GrooveLily » Newsletters

STRIKING 12 Wrapup & WHEELHOUSE Status

brendan — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 17:45:58 +0000

We just returned from a brief, wildly triumphant run of STRIKING 12 at TheatreWorks of Silicon Valley, where we first workshopped the piece in 2003 and had a run in 2004. The houses were packed, the crowds were ebullient and bubbly like a glass of New Year’s champagne, and we raised a glass with a packed room of theatergoer/revelers at the very beginning of the new year. What a blast.

Gene barely made it to the show; he was stuck like so many travelers, in the snow-related mishegoss that wreaked havoc on the east coast. Finally, he managed to get the last ticket on a first-class flight out of Philly, and it was delayed three times, which made it possible for him to actually get to Philly in time after waiting six hours for a train from Newark. He got the last cab from the train station before they closed it down; he was the last person through security before they closed *it* down. He arrived at the gate, ecstatic to have made it, definitely the only happy person in sight amidst the hundreds of weary travelers who had been waiting there all day…sat down in his first-class seat like the King of Siam, and promptly fell asleep.

The morning after our first STRIKING 12 show in Palo Alto, we got our groggy selves out of bed early and did a presentation of WHEELHOUSE for an audience of three TheatreWorks folks. We played about 8 songs–the ones we’ve rehearsed, the ones you’ve heard us do lately at our recent east coast gigs, plus one we’d never done before–and explained the rest. We walked them through the whole PowerPoint/charts and graphs concept, and led them from the optimistic beginnings through the absolute rock bottom to the sense of hope and possibility at the end. TheatreWorks helped us start developing WHEELHOUSE five years ago, and we are thrilled to have had the chance to show our progress to those who have been near and dear to the piece since its inception. We’re filled with excitement about this project (the upcoming album, which we hope to record this year, plus the show), and can’t wait to work on it together again soon.

A New Venture: Valerie’s Solo Concerts

brendan — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 17:30:41 +0000

There are a lot of venues that GrooveLily doesn’t play anymore, but places that would be perfect for…a solo performer. Ergo: Val’s new solo concerts and website.

http://valerievigoda.com/

Val is putting together a set of songs that she’ll perform alone with violin, harmony box, and Ableton Live running on a laptop. She’s creating loops of vocals and violin in real time, and turning them into new arrangements of old GrooveLily songs, plus guilty pleasures from the ’70s and ’80s re-imagined for her new box of audio crayons.

Val writes on her site:

This Ableton Live project is something entirely new and different for me … and I’m thrillingly excited about it. It’s incredibly empowering to be able to create an entire pop symphony of sound, in real time, onstage, alone.
And in case anyone is wondering: this does NOT mean GrooveLily is breaking up. My solo show is a completely different animal, and who knows, maybe I’ll open for us sometime.

Check out the videos and see what you think. If there’s a venue Val should be playing while you wait for the next GrooveLily show, please let us know. We just booked the very first Val solo gig, which will be March 17 in Des Moines, IA.

Goodspeed Opera House Wrapup, & how to become a card-carrying Gaby Alter fan in just two weeks in the snow

brendan — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 17:20:48 +0000

Gaby Alter co-wrote "Nobody Loves You," but We Loves Us some Gaby Alter.

Goodspeed Opera House invited me (Brendan), Val and Rachel Sheinkin to come up for two weeks and write whatever we wanted to write, as long as Val and I would consent to play a 45-minute concert at the end of the second week. We used this precious kid-free time (thanks for babysitting, Mom) to work 14-hour days like we used to back before we went and became parents. Much of the time was spent in fruitful exploration and rewrites of SLEEPING BEAUTY WAKES in preparation for its April 29 opening at McCarter Theatre in Princeton.

While we were there we saw three great, wildly different musicals in staged readings. ROOM 16, a hilarious, jazzy, so-wrong-it’s-right musical about G. Gordon Liddy and the Watergate Scandal; HELLO, MY BABY, Cheri Steinkellner and Georgia Stitt’s song-plugger/mistaken identity/cross-dressing turn-of-the-previous-century musical with a terrific score of public-domain tunes re-imagined in a memorable and delightful way; and NOBODY LOVES YOU, by Itamar Moses and Gaby Alter.

All three were good, but we had already *expected* the first two to be so, given how much we already knew of the pieces. The latter show was a wonderful surprise, and we need to crow about it for a moment.

At a cabaret the night before, Gaby and a crew of 8 actor/singers from the cast of the aforementioned NOBODY LOVES YOU sang his song “The Argument,” and Val, Rachel and I had one of those mutual, shared, jaw-dropping moments. It was just magical, and something in the songwriting, the performance, and the opening up of the song into a beautiful, choral explosion carried us away. We became card-carrying Gaby Alter fans at that moment.

The next day, Val and I had a chance to watch a final rehearsal run-through of Gaby and Itamar’s show. NOBODY LOVES YOU is a musical about reality television. This sounded (to me and Val) like a terrible idea. But it’s. Just. Great. So funny, so smart, so engaging, and terrific book, lyrics and music. If you have a chance to see this show in any form anywhere, run, don’t walk.

June 2008 Newsletter

Valerie — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 11:57:31 +0000

G r o o v e L i l y E – N e w s # 5 7

June 2008
A Mostly Monthly E-Newsletter by and about GrooveLily

Valerie Vigoda: vocals/violin
Brendan Milburn: keys/vocals
Gene Lewin: drums/vocals

A contest where everybody (and nobody) won…a little new FREE music to hear right this minute…a workshop in Pittsburgh…premiere of our newest ballad…and all our love. Enjoy!

Playbill Article/Photos About Battle Of The Broadway Bands: No Contest
Hear “Fragile As Love” From LONG STORY SHORT (Free) Right Now!
LONG STORY SHORT Workshop @ Momentum Festival In Pittsburgh June 12-15
Michael Winther To Sing “Still Love” From LSS @ Metropolitan Room June 18
Upcoming Shows: Full List

1. Playbill Article/Photos About Battle Of The Broadway Bands: No Contest

It was a fun but slightly bizarre evening. The number of opening acts kept increasing (apparently people wanted to participate but NOT to compete!), so that by midnight the “contest” had not yet begun, though four bands had already played.
The organizers of the show made a quiet decision to nix the voting altogether, sometime around 2 in the morning…so after the final band played (the terrific ALBINOKID – led by actor Anthony Rapp, original star of RENT), the emcee (Dan Reichard from JERSEY BOYS) simply said “Thank you very much and goodnight!” – leaving us all slightly confused…however, in some way we felt like we had all won.

