New Album Update!

October 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Hi folks,

Well the time has come to release some info on our recording plans for 2013. This January we are traveling to Maurice, Louisiana to record our new record with one of my favourite artists, Anders Osborne. The studio we are going to is called Dockside Studios, and is out of this world. Their client list contains some of my heroes and I’m very excited to add Ross Neilsen Band to that list.

We feel that the location and choice of producer are going to help us create the greatest album we’ve made to date. As with REDEMPTION, we feel the journey to a strange and mysterious place only helps bolster the creative process. The studio is a favourite of Anders’ and since he is producing we wanted a place where we’d all be comfortable. Dockside is certainly going to be that place. Their motto is “move in, make records”. We’ll hole up for 8 days to create our masterpiece.

Needless to say this process won’t be cheap. We have been fortunate to receive a grant from the MID program in New Brunswick but that’s only going to cover a third of the expense. We’ve teamed up with www,pledgemusic.com to help us raise the funds. When you visit our campaign page you’ll see that there are things titled “exclusives” on the right and side of the page. These are packages we’ve designed for you, our fans, to purchase (if you wish) to help us fund the album. There are many to choose from ranging from a $10 download of the album before it’s release to house concerts, dinner parties, guitar/drum/upright bass lessons etc. Something for everyone. Once you choose your pledge and enter your information you’ll also be available to view video updates and more that only pledgers (people who buy) can see as the campaign goes on. Your credit card will only be charged if we are successful in reaching our financial target goal. After we reach our target any monies raised will involve a donation on our end to The Randy Cable Fund. This fund is set up to help cancer patients who need money to travel or get medicine that is out of their financial reach. A great cause that is near to my heart since the fund is named for my former band mate and great friend Randy.

I know we always ask a lot of our fans for support and we’re beyond grateful that you’re always there for us. I thank you so much for your consideration in helping us make this incredible opportunity a reality and help us make our new album. I’m very excited for everyone to hear the new material. Some of the tunes may even surprise you. We’re forgetting borders and genres this time and going in to make the best record we can. Can’t wait for you to hear it. Here is a video with a little detail about it. so go on over HERE and check out the exclusives that appeal to you! Thanks and big love,

Ross

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MY HARVEST JAZZ AND BLUES SCHEDULE

September 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Hey everybody, There’s LOADS of great tunes out there in Freddy Beach this weekend. Be sure to catch some…a few I’d like to see…Keb Mo, Keith Hallett and Garrett Mason, Hupman Brothers Band, The Record Company, Big Head Todd and The Monsters, Charles Bradley, Sharon Jones, MACEO!!

Here’s my Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival schedule in case you were wondering.
Thursday at The Mojo Tent: Maritime Monster Jam. 11.30pm till 1.00am. Pretty much every guitar player on the east coast will be here ripping it up.

Friday Officer’s Square 2.20pm: myself with Donna Grantis and Shrimp Daddy Reid

Friday night at the Hoodoo Tent: Blues by invitation. Maggie’s farm opens the show then we kick off our 2.5hr blues revue with Donna Grantis, Shrimp Daddy Reid, Carmen Townsend and a few other special guests…come see who they are!

Saturday at The Fredericton Playhouse 4pm: SOLO SHOW CD release for THE SHACK UP SESSIONS. $12 includes the CD.
Saturday passes and Ultimate’s WILL GET YOU IN!!!!

Saturday night Bud Light Blues Tent 7.30pm kicking things off for Charles Bradley and Sharon Jones!!! oh yeah!

Saturday late night 3am show…stay tuned for the venue announcement….

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The Shack Up Sessions is now Available

September 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Hey all,

I guess I’ve been more than delinquent about my blog for the past four months or so. I didn’t slip off the face of the earth. I’ve actually been traveling the face of the earth a fair bit. Spring and early summer took the band across country and an awesome, successful tour of Canada and we’ve spent the summer darting out of the Maritimes here and there to do some festival shows. All in all it’s been a great summer. Now that we’re into September a couple, three things are looming on the horizon. Harvest Jazz and Blues Fest, Fall Tour of Canada and WINTER! (Booo!)

