sun, music, & happiness

Top of the morning to ya! I hope to find you smiling at the sun and easing into Summertime's transition. I still can't quite grasp my head around the fact that a month ago, there was still 4 feet of snow in my backyard...That which was frozen now elicits life. I love it!

Speaking of transition, I wanted to let y'all know that bass guru Drew Wyman is moving on to the next phase of his life...it's been a great 3 years making music together. A simply fantastic journey with a focused, real, and inspiring person. We'll miss jamming with you, Drew! But wait - joining the NOW sound in the next phase of his life is guru bassist Charlie Roth...and we can't wait to bring this fresh sound to the stage.

Did you say the stage? gigs! gigs!! gigs!!! I'm so excited for all the music making happening as there are 70 plus shows on the books through the end of August. Yes, we like to play :) If you feel like catching us this summer, please click on my ugly mug or visit www.NOWisNOW.com/nowPlaying.htm and take your pick(s). Choices throughout ME, NH, & VT include mitch solo acoustic, mitch & neil performing as an acoustic duo, or the mitch-neil-charlie power trio. FUN!

And on a good vibe / fuzzy feeling in the belly note, I want to again thank everyone who I sing to on a regular basis. Ever since going full time music back in December, I've had the chance to meet countless great people...true music fans. It is SO much fun to sing to you night after night. Without you, I'd be in a cube :) YOU ALL RULE!!!

Think sun! Think music! Think happiness!

peace & hugs,
~mitch
www.NOWisNOW.com

4:38 AM - 0 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

reflections

Hey you guys!  It seems like forever since I’ve written y’all.  Since going full time music this past December, life has been a whirwind of wonderfullness...though I must admit, it was a little scary at first when seeing a schedule of 4 - 6 gigs/week with some days having afternoon & evening shows 100 miles apart from each other.  But as it has turned out, I’ve found a very useful payoff in training for this past October’s marathon: much needed stamina :)  It’s so much fun...rocking out at 100% on an almost daily basis is so good for the soul.  I highly recommend it.

I know I know...life’s great, all is amazing, do do do do do...yes, I’ve said this a thousand times before (and really feel it).  But since early 2008, I’ve found additional reasons for thinking this way.  My step dad, who prided himself on living life to its fullest, fell ill with cancer and died rather quickly a few weeks ago.  cancer sucks, by the way...  anyway, we had some great conversation about spending our precious time here in ways which make us happy.  We had some good talks about the ’cash thing’ and modern life’s demands and then connected on the simple fact that after these basics are accounted for, it’s all about choice...and one must choose well :) His sickness and quick death only made my choice feel that much more true...I have never been so clearly on the ’path of the beam’ before.  It’s euphoric.  With these very positive thoughts, might I please beg a favor of you all?  Please make that right choice.  If not for yourself, then for my "step’s" legacy... thanks :)

all right...a short gig summary:

The band has a couple more shows at Woodstock Station (this weekend), as well as another Phoenix Saturday and Red Parka weekend as spring skiing picks up at the hills. Ri~Ra - Portland continues to rock and roll every 6 weeks or so and Ri~Ra Burlington starts back up in May along with another Dolphin Striker and Chit Chat Lounge show.

On the acoustic side, Neil and I are doing a couple of  acoustic-duo shows at Delaney’s in North Conway and I’m starting back up solo at The Frog & Turtle and The Stockhouse in Westbrook.  Other solo venues include The Tack Room, The Gas Light deck, Cafe Sebago & Sud’s.  I’ve also been booked for a special one hour acoustic solo show at The Bitter End in New York City, Friday, May 2nd, 8pm...FUN!

For a complete list of dates through the end of May and additional gig info, please visit www.NOWisNOW.com/nowPlaying.htm or www.myspace.com/mitchalden

It would be neat to sing to you again.

Enjoy this endless winter, everyone...ski, run, smile, love...

hugs,
~mitch
www.NOWisNOW.com

8:36 AM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

let the good times roll

Top of the morning to ya! 8am, on a cool, beautiful, and sunny Thursday the 31st. Hope this note is treating y'all well and amazing. Winter seems to be moving along at quite the crazy pace. Between acoustic shows, full band shows, skiing, running, and finally, some days off with Dylan, my life has become a whirwind of wonderful-ness (I love using this word!). It also seems that my silliness to run that marathon last fall is paying off in the form of stamina; I've played over 25 shows since Dec. 27th and couldn't feel stronger. Guess I'm gonna have to sign up for another one to keep this all going :)

Man o man, this F/T musician thing has me in the best of spirits - can you tell? Thank you for listening to me babble all these past emails about the goal to be in the position I'm in right now. My ability to type out my thoughts and know that neat folks like you have been reading them and encouraging me forward has been more helpful than you know. you all RULE!