Matt Blank wrote an article for Playbill about the event (see below), and it features some fun photos by our friend Neale Eckstein, including one of Petal Pushers Pete and Bev.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/118029.html

2. Hear “Fragile As Love” From LONG STORY SHORT (Free) Right Now!

Here’s a little taste of Val and Brendan’s new 2-person musical LONG STORY SHORT: it’s the first song we wrote for the show, and it’s available for listening (FREE) right now.

http://citytheatrecompany.org/momentum.html

3. LONG STORY SHORT Workshop @ Momentum Festival In Pittsburgh June 12-15

Brendan and Val have been hard at work on the second draft of the show, which will be unveiled next week at City Theatre of Pittsburgh’s annual Momentum Festival. In preparation for its fall 2008 world premiere, City Theatre is hosting 2 public readings of LONG STORY SHORT at the festival, featuring actors Pearl Sun and Benj Pasek. If you’re in the area, please join us!

Momentum weekend includes readings of four new works in various stages of development. The other three are: SPEAK AMERICAN, written and directed by Eric Simonson; HIM, written by Daisy Foote and directed by Stuart Carden; and WHEN JANUARY FEELS LIKE SUMMER, written by Cori Thomas and directed by Billy Porter.

Readings: $5
Momentum Pass (to get into all readings): $10

LONG STORY SHORT Readings:
Thursday, June 12 @ 7:30 PM and Saturday, June 14 @ 8:00 PM
Mainstage
City Theatre of Pittsburgh
1300 Bingham Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
412.431.CITY

We’ll also be participating in a writers’ panel, and leading a songwriting workshop. For more info on the festival, as well as the full schedule, go here:

http://citytheatrecompany.org/momentum.html

From Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden’s blog:

The big weekend of readings takes place June 12-15 and is scheduled in a way that allows playwrights to hear one another’s work and promotes a dialogue between these artists. We’ll hold playwright and industry panel discussions, and a musical theatre writing workshop aimed at providing working writers, as well as audience members a window into the type of new play development we do at City. And since everyone loves a party (especially the lushes at City Theatre) we’ll throw one almost every night of the festival, celebrating the work of these excellent playwrights and the twenty five actors and directors participating in Momentum 2008.

http://stuartcarden.blogspot.com/2008/04/momentum-festival-2008-refreshing-plays.html

4. Michael Winther To Sing “Still Love” From LSS @ Metropolitan Room June 18

We adore Michael Winther, whom we’ve admired ever since he acted in Brendan’s grad-school reading in 1995. He’s including a brand-new song from LONG STORY SHORT (a ballad called “Still Love”) in his upcoming concert at the Metropolitan Room, which will be reviewed by the NY Times on Wednesday, June 18. Val and Brendan will be there cheering him on…so come join us if you’re in town! Details and description below.

“New Love Songs”
Michael Winther with Kimberly Grigsby
Wednesday, June 18
7:30 PM
The Metropolitan Room
34 West 22nd Street Between 5th & 6th Aves
New York, NY 10010
212.206.0440

http://www.metropolitanroom.com/

$20.00 Cover, $15.00 Minimum

Join Broadway actor-singer, Michael Winther (MAMMA MIA, 1776, SONGS FROM AN UNMADE BED 2006 Drama Desk Nominee — Best Solo Performance) and one of Broadway’s top musical directors, Kimberly Grigsby (GREASE, SPRING AWAKENING, LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA) for a unique, romantic evening of new love songs by some of our best contemporary theater composers and lyricists.

“A theater singer of unusual refinement,” Michael Winther “has a voice that also traverses genres. Endowed with a strong, appealing folk-pop voice, he also displays the range, ballast and discipline of a trained theater singer. Mr. Winther’s singing actually gains strength as he reaches into a clear, expressive head voice, maintaining perfect enunciation and control.” — Stephen Holden, The New York Times

5. Upcoming Shows: Full List

Friday, November 7 – Lewiston, ME
Saturday, November 8 – Keene, NH
Thursday, December 11 – Cerritos, CA
Friday, December 12 – Escondido, CA
Sunday, December 14 – Carmel, CA
Saturday, January 17, 2009 – Tulsa, OK
Saturday, January 24, 2009- Germantown, MD
Saturday, April 4, 2009 – Portsmouth, NH

www.groovelily.com/index2.html?gigs

We’ll be in touch again next month…

love,
GrooveLily

email:
us@GrooveLily.com
web site:
www.GrooveLily.com

May 2008 Newsletter

Valerie — Thu, 01 May 2008 11:54:35 +0000

A Mostly Monthly E-Newsletter by and about GrooveLily

Valerie Vigoda: vocals/violin
Brendan Milburn: keys/vocals
Gene Lewin: drums/vocals

G r o o v e L i l y E – N e w s # 5 6

Thanks to everyone who came out to our late-April shows in NJ and NYC. We had a blast, and will be gigging again soon. Check out some video footage and photos in #2, #3 and #4 below … and if you’re in Manhattan this coming Saturday night, stay up late and join us for Battle Of The Broadway Bands!

1. Battle Of The Broadway Bands @ Zipper May 17!
2. Video From Maplewood Gig: Bring It On
3. Video From Joe’s Pub Gig: Apocalyptic Love Song
4. Photos From Joe’s Pub And Maplewood
5. WATT?!? Staged Reading In MA: Barrington Stage May 24 & 25
6. Upcoming Shows: Full List

1. Battle Of The Broadway Bands @ Zipper May 17!

We are very psyched to be included in this event, as the only “Broadway Band” that has not (yet) actually been on Broadway; it can only mean good things for the future.

Come join us for an “informal smackdown between bands” this Saturday, May 17 at 10:00 PM, one night only at The Zipper Factory, 336 West 37th Street in Manhattan. Tickets are $20 by calling 212-352-3101 or log onto www.nymf.org. Pre-show dinner packages, drink specials and late night fare will be available.

