

Hey, so there's an open mic at the Illium on 2nd street in downtown Troy, and I checked it out and played there tonight. It was fun and neat! It wasn't my best performance, but by the end, people were into it. Planning to do that again next Tuesday, and eventually get a real show there!

My set list:

- Science
- I Am Systems -> Will We Go Out Together?
- Vegetables You've Never Heard Of
- Love Song 1

Nim at the Grind open mic

I played some tunes at the Grind open mic tonight with my old and still-broken mandolin. I had to stop to tune after two strings randomly and without warning went incredibly out, but other than that, I thought it went very well! I played one five-song medley:

- E Blue Apparatus -> Rules to Stone Game -> Deposit One Tangelo -> 25% More Monster -> Vegetables You've Never Heard Of

Scott came along for the second week in a row, bringing with him brother Greg, friends Vicky and Chuck, and Greg's girlfriend Kristen (spelling uncertain). They were nice to see and meet and so on! I like when friends meet friends.

I also met a bunch of other cool open mic regulars. The Grind open mic continues to be a wonderful thing. Anybody reading this who can make it to Troy, NY on Thursdays between 8 and 11:30 needs to come on out! What fun!

old mando, rock the world

I got my mandolin back today, not fixed, as I've decided not to invest in it at this time. (I have a new one coming soon, though!) Anyway, even though it still won't stay in tune (and the action is awfully high), I really enjoyed having a mandolin again, and I started brushing up on my tunes. I played a few songs on Rock the World, Teo Acosta's Wednesday night W.R.P.I. radio show. It was really nice to play again!

- Javelin Head -> 25% More Monster
- Let Me In Your Hole

Tomorrow night I'm definitely playing at open mic at the Daily Grind in downtown Troy. I was planning to improvise on electric guitar, but since I have a mandolin now, I'll probably do Nimstuff instead! I may change my mind about the instrument closer to the time, but at any rate, I'll be there and I'll play! Yay for mandolins!

Hearts,
Andrew

P.S. I may have finally finished the inevitable song "Hello, Will You Be My Sheep?" I have a few other songs that I've been itching to write as well, so we'll see what happens. A rock opera about onions I see in my distant future! Hearts!

The Same Thing You're Always Talking About

objects rotate in the rain
I know it’s the same thing you’re always talking about
fields
I’m mentioning it to you now
look outside for yourself

freckled stalks of alibis
coming inside
racehorses
coffee and beans
looking fast and faster booking
crepes and sauce
flatheaded
fickle and steam

fowl creation in the grinding nights
little relaxed-teeth camera
everyone is sad to be leaving town for a while
cutlery moon
a strain on the rose-up staff
staffing my room with paragraphs
falcon toast truth night
saber
clothes
clothes

daily grind
grinding down
winding my head neck around
bending the light around my head
oblivious flies
why do they stare at me?
bending a kind word from a friend
welcome back the sun flies

strain the rose-up color guard
strain the rose-up high

The Daily Grind

It was an exciting evening! The Daily Grind, a coffee-shop on 3rd St. in downtown Troy, has open mic every Thursday from 9 to 11:30ish. It's always amazing! You never know what the heck to expect, but the people are cool and friendly, and there are usually some amazing performances. I have to recommend this weekly event highly to anybody who can get there!

Still being mandolin-less, I gave up complaining about it and wrote a song this week on my electric guitar. It was a 7 1/2 minute or so oddity, but I think it was well-received. For now, its title is "The Same Thing You're Always Talking About." I'm planning to write another for next week, if I can find the time.

Must recommend these open mics to everybody! They're something to behold!

guitar, jam-downs

Hello!

I'm in disbelief that I still don't have an estimate on my mandolin. I decided to stop whining about it though, and play some of the guitars that I have lying around. It's actually been nice! A few years ago, when I first picked up a cheap mandolin, the guitar had become stale and lifeless in my hands, but the mandolin breathed with new purpose. Today, the guitar feels like a new instrument entirely, and I've been delighted to become reacquainted! (However, I do still miss my mandolin and feel incomplete without it.)

So I've been using guitars in some jams, first electric with Scott Marshall, in which we scavenged in the mystical caverns of Elsewhere (played weird), and then acoustic yesterday (July 4) with Dave Shaver and friends by the Hudson River waterfront. My third out-of-self guitar experience will be playing a song at open mic this Thursday at the Daily Grind on 3rd street in downtown Troy. I've been writing something weird just for the occasion, and I'm looking forward to confounding people!

Hope to see some friends there!

Love to all,
Andrew

Nimland.net

By the way, you may have noticed the new Nimland.net! I bought real web space, so now I'm ad-free (and more professional-like)! It's mostly the same, with a few new colors and catch phrases here and there. Comments and suggestions are welcome!

Still no news on the mandolin. I went to the open mic at Troy's Daily Grind tonight and had nothing to play. It was fun, anyway, but I feel like half an Andrew...

mandolin?

My mandolin appears to have a number of serious structural problems, and I'm currently waiting on a repair estimate. I've been warned by some trustworthy experts that I may find it wiser to buy a new one and attempt to sell the old. This remains to be seen, but nevertheless, I have begun researching acoustic-electric mandos.

I find myself intrigued by the Fender FM-62SE, which I have nicknamed the Blue Demon. It has received a number of good user reviews. It's more expensive than my last mandolin, but not intimidatingly so. It also looks very "Nodal Nim," I think, which my current Ovation does not. Sound, price, and functionality are more important to me than appearance, but I must consider appearance as well.

I have not played the Blue Demon myself, so it's impossible for me to have a real idea of it yet. As I said, I am intrigued.

adjusting

Hi all.

I (Andrew Heathwaite) graduated a few weeks ago, receiving a Bachelors of Music in Education from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam! Since then, I've been living here and there, waiting for my car to get fixed and returned to me. I finally made it back to my home town of Troy, NY this evening. I'll be here for a few months, and hopefully I'll find some exciting gigs in the area (any leads you may have are appreciated!), then in August, I'm moving to Chicago!!

I'm going to have some work done on my mandolin, and until it's in tip-top shape, I won't be playing any gigs. However, when I do have some gigs lined up, I will post info about them here, on my main page, and in my myspace music profile!

Very soon I will have a real website, nimland.net. I have to wait for my registration to go through the system, and then I want to do a bit of work on it before having something of a grand opening. We'll see how that goes. I will keep you abreast of this also!

