Robin Ivy's Blogspot

Astrology for Couples!

2012-01-05T13:22:00.004-05:00

Compatibility charts show how you and your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, or love affair partner connect! The planets on your side and the ones that may provide challenges, the signs of the Sun and Moon and other aspects influence your attraction and interaction! Valentine's Day is a cool time to give or share your compatibility chart, but feel free to email me any time to see how soon I can whip one up for you and your lover or for a wedding, anniversary or engagement gift. Here's an excerpt from a real one. The names have, of course, been changed.

Mars signs influence chemistry and sexual energy between partners. Amanda’s Mars is in Sagittarius and Paul’s is in Gemini, opposite signs. This is a mind connection! You need to be able to talk and explore a variety of subjects and experiences together. Sagittarius is an adventurous sign for the planet of action, but is also the sign of higher learning. Gemini is the sign of brain activity and Mars influences communication in the sign of the twins. The mental connection feeds the physical, and without that the two of you will feel less interested. It’s important to you as a couple that life be evolving and exciting. You may enjoy change!

Travel would be a very good way to deepen your connection with each other. Discovering and trying new things together is very attractive to both of you. Give yourselves time to break out of old patterns and vary from routines from time to time. Going abroad may be quite appealing, or if not, do physically demanding activities together-for example ski or swim or hike. Talks you have while engaging in these experiences will be enriching and help you to know each other more. It’s important to both of you that life not be boring and routine.

Amanda’s Pisces Moon fills a romantic place in Paul’s chart, and since his Moon is in Leo, a generous sign, this is likely to be a very giving relationship. The Pisces Moon is more about romance, and softens Paul’s Leo Moon. For Paul, with Scorpio rising, Amanda’s Moon impacts both his home life and his love/creative side. Amanda is able to stir both enthusiasm about life and untapped creativity in Paul. Paul gains great enjoyment and fulfillment from this aspect of the relationship.

Send birth dates, birth places and times if known to robinivy@maine.rr.com and I will write back to confirm.
Charts are $50 or $100, are one to three pages long, and vary by amount of material covered! They can be paid for by cash in person, by check or through paypal for $3.00 extra using the email address robinivy@maine.rr.com.

For Valentine's Day please order by February 1, 2012.

Here's to attraction, love and compatibility!
Robin

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My Paranoid Social Club Video Cameo

2011-11-11T19:03:00.000-05:00

I danced so hard. Can't believe they missed that part. Oh, I think at 3:00 you can see me side stage rockin' out. Love the PSC. Yeah!

video shot in Bangor, Maine on 7-31-11 opening for Stone Temple Pilots at WCYY Summercamp.

Maine Bikram Yoga: Open House Saturday November 5th

2011-11-01T20:09:00.002-04:00

On Saturday Maine Bikram Yoga will open their doors to all with an Open House and free classes throughout the day at 9 and 11 am and 2 and 4 pm. Childcare will be provided for all classes so you can enjoy a 90 minute yoga experience without worry about the kids. In fact, you and your significant other can both go!

Bikram is a very unique hot yoga that was designed as a healing practice. During each 90 minute session in a room heated over 100 degrees, you engage in the same series of balancing and floor postures each and every time. Millimeters matter! That is one of the premises Bikram is based upon. We make progress in small amounts over time and with practice. Bikram is a wonderful physical workout, and with regular practice you will build muscle tone and most will lose weight. I sometimes describe my Bikram classes as providing the benefits of a massage, chiropractic adjustment and facial all in one. Bikram makes your skin glow, your body change, and taps your innate "fountain of youth". The benefits extend far beyond the physical, however! Your Bikram practice will nourish your spirit and help balance your emotions. It is a wholistic approach to wellness.

You can practice Bikram even if you've had injuries. In fact my personal experience included starting eight years ago with a hype-rextended elbow, and my doc was recommending physical therapy. I never needed it. My elbow healed in my first 6 weeks and never acted up again. I have a right elbow issue currently and my teachers have recommended a couple of modifications to postures that require that elbow to work hard. Your nervous system greatly benefits from Bikram, and you're likely to have less anxiety, tension and compulsions and also to deal with those feelings more easily.

Bikram, it seems to me, is rock star yoga. The sessions are very intense and can be highly energizing or send you home to bed! It seems that whatever your body needs becomes obvious once you've completed classes. You do the work in class and the rest comes naturally, instinctively. You peel through layers, releasing what's ready to go, what you no longer need. That can come in the form of emotions, weight, or habits. And Bikram Yoga is habit forming. Even if I take a break for a month or two I go back because I do not feel the same without it. I love other yogas and physical and meditative activities, but Bikram is the essential one.

Come to class for free and see! There will be a One Day sale on class cards and newbies always get the best deal. This is the time if you've never been, and if you have, return with a free class and a special price on class cards.

Saturday, November 5th will also include food and a raffle to benefit the Maine Boys to Men organization, supporting the healthy non violent development of adolescent boys. For $5 you can enter the raffle for a free 20 class card and all proceeds will go to this great, local program.

Most of all, you can meet everyone and see the studio, and try one class for free, babysitting and all! I am an 8 year Maine Bikram Yoga student this fall. Nothing matches this practice for me. Hydrate, bring towel and mat and give it a whirl!

Dartmouth Street off Forest Ave. Portland, Maine. Park in CVS parking lot by the bank, cross the street and the stairs down are on the right side of the building.

Robin Ivy

It's Been Too Long! I'm back! With A Severe Joy

2011-09-28T17:26:00.000-04:00

A Severe Joy is the new musical performance endeavor of Jose Ayerve, who has been known best for his band Spouse. I asked Jose to play at my birthday party in August. He did so with a costume change from sailor attire to lace up the side black trousers adorned in a red and black mask. We all wore lightstick jewelry and he and I danced together as he performed the final song of the night on Friday, August 5th with about 30 other people in attendance.

This is one beautiful song. Feel free to share it and look out for A Severe Joy shows from New England to California, where Jose seems to have something booked soon after this week's gig in Vegas.

<a href="http://aseverejoy.bandcamp.com/track/here-lies-our-pulse">Here Lies Our Pulse by A Severe Joy</a>

from Jose:

This is the demo for Here Lies Our Pulse, a song I recorded with a Montgomery Ward hollow-body guitar from several decades ago. The vocals are mostly one take.

lyrics:: When I close my eyes I want you to come up for air. And when I turn around, I expect you to be there. If I clear my mind, I wonder what you'll say to me. I'll try to reach you through my heart, wherever you may find yourself. Are you in the past now? Are you in the past now? How do I get back there? I still don't know what you meant that day. When I feel my pulse, I can't help but think it slows me down. If I could shake my body off, I could merge with you into the ground. But I get the sense, that something I did pissed you off. Is it my conscience or is it the message I was to receive? 'Cause you're not around now, the years have gone by and I was hoping you'd guide me. I can't feel you near me anymore. If I meet my death on the day that I may least expect, I hope that you'll be there to greet me and to settle this. I hope you'll understand, I only meant to capture you; what was left of who you were absorbed into the ones you loved. Are you in the past now? Are you in the past now? How do I get back there? I still don't know what you meant that day.
: released 28 September 2011 Performed, recorded and produced by A Severe Joy copyright 2010 ASCAP [spousemusic]

Mad Girl World isn't just for Girls, No Sir!

2011-05-28T09:36:00.003-04:00

I'm curating the Local Listening Lounge at Mad Girl World! You know the place or have seen owner Meredith Alex's super fascinating creations in the front gallery of Port City Music Hall, at a music fashion show, in catalogs or at festivals. She presented the one and only men's fashion show last spring at Port City Music Hall and Marion Grace, Adam Ezra Band, and Sly Chi played too! Remember? Or Pete Kilpatrick Band and Bronze Radio last fall with The Hunt fashion theme? That was Meredith's event too! Well, I've been going into Mad Girl World since she opened her studio shop in 2009, and on a recent visit to find some bright fishnet tights Meredith asked me if I'd like to work with her. When I say "work" I mean play! Because that is what we do at Mad Girl World, where the motto is Live Your Chaos Love the Madness, a slogan that suits me to a t.

The Local Listening Lounge got it's start about a year ago to give back to the musician/artists of our community. Customers can come in, have a seat on the cool couch or funky seats, don a sweet pair of headphones and preview any local cd off the shelf. If they decide to purchase the cd, they get a recycled gift card guitar pick of their choice and all $10 goes back to the band or artist! It's all to support music here in Maine and create a sense of community since hanging out is encouraged and coffee, tea and sweets are often offered in the Mad kitchen. Musicians such as Hutch Heelan, Joe Gallant, Dean Ford, Anna Lombard McGeachey of Gypsy Tailwind, Mat Zaro of Bass Box, and Peter Bissell (photographer), Kyle Poissoneur (Elykssor Clothing), Angie Weymouth (Bikram Yoga) and Sheridan and Pete Giordano (Heart Shaped Rock, Twisted Roots) have all hung out and had couch time or fun time in the studio on recent days. New titles on the shelves include Sara Hallie Richardson, Spouse, Paranoid Social Club, Zach Jones, Mallett Brothers Band, Marie Moreshead, Hutch Heelan, Joe Walsh, Line of Force, and many more! We've also restocked Eric Bettencourt, Pete Kilpatrick, Amanda Gervasi, Brzowski, and other top sellers.

The shop is also full of fun shoes, clothes, jewelry, hair pieces and other adornments as well as Beer Me and Maine clothing, mugs, coosies, and other locally produced attire and accessories. You should come plan your next outfit or buy a great vintage tie or Super G hoodie here! Mad Girl World is more than a studio or shop, it's an experience! Hours fly by here. It's honestly too much fun!

See!

Local Listening Lounge photo by Peter Jensen Bissell. That's me and Haisel McGeachey wearing a Mad Girl headband!

Peter Jensen Bissell's music photos grace the LLL & he & Meredith Alex have more fun in the works for late summer!

That's Sheridan Giordano of Heart Shaped Rock and me! Sheridan is helping Pete design the Water Closet Gallery as our guest artist for June! The Weekly Poop will be on display!

Dean Ford is a Mad Guy for sure. Dean's music is here in the LLL!

Codi Booher is the artist who designed the recycled gift card picks! Mad World wants to keep the world green and the artists and product local!