ok - GIGS GIGS GIGS!!!

mitch solo:
1/31 - The Phoenix, Sunday River, 7pm
2/6 - The Eating House, Cranmore Mountain, 4pm
2/7 - Sliders, Jordan Hotel, Sunday River, 2pm
2/13 - The Eating House, Cranmore Mountain, 4pm
2/14 - The Foggy Goggle, Sunday River, 3pm
2/15 - Sud's Pub, Bethel, 8pm
2/16 - The Phoenix, Sunday River, 4pm
2/17 - The Foggy Goggle, Sunday River, 3pm
2/21 - The Phoenix, Sunday River, 7pm
2/22 - The Eating House, Cranmore Mountain, 3pm
2/24 - Slainte Wine Bar, Portland, 3pm
2/27 - The Foggy Goggle, Sunday River, 3pm
2/28 - Sliders, Jordan Hotel, Sunday River, 2pm
3/1 - Trail's End Tavern, King Pine Mountain, 3pm
3/2 - Slopeside, Bretton Woods, 2pm
3/2 - The Cave, Mt. Washington Hotel, 9pm

Full band:
2/1 - The Chit Chat Lounge, Haverhill, 9pm
2/8 & 2/9 - Woodstock Station, North Woodstock, 9pm
2/16 - The Phoenix, 9:30pm
2/22 & 2/23 - The Red Parka Pub, Glen, 9pm
2/29 - The Wharf, Hallowell, 9:30pm
3/1 - Ri~Ra, Portland, 10pm

More info on these venues is available at www.NOWisNOW.com/nowPlaying.htm

ski hard, sled lots, make many snow angels, and never stop smiling!!!

peace & hugs,
~Mitch

ps.  new solo New York show at The Bitter End has been booked - Friday, May 2nd, 8pm.  YES!!!

4:46 AM - 5 Comments - 8 Kudos - Add Comment

winter wonderfullness
Category: Friends

Hey you crazy kids!  Almost 5pm Sunday night...I've rounded the corner at the corporate gig and officially have 10 working days left until my new life starts.  I can't tell you how amazing and inspired I feel...It's super neat with all the shows I've taken that I can say "I have lots of work coming in..." but when I get in my truck and head to a gig, I'm "going to play."  It's taken me 20 + years of experimentation and hard work to figure out how to balance music and responsibility.  My hopes are this will continue forever...cause I love seeing y'all at shows and the more I play, the more chances I'll have of seeing you :)

Other killer news, Neil is a daddy...weehooo!!!  Zac, the little lizard boy, was brought into this world on Tuesday, 12/4.  Wife Suzanne and he are doing great.  "Fantabulous!" as Neil likes to put it.  Psyched for them is an understatement!

And snow!  in December!  I know I know...it's supposed to happen that way, but since it doesn't much anymore, there's real reason for excitement.  Look out wintertime...this non day gig guitar player is seeking to take full advantage of you!

OK...time to shut up and list upcoming dates through January.

FULL BAND:
Monday, Dec. 31st, New Year's Eve, The Phoenix, Sunday River, ME, 9-2
Friday, Jan. 11th, The Red Parka Pub, Glen, NH, 9-1
Saturday, Jan. 12th, The Phoenix, Sunday River, ME, 9-1
Friday, Jan. 18th, Ri~Ra, Portland, ME, 10-1
Friday, Jan. 25th, The Wharf, Hallowell, ME, 9-1
Saturday, Jan. 26th, The Dolphin, Portsmouth, NH, 9-1

MITCH SOLO ACOUSTIC:
Friday, Dec. 14th, The Foggy Goggle, Sunday River, ME, 3-6
Saturday, Dec. 15th, Cafe Sebago, Raymond, ME, 8-11
Thursday, Dec. 27th, Cranmore Ski Area, N. Conway, NH, 3-7
Friday, Dec. 28th, Sliders, Sunday River, ME, 2-5
Saturday, Dec. 29th, The Frog & Turtle, Westbrook, ME, 9-11
Sunday, Dec. 30th, Sliders, Sunday River, ME, 2-5
Monday, Dec. 31st, The Phoenix, Sunday River, ME, 4-8
Thursday, Jan. 3rd, The Phoenix, Sunday River, 7-11
Friday, Jan. 4th, Sud's Pub, Bethel, ME, 8-11
Saturday, Jan. 5th, King Pine Ski Area, Madison, NH, 3-6
Wednesday, Jan. 9th, The Foggy Goggle, Sunday River, ME, 3-6
Thursday, Jan. 10th, The Phoenix, Sunday River, ME, 7-11
Saturday, Jan. 12th, The Phoenix, Sunday River, ME, 4-8
Thursday, Jan. 17th, The Phoenix, Sunday River, ME, 7-11
Friday, Jan. 18th, The Foggy Goggle, Sunday River, ME, 3-6
Sunday, Jan. 20th, Cranmore Ski Area, North Conway, NH, 5-7
Thursday, Jan. 24th, The Phoenix, Sunday River, ME, 7-11
Friday, Jan. 25th, Sliders, Sunday River, ME, 2-5
Saturday, Jan. 26th, King Pine Ski Area, Madison, ME, 3-6
Wednesday, Jan. 30th, The Foggy Goggle, Sunday River, ME, 3-6
Thursday, Jan. 31st, The Phoenix, Sunday River, ME, 7-11

