Posts Tagged “Serena Ryder”
Serena Ryder expects ‘intense’ experience at sold-out Halifax shows
Metro Halifax
Anyone lucky enough to have scored tickets to Serena Ryder’s two sold-out shows in Halifax this weekend can expect to witness a little bit of magic.
The affable, Ontario-born songstress is set to hit the stage at St. Matthew’s United Church Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. Ryder told Metro Halifax in a recent interview performing in a place of worship is always an “intense” experience.
“I adore the energy that happens in churches,” she said. “There’s something that seems to have sunk into the walls, into the wood, into the stained glass.”
Add to that the nearly perfect acoustics, and Ryder said there’s really no better venue for listening or performing.
The Halifax shows are just the most recent stop on an eight-week tour that will take the 25-year-old across the U.S. and Canada to showcase her sixth album, is it o.k.
“I love Halifax,” said Ryder, who played Casino Nova Scotia’s Schooner Room back in March.
“I know so many awesome people have come out of there as musicians. People seem to just hang out there…it’s kind of insane.”
Ryder has already made an indelible impression in Canada - taking home the 2008 Juno award for Best New Artist - but is just beginning to make her mark in the U.S., where is it o.k. had its release just a few weeks ago.
“This has been a really long tour, and it’s been great…but I’m looking forward to seeing some familiar faces and playing in front of people who actually know my music,” she said of her long-awaited return to Canadian soil. “There’s a familiarity that comes as you build those relationships.”
A self-confessed music junkie, Ryder said she still finds it “weird” to listen to her own blend of folk, roots, country, and pop. But she’s had no problem sitting down to write while on the road, and says fans can look forward to some new material.
“I’ve been writing a lot, but it will still probably be a while before it’s actually done,” she said. “Hopefully I’ll have at least another year of touring.”
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Her Juno winning album’s released in the US and it’s debuted #1 on Billboard’s “Heatseekers albums” chart - and then some.
“Is it o.k.” is mentioned in several US blogs. I picked two queer ones: towleroad (next to a picture of some blonde) / AfterEllen. “Saving the Set List” picked her for Artist of the Week! Check it out here.
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I really shouldn’t be surprised (although it went quicker than I thought): both Halifax shows are sold out.
Check out Serena Ryder’s MySpace page for more concert dates and to listen to her latest album “Is it o.k.” (due for release in the US shortly).
To those who got tickets to a Serena concert: don’t be surprised to see a lot of lady lovin’ ladies in the audience. Just sayin’ 
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Posted by: punksmurf in Current Affairs, Music, Web/Tech, tags: Facebook, homophobia, Music, Muslim, politics, same sex marriage, Serena Ryder, Sports
Currently listening to A Girl Called Eddy (album: A Girl Called Eddy)
You might - or might not - have read about the outrage caused by a British “journalist” called Jan Moir. The first time I heard about it was when a British friends of mine started posting about it, clearly showing their disapproval and disgust for Moir’s total ignorance. One even went as far as calling her the C-word (and he is one of the smartest, nicest straight man I know - so for him to use that word…). Anyway, read about it here and the update here (hello, 21,000 complaints and then some). Sounds to me as if Moir has a problem with certain possible “assets” of the homosexual lifestyle. And she’s conveniently forgetting the fact that similar “assets” can be found in heterosexual lifestyles as well. She’s issued some sort of apology in the meantime, but she clearly doesn’t get it. Jan Moir may think she’s not a homophobe, she can at least pride herself in being a bigot.
Fortunately, there are still good things happening in the UK; like this Scottish LGBT-friendly soccer team who are deservedly nominated for a Stonewall Award.
AfterEllen.com reviews an interesting comic book called Dolltopia, which is really a book for all ages, and discusses diversity. I’m not a big fan of the graphics, but it serves its purpose, and it does look interesting to me. Looks like creator Abby Denson’s been promoting Dolltopia across North America.