Local Listening Lounge info: All southern and central Maine artists are welcome to add to our cd collection, and the only criteria is that the cd be professionally presented with cover art and cd case. Bring 5 of each title and a Bio that is presentable for the Local Listening Lounge Listing Book. We'd also love to have your band buttons or pins to give away and stickers or memorabilia for the Mad Music Memorabilia Book! Stop in any day 10-6 and join the party!

On Friday, June 3rd our First Friday event will feature Ralph Graceffa live from 8-10 pm

The Water Closet Gallery will house The Weekly Poop, a rarely displayed collection of almost vintage comics created by Pete Giordano of Twisted Roots when he worked at the now defunct Keystone Theater on Congress Street.

Mad Girl World is at 275 Commercial Street Portland, Maine
email me robinivy@maine.rr.com

Love, the Mad Girls!

Robin Ivy, Local Listening Lounge Curator
and Meredith Alex, Mad World creator and owner

Happy One Year Hart Yoga, Brunswick, Maine

2011-04-11T21:15:00.001-04:00

Hart Yoga in Brunswick is now one year old! I've been meaning to practice there for a long while, and I finally made it happen! Vicki Hart, the owner, was planning and designing the studio while she was teaching at Maine Bikram Yoga where I frequently practice. She's a Bikram certified instructor who did her training with Bikram when they were on location in Hawaii in the spring of 2007. Vicki says Bikram Yoga practice changed her life in ways she never expected and that with 6 months she knew she wanted to teach and share the practice with as many people as possible.

Hart is a hot yoga studio primarily, and offers a variety of classes including hot vinyasa and yin yoga as well. The studio can accommodate up to 35, though you'll often find about 10 people in class at a time. Several who frequent the studio work in the health field including massage therapists, nurses, doctors and chiropractors. You'll also find stay at home moms, self-employed, and the occasional fishermen from the Rockland to Harpswell area in any given class. 5:30 and 7 pm classes provide time for those with traditional working hours. Vicki has had students as young as ten (with their Moms) and as old as 70. Her own parents are 61 & 65 and they practice twice a week. Though the majority, as in most yoga studios, are women average ages 25-45, there were three men of about 9 of us in the Thursday 5:30 pm class I attended. There were also college students. There was no one type of person in this class. The studio is comfortable and welcoming for all!

The studio itself is really nice! I loved it the instant I walked in. There are custom oak sconces that complement the trees outside the back windows. The lighting seemed perfect, with natural light filtering in as well. The colors are calming, greens and blues, and the floor is a very special feature. It's called PEM Yoga flooring and is a virgin PVC designed especially for hot yoga. It breathes and does not hold sweat or water and therefore bacteria and mold are no problem even with the heat. It's also as skid resistant as most sneakers. I wish I could describe it to you better, but it looks sort of like ropey woven plastic. I found it excellent to practice on. It feels good on the soles and neither my feet nor my mat slipped during class. I would like to have this in my basement at home!

There are also curtained changing rooms, two bathrooms and a shower. In the changing area everyone was friendly and I talked with two girls who praised the studio and said they enjoy the yin yang class and instructor as well as the Bikram class we took, taught by Vicki who is due with her first child in May! Gentle Yoga and Yoga for Kids are also starting soon at Hart Yoga.

Hart is on Facebook at this link.

Now that I've been there once, I'm really looking forward to practicing at Hart again. I had a great class there even though I was tired going in. I found the studio to be very relaxing and the atmosphere to be both beautiful and welcoming. These photos were taken in class that day.


" Photography by Eric Schnare, you can see more of his work at http:// ericschnare.com

My plan is same time next week and I'm going to try to make it like once or twice a month. It's kind of nice to get out of routine sometimes. Check out the studio on Stanwood Street off Pleasant in Brunswick.

Vicki Hart, the owner, teaches many of the classes.

Bright Eyes at The State Theatre Portland, Maine 3-11-11

2011-03-14T17:54:00.005-04:00

photos by Robbie Kanner

Quotes from the audience:

Connor Oberst was at home last Friday NIght at the State THeater. He showed a lot of love for Portland Maine, reigning accolades on one of the world best mastering engineers. "He walks amongst you" he said in reference to the great Bob Ludwig. Connor's energy and performance was contagious. He played multiple encores as the audience erupted over and over again. from the beautiful acoustic ballads, to the full on rocking arrangements, Bright eyes played to every nook and cranny of the State Theater, leaving Portland Maine in a state of awe I haven't seen in a long time. It was a night i will never forget... Ralph Graceffa of Marion Grace

I've had the oppurtunity to see Conor play in different formations (The Desaparacidos, Monsters Of Folk, Solo)....This was my first time actually seeing Bright Eyes, and it was spectacular. The presentation and song selection was top notch. Besides "Gold Mine Gutted off of "Digital Ash....:", the stuff off "The People's Key" were my personal highlights, and quite honestly, i think its the best stuff Conor's ever done... Miek Rodrigue of Holy Boys Danger Club

The show exceeded all expectations... felt like you could have cut the nostalgia in the air with a knife. Amazing energy from both crowd and Conor + Co...Kelsey Munroe

Seeing the band perform with Jim James, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings in 2006 at Bonnaroo, at the height of their careers to that point (coming off dual releases of "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning" & "Digital Ash in a Digital Urn"), I never thought those moments and the emotions that set instilled in me, could ever be attained again. That is until I stood 10 feet away from the stage at The State Theatre and was engulfed in visual and sonic bliss. Conor and his new band (a Saddle Creek all-star lineup), welded beautifully the meloncholy madness of his earlier work and the hopeful and spiritual synth-fused indie rock of his newer material. The show is still replaying in my mind days later and is destined to stay there for quite a while...Billy Lynch of Deep in the Belly Management

End of Winter

2011-02-19T10:06:00.004-05:00

Winter wanes! The Sun is definitely waxing and we're all noticing here in the northeast where winter can seem to last forever! And it was kind of a rough season with lots of cold and snow (though I do like the snow!). Didn't it seem like everyone had the flu or something that was hard to kick?

Yoga got me through winter, even though I did have that evil flu that kept me out of the studio more days than I wanted. I still had the flu when most of these photos were taken! Exercise seems to help me recover more quickly, and workouts are not only good for my immune system but essential for my state of mind.

All but one of these was taken in the Lululemon showroom on the corner of Market & Middle Streets in the Old Port, Portland, Maine. Lulu active wear is as addictive as a hot yoga routine. Their fabrics are seriously good for those of us who work out religiously and this stuff looks great so you can wear it out to lunch or wherever too. Yesterday, in my "groove pants", I went out to lunch and then took a long walk on a rare 50 degree winter day without a change of clothes.

I have to admit since I discovered Lululemon, most of my other yoga wear is feeling neglected. Stop by the showroom and tell them I sent you! Like Lulu on facbook too! They offer great specials to their facebook friends. See that goals wall? Make one of your own and get into the Lulu spirit.

ps Lululemon has a runners club and complimentary classes on weekends. Facebook will give you the skinny on all of that. Rock!

Lulu facebook link:

Lululemon Portland

all photos by Peter Bissell. Find his portfolio of commercial and portrait work at
www.peterjensenbissell.com

Hearts

2011-02-08T16:52:00.001-05:00

One of my "things" right now is to transform situations just by looking at them or approaching them differently. If I'm uncomfortable or uncertain about someone, I'm making the effort to know them better (in some cases), and I'm trying not to avoid things that create anxiety for me. I'm also set to put a new spin on Valentine's Day, a holiday I recently tweeted disdain for on my twitter feed.

Flashback: When I was in first grade I was admitted to the hospital unexpectedly on the night before Valentine's Day. What I remember more than being scared was being so sad that I'd miss my class Valentine's Day party. I still had some Valentines to write and I seem to remember finishing them with my Mom, in the back seat of the car, on a cold, dark February night. The hospital stay turned into weeks and my classmates sent me all my Valentines cards and more. One of the only good things about my days was reading and rereading the cards out of that brown paper bag with the big red heart on it.

For years though I haven't been crazy about Valentine's Day. I'm with the group that says it's so commercial and kind of silly. I mean if you're in love, you're in love every day, and if your relationship sucks it's not going to get better because you give candy, flowers or jewelry. There are flaws in this reasoning though. First of all, Valentine's Day only has to be commercial if we allow it to be. If you buy into advertisements, feel guilty or inadequate, and go out and buy expensive things only to end up broke, disappointed or just disillusioned, then that's your own doing. One year it happened to be Valentine's week when I felt inspired to make this collage for a close friend and I worried about giving it to him near February 14th, feeling that there might be too much attached to it, so I put it off. It was exactly what a Valentine should be though; from the heart, expressive and home made, which is always good if you can manage it. Valentines don't have to be all of those things, but in my "research" this week, most people who responded agreed that a Valentine token should be simple and meaningful.

I made an attempt on my social networks to get guys, and by that I mean males, to comment on Valentine's Day, however this was mostly a failed endeavor. Men, it seems, would rather not talk about it. Considering that not a single respondent said they wouldn't welcome a Valentine, and adding to that the handful who said it would be really nice to get a card or something unexpected even if they're not in relationships, I can only conclude that guys like a little recognition yet are reluctant to do anything to indicate they care either way. I wonder if they check their mailboxes or inboxes with Valentine's Day in mind. No one seems to be telling, but stories after the fact are welcome if you feel like fessing up once February 15th arrives and the coast is clear!

Myself, I'm in the mindset not to be a Valentine Scrooge next week. In an attempt to embrace the holiday in some form, I think I'll make a few cards or gifts for friends and send, whether anonymously or not remains to be known. Chances are anyone would know my signature kind of thing either way. I even bought a tank top with a big heart today (sustainable organic cotton), and I'll give it a couple of spins between now and the 14th.

I tend to think we're smartest when we're around 8 years old, before adolescence and expectations of all kinds get in the way. Interestingly enough, I got one of the best Valentines ever in third grade. The boy's name was Daniel and he gave me this smokey glass crystal heart on a gold chain. He probably stole it from his older sister or his Mom. I don't think I knew this boy had a crush on me until I got that heart. I never forgot it, and I never forgot his name. Who knows what kind of an impression you might make or how much you might make someone's day this year, on a date that many single people say they hate. Do something cool, even if it's showing that you love your dog or appreciate the old lady who lives next door. Seriously, let's turn it around and make it a fun or happy Valentine's Day in surprising ways. I bet it will feel good.

