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Medusa’s Disco Goes Acoustic: Fruit From a Timeless Planet

Medusa’s Disco Goes Acoustic: No No No Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah!

Maybe you’re old enough or maybe you saw it on YouTube.  Once upon a time MTV played music videos and even hosted a performance series called “Unplugged.”  When grunge rockers Nirvana made their “Unplugged” appearance, lots of people were skeptical…for about half a song.  Somehow the raw, painful beauty of their songs still bored into your heart even though they weren’t blasting your ears.

Such is the trick pulled here by Medusa’s Disco on Fruit From a Timeless Planet, their 2016 acoustic release.  The songs still feel like voices in your head.  They muse on disregard and despair.  The boys still ask big questions about the state of the world, time and space.  The screams and roars have become wails and whispers, calling you to consciousness like some lost band of monks chanting and tripping on Ibogaine.  They pick a line, repeat it, harmonize it and build it up until you’re breathing it as much as hearing it.  “Around here…it’s all so simple…it’s not so simple…no, no, no yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah!” from “Ask the Bird” will have you winking and flying off in one verse.

The intricate rhythms and melodies lend this acoustic set a progressive sensibility.  They don’t have the organs and synthesizers of 70’s era ELP or Yes but they do have ecstatic sitar and violin.  Does anything sound more psychedelic and other-worldly than a sitar?  medusa-acousticFor a young player, Wynton Huddle has a sensual hug on that thing.  And Robin Chambers on violin has long been recognized as a portal to another world.  She’s a special addition to the acoustic edition of MD.  Bees, butterflies and buzzards live in her bow.  Alex Aument on percussion shows a deft touch that belies his years of Muppet-Animal-like explosive nature on drums.  Ty Smith seems freed by going acoustic and styling more on his bass.

The human voice, of course, is the ultimate acoustic instrument.  Hunter Root and Wynton wield their voices like Jedi’s.  You hear and feel every swing of their vocal pipes.  Wails and whispers, screams and roars, mind tricks: they capture your senses and your imagination.  They are vocal pyres that throw a lot of heat.

There’s a complexity and depth to the music beyond the expectations of “…X rock band makes an acoustic album.”  And even with all the bemoaning of lies, liars and promises not kept, they still see promise in the world and reasons to pursue curiosity and enlightenment.  “Don’t wait ‘til you die…to become Divine.”  That is some nourishing Fruit From a Timeless Planet.

Thanks and Shouts for LRB 2016

I gave myself three weeks before writing about Lancaster Roots and Blues.  Just as I work behind the curtain for the festival, I heal and reflect in private.  Someday I’ll tell my stories.  For now I’m enjoying hearing your experiences and seeing your pictures and videos.  In particular, I’d like to thank Dan Gillespie of DGital for sharing hundreds of brilliant action shots that really bring the festival to life again.  You have a peerless eye and a generous heart brother!

I need to thank my stage managers for keeping the artists happy and organized.  You did a remarkable job this year under some challenging circumstances.  I need to thank my lead volunteers and their staffs.  You helped our attendees feel welcome, find their way and enjoy their experience.  You are great hosts and help create the vibe that keeps people smiling all over town.

I saw less music this year than either of the previous years.  It made me really sad.  But I brought more bands to the festival than before and by all accounts they played their asses off!  Thank you: Kaleigh Baker, Sweet Leda, Deb Guy, Sam Baker, Stolen Rhodes, Tractor Jerry and The Mudbucket, Gabe Stillman and the Billtown Giants, Frog Holler, Swampcandy, The O’My’s, Sympathy & the Lion and Shawan and The Wonton.  You are stars to me and I appreciate how hard you worked to make our fans get off!

One of my priorities during the festival is getting all the bands and volunteers fed.  I couldn’t do that without the support of Lancaster’s great restaurant community and their staffs.  Particular thanks must be extended to Carr’s, Commonwealth on Queen, Bistro Barberet & Bakery and Characters Pub who created and served the remarkable food for our VIP receptions.  You made people feel special even as their numbers swelled beyond projections.  The following restaurants helped me feed 300 musicians and 230 volunteers while serving capacity crowds of their own: Fat Pigs, The Pressroom, La Piazza, 551 West, Penn Square Grille, Dispensing Company, Annie Bailey’s, Federal Taphouse, Tellus 360 and Isaac’s Pickle Bar and Deli.  Lancaster is blessed to have you all!

She won’t like it, but I must single out Carrie Binkley our Production Manager.  If Rich is the brain and I’m the hands and feet of this festival, she is nothing less than the skeleton.  She provides the framework and connectivity that enable us to move with purpose and stability.

I hope everyone enjoyed the festival and will continue to support its growth!  I’m not sure how many small cities could host, sustain and grow a festival this big this quickly but Lancaster, you make it look easy.  You are a city authentic with charm, character and vivacity few towns your size could even imagine.  Obviously we are blessed with a lot of great music venues, restaurants and shops but they are just buildings without the remarkable people who run them.  Thank you people of Lancaster!

Stagelights Dim at DipCo

I got some sad news over the weekend.  The Lancaster Dispensing Company has decided to cease staging live music after Thanksgiving 2015.  They have been a live music venue since opening in 1978.  To me, it was the equivalent of having your favorite uncle die.DipCo new

I grew up in the restaurant business.  I know it’s a really tough way to make a living.  You count your inventory by the ounce and your profits by the pennies.  You work every weekend and most holidays.  There are hundreds of laws to comply with and you can’t choose your neighbors.  You are the top of the food chain so everyone else’s costs get passed on to you.

So why did the music have to die?  I can only conjecture on Bradley and Judy’s reasons for making what I’m sure was a very tough decision.  I’m not keen to guess and frankly it’s none of my business.  I was thrilled to have the opportunity to stage eighteen Gigspots Showcases there.  I have two shows left: October 10 and November 14.  I’d be well pleased to see a good crowd!

OneKoast MD's Finest IX mapDipCo has long been the hub of Lancaster’s music scene and it served me as a place to introduce many bands here.  It was a pivotal stop as I would take bands on tour around the region.  Besides getting their first exposure in our crucial Lancaster market, those bands knew they would get guaranteed pay at the end of the night.

There are few guarantees in life and fewer still for musicians and restaurateurs.  Most of those folks count on people coming in the door to cover their expenses and put some bread on their own tables.  Any musician will tell you that nights with a guarantee are what keep the boat afloat.  Any restaurateur will tell you that the only guarantees are that the bills will arrive and that regular customers can make or break you.

I’m not looking to lay blame any more than I’m guessing what motivated DipCo to stop the music.  There are a few facts that I can share.  The cover charge at the door is five dollars on music nights.  It’s been that price for decades.  Every night, I would see 12-20 people turn away at the door rather than pay it.  We all know that there is no place cheaper to eat and drink downtown and the food is great.  What’s the logic in paying $8 for a beer somewhere else when $8 at DipCo gets you a beer and live music all night?  On the other side of that coin: DipCo’s cover charge is $5 but their average sale per customer is nearly $12.  If you drop the cover charge, can you count on that clientele to meet your averages?  Or will six people share the large nachos and a pitcher of water while enjoying the music?  Either way it’s a risk.  And what value do you place on the artists’ work?

The only guaranteed losers in this equation are the musicians.  There is now one less place to play where you will be guaranteed a payout at the end of the night.  There is one less chance for you to reach the Lancaster market and build your following.  I know that’s crucial because so many nights are dependent on people coming through the door.  And yeah, I know that cover charges and hence band pay have been stagnant for thirty years.  It was $5 to see two bands in 1985 and it still is at nearly every venue.

Live, original music is only a small part of what The Lancaster Dispensing Company has given to our city since 1978.  I’ve had hundreds of great meals and memorable nights there.  It’s where I first met many of my favorite people in Lancaster, where I always brought out-of-town visitors and where I always could count on seeing friendly, familiar faces.  That’s not going to change.

bjorn1The Gigspots Spotlight Showcase on October 10 features two of my friends who are musical freaks.  Returning to the area from NOLA will be Bjorn Jacobsen, the Wayfarer himself, bringing savage tales of busking for a living and being a new daddy.  And yeah, all that dark stuff from the past and weird prophesies for the future will boil over too. Clinton Hibshman Opening the night and a whole can of whup-ass on guitars, harp and songs will be Clinton Hibshman.  I don’t waste a lot of words trying to describe him.  I just turn it up and grab a beer.  He embodies everything that happens at my favorite kinds of parties.

