We truthfully love you all so much and have had such a great time….can’t wait to see you all again!

Affectionately,

TMO

The show will now be held at The Vat and there will be a shuttle taking folks at Red Deer College to The Vat for the show.
Hope this doesn’t throw any kinds into any of your plans and still looking forward to seeing you all again!  At the Vat…again!

CLICK HERE!

For the first time in 5 years, this September, TMO’s lineup of musicians has changed.  Patrick M’Gonigle, long time friend and fiddler for Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra is moving on.  It is really amazing to think that 5 years have already gone by, and to think about so many shared experiences we have all had together.  It feels like we were just pups when we went to Europe (if you look at pictures of us from that trip, you will see what I speak of), and just like that more than 4 years pass us by.  This parting is an understanding that things always change, and rarely if ever stay the same…though perhaps we want them to.  It is a realization that people have different needs, different desires, and go in different directions (be it musically, spiritually, or geographically).   But most importantly it is the recognition that through these changes, life goes on and it will for all of us.  Patrick M’Gonigle is a highly talented musician and is deeply ensconced in the Boston acoustic music scene, but tells me he is yet to see the BoSox play.

So, Patrick, we love you, we wish you the best for you, and hope you always find what you are looking for.

As a result of this newfound space within TMO, we have had the pleasure of touring with Mr. Jacques Mindreau of both Krasnagorsk and Beautiful Wild Animals.  Touring with Jacques in Eastern Canada and the Northeast United States of America this past October and November was an incredible delight.  His playing is filled with passion, and he has a sense of humour that fits right in with the rest of us.  For our January portion of tour, Jacques is back home in Peru for the first time in many years visiting family and friends and will rejoin TMO in early February for the remainder of tour.

 Photo of Jacques Mindreau by Kayla Conoley

And so, who will be fiddling with TMO in January?  The one and only Mack Jonsson of former Victoria, BC Ain’t Dead Yet fame.  Mack is currently playing with alt-rock group, The Wicks, but is also working relentlessly at being funny with comedy duo, The Hicks.  Mack has a great ear, and a great spirit, and we look forward very much to playing with him and getting to know him this January.

Photo of Mack Jonsson by owlblake

CLICK HERE FOR THE REVIEW

This has been, without a doubt, THE MOST challenging year to date for Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra. We have, yes, toured now every summer for 3-4 months and normally 5-8 months a year all over North America or Europe for the past 5 years. We have produced in that time 4 recordings, of which we are collectively most proud of our most recent recording, Follow my Lead, Lead me to Follow. We have sacrificed personal time, relationships, opportunities, education and even personal health to do what it is we love so much in our hearts. But this, friends, has been the toughest year on record.

Spending most of last year and a good part of 2011 putting the pieces in place to be able to logistically and financially make the record of our dreams, we finally…after nearly one full year completed the production and manufacturing of Follow my Lead, Lead me to Follow. What might be the sentiments of a finished record that we had been dreaming of for so many years; pride, honour, love, joy, sadness (that the process is complete), acceptance.

My number one feeling; relief.

We finally did it, the record exists, and at this point it was all I could have asked for. We put everything into this beast…and asked everything from every person involved; from the $1 – $1000 donations on Indiegogo, through Chandler our former manager, right up to David Travers-Smith who produced the record. Relief that our hard work can now just…exist, be enjoyed and not be dwelled upon evermore as a ‘work-in-progress’ or a hope but an entity that is living and breathing within the world of music.

A joy, I would then say, in that regard and pride in knowing that we finished what we started.

Happy holidays, see you all so soon!

So brave the weather, bring your hearts along and let’s create something special!

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE DATES 

Chandler is an artist, a romantic, a mover, a friend but most importantly a catalyst for art to be experienced.  Chandler runs a not for profit arts society called Ambiguous Arts Festivals Society ( http://www.ambigarts.com/ ).  From the website :

“Since 2004, Ambiguous Arts Festivals Society has stood for maintaining artistic integrity, passion and innovation, and showcasing up and coming artists and performers alongside the established.”

It is in this context that TMO truly got to experience Victoria as its home town and place of community in those formative years.  We will truly miss you, Chandler, and wish nothing but the best for you in your new endeavours and have no doubt that your life will continue to blossom and enrich the lives of everyone you touch.

Love

TMO