"Cupid will not be defeated!"

Spirit Passages Next Workshop

2011-02-07T13:18:00.002-05:00

Allie and Evie of Spirit Passages and True North have a one day workshop coming right up. You can still register. For more information scroll to my Shamanic Journey Weekend blog from last week.

www.spiritpassages.com

If winter's been getting to you, this could be just what you need.

Space versus Speed Live

2011-02-07T09:46:00.000-05:00

Space versus Speed "By Land as By Sea"
Listen or download this live recording from my Alternative Mornings show on February 4, 2011

"By Land as By Sea" live version

Space versus Speed is:

Spencer Albee (As Fast As, Rustic Overtones), Neil Collins (Lincolnville, Twisted Roots), Walt Craven (Lost on Liftoff, 6 Gig), Nate Nadeau and Jamie Colpoys

Lucid

2011-02-06T16:12:00.002-05:00

The Lucid is a band. Their first two cds were released under the name Dominic & The Lucid, and their new self titled was just released days ago (which means it's an Aquarius). Aquarius albums should be forward thinking and "lucid" is defined as "characterized by clear perception". The Lucid + Aquarius = visionary, unique and in the moment, with an eye toward the horizon.

Robbie Kanner is a photographer and designer who lives in the world of music. His website was previously called Vision for Viewers, but it's now self titled, like The Lucid. He designed the cover art above, and you can view more of his work at www.robbiekanner.com.

Robbie's vision of The Lucid on February 4th, 2011 at Port City Music Hall.
Find out more about The Lucid at http://www.thelucidmusic.com

Lululemon

2011-02-02T19:26:00.000-05:00

Lululemon hit the Portland market last spring with a showroom in the Old Port! For yoga and athletic wearers to finally be able to buy right here in a showroom rather than online! What some of us probably didn't know was that Jen Selwood, who is also a hot yoga instructor at Maine Bikram Yoga in Portland and Hart Yoga in Brunswick, would work so hard to create and grow a great fitness community and make it so much fun! Lululemon's Portland spot, on the corner of Milk and Market across from the Regency, offers complimentary classes, often on weekend mornings. The space is great, with nice wood floor and plenty of windows. The showroom is comfortable and the "ambassadors" in the showroom are friendly and helpful and can answer all your questions as well as happily converse about where they "got their sweat on" any given day. They frequent yoga, pilates, and other body sculpting classes and go for morning runs. Lululemon's gear is not just for yoga though it may best be known that way. Jackets, shorts and pants are suitable for running and other outdoor activities too.

What I love about Lululemon is the fit. Every item of clothing fits like a glove. The sizes are quite consistent and the fabric is deluxe. What I mean by that is, you will not want to take it off! You'll want to wear the jackets everywhere. I remember in the fall when a guy friend of mine got a jacket he said it was his absolute favorite and he needed to get his girlfriend one for Christmas. The yoga pants in the newest line are one of my go to items of clothing now. I wore them in a non-exercise workshop I attended on Saturday where I sat on the floor, walked in the snowy woods, and generally needed comfort all day long.

I also have a pair of their mesh shorts that I wear for hot yoga, and even with multiple washings and lots of sweat in a 103 degree studio, they've held up well for months. I also have a couple of their tops to practice hot yoga in. I happen to be a yoga girl, but if you're a marathon runner, you'll be just as happy with what you find!

And then there's the colors...the showroom is bright with things that look like spring right now as well as the always basic and flattering black.

Stop by the showroom and say hi, and check out their merchandise. Tell them I sent ya! For a little inspiration ask to see the chalkboard wall. Lulu is about setting goals, making things happen and being the best you can be.

I wrote something on that wall of goals. Maybe you can find it.

Start by liking Lululemon Portland on facebook here!
Lululemon Athletica

Shamanic Workshop with Spirit Passages

2011-01-31T15:48:00.004-05:00

Symbolic objects on a special cloth graced the center of the room.

This is one of the drums used during our weekend. Several participants brought their drums and shakers for intervals of sound and movement during circle times.

Power animals, often called totems or guides in shamanic practice, happen to line the ledge under sky lit windows above us.

Behind the copper structure, a visible example of how energy shifts electrical currents, just as our energy can shift everything around us.

"Grounded in nature, shamanism is compatible with beliefs that see human beings and the Earth as dependent upon each other for health and well being." from www.spiritpassages.com

Scientific concepts such as Quantum Physics, DNA research, and light as a fundamental fabric of the universe were some of the ideas at the core of 2012 Apocalypse Not, a weekend of shamanic learning and journeys led by Allie and Evie of Spirit Passages and True North. During the workshop we explored how we define reality in terms of time and what our 5 senses find tangible. Yet the reality is that we can see and hear only a tiny slice of what exists! For example, raptors can see infrared heat trails which is why an eagle or owl can pounce down accurately to catch prey buried in snow or earth, invisible to human eyesight, and why dogs can hear frequencies inaudible to the human ear. Because something is not within reach of our senses does not mean it doesn't exist. We have the capacity to reach beyond our ordinary ways of understanding the world. In Evie's words, "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". A shaman's role is to get beyond usual physical perception and work with information we often call metaphysical, and similar to the quantum researcher, explore something beyond what our senses can perceive.

In our journeys, we investigated and experienced multiple dimensions of time and reality. This might sound odd, but think of time as like radio stations or online streaming sites. They all exist at the same time but we choose which one to tune into and when. Just as we can change what we hear "next" by changing the frequency, we can also alter our next experience. For a visual way of thinking about this, imagine living on one facet or tip of a diamond. Yet the diamond has multi-facets and your consciousness could turn to any one of them for a different experience. In one of my own journeys I was shown how a mirror or a camera lens even changes the view or experience of a moment in time. Think of yourself now where you are, then put a mirror in front of you and notice what's behind you and on your periphery. If someone simultaneously snaps a photo you will see yet another view of that same moment. All of these things look somewhat different and may tell another version of what's happening, but it is still all at once. What we perceive is not all there is!

A powerful part of the weekend's learning came from studies of DNA and how DNA shifts as a result of feelings. In controlled studies, containers of DNA were held by individuals who were very good at recalling and feeling emotions. When the participants engaged in recalled feelings of anger, fear or anxiety, the DNA strands twisted or wound tightly upon themselves, while when the individuals felt compassion, happiness and thankfulness the DNA formed a natural, spiral "staircase". It appeared in multiple studies, measured by the same equipment, that the fundamental structure of DNA was affected by emotional states. In our experience, this is why we can walk into our homes or our workplaces and "feel" when something is wrong or someone is experiencing negative emotions. The tightly wound DNA also connects to the idea that stress and illness are interrelated, as strain and difficult emotions interfered with the healthy, normal pattern of DNA structure.

In terms of emotional health, relaxed DNA helps us respond (accessing higher intelligence) rather than react while those DNA twists or cramps, biochemically deny us access to the upper brain. In a practical way, when we experience stress or anger, remembering anything positive, something we're happy about or grateful for, can help DNA relax and we can begin to know how to respond better than impulsively react. which I guess is why we are often told to take a few deep breaths before acting on emotions. Another huge implication, of course, is how much we affect each other by our thoughts and feelings, and even beyond our local "group", how much we impact on a global level. Like the containers of DNA impacted by emotions, we are sending energy and information through space and time. Everything we do and feel is being communicated in a much greater way than we realize.

So how did this relate to the end of the Mayan calendar and 2012? Well the dates coming up, most notably the Winter Solstice of 2012, is a source of concerns, anxieties, and general darkness for some who believe it could be the end of the world or some other great disaster. There's a good deal written about it, prophesied, and speculated and as the time comes close there's likely to be media that generates feelings, opinions and fears. A shaman's role has always to been to work on behalf of the community, to provide for spiritual needs. Our work and commitment is to transform experience "on behalf of all people, plants, animals and resources".

I hope I'm communicating this clearly and I plan to provide some links and book titles to back up this information should you decide to explore further!

Allie and Evie are beginning a new session of 2 year Shamanic INITIATORY Training in the spring. Information and process for application is on their website now. I would encourage you to pursue any individual or group session with them at True North in Falmouth or at their Spirit Passages workshops offered. I began about 8 or 9 years ago with Introduction to Shamanic Journeying which is offered frequently and I have done a variety of individual and groups sessions since.

Enjoying the return of some late afternoon daylight (4 pm on January 31st) as we approach Groundhog Day, a turning point leading toward spring!

Robin Ivy

for more info:
The Holographic Universe by Michael Talbot,
The Isaiah Effect by Gregg Braden
The Institute of Heartmath

2012 Shamanic Prep January 29th and 30th

2011-01-20T12:36:00.002-05:00

I'm doing this. I've become much more aware of the Mayan calendar and the significance of dates that are coming up. I sure don't think it's the end of the world, but I do believe major shifts are happening and I want to be as ready as possible. I'm so excited to work with Allie and Evie again. Registration is still open if you're interested. Go to Spirit Passages website at this link or call 207-846-6829 for more information.

The Immediate Future

2011-01-09T11:21:00.001-05:00

On January 29th my good friend Dan Capaldi will celebrate the release of Sea Level, his solo project, with a full band performance at Empire Dine and Dance in Portland, Maine. Last year at this time the ep was being mastered and I was already excited about it (see blog archive for January 2010). Dan has taken his time to put the right musicians together and "do it right". The ep is the story of "Anjuli", a girl torn between waking and dreams.

Sea Level will be joined by Vanityites, a band including former members of The Cambiata. (Dan Capaldi, former drummer for The Cambiata, now drums for Holy Boys Danger Club and is also a composer working in a variety of commercial and creative media.)

Sea Level on Facebook
Album art and photograph by Robbie Kanner.