Before I get into my Harvest Schedule and fall tour notes I wanted to mention that my new solo cd, THE SHACK UP SESSIONS is now available. This album was recorded in a shack just outside Clarksdale MS over a couple days in February 2012. You can buy the album online right HERE or you can get a physical copy at Backstreet Records stores in Fredericton and Saint John or you can visit CDBABY and they’ll mail you a copy. Check it out. I’m pretty pleased with the album. You can expect to see me touring this baby across Canada in early 2013.

HARVEST JAZZ AND BLUES: Another year of great music programming is almost underway from the peeps at Harvest. This year I’ve got a few shows to tell you about.
Thursday Sept 13, Maritime Monster Jam in the Mojo Tent. I get the great pleasure of hanging with some of my favourite axe slingers. MattAndersen, Keith Hallett, Garret Mason, Scott Medford and more.
Friday Sept 14, 2pm, Free Outdoor concert at Officer Square with Mike Shrimp Daddy Reid and Donna Grantis. This is a little stripped down preview of what you’ll get Friday night at the Hoodoo Tent. My pal Shrimp Daddy is a great singer and Harmonica player. Donna is one of the best guitarists anywhere.
Friday Sept 14, Hoodoo Tent. Blues by invitation. We’ve got a 2.5 hour review planned for you. Special Guests Carmen Townsend, Donna Grantis and Shrimp Daddy Reid will all be joining us to tear the roof off the place!
Saturday Sept 15, 4pm at The Playhouse. CD release for THE SHACK UP SESSIONS. I’ll be playing cuts from the new album. Tickets are $12 and get you a copy of the CD. Due to this package pricing Ultimate passes will not be honoured for this show. Tickets will be available in the lobby at The Playhouse. Stop by the Annex Gallery in The Playhouse after and see some of my photography from the trip to Mississippi.
Saturday Sept 15, 7pm. Bud Light Blues Tent. We kick things off for what is surely to me an incredible night of soul. Charles Bradley, Sharon Jones and the afterburner from Maceo Parker. Come Shake everything you got!
Should be a memorable Festival as always.

Sadly for us the Festival will mark Young Will Pacey’s last shows with RNB. We’ve had a blast playing with Will all over the country and wish him all the best in future endeavors. The following week on Sept 20th we’ll venture out on our Ninth tour of Canada. we’ll have a brand new van and a brand new bassist. Jamie Guitar will be taking over low end duties for the fall. We look forward to welcoming Jamie aboard. I hope you’ll get out to a show or two to meet the new guy. The first batch of tour dates have been posted on this site so check em out and get thee to a show!

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Ross Neilsen Band: The Great Bass Player Search (Episode Five)

April 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Hey there everyone.

Here it is. The moment you’ve all been waiting for. The finale to our web mini series The Great Bass Player Search. As you enjoy the last episode I want to thank you all for watching, sharing with your friends, and support in general. We head out for a ten week tour Thursday morning. No small feat to fend for ourselves living in a van across this nation but with your help, we abide. Please check the tour dates here and pass em along to your friends in the towns we visit. Looking forward to seeing you again! See ya out there!

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Walking In Memphis

December 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Hi folks,

Well I had I fun time in St Andrews this past weekend With Karl Gans on the tubbs. We power duoed the shit out of The Red Herring. It was a strange adjustment but fun as hell and I’m glad we were in St Andrews to do it. It was nice to chill a bit and try and shake off the events of last week.

Saturday marked my last gig of 2011. I don’t have anything on the stage until January when I start doing Solo Sundays at The Thirsty Boot lounge at Crabbe Mountain. Looking forward to these shows. I’m stoked to get back to the solo show but also to take these four gigs and woodshed for my trip to Memphis and The International Blues Challenge. I leave on January 29th for a long drive to Tennessee. The International Blues Challenge, if you don’t know, is the biggest gathering of “bluesers” out there. They arrive from around the world to strut their stuff and I’m very excited and proud to be heading down there to represent New Brunswick and The Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival. I’m really looking forward to seeing old friends in Memphis and Mississippi and maybe doing a recording session or two afterwards.

Of course it is not a cheap trip to Memphis. Thats around 3000kms one way plus four or five nights in a hotel while there. So to help raise some $$$ Harvest and I are having a fundraiser at Dolan’s pub in downtown Fredericton. This will be the first show in their annual winter blues series. Great winter line up this year too! Sue Foley/Peter Karp, Moreland & Arbuckle (who we opened for a few festivals back) are all coming back!