Thanks to those of you who have been coming out to gigs and giving me feedback on things! I had some good times performing in Potsdam. I'm looking forward to rocking out soon in the Capital Region!


Best wishes to all,
Andrew

some jams

I haven't been playing much Nodal Nim recently, although I have a number of ideas cooking. I've done some jamming, though! Last night, I recorded some very abstract improvisations with Mike Winkler, collectively utilizing acoustic and electric guitars, violin, mandolin, and hand drums. The night before, I jammed with Greg and Scott Marshall and Chris Roslund in a rather psychedelic rock universe. It's been fun! I recorded both jams digitally, but have no immediately plans to do anything with them.

I'm considering moving to Chicago in August. Thoughts?

ctwa 12, Brent Burnisher, lots

Many things to report! I will go in reverse chronological order!

I just came back from the last Coloring Time with Andrew at WAIH, and it was wonderfully fun! I invited everybody on the radio station to come along and color or listen at home, and I had about a dozen people there! It was great fun, and I'm planning to get the pictures that people colored online within the next few days for all to see! Thanks to everybody who listened, visited, and/or colored!

Here was the Nodal Nim set list:

• Coloring Time with Andrew -> E Blue Apparatus
• Let Me In Your Hole
• Crash Tinkle Tinkle -> Lapse Into Memory
• Numbers Make More Numbers -> Stripes -> Robots: The Card Game
• Alan the Duck [requested]
• Pablo [requested]
• Yellow Things [premiere]

Then, after two unison strings broke simultaneously during Yellow Things and I finished it with three courses instead of four, I spun some CDs, restringed, and played two more songs, with Jen Abounader on guitar and vocals... and then a whole bunch of other people on vocals as well!

• Maroon Dots
• Vegetables You've Never Heard Of

Then it was about 11:15 or so, and I spun CDs for the rest of the show. Some people stuck around, others didn't, but I was left with an armful of exciting pictures, many of which featured yellow things, or blue things that are labelled yellow.

Thanks everybody for the magic!

=

Chris Roslund, Scott Marshall, and I form the band known for now as Brent Burnisher! We headlined at Hurley's tonight, with the following set list:

• Carrot Cake [Brent Burnisher]
• Be My Head [Flaming Lips]
• No Harm [Andrew Heathwaite]
• There There [Radiohead]
• My Acquaintance [Chris Roslund]
• The One I Love [R.E.M.]
• I Am Systems -> Javelin Head [Nodal Nim]
• Space Oddity [David Bowie]
• 12-bar blues jam with Carl
• Oh Darlin'! [Lennon/McCartney]

=

I played Purcell and Nodal Nim in my voice studio today!

• I'll Sail Upon the Dog Star [by Henry Purcell, accompanied by Eric Fauss on the piano]
• Stripes -> Vegetables You've Never Heard Of

=

Yesterday, Nodal Nim opened for a performance of five plays written by fellow students! I couldn't be heard very well, but it was fun just the same. I thought I played a good set:

• Member Of the Real
• Docky Docky
• Sun Flies
• Lapse Into Memory
• Bodymind
• 25% More Monster
• Crabnors
• Supersane
• Nimland
• You've Got Your Own Life
• Nobody Knows
• Crescent Moon
• I Am Systems
• Science

Most of the songs ran together, as I tried to be as continuous as possible.

I am truly exhausted.

Thanks to everybody who has supported me this semester, and these past few days in particular! I love you all!

last ctwa at Potsdam, and you're invited!

I've decided that for my last Coloring Time with Andrew radio show, I'm inviting my friends to come along and have a coloring party, while I Nim around and debut my 15-minute epic, Yellow Things! So, those of you in the Potsdam area are invited to come to the WAIH radio station, located above the mail room in the Barrington Student Union, SUNY Potsdam campus, next Thursday, May 12, 2005! Here are some details:

1. I will provide crayons, markers, and paper!
2. I will begin Nimming at 10:00 PM!
3. I will entertain requests!
4. I will debut Yellow Things at 10:30!
5. I will spin media from 11 to 12, taking requests, coloring, hanging out, etc.!

Come visit me, or tune in to 90.3 FM WAIH, if you're within ten miles or so of Potsdam! It will be a magical fun farewell to Nim!

(Those of you in the Albany area, I'm moving there in like two weeks and want to perform! I don't have any gigs scheduled yet, but I promise I will let you know!)

Knowlestock

Nodal Nim opened Knowlestock at 12:10 today!

• Numbers Make More Numbers -> Level 1
• The Slippery Toad
• Javelin Head -> Robots: The Card Game -> Crabnors
• Pablo
• Let Me In Your Hole

Bowman Blast!

Nim played Bowman Blast at like 3:45 on this beautiful Saturday to a modest but fun crowd of folk! Thanks to those of you who were there! I had a good time, playing my tunes in the sunshine!

• Buzzelling -> Science
• This Ladybug
• Member of the Real -> Retro Helplessness
• Frank -> I Am Systems
• Collarbone Pharoah
• Raisins -> Vegetables You've Never Heard Of
• nimland.cjb.net -> Wow
• Alan the Duck [requested by Shannon!]
• Docky Docky -> 25% More Monster

If you missed it, do not fear! I am playing tomorrow at noon in the Knowles Quad! Come by as I wake up the Cranies with my mandolin magic!

A weekend of Nodal Nim!

Nodal Nim is playing in two shows this weekend at SUNY Potsdam! Come out to see him, he'll be delighted!

Saturday, May 7
3:25 - ? PM
Bowman Quad

Sunday, May 8
12:00 - 12:30 PM
Knowles Quad

Email me for more info if you like!

ctwa 11 - too many E strings!

I have four E strings on my mandolin right now. This is not a good idea. Mandolins should only have two. The extra two E strings are filling in for the A strings that should be there, but have broken so many times that I've run out and tried to use E's as subsititutes. Bad idea!

Anyway, I tried to play a couple Nim sets on the radio tonight, but was miserably out of tune and had to stop. Here's what I eked out before surrendering to fate:

10:00
• Coloring Time with Andrew -> Nimland
• Bodymind -> 25% More Monster

10:30
• Science -> Member of the Real

Member of the Real is a tribute to Jandek, so it seemed fitting to play it on a mandolin that couldn't stay in tune to save its life... that doesn't even want to be in tune -- that wants nothing less than to be in tune! I think Jandek would appreciate the rendition.