Open Eyes

2011-01-08T18:19:00.002-05:00


open heart mind doors

Looking back to NYE Eve '09/10

2010-12-27T11:03:00.000-05:00

Last New Years Eve I had the strangest experience.  I was totally ready to ring in a new year after a crazy, stressful time. I planned to be at Port City Music Hall ringing in the New Year with Rustic Overtones and Head Start and a bunch of great people in one of my favorite Portland places. I forget what I was going to wear but I know I had something perfect picked out.  The close of the decade was a big deal, and though I wasn't necessarily of that school, 2010 would mark 10 years of the morning show for me and a couple of other milestone markers. I had finally left my Portland School's position in the Gifted department in 2009 and that was a long time coming. Some of my closest friends had moved and/or changed their lives. I suddenly had a lot of space to fill with new things. I wasn't super happy, but I wasn't really depressed either. I was somewhat impatiently waiting and trying to make sense of some things. That's where my head was at. And it's ironic that I just said "head" because I experienced the worst, most debilitating headache of my entire life for a 26 hour period beginning December 31st at about 6 am.

It may be significant that on December 31st, 2009 we were under the influence of more than alcohol and auld lang syne. The lunar eclipse at 10 degrees of Cancer, her home sign, peaked around 2 in the afternoon, about a third of the way into the headache from hell. (Note: the Sabian Symbol for this degree is A Large Diamond In The First Stages Of The Cutting Process. I certainly felt like someone was trying to cut into my brain, or escape from my skull if I reverse the image.) Full Moons and eclipses do trigger physical symptoms, and I would add that energetically they also impact individuals, animals, the sea and the earth. I woke up on December 31st and headed to the radio station at 6 am with a tidal wave of a headache. It was building like turbulent seas. I couldn't look at the computer screen for more than a few seconds at a time. By 7 am I was laying on the floor of the studio with songs lined up in 3s and 5s and the station on autopilot except for a quick voice break I'd step up for. The worst part professionally was that we were doing specialty programming for the end of the decade and there was no way to completely voice track the show and bail out. I called and texted but no one was awake or answering the phone yet. Finally our promotions guy came in and found me on the floor and called around and found someone to cover for me at about 8:45 am. I felt like I was dying. I know it sounds dramatic, but I could barely walk with the pain.

The rest of the tale is simple. I went to bed for nearly 24 hours. I got up for a few minutes around 2 pm and ate a half a tuna sub. My dog laid on the floor next to my bed all day.  At 5 pm I thought probably this couldn't go on much longer and maybe I would go out after all. I held out hope that I'd be in Port City Music Hall hearing Rustic play Hardest Way Possible or something as the ball dropped. I woke up again at 10 and knew there was no way I was going to any party, but maybe I would walk down to the beach at midnight and feel the new year from a place that held lots of memories from that year. Nope. I fell asleep and didn't rise until 8:30 or so on 1-1-10.

My head was clear and the sun didn't hurt my eyes. Only my neck and shoulders hurt from the hours of pain. Not one soul was out in the neighborhood as I walked down to the beach and saw my first glimpse of the new decade.

I wasn't supposed to be out on New Year's Eve. I wasn't supposed to see it or be a part of it. I know there was a reason for that headache which I will never be able to pinpoint exactly.  I slept through the end of 2009.

One thing is for certain. This year will be different.

Revealing Antics

2010-12-05T13:01:00.000-05:00

Revealing Antics

2010-12-04T11:27:00.001-05:00

photos by Robbie Kanner showing December 3rd, 2010 to January 3rd, 2011 at Slainte, Portland Maine

Waxing Moon over Budapest

2010-11-29T13:20:00.001-05:00

November's Waxing Moon

I'm off to Budapest on Monday

2010-11-14T11:59:00.000-05:00

... and I'm feeling a little bit of travel anxiety. It's not fear of flying, but it's the idea of being far away from everything and most of the people I care about. It's about things that haven't been said and anything that seems unresolved. I wish I could say and do everything I want to do for people I care about right now all in one day. Travel is one way my world opens up and shifts, and I'm compelled to go. Everything is magnified today as I prepare to fly.

I will not be just a tourist in the world of images, just watching images passing by which I cannot live in, make love to, possess as permanent sources of joy and ecstasy.
Anais Nin

In Pictures

2010-11-09T16:49:00.000-05:00

Save this date. Join us at Slainte on Preble Street in Portland during December art walk. Photos by Robbie Kanner. Music by Sea Level, Sarah Hallie Richardson and Meghan Yates. Revealing Antics by...

Past Lives

2010-11-08T19:44:00.000-05:00

Glimpses of a few past lives that I've recently become aware of.

A child bride of a lumberjack, probably about 20 years my senior, I lived in the 19th century (mid 1800s) and had children at around the age of 13 or 14. My spouse and I were highly intuitive with each other and also had a way with people and animals. If our family was threatened by wild animals, for example wolves, my husband or I could settle the animal and remove the threat. With humans, in a similar way, we could sit them down in our home and become allies or friends. We could negotiate to protect our lives and our interests. We could also "read each others minds".

As a young Puritan woman, I was forced to work very hard, carrying wood and doing other physical labor. I was aware of injustices around me, but my life would have been on the line were I to ever open my mouth. So I lived in a very repressed manner, thinking but never speaking my mind. I also had abilities as a healer that I could not practice since that would have been considered "witchcraft". Therefore I had to watch people suffer with the knowledge that I could have helped them. I had the power to "lay hands" and heal both animals and people, or in other cases lay them to their final rest. Yet this was an untapped gift. I was extremely oppressed in this lifetime.

This one is my favorite! In the West Indies in a time that can't be identified because of the setting being grass huts and tribal communities, I am a young boy near the threshold of manhood. In this vision/reading I hold a spear and am perched at the bow of a float or boat waiting to catch a very large fish that would help feed many people. I am free and proud and somewhat apart from others in my tribe, the reason being they know I am different. While others my age prepare for ceremonies and rituals and assignments of their adult life, I am recognized as a shaman or future chief, and so they watch me to see what I will do. My development is in my own hands.

One of two Franciscan Monks who were best friends and loved each other very much, I lived in Medieval times. As a duo we were rebels in our monastic community and often went out in the woods and smoked and may have indulged in other substances. We cared a great deal for each other and were "lovers" in a sense (though not necessarily homosexual lovers as we would imagine that in today's world).

About the Franciscans:

The Franciscans proved enormously popular because, like Francis himself, they fulfilled a desperate need... Unlike the older monastic orders, they were not bound to a cloistered life within the confines of a monastery. Thus They and the other great mendicant order created at that time, the Dominicans, constituted a mobile striking force which the church could utilize wherever it seemed necessary.

At that very moment there was a need for pastoral care in the cities, which had grown so rapidly that the old ecclesiastical structures were no longer adequate. The mendicants settled in the cities and developed a program of preaching and pastoral guidance so effective that the regular clergy were soon extremely jealous.

At that moment the universities were growing and the translation of Aristotle into Latin was challenging Christian scholars. The mendicants took up the challenge with gusto, and by the end of the thirteenth century most of the lead the scholars in the major universities were either Dominicans or Franciscans.

A religious order is based on a rule. The first rule of the Franciscan order, submitted to the pope in 1209, has long since disappeared from history. It was the rule of 1223, the third produced by Francis, which became the definitive one. It is still in use today.

this selection is taken from The Medieval Sourcebook, and at this link The Rule of the Franciscan order can also be found.

In this lifetime I grew up playing near my grandmother's statue of St. Francis. I was impressed with stories of his natural way with animals.

Closing of Lady Lamb the Beekeeper's Farewell Show

2010-11-03T10:50:00.004-04:00

the opening songs are on my youtube youtube.com/robinivy

The quality of this one is better!

Lady Lamb the Beekeeper

2010-11-01T15:38:00.000-04:00

Fly Lady Lamb! The world needs to hear you and feel your words! More than a songwriter, more than a performer, you are a healer of souls and a voice of hearts. The first time you played at Lizard Lounge, nearly a year ago, someone in a packed room where you hardly knew a soul yelled, "What's your story? Tell us who you are!" And chills covered my body. Every where you go they will want to know. Shine your amazing light. We will all be watching. Love.

image by Robbie Kanner Vision for Viewers

image by Sophie Dougher, Rise Photography

Over the Cusp into Fall

2010-10-04T11:27:00.000-04:00

Listening to The Black Keys and Mumford & Sons, going to see the Mallett Brothers Band, spending time on my yoga mat at Greener Postures and Maine Bikram yoga, taking an Adult Ed class in aura and meditation with Jackie Major, getting lots of sleep most weeknights for a change, eating protein and veggies all week and whatever on the weekends, planning a bathroom renovation with Empire Builders, and dancing til it hurts.

happy autumn. it's been beautiful.

Robin

Top Summer Days

2010-08-16T11:06:00.016-04:00

I'm going to leave some room here. Keepin' open through Labor Day weekend. It's been a great summer! I'll start with France.

June 9th and 10th
On the 9th, my second full day in Paris, Angie and I got an early start for Pere LeChaisse, the cemetery where Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde and other notable people have been laid to rest. I had an inexplicable high there. I will never forget the way the trees and paths wound through the cemetery. The landscape, the air, everything. And of course I got to Jim's grave site which in itself is modest, but is a pilgrimage spot for so many people worldwide. On this same day we went to lunch on my favorite Rue in Paris (so far) and to the Louvre with our new friend Kent. In the evening we had a 5 course home cooked dinner at Kent and Fab's Paris apartment on Rue St Denis, a meal and party that lasted well into the wee hours of morning. Absolutely brilliant day full of new experiences.

The 10th was a travel day from Paris to Annecy. I really love trains as a mode of transport, and the journey into the Alps was beautiful. I read Anais Nin and listened to MGMT and got lost in the beauty of the ride. In the evening there was a rave in the park with DJ Martin Solveig! Huge party in the park in a city brand new to me, with the water and mountains all in view. A bottle of local rose with Devin before the show. A great time with about 15,000 other people at the rave and film festival. It was one of those pinch-me-so-I-can-make-sure-this-is-real times.

June 27th
New York. Rachael and Sharon came from London and Bristol for holiday. We got their friends and mine, including my Manhattan residing sister of course, together for dinner for 8 at Spring Street Natural, one of my favorite spots in the city. Shared several bottles of wine, had a big social dinner followed by quieter bar time with a few who hadn't quite had enough yet and partied til the early hours with Elijah Ocean, a friend and musician who now lives in Williamsburg. Another night ran into day which included a water taxi out to Liberty and past Ellis island. But that would make this day count for two, so I will stick with Sunday though Monday had it's own reasons for being pretty cool too.