Last year’s Battle (the first) was won by John Gallagher (SPRING AWAKENING) and his band, Old Springs Pike. On the bill this year along with us are: Stew (PASSING STRANGE), Anthony Rapp (RENT), Lauren Pritchard (SPRING AWAKENING), Chester Gregory II (CRY-BABY), and others.

2. Video From Maplewood Gig: Bring It On

Petal Pusher Coordinator Rob Bond shot the show in HD, and has put a song up on Vimeo. This is “Bring It On,” Sleeping Beauty’s song of teen rebellion from our show “Sleeping Beauty Wakes.”

www.vimeo.com/groovelily

3. Video From Joe’s Pub Gig: Apocalyptic Love Song

Our friend and fantastic chef Mark Tafoya shot the show in HD, and is featuring “Apocalyptic Love Song” in his Remarkably Mark podcast.

http://blip.tv/play/Abe+ZAA

4. Photos From Joe’s Pub And Maplewood

The excellent Adam Wolf has put up some photos from both shows here:

Maplewood
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=110266&l=1ec9a&id=897935470

Joe’s Pub
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=113528&l=0762b&id=897935470

Thanks so much to Rob, Mark and Adam for documenting!

5. WATT?!? Staged Reading In MA: Barrington Stage May 24 & 25

The timing couldn’t be better. David Javerbaum, Brendan’s grad-school classmate and collaborator on WATT?!?, has just been nominated for a Tony Award for his work on the new Broadway musical CRY-BABY. DJ is the head writer/executive producer of the Daily Show, as well as one of the best/funniest lyricists we know…and we are thrilled for him.
WATT?!? is truly his baby (he’s writing book and lyrics), and he has asked Brendan to come on board to write the music. It’s a show about the life and times of James Watt (Secretary of the Interior during Reagan’s presidency), and its first staged readings take place May 24 & 25 at Barrington Stage in Massachusetts.

http://www.barringtonstageco.org/currentseason/index-detail.php?record=14

6. Upcoming Shows: Full List

Check out the gigs page.

email: us@groovelily.com
web site: www.groovelily.com

April 2008 Newsletter

Valerie — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:52:16 +0000

A Mostly Monthly E-Newsletter by and about GrooveLily

Valerie Vigoda: vocals/violin
Brendan Milburn: keys/vocals
Gene Lewin: drums/vocals

G r o o v e L i l y E – N e w s # 5 5

We are so excited to get out and PLAY again. We haven’t gone this long without a gig since we started the band over a decade ago … so come join us on April 26 in Maplewood, NJ and April 27 at Joe’s Pub in NYC!
Brendan and Val got to attend the official press opening of TOY STORY on April 10, and were thrilled to be mentioned in Jon Lasseter’s curtain speech. Check out photo and video coverage in #2 below.
On the cruise ship, their 2 1/2-year-old son Mose fell in love with Woody and Buzz, whom he had previously known only from the artwork imprinted on his diapers. Full blog coming soon; meanwhile, happy spring, everyone!

1. Nightlife Spotlight: Joe’s Pub April 27
2. Toy Story Opens At Sea! NY Post Coverage, Slideshows, Video
3. April 26 Gig In Maplewood, NJ: All-Request Second Set
4. Just For Fun: The Korean Gene Lewin?
5. Is Your Name Denyse? We’ve Got A Free CD For You
6. Upcoming Shows: Full List

1. Nightlife Spotlight: Joe’s Pub April 27

From Theatermania’s Nightlife Spotlight:

There is a slew of stars over at Joe’s Pub…including Nellie McKay (April 1)…Melissa Errico (April 23-24), GrooveLily (April 27), and Sutton Foster (April 28)

We are honored to be in such distinguished company. Here are the details:

Sunday, April 27, 2008
7:30 PM
Joe’s Pub
425 Lafayette Street
New York, NY
Tickets: $20 General Admission
Web: www.joespub.com
Phone: 212-967-7555
Email: sthake@publictheater.org
Please come join us in one of New York’s best listening rooms.

2. Toy Story Opens At Sea! NY Post Coverage, Slideshows, Video

It’s the most ambitious show ever presented on the high seas, and we are incredibly delighted and proud. Check out the New York Post article, slideshows of great production photos, and video coverage including short excerpts of some of our songs, plus Jon Lasseter’s curtain speech and interviews/Q&A with the entire creative team!

ARTICLE from New York Post:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/04012008/entertainment/travel/it_s_a_toy__104458.htm

SLIDESHOW from Webshots:
http://good-times.webshots.com/slideshow/562946521NBbyvk;jsessionid=abctKAyZRDNqO5KvkOuLr

VIDEO from Central Florida News 13:
http://www.cfnews13.com/Entertainment/HeyJohn/2008/4/11/toy_story_becomes_a_musical.html

VIDEO from Orlando Sentinel:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-toystory1108apr11,0,2846860.story

VIDEO/PIX from Laughing Place:
http://www.laughingplace.com/Lotion-View-631.asp

3. April 26 Gig In Maplewood, NJ: All-Request Second Set

The Petal Pushers have made their song requests – and we will honor as many as humanly possible at our April 26 show, at our all-request second set.

At this very special show, which could very well become an annual tradition, all Petal Pushers get in for FREE (a pair of tickets for each PP) – and absolutely everyone is invited. We hope to see you in Maplewood on April 26.

Saturday, April 26, 2008
UNDERGROUND CONCERT SERIES
Maplewood Middle School Auditorium
7 Burnet Street
Maplewood, NJ
8:00 PM, $22 General Admission (FREE for Petal Pushers)
973.762.0119
www.undergroundconcerts.com
jamie@undergroundconcerts.com

4. Just For Fun: The Korean Gene Lewin?

Our friends Paul and Storm, who never fail to find the best stuff on YouTube, sent us this link. We think you’ll find yourself mesmerized by this truly Gene-esque drummer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPWjNX4PBlI

5. Is Your Name Denyse? We’ve Got A Free CD For You

Going through stuff in the basement, we ran across an original “Little Light” CD autographed “To Denyse.” (Apparently we misheard someone’s name at the merch table after a gig sometime in 2001…)
If this happens to be your name, or if you’d simply like to own this pre-personalized copy of one of our older albums, let us know and we’ll hook you up.