Holy canolies...my fingers never hurt after typing out dates before...should be the worst of my problems!!!

Happy wintertime, you guys.  I really really hope to see you all sometime sooner than later.

peace, hugs, love, and a beautiful holiday season..
~mitch (neil & drew)
http://www.NOWisNOW.com

1:28 PM - 4 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

everything!

Top of this fine crisp Fall morning to ya! I'm hoping you guys are feeling great right along beside me; there's a lot of good going on right now and I'm feeling oh so fortunate with everything so please hear me if you care to read...and I say thank ya.

First, the band will be taking a hiatus for a few weeks so Neil can learn what fatherhood is all about :) Congrats, Neil...what fun! We've got 3 more pre-baby shows:

Sat. Nov 3rd at The Dolphin Striker in Porstmouth
Sat. Nov. 10th at Ri~Ra in Portland
and one very carefully timed show Sat. Nov. 17th at Ri~Ra in Burlington

Hopefully this brief hiatus through New Years Eve at The Phoenix in Sunday River will give Neil the time to really focus and enjoy this most awesome new journey. I'm so happy, psyched, and proud for you & Suzanne, Neil...yes, a most beautiful thing is an understatement!

I'm also pleased to announce that I finally quit my day job :) Woo Hoo!!! When late December rolls around, I'll be doing many more solo acoustic shows along with the full band's 4 - 8 shows per month so please be sure to check http://www.nowisnow.com often so I have a good chance to spontaneously sing to you :) Speaking of, to the many fellow skiers who might be reading this: A lot of these solo shows are Apres Ski Happy Hours up at Sunday River so if you care to hook up for a few turns before I play, please let me know!!!

Another cool thing which has got me feeling happier than happy is this past weekend's finish in the http://www.marinemarathon.com . As much as my body is hurting, my heart is rocking - like crazy! I finished in a blissful 3 hours, 52 minutes. YEAH! To sum up how it all went, I'll quote my good friend Paul: "I had a great 19 mile race... Unfortunately the race is 26.2 miles."

The sun's starting to rise so I best be off to play outside...Enjoy the day you guys!!! Talk soon.

peace & hugs,
~mitch (neil & drew)
http://www.NOWisNOW.com

3:32 AM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

fun, inspiration, and more music
Category: Friends

Hey you crazy kids!!! I'm back from a super fun and inspiring weekend and felt the need to babble. Aside from the regular bliss of losing myself on stage this past weekend, I got to witness the Sunday River Fall Festival's wife carrying contest. Yup...toss your wife over your shoulders, run 285 yard through a moderate obstacle course (including a chest deep mudpit - lots of very wet wives), and give your all at the end because the winners win their weight in beer. I like wife carrying contests! Unfortunately/fortunately for me, I was only there to jam...I must admit, playing solo right after this event and grabbing the crowd's attention was pretty difficult. But once the soundman turned it up, the good moods turned towards the stage and my smile got bigger with each note I sang. I like good moods while I'm on stage :)

I also got to run Maine's half marathon/marathon (I did the half) with some of the most inspiring group of folks a person can ever surround oneself with. Talk about bliss, perserverance, honest happiness, and community. If you don't run, I encourage you to visit the finish line of your nearest city's marathon...it's hard to explain...what you feel when you're there is just plain good. so good.

all right...gigs for the remainder of October:

This Friday, October 12th, rock with the leaf peepers of northern NH - the band is back at THE RED PARKA PUB, Glen, NH, 9 - 12:30

This Saturday, October 13th, mitch is solo at THE SEA DOG, Bangor, ME 10 - 1

Friday, October 19th, mitch is solo at CAFE SEBAGO, Raymond, ME, 8 - 10:30

Saturday, October 20th, the band rocks THE COMMON MAN, Plymouth, NH, 8:30 - 12

The following weekend, I'm taking off to DC to run the marine marathon on 10/28. it's been a wacky summer/fall with the combination of gigs and training for this event and it's all just now coming to a head...man o man, I'm a so nervous to once again run 26.2 miles. Thankfully, those extra energetic nights on stage seem like the best training I could have put myself through during these last 4 months :)