July 2nd/3rd
Nateva Festival. Oxford, Maine. Marcel Hamel and I went to Nateva with camping gear and coolers full of everything we could possibly want or need for one overnight. This was my first time ever camping in a tent! We saw lots of great music, but I think Friday is the day I'll put in the top 10 spot because we drank plenty of very good wine, lost a little track of space and time, took in the Passion Pit set and partied and danced in the front of the crowd during Moe. We didn't even plan to see Moe! The music lured us back there. What a great time. Forget that I took a hard fall over a branch on a dark path and put holes in my jeans and my right leg. Well worth a few scars.

July 15th
Portland. Gorgeous sunny, hot summer day. Alive at 5 outdoor show with Holy Boys Danger Club and Zach Jones. Drinks outside with friends new and old. Dinner at Shays and good times with Holy Boys and Devin Ivy, followed by an invite to Marion Grace's band practice which was totally magical and is covered in a previous blog if you scroll down. I loved this night. It felt like a turning point in that wheel of fate kind of way where you know much bigger things are at work in the universe. I guess that must be true, but I have yet to understand this in its fullness...if there is more to understand at all?

July 17th
Portland. Sunshine and swimming on a beautiful summer day in the 'hood. Thievery Corporation Live on the Maine State Pier at night. Dinner and drinks at the Salt Exchange. New friends. Lots of party. Beautiful night. Excellent company. A bottle of prosecco on ice waiting in my car for after party. I had a concussion at the time and I over-partied considering that, so Sunday was not a top 10 follow up day. But Saturday was just right.

August 5th
Portland. The outdoor version of Alive at 5 was canceled due to rain! A few of us, including Jason Spooner and Billy Lynch, sprung into action looking for a venue, and in an unprecedented move, got Alive at 5 moved indoors! Spooner trio and Marion Grace put on a very cool show at the Big Easy! Proving that you really shouldn't take no for an answer unless you really have to. This day felt a little bit legendary.

A video version of the story is here:

August 11th
Portland. I took the day off from work just for a birthday week break. Woke up late (9:30), lounged around the house and made breakfast. Hit Scarborough Beach. It felt like the most perfect beach day of the whole season! Hung out in the ocean for a long while. Leaving the beach I got a text from friends and ended up at Brian Boru for a day that turned into night with 3 other Leo ladies-spontaneous birthday celebration, lots of Miller lites, and a simple, perfect, spontaneous time.

August 13th
Portland to Boston. Mallett Brothers Band road trip to Boston for a show at the front room of House of Blues. This was a total blast! Sunny day with Michael driving us in the good, old Loverless van. Party time from the moment we hit the road! Michael, Wally, Lara Sullivan, Brian Higgins, Will Mallett, me, Nick Leen, Shaun and Dave, friends of the band, traveled together. Pre-partying was more than sufficient. Mallett Brothers Band had lots of friends at the venue and an excellent set! They made the absolute most of a 45 minute performance. Some of us bailed on the ride home and decided to just stay in the city. For a bunch with no plan we made an excellent time of it, even though we nearly got in a fight, did get kicked out of a bar and didn't get into a couple of others! We scored an awesome suite for a good price and had kind of a strange trip home Saturday that involved walking through the city, riding the T, a shuttle and a rental car, Dunkin Donuts, mac n cheese, and more. Important conversations were had. Pacts and "personal management" deals were made. There was even a little bit of philosophy a-la Thoreau and Nietzsche. We went for the "upgrade" in every way.

The remaining 5 made it a 24 hour event. There will be a sequel. A trilogy at least! Summer of the Mallett Brothers Band is in full swing at press (blog) time.

August 31st
There's not a lot I can tell you right now about why this very hot summer night places in the top dozen. The word extra-ordinary (as in not ordinary) might best describe it. I will tell you it involved a rooftop, costume changes, antique teacups, fruit, booze, sunset, co-creators, and a camera. At some point the documentation will surface, but at this time it's in creative process. Mysterious, I know.

September 5th
Hampton Beach and a 24 hour getaway. Jen, my good friend from Rochester, New York, her friend also named Jen, and I spent the day and night at Hampton Beach. I joined them late morning and we spent hours on the beach, hanging out, catching up, taking pictures and being "girls". Following beach time, we hit a deck for lobster and other beach type lunch items and beverages.

I had some radio "duties" to take care of involving a guitar, a contest winner and 30 Seconds to Mars. Tough job but someone has to do it. I brought this guy to meet Tomo, who I guess I can now say is like an old friend. I hung out during sound check while Tomo gave the promised guitar lesson, caught up with Jared L. a little, and 4 of us hit up a "Mexican" bar around the corner for a few cape cods and other pre-show drinks and food.

The show was old school 30 Seconds to Mars good, and we got crunched in the thick of the crowd, met a few cool people who are in my radio audience regularly, saw some other familiar faces and friends, and all around enjoyed the show. I grabbed our winner and we ran up on stage for the final song and a group vocal of Kings and Queens. Jumping on stage and taking some pictures during "This is War" was a perk of having the working pass to escort Neal, the guitar winner too.

I liked the show so much better than the last one I saw in April. This was, if I've calculate right, my 29th 30 Seconds to Mars performance. I was wishing it was 30, just because.

photo of Jared/30 Seconds to Mars by Gwen Myshrall
Jen and Jen and I made a day and night of it for sure. It's not easy to find good places to party in Hampton Beach late night though. The bar crowds were amusing at best.

So the best days of summer did last right into Labor Day.

Summer 2010 was good to me.

Marion Grace

2010-08-04T21:41:00.004-04:00

slip away slip away slip away to Hawaii...
Someday you may hear music along with those words. July was a wave of eclipses, a trio of injuries including a blow to the head, lots of summer sun, and Marion Grace. A Portland based band I had previously seen just one time and was basically unfamiliar with opened the door of their practice space and an entry point to...whatever is down the winding hall behind door number one. It's so cliche to say it was magical. I just said it anyway.

It was after Alive at 5, and I was on my way home and the phone rings...an exchange along the lines of 'what are you doing right now?' 'driving home' 'want to come to our practice' 'where am I going? ok sure why not' 'it's by THE green tanks.' Well, you know there are a lot of tanks in this city, but a couple of calls and three band members' directions, and I found the spot. A picture of that night would be white waxing Moon, dark skies, cigarettes, holiday lit space full of musical gear, Brooklyn Lager, and, well, love. Warmth. I felt instantly welcome and drawn in. The chemistry between band mates both as artists and human beings felt so right and so easy. Soon I was telling them my dreams, one story in particular, and then the microphone was in front of me and I just kept talking and Ralph started playing and the dream became lyrics and Clara riffed off Ralph, and everyone joined in. Skeleton of a song! The next week I was there again. Different night, same scene. Strings woven in. Some new personalities. Awesomeness. I'm hooked.

A week and maybe a couple of parties later Marion Grace is at "my house". Meanwhile videographer Roger McCord contacted me to see if any band happened to be my guests soon and would I want him to do some video! The universe converges sometimes.

to be continued...

Holy Boys Danger Club

2010-07-20T12:28:00.001-04:00

Video shot at Alive @ 5 show in Portland last week! I didn't even see the video-grapher! Clearly these guys and I like each other. Check out their EP "The Boo Box". It's good stuff. Miek's vocals remind me of Richard Butler (Psychedelic Furs) in the Love Spit Love days.

Ete! Summer!

2010-07-07T14:40:00.001-04:00

I'm still a little hooked on France, yet I found a French rose wine that's eased the longing at least for the wine. Of course Scratch Bakery has now run out of that variety. I need to bring them the bottle so they can replenish (I hope!).

Once I find something I like I tend to stick with it for a while or want to do it again right away. Nateva Festival, for example! Flaming Lips, in particular, since that kind of theatrical, cult like experience appeals to me and will bring me back again and again. What took me so long to see them?

Today I went out to the Portland Farmer's Market to read tarot cards. I met such interesting people, like Peter who was working the jewelry booth next to me, selling his wife's designs, and Robyn who was representing the Meditation Center in South Portland. I went there thinking I might make some money, but what I found out was that the payoff this week was really the feeling I got from being there. I made only a little bit of cash, however I will be back next week. Maybe I will tell another kid he can go to college and study Egypt even if he's been encouraged to learn the heating and air conditioning business since that's "where the money is". No judgment here, but this same 14 year old's mom disposed of tarot cards someone bought him in Egypt! She was afraid or had her convictions about them which is fine, but I told her she should have given them to a bookstore or something (while her son sat down and perused my Morgan Greer deck and proceeded to draw out The Lovers!!)

I want to blog about Nateva more but I need more time and more photos to show. Let it suffice to say this was my first ever camping experience (thanks Marcel!), first time seeing every band other than the ones from Portland, and included the realization that I can enjoy jam bands, love The Flaming Lips and Passion Pit, and want to do the overnight festival thing again, maybe even this summer.

Peace, wine, and sunshine!

Robin

ps all of the Nateva photos were ripped off flickr, the McLovins blog, and Jim Britt.

A June Holiday in Paris

2010-06-15T12:37:00.000-04:00

"...The best of America drifts to Paris" F. Scott Fitzgerald

State Theater Returns!

2010-05-26T13:17:00.003-04:00

This fall the place we saw The Strokes, Interpol, Brian Ferry, Faith No More, Incubus, Joe Jackson, Kings of Leon, Violent Femmes, The Used, and multitudes of other performances will open the doors again! Guster recorded their dvd Guster on Ice there during a 2 night WCYY Holiday Bizarre stand. Local bands "graduated" to that stage during the first Class of 200- show which was held there and included Cosades and Loverless. The Paranoid Social Club, Twisted Roots, Rustic Overtones and Jeremiah Freed all played there too. Some bands who come through town, playing the Civic Center for example, reminisce about playing there and ask if The State is still open! In a few months the answer will be Yes!

This is just another feather in the cap we call Congress Street! Port City Music Hall installed their new marquee last week! The Art Walk has bloomed into an awesome monthly event! Genos, Space Gallery, One Longfellow Square and Empire keep the music community busy and thriving. Galleries and eateries continue to open and become popular. Ottos Pizza now has Enzo next door for sit down food, beer, and wine. The State will add to the ambiance and activity!