6. Upcoming Shows: Full List

Check out the gigs page.

email: us@groovelily.com
web site: www.groovelily.com

March 2008 Newsletter

Valerie — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 11:49:13 +0000

A Mostly Monthly E-Newsletter by and about GrooveLily

Valerie Vigoda: vocals/violin
Brendan Milburn: keys/vocals
Gene Lewin: drums/vocals

G r o o v e L i l y E – N e w s # 5 4

Almost out of hibernation, people…

1. April 26 Show In Maplewood, NJ: “Petal Pusher” Gig
2. April 27 Show at Joe’s Pub, NYC
3. Gene With Audra McDonald: More Gigs Added
4. “Long Story Short”/”Sleeping Beauty Wakes” Workshop Wrapup
5. More LA Accolades For “Sleeping Beauty Wakes”: Garland Awards
6. More Press About “Long Story Short” & “Toy Story: The Musical”
7. Far-Flung Friends Performing In NYC: Britt Swenson, Christopher Fuelling
8. We Also Recommend: Fugitive Songs (Chris Miller & Nathan Tysen)

1. April 26 Show In Maplewood, NJ: “Petal Pusher” Gig

We miss you! And so it is with great pleasure that we will dust off our instruments and return to Maplewood, NJ for the Underground Concert Series, this time at a lovely middle school auditorium.

Our Petal Pushers (GrooveLily street team) have been wonderful and indispensable to us over the years, and we want to give something back. At this first-ever Petal Pusher gig, all PPs will get in for free, AND…we’d like them to help write the set list.

Please mark your calendars (and just to be clear, EVERYONE is cordially invited, not just Petal Pushers) for Saturday evening, April 26 – and any PPs with song requests should email us at us@groovelily.com — we will compile the requests and write the set accordingly. Please make your requests by March 21, and we look forward to seeing you at this very special show (which could very well become an annual tradition).

2. April 27 Show at Joe’s Pub, NYC

The night after the PP concert in NJ, we’ll be doing a (different) show at Joe’s Pub in Manhattan. It’s our first real gig in this venue, which is one of New York’s best listening rooms, and we are very excited about it. Hope you can join us! We’ll be playing one 60-minute set.

Sunday, April 27, 2008
JOE’S PUB
425 Lafayette Street
New York City
7:30 PM, $20 General Admission
212.967.7555
www.joespub.com
sthake@publictheater.org

3. Gene With Audra McDonald: More Gigs Added

Friday, March 28 at the Lucas Theatre for the Arts in Savannah, GA
Sunday, March 30 at the Ferst Center for the Arts in Atlanta, GA
Tuesday, April 1, Thomasville Cultural Center in Thomasville, GA
Friday May 2, Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts in Storrs, CT
Saturday May 3, Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts in Storrs, CT

4. “Long Story Short”/”Sleeping Beauty Wakes” Workshop Wrapup

We could not be happier with the way both these shows are shaping up. After these relatively frantic weeks of writing and traveling (to Pittsburgh and then to Princeton, NJ), revising pages and making charts before rehearsal each day and then barraging the actors with new material, both “Long Story Short” and “Sleeping Beauty Wakes” are in their best incarnations yet. Thanks so much to everyone at City Theatre, TheatreWorks and McCarter Theatre for all their support as we develop these pieces … and to all the actors who have been incredibly generous with their time and their talent, allowing us to hear where we are with our writing. Wayne Wilcox and Deborah Craig worked with us on “Long Story Short” in Pittsburgh; and the cast of the Princeton “Beauty” reading included Bill Youmans, Kaitlin Hopkins, Whitney Bashor, Charlie Pollock, Patrick Ryan Sullivan, Jimmy Ray Bennett, Sally Wilfert, Todd Buonopane and Kate Chapman.

Each show had a reading with an audience, on a cold soggy night in a small room … and we have emerged even more enthusiastic about both projects, galvanized to finish our work. Val and Bren’s 2 1/2-year-old son Mose has emerged with two new favorite phrases, repeated frequently with vehement happy arm gestures: “US Airways!” and “Holiday Inn Express!”

5. More LA Accolades For “Sleeping Beauty Wakes”: Garland Awards

Once again, we are incredibly honored. We just learned about these awards, and they make us even more excited about the future of the show. Every year, the critics of Back Stage West vote on the best of theatre in Los Angeles and vicinities. “Sleeping Beauty Wakes” won for: Production (Center Theatre Group, Deaf West Theatre), Choreography (Jeff Calhoun), and Sound Design (Eric Snodgrass).

From the Back Stage web page on the 2008 Garland Awards:

PRODUCTION

Sleeping Beauty Wakes
Center Theatre Group and Deaf West Theatre at Kirk Douglas Theatre

SLEEPING BEAUTY WAKES, winner for Production

“Sleeping Beauty sleeps. She of the Charles Perrault fairy tale was born a princess centuries ago to a doting king and queen but was cursed by an evil fairy who was not invited to the princess’ christening. Under the curse, the princess fell into a deep sleep that could be broken only by the kiss of a prince. Or so the traditional fairy tale tells us. Cleverly interweaving that tale into today’s world of sleep clinics, Sleeping Beauty Wakes is modern in music, language, and staging but achingly timeless in sensibility and themes, with book by Rachel Sheinkin and music and lyrics by Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda. Adding to the charm, a sizable portion of the cast is deaf or hard of hearing, communicating with us in American Sign Language. So hearing actors voice and sing those roles in addition to portraying others.”

– Dany Margolies

Full story here:

http://www.backstage.com/bso/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003717668

6. More Press About “Long Story Short” & “Toy Story: The Musical”

We’re a cult band! Drink our Kool-Aid!

“Milburn and Vigoda, a married couple at the heart of the ‘cult band’ GrooveLily, are hot right now, with their ‘Striking 12′ a 2006 off-Broadway hit and their ‘Sleeping Beauty Wakes’, written for Los Angeles’ Deaf West, a record-breaker at the Kirk Douglas Theatre.”