I ordered new strings a half an hour ago, rush delivery, so my mandolin will get the first aid it desperately needs, and I will suck considerably less, I anticipate. We can hope!

Hypercube, Hyperpyramid, and ctwa 10

Hypercube made its public debut as a three-piece at Hurley's tonight to a typically tiny coffee house audience, and it was way fun!

Hypercube at Hurley's:

• So Unlikely
• Molly
• Penelope / Liquid Gravity

After Parts Unknown played (and did a fine job), since there was nobody else scheduled, Eric and I (Joel had left) named ourselves Hyperpyramid and made our own little psychedelic nerd jam! I thought it was a cool little jam, and we had fun. The few people who were there did not all get up and leave.

I played two sets of Nodal Nim on CTWA tonight. I thought they were somewhat above average for me. Scott was here and colored!

10:00

• Coloring Time with Andrew
• Buzzelling -> Javelin Head
• I Am Systems
• Docky Docky
• Receptors & Peptides -> Member of the Real
• Maroon Dots

11:00

• 25% More Monster -> E Blue Apparatus
• Supersane
• Numbers Make More Numbers [requested by Scott] -> Rodeo Clock
• Robots: The Card Game
• Will We Go Out Together? [also requested by Scott]
• Vegetables You've Never Heard Of

Hypercube annoying the neighbors

Hey, I almost forgot to mention... Hypercube (my band with Eric and Joel) rehearsed tonight for the first time in quite a while, and then gave a performance of sorts for Roy, Jen, and her boyfriend Alex.

• So Unlikely
• Molly
• Schitzophrenic Game of Poker [interrupted by sleepy neighbor]
• Liquid Gravity

Andrew Heathwaite: Vaporization

I always forget to mention music things in my life other than Nodal Nim. Tonight, I'm remembering. Today (technically yesterday), there was a concert of pieces created by students in "Advanced Electronic Composition," which is a class here at Crane that I am in. I was really into electronic composition as a means of exploring microtonality for a while, but now that I've been working in the Crane midi lab, which is not easily microtunable, I've been relatively uninspired. My main focus has been most definitely Nodal Nim.

Anyway, I had a piece played at this little concert called Vaporization. I must admit that it's in the boring old 12tET. I started with a recording that I made and liked, and tried to add other movements. None of my movements seemed to work, until last night (technically two nights ago), when I latched one onto the end of the first recording, with a little crossfade, making two movements one. It turned out that the pieces complimented each other well, and I wound up being happy with my new piece. That's nice!

My internet is down, which is preventing me from uploading my eComp piece. I'll get around to it eventually, I think, and then I'll post about it. I have two eComp pieces from last semester I can get up to snuff and add there, too, at some point. There's another yet to be written, which I think I will write for electronic tape, mandolin, and perhaps voice. I'm considering making it Nodal Nim with tape. Seems like fun!

Nodal Nim plays YAG Birthday Bash!

Nodal Nim entertained at the YAG Birthday Bash today, hiding in a dark closet until announced, and then running out and going, "Happy Birthday, YAG!" It's not that it's YAG's birthday; we have a tradition of throwing a party one day of the semester to celebrate all the students' birthdays all at once. I was delighted to play some songs for an audience of real children! We had a way cool time!

Oh yeah, and I got my YAGly friends Nick, Teo, and Dave to play some songs along with me! They were a great little thrown-together band, and I'd love to play with them again sometime!

Ok, so here are the sets:

Nodal Nim

• Maroon Dots
• Raisins -> 25% More Monster
• Pablo [requested by Mary]
• Somebody's Birthday Round [premiere]
• This Ladybug
• Wow
• Alan the Duck
• For Play
• Maroon Dots [requested by Tim]
• Will We Go Out Together [requested by Dave]
• E Blue Apparatus [requested by Nick]

Nodal Nim and the Somethings

• Rockin' Out
• Science
• I Am Systems
• Deposit One Tangelo -> Vegetables You've Never Heard Of


Veggies was really long and crazy, and almost every body in the room was dancing deliriously after a while! We signed some autographs after the show, and I sold some CDs, and it was just charming! Mary thinks I could do really well playing for kids, be the next Raffi or something. I don't know yet, but I find that I'm inspired. It was wonderful and fun!

hurley's competition and ctwa 9

Hello friends,

It was a good Thursday, I think. All the solo headliners from this semester competed at Hurley's tonight for cash prizes. It was a lot of fun, and it was cool to have a bunch of really good musicians playing there on one night. Chris called me during Coloring Time to let me know that I didn't place. I forgot to ask who did. I have faith that they were awesome, because there were a lot of greats there. Here would be my preference:

1. Kevin Irwin
2. Doug Campbell
3. Bryan Poole-DeSalvo

I don't know if it went anything like that. Carmen G. is awesome, too, so I wouldn't mind if she won one of the spots, too. I'm not really disappointed about not placing, because I think I played really well anyway, and I never expect to woo a whole audience. People usually love me or hate me, and I guess this particular audience was leaning more toward the latter, at least relative to the other musicians. People who really get Nodal Nim are not your average Joes and Janes. I would have enjoyed the $100 first prize (was gonna buy a real web site, maybe nimland.com!), but I don't mind losing.

Here was my Hurley's set list:

• Let Me In Your Hole
• Wow -> Nimland
• 25% More Monster -> Vegetables You've Never Heard Of

And here was my Coloring Time set list:

• Coloring Time with Andrew -> A Parade, Yes. -> For Play
• Maroon Dots
• nimland.cjb.net -> Sun Flies
• Rat's Noon Star -> Rules to Stone Game -> Stripes

=

Now I go to read and sleep. I have to recommend this book that I'm borrowing from my girlfriend Tiffany: Still Life with Woodpecker by Tom Robbins. Very clever and good! It simultaneously makes me want to write a novel myself and never ever write a novel myself, because I could never be that awesome! Wonderful!

Love to all,
Andrew

Bear Stock morning fun

Nodal Nim opened Bear Stock this Sunday morn. Some folks came out and fun was had!

set list:

• Nimland -> Javelin Head
• Rules to Stone Game [premiere] -> Level 1
• Raisins
• 25% More Monster -> Numbers Make More Numbers -> I Am Systems
• Crescent Moon
• Member of the Real -> E Blue Apparatus
• Wow -> Vegetables You've Never Heard Of

hurley's & ctwa8

Recovering from a cold, I was finally able to Nim today. I practiced a bunch and wrote two songs: Rules to Stone Game and 25% More Monster! I debuted the latter at Hurley's!