Help me make my last two shows at DipCo those kinds of parties.  Let the food, drinks and good times roll!  Have you partied there?  Have you played there?  Let’s celebrate what it’s meant to us all.

It’s A (Road) Dog’s Life

LeoCygnusI’m so American.  When summer comes, I crave the road.  The only show I’m staging in Lancaster this summer is July 10 at 551 West featuring the dynamic Leo & Cygnus from Annapolis.  Maybe you caught them when I had them at DipCo in May?  If you missed them, don’t make that mistake twice.  The show is free but this band’s stock is rising and they’ll likely be playing huge festivals by this time next year. 551 West If you know 551 West, you know to go hungry.  Everybody I’ve taken there now eats there once a week.  551 West King Street in Lancaster PA.  Seriously.

I’m headed to Pittsburgh this weekend but not for The Rolling Stones or Dierks Bentley.  I’m taking my family to visit mom and remember my dad.  He was a great man; I’ll never be half the father he was.  In the wake of another senseless race crime, I realize again what a blessing it was to have a blind gentleman as a father and role model.  He never judged anyone by their appearance; he couldn’t see them.  Of all my miles to cover this summer, this trip to my hometown feels the most important.

OneKoast MD's Finest IX mapBetween Monday 6/22 and 6/29, I’ll visit venues in York, Harrisburg, State College, Millheim, Williamsport, Bloomsburg, Wilkes-Barre, Philly, Wilmington DE and western Maryland.  As I recruit bands for my fall showcases in Lancaster, I’ll be making arrangements for these venues to catch the bands on their way to/from my shows.  And I’ll love every mile and every stop.  Draw a circle around Lancaster and lines to these cities and you’ll see we are the hub in a big wheel of culture and fun.

Bullfrog5After a week in Denver, CO I’ll be staging my two biggest events of the summer: four days of hosting bands at Bullfrog Brewery in Williamsport and some of my favorite revelers (and bands) at Loyalstock.  That’s when I trade my Subaru for an inner tube and my smart phone for fireflies.  If you can make it to Billtown July 9-12, find me at the Frog for Stolen Rhodes, Lavacave and Medusa’s Disco (acousticlamor)!  It may be the only four days this summer when I’ll be holding relatively still… in my moving and grooving way.

chameleon10thTwo things before I dash: Happy 30th Anniversary to Chameleon Club in Lancaster, PA and to its founder Rich Ruoff!  In June of 1985 he opened the door on Christian St.  In February of 1988 I attended my first Blues Festival there and realized Lancaster was where I was going to put down roots.  I never imagined then that thirty years later, I’d be working for Rich and Lancaster Roots and Blues, A Festival of Music.

Congratulations to the completely amazing Angela Sheik, whose submission video for an NPR Tiny Desk Concert contest landed her an interview and feature on NPR Weekend Edition this Sunday 6/21! angela npr

Thank you Rich and thank you Lancaster for being a hub that rolls smooth after all the miles.

Sulk or Burn?

I’ve been filling my rainy day with various Gigspotter tasks: uploading videos, contacting agents, reading the blogs and the latest Fly Magazine.  Were you at Tellus 360 for the tribute to the Radiohead album The Bends three weeks ago? bends tribute All twelve of the artists performed one of the album cuts and then a few originals.  Angela Sheik nailed it for me this morning.  Her performance of “Sulk” was singular and remarkable and I hope Radiohead hears it.  Hearing it today gave me the juice to care not a whit for the weather’s plans.  Seeing the joy and verve she threw into that performance reminded me why I started Gigspots and why it fascinates me every day.  Thank you bands and especially Dani Mari for orchestrating the night!  I’m not worthy!

Browsing 298 Recommended Pages and Notifications on Facebook lead me to a blog on The Key called “Philly Music 101: How to Book a Show at a Philly Venue.”  It was filled with sound advice and some notable quotes.  One of my favorites was by Christianna LaBuz of World Café Live.  Christianna La Buz: “It’s nice to be important, but it’s important to be nice. It’s a pretty small industry and everyone knows each other, so don’t talk smack. Stick around for the bands playing after you. Be kind to your openers; you never know, you could be opening for them someday. Treat your sound engineers with respect – it’s a thankless job and they can easily make you sound like garbage. Tip your bartenders well – they talk to more people at the venue than anyone and it’s just the right thing to do.”

The Key blogger, Sarah Hughes, made some keen points around the quotes she got from LaBuz, Chris Ward from Johnny Brenda’s, Jesse Lundy for Point Entertainment, Yusuf Muhammad for Vintage Freshman and Sean Agnew from R5 (quoted below).  If your band wants to play Philly (or anywhere), I suggest you follow the link and read the whole blog.

So – you got your gig. What now? Performers might think that the only thing next is showing up at the right address on the right day without missing a band member, but there are some things that you can do in the meantime to show that you are adamant and grateful for the slot you got. Making a solid impression with show bookers can create an important relationship in the industry. A good place to start is with promoting the show on your end, and not just leaving it up to the venue. Promoters like it when a band is excited about their performance and getting people out to see them. Agnew talked about how this will start you off on a good note for venues:

You will quickly become every club’s favorite band if you hustle and get folks out for the show. You’ll definitely get invited back and then quickly rise to the top of the list for when we can add local bands to bigger shows.

Everybody wants to draw a crowd.  If this was middle school, all you’d have to do is yell, “Fight!”  We’re over that now.  But you need to fight to succeed in life and pursuing your art is a noble fight.  Radiohead does it.  Angela Sheik and Dani Mari do it.  The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were bar bands once.  Of course there’s a competitive element to landing a gig at the place and time that works for you.  But we’re all in this together.  One of the best things I heard that night at Tellus 360 (besides the bands pouring their hearts out in tribute) was all the musicians saying how great it was to be there together.

By Radiohead

You bite through the big wall, the big wall bites back
You just sit there and sulk, sit there and bawl
You are so pretty when you’re on your knees
Disinfected, eager to please

Sometimes you sulk, sometimes you burn
God rest your soul
When the loving comes and we’ve already gone
Just like your dad, you’ll never change

Each time it comes it eats me alive
I try to behave but it eats me alive

Medusa’s Disco Forked Tongue Fables is The Truth!

The madcap dervishes of Medusa’s Disco released Forked Tongue Fables in January 2015.  It follows the fall 2014 release of their live ep Live at Max J. Variety Show which helped brand the young band with the weird name and frantic fans.  There’s no pussy-footing around here.  Forked Tongue Fables shows the band at top speed, top down and torching the underbrush as they pass.medusasdisco

The songs vary between trippy visions, wry observations and flip-offs to the status quo. Business or pleasure, seduction or stupidity: you hear these guys having some laughs in every song.  With the energy they bring, we should all be glad they have a sense of humor.  Otherwise, all the stupid stuff that bugs them on a daily basis could be the reason they lay waste to us all.  With their music: they are otherwise unarmed!

The opening song, “Medusa’s Disco,” presents temptations, seductions and sell-outs in a helter-skelter world where you can’t tell what’s real.  It’s a common theme on the album and songs like “Faceplant Attitude,” “Filling in the Blanks,” “Life Caused Cancer” and “Freezer Burnt” make it clear that bull-shitters need not apply.  They see life as weird enough without anyone needing to pose for it.

Other songs like “Nova,” “Cellophane Snake” and “Disease Was Written on the Sidewalk” take a snapshot of life and paint a psychedelic inside joke.  The nine-minute plus “Beautiful Creature” goes in many directions: some serious, some psychotic.  With only two of eleven songs clocking in at less than four minutes, it’s obvious that Medusa’s Disco has plenty to say and are ready to play.  What they’re really singing about is anybody’s guess.  They take satire and humor very seriously.

What does Medusa’s Disco sound like?  They are loud and heavy, as when Sabbath and Zeppelin were called “heavy metal.”  They can be fast and furious in the way of Green Day and Foo Fighters.  They play weird chords and scream like Nirvana and Soundgarden.  But none of these comparisons really capture the originality of their sound.  20150219_192547_resizedWynton and Hunter, the two guitars and two distinct voices out front, are unlike anything I’ve heard before.  If the Everly Brothers had been born in the 90’s, and raised on the bands listed above, and lived on coffee and Slim Jim’s, you might get two voices like theirs.  Tyler on bass and Alex on drums are the motor of this finely-tuned ride and when they step on it, hold on.

