Blog Report: N0_HER0ES, Starting a Band Again, and What Does the Future Hold

Two-for-one this week.

So with N0_HER0ES now having a tracklist and a more solid outlook going forward, time to look back at how exactly this project came to be.

Winter War Micro-Tour Recap (And More)

Coming off a week where everything happened, the Winter War Micro-Tour was perhaps the most physically exhausting yet rewarding set of shows I've been a part of.

I guess it was an experiment, if I could actually create a show that was reliant on one person, rather than a group of people, and do it over and over again. A sampler of a future life, I guess.

Show #1 at Patrick's in Malden was a warm up, a chance to tweak some things, soundwise and manipulation wise as well. Also, working on stage presence and just focus trying to incorporate the elements of my skill set was a focus. I would say the appreciation I received was great and encouraging. Mainly because I changed my approach.

I stopped trying to be the perfect guy, and instead just went out and existed.

Show #2 at the All Asia was rough to start with. Hoping that a chunk of my friends would be there as moral support kinda didn't happen...so I took the stage, a little nervous, a little afraid.

And what happened was magical. Just entering a zone that for so many nights, I had dreamed about, planned out and mentally prepared myself to step into.

I went for nearly 30 minutes, all rapping. Which scares me, because I think my max was probably 20 minutes, but 30, without a drink next to me, was wild. 

Getting props from the bartender was a huge boost in my confidence as well.

This was fun, very much so. Thanks to everyone who came out to see me, it was great.

Show Report: 11.17.12 - Rock For ZUMIX II

Another show report. Been awhile since, but always better to have than to have not.

SHOW #16 - Rock For ZUMIX II
All Asia, Cambridge MA

*THE LINEUP*

Photo credit: Jackie Gabriella o/b/o Jones Rocktography

MC Larny- Loops/Keys/Vocals

Meghan Earle- Guitar/Vocals

*BACKGROUND: The Things You Didn't Know*
-2nd show at All Asia
-2nd show of 2012
-Earliest start time in career
-2nd performance with Meghan
-Shortest set in career
-First time the unplugged/electronic hybrid setup has performed live

I've known Meghan for the past year. How this show came about was out of my own sleuthing and asking questions about things. Specifically, if I could play this show. The answer was yes. The question was..."how is this going to happen?"

A few days later, sitting at my laptop trying to solve that question, Meg walks by. We exchange pleasantries and talk about the usual stuff. Next thing, I tell her about the show in Boston (technically it's Cambridge -ed) and I ask her if she wanted to be a part of it. Another yes. And thus the planning began.

For weeks we worked out a setlist. The second song was always intended to be Flood. The first one...well, that took up till the week of the show to determine. First it was going to be an original. Then it was going to be a mashup of a Radiohead song. Then after all of that, we scrapped it and went with an NIN cover.

We almost did Something I Can Never Have. I can't imagine writing a rap verse for that...

*BEFORE THE SHOW: The Morning Of*

Helter skelter mornings are a tradition around here, and today was no different. We met up the day of, because the day before was a little too complicated for our schedules. The morning was low-energy, with doubt filling the room that we could pull this off. However, after doing a few solid runs with Head Like A Hole and getting timing down to a science, Flood was next up.

And the challenge began.

We wrote the song in April with Tyler (our guitarist) and we had everything...save for an ending. There was the heavy ending (Tyler plays his guitar and hits a big chord, and somehow it ends), the fadeout ending, and the quiet ending, where the strings wrap up the track.

Obviously, all 3 of those were not options. So as we play through the song, we get to the end and Meg improvised an ending guitar melody. Sounds fine on it's own...but when the piano was there to counteract it, it was magic in audio form.

We play it and my face gets affixed with the biggest smile ever. We conclude it and I lose it, needing to sit down. It was that good.

After an hour, we head out to Boston/Cambridge with our roadie J.D. in tow. Of course it wasn't perfect.

I left the stand and the charger at the jam room (oops). And my laptop cable at home.

Good thing Guitar Center is en route to our destination. I run in, grab a cable, pay a decent price, and happen to see my former guitarist Laura for a brief moment. Weird.

And then we are off to the All Asia!