Wednesday, January 18th, I’ll do two solo sets at Dolan’s starting around 7.30pm -ish. I am asking all my friends, fans and family to come out to show your support and to bring your friends and family. It’s a little intimidating being on the stage solo again, especially since the demise of the Bastards, so I’d love for folks to share this note, help spread the word about the fundraiser and stop into the pub and have a cold one with me and share a word of encouragement or two. I believe tickets are $10 bucks or suggested donation of $10 bucks. If there are folks elsewhere who want to help with travel by all means contact me and we can shoot you a physical mailing addy or you can email donations online to rossneilsen@gmail.com

As always I am grateful for your support and love. It means everything to me. As I head out into 2012, everything is brand new and I feel like I’m starting all over again. I know it’ll be tough but I also know that I’m up for whatever challenges lie ahead. I have a wonderful support system and I can’t wait to get a new record out to you all in 2012. Bigger, Better and Badder than ever. Have a great, safe holiday season. My very best to you and yours at this time of year.

Peace and Love, Yours in Rawk,

Ross

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Pure Rawk Fury Update

November 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Hey y’all

Well, we’re in Edmonton. We’re 2/3 through this tour. I’ve been internet restricted as my phone crapped out on me and I can’t access internet on it, or text or email or anything for that matter. Works great as a phone though, but who uses their cell as a phone these days???

We’ve been all the way out to Vancouver island and back since the last post. We played the Yale in Vancouver on a Friday. Had a great time! Lots of Dancing. It was nice to get back in there before they close the doors for an extensive renovation project. Had a major fun Halloween show in Tofino. Our whole time on the island was great actually. It still is as magical as it was the first time. How can you go wrong with view like these?

We hooked up with our pals in MONKEYJUNK in Crofton BC for a show. The boys sounded so good. If you haven’t heard their album “To Behold” you should. Its a gooder and available on Stony Plain Records. The Junk we kind enough to get me up at the end of their set for a jam. Great fun playing guitar along side Tony D!

My personal fav gig on the island was a house concert we did at our friends, Ken and Lynda’s place. Great crew and killer hospitality. Karl Bastards and I had a lot of fun listening to tunes and telling tales way into the wee hours with our hosts. Really fantastic time!

After finally leaving the island we played one more show in Vancouver at Falconetti’s in the east end. Pretty good time. We had a funny drive into the city too. A fella in a BMW rolled his window down to yell at us that their was something wrong with our tire and we should check it out asap. Turns out dude has never seen, or heard, studded snow tires before!

We spent our days off at my sisters place and Karl’s folks in the Okanagan, My sister delivered an epic day of course after course of appetizers paired with incredible wines. I can’t recall the last time I had such a great food/wine experience. She moved to the Okanagan in the summer to chase her dreams in the wine industry and has really been killing it! If you dig wine check out her awesome blog HERE

After a quick visit with the Padre and the Sniper on Carrs Landing we hit the road for a quickie in Robson at the Lion’s Head Pub. We discovered this spot last tour and we were stoked to go back. Great pub, amazing people. The owners treated us to breakfast in the AM and the real treat was moose sausage! DELISH!

After Robson we barreled to Kamloops for a couple shows. The second was at our fav little joint in the area, The Westsyde Pump. This place is way out in the west end and we discovered it on our first tour when Ray Nyuli brought us in for a few shows. The staff here are awesome and the crowd loves to rawk! Love that joint!!! We were amused to see Ray’s face on a poster on the road as he’s now running for council there.

After the Loops we drove to Banff to spend our two days off relaxing before our shows there at the Rose n Crown. We spent our first night off pub hopping with our old friend Newt. We caught a set by Five Alarm Funk out of Vancouver. Man did they ever rock it! Furious funky stuff! Lots of fun! Doni and Jim at the band house showed us good times and the staff at the Rose looked right after us! Always a treat to spend multiple days in the rockies. After Banff we had a slow but beautiful drive to Jasper. We rawked a classic great Downstream Bar crowd. This place is one of our favs with lots of loyal fans! Big ups to Soto and his crew there for treating us right!

With Jasper under our belts, we drove the farthest north I’ve ever been in Canada. Grand Prairie. We played Better Than Fred’s and we’re treated to some great steak sammiches from the bar and some complimentary shots and beers by the patrons and staff. On a side note, quite possibly the hottest staff in Alberta with the exception of Red Deer. It’d be tough to choose! We rawked a couple sets and had a ball. After the show we relaxed at the great band house. Giant screen TV and XBox. Shawn Bastards and I killed nazi zombies till the wee hours.