Get Forked Tongue Fables by Medusa’s Disco now.  Prime yourself for a show.  Then go leap around and laugh your head off with the band and their ever-growing fan base.  Unless you’re a “Dead Man:” then you’ll be watching them every night!  Get Forked Tongue Fables now at!

Spring With Me

Did “spring ahead” mess you up?  You’re not alone if losing an hour to daylight savings time wrecked you.  And then it snowed on the first day of spring.  Did you cry foul?  I know it’s been a long, cold winter.  Just listen to all those birds outside your window.  Shake it off.  Spring is here.  I’m planting some seeds right now that will bring a fine harvest for bands and fans of live music.

I have a few more showcases scheduled in Lancaster for April and May.  Then the map zooms out.  The Gigspots Spotlight Showcase is going on the road!  I’ll be taking central PA bands out to visit all those fine bands I brought to town over the last two years.  You’ll get a chance to play at some new venues for some new audiences.  They’ll be ready and waiting; they’ve heard all about you since they sent their hometown heroes to Lancaster to open for you.  You will be music ambassadors for central PA.

OneKoast MD's Finest IX mapWhere are we going? “From Pittsburgh to Philly, from the Poconos to the Potomac” isn’t just one of Gigspots’ slogans.  I have built a loop of client venues where you can play nearly every night of the week.  We can crash with all those bands that spent the night on my couches.  Or maybe like me you have friends all across the state who say, “Why don’t you ever visit?”  I’ll bet you know somebody along I-80 or I-70.

That’s just how it worked out with Working Breed when they drove from Pittsburgh to play shows for me in Manayunk and Lancaster.  They had friends and family in West Chester who attended both shows and gave them lodging.  Venues like it when you bring 10-12 people to a show on your first visit.  Working Breed played two shows and got three future gigs out of it.

DSCF0251I’m going off the grid March 23-28 for a retreat in the mountains.  When I get back, tour planning begins in earnest.  If your band has a profile on, take this week to update it with your latest pics, videos, links and shows.  I’ll be cleaning house of bands that don’t do their homework and picking the bands that look road-worthy.  Don’t forget that you can ALWAYS post your info, events and fun stuff on my Gigspots Facebook page.  It’s your bulletin board too and it keeps you on the radar of me and my audience.  Ask the bands I’ve taken on tour if that’s worth it.

Lancaster Roots and Blues: Year Two in Review

My feet have stopped throbbing and my phone has stopped ringing.  The post-partum depression has subsided and my showcase at DipCo tonight will resolve the rest.  Yep, I’m back to being Sammy Gigspots just seven days after wrapping up a colossal Lancaster Roots and Blues festival.  Come set a spell at Lancaster Dispensing Company tonight 2/14 for Danny Whitecotton solo and The Plate Scrapers, a jammin’ bunch of bluegrass fellas from Cumberland, MD.plate scrapers

I’ll begin my review with thank-you’s.  Thank you Rich Ruoff: for giving me the opportunity to serve as your Director of Operations for this fantastic event.  Thank you to the bands and venues for working so hard to make sure everyone was having a blast and finding that buzz.  Thank you to the volunteers who made this festival run smoothly and our guests feel welcome.  Every stop I made, I walked into a venue packed with happy people.  Feel proud of yourselves.  You earned it.

The public response to LRB 2015 has been overwhelmingly positive.  We made the newspapers eight days in a row.  Our social media accounts continue to explode.  The photos and videos are pouring in and our post-event survey again shows that over 90% of attendees plan absolutely to return for 2016.  Two things people say we improved on from year one: our Shuttle Bus service and our availability of credit card readers.  Many people enjoyed riding the shuttle and being able to purchase tickets/merch with their plastic.

Those credit card readers were both a blessing and a curse.  It made life easier for our customers but it left us low on the ready cash you need to pay traveling bands living payday to payday.  Something that disappointed me personally was the lack of foot-traffic at our Food Truck Court.  Our survey results from 2014 included many requests for food trucks and I worked hard to line up some quality food smack dab in the middle of the festival.  We even made it a shuttle bus stop but people passed it by.

Our three new venues were fantastic additions.  Everyone had high praise for Lancaster Dispensing Company, Trust Performing Arts Center and The Elks Lodge.   They have all asked to be part of the festival again next year and they all earned our respect.  They all have my vote!

What about the music?  Well, I didn’t get to see much.  I started my Friday at The Trust so I could introduce the first act of the night, Grand Ole’ Ditch.  I love their sound and my goodness that’s a beautiful room!  I introduced Sweet Leda at The Elks at 9:10 and stuck around for two songs.  They are great friends and one of my favorite bands on the planet.  It thrilled me to see The Elks filled with happy people like I remember it always being for Music Fridays.  I introduced The Freeway Revival at 10:30 at Federal Taphouse.  I love their blend of country, blues and rock.  And wow does that place get fun as the night gets late!  I closed my night by introducing Second Hand Suits at DipCo at midnight.  Only my badge got me inside; the place was at capacity most of both nights.  I had my only beer of the night there as I caught up to the pack of twelve family members I had roaming the festival.  The music, the crowd, the moment and that beer were glorious.  Then I went back to work till about 2:30.

I saw even less music Saturday night.  I saw Dana Fuchs melt a Chameleon Club filled to capacity: one song from stage right.  I saw Iris DeMent for one song: from beside the sound board.  I did get to drive her to and from the Marriott and Ware Center and we chatted a bit.  She’s a lovely, regular person and had several questions about Lancaster, our festival and my Subaru.  She has a daughter approaching driving age.  I got to witness some of the late-night bluegrass jam at Tellus 360 and have a beer with my daughter who was hanging tough for a second night.  She said she was proud of me and that was enough music to my ears.

Then it was time to clear Freedom Hall of cars, sound, lights, everything for the gymnastics competition loading in at 8am Sunday morning.  I caught a couple hours of sleep then drove home the first carload of stuff.  I went back to finish loading out the backstage office and by 11am I was headed home with the last of it.

I visited with my out-of-town guests a bit and got some immediate feedback, mostly positive.  Friends tell you the whole truth and I love them for it.  They couldn’t stop smiling, laughing and bringing up moments from the weekend.  We had only seen each other in passing.  They all declared it a success and an improvement on year one.  That was all I needed to hear.  I hit the showers and caught about 16 hours sleep.  Monday was pretty lazy too.

By Tuesday I was back on the job.  Yes, there will be a Lancaster Roots and Blues 2016 and yes we will continue to improve.  Thank you all for your encouragement and support.  You are why Lancaster comes first in our name.

Life, Death and Hyperbole

Life, Death and Hyperbole

I have faced plenty of deaths and tragedies in my life.  When death came to school, I always used to tell my students, “Death is a big part of life.  Save it for last.  Do everything else first.”  I taught the tragedies of Shakespeare and they always boiled down to a great person’s life ending because of a fatal flaw in character.  Pride, greed, avarice, jealousy: these emotions rob you of life and blind your vision of what makes life worth living.  I have lost four great people in my life in the last forty days.  They weren’t Macbeth or Othello or Lear but they were great to me: fine, humble, honest, loving people.  I will miss them and honor them by following their examples and owning my life.  “To be or not to be” is not the only question.  Better to start with the 5w’s: who, what, where, when and why.  Be in the present.

Triphazard living in the moment!

Triphazard living in the moment!

I’m feeling fully alive and activated right now, if a bit over-stimulated!  I built more great connections and memories in September and loved my opportunity to tour manage for Triphazard.  I’m booking tours on the Gigspots circuit and my showcases at DipCo.  I’m writing bios and album reviews for regional bands.  I’m sponsoring a rock festival in Wilmington and a simulcast charity concert from Charlotte.  I’m hired again to be Director of Operations for Lancaster Roots and Blues and it’s a thrill a minute.  I want to stand on Tellus’ roof and scream about all the great music and good times coming to Lancaster and the mid-Atlantic region.

But should you believe the hype? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Just because I say something’s great doesn’t make it so for everyone.  So let me try to quantify and qualify “great” with regard to music, performance and life.  When I say, “It’s a beauty,” what do I mean?

