My last blog entry was in September!

Hi Bloggy friends
I'm sorry for not writing for something like 6 months, I didn't have anything exciting to say that I thought was appropriate for the internet hahaha! Being a musician is really stressful, that's the actual truth. It's unfortunetly not about making the music at all, not in my experience anyway....
It's all about the drama of who is trying to screw you over the least, go play there, and continue paying your rent. I do (fortunetly) get to make my own music somewhere in between, and perform that to people and they tend to enjoy it, but it doesn't really take care of any of the bigger bills I have to pay. I don't understand how other musicians play music and don't have that little bit of heavenly sanity squeezed in between there somewhere... the originals are always what reminds me that I actually do love this.
Well being on stage usually is enough to remind me why I'm doing it, but not all the time. There really is alot of not-on-stage-crap that I have to try and forget hahaha!

But I'm excited about the next little adventure so that inspired me to blog about it. Having some kind of show that I'm super excited about helps with the pulling-out-your-hair drama off stage as well ; )
We take off tomorrow for Banff to play a valentines day show (as well as a random wednesday night show!) at The Rose and Crown in Banff. We've never played in Banff so it's exciting, we don't know what to expect, we prepared so many new songs to impress our new Banff friends! The next night (thursday feb 16) we're still out and about, we play the Canmore Hotel (obviously in Canmore) and we've also never played there!!!! Then the next night we're in Red Deer at Local's pub, which has been good to the Tiff Hall band for alittle while now, but still exciting, we love being in red deer, it's always been fun. So I borrowed my mom's camera so I can take pics and videos of us doing stupid band things and I plan on sharing it with all my inter-web friends! If you're in the area come out, cause these are the shows that make me forget about why it sucks to be a musician and reminds me why it fucking rocks to be a musician!
heart tiff

Mr. Noodle

Guess what? I'm busy enough these days that that's all I have in my pantry, but I'm busy enough that I can afford to buy real food. I DON'T buy real food because I'm sleeping, 'cause I've been playing so much, and cause I get up and start getting ready to play somewhere else. Or teach, or host karoake or whatever it is I have to do these days. Also, I was in B.C. enjoying the sunshine and doggies and nephews.
But now that you know about my sensible diet and my busy, busy nights, I'll tell you about some thoughts I had about a conversation I had last night.
So I'm minding my own business, playing "Diva Night" at Overtime in Sherwood Park, and of course, on Diva Night, the place is filled with drunk dudes heckling me, and I, in return am heckling them right back, but less drunk and more witty. This kind man comes to my rescue with a fistful of twenties (as in twenty dollar bill y'all) and I'm suddenly a hundred dollars richer. And alot more willing to play Bon Jovi to the screaming idiots in the front row. I get off stage and thank him and his friend and we start talking and they ask "so what are you still doing here?" as in the same line from Piano Man, I'm so good what am I doing playing in bars still? Well I don't know if you guys know this or not, but everybody I know is super fucking talented and they're not rich and famous yet either, even though every woman I have worked with in the last 3 years or so ALL sing better than Katie Perry, Taylor Swift, or any other rich and famous lady "musician" you've probably ever watched on MTV. Other than Adele, she's sincerely talented.

Anyway, I took it in stride and told them that it takes work and time and blah blah blah but my brain's going back through other times when someone has said "you're so lucky" "you're so gifted" "what are you still doing here?" and I want to tell them hey, try walking into this very fucking bar, telling them you sing and ask them to pay you as much money as I get paid, and as often as I play, and suddenly you'll find yourself knowing all the songs I know, all the training I've had, know all the talented contacts I have, and your band will suddenly be formed and they'll magically know all the songs that you've recorded on your past two albums, and you'll suddenly have all the experience that I've gained in the last 3 years. I'm not LUCKY, I've worked hard to get here! And I can say that I pay my rent with music, so what if it's in a bar? What's wrong with this bar anyway?
I didn't say all that to them, but I graciously accepted the (slightly too spicey) ceasar they offered to buy me, and got paid, and went home, and got up and have the rest of the day to do whatever I want to. Which is to tell you about my diva night.

Thanks for supporting me friendlys! And thanks for not heckling me when I'm on stage, even though I'd probably say worse things right back to you, get fired, and wasted, and have to find other ways to pay my stupid phone bill.
heart tiff

Love and other musical schmoopy stuff

Not gross kinds of love, love like when a puppy walks by and you get all "Oh my god! A puppy! schmoopyloopywoopyoopy!" kind of gross stuff. So not too bad unless you're crazy about dogs like I am.

I think I like music again! I say this with a sly little eyebrow raise. It feels good! I got to do alot of things musically that I liked, that pushed the musical end of it rather than the gotta-make-rent-and-get-these-shit-heads-drunk-to-make-ANY-money-let-alone-rent kinda music stuff. Maybe it doesn't hurt that theres a possibility one of my nemisis's (nemisi...? whatevs grammar geeks, I can play the fucking piano) is actually leaving town!
Have I told you about my nemisis? (somehow make that plural, I have more than one) Kyle told me I have let too much anger and hate into my heart and that I'm on the path towards the darkside. (starwars. What? You live under a rock or something?) I'm Anakin Skywalker. Not quite darthvader, because I'm not evil, just heading there. I can't help it. I don't like these people and Kyle (or you for that matter) can't make me. So poo on you.
Either way, one of them is leaving, and it lets all this love and rays of sunshine and puppies and singing cupids into my heart, which I guess counteracts the hate and scary darkside stuff. So maybe I'm cured?
I just have to get rid of everyone I don't like, and crush their careers (don't worry, it's no one you like either so I'm not robbing you of good music) and take over the world.
Actually that's probably how the whole MuthaFuckin Famous Campaign started.
Dunno. Can't remember. Got too drunk this weekend.


Make sure you're checking out www.Tiffhall.com for my gig dates! There are ALOT this summer! (woot! make money money make money monaaaay!)
heart tiff