Week 137: Making a base in an artistic community

Hi Guys!

I'm going to be jamming with a lot of people this summer. I've got a new headquarters at Betahaus Barcelona in Gracia. I've been exchanging English classes for office space. 

Now I'm jamming with collaborators to work on music projects including a covers band, a duo, RedEyeZack Band for October performances as an electric entity; bass, drums, keyboards, guitars and vocals!!

Here are 2 videos that I have left after losing my YouTube channel:

These Are The Days Of Our Lives from RedEyeZack on Vimeo.


Hold Me from RedEyeZack on Vimeo.

I'll be recording and working on creating more professional content with video and sound. There is even a 3D video project which I will keep you up to date on.

Enjoy the summer! I'll be working on my tan;)

PLJ
Zack aka RedEyeZack

Week 135: Free Gig - Unplugged Acoustic at L'Astrolabi (Gracia)

Hi Guys!

And now for my next gig... Yes, It's free! A tiny place in Gracia. Can probably fit 20-30 people. There is no P.A. system, mics or even an amp, so it will be completely unplugged! It's a chance for me to play in an intimate space and invite some friends to perform some of the songs with me.

RedEyeZack + Friends

Saturday June 15th, 21.00

L'Astrolabi - MARTINEZ DE LA ROSA 14 (GRACIA)

Barcelona, SPAIN

Description:

L'Astrolabi not just a bar of Grace, but what is perhaps the most emblematic in Barcelona songwriters world. For the curious, "Astrolabi" is the name of a navigational instrument used to measure the height of the sun or Polaris. The name serves the pirate props this place has decorating the walls ans ceiling. For 9 years it has been putting on live music concerts daily and watching artists grow as Dani Flaco, El Sobrino del Diablo, DePop ...

A concert party "bareback" every day, every Thursday you can hear "Puentos"; magnificent storytelling duo who use poetry too. Small, cozy and without amplification.

I look forward to meeting you there for an informal evening of original music. Come and have a drink with us, a great excuse to catch up with old friends and invite new ones too.

PLJ

Zack aka RedEyeZack

Week 124: Content Is King & Making Easy Slideshows

Hi Music Lovers!

Well it's been a difficult week with the change of climate and my allergic reaction to the change of season which became a cold, as well as having to visit the dentist twice this last month. Thank you 'Paracetamol & Antihistamine'. As my doctor in Istanbul once said, "If you don't take medication, your flu will last a week... If you take medication it will last 7 days...! But taking it will help you tolerate and work better". Thanks Dr.Birgul!

On the work front, things have been slow but I feel positive opportunities around the corner. I've spent the time resting and studying, preparing a blog and new English courses for the spring and getting ready to take my students to Brighton this summer for English courses.

On the music front, I've made some slideshows for two songs that are not very visible on my website: Sofia's Song and Living a Lie... I'm posting them here for you to get a good look and listen. It's important to create content to give more exposure to songs with visuals. Mainly due to the growing influence of YouTube for discovering new music.

I've also added individual pages that allow you to 'rate this song'. You can also see the Stats of how others rated the song from 5 (I love it!) to 1 (Poor).

I'm looking into 'screen capture' software so I can show you exactly how to make the slideshows in a DIY training video (coming soon). Making slideshows is an easier way of getting a video of a song up on YouTube without the production expense of making a video clip. In future I may have a go at a storyboard of photographic stills using models/props/lighting effects etc... Any of you that would like to collaborate, please send me a email at zackqureshi@gmail.com

It finally took me about 20 minutes to put a slideshow together. The first time I remember it was 2 hours or so! Once you learn the software you intuitively know it's possible to cut and paste repeated actions. So I learned that I could 'highlight/select' all my photos and add an 'effect' to them as a 'batch' and do the same for 'transitions'. The effect I generally use is 'Ease In' It creates a gentle zooming-in effect. The transition I most commonly use is 'Fade' because it is possibly the smoothest transition between photos. There is also an automatic slideshow generator that adds effects and transitions but I will reserve that for more energetic up-tempo songs.