*THE SHOW*

Setlist
1. Head Like A Hole (NIN Cover)
2. Flood

Finally, we arrive. Getting all set and ready to go, and it's all about to happen. I'm not nervous, and neither is Meg. Getting set to do our thing, I'm oblivious to the moment before, it's all about the moment now.

We finally take the stage and start. Not too much to say, just watch the two webisodes to get the experience.

It's over and we both feel relieved. A hug of celebration afterwards and we have accomplished something that we'll be telling our kids about.

*POST-SHOW*

The rest of the afternoon was spent basking in the moment. And chilling with our friends and enjoying the local scene and all the untapped talent. Seeing so many people was reaffirmation, that this was worth it. It was all worth it.

As the day winds down, and we head out, we chill with Mojo Kick and I ask the question again to Meg:

"Want to do Flood again on December 3rd?"

The answer: Yes (hopefully it does happen)

Me, Meghan, J.D., JTK, Eric, Colby, A2K.

-mc larny

Show Report #15: Of Injuries, Mishaps, and New Endeavors

Howdy.

I’m recouping from the events of last night. A lot to discuss from the show. So where do we start…?

THE BACKGROUND

Live on Location: 4.11.2012 at Framingham State

Since 2008, I’ve wanted to do a show on campus. We came close back in the Aces Down days…but that fell away and I was stuck.

In that time I found instrumental music, and started screwing around with DJ gigs, even doing a bunch of shows in Boston, that were extremely successful. Not big shows, but really positive experiences that gave me my confidence back and a new way to do things.

So as this event approaches, an idea is planted in my head. Tyler, the guitarist hits me with a concept: DJ and drums. I ponder it for a split-second and say yes.

So the sessions happen, but Tyler feels more confident on guitar than drums. We switch over to that…and something insane happens. I give Tyler a Project Nightmare song, and he runs with it.

Mind-blowing.

Before The Show

"Celebrities at ringside tonight... editor for TheAwesomeCave.com...DANNY HORGAN!"

I arrive at the Ecumenical Center (it ain’t no church) and get ready to rock. I have my laptop, my keys and my groove, ready to do it.

And when I make the move to plug my laptop in…it happened. My knee buckles and twists, and I hit the floor, spewing foul words in a whisper. I have no idea what happened, but I start getting hot all over and can’t stand up for a minute, scared of something snapping and ending the night before it began.

I think it was all adrenaline because my knee hurt less for the entire time before we got on stage.

And then, the wait began.

The set kept on getting pushed back. It wasn’t until about 10:30, that it was time.

And even then it was a battle.

The Show

TONIGHT’S LINEUP:

MC Larny – Synths/Piano

Photo credit: Tom O'Brien o/b/o Jones Rocktography

Tyler Guay* – Guitar

Meghan Earle* – Guest vocals/Guitar (Not in Love)

Photo credit: Tom O'Brien o/b/o Jones Rocktography

*denotes new live band members

So we take the stage, but there’s a problem. The sound with my laptop is too low. Even at max. My God.

Panic and frustration over-take me, seeing a great thing go down the tubes. Meanwhile, Meghan, being the consummate professional she is, she buys some time as her and Tyler do an impromptu cover of Only You by Portishead. Then she does another track which I can’t recall the name of, and buys time to fix the issues.

I apologize profusely and we begin with Not In Love, which thanks to some digging, we learn is not a Crystal Castles original..but a cover.

And here it is.

Yup, shocking. Anywho, we get that track done, then Meghan takes her leave, as Tyler and I prepare for the experience known as…DEAF BY MISADVENTURE.

The show starts with Zelda’s theme, then progresses into Madness Act I, from Project Nightmare III. The set concludes with Fatal Error, from Summer of Fate. We thank the crowd and exit.

SETLIST:

1. Only You

2. Untitled

3. Not In Love

4. Zelda’s Deaf

5. Madness Act I

 
6. Fatal Error

Post-Show and Fun Facts

*first show on Framingham State that wasn’t a radio performance

*first show with Meghan and Tyler

*first show since June 2011

*first show under Deaf By Misadventure

*the 15th show overall

So I’m all flustered because of how rough the show was, but everyone’s trying to reassure me that it wasn’t that bad. Jury’s still out on the show…waiting to hear/see recorded footage but I am a bit anxious.

