home sweet home...

ahhhhh....i'm here. "home". how sweet it is.

i left melbourne just over a month ago, headed to the land of lakes on a roundabout, let's-stop-everywhere-along-the-way tour. which included places that were not along the way, titled the "sweet home tour". i figured i might as well sneak past some of the people and places i've come to know on my way waaaay down under (like taiwan, california, vancouver, pefferlaw (!?), ottawa, montreal, toronto....and sudbury). little did i know this musical tour would grow to be quite the journey...

the pre-departure period in melbourne was delicious. filled with hearty dinners and heartier conversations, wonderful jams, arty projects, exciting tourganization and much needed calm in my safe space before the stormy unknown of new familiar land. leaving a city i love was as hard as ever, but knowing i'd be back soon and often gave me peace of mind as i took off to taiwan.

so there i was, staring out at the smoggy super-city, back before being home again - in taiwan. a city and home i'd left in a rush, almost two years ago, off to oz, with no looking back. but i was back! crazy feeling to be standing on taiwanese soil again. too good, which surprised me and excited me...and relieved me. we totally made peace. taiwan and i are as tight as ever now, and i love it. so, on with this feeling i slammed into four days filled with three wonderful shows - solidifying the fact that taiwan is, well, awesome. and the people who flock to, are, well, awesome too. the support and turnout were unbelievable. so much so, that i'm already planning my next tour-return. it felt like i'd never left (which is kind of what being back in a place you once lived in always feels like...but in asia it was a whole new level of it. i mean, i was driving a scooter around again - so gooood!). the connections and reconnections made were more than i bargained for on my tiny little tour-stop. i could've stayed another month and it wouldn't have been enough...but i suppose that is the sneaky little spell taiwan is known for.

so i left, unfulfilled, but grateful for so many answers the tiny island provided during my mini-stay. and in california i was, under the sun, basking in perfect-weather-comfy-ness. i was greeted by my fabulous brother and his fiance, with giant smiles and hugs - the first taste of family in two years. ahhhmazing. it felt so good to just be. we caught all the way up, and jammed our little hearts out in time for our first show a few days after my arrival. having neil behind me on drums was like stepping back into your favorite pair of shoes. i can't think of a good adjective for it right now...but it was grrreat. getting over jet lag was grrreat, too. so was checking out the hollywood sights and nightlife, and some fabulous live music (from new friends jen & abby, and oz stunner mia dyson). the second show was lovely lovely. it was great to catch up with some friends and family who made the trek, and have a final stage session with neil before heading north...and closer to home. speding some quality time with the nearly-weds was just what the travelin' muso ordered. soulfood.

landing in canada was an incredible feeling. it felt like a big giant hug. really, it did. overhearing normal, everyday canadian expressions was the weirdest thing. weirdly awesome. i hadn't even realized that some of the strings of words (most) that come out of my mouth are purely canadian...until now. i was literally giggling my way to the baggage pickup, like a madwoman - so insanely overjoyed with being "back home". oh what a feeling.

the mountains, as majestic as ever, are truly the coolest backdrop. and the air here! so thick, and...oxygenated (is that a word?! it must be...there isn't a little red line telling me it isn't. either way, it's definition should read: western canadian air). so i took many a deep breath. and many a deep stare. a good thinking space, vancouver is. after dropping off my bags, i decided to take a nightly stroll on commercial drive...and within minutes, mere hours from touchdown in canada...i ran into a friend on the street. a really good friend, from university. a close neighboor, and one of my favorite people. soooo, canada really IS this small!! sheesh. the reunion was as obnoxious as it deserved to be. too good. needless to say, the show the following night was filled with similarily awesome people from different parts of my life - a sort of reunion for moi. the rest of the week was spent in many a mountainous nook and cranny up in whistler, with an oustandishly super crew. i did not want to leave and cannot wait to get back.

this pattern followed in ottawa and montreal, following an amazing weekend at the eaglewood festival near lake simcoe in ontario - where i was reunited with the rest of my family....and more family(!) who made a surprise appearance, enhancing the whole fab-festy experience. the weekend was a showcase of seriously potent canadian talent. it was an honour to have been in the mix. in amongst this bag of treats, i managed to swindle a little backline drum/bass duo for my gig a few nights later in montreal (the magnifique lyndell montgomery and adam lalonde, who make up two thirds of captain dirt and the skirt), which, apart from a scary sound system was magic. as was my week with besties in ottawa, another dose of homey-ness.

between the special rides and stays with friends, new and old, i had managed to squeeze a whole lot of perspective into my limited baggage, just in time for the last show on the tour - toronto.

this final "sweet home" gig was truly heartwarming. i mean, sure, i've been pumping every online networking site imaginable for like, a decade now (not really), but sheesh - that was overwhelming. the support, turnout, energy and response was just unreal. like a dream (the kind you try to fall back asleep into when you wake up from it). i am so grateful that i will forever have the memory of stepping onto the stage and looking out at that room full of amazing people from all parts of my life. how lucky am i. and to have been able to tell them that i'll be sticking around for a little while...!...not rushing off to make some other far-away-land my home...but here, in fact - "toronto". such super words to spit. a moment in time.