Yesterday we had a brisk drive down to Stony Plain where we were all set to rawk the Early Stage Saloon. We had the best crowd we’ve ever had there and had a ball with them. sold some merch and had some laughs! Great night. Big thanks to our pals John and Carmen for having us again and again.

Now we’re holed up in the Edmonton compound. Burgers are on the go as I type and I’ve got my eye on a delicious bottle of chianti. Tomorrow I’ll venture to the mall to try and get my damn phone fixed so I can remain more up to date for the rest of the trip.

If you didn’t know, we added some shows on the way home. Winnipeg, Kenora, wabigoon etc. Check em out and get on out to a show! I hope you’re all well and warm. It’s -20 here and we’re not digging it at all.

Before I go I want to mention that my fundraiser for my solo trip to Memphis in February to compete in the International Blues Challenge will be held at Dolan’s Pub in Fredericton on Wednesday Jan 18th. I’d love to see y’all out there in the crowd! Keep an eye on the website too as I’ll be posting solo tour dates for 2012 up here fairly soon.

Stay good,

Ross

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I’m a Weiner!

September 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Hey y’all, this is a re-blog. I tried to post this last week and for some reason it didn’t go. So, here’s the updated version.

Well Harvest Fest has come and gone. Man! What a kick ass festival this year. It was too good! So many great acts! I saw a lot of tunes and met a few idols of mine so needless to say I had a truly epic weekend. Add to that, I won the contest so many of you were voting as well! Yup! I’ll be heading back to Beale St in Memphis Tennessee in February to compete in the solo/duo category for the International Blues Challenge. There’s gonna be some good times there! BBQ!!!! MUSIC!!!! oh yeah!

I want to sincerely thank everyone who helped wave my flag. I won the online portion, voting on site portion and the judges portion! I’m very happy and proud that I could do my part as well as y’all did yours. Thanks so much for the support.

I had a great weekend. I did a couple shows in PEI with my pal Mike Dixon of the Saddle River String Band fame. We played the Lefurgy House on Thursday night and then the Trailside Cafe on Friday night. These were a hoot. Mike and I haven’t really hung out since we were in Vancouver at the Olympics. What a time that was! Saturday night I performed solo at The Parkindale Hall in NB. Very cool little venue. Great vibes, fun to sing in. It was real a nice listening crowd.

Next week I’ll be polishing up Ruby, trying to get my HST filing done and packing up to hit the road across the Nation for our Pure Rawk Fury tour. I hope to see y’all out and about at a show and feel free to share this page with your friends who like to RAWK. We’ll have our new live CD “What You Need Vol 2″ with us as well. We recorded it on our spring/summer tour during Canada day weekend at Blues on Whyte in Edmonton. We hope you dig it! Here’s the tour dates…Come get some….
Sept 30, 2011 10.00 PM The Rainbow, Ottawa, ON
Oct 1, 2011 9.30 PM Lavigne Tavern, Lavigne, ON
Oct 3, 2011 7.30 PM Voyaguer Cookhouse/Lodge, Batchawanna Bay, ON
Oct 5, 2011 10.00 PM The Apollo, Thunder Bay, ON
Oct 6, 2011 7.30 PM Pappy’s Cafe, Waibagoon, ON
Oct 7, 2011 10.00 PM Shooter’s, Kenora, ON
Oct 8, 2011 10.00 PM The Gaslight Saloon, Regina, SK
Oct 11, 2011 10.00 PM Bud’s on Broadway, Saskatoon, SK
Oct 12, 2011 10.00 PM Bud’s on Broadway, Saskatoon, SK
Oct 13, 2011 7.30 PM House Concert, Saskatoon, SK (email info@rossneilsen.com for details)
Oct 14, 2011 10.00 PM The Mainliner, Medicine Hat, AB
Oct 15, 2011 10.00 PM The Mainliner, Medicine Hat, AB
Oct 19, 2011 10.00 PM The Slice, Lethbridge, AB
Oct 20, 2011 11.00 PM Canmore Hotel, Canmore, AB
Oct 21, 2011 10.00 PM The Hideout, Red Deer, AB
Oct 22, 2011 9.00 PM Mikey’s Juke Joint, Calgary, AB
Oct 24, 2011 10.00 PM The Local, Red Deer, AB
Oct 26, 2011 8.00 PM TBA Kelowna, BC
Oct 27, 2011 7.30 PM Bozinni’s, Chiliwack, BC
Oct 28, 2011 9.00 PM The Yale, Vancouver, BC
Oct 29, 2011 9.00 PM Weigh West Marina Halloween Dance, Tofino, BC
Oct 30, 2011 9.00 PM The Rod and Gun, Parksville, BC
Nov 3, 2011 10.00 PM The Quinnie, Campbell River, BC
Nov 4, 2011 7.30 PM House Concert, Courtenay, BC (email info@rossneilsen.com for details)
Nov 5, 2011 9.30 PM Falconetties, Vancouver, BC
Nov 10, 2011 10.00 PM The Inlander, Kamloops, BC
Nov 11, 2011 9.00 PM Westsyde Pump, Kamloops, BC
Nov 12, 2011 10.00 PM Rockwater Grill, Golden, BC
Nov 15, 2011 10.00 PM Rose n Crown, Banff, AB
Nov 16, 2011 10.00 PM Rose n Crown, Banff, AB
Nov 17, 2011 9.30 PM Downstream Bar, Jasper, AB
Nov 21, 2011 9.00 PM Blues on Whyte, Edmonton, AB
Nov 22, 2011 9.00 PM Blues on Whyte, Edmonton, AB
Nov 23, 2011 9.00 PM Blues on Whyte, Edmonton, AB
Nov 24, 2011 10.00 PM Blues on Whyte, Edmonton, AB
Nov 25, 2011 10.00 PM Blues on Whyte, Edmonton, AB
Nov 26, 2011 3.00 PM MATINEE Blues on Whyte, Edmonton, AB
Nov 27, 2011 10.00 PM Blues on Whyte, Edmonton, AB

