Video Series

Well, opening for Ashley MacIsaac was a hoot! Great guy, very down to earth, and generous with his time. He insisted we play a song together. It was a privilege to share the stage with him. I sang Fare Thee Well, Love, as a tribute to the Rankin Family, and Ashley and his band mates really brought the song to life. It was hard to maintain my composure, because I almost always perform alone. To be joined by other players, especially world renowned ones, at the top of their game, was intimidating and inspiring.

Most memorable moment? I was just about to go on, and was obviously very nervous to play for my biggest audience yet.  Ashley, in an attempt to help me relax, shared a story with me. (he tells a lot of stories, all of which are very entertaining).  The first line of the story? "This one time, when I was opening for Johnny Cash..."
I love that he thought a story like that would make me feel better. Of course, I was so busy holy shitting the fact that I was about to open for someone that opened for Johnny Cash, that I missed most of the details..

I am very excited about the release of the Heritage Tour Video Series!
When I was putting the tour together, I thought it would be nice to do a video of a performance at each venue. I met with Damon Cox, of Instead Cinema in Stanstead. He is a filmmaker, and is associated with the Centre des Arts de Stanstead. He agreed it would be a worthwhile project to support the Arts in the Townships, and to promote our cultural institutions.

I chose a song that I felt would suit each venue. There is only one song from my album, Matthew Mccully and the Matter of Principle. The other four are new songs, that I hope you enjoy.
I am very proud of the work that was done.

The Piggery-King to a Sparrow, featuring Kate Morrison
Brome County Historical Society-The Fishes
Wales Home-The Fold
Uplands Museum-Ohio
Haskell Free Library-Weights and Pulleys

Up Next

The Heritage tour is over. At least, the Townships leg of it. I really enjoyed the intimate settings, and the opportunity to connect with the audience. I will take some time now to find other interesting places to play, and polish up material for the new album.

Up next? I have the privilege of opening for Ashley MacIsaac on Friday, Oct 19 at Centennial Theatre here in Lennoxville. First time on the stage at Centennial, and first time opening for an internationally recognized performer. I look forward to it, and to seeing him perform. I'm sure I will learn a lot!

Brome County Historical Society Old Courthouse

The first show of the Townships Heritage Tour was a great success. The Piggery is a wonderful venue , and sharing the stage with Kate Morrison was a real honor.

Now, on to Knowlton, to the Old Courthouse at the Brome County Historical Society.  The building was constructed between 1858-1859. The room is complete with the Judges bench and witness stand. I have no doubt the energy will be electric in a room with that much history.

I will share the stage with Sarah Biggs. Sarah and I go way back as far as high school, though we didn't actually meet until CEGEP. I had just started guitar lessons, and I had my guitar with me in the pub on campus in between classes. Sarah walked over to me, barefoot, and said I should bring my guitar outside and jam with everyone. Of course, I refused, because I was totally intimidated. But I did poke my head out the door to have a listen. I remember Sarah played Blackbird, by the Beatles, with a speed and effortlessness that was unimaginable to me. I left immediately-and went home-and started learning Blackbird.

Years later we met again, here in the Townships, having traveled similar paths to Vancouver and back, and both working hard on our music. Sarah recently completed her third album, Surface Tension, and it is truly beautiful.

We had some time to rehearse, so the show will have somewhat of an open door policy, where she is welcome to join in my songs, and I will join in playing some of hers.

I look forward to reviving the Old Courthouse for a night of music, and I hope to see some familiar faces in the crowd to share this unique experience.

The Old Courthouse in Knowlton,  at  15 St. Paul, corner Lakeside. The show will begin at 8pm. If you would like more information about the show, call 450-243-6782 or 819-580-0964

Piggery Theatre, North Hatley

I should be asleep right now, but instead,  I am running through my set list in my head, and preparing for the first show of the Townships Heritage Tour.
Spoiler alert if you are coming to the show!!! I have decided, at the last minute, to add a song as a tribute to Raylene Rankin, an important member of the Canadian music community, who will be missed.
I will sing Fare thee Well. the last time I sang that song was at my brother's wedding, fourteen years ago, in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. I hope anyone familiar with the tune will sing along.