And speaking of Hurleys, here's the set list of the evening:

• Supersane -> Rockin' Out -> Eat Lots of Apples
• 25% More Monster [premiere]
• Science

I decided, since Coloring Time went extra well tonight, in my opinion, that I'd include the whole playlist, not just the Nodal Nim set. As usual, all Nodal Nim songs listed were performed live by me.

10:00

Nodal Nim
• Numbers Make More Numbers -> Coloring Time with Andrew
• Pablo
• Retro Helplessness -> Rodeo Clock
• Superman Has Friends
• 25% More Monster
Dismemberment Plan
• A Life Of Possibilities
R.E.M.
• Turn You Inside Out
• Finest Worksong [requested by B.J.]
Danny Allen
• Scattergun
Elvis Costello
• Chelsea
Captain Beefheart
• The Sheriff of Hong Kong
Edgard Varése
• Ecuatorial

11:00

Nodal Nim
• The Slippery Toad -> Wow
• I Am Systems [requested by Scott]
• Stripes
• Member of the Real
Björk
• Unison [requested by Scott]
Tears For Fears
• Head Over Heals
Depeche Mode
• I Feel You
Cecil Taylor
• Air
Tom Waits
• Table Top Joe
Flaming Lips
• Halloween on the Barbary Coast
Neutral Milk Hotel
• Three Peaches
Peter Blasser
• The Longhouse Dance
Patti Smith
• Redondo Beach

Nodal Nim at Bearstock in Potsdam, NY!

Hi everyone!

Nodal Nim is playing at Bear Stock, an all-day music festival on the SUNY Potsdam campus! If you're interested and nearby, come out to Lehman Quad at 11:00 AM this Sunday, April 10, to experience a zany half-hour set of Nodal Nim! Nodal Nim will be playing new songs as well as old on his mandolin, and he'll be delighted to fill requests, as always.

For more info on Nodal Nim, check out http://www.nimland.cjb.net

For more info on Bear Stock, see http://www.thebrandonshow.com

Pass this message along to everyone you know who might be interested in coming out! If you have any questions, comments, etc., you can contact me through myspace or my website. I hope to see you there!

Experience Mandolin Magic!

Experience Nodal Nim!

!!

ctwa8

I didn't play Hurley's -- a big rehearsal with Crane Chorus -- but Coloring Time was ok. I am very tired.

10:00

• Coloring Time with Andrew
• Javelin Head
• Dripping Pilgrim
• For Play -> Science -> Member of the Real

10:30

• Crash Tinkle Tinkle -> Lapse Into Memory
• Shirt Thane
• Love Song 1
• Rat's Noon Star [premiere]

intercourse

I've been filling my Nodal Nim myspace profile with lots of interesting people from all over, and having conversations with some who have heard my music. Here is one little conversation that I obviously had some fun with:

=

i love your vegetable song. its made me think a lot. about vegetables i've never heard of before. i think i will do a google search and learn some more about greens.
thanking you for the inspiration, ro. xxxx

=

Hi Ro,

Thanks for the appreciation! Vegetables are delicious. I especially love frying them up in peanut sauce and rosemary, basil, and thyme, and maybe some honey. Best with onions. Maybe I need a song about onions, too. Are onions a vegetable? Even if they are, they deserve their own song. I'm not sure what your opinion is on raisins, but I have a song about them, also. They're good in yogurt.

Thanks for the kind note. I'm glad you were inspired. It makes me happy. Best of luck with all things!

Maccodils,
Andrew (Nodal Nim)

first oud experience

Hey, I haven't mentioned this yet! Yesterday, I played the oud for the first time ever! Chris Witulski just so happened to have one and invited me to come over and try it out. It blew my mind! It felt so good to play! Obviously, it wouldn't be easy to play well, but it's totally incredible and inspiring. I'd very much like to get one sometime.

Hurley's and ctwa7

Hurley's open mic in Potsdam was fun tonight. I played some stuff and debuted two new songs!

• Lapse Into Memory -> Member of the Real [premiere]
• E Blue Apparatus -> Level 1
• For Play [premiere]

Coloring Time was also fun! I played only one set to accomodate a trainee. It was cool, though.

• Coloring Time with Andrew
• Vegetables You've Never Heard Of -> Retro Helplessness
• Pablo
• Stripes
• Let Me In Your Hole

Nim on myspace

I created a music page on myspace.com today, to use as a platform for promotion. So far, so good. If you'd like to see it and/or add yourself to my "Friends" list, check out http://www.myspace.com/nodalnim.

The Daily Grind!

An old coffee shop in Troy recently moved to a bigger location and started doing open mics on Thursdays! I went there tonight, and it was awesome! There was a lot of acoustic guitar stuff, and some of it was great, some stand-up comedy, some poetry readings, some blues, some far out world musicky kinds of stuff, some jammy stuff, lots of neat stuff! And me, I played some Nodal Nim, too. I was happy with how I played, and my stuff seemed to go over well, which makes me happy! After I played, throughout the night, I sold three of my new Nodal Nim at Hurley's CDs to some cool, appreciative people! Thanks for the support, you guys! I'm glad you enjoyed it, and when I come back for the summer, I hope I'll see you all there again!

My contact information is on the intro page to the website, but I'll give it here in case anybody is interested:

email: gtrpkt at yahoo dot com
AIM screen name: Nodal Nim
cell: (315)657-6839


My set list tonight:

• Let Me In Your Hole
• Raisins -> Wow
• Stripes


I've never been so excited by the prospect of moving back to Troy! Now I can't wait!

Electricity,
Andrew

Rock the World

I played some Nodal Nim as special guest on Teo and friends' Rock the World radio program on WRPI, and it was fun!

12:30 am

• Science [requested by Nick Borden]
• Maroon Dots -> Bodymind

1:30 am

• Boxing Day Feast [requested by Eve Burstein] -> Vegetables You've Never Heard Of

new songies and cdies

Hi.

Yesterday, I wrote or finished writing three Nodal Nim songs: Rat's Noon Star, Body Hex 3, and Member of the Real, and I started a song that may be called Dobbel. Today, I took a break from mandolin playing, but I made a bunch more copies of my new CD, Nodal Nim at Hurley's. Hey, you out there! Buy one! They're cheap! Six bucks!