To me, the beauty value of a song or performance is in direct relation to how alive it makes me feel.  Physical manifestations may include toe-tapping and range through swaying to dancing.  I may hum.  I may sing along.  Regarding thought: does this performance make me curious and/or capture my attention?  Is it unique, familiar or a marriage of the two?  Can I identify with the story or idea being presented?  Life is measured in motion.  Can you put my body and my mind in motion?

Move my mind and body and you release my soul.  That’s where imagination and emotion live.  Your performance sparks my memories and/or desires.  My pains, my dreams, my secrets and my joys are animated by your melody or lyrics.  You become the soundtrack for the banquet in my head where your angels and demons meet mine.  Or you’re a nice distraction in the grocery store.  La-di-da, I need cereal.

Motion, thought, imagination: those are my criteria.  To what degree does a performance make me move, think and feel?  Genuine music moves you; it’s as biological as a heartbeat.  People are naturally curious too but humans mostly want to hear about themselves and familiar experiences.  Food, comfort, company: that’s what we like.  And not having those things makes us cry out from birth.  A great song reawakens those moments in life, beautiful or brutal, when you were totally in the present. Whether it was that perfect first kiss, watching that person walk away or just your imagination, great music takes you there.  And live music is better.  And America’s music takes me there: folk, jazz and the blues.  If you start there, I’ll likely follow a while.Queen2

So stand back while I crank up the hype machine!  The pride I take in facilitating these performances is based in humility, honesty and love for life.  Come celebrate humanity before the dust is all settled!

100 More Tickets or The Ten Percent Rule

I’m in a weird flux position as I blog today.  No, it’s not a yoga thing. Triphazard Group Pic (1) I just finished a ten-day tour with the Liverpool, UK band Triphazard as their tour manager, roadie, chef and driver.  I’m about to reprise my role as Director of Operations for Lancaster Roots and Blues in pedal-to-the-metal mode.  I’m between tides.  These intense labors of love both thrill and exhaust me.  I couldn’t feel luckier than to have had these experiences.  Like all passionate loves, they make you feel lucky, invincible and vulnerable at the same time.  You discover you’re defenseless against whom or what empowers you.

I wrote a blog in October 2013 titled “Tour Life: Woe or WHOA!” and I reread it before beginning today’s piece.  I’m happy to say it stood up to the road test with Triphazard last week.  I’m unsure if they had read it but I must state that this trio earned all my respect for work ethic, energy, professionalism and fun-factor.  They played five powerful shows and obviously poured their hearts into every beat.  They were pure joy to work with, live with and watch perform for ten straight days.  They became the benchmark for all future bands taking a lap on the Gigspots circuit.  BANDS: please see blog above.

My only regret of the tour is not putting more money in their hands.  Two of our shows were “door shows;” the bands earn a percentage of ticket sales.  Two of our shows were “guarantees;” the bands get paid a pre-negotiated fee whether the audience is 200 or 20.  Ironically, our biggest guarantee show had the smallest audience and our “hot ticket” shows had lukewarm sales at best.  My goal for Triphazard and the other bands who joined us on the tour was to put at least $200 in their pockets after each show.  For the two ticketed shows, a three-way split of ticket sales equaled $80 per band.  That sucks.  These were great shows in great rooms; ask anyone who was there.  Each band sold some merch and got offers of future gigs, radio play and other potential support after their sets.  But they walked out those nights with gas money and a snack at Sheetz covered.

I first heard the phrase “100 more tickets” and learned about the 10% rule at a festival this summer.  The promoter told me his goal for ticket sales was 2,000 over two days.  Tickets were $60 for a two-day pass, of which he lost $10 to taxes and fees.  He had to sell 900 tickets just to cover grounds rental and sound/stage production.  Another 150 would have to sell to cover promotion/advertising costs and 150 more to pay for porta-potties and an EMT crew on stand-by (required by law).  That means 1,200 tickets at $50 would have just covered his $60,000 expenditure.  Did you notice I have yet to mention any compensation for the bands here?  Most played it to be there, to be seen, to network and to celebrate the season, the place and the amazing musical family they’ve become.  But all expect “…fair compensation from any profits earned.”  I promise that every band played their asses off and a great time was had by all.

Ticket sales this year were around 1,100.  Even with sponsorship money and a percentage of the food vendors’ take that meant our heroic promoter and over 70 bands earned nothing.  As we were starting the immense clean-up efforts Sunday morning and I asked about the turnout numbers, he said, “100 more tickets.  If we’d have sold 100 more tickets, everybody could have had a little something and I’d have covered costs.  If it was 200 more, or 10% of my target, everybody would have got a fair amount and I’d have seed money for next year.” All I could think was that if every band had sold two more tickets, 140 more, everyone would have gotten paid and next year would start on secure footing.  And it was all brought home to me that 90% of ticket sales at concerts and festivals go to cover costs.  If that promoter had guaranteed even $100 to those 70 bands, that plus only the costs I named above would have been $67,000 against his gross of $55,000.   I guarantee he had tons of other expenses and I have yet to mention any compensation for his time.  He spends over four months organizing this event.  It’s not a hobby.  This guy works like a machine about 350 days a year and it’s clear his bands love him.

What if my tour had sold 100 more tickets: say fifty each for the “door shows?”  That’s an extra $350 Friday and $500 Saturday to be split which meant the payouts those nights would have been $196 and $246 respectively per band.  Not $80.  These were venues that hold 200-300 people quite comfortably.

I apologize if all this talk of numbers and money bored you.  But I just watched a band I truly love work their asses off for ten days at great costs to themselves and barely cover living expenses.  And when people ask me about Gigspots, their second question is always, “So, how do you make money doing that?”  Here’s the short answer: from you.  You have to buy a ticket to a show or a t-shirt.  You have to buy advertising, management, agent or writing services from me or become a sponsor of my events.  I’m in the entertainment business.

Your short answer: “Everybody wants my money.  Why should you get it?”  Fair enough.  Not everyone finds music, art, cuisine and travel entertaining or worth more than the lowest common denominator.  There are a lot of comfy couches and big screen televisions and frozen pizzas out there and I enjoy them occasionally myself.  It’s the great irony of Gigspots; I use social media to tell you to turn it off and go see a show.  Those 900 videos on my YouTube channel aren’t a substitute for a show.  They’re meant to show you what you’re missing or to help you recapture that night at the show.

Queen4If William Shakespeare couldn’t sell tickets, you might never have heard of him.  He might have starved to death or gone off to work in the mills.  People still read the plays but not nearly the numbers of people who still buy tickets 400 years later to witness and feel the timelessness of live performance.  I’m no Shakespeare.  But you never know; the band I’m encouraging you to see might be the next Beatles.

For instance, my monthly showcases at DipCo don’t cover costs until I sell 80 tickets.  There are 100+ seats.  If you’ve been there on a night where the band and seating are tight, you know what a joyous, transcendent night it can become.  Ten percent of breaking even is eight tickets.  I have an amazing season planned and you’re invited. Appearing October 11: Lovers League with a guest set by Bjorn Jacobsen!


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Yard Sale Finds

A few highlights from this weekend:
More milk glass.  (I don't remember exactly how much, maybe $3?)

A pink Reader's Digest book and a little apothecary jar (like the two I got a few weeks ago but a little smaller.)  $.25 for each.

A cute metal decorative box and an old tea tin.  Not sure what I'll do with them, but I like them!  $2 each.  (A little steep, but I like them!)

A huge serving platter with a really cool detail around the outside.  $1.

And this little guy.  Vintage yellow metal lamp.  $1.  Saw it and fell in love.  It's a little quirky, but it's just so darn cute.  It was begging to come home with me and live in our nursery!

Hope ya'll had a great time yard sale-ing!

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Sarah @ Dream In Domestic said... Best Blogger Tips

Great finds - love the lamp especially! I can't wait to go garage saling!

McVal said... Best Blogger Tips

I haven't had extra cash to garage sale with lately... darn.
The city wide one is coming up in a few weeks, so I'm going to try and go saling for that one!

Ashley @ Decorating Obsessed said... Best Blogger Tips

As usual, great finds!