I saw a band play the Piggery years ago, and have wanted to get onto their stage ever since.  The converted barn has been hosting plays, concerts, and a variety of other performances for fourty-five years. When I began planning the heritage tour, I knew the Piggery would be one of the venues. It is on a quiet country road, a few minutes outside of North Hatley, on a hill, surrounded by beautiful views on all sides.

I am very excited to be joined by Kate Morrison, a very talented singer songwriter living here in the Townships. She has a powerful voice, and a warm presence that i'm sure will fill the room and enchant the audience.
"Inspired by everyday life experiences, but not so ordinary subjects, Kate’s song-writing takes us on a
unique journey of intimacy, humour and humanity. Her latest album, ‘’Kiss The Sky’’, is decorated
with contemporary and traditional instrumentation that supports her strong lyrics, already full of
dimension." (from her website, www.katemorrison.ca)

We will perform in a song circle format, where I play three songs, and she follows with three songs... We will also perform some material together. It is a privilege to share the stage with her.

The show will be Thursday, October 4, at 8pm at The Piggery Theatre  215 Chemin Simard,  North Hatley 
Phone 819-842-2431 to reserve tickets

Hreitage Tour Info

I just wanted to quickly mention that anyone with questions about the Heritage Tour is welcome to email me at info@matthewmccully.ca or call 819-580-0964 for details about venues and start times.

Townships Heritage Music Tour

I had a wonderful time on the Gaspe.  the tour was a great success, the people were very supportive, and I look forward to heading back next year. The fur baby met her first porcupine and was wise enough to keep her distance. My co-pilot and photographer, Jessica Renehan, received her masters in tarping, and I got my badge for fire-starting in the rain!

Now on to the next leg of the Heritage Music Tour.

I am busy rehearsing with my guest performers, and polishing some new material to play at these five unique venues in the townships.

In the coming weeks, I will provide more information about these cultural institutions, and the performers I will have the privilege of sharing the stage with.

Oct 4- North Hatley, The Piggery Theatre, with guest Kate Morison
Oct 5-Knowlton, Brome County Historical Society, with guest Sarah Biggs
Oct 9-Richmond, Wales Home, with guest Patricia Hortop-Benson
Oct 12-Lennoxville, Uplands Museum, with guest storyteller Michel Thibault
Oct 13-Stanstead, Haskell Free Library, with guest Emily Nyman

This tour was made possible with the generous support of ELAN and the Department of Canadian Heritage.

I find that in the Fall, everyone tends to move a bit faster than usual. People are rushing out to catch the last  rays of summer sun, harvest, start school, stack wood, pickle, rake, bust out the sweaters and jackets.
It is important to take a breath, enjoy the moment, give thanks for what the summer gave us, and look forward to a peaceful winter under a blanket of snow.

I invite you all to join me during this busy time, to take a breath, sit back, and enjoy some music with some talented artists, in some very unique and intimate venues.

New Richmond

Greetings from New Richmond!

It has been 24 years! Everything is much smaller than I had remembered.
I am having a great tour so far. The Historic Schoolhouse in Nouvelle was a great, intimate space to play, and it was a privilege to share the stage with Jean-Rene Martin.

It rained on and off most of yesterday and continued through the night, but Jess (my co-pilot) and I are water-proofed and master tarpers, so we are still in good spirits. All of our gear dried out today while we took a walk on the beach at Taylor's Point.

The sound is set up at the Gendron General Store in the British Heritage Village. Roger Martin, a country singer from the Maria Reserve will join me on stage tonight at 8pm, I look forward to meeting him.

Since we left, the dog has been living every day (or maybe I should say morning) to the fullest...and crashing by 6pm. Last night, she actually brought me over to my tent and ask me to open the door so she could curl up in her blanket.

The Sharman Tank is holding up well, but smells a lot like a wet dog right now (I promise I will air it out before returning it to you Chach and Jarrod)

Not much more to report at the moment. Everyone on the coast is exceptionally friendly, and I feel very welcome here.

btw for anyone trying to reach me by phone, I have no cell service out here, but all of the campsites we have stopped at so far have Wi-Fi, so I will try to check my email as often as I can.

Hope to see you at the General Store tonight!
Stay tuned for more news!