Globe and Mail ran an interesting article about the wiring of boys’ and girls’ brains. It turns out there’s no significant difference, but it’s magnified by parents… And - surprisingly - same sex schools.
According to this article the Taliban has published a rulebook, and reading it I didn’t know whether to wince or snicker at the stupidity of it all. I mean, any educated person instinctively knows that a band of bearded men telling others to treat women badly (I’m not even sure they are considered second class citizens), what to think, how to act and how to dress cannot be for the greater good. To the advantage of the Taliban; yes. For the greater good; no.
This veteran spoke out in favor of same sex marriage. I can only say that if he’s honored with any medals I am sure he has earned each and every one of them! I’d just want to give a hug and say thank you.
In the meantime President Obama is tackling DADT, the Canadians again show they may not shout as loud as the Americans do, but they are just as great. Halifax’s Chronicle Herald published an article on Canadian forces and their inclusion of gays. A friend of mine can attest to that; she didn’t join till she was 33. And she is still serving 19 years later. Just sayin’, President Obama.
Are you on Facebook, and confused about “live feed” and “news feed”? Check out this page on how to adjust the settings to make it less confusing, and more desirable for you to read (some people seem to post every fifteen minutes - if you know what I mean)…
Charlize Theron. I like her. Vocal human rights advocate. Don’t get me wrong, but she is such a hussy! She kissed a lady for charity. Some lucky lady (she coughed up $140,000 but got a 20-second smooch)…
More Serena Ryder news. (I should get paid for this. I’d settle for a smooch with Serena. Just kidding! Or am I?) She’s currently touring the US with labelmates NeedToBreathe (Serena’s playing Chicago on Halloween!) and “Is it o.k.” will be released in the US on November 3rd - almost a year after its release in homeland Canada. Read more on it here. In the meantime Serena’s also featured in one of City Sonic’s episodes on how she started out. Watch it here.
When I found out Vertical Horizon had a new album out (”Burning the days“) I was thrilled; I wasn’t aware of the fact the band had reformed. Their album “Everything you want” was one of my favorite albums in the late ’90s. Now and then, I still play a couple songs with the singer of my band. Let’s hope they start touring again
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For those who like girl with tattoos, I came across a clip at LOTL (an Australian magazine aimed at queer ladies). Check it out here.
Another lady with tattoos: Serena Ryder. Her new video to “All for love” debuted on her MySpace page earlier this week. To non-Canadians: it’s really a new version of the video to the single - this one aimed at an American (possibly a world wide) audience. I’m not sure if the suggestion of the girl-on-girl kiss is hers (probably not) but we know she’s gay friendly, eh.
You may know by now I have a thing for design (it’s eye candy to me), so when I came across pictures of the new Facebook headquarters in Palo Alto, CA, I reached for a bib to wipe off drool: HELLO! Are they still hiring?
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Currently listening to KINKFM.com (Kink 1400)
My friend Menachem Luchins aka Nuke got a new writing gig at eGO.com - a blog that provides daily questions and comments for discussion and debate. All the discussion, articles and quotes will be centered around eGO.com’s seven principles. Read about it here.
A post on 8asians.com about noodles caught my attention:
Even though Southern California is a melting pot of different cultures and deliciously diverse dining, the ways of the yummy Asian noodles might be lost on lawmakers. Kim Tar noodle factory has been in business for 25 years, supplying restaurants and markets with fresh rice noodles. But, a state law requiring refrigeration of noodles is threatening the life of these Asian noodles. Thankfully, some wise Asians are gathering their forces to fight the man who is trying to keep our noodles down. What I love even more than the fact that they are going to rally for the noodles is that they are planning a press conference at a restaurant in Monterey Park! (I grew up a stone-skip away from Monterey Park and still enjoy delectable Asian cuisine in MP.)
Health officials are standing their ground saying this is a matter of public safety and that “ethnic foods are not treated differently than other foods.” Newsflash health officials — Not all foods are created equal! If it’s customary for rice noodles to be stored at room temperature — and they have been for thousands of years — then storing them in the fridge doesn’t suddenly make them safer to eat! In fact, putting rice noodles in the fridge can ruin them! Asians noodles are not like other pastas. Leave our noodles alone!
