The set list

Thanks to everyone who came to our show in the Marin Headlands! Here's what we played:

1. Picture Yourself
2. Diggin' A Grave (Micah P. Hinson cover)
3. Yodel
4. Scenic World (Beirut cover)
5. Twenty-Five
6. Marcher
7. Parish
8. Dead Parents
9. Frankenstein
10. A Cautionary Song (Decemberists cover)
11. Idea
12. Sylvia
13. Neighborhood #2 (Laika) (Arcade Fire cover)
14. Siki Siki Baba (Kocani Orkestar cover)

Mosswood Park and house party, 7/26/08

During the afternoon, Russ, Steven, Maya and Hilary played at Mosswood Park. We played "Idea," "Scenic World," "Marcher," and "Sylvia." Practice time was restricted to the number of coins we had to keep our cars from being ticketed.

Afterwards, we moved to Molly/Noah's house. We were joined by Lisa, Molly, Noah, Vijay, Lana and many more partygoers. We played most of our songs, including some we hadn't played for a while, including "Laika" and "In the Backseat." By special request, we played "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "No Woman, No Cry," "Across the Universe," "People Are Strange," and "Hotel California." Steven presented a new song, "Picture." And our cover of "Hallelujah" is sounding quite amazing these days.

Band Practice/Party, 7/12/08

Location: Live Oak Park. Musicians: Lisa, Steven, Angela, Molly, Vijay, Devin. Songs played: "Postcards From Italy," "Mount Wroclai," "Siki Siki Baba," "After Hours," "In the Backseat," "Frankenstein," "Marcher," "Idea," "Twenty-Five." Discussed our band name, show in August.

9 Hour Music Marathon

There was some serious music happening yesterday.

Firstly, Noah and Steven were gracious enough to let me tag along to their Beach Boys practice. Noah also brought his friend Hilary who has the most incredible voice. We did some good stuff with God Only Knows and Wouldn't It Be Nice. In a mere three hours we were able to power through two full songs weird harmony bits and all. I even went out and finally bought Pet Sounds today. You should ask us to show you some time!

Post-Pet Sounds, we did a bit of unwinding down the street at Noah and Molly's place, finally settling into the living room. We had fun playing through our original catalog and Molly, Steven and I practiced a harmony for Fireball Mail (that song I've been learning on the banjo). It turns out that the song is about one of our favorite subjects: trains. Hopefully, I haven't already abused everyone's tolerance for bluegrass and we can work on it a little more. We sounded pretty great, if I may say so myself. Thanks to Steven for arranging the harmony!

We seem to be pretty into that texture that harmony adds these days, so I'm excited that it sounds like Hilary might be interested in joining our band. And she plays cello. How perfect is that?! I've been fantasizing about having a cello in the band since day one! She also has a friend who plays accordion, which would make Ciana's departure for the big, crazy, and far away world of New York City slightly less dramatic and sad. But it's still dramatic and sad - we miss you, Ciana!

Keep sending your awesome, musically inclined friends our way!

I'll leave you with the lyrics and the chord part of Fireball Mail. For the melody/harmony, you'll have to ask Steven :)

Fireball Mail:
G
Here she comes, look at her roll
                                                D
There she goes eatin' that coal
                    G
Watch her fly huggin' the rails
                            D         G
Let her by, by, by the Fireball Mail

Let her go, look at her steam
Hear her blow, whistle and scream
Like a hound waggin' his tail
Dallas bound, bound, bound the Fireball Mail

Engineer makin' up time
Tracks are clear look at her climb
See that freight clearin' the rail
Bet she's late, late, late the Fireball Mail

Watch her swerve
Look at her sway
Get that curve out of the way
Watch her fly look at her sail

Let her by, by, by the Fireball Mail
Let her by, by, by the Fireball Mail
Let her by, by, by the Fireball Mail

Sparks

Practice on Sunday, June 22nd

Steven, Lisa, Russ, and Ciana gathered at Live Oak Park in Berkeley for practice yesterday. We played through pretty much our entire repertoire, and even tossed in a couple of new cover songs for good measure. We had probably more adoring fans than ever - at least 3 (maybe 4) children under the age of 5, and one homeless woman. It was a monumental event, because we received our first payment in exchange for music EVER: a can of Sparks from the homeless woman. ("That's got like, 6% alcohol in it!!") We were, needless to say, honored, and have taken the can back with us as a future collector's item.

Band Practice/Party, 6/1/08

We played in Molly/Noah's living room. Attendance: Noah, Steven, Lisa, Ciana, Molly

• Worked on the bridge on "Frankenstein." Will now sound like a workshop.
• Played "Marcher," "Idea," "Sylvia," and "Twenty-five".
• Discussed our next practice, our CD, a music video, and posting a Craigslist ad for additional musicians
  
• Played some Beirut songs
  

Band Practice/Barbecue, 5/24/08

Today we practiced in Molly's backyard. Musicians assembled: Molly, Noah, Steven, Lisa and Ciana. Songs played: Frankenstein, Marcher, Idea, Sylvia, Yodel, Twenty-five. Our friends were there, too, so it was kind of an informal concert.

Band Practice/Party, 5/17/08

Practice at Molly's place. Musicians: Steven, Noah and Molly. Played on "Twenty-five," "Idea," "Sylvia," "Yodel" and "Frankenstein."