Full story here:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08071/864048-42.stm

***

And, we dress up sometimes.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/115686.html

7. Far-Flung Friends Performing In NYC: Britt Swenson, Christopher Fuelling

Some of our dear friends are coming to town! If you’d care to join us for some fun comedy or terrific Baroque music, we’d love it:

Britt Swenson
SO MANY LADIES
The Zipper Factory
336 West 37th Street (between 8th and 9th Aves)
New York City
Sunday, April 6
7:00 PM, $15 tickets
212.352.3101
www.thezipperfactory.com

“A Best Bet!” – The Denver Post

Hailed as being “Lily Tomlin-esque” by The Denver Post, So Many Ladies is a one-woman tour de force written by and starring stand-up comic and Groundlings veteran Britt Swenson, who plays a total of 15 characters – everything from a Broadway has-been to Laura Bush. Swenson began her stand-up career in New York, and after a move to LA, became a member of the Groundlings and a regular at The Comedy Store. She now lives in Denver, where So Many Ladies premiered to critical acclaim in 2006. Val, who has known Britt since they went to violin camp together at age 12, is a huge fan and can’t wait to see her show at the Zipper.

For a sneak preview, check Britt out on YouTube:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=AQTlOfbuMgI

***

Christopher Fuelling
ART MONASTERY GALA FUNDRAISER
City University Of New York
Shepherd Hall, Convent Avenue near 137th Street
New York City
Saturday, April 12
Doors 7:00 PM, Baroque Concert 8:00 PM, Donations $20-$60
Silent Auction, Italian hors d’oeuvres
http://artmonastery.org/Art_Monastery/Fundraiser_NYC.html
ben@artmonastery.org

Val’s college friend Christopher (a tenor specializing in Early Baroque music and Gregorian chant, among other pursuits) is founding a beautiful artistic retreat in Italy in an old monastery near Rome, with a group of likeminded musicians and artists. This creative haven is called The Art Monastery Project, and Chris & co. are kicking it off with a fundraising tour next month. They’ll be in LA, Philadelphia, NYC, Bloomington, Kansas City, Seattle and San Francisco…Val and Brendan will be at the Manhattan gala on April 12, listening to glorious Baroque singing and cheering on our expat friends.

From their site:
The purpose of the Art Monastery Project is to produce art that is relevant to the contemporary world yet is informed and inspired by tradition. Our strategy is to apply the disciplined efficiency and contemplative serenity of monastic life to art production. As such, the Art Monastery will support artists and projects that best exploit the unique environment we are generating.

www.artmonastery.org

8. We Also Recommend: Fugitive Songs (Chris Miller & Nathan Tysen)

If you like GrooveLily, we think it’s a pretty sure bet you’ll like these guys too. Theatrical writers with rock/pop/folk sensibilities, they’ve got wit, they’ve got groove, they’ve got heart … and their song cycle, “Fugitive Songs,” features plenty of all three.

From their press materials:
Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen have crafted a series of theatre songs for their restless generation. Fugitive Songs is a 17-song journey across America, spotlighting people on the run: a disgruntled Subway sandwich employee, a jilted ex-cheerleader, a pair of Patty Hearst fanatics, a stoner who robs a convenience store against his will, and many others. Blending traditional folk music with contemporary pop, Fugitive Songs offers a new sound for a changing America.

FUGITIVE SONGS
45th Street Theatre
354 West 45th Street
New York City
March 9 – 30, 2008
Wed-Sat 8 PM, Sat & Sun 2 PM
$20 tickets
800.595.4849
www.dreamlighttheatre.org

Music by Chris Miller
Lyrics by Nathan Tysen
Directed by Joe Calarco

We’ll be in touch again next month…

love,
GrooveLily

email: us@groovelily.com
web site: www.groovelily.com

February 2008 Newsletter

Valerie — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:46:39 +0000

A Mostly Monthly E-Newsletter by and about GrooveLily

Valerie Vigoda: vocals/violin
Brendan Milburn: keys/vocals
Gene Lewin: drums/vocals

G r o o v e L i l y E – N e w s # 5 3

Writing, writing, writing, making sheet music, making demos, making plans, making coffee, fending off frostbite, teaching Mose about “please” and “thankyou” (his latest statement on the subject being “hitting is good, please!”) … teaching Elias about the difference between snare drum and tom toms, and not to drum directly on Da-da’s shins (his latest statement on the subject being “bwahbwah!”) … working on the new GL website, and sending you all February love from frozen Brooklyn.

1. Larson Award, Again!
2. “Long Story Short” World Premiere Announced: Pittsburgh & Palo Alto 2008
3. “Long Story Short” Workshop Feb 29, City Theatre Of Pittsburgh
4. What’s Gene Up To? Laurie Krauz, Broadway Boys, Audra McDonald Gigs
5. Photo From First High School Production Of “Striking 12″ (Tampa, FL)
6. “Sleeping Beauty Wakes”: Working On The Show/Concert Version Underway
7. “Toy Story: The Musical” Disney Cruise Info, In Case You’d Like To Join Us
8. Since You Asked: Mark Wood’s New Electric Violin Starter Kit
9. Upcoming Gigs: Coming Soon. Keep Resting.

1. Larson Award, Again!

Val and Brendan had the great honor of accepting a *second* Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation award this week (the first was 2 years ago). City Theatre of Pittsburgh will utilize the grant specifically for the development of our new 2-person musical “Long Story Short” (adapted from the David Schulner play “An Infinite Ache”). The awards luncheon was at the “21″ Club in NYC on February 14, where we hobnobbed in our dressy clothes and got to hear amazing performances by the likes of Neil Patrick Harris, Anthony Rapp and Mary Testa. The whole Larson family was there, and we were incredibly happy to be part of this warm, supportive, wonderful group once again.

From the Larson website: Jonathan Larson’s dream was to infuse musical theatre with a contemporary, joyful urban vitality. After 12 years of struggle as a classic “starving artist,” his dream came true with the phenomenal success of RENT. To celebrate his creative spirit and honor his memory, Jonathan’s family and friends created the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation. The mission of the Foundation is to provide financial support and encouragement to a new generation of musical theatre composers, lyricists and bookwriters.

www.jlpaf.org

2. “Long Story Short” World Premiere Announced: Pittsburgh & Palo Alto 2008

It’s officially happening this year! Val and Brendan are hard at work on the musical adaptation of “An Infinite Ache,” a 2-person musical now officially titled “Long Story Short.” Originally commissioned by City Theatre of Pittsburgh, the world premiere of the show will be presented by both City Theatre of Pittsburgh and TheatreWorks Palo Alto. Tracy Brigden, Artistic Director of City Theatre, will direct.
(Val and Brendan will NOT be performing the show. They will be gleefully spectating and taking notes.)