Here's the official statement:

New York City’s The Bowery Presents, an independent promoter, and Alex Crothers of Higher Ground Presents, an indie promoter in the New England music scene, have signed a deal to reopen the State Theatre in Portland, Maine. Lauren Wayne, a music-industry veteran and Portland local, will serve as general manager of the State Theatre and will lead the charge in booking, with the first shows slated to begin this fall. Before the venue reopens, The Bowery Presents and Crothers will continue the extensive upgrades started by the owners. Expect about 80 shows a year with a cross section of live music from diverse performers. If you want to be the first to know what’s going on, just add us, or go to www.statetheatreportland.com and add your e-mail address at the top of the page.
: http://www.facebook.com/statetheatreportland; Looking forward to the announcement of that first show! Brooklyn Vegan just blogged about it too.

13

2010-05-22T15:27:00.005-04:00

Today I found this notebook full of poems and lyrics I wrote between 13 and 15 years old. I cannot believe how like this I still am. How these same images and words and themes have just continued to play out in my life. Maybe I should have been reading this all along. It's full of insights and reveals how some things I "forgot" along the way only resurfaced over time. I'm publishing some here. In case I ever lose the notebook.

My Guitar (I was 12 or 13 when I wrote this)

He's tan and amber brown
and sparkling clean
with a red and yellow strap made of velveteen.
We share all our feelings and music's our thing
He stays in tune and I play the strings
We've had great times together, we've been through war and peace
We'll always be together and our songs will never cease.

Metaphorical (14-ish?)

I am a piece of clay
I can be molded and shaped
by many things...
I am a computer being filled with information for future use..
I am the sun,
I try to make life brighter for others
I am a spectrum
I reflect what I have come in contact with
I am the wind
Free to come and go as I please
I am a machine
under someone else's control
I am a prison
part of myself locked in.

photo by Robbie Kanner 2009

This is just titled April (age 14)

Forget the way he used to walk
Forget the way he used to talk
Forget the look upon his face
Forget his strong and warm embrace
Forget those nights
Forget your song
Forget his voice so clear and strong.
Forget he sang to you at night
Forget the times he held you tight
Forget the first time that you met
The mem'ries hurt so just forget.

The Phantom

A shapeless transparently gray ghost

Floats up into the night sky;

Overhead to blur the flickering stars

And awaken the sleeping sliver of gold.

A wisp of smoke disappears

Learning

I need you to guide me

But don't try to force me.

You can advise me

But don't try to coax me.

I can use your help...

But don't do it for me.

Just reach out your hand to me

I will accept it

But don't hold too tight

For I must be free.

Old Man Sings

When I was young
every day was as a beginning
of some new thing
and everyday
ended
with the glow of the next
days dawn
All of My Life I HAVE BEEN
Seeking
SEEKING!

photo by Devin Ivy 2008

Circa Survive, I like your moves! and the blinks of your eyes (click me baby)

2010-05-20T11:58:00.009-04:00

setting: House of Blues in Boston, Ma. on Monday, May 17th
players: Coheed and Cambria, Circa Survive, Torche

Action: Dropped Devin at Logan for the flight to France and drove on to Fenway area. Scored an awesome parking spot free 'til 8am. Hotel check in. Decent room. Ideal location near House of Blues. Matt from one of labels has my tickets and I leave to meet him down on Landsdowne. Line! I've never seen a line like this for a HOB show! I hang by the box office to wait. Claudio goes inside for soundcheck. Anthony and someone else walk out after theirs. 10 minutes. Matt comes out of the venue and whisks me in the side door! Yeah.

Claudio from Coheed is doing an acoustic soundcheck for fans. It's "Juggernaut" and it sounds as great as last time at CYY. Sweet. I haven't eaten but no way I'm going to leave the venue again and get in that line. I met some cool kids who were also standing along the rail that separates the floor from the first landing. That's my favorite spot. They save my place to I can grab a pretty soggy slice and a Bud Light. That will do. Food is merely for energy tonight anyhow.

Torche was loud. Talented, sure. Very loud.

I know the set times so I'm counting minutes. 8 until Circa Survive at this point. Another Bud Light-or was that my third? No, it was numero dos now that I think of it. Set times are on the dot. I love that.

It's been, let's see, since London in September of 2007 that I have seen Circa Survive play a show (not counting Bull Moose for Road to Record Store Day this spring). I can't believe it's been that long. I just edited this line 3 times and had to go back to photos to figure it out!

First song of the set is the opening track on Blue Sky Noise! It makes me feel like my heart will squeeze right up my esophagus and out my mouth! Is that too much?

"GET OUT"

I could write more but let's just see another video instead. These aren't mine and I was over on the other side near Colin. My phone was about dead so I didn't take any pictures. I do have one taken by Lou from the VIP area where I watched the last 3 songs. Anywho, here's maybe the 4th song or so where Anthony gives a shout to his brother Mike (and Mike's wife) who introduced him to rock n roll (side note: Mike, like Anthony, is an Aries).

"Stop the Fucking Car"

Pictures are few.

I admit I was backstage with Circa during some of Coheed and Cambria's show, but I could hear it all! If I hadn't just seen them play Port City Music Hall I wouldn't have missed a second. Since I had, I opted to hang in the Circa space for a while and absorb some of whatever chemical reaction that would bring on. Then I watched the rest of the show from that little window you see up above the left side of the stage and I did take a few photos. The crowd had the Coheed fever and the band sounded amazing. I really wanted to be a crowd surfer during this show. Then again I had a dress on.

Coheed and Cambria's set:

One / The Broken
Here We Are Juggernaut
Al the Killer
Everything Evil
World of Lines
Made Out of Nothing
Three Evils (Embodied in Love and Shadow)
Pearl of the Stars
Time Consumer
No World for Tomorrow
Guns of Summer
A Favor House Atlantic
In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
---
Far
Welcome Home
21:13

These are honestly my two favorite bands to see live right now. Could have seen Pearl Jam and Band of Horses across town instead, and I'm sure that was a spectacular show, but I'd choose these two again tomorrow. Or most any day.

Rock!

some questions that linger: Can the Irish not be analyzed or psychoanalyzed? Is AG the devil? Or a fallen angel? Are we all just bags of blood? Does all the battle just take away from the story in Avatar? and what about portals? Was Lou's air guitar to the Police song the best air guitar ever? ever!? Why can't working pass/gray haired Lou get a beer at the bar? Are they kidding? Will I ever meet the fourth Green brother? (Mike says not ever) Should I have just driven on to Montreal? Could Branden skate over the border? is the truth disguised in all your alibis?

Thank YOU!

2010-05-11T22:14:00.002-04:00

to all these people who made my 10 Year Alternative Mornings party absolutely perfect! It was really a whole week of party and good times and house guests and fun for me! I saw the sun rise on Sunday morning.
Love, love, love to all of you!

Jon Clemons, Rob Evon, and everyone at Port City Music Hall
Herb Ivy, Jared Payton, Devin Ivy, Maria King, Elijah Ocean, Bebe Buell, Miek Rodrigue, Sheridan Giordano, Pete Giordano, Sonny Robinson, Adam Powers, Mark Lennon, Michael Anderson, Dan MacLeod, Rob Riccitelli, Dan Capaldi, Kate Follaytar, Sarah Mallory, Angie Weymouth, Jill Koufman, Jen Jacques, Keith Mann, Mike Tillson, Sharon Sprague, Dave Bloom...it meant a lot to me that you were all there!

I broke a glass! Before my first glass of Prosecco! Breaking a glass can be celebratory and mean never returning to the way life used to be. Like breaking a champagne bottle to christen a ship, I will take this as a good omen! Miek photographed me a moment later.

Hangin' in the blue Green Room: Loverless

Out on the town for the Friday Art walk the evening prior: Bebe Buell, Sheridan and me

Devin partying with me during Bebe's set:

More photos here: Flickr Photo Gallery
L'chaim!

Twisted Roots are bringing WHAT to my party May 8th at Port City Music Hall?

2010-04-30T06:31:00.000-04:00

Circa Survive video from WCYY

2010-04-25T19:35:00.000-04:00

Here's Imaginary Enemy live in the studio. Popped their live on air performance cherry as Anthony said. Interview segments will follow. Listen to some Blue Sky Noise.

Circa Survive on the Road to Record Store Day

2010-04-17T17:06:00.002-04:00

On April 16th, Circa Survive performed 2 sets to sold out audiences at Bull Moose Music in Portsmouth, NH. Anthony, Colin and Brendan also played acoustic and spent some time with me and Rob at WCYY that afternoon. I feel honored that they played live on the radio for the first time ever in their career at CYY! I found out just that afternoon that I would be hosting their appearance, and I was very happy and excited but also a little nervous, hoping everything would be just right!

And it was. It was the first time I've seen Anthony in about 18 or 19 months and I know alot has happened during that time. I mean, they've made a record! Think how much goes on in your life in a year and a half. I know I feel very different now than I did then. Colin and Brendan accompanied him. I've never met Brendan before. He loves Stephen King novels, and his Dad lives, or lived, in the Bangor area. I always used to read Colin's blogs and it was cool to talk with him about books off air and exchange a few words about authors and titles. He says he's planning to get into reading/blogging again now that the album is done. We went for coffee and stuff after the interview, and Anthony and I talked about The Cambiata, who opened for his solo show at The Station back in '08. He also mentioned that he once spent a few days here and worked the soup kitchen at Preble Street. I could spend days or weeks with these guys, easily.

On air, we chatted about the making of the new album, staying true to their art, and the Road to Record Store Day. The podcast is available to listen to or download here

Circa Survive on WCYY

I wish my phone had better audio on the videos I took at Bull Moose. Since they sound buzz-y and a little bit distorted I won't post them now (but if I can get them sounding ok I might!), but the full band did 5 songs acoustic in each set including a Nirvana cover of "Dumb", the new single "Imaginary Enemy", and "Get Out" which I had really been hoping to hear live. Luckily I took video of that one on my regular camera before the battery ran out. Here it is:

In the words of Anthony Green "when there's something that's really inspiring to you, you often just get drawn to it, you want to play it you want to be part of it, you want to feel it you want to know what that's like...you can all go out and find that feeling in anything that's inspiring to you. you can definitely take the feeling that that song gives you and take that everywhere." That's what this band does for me.

Circa Survive's new, third album, Blue Sky Noise is officially born Tuesday, April 20th, and the yellow brick road beckons them to follow the path as it winds in a new direction. You should too... The yellow brick road to the blue sky noise! (note to AG; because per the answer to your question, what I'm applying for is colorful and sounds beautiful!)