Love,
Andrew

Yellow Things

I finished writing a very interesting and unique Nodal Nim song tonight (relative to my other songs at least)! It's a fifteen-minute collection of sub-songs on the subject of "things that are yellow," carefully strung together for coherency and storytelling. It's almost a whole new genre of song. I'm sure other people have done this before, but I haven't, and it's very exciting for me!

It begins and ends with a poem I borrowed from a Potsdam anthropology professor's two-year-old niece. According to the story my professor told (which was intended to demonstrate the incredible creativity of human beings as compared with other animals), her niece, while gazing at the moon one night, uttered the following:

There's a yellow man
on the yellow moon
reading a yellow book
about yellow things.

I think that statement is so full of wonder and amazing ideas, and I love that a two-year-old girl came up with it! I like the image we have, of a simple place, with a simple thing happening: one man, one moon, one book, one color even! It's just beautiful!

So in my song, the yellow man reads the yellow book, and in the yellow book, there are characters and events and emotions, and you experience the yellow man's reactions to it all. At the end of the song, the yellow man falls asleep to dream of yellow things. Interesting to me is that we have a fictional character reading about fictional characters, and to us, they're all equally fictional, but to the yellow man, he and his yellow moon are real while the yellow characters in the yellow book are fictional! I'm thinking about all the stuff in this song, and I'm so proud I wrote it, and it's just an amazing feeling! I can't wait to play it for somebody!

ctwa6

Coloring Time was a lot of fun tonight! I gave away a Nodal Nim CD to a guy who called in with a palindrome: "Dammit, I'm mad!" Scott, Marina, and Chris came by and colored, kept me company! It was delirious and neat! After (and during) the show, Scott, Marina and I were high on our own giggly juices, and before goodbye hugs, we "exchanged gifts" by sifting through our pockets and wallets for things to share, like old library cards, tic tacs, and keys to locks that no longer exist!

10:00

• Coloring Time with Andrew
• Vegetables You've Never Heard Of
• Crabnors -> Receptors & Peptides -> Magazine Chubbies [requested by Scott]
• Nimland
• E Blue Apparatus
• Alan the Duck [requested by B.J.]

11:00

• Level 1
• nimland.cjb.net
• Paperclip [requested by Marina]
• Superman Has Friends -> I Am Systems
• Docky Docky [requested by Scott]

new concert CD: Nodal Nim at Hurley's!

Just like the song says, I've got a new CD!

I put the recording from my last Hurley's concert (along with a few songs from last semester's Hurley's concert) into CD magic and copied! So I have lots of CDR's right now just ready for the plucking! I'm going to start selling them for six dollars!

Eventually, mp3 versions of all the CD tracks will likely go on my SoundClick page. So why should you bother spending six bucks to buy a CD from me? Here's what I've come up with:

• My SoundClick page won't have these songs available for some time. Maybe it'll take just a few weeks, maybe a few months, maybe longer. I haven't decided.
• I may decide to cut out all my rambling when I make mp3s, all the times I say dumb things like, "This is a song..." "Hi, I'm Nodal Nim!" "This is a relatively new song... from my middle period, if that means anything..." "I've played that before," "Thanks for coming out!", "This is a classic old Nodal Nim song," "Yes, that's the end," and so on and so forth. So if you want the Nimbabbling, you'll want the CD!
• On the CD, the February 17 concert tracks are uncompressed audio (AIFF files), so they have a better sound quality than the mp3s that will be available online.
• CDs are more portable than computers! (But not more portable than mp3 players, of course!)
• I design each album slightly differently. The CD itself has "Nodal Nim at Hurley's" written on it with Sharpie (classy!) in a unique way, for example.
• Best of all, in my opinion, each album comes with a unique spontaneous poem and autograph hidden away on the inside of the cover! Mp3s don't come with poems or autographs!

I will not try to deceive you: another viable option for you is to find somebody who already has my CD and copy it from em. This is legally permissable, because I release all my music under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Creative Commons License. "You are free to copy, distribute, and perform the work..." etc. So go ahead and do that, I won't mind! But, I also won't mind if you buy the CD from me. It's really quite cheap, and you'll feel very special! You are special, and I want you feel that way!

If you're interesting in buying a CD, get it touch with me however you like:

email: gtrpkt at yahoo dot com
AIM screen name: Nodal Nim
cell phone: (315)657-6839

I live in Potsdam right now, but I'll be coming home to Troy for winter break soon, and I'll plan to make some deliveries while I'm there!

Love,
Andrew

ctwa5

Fifth Coloring Time of the semester:

10:02

• Coloring Time with Andrew
• Maroon Dots -> Wow
• Send Me Up -> Javelin Head
• Princessdom
• nimland.cjb.net
• The Slippery Toad -> Bodymind
• You've Got Your Own Life
• Superman Has Friends

11:04

• Raisins
• Level 1
• A Parade, Yes. -> Vegetables You've Never Heard Of

Hurley's Open Mic = No!

Hurley's Open Mic has been cancelled for tonight, but Coloring Time with Andrew is a mos' def. Tune in to 90.3 fm the Way between 10 and midnight for coloring and mandolin fun cakes!

A guy told me today that he listens to CTWA regularly while he paints and really enjoys it! I've met this guy a few times, and consistently forgotten his name, but he's cool, and it totally rocks that he's a regular listener! He says it helps to keep him going when he's working late at night in the art studio. Yeah!

I also received a message from a girl who was at my Hurley's Feb. 17 show who said she really enjoyed it. She said that I am "awesome" and that my "square song is the man," referring to the song Wow, which I happened to start with a verse like, "Wow! The sidewalk is made of lots of squares, would you like some squares...?" etc! She also said, "all you're songs were great, and i think i want to marry you because of them," but then explained that she was "just playin (obviously)..."

Anyway, I think this constitutes "fan mail," and, as it is the first that I have received, that is very neat! Thanks, Lindsay!

Who doesn't like an ego rub from time to time? Especially on a Thursday!

I think I'm going to start producing CDs of the Hurley's show tonight, while I've got some free time...

=

In other music news, I'm singing in my voice studio next week, and I'm rather frustrated by the challenges of the songs and switching between Nodal Nim and classical style. I turned down a gig on Wednesday for the extra practice time and so Nodal Nim habits don't carry into my singing. Eric (my accompanist) and I are going to have to put in some good rehearsal between now and then, but it will definitely be worth it!

Coloring Time = Yes!

I had previously said there'd be no Coloring Time with Andrew tonight, but plans have changed, and I can do the show after all. Hooray!