Whoever is trying to impose those laws on noodles obviously doesn’t know anything about them. On the upside LA Times reports that the WIC nutrician program’s food vouchers now enables women and children to buy themselves fresh fruit and vegetables. Isn’t that grand?
Another study finds no difference between children raised by gay or straight adoptive parents. DUH! And in the meantime the authors of “And tango makes three” finally have a baby of their own.
Earlier this week Bruce Springsteen debuted a new song, called “Wrecking Ball” at Giants Stadium. Listen to it here. Serena Ryder is currently touring the US with NeedToBreathe, and popped into a studio in Charlottesville for an interview and a couple of songs. Listen to it here. And in the meantime rocker Melissa Etheridge is contemplating using her celebrity to form a high-powered lesbian coalition, made up of fellow famous gay rights activists.
I’m thrilled actress Ming-Na plays an out lesbian Asian-American in Stargate Universe. Read about it here and here. Let’s hope her character has at least a half decent storyline.
This is what Ming-Na had to say about the part: “I’ve never played a gay character, and for me that was such an incredible challenge. And I said, “As long as you write her with absolute depth and she’s well rounded, and there’s no stereotypes, and she’s a real person — then yes, let’s go for it.” Being an Asian woman in this business, I have had to deal with a lot of adversities…So I relate a lot to Camille’s character, because I think being a woman who’s also gay in an environment where she has to be the head of a department - she’s an IOA officer, head of the human resources department, and she is in charge in a man’s world. So it’s a really great challenge.”
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I was watching this animated video to “Sweeping the Ashes” the other day and was struck by how beautiful the stripped down version of the song sounds. No guitar, no vocals, just a piano and simple chord progressions. I play the guitar and drums, but apart from some chords and things I - unfortunately - can’t play the piano.
Another video I really liked is this Irish ad for same sex marriage. Watch “Sinead’s hand” here. The following isn’t video related, but music related:
Yup, that’s an amp - with a cool CANADA sticker. It’s Sarah Bettens’ amp
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A couple of weeks ago I blogged about my radio interview on KINK FM. Well, I finally found the podcast. You can listen to it here. And EurOut published another one of my columns - this one’s about PDA.
Talking about EurOut, the editor-in-chief reminded everybody that today, August 8th, is - apparently - International Orgasm Day. Uh-huh… The first song that popped (no pun intended) into my mind was “I touch myself” by The Divinyls. Don’t ask.
Movmnt Magazine, issue 9, has a nice interview with Serena Ryder:
  
Hee!
In the meantime a K’s Choice fan recorded two new songs the band played at Dranouter Festival in Belgium. Both are uptempo and sound upbeat. I can’t wait for 2010 and the release of their new record! If this isn’t right / Echo Mountain.
Six inches of SiP goodness… And from Terry Moore it’s only a small step to Paige Braddock. I’ve been reading Jane’s World for the longest time (I’m now waiting to get my hands on volume 9). For those unfamiliar with JW: it’s about the life (and loves) of Jane, who lives with her room mate Ethan (a straight guy). I think it’s hilarious, and I have to say that I can relate to some of the antics… Now, this cracked me up:
Despite the fact I’m able to stay awake mmost of the day now, I still don’t feel well, and I’ve decided to go see the doctor first thing tomorrow.
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A fan posted this picture on the forum, and it got me thinking (I’m not entirely alone in this):
Is the tattoo real? Is it a tribute to her late manager and close friend Bonnie O’Donnell? How close exactly were they - I don’t think I would do that for any of mine.
My friend Krista, who calls Serena “Melissa junior”, was surprised when I told her Serena’s straight (as far as I know) since (apparently) she has a large lesbian fanbase. Hm…
I just think she has an amazing voice and writes songs I can relate to.
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