Now, it’s time to get ready for next week. And hope my knee doesn’t buckle under the pressure.

See you next week at Playing for Change.
-mc larny

PS…the other band I’m in…you’ll know more soon enough.

Another Night in Beantown: Show Report

Howdy,

Here we are, another show report to get through, and this time, it's a bit more lean than usual.

The details:
Where: Boston, MA
When: 6.27.2011
Type of show: Basement show

Did you know...

• first summer show since August 2006
• 3rd basement show
• Latest start to a show (9PM)

The show:

Hanging out in Boston for a cool hour or so waiting for my homie Dan to show up, it gave me some time to finalize and plan out some things here and there. Of course, it changed, but getting that time is crucial.

Sitting outside a pizza parlor watching people walk by, instruments in tow is one of the more inspiring things I have seen in the course of my music career. Just goes to show you how much people dig their craft and want to chase it.

Things finally get started at 9PM, but wait...the PA system is FUBAR. so yeah, no lyrics tonight. it's back to instrumentals tonight. still fun, but I had a gameplan of sorts for the night.

Behold:
The Setlist I Was Thinking Of...

1. Intro
2. Nightmare Set
3. Grave Thief
4. Feels Like [Vampire Killer Remix]
5. Freestyle Interlude
6. And Through It All
7. Silence

All new stuff...but hey, sun don't shine all the time.

So we get started, but the amp is too loud and distorts the intro. Boo.

Then, I get stalled with transitions. That's on me. Strike dos.

Down 0-2, the crowd is needing to head out, and I need a HR bad. So after setting things on auto-pilot, here comes the Stutter Edit FX...

and boom goes the dynamite.

Must've been all the jam sessions I've heard about from my friends back home, or just the smell of the air (people gotta smoke, and I'm no hardliner either), but I came up with something crazy and live that saved the show.

So what do I think? I think it was a moment, one that says I need more work on my craft, but also says I'm ready for whatever.

Let's hope there's another show this summer. Either someone's gonna get it together or I'm going to throw it myself, in my backyard.

OK, that's a little crazy. But you never know :)

Peace
MC Larny

Show Number 11: Live From The All Asia....

Hey kids, adults, and the young at heart,

So coming off another good night, here's the show recap from #11: All Asia, Cambridge MA.

Fun Facts

*First show ever in Cambridge, MA

*First show done during the daytime

*First show held on a Sunday

*3rd show in 4 months (new record)

The Journey

Unlike the last show, there were no transportation mishaps. However, this one was more long-distance, starting out from Northborough, ending at Eliot Station. However, thanks to cool weather, and a great pre-show soundtrack of Megadeth (Youthinasia FTW) and DMX to accompany the drive, it was less pain, more pleasure.

Arriving at the station with big duffle bag of keyboard, laptop, CD's, and Flip Cam (credit to Greg F for the loan), it's time to board the D Line and head off to Cambridge.

After a close call with the bus (nearly took the wrong bus, but saved myself via instinct), it's time to arrive. All Asia, you ready for me?

Guess so. After a quick check of my gear and ID, I'm in. Hanging out with my homies in SWETDICULOUS, Outa-My-Mind and some new peeps in AOD (who complimented me on my DX shirt, it was Wrestlemania Sunday, I don't front....), waiting for show time. And then, things changed.

Originally expecting to be #2 in the order, I'm #1. I'm opening. Cool... extended set? Yup.

So it's time to get it started....

The Show/Setlist

First track I dropped that night was a remix of Mega Man X3's Blizzard Buffalo, from Project Nightmare 2.0, which you can get by clicking here. It was a better executed version, more guitar heavy and adding glitch and acoustic to the mix, with a heavier drum sound, so it was a mix of speed metal/glitch/game/acoustic/electronica. 

Also, this marked the debut of a new addition to the live show:

Never expected that? No one else did. Mainly for effects manipulation and soon to be more...maybe next time....

But back to the show, after my usual DJ set got underway (and a DOPE co-sign by the owner!), I broke from the gameplan and let the crowd know....