Potsdammers, tune in to 90.3 fm The Way between 10 and midnight for Nodal Nim mandomagic and amazing music programming, as I spin such wonderful artists as Soul Coughing, Tom Waits, Captain Beefheart, and R.E.M.!

And if you're interested, I'm also going to do a short Nodal Nim set at open mic at Hurley's Coffee House some time after eight.


popsicle sticks,

Andrew

Scott's Nim movie!

I forgot to mention: a few nights ago, Scott finished his movie of the show I played a couple Thursdays back, on Feb. 17! He had footage from three cameras to utilize it putting the movie together, and I'm delighted to say that he and the camerapeople did some excellent stuff with it! Thank you so much, Scott, for the wonderful movie!

Thanks also to the camerapeople: Scott, Marina, and Dan!

Joel is working on his own movie using the same footage, which I am excited about seeing as well, when it's finished. Thanks to Joel in advance, and also for the use of his camera, which Dan operated.

Hooray!

TBS a success and fun! / no CTWA this week

Hi!

I just got back from the WAIH studio, where I played a half-hour set on The Brandon Show! I think I played pretty well, and I definitely had fun! Here's my set list:

• Science
• Level 1
• nimland.cjb.net
• Robots: The Card Game -> Retro Helplessness -> Sun Flies
• Alan the Duck [requested by Albynoh]
• Nobody Knows [requested by Joel] -> I Am Systems
• Stripes
• Lapse Into Memory
• Nimland
• Let Me In Your Hole

=

The other bit of information is that there will be no Coloring Time with Andrew this week! Next week, though, for sure! Tune in then!

Nodal Nim on TBS Tuesday 9:30-10:00

Ok, so the latest news is just that. This Tuesday, Feb 29, Nodal Nim will be playing from 9:30 pm to 10:00 pm on The Brandon Show. I guess there was some confusion about things, but this is what we've worked out. So it'll be a half-hour show, which isn't bad, and it'll be video-recorded for the campus TV station, which certainly is neat.

Best to all,
Andrew

ctwa4 and Hurley's

I played Hurley's open mic at 9 and did Coloring Time with Andrew at 10. The highlight was finding out that a two-year-old girl was dancing to Docky Docky when I played it at Hurley's. Yay! I want babies! Somebody make me some babies!

Open Mic Set:

• Docky Docky -> Boxing Day Feast [requested by Winkler]
• Bodymind
• This Ladybug [requested by Bryan Poole-DeSalvo] -> Shirt Thane [requested by Winkler]

CTWA Set:

• Coloring Time with Andrew
• I Am Systems
• Daisy Ran Train -> Crabnors -> Receptors & Peptides -> Juiceman
• Present Tense
• E Blue Apparatus
• Raisins -> Magazine Chubbies
• Pablo

vision of a band

• fretless acoustic/electric mandolin
• upright bass
• percussion

...playing experimental (and microtonal!) pop stuff and rocking out. Classifiable as a "rock band."

Exists now only in my head.

TBS gig postponed

Thanks to any and all who may have tuned in to WAIH this evening to hear a live Nim gig. Due to circumstances beyond our control, the performance had to be cancelled tonight. It's been rescheduled for next Tuesday at 10, 2/29/05! See you then!

Nodal Nim on TBS!

Hi there!

I'll be playing a 40-minute Nodal Nim set live on 90.3 fm The Way this Tuesday, 2/22, at 10:05 pm as special guest on The Brandon Show! If you're in the Potsdam area, please feel free to tune in. It'll be a lot of fun! If you've got a song in mind that you'd like to hear, let me know ahead of time by phone, email, IM, candygram, what-have-you, and I'll be delighted to play it, if I know it, of course!

headlining and ctwa3

I'd like to start by saying a big thank you to everybody who came out to my gig at Hurley's tonight! (Technically, yesterday.) I suspect there were 20-30 people there, which for a Hurley's headlining gig, is quite a few. I guess my self-promotion paid off this time, and I am pleased about that. It's weird to be all like, "Hey come to my show," y'know, not very modest, not very subtle, but it's important. As for the show, I felt I played pretty sloppily, but I had a good time anyway. It was hard to tell what the audience thought of it, but after a while, it seemed like a lot of folks were into it. I like when that happens!

I recorded the whole hour, and I should have it on my computer right now. I will cut it up into tracks and stuff soon and get it online! I think I can put this concert with last semester's Hurley's concert on a CD and feel pretty good about giving it to people and stuff, so maybe I'll do that. Right now, I need to wrap this blog entry up and go to sleep!

I don't have a set list to share just yet. I guess I'll just include it when I upload the audio. The important stuff was that I premiered three songs (Pablo, Level 1, and Bodymind) and I relearned one old one (Docky Docky). When I listen to it and can think coherently (I am so tired right now!), I'll share some anecdotes about the evening, too.

Then, and this was kind of insane, I went to Coloring Time with Andrew as usual. I only did the first hour. I played a few songs before breaking the second A-string. My ctwa set list was:

• Coloring Time with Andrew
• Javelin Head
• Acrobasebomball
• nimland.cjb.net
• Lapse Into Memory

Thanks again if you came to my show, and I really hope you had as awesome a time as I did!

-Andrew a.k.a. Nodal Nim

reminder: COME TO HURLEY'S!

Nodal Nim is playing from 7-8 tonight at Hurley's, on the SUNY Potsdam campus!

I've got THREE new songs to debut, and I'll be taking requests! It'll be a glorious hour of mandolin megalomania! Join me for super WOW fun!

ctwa2

Hurley's Coffee House Open Mic:

• Crescent Moon -> I Am Systems
• This Ladybug -> Retro Helplessness -> Will We Go Out Together
• Let Me In Your Hole

Coloring Time with Andrew:

10:00

• Coloring Time with Andrew
• E Blue Apparatus
• Maroon Dots -> Numbers Make More Numbers
• Receptors & Peptides -> Javelin Head

10:45

• Buzzelling

11:00

• Superman Has Friends -> Sun Flies
• You've Got Your Own Life
• Love Song 1
• Robots: The Card Game
• Send Me Up -> Deposit One Tangelo -> Wow
• nimland.cjb.net

chrisdanscott

I jammed with Chris, Dan, and Scott last night. We worked on little song bits that Dan and Chris had come up with, and we played a few cover songs. We're planning to do some rocking out at Hurley's sometime. Anyway, it was sometimes rough, but we did some stuff, and I think it's going to be fun.

ctwa1

Hi there!