Amanda @ Serenity Now said... Best Blogger Tips

You always have the best finds!! So impressive, especially that neat serving platter. :)

Devonay@LumpkinAndMe said... Best Blogger Tips

Thanks so much for sharing! My Mom and Dad used to have a green lamp that was incredibly similar to your yellow lamp. My Mom has been gone for a few years now, and I treasure every little surprise memory!

Suzanne said... Best Blogger Tips

I love every single one of your finds. Each is so unique. Lucky you!

Miss Debbie said... Best Blogger Tips

In the past,I went to yard sales often, but I don't remember seeing pretty things like you find. Maybe I should give it another try. Our daughter just got engaged and she will be decorating a condo soon.That might be a fun thing for us to do together... looking for treasures!

Katie said... Best Blogger Tips

That cake platter is awesome!!

Pam @ bibbidi-bobbidi-beautiful said... Best Blogger Tips

Love that lamp! Too cute!

Laura said... Best Blogger Tips

This love is so adorable. What a great find!

I'm hosting a "Saturday is Crafty Day" party on April 24th and I'd love it if you stopped by!

Junkie Gems said... Best Blogger Tips

I have the match to that yellow lamp. I bought it along time ago at a garage sale for I think a $1.00. I love it too.

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Thanks for stopping by! I appreciate all your comments and love reading each one!

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Marisa Bruno

Apply to Ironhack Miami as a pair and get $1000 EACH towards your tuition

Two weeks ago, the Ironhack Miami team read’s blog post titled “We Hired a Pair of Junior Developers: Here’s What Happened.”

In the post, Andrew Homeyer of talks about how hard it is to hire the right junior talent. New hires need to have the right technical aptitude and the right attitude. Someone who collaborates well is more likely to become a “competent contributor.”

So, the team decided to hire a pair of developers, rather than 1 or 2 developers individually. In this way, the company benefits from hiring two developers that already know how to work effectively as a team, and the pair benefits from working alongside a friend.

And we think that’s an AWESOME idea.

At Ironhack, we take students with little to no programming experience and help them land jobs as Jr. Web Developers and Jr. UX/UI Designers. In our individual interviews, we get a sense for cultural fit and passion, and in our technical interviews, we test for aptitude.

BUT, we’ve never figured out a way to test for ability to work in a team. And, in the world of web development and UX/UI design, that is HUGE! In your jobs at a startup or a bigger corporation, you have to be able to work alongside other developers and designers to get a job done.

Similarly, teamwork and collaboration is super important at Ironhack. First, we do a lot of pair programming and team projects, so you have to be able to work well with others. Second, a student that is willing to help his classmates when they are stuck and takes feedback graciously is SO valuable in small classrooms like ours (especially given the intensity of our courses).

So, we’re taking inspiration from and trying something different…

For the months of April and May, we are inviting interested students to apply to Ironhack as a PAIR!!  Your partner should be someone who’s worked on a group project with you and can vet for your ability to collaborate and be a team player.

If you are both accepted into the program, we’ll give you EACH $1000 to put towards the cost of your tuition! And all you have to do is apply together.

So, find a buddy and hop to it!

For questions about this initiative, email


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Tuesday, November 22

3 Key Elements of Successful Pitching

By Vivian Conroy @VivWrites

Part of the How They Do It Series

Pitching a novel can be a terrifying experience, but if you prepare before you pitch, you not only settle the nerves, but increase your chances of success. Please help me welcome Vivian Conroy to the podium today, to share her thoughts on pitching a novel series.

Hooked on mystery since she read her first Agatha Christie at thirteen, Vivian Conroy writes the Lady Alkmene Callender 1920s' mysteries for an imprint of HarperCollins. Book 1, A PROPOSAL TO DIE FOR -- described by reviewers as 'a cross between Downton Abbey and Miss Marple' and 'an exciting, humorous and fabulously witty voyage'-- was released on September 19 and is available through Amazon,, Kobo, Ibooks, and Google Play.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Take it away Vivian...

When the editor called me to offer me a 3-book deal for my Lady Alkmene Callender 1920s' mystery series, she told me that after reading a sentence or two she already knew this book was something she'd want to buy. I had submitted to a special call by the publisher for books opening with a proposal. That was it. Open with a proposal and the rest is up to you.

All I knew for sure was that I needed to send a pitch letter, a first chapter and a synopsis.

Writers will often find themselves in that same position. You are submitting to a contest, including pages with a query to an agent, or sending in requested work after a conference pitch. You need a pitch letter, a sample of your manuscript and a synopsis. Established authors sell on proposal which is also a pitch, sample and synopsis. Each element in this package serves specific purposes in convincing the editor or agent that you understand your genre and your craft. By focusing on those functions as you prepare the material, you increase your chances of selling the proposed book or even book series.

1. The Pitch Letter

The special call I responded to asked for books starting with a proposal so I knew the concept of proposal had to play an important part in the submission. So first thing to do is ask yourself: what is the publisher looking for within this line or imprint or, in case of an agent, how does my book fit what the agent represents or has asked for in a wishlist? A romance publisher will like to see romantic hooks or tropes like secret baby, marriage of convenience or amnesia. A mystery publisher will like to see key mystery elements such as an evocative setting, characters the reader will relate to and root for, plus series potential.

In all cases your title is extremely important to convey that first impression of concept. It has to fit what works in your genre. For cozy mystery titles are often a pun, a sort of funny reference to the murderous situation. A Proposal To Die For did just that for me.

In the pitch letter you also show you understand your genre by your short pitch. For me that was: 'a fun mystery with series potential, in the vein of Christie, Sayers and Wentworth, about a titled heroine with an unladylike interest in fast-acting poisons and unnatural death, who meets her match in a determined reporter.'

It shows off the main characters, the setting and sets the tone I also use in the book.

Your pitch letter can also state how you see your book fitting in the publisher's offer or the agent's list, to show you have researched the publisher or agent and believe your work is a good match for them.

2. Sample of the Manuscript

The chapter or sample pages have to show off voice and writing skills. Here you introduce the editor or agent to your world and characters. Avoid the pitfall of giving a ton of backstory. Instead start with action and trust that reader will be curious about the rest and follow along. My opening started with a line of dialogue (the proposal asked for) that Lady Alkmene overhears. Immediately her curiosity is piqued and she moves in to hear more. I didn't explain at all that we are at a party, who Lady Alkmene is, or why she is there. I thrust the reader into the action: a few whispered words, curiosity on Alkmene's part and off we go onto a path that will lead to murder and her acquaintance with her sleuthing partner Jake Dubois.

Although we don't get to know a whole lot about Alkmene in the opening scene (we do learn her father is traveling, but not whereto or why), we do see those character traits that will aid her in sleuthing: curiosity, fascination with human psychology and a need for adventure, a deep desire to exchange the everyday for something mysterious and spectacular. All other things can be added in later.

3. Synopsis

Each editor and agent has a different preference so some read the synopsis before sample pages, others after. Either way, the synopsis has to show you have enough plot for a whole book and you stay true to genre. In a cozy mystery you can't have a serial killer leaving dead bodies everywhere or the protagonists fleeing in a stolen helicopter. So check your synopsis for the key elements a publisher or agent wants to see for your genre and for any items that might not be a good fit or might cause doubt (for instance don't spend a lot of time on characters that only appear once or twice to avoid the idea they are too dominant).

Although a synopsis is generally regarded as descriptive, you can infuse voice by word choice. Again this has to be appropriate for your genre.

And if you get the opportunity, like me, to explain it's a series and pitch sequels, convey the overall series feel and spend a sentence or two, three on the sequels. Just to give a taste of what you want to do. In my case I focused on:
a. the various settings (book 1 is in London, book 2 on a country manor, book 3 on an excavation site in Cornwall)
b. basic plot (for book 2: to clear a cat burglar of murder charge, Lady Alkmene must infiltrate a household where everybody has a secret)
c. atmosphere/flavor. The latter depends mainly on word choice again: make it appropriate for your genre and voice.
If your pitch package is successful, you will be asked for more material or - if you are established - you can even sell on this proposal alone. Conveying your book's concept and scope in an engaging manner is a skill you will be able to use throughout your career. So hone it!