There will be a handful of dates added over the coming days as well so stay tuned!
Yours in Rawk,

Ross

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It’s Harvest time. Finally.

September 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Before I get into the meat of this post I want to say quickly that we just returned from what I think was our most successful tour of Ontario. It was short but sweet. Played some new venues, including a LAKE!!!!!

We had to get boated in…you know, cause it’s an island….

We got to hang with some old friends and I got to jam with someone I’ve been waiting to play with for a couple years….Donna Grantis.

If you don’t know of Donna, she is a Toronto based axe slinger and man can she play. She is Shakura S’aida’s main geetar gal and also fronts her own rocking trio which is poised to release a brand new kick axe instrumental record very soon. Keep an ear out for it. It’s all Led Zepp meets Hendrix kinda goodness!

Ok, so….lots of people wait all year for Christmas to come. My Christmas isn’t in December though…Mine is in September. Every year during the third week of September, Fredericton New Brunswick is transformed into a world class meeting grounds for Blues players and Blues Fans alike. I have been coming to Harvest Jazz and Blues for nearly two decades. I remember watching Big Sugar play, when they were still riding on 500 lbs (amazing album), in the parking lot downtown that is now called the tannery. I remember seeing Duke Robillard, Pinetop Perkins, Jon Cleary, Dr. John, Buddy Guy and so many others I’d have to rent more webspace to post them all. I’ve seen it grow from fledgling festival to world class. The past five years alone has seen Harvest jump to a world stage bringing in acts you’d see at any other festival. ANYWHERE. Over the years as a patron I’ve had many memories I’ll cherish forever (many i can’t remember too!) and over the last decade or so I’ve slowly been growing my musical self as well. In 2005 I won The rising star award at Harvest and began my real journey into my true career. Over the past six years Harvest has supported me time and time again, showing me that they believe in what I do by putting me, and me with The Bastards, on bills with Buddy Guy, Joel Plaskett, (almost Gregg Allman), and now Levon Helm and Jonny Lang. This kind of support means a lot to me and to be able to do shows of this level in our hometown means even more. You may recall in 2010, that Harvest sent The Bastards and I, to Memphis to compete in the International Blues Challenge. That was the year our Brother Matt Andersen won the solo/duo category!

It was amazing to watch Matt in the finals in the beautiful Orpheum Theatre and even more amazing to watch the look on peoples faces as he destroyed the room with only three songs.