Pittsburgh: October 23 – November 15, 2008

Palo Alto: December 3 – December 28, 2008

“Long Story Short,” based on a David Schulner play about a “roller-coaster romance, examines the life-cycle of a relationship from first date through old age. It retraces a brief encounter between two 20-somethings which develops into a love affair that lasts a lifetime.”

Full stories here:

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/114882.html
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/living/events/s_550760.html
http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_8172187

3. “Long Story Short” Workshop Feb 29, City Theatre Of Pittsburgh

If you are in or near Pittsburgh this month and would like to check out a sneak preview of “Long Story Short,” we’d love for you to join us.
This is a workshop (informal reading, with scripts in hand and a pianist) of our first draft of the show – so who knows what may change between now and opening night. We are thrilled to be working with wonderful actors Deborah Craig (original Marcy Park in “Spelling Bee” on Broadway) and Wayne Wilcox (star of “Coram Boy” on Broadway).

Friday, February 29, 2008
Hamburg Theatre, City Theatre of Pittsburgh
7:00 PM, FREE but *extremely* limited tickets
Reservations required: (412) 431-CITY [2489]

4. What’s Gene Up To? Laurie Krauz, Broadway Boys, Audra McDonald Gigs

While “Long Story Short” and “Toy Story” are going up, Gene is playing lots of great music. He writes:

I’m rehearsing with singer Laurie Krauz, musical director Daryl Kojak, and bassist Sean Conly in preparation for Laurie’s new CD “Tapestry Rewoven,” a re-imagining of Carole King’s classic recording. Laurie is a good friend, great singer, and incredibly dedicated artist…this record is going to be really cool. For more info, check out:
www.lauriekrauz.com

I’m also playing with “The Broadway Boys” (a fantastic vocal group led by the fabulous Jesse Nager, our friend and co-conspirator on “A Little Midsummer Night’s Music” – you may remember his glorious singing on “All Shall Be Well”). The Broadway Boys play Birdland on March 9th. Come check it out if you’re in NYC!
www.myspace.com/thebroadwayboys

And I’m going out on the road again with the wonderful Audra McDonald:

Friday, March 28th at the Lucas Theatre for the Arts in Savannah, GA
Sunday, March 30th at the Ferst Center for the Arts in Atlanta, GA

5. Photo From First High School Production Of “Striking 12″ (Tampa, FL)

The largest cast to do “Striking 12″ so far is Wharton High School in Tampa, Florida. The Wharton Thespians performed the adapted version of the show this past December…and we were delighted to see this fun photo from their production. Go Wharton!

http://pics.tampabay.com/?method=view.image¶m=27458¶m=188

6. “Sleeping Beauty Wakes”: Working On The Show/Concert Version Underway

Thank you for all your inquiries about what’s next for “Sleeping Beauty Wakes,” and for your many messages asking about recordings of the songs! Rest assured, we have very high hopes for the future of the show, and will keep you posted along the way.

What’s happening right now:

1) Brendan, Rachel and Val have completed a second draft, and there will be an informal reading of this version in a rehearsal room at McCarter Theatre in Princeton, NJ on March 8, as part of their IN-Festival. (Unfortunately the room is too small to invite you to join us — our apologies!)

2) Gene, Brendan and Val are putting together a concert version of SBW for GrooveLily to perform.* The first one has already been booked, by the Portsmouth Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH for April 2009. We plan to record the album of songs in preparation for these concerts…stay tuned.

*This concert version is entirely separate from any future full productions of the show, which will include American Sign Language and a much larger cast.

7. “Toy Story: The Musical” Disney Cruise Info, In Case You’d Like To Join Us

Val, Brendan and two-year-old son Mose will be cruising to the Bahamas from March 16-20, to help oversee the first public performances of “Toy Story: The Musical” on the cruise ship Disney Wonder. The whole creative team will be there…and we can’t wait to see the full production in action, with the giant puppets and amazing set design on the beautiful Broadway-sized (and watertight) stage!

www.disneycruise.com

8. Since You Asked: Mark Wood’s New Electric Violin Starter Kit

Val is frequently peppered with questions about her Viper violins and violin playing, everything from what the electric instruments feel like to play, how they’re tuned and how heavy they are, to how much they cost and where to get them, to how a person can learn to play non-classical styles…

She would like you all to know that for the first time, Mark Wood (inventor of the Viper) is introducing an extremely affordable electric violin starter kit. Val thinks this is BRILLIANT: it contains everything you need to get going on the electric violin, including your instrument, an amp, a wah-wah pedal, an instruction book, and all the cables you’ll need to plug in and play. Check it out, and enjoy!

http://www.woodviolins.com/html/home.html

9. Upcoming Gigs: Coming Soon. Keep Resting.

We’ll be in touch again next month…

love,
GrooveLily

email: us@groovelily.com
web site: www.groovelily.com

January 2008 Newsletter

Valerie — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 11:33:41 +0000

A Mostly Monthly E-Newsletter by and about GrooveLily

Valerie Vigoda: vocals/violin
Brendan Milburn: keys/vocals
Gene Lewin: drums/vocals

G r o o v e L i l y E – N e w s # 5 2

January in Brooklyn: the Statue of Liberty is easy to spot through leafless branches and over the dark water of the East River, inspiring us with her upraised arm. Brendan and Val’s son Mose and Gene’s son Elias play in shirtsleeves in Prospect Park, enjoying the unexpectedly balmy winter sun. Joggers in shorts dodge discarded Christmas trees.
No matter where you find yourself and what the weather, we hope you enjoy this month’s profusion of videos and photos: check out “Striking 12″ highlights and a prototype hi-res “GrooveLily Channel” on Stage6, as well as the first sneak preview of “Toy Story The Musical”!

1. “Striking 12″ Photos By John Atashian
2. “Striking 12″ Video Highlights By Rob Bond
3. Prototype Hi-Res “GrooveLily Channel” on Stage6, Also By Rob Bond
4. Sneak Preview Of “Toy Story The Musical”: Article & Podcast!
5. NOT GrooveLily: Cincinnati New Stage Collective “Striking 12″ Clips
6. Department Of Gratitude: WXPN, Free For All With Beth And Jules
7. Upcoming Shows: None At The Moment. Stay Home And Rest.