About A Proposal to Die For

When a wealthy art collector dies, Lady Alkmene suspects his recently recovered heir, beautiful American actress Evelyn Steinbeck, of involvement in the death. But she is not the only one thinking it was murder: reporter Jake Dubois, just in from Paris where he covered crime, is also on the case. Jake doesn't believe a lady like Alkmene can investigate, but he has to admit her contacts can get him into places he himself has no access to. On her part Alkmene must acknowledge Jake is a lot more street savvy than she is. Together this unlikely duo follow a trail of clues to uncover a dark secret hidden away in the marshes of Dartmoor.

Book 2, DIAMONDS OF DEATH, about stolen stones and family secrets, released on October 17, while book 3, DEADLY TREASURES, released on November 21.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

1 comment:

  1. Congratulations on your three-book deal, and thanks for the advice. I always learn something useful when I visit here.


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Friday, February 8, 2013

It Doesn't Get Better Than (Healthy) Chocolate

A reason for living
If you believe that the four major food groups are milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffle, we really understand each other. But believe it or not, chocolate can be good for you.

Dark chocolate containing 72% cocoa solids or more, is best enjoyed when it hasn’t been treated with alkali... a standard process called Dutching, which destroys most of cocoa's beneficial polyphenols and anti-oxidants. Then there’s milk chocolate, which should be avoided (if you got the guts.) It’s high in calories, saturated fat and sugar. Dark chocolate contains more cacao and less sugar.

A 2006 John Hopkins study showed that eating a little bit every day is good for your health. Here are some of the health benefits associated with eating chocolate.

  • Cacao helps the body process nitric oxide, a compound for healthy blood flow and blood pressure.
  •  It contains antibacterial agents that fight tooth decay.
  • The polyphenol content of cocoa solids exceeds that of all common foods, including tea, berries, or grapes. Polyphenols such as Catechins and procyanidins, appear to support artery function and promote healthy blood fat and clotting profiles.
  • The stearic acid from cocoa butter contained in many healthy chocolate bars, has no known adverse effects on blood cholesterol profiles. Cocoa butter also contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat that raises good cholesterol.
  • Chocolate also contains phenylethylamine (a mild mood elevator) and flavanoids that keep blood vessels elastic.
  • Studies show that eating a little bit of chocolate once a week can reduce your risk of stroke by 25 to 45 percent.
  • Cocoa is natural a source of minerals like copper, it’s an antioxidant as potent as green tea, and protects against heart disease and helps relieve stress.
  • Chocolate increases serotonin production and releases endorphins. It contains phenylethylamine, the same chemical that is released in the brain when we fall in love. Hmm…
Chocolate is a $60 billion global industry today. The average American consumes 12 pounds of chocolate per year. (58 million pounds are sold around Valentine's Day alone.) And the Swiss, Austrians, Germans, Irish, British, Norwegians, Danes, Belgians, Swedes and Australians all eat more than we do.

Mesoamericans first cultivated cacao beans more than three thousand years ago. The Mayans made it into a sacred drink, offered it in tribute to kings, and placed it in the tombs of the nobility so they could savor it in the afterlife.

By the time Columbus arrived, cacao beans were traded as a commodity. Today the world produces over three million tons of cacao beans a year. But the cocoa crop requires a long rainy season and deep rich soil within twenty degrees of the equator. It requires high humidity, constant pruning, and protection against pests so do your best to buy organic. Vital Choice offers a delicious, dark organic chocolate with 80% cocoa yet you would never know it as it is far from bitter.

There are psychological benefits to chocolate too. Chocolate increases serotonin production and releases endorphins. It contains phenylethylamine, the same chemical that is released in the brain when we fall in love. Eating chocolate gives many people a natural "high," feeling (comes as a surprise, doesn’t it?)

Chocolate is often the final touch of elegance at the end of a good meal - or a special treat to be savored. Ever been to a hotel and enjoyed their “turn down service?” If you’re finding it difficult to fold back the covers on your bed, perhaps you shouldn’t be traveling without your nanny but really, most people request this “service” for the little chocolates they place on your pillow.

Premium chocolate is only slightly less nuanced than fine wine. It's recognized by its aroma, strength, and balance of taste sensations and interesting textures. It is a reminder to slow down, look, smell, taste, and take your time. But some of the more “pedestrian” chocolates can be every bit as good. Life would NOT be the same without my M&M’s, for example.
Chocolate is something we all associate with our childhood and with happiness. It provides a feeling of well-being. It has clear health benefits. It doesn't just taste good. It helps you live longer (trust me, it’s the ultimate de-stressor.) No wonder women find it only slightly less vital than oxygen.

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Casual Westin Jersey City Wedding

This wedding was quite a fun evening! The Winter day was cold and windy, but the warmth and hospitality of the Westin Jersey City paired with the joy and happiness between these two warmed everyone. After weeks of traditional cultural celebrations, this celebration was their own. There was a causal vibe, but it was still overflowing with excitement and love. The ceremony featured family and close friends reading blessings and poems for the couple before they exchanged their own vows and rings. Afterward, savory aromas of delicious Indian food filled the ballrooms as everyone dined and toasted the couple. Dancing and games followed throughout the night as everyone laughed and partied the night away.

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Venue: Westin Jersey City

Newly Engaged? Here's what you need to know about hiring a photographer.

Cue the excitement! You’re engaged! You’ve finally found The One and you’re ready to put down roots and commit to eachother. It’s a beautiful thing, but the next few months to year(s) can be quite confusing as far as planning goes. Thankfully, you’ve landed here and I can at least help you out with the photography aspect of things!

First things first: pick a general style that you like.

There are TONS of photographers out there to photograph your wedding. In my area of Washington D.C., we’re talking 10,000+ options. So it’s important to start narrowing them down by their style. As you look around you’ll see a few major differences. I’ve summarized them in three categories, however, there are many subsets and nuances. Here’s what I view as the biggest differentiating factors:

  • The “dramatic photographers”. They use lots of artificial light. They have deep shadows, bright brights, colors are exciting and vibrant. Posing is dramatic and often obvious.
  • The “natural light”/”film look” photographers. Often these photographer have work that is bright and soft with muted highlights and shadows. The photos don’t typically have a ton of contrast and they usually have slightly desaturated colors.
  • The “photojournalistic” photographer. Often these photographers run a middle ground between the “dramatic”  and the “natural light”. Their colors and contrats remain fairly unexaggerated (in either direction), and their posing and positioning of subjects is also fairly middle ground. While they do pose their clients, they tend to pose them in more natural poses (those that you might end up in with your spouse if no one were looking). They also tend to use a mix of nautural light and artificial light depending on the situation they’re photographing in.

Here at Lovesome Photography, I would categorize myself under the “photojournalistic” photographer however, I prefer to say “photojournalist inspired” photographer. True photojournalism requires a 100% hands off approach to documenting the day, which is pretty limiting. That means to be a true photojournalist, I can’t reach in and fix your veil or dress train to look more visually pleasing. It means I can’t move your wedding table details around to get the best shot and it certainly means I can’t direct the posing between you and your partner. To me, strict photojournalism is unrealistic. However, I enjoy using it as inspiration to remain as authentic to the spirit of the event and your personalities as possible.

Next: Pick several you like & check into their reviews.

With so many photographers out there, once you have a feel of the style you like and have seen many that fall into that style, I recommend you pick around 10 to look at more closely. Make a document on your computer that contains the names & website links. Some wedding planning sites offer tools to help store potential vendor picks, just keep in mind that not every vendor advertises on every site (you have no idea how expensive it is to even have a listing on some sites!) so it might make sense to have this document on your computer first. At least during the narrowing down stage.

When you have a narrowed down list, go ahead and search for reviews on your photographer. Planning sites like specialize in review gathering. Vendors can’t alter or discard reviews so you can trust that the feedback you’re seeing is as straight from the horse’s mouth as you can get. Currently, Lovesome has over 50 reviews on WeddingWire and more on TheKnot.  Remember to look beyond the star ratings and read the text. Sometimes clients will do weird things like give a vendor 4 out of 5 stars for the value category but then gush about how that vendor went “above and beyond the call of duty” in their review (which makes absolutely no sense if you ask me)!

Next: Reach out.

Once you’ve gotten a better sense of a photographer whose style you like and has gotten the kind of feedback you’re looking for in a vendor, it’s time to reach out and check availability and pricing basics. I say pricing basics because many photographers offer a range of options with or without customization. Just because their base package may be over your budget doesn’t mean that they don’t offer a customized option that could fit. It never hurts to ask. The worst someone can say is no.