Heritage Tour

 I am heading back to the Gaspe!!!!

I am originally from New Richmond, but have not been back to the coast in twenty years. So it is time.

With the generous support of ELAN (English Language Arts Network) and the Department of Canadian Heritage, I developed a tour proposal with a goal of illustrating the vitality of the arts community in Rural Quebec. I will play a series of concerts in non-traditional venues throughout the Eastern Townships in October, pairing with a local performer at each venue.
In addition to the Townships tour, I decided to include a trip to the Gaspe, to reconnect with my roots, and take advantage of the beautiful landscape, and bring music to some interesting cultural landmarks on the coast.

There are still a few loose ends to tie up. These tours will include a video component, excellent guest musicians, a blog post about each concert, and probably a few surprises.

Here are the dates so far. I am still adding dates and performers, and will update the list regularly.

Gaspe:
Sept 6, La Petite Ecole, Nouvelle, with guest Jean-Rene Martin
Sept 7, Gendron General Store, Loyalist Village, New Richmond, guest TBA
Sept 8, St Andrew's Anglican Church, New Carlisle, guest TBA
Sept 9, Optimist Lodge, New Carlisle, in support of the Linda Lemore Brown Walkathon
Sept 11, Gaspe Elementary School, Gaspe, with guest Don Barclay

Townships: (supported by ELAN)
Oct 4, Piggery Theatre, North Hatley, with guest Kate Morrison
Oct 5, Brome County Historical Society Old Courthouse, Knowlton, with Sarah Biggs
Oct 9, Wales Home, Richmond, with guest Patricia Hortop-Benson
Oct 12, Uplands Museum, Lennoxville, with Storyteller Michel Thibault
Oct 13, Haskell Free Library, Stanstead, with Emily Nyman

If you would details about one of the upcoming shows, or you represent a heritage building that would like to host a concert, or you are a performer and would like to participate,  feel free to email info@matthewmccully.ca for more information

News

OK Folks, I know it has been a while. The latest news:

Progress is going very well on the songs for the new album. Lots of interesting sounds and ideas.

I have inherited a beautiful Toyota Tercel, which I have named Batina Green. I have added one bumper sticker so far, "my dog is my copilot".

With a new car, comes new possibilities. I am setting up a late summer-fall tour of Quebec. I'm excited to get back to the Gaspe, and to discover other parts of the province for the first time.

What am I listening to right now? Bowerbirds, The Clearing. My favorite song? Stitch the Hem. Brilliant.

My mandolin banjo (Manjo)...has been repaired, and the new action is inspiring!

the weather has been phenomenal so far this summer, I can't wait to hit the road and do some camping, lake swimming, bonfire building, roadtripping, and all that fun stuff...oh yeah, and then sing about it...

This is not an open letter. This is a storm

Here are the basics of a storm.
1. The calm.  There is an electricity in the air. A darkness approaching, eerie quiet, an uneasy feeling.
2. The eye. there is panic, loss of control, chaos, disorientation, despair.
3.The aftermath. Acknowledging survival and evaluating loss. Repair, rebuilding, and in some cases, recognizing irreparable damage and mourning.

I am afraid of a storm, because I have no control over it, and it could kill me.

This is a storm.

On different days, I change between the calm, the eye, and the aftermath. But always in the shadow or the throws of it, and I feel powerless and desperate.

My needs are basic, and no different than any other human. Food, water, shelter. Regardless of the quality of life I maintain through various means, my basic needs never change.

When I evaluate the competence my Government, I start with my basic needs. And then the storm rolls in...
Resources have become commodities, Ministers have become brokers, and basic human needs are secondary to the fueling of an ever-thirsting economy.

Our economy doesn't need to weather the storm . It is the storm.

I feel angry and guilty. Angry because I am a pawn in a corrupt system. And guilty because I let it happen.

So when I wake up, should I put myself in the calm, the eye or the aftermath? What course of action do I take?