All the slideshows here were made using 'Microsoft movie maker', so when you're happy with your slideshow, just click 'publish' and wait for it to convert the format and generate a version compatible for the web. Then 'upload' to YouTube.

Source

Week 118: Setting up a covers band

Hi Music Lovers!!

This picture was taken in a cocktail bar called 7Sins!!

It's a great place for my first creative video, very glamourous and stylish (coming in the spring). I'm going to perform my own original songs acoustically in small places in Gracia and play with streaming services, so you can watch the gigs live in the comfort of your own armchair. 

Well it's back to work this month (Feb!) Jan was very slow here in Barcelona. The covers band could be good fun but more than this, it's an incentive to practice on set songs. I've been to 2 rehearsal Jams at BAMM. The 1st was a general Jam & the 2nd was a Beatles Hommage. On Feb 15th we have the Pink Floyd night.

I've put my own list of covers together (see below) and I'm planning to name a date in about 2-3 weeks for the session. Let me know which songs you would most like to hear. Finally we have to select 15 from them.

Let me know if you would like to be involved in any way: zackqureshi@gmail.com 

PLJ 

Zack a.k.a. RedEyeZack

Source

Week 115: Seeking Small Venues to Perform In

Hi Music Lovers! On Tuesday Jan 8th, I went to check out a bar in Gracia called 'Alfa‎ Bar'.

C/ Gran De Gràcia, 36. 08012 Barcelona. Tel: 934 15 18 24

The Band Out of Water formed by guitarist Gustavo Aguado (from the BAMM meetup group last week) had a gig and I decided to go and support him while checking out the venue. It was a curious mix of influences with a strong vocal performance coming from their female Jazz style vocalist (reminded me a bit of Alanis Morisett). Los pianistas Ariana Carreras y Toni del Amo y la cantante Itziar Sánchez.

The band members had their own influences with Piano and keyboard players. The venue was a good size to play for 50-80 people. The stage is lifted, so there is a distance between the audience and the performers onstage. I loved the lighting and decor, looks like a really cool place to take pics!

 As you can see, the entrance there is a bar for those who want to chat and the stage is further into the bar. There was a medium to large size mixing desk and engineer on hand.

 It was quite a dazzling looking set, maybe an idea to take live video promotion in future for one of my tracks.Love the old records on the ceiling!

Its been a busy week and I've been to 4 venues. I'm checking out the local music scene and looking for places to play. I'm in the process of also meeting the local music talent and getting to know some great bands.

Gracia seems to be the place that has a lot of small places I could play an intimate set. Informal and laid back. On Friday I decided to get fit again but avoid the gym, so I went dancing! Salsa. In fact there was a Cuban live band "Habana con Kola" Meetup event. It was nice to be able to have a social evening, let off steam and get into the latin rhythm, great fitness solution:))

On Saturday evening I ventured into a bar called L'Astrolabi in Gracia (Carrer Martinez de la Rosa 14, Bcn, Spain). It was a curious place, with a small room at the back for Unplugged performances.

Lidia Uve played unplugged in Gracia. When I say unplugged, I mean really unplugged, no speakers, no microphone, a tiny room with people sitting on the floor at the feet of the artists in the corner of the room. Standing room near the entrance from the bar and seating against the wall. I hadn't seen this since the last home party with my flatmate Moez in Brighton.

Have a great week!

PLJ

Zack a.k.a. RedEyeZack 

TOP 5 PREVIEWS:

Choose your Top 5 from my list of song demos: Previews on Artist website

Week 113: I love feedback!!

Happy New Year All! 

I'm in the UK for Christmas & New year visiting family and friends... awful weather!!

                                      

 In September 2011, I moved to Barcelona to pursue my songwriting more seriously. I'd love your feedback on these demo songs. I've put a selection of 90-second previews together on soundcloud because I think it's enough to get the feel of a song. And... If you're still listening up to the end of the clip then I must have done my job! ;) 

Enter any comments below the song you're playing and please feel free to send me your top 5 songs by email to: redeyezack@gmail.com 

This is really gonna help me decide which songs to record & perform first.

Previews on Artist website

or here:

All the best for a creative and inspiring 2013! 

PLJ (Peace, Love & Joy) 

Zack