"O"vertones - November 2016 Newsletter

Welcome!!!

Hello once again as I welcome the new subscribers to “O”vertones, my monthly newsletter!!! I also welcome the month of November, and the observance of Thanksgiving, as we find ourselves fully entrenched in the autumn season. October provided yet again, another great month of adventures for which I am truly grateful. It was definitely a month filled with more treats than tricks, as it was wonderful to get back to some of my favorite venues, to reconnect with some old friends (it was great to cross paths with my NERFA friend, fellow songwriter Lara Herscovitch and fellow NYS musicians, Driftwood in WV as we all had shows scheduled at the same venue, on the same weekend) in my travels, and to meet a whole lotta folks who became new fans of my music over the course of the month. Particularly during the early part of October at a string of dates that included an incredible house concert hosted by Brian and Blair McCloskey at Folk at Foul Rift House Concerts in NJ, and on to a Saturday/Sunday of well received matinee shows at The Purple Fiddle in Thomas, WV. The journey is definitely the reward!

Here is a link to video from an October 22^nd show at Emmaus Road Café in Lancaster, PA

Kickstarter update …..

Last month, I began the process of signing up for Kickstarter, and started filling in the blanks (reward levels, goals, breakdown of costs, etc…) for what will become the campaign for my next CD, “A Bright Horizon Line”. I must admit – I was gently warned by a couple of my musician friends who have completed successful Kickstarter campaigns, that this would be a lot of hard work, and they were not kidding! While I’m no stranger to working hard on my music career, and have never shied away from a challenge, this is something that is a whole new world for me. I took the suggestion of looking at the pages of a few successful KS campaigns, to see what the goals were, to see how different artists set their reward levels, and for ways to make the campaign interesting to not just the fans of the artist, but to those who follow Kickstarter looking for new artists to support. One thing that stood out in most of the campaigns I reviewed was a professionally produced and edited video. The video aspect introduces the potential donor to the artist, provides some background info, and explains the goals and hopes that a successful campaign can provide the necessary push to not only reaching a new level of artistic achievement, but the hope that in doing so, another level of public visibility for that art is attained as well.

With that said, the next step is to produce a campaign video this month with a friend and award winning, locally based independent film maker, Scott Kurchak. My goal is to have this ready by the end of November, and to also get the Kickstarter page live, up and running by the end of the month. If not by then, definitely December. I have received replies from several people via the newsletter who are excited to see this happen and have already pledged their intention to support this effort. I sincerely apologize for the delay, but I really want to do this correctly, and to make the best album possible for my fans, and as an artist. And as the title of one of my songs that will be on the new CD suggests, “In Its Own Time”…..   The Kickstarter project will be a daunting task added to the daily work of booking dates for next year, upcoming pre-production for the new CD, and playing out the rest of my 2016 dates. But if the Chicago Cubs can manage to win their first World Series in 108 years, I can tackle the tasks of a successful Kickstarter campaign!!!!

Live date schedule and a call to action for my Buffalo area friends!!!!

Each year, as the weather undoubtedly begins to turn for the worse, the radius of my live date and tour schedule gradually shrinks closer to home. Aside from a trip down I-90 to Rochester, and a three day weekend tour that takes me back to various regions of Michigan this month, my shows will, for the most part, be based on the home front for the next two to three months.

I do have one very special show in Buffalo this month that I am extending an invitation to all of the WNY are newsletter subscribers to support. If you attend this one show and do not come to see me perform again until 2017, I will not be upset in any way, shape or form. On Sunday, November 6^th, I will be hosting the second annual “Davey O. & Friends – A Concert to Benefit The Food Bank of WNY”.  At this time of the year, with the season of Thanksgiving and Christmas upon us, need is felt more than ever. Hunger is something that affects 1 out of every 8 Americans (2015 statistics courtesy of www.feedingamerica.org), and while many of us are fortunate to have steady employment, a roof over our heads, and three meals plus snacks on a daily basis, many of us are not as fortunate. For the second consecutive year, I have partnered with The Food Bank of WNY, and The Ninth Ward at Babeville to present this special “in the round” show featuring yours truly alongside three of the area’s best songwriters. Joining me this year will be Savannah King, Tom Stahl, and Sara Elizabeth. Tickets are $15, with $5 from every ticket purchased going directly to The Food Bank of WNY!!! While it might not look like much, consider that every $1 donation to The Food Bank is enough to generate six meals for those in need. The Food Bank of WNY is not limited in its reach to the Buffalo area. In fact, I discovered on a recent tour of their facility that they efficiently distribute it to 329 member agencies throughout Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, and Niagara counties, and their member agencies, in turn, give the food to our hungry neighbors. They additionally operate a variety of programs that fight hunger through nutrition education and the direct distribution of food to our most vulnerable community members. The inaugural 2015 edition of “Davey O. & Friends” raised enough money to generate 600 meals, but I’d like to double or triple that number this year. Since there is no Buffalo Bills game this Sunday, this is a perfect opportunity to support this very worthy cause. The music is secondary to the cause. We are happy to be there, and to perform for an audience. And while it’s always best to perform for a full house, we’d love nothing more than a full house to in turn, generate some full bellies. Pre-sale tickets are available here, and will also be available at the door. Your support for this date is greatly appreciated!

A gentle reminder to always call the venue before leaving for the show to make certain there are no cancellations due to weather, accidents, or other unforeseen circumstances.

I wish you all the best for a Happy Thanksgiving, and hope to see you in my travels soon!!!