Would you like to see them play live? Circa Survive join Torche and Coheed and Cambria in Boston at House of Blues on Sunday, May 17th.

ps I have one more video of Imaginary Enemy waiting for me on the cyy flip cam so I will post it on Monday. Check back! Peace, babies! Robin

Spose "I'm Awesome" Official Video

2010-04-09T09:33:00.003-04:00

Check it out, a fan video on youtube got over 165, 000 views! Shot in Maine and Los Angeles, this is the official, brand spankin' new ~~uncensored~~ video from Maine's one and only Spose! Bunch of local flavor and freaks in the video too!

Find him on twitter cause now he's done sh@# after all! SpizzySpose. Ryan "Spose" Peters, best of all to you my friend. It all started here.

Send this to your friends...it's a nationwide smash.

Hey Robin, I've got Jared on the line for ya (April 2nd)

2010-04-06T19:41:00.000-04:00

Jared and I talked about Church of Mars, covering Lady Gaga for the BBC Live Lounge, the upcoming US tour and more upon his arrival back in LA this spring.

Jared Leto of 30 Seconds to Mars

for download or listening also at www.wcyy.com

Claudio Sanchez and the Coheed & Cambria Binge Day 3-28-10

2010-04-01T13:51:00.000-04:00

On March 28, 2010 Claudio Sanchez played on his acoustic guitar and gave us a first hand view of the world of Coheed & Cambria. A full band set followed at Bull Moose Music for fans who have pre-ordered Year of the Black Rainbow, due on April 13th. The night's show was sold out and exceptional, tearing through fan favorites like Time Consumer and closing with Wake Up and Welcome Home. The acoustic versions of "Far" and "Here We Are Juggernaut" are at this link. Look to the right. Podcasts

Interview and video segments coming soon.

Elijah Ocean

2010-03-26T17:23:00.006-04:00

My good friend Elijah Ocean of Loverless and Please Be Ours has posted a new, free download section on his website. There's a mix of tracks from The Wind or The Wine, his solo cd released in 2009, and some demos and unreleased material. These songs make me smile, cry, laugh, dance, sing along! Download to your heart's content!

ElijahOcean.com

Chino Moreno on the Deftones Return

2010-03-22T11:22:00.001-04:00

Chino talks about deftones' new album Diamond Eyes, the Eros sessions done with Chi before his accident, and Chi's condition and treatment plan in a conversation we had Thursday, March 18th, 2010.

Click to download interview:

Robin Ivy talks to Chino of the Deftones

Rocket Skates video:

Season of the Fish

2010-03-15T11:23:00.001-04:00

The New Moon is today, March 15th. Here's what's in the stars:

Pisces New Moon forecast

Dilly Dilly, Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, Sontiago songs for today

2010-03-01T20:01:00.000-05:00

songstresses I love.

Anjuli Olivia

2010-02-27T15:37:00.000-05:00

She's my new plant. Passiflora also known as passion flower, the blue bahama variety. Her name is a blend of the main character in a good friend's musical tale and my much loved friend Erin Olivia Davidson also known as Dilly Dilly, who is heading west on Monday to make Los Angeles home.

That she happens to be a passion flower is cool too. Passion flower is a medicinal plant used to treat nervousness and insomnia and is associated with my sun sign, Leo, along with other vines.

Here's to new growth and climbing the trellis toward the stars!

95X Rock Goddess

2010-02-22T16:06:00.005-05:00

On Wednesday, February 24th, I take over mid-days in Syracuse, New York, the city Central New York Real Time News says may "need an injection of intrigue". Hmmm.
If it Rocks It's on 95X.
As the Rock Goddess of 95X I will shorten the name to just "Ivy"
Otherwise The Song Remains the Same
I'll be firing up a Whole Lotta Zep, Sabbath, G'nR, AC/DC, Metallica, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Nirvana and new rock from the likes of Five Finger Death Punch and Thousand Foot Crutch.

(note I will not be leaving 94.3 WCYY Alternative Mornings. I'm adding some meat to my veggies, that's all)

Poster of a Girl

2010-02-15T11:29:00.003-05:00

Friday afternoon. Driving over the bridge. ZZZZZ text. And I'm rushing to get there and too full of energy and if I smoked cigarettes I would have been. Red light. Reply. It's Robbie. He's in town early since he's shooting one of the bands that night. Do I want him to come shoot Sick Puppies in Studio Y? Yeah, as long as it's cool with the boss, ya know. The answer is yes. I am buzzing and bubbling like a shaken bottle before the celebration. So we did an impromptu photo shoot-where but the old abandoned studio. We threw stuff around to make room on the counters, grabbed a stringless autographed (but forgotten?) guitar, and voila!

photos by Robbie Kanner Vision for Viewers. Robbie has photographed Conor Oberst, Portugal the Man, Chris Walla, Jenny Lewis, figures famous and infamous and a plethora of bands.

February 14th

2010-02-14T12:43:00.004-05:00

...but what good does it do? if I ain't got you ain't got you baby

For the record, have you ever rode a horse? Would I like for you to take me to Pluto?
I said, "Of course! cupid will not be defeated

Love is a promise, love is a souvenir, once given never forgotten, never let it disappear. in the words of John Lennon.

Ushtrasana.

Things I recently learned

2010-02-11T15:24:00.003-05:00

Claudio Sanchez obsesses about fish sticks. http://www.kill-audio.com/

Saosin all got matching tattoos that say "MEN" when we parted ways last time they were in town. Somewhere in Portland. Anyone know which shop? (good thing I left or I might have one too!)

Melissa Auf Der Maur (Hole, Smashing Pumpkins) was in Portland recently to master her 2nd solo cd at Gateway with Adam Ayan. She looked for her Key to the City before the trip but couldn't locate it in time.

Flaming Lips are really playing in Maine this summer! Nateva Festival Site

As Tall As Lions probably played a part in Coheed and Cambria booking their March 28th show at Port City Music Hall. ATAL played there with Minus the Bear and are coming back with Cage the Elephant on March 6th.

Kurt Baker of The Leftovers and now of The Desires and The Goodnight Process will be recording his first solo album at the end of this month in Los Angeles. It's bound to feature a special guest or two.

Shim of Sick Puppies tells his Tom Morello tale

2010-02-06T15:43:00.001-05:00

Bomb scare at 30 Seconds To Mars event in L.A.

2010-02-05T08:32:00.000-05:00

Bomb scare at 30 Seconds To Mars event in L.A.

Posted using ShareThis

Scary. I saw Shawn Christiansen's tweets about this. If you were there I'm glad you're all safe. Provehito In Altum. xo

Vote for Portland's Best RADIO VOICE - Portland Phoenix

2010-02-04T14:58:00.000-05:00

Vote for Portland's Best RADIO VOICE - Portland Phoenix

AC/DCs Biggest Fan!

2010-02-02T11:20:00.000-05:00

I haven't seen my friend Kurt Squiers in a long while and this is why! Once featured on VH1 many years ago as AC/DC's biggest fan, Kurt has been traveling the world documenting AC/DC's journey and compiling footage for a rock documentary on the band he breathes, eats and dreams. Kurt has not gotten the official go ahead to release this film yet and it's still in the works, but look at this! Kurt live from London's Classic Rock Awards, on stage as AC/ DC view a preview of his film Beyond the Thunder!!! This looks fake, but it's absolutely real and true. After the clip you see here, Jimmy Page (Jimmy Page!) told Kurt he can't wait to see the full documentary! Kurt Squiers, living his dream! Amazing.

So Good!

2010-01-31T12:14:00.002-05:00

January's last weekend was anything but dreary! Seasonal affective disorder cures included Lady Lamb the Beekeeper playing live on WCYY for the very first time as Eternal Otter Records celebrated vinyl releases with a party at Space Gallery Friday night. I am so honored and pleased that Lady Lamb joined me for an Alternative Mornings performance that I know introduced her to many future Lady Lamb fans via our tremendously powerful airwaves!

You can listen and download the audio of this song here:
Until I Am Bones live on 94.3 WCYY

Youtube it!

Dear Aly~You are wondrous! love, love, love

Lady Lamb and Dilly Dilly play at Port City Music Hall for only $2 on this Tuesday 2-2 and it's a shame of you can't be there! It's going to bee magical!

Friday my show was so much fun! Kurt Baker of the Leftovers came in under the pretense of promoting his Buzz Electric Empire a Go Go night, but we had other plans for him! Happy Birthday Kurt! This city would not be the same without you! You are one of the happiest most inspiring dudes we know and we love ya! Holly Nunan and friends serenaded Kurt on the radio and he blew out his first birthday candle on a cheese popper from Big Sky! The man loves cheese!

Surprised!

This is how it sounded:

http://www.box.net/files#/files/0/f/0/1/f_384776262

The Buzz Electric 60s night was THE party of the winter. I dare anyone to try and follow that up! And to those of you who braved the frigid cold in cool, psychedelic splendor, you looked swell! and partied hard! Holy Boys Danger Club as the Who, Stereo Flys as the Kinks and Grand Hotel as the Zombies. The Desires featured Kurt and Holly on vocals for a variety of 60s songs from the Monkees to Dusty Springfield, and turntable tunes filled between band space. What fun!

Portland, Maine USA

Sensical

2010-01-28T15:28:00.000-05:00

I prefer you as a dinosaur in feathers

Limbs adorned in leather

Shaman with opaque eyes Shine silver

Hemp and trinkets on your electric throat

Fire thrower

Arrow archer

Spirit charmer

Engage the lightning Strike

a pregnant pinata

Draw upon the Moon

Cherub Fool

You are not of this world

(2 Me)

inspired by dinosaurs with feathers, tattooed shamans reborn, & Roy's 2-7-1912 birthday

this was written on a napkin at North Star Cafe around 4:45 pm 1-27-2010

interestingly both those dates reduce to the double digit 13 and the single digit 4

Savasana

2010-01-26T18:07:00.000-05:00

Surrender to the earth below you
Relax and let it go
Find your place of stillness
Aware yet non reactive
Focus on the breath
Restorative Yin Peace
Takes practice
Savasana

For the Birds

2010-01-21T16:16:00.003-05:00

Robinson's Woods

2010-01-20T20:14:00.000-05:00

“So comes snow after fire, and even dragons have their ending.” J.R.R Tolkein

2nd Annual Parrott Street Rock Concert! presented by The Leftovers

2010-01-08T12:10:00.004-05:00

I've been thinkin'

2010-01-03T21:57:00.003-05:00

Capricorn-A Brand new Name
such a Capricorn time. Venus, Pluto, Mercury retrograde, and of course The Sun
Happens I was at this show at Saratoga Winners near Albany, NY in the summer of 2006 too.

