About situated in our West Village apartment here in New York City. It's very cold here as you might expect, but I'm having fun with my lady and getting used to everything. It's all a bit overwhelming, but I've got my guitars out. Got my recording rig working and my office desk set up. I'm back in action.
I have to admit it was harder than I thought it would be to leave my home in Durham. It's easy to take the familiar for granted – especially that feeling that almost any place you go, you will see someone you know and have something to talk about.
I'm really going to miss seeing y'all, and that's the truth. I am glad to at least have social media around to keep up with everyone. I'll be coming back to NC for shows in March, April and June... hope I'll get to see you then!
Thanks to writer Chris Dunbar and photographer Christer Berg for this very sweet review and remembrance of my January solo set at Billsborough Music Hall.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19: THE LIVING ROOM NYC
Playing my first set as an NYC resident on Tuesday, February 19th at The Living Room, as part of a showcase event called On the Road to Folk Alliance. This night will feature singer-songwriters (including my pals The Sea, The Sea) that are headed to Toronto for the 25th International Folk Alliance Conference. I won't be attending FA this year, but I'm looking forward to playing for friends and seeing some of the NY folk community.
On the Road to Folk Alliance will be from 7pm to 12:15am, with half hour sets downstairs and upstairs at Googie's Lounge. I'll be playing a 30 minute set upstairs at 9:30 pm. There is a $10 Suggested donation and the full schedule and details are at The Living Room calendar page.
FEBRUARY 21 – 24: VIRGINIA KEY GRASSROOTS FESTIVAL MIAMI FL
I'm booked for the second annual Virginia Key Grassroots Festival, which will be held at historic Virginia Key Beach Park in Miami FL from Thursday February 21st through Sunday February 24th. I'll be doing a number of sets throughout the festival – solo acoustic sets, a Sunday morning songwriter circle, and an electric set featuriing Donna the Buffalo's David McCracken, Mark Raudabaugh, and Kyle Spark. Aww, yeah.
This Festival is brought to you by the same folks responsible for Fingerlakes Grassroots and Shakori Grassroots; It's a perfect excuse to escape to Miami for a few days and have a time. An interesting line-up of performers includes Araka, Bobby Lee Rogers, Call 2 Rise, Donna the Buffalo, Driftwood, Elastic Bond, Equanimous Minds, Jose Conde, Lizzy Ross, Locos por Juana, MC Yogi, Mipso Trio, Nag Champayons, Preston Frank and his Zydeco Family Band, The Resolvers, Revelation Mizik, Rusted Root, Spam Allstars, and Suenalo. Come join us... Get your advance tickets here!
SPRING SHOWS IN NC
Have already been booked for some great shows in the Spring. I'll be performing with Dillon Fence in Downtown Raleigh, NC's Moore Square Park on Saturday, March 23rd for The Showdown. This event is sponsored by LoneRider Beer and will benefit Nourish International, a non-profit fighting extreme poverty. LiLa, Jack The Radio, Debonzo Brothers, and Dark Water Rising will also perform.
Other upcoming NC shows: I'll be back at Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival (April 18 – 21) for a solo set, and HOBEX is booked to play two NC shows in June. More details soon!
NEW ALBUM: BOHEMIA
Received the mastered tracks from Colin Leonard at SING Mastering for my new LP Bohemia; very happy with the way they sound. I'll be uploading soon for streaming, iTunes, Amazon etc. Excited for you to hear this album!
Bohemia will be released in early 2013 and features musical turns from very talented guests Matt Brandau, Phil Cook, and Lizzy Ross, as well as a song co-written on I-40 with Lizzy and a song co-written on a roof in Prague with Montana singer-songwriter Jessica Kilroy.
Bohemia is 9 songs. Some are new, some were written during my last couple of summers spent playing music in Prague, CZ and the EU. It's about leaving, and arriving. You could consider it a love letter or a goodbye note to my home state of North Carolina, where I've lived all of my 45 years. You could also consider it a musical warm-up, setting the stage for new adventures in New York City and beyond.
It's of a piece with my previous solo albums Trunk Songs, Realign Your Mind, and People You May Know; mostly acoustic. Mostly recorded at my studio in Durham NC, with help from friends. Check out the cover I've been working on, using some recent artwork.
Until next time,
Greg
Happy New Year! I'd like to thank everyone for making my epic four and a half hour farewell show at the Lincoln Theatre on December 22nd so special. It was a wonderful night I'll never forget. The place was packed, the audience spectacular. The room felt full of friendship. Everywhere I looked, there seemed to be someone I knew and loved. It was a real pleasure to visit songs over the course of one evening from all of my years as a songwriter and performer.
Told you I'd have some big personal news to report in this update... well, I'm moving to NYC in February to be with my sweetheart. It's a bittersweet move for me, as I enjoy living in Durham and I love my community here in the Triangle. She's absolutely worth it, though, and I am excited to experience living in the big city. I'm sure I'll still be returning to my Old North State home a lot to work and play.