Well I’m honoured, again, to say that I will be competing with a few other acts on Saturday Sept 17th at The Barracks stage from 2-4pm to try and once again win a trip Back to Beale street to compete in the IBC. This time, though I’ll be going as a solo performer. Although I started my real music career as a solo performer over the years the Bastards have taken my focus as we’ve worked hard to travel the nation doing what we do. I’ve never stopped performing solo though, and I still do a winter solo tour every year. I’m nervous and honoured to be making this attempt to get Back to Beale all by my lonesome. So, here’s the kicker….as with all music contests these days, 50% of the vote is judged at the performance, and 50% is of course…ONLINE VOTING….booo, hissssss, I know, I know. Wasn’t it just yesterday I was pestering you for Taylor guitar contest votes? Well I’m gonna ask once more, friends that you help me Back to Beale and vote as often and with as many email addy’s that you can. This Monday voting begins on the CBC website. Rest assured you can visit this very site and there will be a link to the CBC page. I know it’s a pain in the ass but I’m only asking because I love what I do and I know some of you out there enjoy it too and are willing to help at the drop of a hat. So I encourage you, tell your friends, post on your facebook, tweet, text, talk about it! I’m humbly asking for your help but I’m going to be honest here… I Want To Win. I believe I can with your help. What do you say?

Stay tuned for the link and voting details. I’ll post them as soon as I have them. MUCH thanks in advance. Y’all rawk! Hope to see you at the Barracks this Saturday from 2-4pm, or at any of the Harvest events for that matter! What a week to be alive!!!!

MB

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At The Helm

August 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Hello minions!

Well as I type I’m over looking the lovely Davidson Lake. I’ve been out here on a mini “vacation”. It sure makes doing agent work easier and almost bearable. I’ve been coming here my whole life and it never wears off for me. recently I came out to do a painting I was asked to submit for the Brush of Hope Kideny Foundation fundraiser. They ask non artist to paint something for auction. I hadn’t painted in about 25 years. I used to paint with my mom, who is an artist. Needless to say I got some much needed coaching form moms. It was an honour to be asked and fun to do it! They’ll auction all the pieces off on ebay near the end of October I believe. Here’s the piece. I called it “No, No, No”.

So let’s see….What’s goin’ on?

Last week we had a killer run of festivals in Quebec and NB. We did the opening show at The Donnacona Blues Festival where we had nothing short of an awesome time. Played to a real great crowd and then had some more fun afterward at The Totem bar where an acoustic mysteriously appeared and I was convinced (jack daniels) to do a short solo set. Much fun was had. The next day we drove to Levis, Quebec where we played to a very appreciative crowd of what seemed like a thousand peeps! Awesome fun! Then on Saturday we hit the Dooryard Arts Fest in Woodstock NB to rock my old stomping grounds of Carleton County. What a great time it was and it’s nice to see the festival there really being supported by the community. We had a fun Jam with Newfoundlands Chris Kirby too! I handed him the guitar I usually keep in open “D” tuning and although I had thought I tuned it all up, one string was a full tone down. I tell ya, you’d never know. Kirby rocked anyhow. No flies on the boy!
Here’s a pic from Donnacona:

And here’s a video from the same night. I think this one is our version of BB’s “Thrill is Gone”

This weekend we head up to Perth Andover for the Larlee Creek Hullabaloo. One only need check the line up to know what kind of awesome Festival is up the Saint John River. Matt Andersen, Dave Gunning, Thom Swift, Carmen Townsend, Chris Colepaugh and MORE!!!! Gonna be a gooder. Bound to be some jams too! Saturday well wake up too early and no doubt be fuzzy headed for our drive to Charlottetown. We’ll be playing Hunter’s Ale House for the first time and really, really look forward to it. I know there will be some friends in town for the Charlottetown Jazz and Blues Fest so we’re hoping for some of them to pop in.

Recently I’ve been in conversation with the fellows from a new Fredericton based company called Timbre Collective. These cats build custom pedal boards, flight cases and more. After some emailing and discussion I’m very happy to say that I will be entering a sponsorship with the lads to endorse their cool products. My new board is being constructed as we speak and I hope to have it in time for Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival. These cats have their research down and are great about giving you whatever you think your board needs. I look forward to working with them. Here’s one of their prototypes

Did someone say Harvest Fest??? Well here’s two amazing bits of info for you to look forward to…ONE: we are currently reviewing the mixes for our new live album “What You Need Vol 2″. You may remember Vol 1 was recorded at Harvest during our Dolan’s run a few years ago and it’s on the site here for free download now. We recorded VOL 2 at Blues on Whyte on this past spring tour. It’s part of our fan series which means if you want this baby you gotta get to a show to buy it. It’s sounding good and features a lot of the rocking stuff from Redemption. We hope to have it for sale during Harvest and we hope you dig it!