"You know, for the past 3 months, I've been a DJ. And yet, I still have the MC title. So you know what, for the first time in 2 years, you're getting the MC."

Words can't express how dang nervous and excited I was to do that. I've been planning it for the past few months, trying to build confidence, and also figure out how this'll all work in a live setting. I've been fortunate to have friends backing me instrumentally.... tonight, I'm on my own.

So I begin with a new track, Slow Fast Death, which was in the works since 2009. Part of the " backwards/forwards" release. I'd say, this went over real well, with an old-school cut to warm the crowd up.

Then, I went into "feels like", 2nd time ever. And I say, this was really solid, much improved over the last time. 

But alas, when things go great, they must go bad. Such was the outcome with the next (and last, thanks to the loading time) song in the order.

Loading issues pushed the last song back. Which sucked...but the ensuing performance was worth it. The NIN elements were on full-display, as I re-introduced the world to Modern Day Madness. First time solo, last time was with my old band... 2 years ago. Radically different version, I know. With updated lyrics too.

And that was it for me, my limit of time was reached. I thanked the crowd, packed my gear and got off stage.

SET LIST:

1. Project Nightmare DJ Set [Blizzard Buffalo/Windmill]
2. Slow Fast Death
3. Feels Like
4. Modern Day Madness [Version 2.0]

Post-Show

After I close out my show, I stay around and snap some pictures of the other bands, talk to some peeps, watch the Celtics game, and finally depart round 7:30PM.

Closing notes:

• Sound isssues eff'd things up. For a lot of people, but they still got it done.
• Ricky Sanchez, can't stress this enough, was the Act of the Show. He DJ'd, screamed, and played the snare drum. All in his set. I knew from that point, I needed to step my game up :)
• Got some great feedback from people, and even some constructive criticism too. Very encouraging, and to be honest, MC's out there reading this, when someone says something that isn't positive and is actually critical, allow them the time to talk. They want the best, and so do you.

What's next?

Well, I'm working on prepping for #12, which could be this month. Not sure, working it out, but it will be unique.

Thanks for reading, stay tuned as always!

-mc larny, exiting stage right....

My wild night in Boston (AKA Show No.10 Recap)

10 shows. Each one had a different personality, but last night's.... was the wildest of them all, from the actual trip there to the end of the show.

Let's begin with the details:
*1st time a show has happened with a gap of 3 months in-between
*2nd DJ show
*1st time I've performed at the same place twice in a row
*Played with: SWEETDICULOUS, Outa-My-Mind, Ricky Sanchez, etc.


The actual journey itself was, to be honest, a string of accidents. That did not result in failure.
Trying to catch a bus to Kenmore Station was bad. We were on the wrong street....and we didn't know it. Trying to flag down #57 was pain. Insane pain. We reconvened at my vehicle after 3 buses passed by, and decided to take an extreme gamble: drive to Eliot Station.

Relying on memory and recognition of familiar sites, we drove down, as I slowly put my memories to work in the dark of night. Another mistake as I drive past the exit, deciding to abandon my memory and trust another sense.

Bad mistake.

Alas, I got my senses back and returned to the actual route.  It worked and with Dr. Dre in the background, we arrived at Eliot, missed 2 straight trains and finally got on the D-Line for Boston.

We meet up with Dan from SWEETDICULOUS and off we go!

It's show time in about an hour for yours truly.... and the other acts playing were great, got a kick out of Ricky Sanchez and Outa-My-Mind (complete with robot dancer!), and SWEETDICULOUS was great and intense as usual.

Then, it was on.

With a few words, I introduced myself and dropped the new song, "Feels Like..." for the first time ever. We do have audio/visual evidence, and it will be online soon. Just hold tight.

To be honest, I doubt that was the best performance or way to show that song. However, listen to it for yourself....what did YOU think?

Anyways, the show was 20 minutes long, and I also brought out the remix to Legend of Zelda as well, with a small technical error at the start. However, it really went over with the crowd.

17 minutes and we were done. Great times, and to add even more awesomeness...we shared the train with Outa-My-Mind. Fun fun fun.

I'd say, this show ranks in the Top 5. A good night had by all.