Band Practice/Party, 5/11/08

Today's band practice was held in Molly's backyard. Musicians present: Molly, Steven, Erin (Molly's friend from yoga), and Noah. Tea was served. We played "Idea," "Marcher," and "Frankenstein." Worked on harmonies, including a new part in "Idea." Then spent a long time trying to figure out the 4-part harmonies on "God Only Knows." Steven and Noah discussed forming a Beach Boys' Pet Sounds-only cover band. Steven, Noah and Molly discussed potential new bandmates, including several violinists and a cellist we know.

Band Practice/Party, 4/20/08

Location: Lisa's apartment. Musicians: Lisa, Steven, Ciana, Russ. Worked on "Sylvia," "Yodel" and "Tears in Our Eyes/Dead Parents." Wrote the accordion/acoustic guitar melody for the chorus on Yodel. Finalized arrangement of Dead Parents and added a "Twist And Shout"-style build-up near the end.

Band Practice/Party, 4/5/08

Location: Lisa's apartment. Musicians: Lisa, Steven, Russ, Ciana, Molly. Songs played: the Smiths song, the western song, Dead Parents, Idea, Sylvia, Yodel, Don't Die In Me, Monument, Paint It Black. Discussed covers, electronic side project.

House party and Dolores Park, 3/16/08

1. Diggin' a Grave
2. We're Going to be Friends
3. Idea
4. A Cautionary Song
5. South Australia
6. Postcards From Italy
7. Portland Bridges
8. Born on a Train
9. Don't Die in Me (2nd show)
10. Frankenstein
11. Marcher
12. Laika
13. Siki, Siki Baba

Musicians: Lisa, Ciana, Russ, Vijay, Molly, Devin, Steven.

Band Practice/Party, 3/9/08

Location: Ciana's place. Musicians: Ciana, Russ, Steven.

• Frankenstein: Discussed the new arrangement.
  
• Portland Bridges: Wrote some harmonies and a new part for the accordion.
  
• Idea: Russ to play banjo in the beginning. A saw or whistling for the kettle. Bells or zils on selected lyrics. Trumpet to solo during the instrumental, accompanied by trilling mandolin. Trumpet to double accordion part during the verses.
  
• Night Life: Worked on the placement of the accordion melody, cut the length of the choruses.
  
• Dead Parents: Added the clapping part during the verse. Part of the verse now a recurring motif. The bridge is now the beginning of the chorus.
  
• Played Maggie May and most of the songs we're doing next week.

Band Practice/Party, 3/2/08

Location: Mosswood Park. Musicians: Ciana, Russ, Steven, Lisa, Molly, Vijay, Noah, Mike. Weather: Clear. Songs played: Idea, The Night Life, Frankenstein, Postcards From Italy, A Cautionary Song, Diggin' A Grave, Hallelujah, Laika (slow version), Tennessee Waltz, Heartbeats, Dead Parents (making its debut), Sylvia, Blues Jam in E. Tried some new covers: Across the Universe, Lovely Rita, There is a Light that Never Goes Out, Panic, Bigmouth Strikes Again.

• Lisa made our first poster.
• Decided to have a show next Sunday at Dolores Park, San Francisco. Should try to burn some CDs.
  
• We decided not to change Warlock lyrics. Instead, we will write an all-new, bloody pirate song.
• Tried to write a song about English breakfast tea.
  
• Discussed our techno/electronic side project. Vijay to be prerecorded with face appearing on video.
  
• Slash Party

Band Practice/Recording/Party, 2/23/08

Musicians present: Vijay, Molly, Ciana, Steven, Lisa, Russ, Devin. Songs recorded in studio: Frankenstein, Marcher. Songs recorded/performed live: Diggin' A Grave, Siki, Siki Baba, Portland Bridges, Idea, Postcards From Italy, Neighborhood #3 (Power Out), A Cautionary Song, Goodnight Irene, The Night Life.

Band Practice/Party, 2/17/08

Location: Live Oak Park. Weather: mostly cloudy. In attendance: Lisa, Russ, Ciana, Steven, Devin and Alex.

Originals
Portland Bridges: Lengthened the instrumental for the recorder and violin solo, removed the chorus after the instrumental.
Idea: Worked on it a little bit.
Frankenstein: Worked it out note-by-note for Devin, plus other detail work.
The Night Life: Played through, moved the bridge, verses and choruses around. Russ worked out the melody.
Marcher: Came out fine. Devin played drums and sleigh bells.

Covers
Diggin' a Grave: We decided to do the slow version all the way through, then a count off, and 2 verses fast.
A Cautionary Song: No changes, except Devin played the mandolin.
Postcards to Italy: Sounded fine. Ciana switched to drums. Added a little dramatic moment at the end where it stops momentarily before going into the last instrumental.
Laika: Good as usual.
Siki Siki Baba: Experimented a bit with the rhythm section. We eventually decided it should sound "driving." Did detail practice with the transition near the end of the song. Lisa played drums on different surfaces.
Born on a Train: Added a dramatic pause before the last verse.
South Australia: Sounded good after two attempts. Steven used the recorder.

Band Practice/Party, 2/10/08

Yesterday, we played near the gazebo at Lake Merritt. Originally, we wanted to play at Molly's house, but we moved it outside because it was a nice and warm day. Musicians present: Molly, Vijay, Steven, Lisa, Ciana, Russ, Devin. Songs played: Marcher, Frankenstein, Portland Bridges, Mt. Wroclai, Postcards From Italy, A Cautionary Song, Laika, In the Backseat, Hallelujah, Fear of Trains, Diggin' a Grave, and After Hours. Song debuts: Idea, The Night Life. We stopped only when it got too dark to continue. Audience: tequila guy.