Friends, Loves, Encounters
Notes from '09 xoxo

the last days of the 00s are a little fuzzy

Stereo Flys: Jeff Beam and Sam Peisner December 24th
Some mornings I play dj, engineer, audience, videographer and photographer like so...

The Stereo Flys play with their drummer also in tow at the Big Easy in Portland, Maine this Saturday, January 9th with Wyatt King & the Sex Machines and Dead Man's Clothes. Cool new sounds to start this rock n roll decade.

I missed New Years Eve entirely due to the migraine from hell. I was in the dark as one decade rolled into another. In the morning the streets were deserted and I walked...

I've been thinkin' I'm going to get some snow shoes.

Baby It's Cold Outside

2009-12-26T21:02:00.002-05:00

Solstice Celebration

2009-12-20T20:00:00.003-05:00

This cardinal hit my window hard twice today as if to say "Pay Attention!" I watched him flutter a little on the snow covered ground, but when I checked back later he was quiet and I thought he might be dead. I went outside to move his little body to a better resting place and found him alive! I picked him up and wrapped him in a dish towel and kept him warm in my hands for a while then let him go.

The Solstice is the arrival of "cardinal" energy as the Sun moves to Capricorn, one of the three cardinal signs; progress, action. Cardinals as totems represent transforming, awakening, and are impossible to ignore. Both their color and their call are bold and attention getting. This one certainly got mine.

The longest night.

Turn toward light.

Wolf Moon December 31, 2009 will burn bright.

Blue Moon.

Three of cups. Three of Wolves. If the wolf is your guide this is just for you.

in the Orion Nebula,
From swirling gas, new stars are being born. 
(Timothy Steele)

Our Lady Peace (click for video)

2009-12-07T13:00:00.009-05:00

All You Did Was Save My Life (vid)

Somewhere Out There (dl)

2009 in 9s

2009-12-04T11:35:00.004-05:00

9 Songs

Kings of Leon "Use Somebody"

MGMT "Kids"

Portugal the Man "The Sun"

Metric "Help I'm Alive"

Saosin "Changin'"

The Cambiata "Changing Everything"

Rise Against "Savior"

The Thermals "Now We can See"

The Mars Volta "Since We've Been Wrong"

9 Albums

The Cambiata ~ self titled

Portugal The Man ~ The Satanic Satanist

Andrew Bird ~ Noble Beast

All the Real Girls ~ My Friends Are Going to Be Strangers

Dilly Dilly ~ Of Art and Intention

Metric ~ Fantasies

The Mars Volta ~ Octahedron

As Tall As Lions ~ You Can't Take it With You

Alice in Chains ~ Black Gives Way to Blue

9 Live Shows

Portugal the Man @ Bowery Ballroom NYC

Alice in Chains @ Paradise Rock Club Boston, Mass

MGMT, The Black Keys @ All Points West Fest Liberty Park, NJ

Metric, Band of Skulls @ Port City Music Hall Portland, Maine

Minus the Bear, As Tall as Lions @ Port City Music Hall Portland, Maine

The Cambiata's final show @The Station Portland, Maine

The Thermals @ Space Gallery Portland, Maine

Mission of Burma @ Space Gallery Portland, Maine

The Mars Volta @ House of Blues Boston, Mass.

Buzz 9 for '10

Suckers (Brooklyn NY)

Band of Skulls (Southhampton, UK)

Dan Capaldi (Portland, Maine)

Lady Lamb the Beekeeper (Portland, Maine)

Blakroc (Ohio)

Stereo Flys (Boston, Mass/Portland, Maine)

Dead Man's Clothes(Portland, Maine)

The XX (South West London, UK)

Them Crooked Vultures (LA, California)

tonight's Wordle recap

2009-12-01T20:03:00.003-05:00

how the computer sees these snaps

click for full shot

Backstage or on the Dance Floor

2009-11-30T11:53:00.000-05:00

The WCYY Holiday Bizarre Night 1
all photos by Robbie Kanner with copyrights visionforviewers.com

SA of 311 opened up about his fist fight with Scott Stapp, State Radio found the hockey nets, Christian of Sidecar Radio took important phone calls before the show like all rock stars do. and a good time really was had by all. November 25, 2009 backstage at CCCC Portland, Maine

My Pulse...the pace is on a runaway train

2009-11-20T11:28:00.002-05:00

Multimedia Metric mania on the DL-click away!

help I'm alive...

I just wanna be your friend Is it ever gonna be enough?

"Who would you rather be the Beatles or the Rolling Stones...c'mon baby play me something like Here Comes the Sun"

photo by Matt Cosby

Hits of "09

2009-11-16T18:51:00.005-05:00

2009 recap in pics. Some seeing light of the computer screen for the first time. maybe. yeah.

The year was alot about road trips and this band, these friends. crazy times. much love. blur of rest stops, no rest, no stopping. Elijah Ocean, Dan MacLeod, Michael Christian Anderson = Loverless.

perfect back cover or inside jacket? but if we'd tried we'd never have gotten this:

and...

The Cambiata (three fifths of). Their album was a soundtrack to my whole year. They split a few months later. Chris Moulton, Sean Morin, Dan Capaldi pictured here.

Fast forward to their last show July 10th. Photo 2 is from that show.

Find their music for eternal pleasure.

Portland, Maine @ WCYY and the venue formerly known as The Station.

Love and Art Part 2

2009-11-13T18:48:00.001-05:00

Renaissance man in Portland, Maine. Matt Cosby launches new photography site with flair. Love this. Share it. Robin
American Picture Book

Flickr-adds and deletes

2009-11-13T14:49:00.001-05:00

Amanda Palmer at Port City Music Hall-surprise entrance and piano intro!

Rustic Overtones have been hanging out at CYY all week. The New Way Out is their new album released on 11-11

Flickr for More

Crushing on Her Songs

2009-11-10T10:49:00.000-05:00

My Ipod Nano failed me with distorted sound at her Lizard Lounge (Cambridge) show this weekend so here's one from last summer. Of all her brilliant songs, this is one of my most loved. "and I want you even when you're quiet I want you even when you're angry..." Meet Lady Lamb the Beekeeper from Portland, Maine.

Hibernating Until May (but I will not be)

2009-11-08T17:48:00.003-05:00

This has been sharing space in my head with Lady Lamb songs today. I knew I had it somewhere. Recorded at the Delancey in NY last February. Elijah Ocean with a song not yet released. Hibernating is not my style, but I do like bears and the Christmas lights and return of daylight in my brain when I hear this.

ART

2009-11-07T12:23:00.000-05:00

love and art. Portland, Maine.

Hallows Eve '09 @ Grace

2009-11-01T15:08:00.000-05:00

HOWL!

2009-10-31T13:05:00.002-04:00

Marilyn Manson - This Is Halloween

2009-10-31T08:59:00.000-04:00

Marilyn Manson - This Is Halloween

Snaps of CMJ: New York City 10/21-23/09

2009-10-25T16:45:00.002-04:00

Ray, bartender at Spring Natural one of my haunts when I am in the city. I could eat here every day. Ray is a Virgo, a painter, a fan of Portland and other Maine locations. He pours a nice bloody Mary and a perfect Guinness. I gave him All the Real Girls cd "My Friends Are Going to Be Strangers". We'll see what he thinks! I pointed out Ogunquit '74 cause he's been there. Until next time Ray!

Bebe Buell's band played at the Village Underground and later at a party for photographer Bob Gruen. The set rocked! Bebe and Jim are former residents of the Portland area and Jim was in Vacationland, remember? Bebe's new album is called Sugar and the title track and a song written for the late Joey Ramone (Black Angel) were probably the highlights of this set. Much enjoyed!

Suckers played to an ecstatically packed house at the Delancey on Thursday night. I walked past Quinn Walker (pictured above) on the streets of the lower east side a few times that afternoon and I had the sense he was either in a band I'd be seeing or in the audience partying wildly next to me. Turns out he was in the band! Suckers diversify the playing of various instruments and share the vocals. Quinn has a mean falsetto at times. They remind me a LITTLE bit of MGMT and that is not a bad thing at all. A quick google and I see Quinn also has his own releases dating back a couple of years. I wonder if this guy needs a manager? Do check out Suckers. Musical Love.

Portugal the Man. Of all the music I saw the last few days, both at CMJ and back here in Portland on Saturday night, Portugal the Man made me the happiest. I was swimming in it! At the Bowery Ballroom on Friday night, I made my way right up front and center and floated away on the melodies and the joyous crowd around me. I had hoped to see this band Sunday the 18th in Boston, but then with so much going on I bailed on that show. At the last minute on Friday I realized they were playing the Bowery which happened to be a hop skip from the place I call home in Manhattan. So there I was. And I am listening to this now. "Sitting in the stars glistening glistening...we are all we are all just lovers"

Peter Donovan (All the Real Girls)

2009-10-15T17:17:00.002-04:00

How Fiction Works
an unreleased song from Peter accompanied by Elijah Ocean

When in New York

2009-10-13T18:20:00.012-04:00

Mode Dial is not in Proper Position

2009-10-09T22:07:00.004-04:00

Changing (by Saosin)

2009-10-02T14:22:00.003-04:00

best people category
not our first meeting, but
I found out how much I loved these guys Oct. 1st over lobsters and shared desserts, talk about life, death, love affairs, karaoke, cobras blood, and adult swim. Saosin.

Adaptation "You own what you love Not What Loves You"

2009-09-26T09:26:00.001-04:00

"You own what you love Not What Loves You"

Boku Maru

2009-09-25T18:50:00.001-04:00

if you trained and never ran
like the race was cancelled
would you wait it out
and keep training
or give up
find a distraction
a new direction
would your legs be restless
your brain aimless
could you take your eye off the finish?
would you stop running?
hearts and feet both race.

Vision for Viewers (www.visionforviewers.com)

2009-09-09T20:22:00.000-04:00