1. “Striking 12″ Photos By John Atashian

Thanks so much to the terrific John Atashian for sharing these photos with us. (Despite the new overture lyrics saying otherwise, we did give him permission to take pictures!)
These are from the December 29 show at the Zipper Factory.

http://www.groovelily.com/index2.html?gallery
(click on “Winter 2007-2008″)

2. “Striking 12″ Video Highlights By Rob Bond

Brought to you by our intrepid Petal Pusher Coordinator Rob Bond.

“Overture 2007″:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbULAnc7M20

“Screwed-Up People Make Great Art”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHUOK6JSoiQ&feature=related

“The Little Drummer Boy”*:
http://www.stage6.com/user/bigfan007/video/2034693/

*To play this video you will need the DivX Player. You should be able
to download the DivX Player plug-in once you go to the page referenced
above (in Internet Explorer you will get an Active-X installation
prompt for the DivX player. In FireFox you will see a puzzle icon,
prompting you to install the DivX plug-in).

This is a single, hand-held, camera recording from the audience of the
29-Dec 2007 “Striking 12″ performance at The Zipper Factory in lovely
NYC.

3. Prototype Hi-Res “GrooveLily Channel” on Stage6, Also By Rob Bond

This is the beginning of something really terrific. We are delighted that Rob has started this, and we think that Stage6′s whole hi-res premise ROCKS.

http://www.stage6.com/GrooveLily/

Rob writes, “I have prototyped a ‘GrooveLily Channel’ on the video file sharing site ‘Stage6′. The concept of a ‘Channel’ is that it provides a means of collecting video content with a common theme and allows you to build a community of interest around the content. Not only can you comment on the individual videos (like YouTube), but there is also a Discussion Board for the channel, plus a Blog feature for the channel owner (me at the moment).

The channel has a number of ‘Groups’ that I have defined: ‘Striking 12′, ‘Sleeping Beauty Wakes’, ‘Wheelhouse’, ‘TV Appearances’, ‘Covers’ and ‘Concerts’ (for the general GL music catalog). The ‘Group’ concept allows you to collect related content within the channel for ease of access. There is currently no content uploaded for ‘Sleeping Beauty Wakes’ or ‘Wheelhouse’, but the others have some initial content. To see all the videos go to the ‘GrooveLily Channel’ at http://www.stage6.com/GrooveLily/ and select ‘View All’.

Stage6 members (it’s free to be a member) can ‘subscribe’ to a channel, in which case they receive immediate updates when new content is loaded.”

4. Sneak Preview Of “Toy Story The Musical”: Article & Podcast!

Orlando Sentinel, Front Page Story, January 8:

“Disney officials wanted a new stage show, so they thought big. Then they thought small. And then, inflatable. The result, set to be announced today by Disney executives, is a multimillion-dollar musical version of Toy Story, the 1995 Disney-Pixar animated film that shrank moviegoers’ perspective to the size of Mr. Potato Head and company.”

Read The Full Story Here:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-toystory0808jan08,0,4485262.story

Podcast:
Behind the scenes at rehearsal in Toronto last month, including nice footage of Brendan and Val (and interview with Val). Lots of big big big puppets.

http://www.cdbproductions.com/ToyStoryPodcastREV4.mov
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WWK6vANEmY

5. NOT GrooveLily: Cincinnati New Stage Collective “Striking 12″ Clips

It’s a little bit surreal for us to see other people doing “Striking 12,” but we are thrilled that the show is getting out into the world! This season, the first year of our association with Theatrical Rights Worldwide, it was licensed to theaters in Philadelphia, PA/Cincinnati, OH/Edison, NJ/Tampa, FL/Seoul, Korea. Ever-vigilant Petal Pusher Adam Wolf ran across this TV interview and TV clips from the Cincinnati production.

New Stage Collective in Cincinnati
TV Interview + “Snow Song”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE3AXYAVqxQ&feature=related

“Can’t Go Home”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcgIPThICrE&feature=related

6. Department Of Gratitude: WXPN, Free For All With Beth And Jules

We could not be more honored that one of our favorite radio stations, Philadelphia’s WXPN, featured “Striking 12″ in its entirety on Christmas Eve.

Also, New Jersey’s own Beth and Jules did the same thing on their Free For All program on January 8. They played the whole “Striking 12″ CD, along with some late Schubert string quartets; we are grateful to be in such illustrious company.

We send out a big THANK YOU to all the independent DJs who continue to make their own decisions about their playlists. Whether or not you include our music specifically, we salute you and celebrate your maverick spirit!

7. Upcoming Shows: None At The Moment. Stay Home And Rest.

Put your feet up. Read a book. (Our current faves: Val – “Heyday” by Kurt Andersen, Brendan – “The Book Of Lost Things” by John Connolly, Gene – “The History Of Love” by Nicole Krauss)
Listen to some other music. (Our current faves: Val – “All In” by Mike Errico, Brendan – “Little Voice” by Sara Bareilles, Gene – “Nearness of You: The Ballad Book” by Michael Brecker, featuring James Taylor singing on 2 tracks)

We’ll be in touch again next month…
love,
GrooveLily

email: us@groovelily.com
web site: www.groovelily.com

December 2007 Newsletter

Valerie — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 12:01:21 +0000

G r o o v e L i l y E – N e w s # 5 1

December 2007
A Mostly Monthly E-Newsletter by and about GrooveLily

Valerie Vigoda: vocals/violin
Brendan Milburn: keys/vocals
Gene Lewin: drums/vocals

Happy holidays, everyone – and thanks for an amazing 2007. Details on “Striking 12″ in NYC between Christmas and New Year’s, “Sleeping Beauty Wakes” Ovation wins, extremely large T-shirts, various fun press and YouTube items, and warm fuzzies going out to you, below.