Enjoy the day, everyone...think cooler nights, take in the beautiful fall experience, and never stop smiling.

peace, hugs, & love,
~mitch (neil & drew)
http://www.NOWisNOW.com

5:01 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Is it really mid-september already?
Category: Music

Oh my!!! How the time does fly when we're havin fun. As the cool crisp air seeps into our bedrooms at night and we wrap ourselves tighter in our blankets (or around our spouses), that giddy feeling of change tends to overwhelm us. I love change…I love how the change keeps us on our toes. I love embracing change and making myself a better person. I love…mitch - shut up now! Just invite these good folks to your shows :)

Ok - so I'm a bit schitzo!

Here goes:

Peace, love, & hugs,
~mitch (neil & drew)
http://www.NOWisNOW.com

11:09 AM - 1 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Music, marathons, and Indigo bliss…

Top of the morning to y'all!  I trust that the warm days & cool nights of mid-August are treating everybody well and amazing :)

First & foremost…to those many many wonderful folks who made it down to Ri~Ra - Portland this past Friday night – the band says "thank ya!"  holy canolies – what a fun and rockin show!  May each night we play elicit similar smiles.

Marathon training is kicking into high gear as well…we had this past Sat. off and I figured it would be a good time to "experiment" on a longer run.  I set out to run around 1.5 - 2 hours (13 - 15 miles?)…but took a wrong turn…and learned, yet again, that in Maine you 'can't get there from here.'  And ran over 2.5 hours (18 miles) OY!  I'm such a space cadet.  There I was, running along and daydreaming about Friday's show…re-arranging some tunes in my head…and I ran right past the turn I was supposed to take.   Silly Mitch!

But I did make it home in time to make it to the Indigo Girls' show at the Stone Mountain Arts Center – a barn in the middle of nowhere which has a beautiful atmosphere and holds only 200 people.  Indigo Girls have been a songwriting inspiration of mine since I decided "to be a musician."  It was incredible to be sitting 27 feet away from these beautiful women listening to them sing their hearts out.  Still so inspiring…Something tells me the next tune I write will have an 'Indigo' vibe to it.

All right – onto NOW is NOW upcoming shows :)

This Thursday, Aug. 23th – I'm solo on the deck at The Stockhouse in Westbrook from 7 – 10
This Friday, Aug. 24th – I'm solo on the outdoor stage at The Sea Dog in Bangor for the American Folk Festival; my slot is 5:30 – 7
This Saturday, Aug 25th – The band is back at Ri~Ra in Burlington, VT from 10 – 2

And for the upcoming Labor Day weekend:
Saturday Sept. 1st, the band is on the patio at The Gas Light in Portsmouth, NH from 7 – 11
Sunday Sept. 2nd, the band is back in Boothbay Harbor at Gray's Wharf from 9:30 – 1
Monday, September 3rd, I'm back on the pier solo acoustic at The Portland Lobster Company from Noon – 4.

You guys rule.  Never stop smiling!!!  Keep in time and keep in tune…

Peace, love, & hugs,
Mitch (Drew & Neil)

"be thankful for sunshine…"
http://www.NOWisNOW.com

5:52 AM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

weekend happenings...

Well hello good morning! Hope this finds y'all well and amazing today. Summer has taken the official "turn towards bliss" as the gardens start giving, the nights get a bit colder, the bugs start to die down, the annual running of Portland's http://www.beach2beacon.org has taken place (which I somehow sandwiched between 2 gigs), and the northern Maine ocean is finally warm enough to swim in!!! And snow is coming soon :) sorry - had to get that in there!

Lots going on so I'll be short with a quick gig schedule for this weekend (and since I babbled like mad in my last 'life decision' blog, I figured I'd give y'all a break!!!)

This Thursday, 8/9 - I'm solo acoustic on the deck at The Stockhouse in Westbrook, 7 - 10
This Friday and Saturday, 8/10 & 8/11 - the band is back at The Red Parka Pub in Glen, NH, 9 - 12:30
This Sunday, 8/12 - I'm solo acoustic on the deck at The Portland Lobster Company, Long Wharf, Portland (next to Demillos), Noon - 4
This Monday, 8/13 - I'm solo acoustic on the patio at the Gas Light, Portsmouth, NH, 7:30 - 11

Many more cool shows are updated at http://www.NOWisNOW.com/nowPlaying.htm

LIFE RULES!!! Never stop enjoying :)

peace, love, & hugs,
~mitch (drew & neil)
http://www.NOWisNOW.com

6:00 AM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

the juggling balance is always in motion...

Hey you crazy kids!

1:27 PM - 7 Comments - 8 Kudos - Add Comment