The first Coloring Time with Andrew of the semester was a fun one! I had some guests for my first Nodal Nim set, which went about a half an hour: Dan, Joel, Marina, and somebody else who I didn't recognize. That person came in after I started playing and left before I finished, so I didn't get the chance to say anything to her. Anyway, thank you, strange person, and all the others, for coming to my show and coloring! When I started playing CDs and wandering around the station, I found six plastic plates in the lobby that my guests had decorated, and I hung them up on a window in the station for all to see! Also, thank you to Gina for requesting three excellent songs that I was delighted to play. Requests are fun, especially when they're for good songs!

Here are my set lists from my live radio performances. The first one might be totally out of order, but I think I got all the right songs, anyway.

Set 1 - 10:00

• Coloring Time With Andrew
• Science
• Nobody Knows [request] -> Shirt Thane [request]
• Eat Lots of Apples [request]
• Let Me In Your Hole
• Present Tense [request]
• Clusterbomb
• Nimland
• The Slippery Toad [with Joel]
• Vegetables You've Never Heard Of

Set 2 - 11:30

• Stripes
• I Am Systems

=

I also went to the first Hurley's coffee house of the semester, and it was fun. Kevin Irwin did a fantastic headlining set, and then there were just a few open mic'ers. I played third. Here is my set list:

• Raisins -> Numbers Make More Numbers -> You've Got Your Own Life
• Stripes [premiere]
• Alan the Duck [request]

=

In other aah music news, I had my first voice lesson of the semester today, and it was good. I have some stuff to work on for next week's studio class performance of Walking by Charles Ives. It will be fun! I also spent some time in the electronic music lab playing with things today.

Much love to all,
Andrew

upcoming gig / site update / jamming with friends

Hi there!

Oh boy!

I am scheduled to play Nodal Nim at Hurley's coffee house (located on the SUNY Potsdam campus directly under the Lehman Dining Hall) on Thursday, February 17 (two weeks from now) at 7 pm! It'll be an hour of pure nimgasmic incredibleness, and I hope to see you there! Bring friends!

I updated nimland with a little news box and a different color scheme for the main page. Nothing too interesting there, but good.

I jammed with Scott and Dan and a little bit of Chris tonight. It was fun.

Hypercube rehearsal

Hypercube rehearsed tonight, which now consists of Joel, Eric Fauss, and me. We wrote the lyrics to a song about a professional bowler named Molly. I'm not sure what I think of the song yet, but it was a lot of fun. We're going to make Tuesday nights a regular rehearsal time.

A reminder to Potsdammers: tune in to Coloring Time with Andrew on Thursday at 10pm for some radiotastic coloring magic!

Hello and Welcome!

To anybody wandering in who saw the posters for my radio show and were fascinated, hi there! I am Andrew, a.k.a. Nodal Nim. I'm very excited about a new semester of Coloring Time, and I'm double super-duper excited to add a performance aspect to the show! In the past, it's been a regular spin-them-disks kind of show, but this semester, it'll also be a pick-those-mando-strings kind of show!

So this Thursday, grab a marker or crayon or whatever you've got and tune in!

Coloring Time with Andrew is Thursdays from 10 pm to midnight, on 90.3 fm The Way. People in and around Potsdam, NY should be able to pick it up. There's no internet streaming currently available, unfortunately.

And hey, if you want to go the next step, come by the radio station at 10 for the performance and coloring! It's located directly above the mailroom in the Barrington Student Union! It's a cozy place, and I'd love for some folks to come by to see me and have a good time!

Best wishes to all,
Andrew / Nodal Nim

Coloring Time with Andrew - a new and final semester

I've been doing Coloring Time with Andrew (my fun-tastic college radio show) for a number of years now. Since I'm probably going to be graduating in May, I'm realizing that this will be my last semester of Coloring Time. I'm planning on making it a good one!

First of all, I got a new time slot. Last semester, it was Friday from 10 to midnight, and although that was usually convenient for me, it wasn't the best time to get radio listeners. This semester, it's Thursday night from 10 to midnight, and I think that will be better!

Second, and most excitingly, I've decided to do regular Nodal Nim radio performances as part of Coloring Time! I'm going to improvise alternative versions, premiere new songs, take requests, and generally make a Nimly time of it!

So I stayed up somewhat late into the morning last night assembling a new poster that emphasizes the new Nodal Nim connection. I provided a link to the Nodal Nim website (which can now be abbreviated as nimland.cjb.net), and just a minute ago I added a CTWA section to Nimland. So I'm finding new ways to connect areas of my life.

I'm planning to do as much open mic as possible, which is earlier in the evening on Thursday, providing me an opportunity to plug my show then.

I'm excited by this!

Just my little narcissistic crusade against the apathy of Potsdam.

Love,
Andrew

back in Pdam

Yup. I'm back in Potsdam. For complicated and inane reasons, Jen and I will not be able to play at the Fields anymore, which is a coffee house downtown that we both played at last semester and did very well. Suffice it to say that somebody there doesn't like us, despite our ability to attract good crowds who drink their beverage and pay for it.

So we move on. We'll both play Hurley's, a kind-of-coffeehouse on campus, for one thing. We'll be looking for other stuff as well, perhaps in other towns nearby. We're looking at possibilities on campus in other venues than the Hurley's coffee house, and we're thinking of throwing a mini house party and charging admission. I may take to doing radio gigs on a regular basis, too. If anybody's got ideas for us, let me know!

=

Eric has joined Joel and I in our bizarro band called Hypercube. We haven't had the chance to play anything yet, but I think there's a lot of potential in this. It would be even cooler if Winkler were a member, but he's off student teaching this semester.

=

I officially added Advanced Electronic Comp to my schedule today. It's a smaller class that gets a bigger music lab to work in, and I am very excited to do some serious stuff there!

=

I jammed with Dan and Chris yesterday, and it was fun.

Nodal Nim & Dave!

Dave Shaver, brother extraordinaire, joined Nodal Nim at open mic tonight at Artie's River Street Stage! He played da drums, and Nim played da mando and vox. It was really fun and cool!! Let Me In Your Hole was especially great, in it's chaos and togethertastic brother magic!