Goodbye Mattywagon

It has been a busy few months. Lots of gigs, a snowstorm that finally allowed for some snowshoeing, and some meetings with producers for my new album. Haven't made any decisions yet, but met some cool people with great ideas.
On a sad note, my car, The Mattywagon died. It had been running pretty hard for a while, and recently, couldn't make it more than five minutes without stalling.
It was a great car; got me to Tofino, up to Skookumchuck Hot Springs, Whistler, and all the way across the country.
Needs I am currently putting out into the universe: a cool-ass camper-van, a record deal for the new album, and a few mini-tours through eastern Canada and the States.
If you have some pull with the universe...or car dealers...or record labels...please pass on the message.
Thanks!

New Song

Just finished a new song. I actually played it at a show this past Thursday. I don't usually share new material until I have gone through it at least 100 times, but I decided to push myself.
It was well received, which is great. It has since changed quite a bit, which is also great. My good friend Kim recorded a one take wonder of the song in its very early, very raw form in her living room. I think I might post it when she sends it over, so people can get a sneak peek at where my brain is right now.
Since starting to work on the new album, I have been going through all the tunes I have been mulling over, some new, some years old. I gave working names to them, and began the process of playing them through, sounding out syllables, and thinking about what each of the songs feels like, what I feel like, and what I want it to say. If you were to listen to me constructing a song in the early stages, it would probably be unsettling. Like happening upon someone speaking in tongues.
Strangely, this new song was not on the list. It came from me trying to adapt one of the songs from my first album for Ukulele while I was rehearsing for my show. I have to say, it really messed with my rehearsal, because every time I tried to play through a song, I was drawn back to the new one. It actually would not let me focus on anything else. I had to stay up really late to finish it. I called a grounding force in Vancouver to leash myself to the real world, and then edged my way out into the ether to get the lyrics, the bridge, and the meaning. I got back with enough time for a few hours of sleep, and then headed to Montreal for my show. It went well, despite my inability to polish my set the way I normally would. But I think it was a fair trade and people were happy to hear something new.
I haven't given it a name yet. Its hard, because lyrically, it is very intense. I used words with powerful associations. In the song, they flow, but as a title, they could be off-putting or over the top. And I don't want to just name it after the meaning of the song and "give away the punchline." A lot went into it in a very short time. It contains a few lines and a palindrome from a song that I put into storage. And the verses are modeled after Paul Simon's song Crazy Love, from the Graceland album. It is heavy and light.
Are you just dying to hear it now?
Good, that was the point of this blog post.
I'm not usually one to give lengthy explanations before I share a tune, but in this case, I wanted people to know that i'm not just speaking in code. Some of the lyrics in this song are what I call magic words. They carry a certain weight, and a certain association with them that can lead to different interpretations, which was my intention.
Now I am excited for you to hear it!
I will release it soon, stay tuned!

New Ideas

the Blarney is flowing. I've got lists. I've got plans. I was recently reminded about one of the secret pleasures of wintering in the country. The quiet. I went for a hike with some friends, and half way up the mountain, the peace was overwhelming. We started to whisper. We walked more softly.

My brain likes the quiet.

What inspires me right now is prayer. An internal thought that you want heard, lost in the ether. And call and answer. (you'll know what I mean when you hear it, trust me)

When I was young, my family went to Catholic Church on Sundays. I remember bits about a lamb, a sacrifice, grant us, deliver us, have mercy on us. Those words scared me. I never felt comfortable there.
A few years ago, I celebrated Christmas with some Pagans (so it wasn't Christmas, it was Yule...) I was asked to participate in a prayer. Having remembered the prayers of my youth I was reluctant, but these were good friends, so I agreed.
We stood in a circle with some bread and some wine (familiar, but not symbolic of body parts in this particular case). Then one at a time, my friends approached me smiling; they offered me some bread and said, "may you never hunger". Once everyone had received the offering, they circulated again with wine. "may you never thirst".
Simple. No stipulations. No fear. Just a genuine interest in my well being, which in following moments was extended to the ground we stood on, the air we breathed, the rain that had fallen and the sun that followed it.
When I look at songs that I have written, I can see that they are a lot like prayers. Now that I can see it, I can feel my strength as a writer, and the power of my words.

New Year, New Album

I have been accumulating new material over the past months, since my return to Quebec, and I am preparing to record a new album.
The move has been a challenge. I can't say whether this place is different than how I remembered it, or I am looking at it with new eyes. In any case, I am embracing the opportunity to see different, be different, and learn how to re-connect with my roots.