I suggest starting with no more than 5, or it can get overwhelming. Here’s a tip: photographers love details in inquiries! Our jobs encompass a LOT during the course of a wedding day, so the more we know about your event, the more accurately we can give you an idea on pricing. Here at Lovesome, I have some basic sets of pricing, however, no two weddings are the same! What works perfectly for some is absolutely nothing like what another may want or need. Therefore, I am always more than happy to suggest we schedule a meeting so we can talk about how we can tailor coverage to your needs.

Next: Breathe through the sticker shock.

Probably the most common criticism I hear about wedding photography is the pricing. One of the biggest reasons photography is a large ticket item is because of the amount of work it requires not just on the day of the wedding, but the weeks and months before and after. I average around 70 hours of work per wedding all said and done. This includes my time responding to your emails, doing your consultation, shooting your engagement session, planning logistics for your wedding day, meeting with you and your other vendors about timelines, coordinating with your other vendors for logistics on the day of, shooting your wedding, editing your photos, archiving your photos, submitting your photos for publication, making your albums, uploading and maintaining your private website of photos, handling orders, distributing photos to all your other vendors who want a piece of the action. Not to mention we still have to run a business, pay our taxes & payroll, do marketing & advertising, and pay a pretty penny for even the least expensive piece of photographic equipment. Simply put, the cost of mainting and running a successful photography business stretches far beyond what couples typically think of.

Here at Lovesome Photography I try to take an approach to pricing that encompasses a wide range of budgets. We believe everyone deserves spectacular photography on their wedding day. It makes me cry to hear horror stories of people hiring a budget photographer, or a college student who is just learning, and then they get horrible photos back (or sometimes, no photos at all)! It’s just heartbreaking. To try and combat this, we have a 3 hour minimum on our hourly package rate which comes to $1,500. This ensures that even on a tight budget, someone can have us out for 3 hours which could easily cover a ceremony, a portrait session, and a few imporant reception events like the first dance or cake cutting if the client is willing to arrange their timeline to accomodate it. It’s a bare bones approach, but it’s better than paying $500 to someone who is not invested into a business with their name on it or to pay for someone who is learning on your dime.

On the splurge end of the priceline, we offer a Luxury Collection for $5,200 that covers everything from an engagment session with an album to 8 hours on wedding day, multiple photographers, a USB of all the photos, an album of the wedding, and a print credit. It’s a great option for people who are diehard photography lovers and want to ensure everything about this unique and remarkable time in your lives is capture and preserved for generations to come.

Generally, a typical Lovesome client ends up inbetween the two extremes, but it’s a great example of illustrating how we’re able to accomodate a wide range of budgets based on what your most important needs and wants are. If you’re interested in our full price list, please email me!

Almost Done: Get face to face if you can.

After you’ve picked a style, narrowed down price and availablity, and breathed through the sticker shock, it’s time to set a face to face meeting. Guys, I truly feel this is exceptionally important!!! Your wedding photographer will be with you FAR longer than ANY other vendor of the wedding. Even if you have a wedding planner, a planner is done after the wedding and the photographer’s job is only half done with wedding day. It’s crucial that you actually LIKE your photographer. If you can’t feel comfortable around your photographer, how are you supposed to look happy and comfortable in your photos?! You can’t. If your photographer can’t get to know you, how are they supposed to be able to weave your personality into your photos?! They can’t. There must be a baseline of trust and comfort in the photographer/client and client/photographer relationship in order to produce something harmonious and beautiful.

I recommend starting with no more than 2 or 3 face to face meetings. You don’t want to oversaturate yourself with information. You’ll know pretty quickly if the photographer you meet with will be a good match for you. Conversation will come easily. You’ll be excited by the photos and products you see at their studio. You’ll get a sense for if the photographer “gets” you by how well they are willing to listen and collaborate.

In your meetings don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions. Don’t be afraid to be open about budget concerns if you have them. Let the photographer know if you  have any challenging situations (or people) on your wedding day and see what they say about how they’ll handle it. Talk contracts. A good and reputable photographer should be able to provide adequate answers to all those reasonable concerns without an issue. At Lovesome, I LOVE when clients “information dump” on me. The more I have to work with the more I can give back to them. As someone myself, who refuses to make a decision without every teeny question answered, I appreciate that!

Last Step: HIRE THEM!

When you’ve gone through everything, had a great meeting, and they’ve answered all of your questions, do not wait! Hire them! There’s nothing worse than finding someone you really like and for whatever reason, waiting to book them, only to find out you missed your opportunity and someon else has snuck in there and taken your date. Wedding photography is a finite thing. All of them happening on one of the 52 Saturdays in a year, and MOST of them happening in the 25 Saturdays between May and October. Trust me, if I could clone myself, I would, but I can’t be in more than one wedding at once and I refuse to book more than one in a day. When you find the one you like, move on it.

If you’d like more information on Lovesome Photography, or to schedule a consultation in my Leesburg studio, please contact me. I would love to work with you!

Megan & Matt's Historic Hilltop Wedding

Megan and Matt are two of the most loving people I’ve ever met! Their fun and kind spirits are infections and it’s impossible to not see just how much their friends and family love them. To start their day off they rented a castle house (seriously, it has a turret!) from Air BnB for both of them to get ready and have their private first look. After that we headed to their entirely unique venue, Patapsco Female Institute. They chose to have a casual ceremony (lead by their ordained friends who just happened to be the couple responsible for getting the two of them together!) on the steps of the ground’s ruins as their loved ones gathered around. The evening continued with dinner and dancing under the stars as everyone laughed and smiled the night away. It was a perfect day!

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Venue: Patapsco Female Institute

Amelia & Kris's Intimate Engagement at Oatlands

I’ve known Amelia since high school and could not have been happier that she called me right after she got engaged so that I could take their photos for them. They even drove down from Pittsburgh, PA to Virginia in order to have their session at the gorgeous Oatlands plantation. It was my first time really getting to know Kris and I couldn’t have been happier with the match. Their silliness and youthful hearts complement each other perfectly and their joy and love overflow when they’re near each other. Check out their photos below especially the ones with her gorgeous vintage style engagement ring!

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Venue: Oatlands Historic House and Gardens

Angela and Brad's Romantic Vineyard Wedding

I just love low key, romantic weddings. Angela and Brad picked a beautiful new venue, Faithbrooke Barn and Vineyards, to celebrate their vows and it couldn’t have been more fun and filled with love. Angela’s uncle married the two under an arbor overlooking the vines and the celebration carried on into the stunning new barn made just for events. The bridal party was full of enthusiastic members who insisted on tossing our bride in the air for good luck. The food was great & the speeches sweet & heartfelt before I was able to scoop up the couple for some beautiful sunset photos with the Blue Ridge Mountains behind them. After that, I was in awe of how many people at this wedding could cut a rug! The dancing was nonstop, save for a brief song where Brad and his brothers serenaded Angela with an amazing rendition of Righteous Brothers “That Loving Feeling”.

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Venue - Faithbrooke Barn and Vineyards

Getting ready/Accomodations - Mimslyn Inn

Linens - Everything Linen


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Bread Bar Grand Opening

Photo: Stephen Smith
It's one of those times when I wish I could be everywhere at once. The BREAD Bar Grand Opening this weekend was packed with a full Colorado Maker lineup. BREAD Bar is also home to Dram Apothecary, a Colorado based company that hand-crafts bitters and herbal teas "from wild Colorado herbs and pair them with exotic organic barks, berries, flowers and roots." I would have loved sipping on a few cocktails with these fine folks.

Photo: Stephen Smith
Shae Whitney, Amy Tremper, Stephen Smith
Photo: Stephen Smith

The BREAD Bar is located in the historic ghost town of Silver Plume, Colorado and offers apothecary cocktails, craft brews, and local distilleries.
Check out the BREAD Bar on Facebook
 and visit
 DRAM Apothecary on their website
Facebook + Instagram

Stay tuned for a full post on DRAM soon!


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Mrs. G’s 2018 July 4th Grill & Appliance Super Sale

June 19, 2018

Mrs. G’s July 4th Grill & Appliance Super Sale is going on from June 20th – July 7th, 2018. Now that summer is here it’s the perfect time to save on a new grill or appliances with some of the lowest appliance prices of the summer. Save with special holiday pricing and rebates from brands [...]