so now i sit, in sudbury, my hometown, where i plan to spend september decompressing, regrouping and reconnecting - cleansing. yesterday, i spent almost twelve hours going through boxes and bins in a closet that contains my life story. so i went through. bit by bit. and relived my life from the moment i left nearly four years ago, backwards to the beginning. letting go of all things unecessary. all things that no longer energize me, bring me joy, or bring me good - nearly half. i realized in doing this, that it was a mere continuation of the thread of decisions i'd been making since i stepped on the plane out of australia. it just so happens that i've been re-evaluating my entire life up until this point, and all things in it. the "journey" home has been littered with tiny signs, answers, realizations, all pointing to a fresh new start. the next chapter.

i knew there was something very special about the feeling i had when the decision to move home was made. home is a whole new set of sweet.


mmm.


to infinity and beyond!!!
f:)

Faye Blais - the Waaay Down Under Tour!!!

hello friends!!!

well, it's touring time again (just can't get enough --- when in oz....)

i'll be hitting the deep down under this weekend and next, first tasmania, then south australia.


voila les shows:


- tasmania - -

thurs - june 25th - hobart - ABC Radio Hobart - 11:30am
thurs - june 25th - hobart - Edge Radio - 4:15pm
thurs - june 25th - hobart - The Republic Bar (w/ andrew marshall & gretel templeton) - 8pm
fri - june 26th - hobart - The Alley Cat Bar - 9pm
sat - june 27th - margate - Brookfield Vinyards (w/ rosie burgess, andrew marshall & dominic francis) - 7pm
sun - june 28th - launceston - The Hub (w/ andrew marshall & gretel templeton) - 5pm


- south australia --

sat - july 4th - adelaide - The Singing Gallery "Sista's in Song" (w/ loren kate & mary webb) - 8pm
sun - july 5th - adelaide - Higher Ground - 3pm

start spreadin' the news!


- more tours -

canadian, californian and taiwan tours to be announced next month! keep checkin' in :)


- more videos -

new animated music video for "canvas" is out! ...check out the cable car sessions, filmed on the new zealand tour, as well!

www.youtube.com/fayeblais


more news to come, soon-soon!

big hugs to ya,
f:)

www.fayeblais.com
www.myspace.com/fayeblaismusic
www.twitter.com/fayeblaismusic

Animated Music Video - Canvas

Canvas - Animated Music Video
Hello Friends -

New animated music video for "Canvas"

Enjoy!



co-produced by Sven How and Xavier Smith (June 2009)

f:)

nz recap, tasmania, adelaide....and new videos!

faye blais music mail - nz recap, tasmania, adelaide....and new videos!!!



hello friends!

i write you, all snug, from the living room...back "home" in Melbourne....

the nz tour is all wrapped up tight -- the sweetest gift i could've asked for. what a country. the month away was one filled with, most literally, the friendliest, most hospitable, kindest people i've ever met (in such potency in place). all this loveliness let the greatest of memories trickle their way into the tour, one city (well, town), at a time.

the north island was a non-stop giggle-fest from auckland to wellington, stopping to play along the way in napier and carterton. all six shows were shared with fabulous melbourne duo, april maze (www.aprilmaze.com), and put together by miss lisa, who managed a tour of super-arty venues, all cozy with listeners. every show was an experience in itself, a great one :)

the south island was absolutely stunning. i drove my way south, stopping to gig incredible venues including the interislander ferry, le cafe picton, lochmara lodge, the moutere inn, the mussel inn, and ending in lovely lyttelton to play the wunderbar, the loons and volcano radio. ahhhh, new zealand. so good. the mountains just kept growing, as did my chillier smile (a very warm smile, but cold on the outside!)....and my longing to stay...

so, a big fat thank you (!) goes out to all of the venue owners, hosts, listeners and friends, who made the new zealand tour an incredible success and an amazing life experience. i look forward to seeing you all again soon...in new zealand and awaaaaaay!

warm fuzzy hugs to ya,
f:)


check it out!

-- shows --
- fri - may 29th - 10pm - melbourne - vibe on smith - w/ dan lethbridge and gareth eunson
- sat - june 13th - midnight - melbourne - live on RRR - the party show
- thurs - june 25th - tas tour - republic bar - w/ andrew marshall and gretel templeton
- fri - june 26th - tas tour - alley cat bar - w/ support tba
- sat - june 27th - tasm tour - brookfield vinyard - supporting rosie burgess
- fri - july 4th - adelaide - the singing gallery - "sista's in song" - w/ loren kate
**canadian tour dates - coming soon (including the eaglewood festival - perfferlaw, ontario - aug 28-30 - get your tix now)!!!