Set List:

• Deposit One Tangelo -> Vegetables You've Never Heard Of -> Will We Go Out Together?
• I Am Systems
• Let Me In Your Hole

=

I am an eraser
and you are a pencil mark
that I cannot erase

Nim website update

I finally added pictures to the Nodal Nim website. There are 28, and they are scattered about -- mostly on the songs page. No other changes did I make.

new Nim audio

Newly recorded and uploaded to the Nodal Nim Soundclick page:

• Clusterbomb
• Receptors & Peptides
• Supersane

http://www.soundclick.com/nodalnim

Clusterbomb

I feel like posting the lyrics to my new song Clusterbomb somewhere before I lose them. Here is good for now. No recording yet, but I'll let you know.



round fingermouth
the style of your strange cats
welcome them in
welcome them in

wax of thirsty neighbor
tarragon splendor
tasty shallow teargas
clusterbomb

clusterbomb
orange tallow man
weapon steel weapon
weapon cold weapon

Java's

I played Nodal Nim tonight at Professor Java's Coffee Sanctuary from 9-11. It was packed! We had a ton of fun! It was such a rush! I couldn't believe how cool it was! I could do that every night. I'm exhausted, though, let me tell ya...

This is the best that Teo, Dave, and I could reassemble my set list. If anybody reading this remembers anything differently, let me know, because there are probably some mistakes.

Act I

• Maroon Dots -> Shirt Thane
• A Parade, Yes. -> Receptors & Peptides
• Retro Helplessness
• I Am Systems
• Daisy Ran Train -> Supersane
• Nobody Knows -> Javelin Head -> Rodeo Clock
• You've Got Your Own Life
• The Slippery Toad
• Alan the Duck [requested by Teo and Kevin]
• Crash Tinkle Tinkle -> Lapse Into Memory
• Will We Go Out Together?
• Love Song 1 [first performance in a long time]
• Acrobasebombball -> E Blue Apparatus [requested by Nick]
• Vegetables You've Never Heard Of

Act II

• Deposit One Tangelo [requested by Teo and Dave]
• Superman Has Friends -> Juiceman
• Princessdom
• Clusterbomb [premiere]
• Raisins -> Buzzelling
• Crescent Moon
• Magazine Chubbies
• Boxing Day Feast [first performance in a long time]
• Robots: The Card Game 1 [requested by Kevin]
• Send Me Up -> Science
• Crabnors -> Eat Lots Of Apples
• Rockin' Out
• Wow -> This Ladybug
• Let Me In Your Hole
• Present Tense

Encore:

• I Am Systems ["remix"]

Fun things that happened:

• I forgot my microphone stand at home, so I had to rig something up. It was amazing that I had something I could use.
• People danced at bizarre times: during You've Got Your Own Life and Let Me In Your Hole.
• For Boxing Day Feast, I taped the lyrics of the song to the wall so I could read them. They fell once, and a friend of Kevin's picked them up for me and stuck them back up there.
• I absolutely did NOT remember how to play Robots: The Card Game, but just for fun, I did my best. It wasn't exactly right, but it passed, and it was funny.
• The audience participated in the I Am Systems "remix" by rapping and beatboxing and so on.
• "I am systems all up in your grill."

It was truly crazy in every way that something can be crazy. Thank you to everybody who came! Thanks especially to Kevin Marshall, who recruited a bunch of his friends for the audience. He says his friends had a good time. Special thanks to Teo Acosta for the use of his keyboard amp as a PA. It sounded excellent.

The guy working there told me that, since I attracted so many people (he seemed genuinely surprised at the turn-out), we could arrange sometime for a more official show, with a cover-charge of like $4 a head. Over the summer, I may try to arrange something else, on a larger scale. Kevin is excited to help with that.

Next Sunday, I'm going back to Potsdam, where I plan to do as many shows as possible. I love this stuff!

WRPI with Teo and friends!

Along with Dave Shaver, I was a special guest on Teo's radio show, whose lineup usually consists of him and the rest of his band: Nick, Oliver, and Paul. I played a little Nodal Nim:

• E Blue Apparatus
• Let Me In Your Hole

...and then his band played and we all jammed on four chords. It was silly and fun!

I also rehearsed some Nim songs with Dave on drums today in preparation for an open mic next Wednesday. It's going to be way cool.

A reminder: Come to my gig on Saturday if you want to be entertained! 9-11PM at Professor Java's Coffee Sanctuary! What fun!

UPCOMING GIG!

Come join me Saturday, Jan 15 at Professor Java's Coffee Sanctuary in Albany, NY! I'll be playing from 9-11pm, lots of Nodal Nim, and it will be a ton of fun for all!

I would LOVE to see you there! If you've got questions, you can email me at gtrpkt at yahoo dot com or call my cell phone at 315-657-6839. Please come by! It will be a BLAST!

Artie's River Street Stage

I played open mic at Artie's River Street Stage, a bar located in Troy, on First and State. I have a little cold, I was of course nervous, and my mandolin didn't stay in tune too well, but it was fun, anyway, especially Let Me In Your Hole. Dave and Jess Shaver were there, and also Leanne and Becky. Thanks for being there, guys! It was really nice.

Set List:

• Numbers Make More Numbers -> Retro Helplessness -> Will We Go Out Together
• I Am Systems
• Send Me Up [requested by Becky Dewing] -> Let Me In Your Hole

Happy New Year!

I had a great time at Leanne's house last night and today, playing games and singing songs. I did a Nodal Nim set, and here is the set list:

• Freebird [requested by various]
• Science
• E Blue Apparatus [requested by Nick Borden]
• I Am Systems
• Deposit One Tangelo [requested by Dave Shaver] -> Alan the Duck [requested by Teo Acosta]
• Buzzelling -> The Slippery Toad
• Let Me In Your Hole [requested by Leanne Mercadante]
• Receptors & Peptides [premiere]
• Superman Has Friends -> Vegetables You've Never Heard Of [audience participation]

Someone requested Freebird, and I improvised a song that went something like, "Free birdy birdy birdy birdy free, oh birdy..." That's what I do when I get Freebird requests. Jerehme Bamberger and Dave Shaver sang vegetable verses, and a whole bunch of people improvised "la la's" and so on. Somebody video taped the first few songs. I broke both of my D strings.

Dave Shaver played after midnight, and it was lovely. I joined him for Wonderful Tonight and Sullivan Street. Then, we all played Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot.

I'm going to be looking for performance opportunities now that I have a mandolin. This Wednesday, I'm probably going to play at an open mic I just found out about downtown, and two Wednesdays from now, I'm probably going to play live at the WRPI studio. When those things become certain, I'm going to give certain details.