TWO: Unless you live in a cave you may have heard that Gregg Allman had to cancel his Harvest shows due to respiratory infection. Obviously, being a huge fan, I was devastated by this news as I was scheduled to open the second show. Well The Festival Musical Director, no stranger to last minute cancellations after last years, did it again. In no easy task of replacing the rocknroll hall of famer, he upped the ante huge. He got TWO rocknroll hall of famers. Mr. Buddy Guy, who I had the pleasure of sharing the bill with a few years back and Mr. Levon Helm, back beat and vocalist for legendary group THE BAND. What a roller coaster for me. Heart broken right back to elated. I can’t explain how stoked am to open for Levon and The Family Band. The Band has been an amazing influence on me in my life and I can’t even believe I’m on this bill. Again, HUGE thanks to Harvest. So excited.

In between this weekends shows an Harvest we’ll pile into Ruby for what could very well be her last tour (if I can devise a plan to get a new van). We head out to Ontario on the 25th of this month with a quick stop at Pub St. Alexandre in Quebec City on the 25th before we dive into Ontario for a week. Check the tour page and find out where we’ll be next. We hope to see you Ontario folks out at the show!

FREDERICTON PEEPS: If you can’t wait till harvest we’re doing a free outdoor concert on my birthday, Aug 23rd, at Officers Square. Show time is 7pm. When we get home form Ontario we’ll play the KV Valley Jazz fest and then drive right up to Florenceville to rawk the Dooly’s there. Haven’t been up that way for quite sometime so it should be a bash!

So there it is peeps. Our schedule for the next little bit. You folks out west can look forward (or escape) a return trip in October and November too!

On a side note I’m listening to some Taj Mahal right now. Y’all know he’ll be at Harvest Fest too right? Oh it’s gonna be a gooder!

Stay good,

Ross

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Solo Tour finale and Farewell to Hogtown!

April 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Hey folks,

well I made it back to NB alive!!! I am sitting in my brand new apartment as I write this and I gotta say it’s pretty surreal to have a home after another year of being homeless. Very luxurious. I got home late Saturday night after a grueling Port Hope> Quebec City> Bastard Rendezvous in Moncton run. The solo tour is very near over and I’m shifting gears to Bastard mode again.

I had a great time traveling Ontario an playing a bunch of clubs over and over again! Thanks much to all the club owners, the peeps who came to the shows and very special thanks to the folks who gave me a spot to crash! Highlights for me were The Acoustic Grill in Picton (no surprise there) as I got to jam with my pals Ken and Greg on the last few Mondays and of course the Sarnia house concert. This show was amazing and really blew me away with all the peeps who came out and my gracious Hosts Alexa and Ron. Thank you so much for an incredible night! My last solo show for this tour and for a while is this Friday at The Bourbon Quarter in Saint John. 9pm. C’mon out!

Here are a few pics from the trip:

lots of shoes in Sarnia!



Toronto Souvenirs!


freaky fish tank at Two Doors Down in Brantford


Biggest Shrimp I've ever seen.

All kinds of fun! My last Day in Toronto was a bit of a sad one. As I said my goodbyes to my sister and Douglar I also said my goodbyes to The Bastard Toronto Compound as my Sister and Doug are headed out west to chase some dreams! End of an era in hogtown fo’ sho’. Here is a little video I put together for it….(if yer on facebook you can’t view, visit www.rossneilsen.com to view video)

This week I’m headed to Freddy Beach to rehearse our acoustic show with the Bastards. We’re prepping for our Cd release at The Playhouse on Sat April 9th. It’s going to be a real fun night with some cool versions of tunes. Really looking forward to it. Tix are on sale at The Playhouse Box Office 1-866-884-5800 or Online HERE Hope to see you there!

After the Cd release its ECMA time folks. We’ve got a few showcases and plan on making the most of our time there. Shows are listed under tour dates now. I’ve also posted some of our summer Canadian Tour so Check em out and get on out to a show. We’ve missed you ya know?!

See you out there,

Ross

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