1. Ovation Awards: WE WON!
2. “Striking 12″ At Zipper Dec 27-31: Tickets Going Fast/New Year’s Eve
3. S12 Is Featured Holiday Pick In New Yorker, NY Times, NJ Star-Ledger
4. You Asked For ‘Em: XXL “Screwed-Up People” Shirts Available Now
5. Pomona Magazine Feature Article On Brendan
6. Website Design Update: Coming Early 2008
7. Fun YouTube Find: Val With Joe Jackson (Sessions @ West 54th Street)
8. Department Of Gratitude – YOU

***************************
1. Ovation Awards: WE WON!
***************************

It was an incredible evening. Our show “Sleeping Beauty Wakes” was nominated for 10 Ovation Awards (the Los Angeles Tonys)…and we won two, including the one we had most hoped for, which was World Premiere Musical. This award, given to the writing team (Brendan, Val and Rachel Sheinkin), was the very last one given out at the ceremony – and it means a lot for the future of our show. Brendan also won for Musical Direction.
The Vigoda/Milburn house is now adorned with two lovely lucite statuettes, stored on a shelf far out of Mose’s reach.

Here’s a rare photo of Val and Brendan in formal wear.

http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=22996
(scroll all the way down to the LAST pic!)

******************************

*****************************************
2. “Striking 12″ At Zipper Dec 27-31: Tickets Going Fast/New Year’s Eve
***********************************************************************

If you’re in NYC, or planning to visit for the holidays, now’s the time to get your tickets for “Striking 12″ at the Zipper.

December 27, 28, 29 & 31
“STRIKING 12″ in concert
THE ZIPPER FACTORY
336 West 37th Street
New York, NY
8 PM, $35 tickets
www.thezipperfactory.com
212.352.3101

Clarification: there has been some confusion about New Year’s Eve, with the 8 PM show and what’s going on afterwards. Here’s the deal:

BEFORE the show, there is a special prix-fixe dinner at the adjoining Zipper Tavern, which is a sit-down dinner. We encourage you to do this, because we know the food there is fantastic – but since it’s BEFORE the show, we won’t be there to join you.

AFTER the show, we plan to meet and greet in the lobby/bar area for a little while, and then repair to the Tavern for food/drinks/relaxing/ringing in the New Year with alla youse. It is NOT, however, a sit-down dinner – it’s more of a party with passed food and open bar all night, with a cover charge. If you are interested in this option, definitely let the Zipper know you are a GL fan and there may be a discount (as of today, we have not heard final word on this).

These are all separate options – it is completely fine to come for “Striking 12″ only. Dinner, drinks or none of the above, we will be delighted to see you at the show!!

Tickets are on sale now, and details are available at www.GrooveLily.com/index2.html?gigs

************************************************************************
3. S12 Is Featured Holiday Pick In New Yorker, NY Times, NJ Star-Ledger
************************************************************************

Many thanks to Bill Coyle from the Zipper for making these all happen.

1. New York Times: Charles Isherwood will highlight the show (currently the photo pick) in the weekly WEEK AHEAD column in Arts & Leisure on Sunday, 12/23.

2. New Jersey Star-Ledger: S12 is the photo pick in Michael Sommer’s Sunday column for this past weekend, Sunday 12/16.

3. New Yorker: S12 is a Holiday Theater Pick in the Holiday Issue, on stands as of November 19.

*******************************************************************
4. You Asked For ‘Em: XXL “Screwed-Up People” Shirts Available Now
*******************************************************************

Calling all big and tall GL fans! Due to popular demand for these extra-extra roomy comfy T-shirts, here they are.

www.GrooveLily.com/merchandise.html
(scroll down to find the shirts)

**********************************************
5. Pomona Magazine Feature Article On Brendan
**********************************************

Brendan’s alma mater, Pomona College, is very proud of her own. Many students and faculty came to see “Sleeping Beauty Wakes” in LA, the college invited Brendan to speak last spring (his first honorarium), and now the alumni magazine has featured him (and Val) in a lovely 4-page spread.

“Once Upon a Musical” – The fractured fairy tale world of Brendan Milburn ’93

Full Story Here:
http://www.pomona.edu/Magazine/PCMFL07/FSmusical.shtml

********************************************
6. Website Design Update: Coming Early 2008
********************************************

Our move to a new blogging site is progressing nicely. We have enlisted the help of graphic designer Michelle Aptman and code monkey Dan Coulter, who is creating WordPress templates and plug-ins for a group of like-minded bands and artists: Jonathan Coulton, Paul & Storm and Jim Boggia. As we inch closer to our unveiling, we are getting more and more excited about all the possibilities here, for easy downloading, selling songs directly from the site, more/better interactivity with our friends and listeners, and a place to showcase fan-created content (like the wild videos we’ve seen on YouTube these past few months)…it’s gonna be great. Stay tuned!

************************************************************************
7. Fun YouTube Find: Val With Joe Jackson (Sessions @ West 54th Street)
************************************************************************

Going way back to 1997, here are some videos of Val in Joe Jackson’s band. On the tour, it was just Val, Joe and Elise Morris (the other keyboard player shown here) – so on the road, Val got to play all the violin parts and sing the soprano vocals…but on this TV show, it’s a much larger group, including performers from the “Heaven & Hell” album (Jane Siberry, Dawn Upshaw, Joy Askew, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Brad Roberts of Crash Test Dummies, and more). You can spot Val at the keyboard, sporting shoulder-length blonde hair and her long-lost engagement ring.

The seven deadly sins, in order from least to most deadly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7EpY2XgPHs&feature=related (Gluttony)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrnaQ0Em8V0&feature=related (Lust)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV61s5-RHJY&feature=related (Avarice)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG_9tE5Rbgk&feature=related (Sloth)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdjwoM9GmnY&feature=related (Anger)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cmwa5_s_Pw4&feature=related (Envy)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6OLzW9DEo0&feature=related (Pride)

*******************************
8. Department Of Gratitude: You
*******************************

2007, which marks the 10-year anniversary of Val/Brendan/Gene (and the 13th year since Val started the band!), has been an incredible year for us…and you have had everything to do with that. If you’ve known us for a long time, you’ve stuck with us as our music and career focus have evolved, changed and changed some more – and we appreciate it more than we can say. If you’re new to GrooveLily, we are delighted to welcome you to our community. Every time we read an appreciative email from you, or see your smiling face at the merch table after a show, or receive a CD order online, we are reminded that we are on the right track, and that we should keep going. Thank you. We have high hopes that 2008 will be even better, and we look forward to sharing it with you.