---see more upcoming showson faye's website on myspace on facebook

-- videos --
- the cable car sessions (filmed by kev cahill in wellington, nz) - see "pieces", "canvas" and "shouldn't have"(unreleased) on youtube on myspace
- australian red cross - "the power of humanity" - new brand campaign video sneak-peak, featuring "canvas"!! on youtube on myspace
- noise tv interview (melbourne) and CTV interview (christchurch tv, nz) - videos available soon!
**coming up this month - new music video (animated) for "canvas", new live dvd...and whispers of a new album!!!

-- photos --
- new photos! - photots from the nz tour...and more (including crowd shots -- you could be in them!!) on faye's website on myspace on facebook

-- blogs --
- new postings! - find words from the road, random scribbles, tidbits, song lyrics and oh, so much more :) tourblog faye's blog

-- links --
- website - www.fayeblais.com
- myspace - add as a friend! www.myspace.com/fayeblaismusic
- facebook fan page - become a fan! http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6...
- youtube - www.youtube.com/fayeblais
- itunes - both albums "first tooth" and "two pieces" available! - itunes

that's all folkies.
muah.
f:)

..

palmerston north...

palmerston north had a great feel as we drove in. it was extremely quiet….but expected for a tuesday, I suppose. the energy turned rather quickly, though, as we swung by the bar to discover it had been shut-down with all gigs cancelled. quite the unfortunate bit of news to hear following the incredible vibes we’d been graced with in napier….

but such luck led us to a delicious (but freezing!) picnic dinner in the park followed by tea and a jam at monica and sam’s place in wanganui (apparently there are tour-angels there, too!). they were incredible hosts and allowed for a cozy space and many laughs, after such a weird night.

…change is good.

f:)

napier - brazen head ale house

we rolled into napier via roteroua (a town littered with hot springs boiling over into the landscape…very cool…but very stinky!), with an extra night to check out the scene. such a cute little coastal town with great architecture and loads of local wine!

less than an hour into being there, todd ran into an old friend from uni, who he hadn’t seen in years. yet another crazy coincidence. he took us out to a funky little bar and hooked us up with yummy coffee and his restaurant the next day…and a wine tour at church winery…delicious.

the brazen head ale house was a cute little irish pub, who drew a sweet crowd for a Sunday courtyard gig. quite a few local musos and music-lovers strolled in and stuck around for some lovely chats after the show. as it turned out, Steve, a guy we had met the night before, came along with some company and offered to show us his favorite surf spot…which was incredible. we followed him along, us in henry (the tourvan), he and scott in the relaxi taxi (a hippy bus that is literally any traveler’s dreamwheels -- well mine anyway). the bus was decked out with a great sound system, a lazyboy passenger’s seat, a master bedroom and two other bunks, a bathroom/shower and a full kitchen….just off of the lounge room! haha…ah, a home on wheels. We had a mega feast followed by a jam as it rained in this gorgeous little cove surrounded by cliffs and a splendid beach…which we so happily woke up to the next morning….

steve and scott kitted us out with an incredible night of memories and laughs, and insistently sent us off with a tour sponsorship. we could not have been more grateful for the heartwarming hospitality and unbelievably genuine characters of these two fine men.

we all look forward to crossing paths with these phenomenal tour-angels again soon…

f:)

auckland - part deux

kia ora!

picking up the crew from the airport made it all feel real….the start of a new zealand tour. we were all buzzing like mad on our way through the city to feel out auckland, the first stop.

as it turned out an old friend of todd’s works on a fancy jeweler’s yacht and had us climb aboard for a night in luxury. ben and liv…the first of our tour-angels. we laughed and carried on like pirates until the wee hours, when we finally decided to crash in such unstable conditions. waking up to the rolling waves isn’t so delightful the morning after a big one. but we loved it anyway, in absolute disbelief of how amazing this yacht and the night before were….convinced that this start had to mean good things for what was to come in the weeks ahead!

an unforeseen sound issue led us to our second tour-angel: neil. an absolute legend, as far as p.a. sourcing goes -- and just a sheer pleasure to be around. oozing positive energy and lovely things to say, neil hooked us up with a p.a. from music works in auckland and came along to the show. we miss him already!

The café had a warm and cozy, artzy vibe….absolutely my kind of space! the walls were covered in massive photography pieces and other painted canvases. they had an incredible menu and a yummy home-roasted brand of coffee….mmm.

the café was packed by the time we hit the stage…it seemed everyone we had come across over the past few days in auckland had made it down -- the lovely rich, who couched and tour-guided me for my first night in auckland, stanislava from spaceship rentals, who tour-vehicle-sponsored us for our tour, family friends and fellow couch-surfers and other kingsland passerby-ers. great crowd! so receptive and appreciative….and such a pleasure to play to.

we all left the venue super-excited to be here, in nz, doing what we love for people who love it.

ahhhh…this truly is the life.

f:)