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Mrs G’s 2018 Mega Memorial Day Sale

May 17, 2018

Kick off your start of summer with huge savings on appliances and grills during Mrs. G’s Mega Memorial Day Sale from 5/17 – 6/6/18. Our Memorial Day sale is always the perfect time to purchase that new grill for your summer cookouts or save big on kitchen appliances and laundry as well with special holiday [...]

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Mrs. G’s 2018 Presidents’ Day Super Sale Is Here

February 12, 2018

Mrs. G’s 2018 Presidents Day Sale is here and we have amazing appliance deals going on from 2/12 – 2/28/18. Presidents Day has turned into the Black Friday of February with some of the lowest prices and best deals and rebates of the year. Ranges, refrigerators, dishwashers, microwaves, washers, dryers and more can all be [...]

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Mrs. G’s 2017 Black Friday Month Sale

October 31, 2017

Mrs. G’s biggest sale of the year is here and this year is even bigger than ever! The Mrs. G 2017 Black Friday Month Sale is all month long, from 11/1 – 11/29! Save with the lowest holiday pricing of the year plus amazing rebates from brands like GE, Frigidaire, Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, LG and [...]

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Mrs. G’s Columbus Day Sale 2017

September 28, 2017

Fall is here and so is Mrs. G’s first sale of the season. Mrs. G’s Columbus Day Sale is going on from 9/28 – 10/18/17. Note, all Whirlpool brand deals, including Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, and Amana, begin October 5th – October 18th. Save on kitchen appliances, washers and dryers, 4 piece kitchen packages and more [...]

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Mrs. G’s BIG 2017 Labor Day Appliance Sale

August 23, 2017

Mrs. G’s BIG 2017 Labor Day Sale is here! Save with special pricing and rebates during our Labor Day sale from 8/23 thru 9/13/17. Labor Day signals the unofficial end of summer, but it also signals the start of our last big sale of the summer. Save on all your appliance needs, including ranges, refrigerators, [...]

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Mrs. G Is So Smart! How Smart Home Technology Can Enhance Your Home

August 17, 2017

We live in an age where people are connected like never before, and each new advancement in technology brings us closer to what’s important to us. Here at Mrs. G Appliances, we appreciate the value of smart technology, and strive to provide our customers with many ways to make Life Better. As a family-owned business, [...]

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How to Clean Your Dryer Lint Filter

August 10, 2017

Many of us have heard that failing to remove the lint from your dryer’s lint trap poses a fire hazard. Hopefully, between each load of freshly dried laundry, you’re pulling out the little mesh screen and peeling the thin layer of lint off the filter. Making this a regular practice not only helps keep your [...]

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Top 3 Dishwashers Under $600

July 18, 2013

Are you in the market for a new dishwasher but don’t want to spend too much? There are many dishwashers available at various price ranges, depending on your needs and what you are willing to pay. As a result, it can be confusing to sift through all the options and find the right one. We [...]

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2012 July 4th Sale at Mrs. G TV & Appliances

June 21, 2012

Summer has officially started and the 4th of July is right around the corner, which means it is time for the July 4th Sale. The Mrs. G TV & Appliances 2012 July 4th Sale starts early with deals beginning June 21st, and lasts through July 8th. During this sale, we are giving you a chance [...]

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IDoR 2016 Cake Competition: VOTE for the winner!

Over the last few years we have seen more and more people getting into the spirit of the International Day of Radiology (IDoR), holding parties and get-togethers around the world. In the photographs of these celebrations there is often a delicious looking cake, so this year we decided to encourage this as much as possible by launching the IDoR Cake Competition, with a grand prize of free registration for the European Congress of Radiology 2017, along with two nights hotel accommodation.

We received lots of submissions, but below is our jury’s selection of the most original and creative entries. Please vote for your favourite – the cake with the most votes at 12:00 (CET) on November 16 will be our winner!

Please note: unfortunately, two cakes had to be disqualified due to fraudulent voting.

Be Sociable, Share!

48 Responses to : IDoR 2016 Cake Competition: VOTE for the winner!

  1. Santi says:

  2. Kay Perrill says:

    Susan coyle cake

  3. Zoraida says:

    La mejor torta es el del Dr Sergio Daniel Franco!

  4. Kayperrill says:

    Susan coyle cake

  5. Mary says:

    Pokemon and R-man the best!!!!!

  6. Charlotte curley says:

    I love Susan coyles MRI cake I think it’s really original and fun.

  7. Laura coylr says:

    Susan Coyle MRI cake

  8. Amel says:

    @dapurbudokter cake from radiology fkui

  9. Wisnu onadi says:

    Sukses buat radiologh

  10. Ariel says:

    torta elegante y artístico de Indonesia, me gusta

  11. yani says:

  12. yani says:

    @dapurbudokter cake

  13. ferdynand zaron says:

    @dapurbudok is the best yeaahh

  14. ferdynand zaron says:

    Vote for @dapurbudok cake from fkui is the best

  15. mary flynn says:

    I really like Susan’s cake-very original idea. I bet it tastes as good as it looks!
    Definitely my favourite.

  16. ALdi Semanta says:

    Please vote for @dapurbudokter ‘s from Indonesia

  17. Ray says:

    Susan’s cake – it’s the best!!

  18. PashA says:

    Very like Ukrainian R-Man cake! Please, vote for it!!!!

  19. Mary says:

    @k_dushkevich, we love you, your cake is cool!!!

  20. Andre says:

    Speaking honestly, all cakes are not very good… But the one where Pokémon look like at least on homemade

  21. Rita Susiana says:

    @dapurbudokter cake

  22. Rita Susiana says:

    @dappurbudokter cake

  23. Dina budiono says:

    Be the winner inshaallah….

  24. Sri muryati says:

    Is the best

  25. Sri wahjudiati says:

    Yourcake…….The best

  26. Safira says:

    Dapurbudokter cake

  27. Andrya says:

    Vote for @dapurbudokter cake……best for you….

  28. linda says:

  29. nadhien says:

    Go Indonesia…love the cake

  30. Aulia Pranandrari says:

    I really like @dapurbudokter’s cake. Not only good in look but delicious too

  31. Vonny janthy torar says:

  32. says:

    Dapurbudokter is the best

  33. Miranda says:

    @dapurbudok looks very professional… baked by doctors or baker??? Great decoration. Well done!!! Love it ❤❤❤

  34. Vonny janthy torar says:

    Nice cake,I love it

  35. hendrik widjaja says:

  36. lita says:

    Salut utk dokter yg pintar.. termasuk bikin kue

  37. dr. Aldi Semanta Sirath says:

    Vote for @dapurbudokter cake……best for you….

  38. dea says:

    weird competition ever …

  39. Adrian Picado says:

    Too bad there are disqualified cakes… This was a strange contest, next time better choose the better looking cake.

  40. yustie amelia says:

    Why cake from @dapurbudokter disqualified? The cake already spread spirit of IDoR in my country, and most popular cake in this competition.
    Why in the end of the competition , you disqualified it?

    A lot of people here ask about ESR credibility

    • ESR Office says:

      Two cakes have been disqualified due to voting fraud. We receive a lot of information about every vote that is cast, and it is clear from this data that there was cheating involved with regard to both of these entries.

  41. Rosalinda Ayamore says:

    Terms and conditions not clearly mentioned before.
    Next time, please be more truthfull. Thanks for the unclear disqualifying process.

  42. idha Cahyani says:

    Nice & delicious

  43. Superb initiative! So who is the winner then? I can of course count the votes today (22nd November) but I don’t know which cake had the most votes on November 16th? Stacy Harter’s cake?
    Could we get the permission to dedicate a page in the magazine of the Flemish Radiographer Society (if so, who to mention – of course we would mention the websites of IDoR and ESR – and who’s permission to ask)? Belgium could do with some extra promotion of IDoR (of course we promoted this on our website and facebook and with free membership for all students who registered that day). Best regards, Stephanie Bogaert, president VMBv (Flemish Radiographers Society)

    • ESR Office says:

      Yes, the winner was Stacy Harter’s. The vote closed on Nov 16, so the numbers you can see are the final standings. We will send you an email about the page in your society’s magazine – sounds great!

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