John Renaud live at Mr. T's - Friday Dec. 18th - ISGOODMUSIC PRESENTS

I'll be playing ISGOODMUSIC PRESENTS Friday, December 18, 2009 at Mr. T's Bowl.
5621 1/2 Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90042
/ 9:00 PM
/ $5
/ Solo acoustic set.

John Renaud on isgoodradio Thursday Oct. 15

Hey folks. I will be in the studio with Jon Hershfield tomorrow, Thursday Oct. 15th, on http://www.isgoodradio.com We'll be spinning some CD tracks, plus I'll be performing a few acoustic songs live. This all happens at 12:00 noon Pacific Time (3PM for my east coast friends). I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a guest on the show. Tune in!

Santa Cruz, CA / New York City / Burlington, VT

Just got back to Los Angeles a couple days ago after my trips to Vermont and New York City. The weekend prior to those travels I had gone up to play an acoustic gig at Asana Tea House in Santa Cruz, CA.

Santa Cruz was cool, and I actually stayed in Salinas for the night which was considerably cheaper. I think I know where the world's lettuce supply comes from now. Fields and fields of it. And I also learned that John Steinbeck was from Salinas, and snuck in a quick tour of the National Steinbeck center. Pretty cool stuff.

Later that week I was off to my home state of Vermont to visit with family and friends. After a weekend catching up with family, I took a train down to New York City, a good 10 plus hour trip. Sure beets driving though, which I've also done numerous times back before I moved to California (and when my older brother lived in Brooklyn). New York was awesome as always, and I played my first gig there at the upstairs lounge to The Living Room, called Googie's Lounge. Some great Syracuse Alumni friends came out to support me, and there was also a pretty good crowd there that stuck with me throughout my set (including a couple from Torrance, CA who were very excited to learn I live in Redondo Beach).

The next day I flew home to VT (again) with just enough time to eat dinner, plan out my set list, and head down to Burlington for my gig.
I was excited to see so many Vermont friends come out for me, and also my friend Rugrat who before then I basically only knew online. That was really cool. Got to experience the Burlington fireworks that same night in celebration of the 4th, and they never disappoint.

Thanks to everyone in both New York City, and Vermont, for making those two of my most memorable gigs to date. I don't know where its all going, but your support and encouragement means the world to me and gives me hope.

Bridgework on The Web Show Network's "Musician's Spotlight"

Bridgework's interview/performance for The Web Show Network's "Musician's Spotlight" segment is now airing. Go to http://www.thewebshownetwork.com and click on the Musician's Spotlight link.

Bridgework March 2009 update.

Hey folks,

Some recent developments with the bridgework project have changed the scenario for this year considerably. Scott (drummer) has decided to move to Texas, which leaves me back at square one. I'll be doing the solo thing for a while, and hopefully some new bandmates will come along to start bridgework anew. But I've got plenty of work to do on my own for now, so I'll focus on that, and keep you posted.

Thanks,

John Renaud

"World Disappears" One Year Anniversary.

I just happened to realize, while working on our website this evening (early morning), that our EP "World Disappears" is officially turning 1 today, the 26th of February 2009. Man, time sure does fly. I think I'll sit down and listen to the whole thing (all whopping 20 minutes of it), and reflect on 2008 a bit.

Truth be told, 2008 was a tough year. Every artist tearing at the shadows of obscurity knows, especially in todays vast music landscape, that cutting through the static is a battle often laced with doubt and frustration. All you can do is put on a brave face, and hope and pray that the time and effort you've invested will pay off somehow, even if in the most humble of ways; a little validation, a little encouragement to keep braving the elements. It seems that fate was not working in our favor in 2008, as every effort to make this EP known basically fizzled out in a prolonged series of submissions and follow ups that yielded little to no response. Which of course one expects to a certain degree, but in this particular case I seriously began to wonder if there weren't energies blatantly working against me. Stupid, I know. I really tried my best. I thought for sure we'd at least get a spin on Locals Only, or Check One Two, or one of the local college stations. And I was pretty sure we'd get a few reviews out of the various publications and blogs I submitted to. But alas, it wasn't meant to be for this one. We did get one review on razorcake, which was ok. Can't argue with it. And I can't say anything against all of the people I submitted the EP to; I can only imagine the volume of submissions they get on a regular basis, and I'm still hoping that they'll discover our music and hear it the same way I do. But as 2008 dragged on, the lack of response honestly began to get me down. It didn't do much for the morale of the band as whole either. I started to question everything, myself, my abilities, my motivation, my friends, and that anxiety began to surface in some stifling health problems that I'm only now getting over.

Yet in the wake of this hard fought 2008, a simple and uplifting truth resurfaced; a truth that is at the very core of why I (and so many others) make music in the first place. I have to. Its that simple. From the day I began playing guitar music has been the most truthful and meaningful vehicle for expressing myself, my most comforting friend, and I don't think that will ever change. So, ultimately, out of 2008 comes a more refreshing and humble perspective for 2009 and beyond. All I can really do is try my best and enjoy the ride. Focus on the simple purities of why I do what I do. Hopefully some decent music will come out of it, and some doors will open up. I'm grateful for my bandmates, and for our friends and everyone else who has supported us, and continues to support us. I can't wait to put some of our newer songs in the mix and hit the stage again.

As I write this now, listening to "World Disappears" through and through, I can honestly say that I think these songs sound pretty damn good. Not bad for DIY. Its not that I wouldn't change a few things in hindsight, but overall I'm not ashamed to say I am proud of the EP that Scott, Erik, Wes and I made.


John Renaud

March 8, 2009: John Renaud Solo Acoustic Set

Live Lounge @ Air Conditioned Supper Club.

625 Lincoln Blvd.  

Venice, CA  

90291  

7:30 PM  

21+  

$6