more of the same

It looks like there is not a break to the insane schedule which has become my life. I am not complaining at all, just a little tired from time to time. Looking forward to the Red Dog show tomorrow. This date was a sort of goal with the new Variety Players to have all the old material down as well as a whole bunch of new tunes. The addition of Mr.Grant (Ken as well) has really helped to fill out the sound and these upcoming shows will really be a great opportunity to showcase the new songs.
After the Red Dog I have a few days writing before heading out with Thornley for a date in Waterloo followed by a week in the studio with the Variety Show recording 4 new songs.
The Watchmen tracks are getting radio play in certain areas. If you are interested in hearing these songs you can check them out on www.the-watchmen.com or call your local radio station and request either of the new tunes. Response to these songs has been good and I am sure there will be more shows in the future.

Stay well
Ken

Correct me if I am wrong…

I love it when I make mistakes, mostly for the comments I receive.
Regarding my show at Mavericks in December I forgot to mention that it was on December 11th.
The response…

“Friday, December in Ottawa @ Mavericks – Ottawa”

pssst – there’s a NUMBER of Fridays in Ottawa

Thanks Mike…

Watchmen weekend and new Macfie guitar…

What a crazy and amazing weekend. The two sold out Watchmen shows at the Horseshoe were both incredible and strangely different. Friday night’s set was a little more laid back than Saturday’s rock show. With obscure songs like Falling, He’s Gone, Top Of The World and others it was a perfect set for a theatre evening. Saturday stepped things up with the addition of a few more rock tunes including Holiday, Wiser and I think Mister as well. Both evenings were packed with fantastic musical moments and all in all the band had a great time.



On Friday, I picked up my buddy Matt Macfie from Newfoundland, now living out west. He had been working on a custom acoustic guitar for me for the last year or so and flew in to come to the Watchmen shows and drop me off the finished product. I cannot begin to explain how cool this guitar is. I had a chance to try it out in last night’s Variety Show rehearsal and it played and sounded great. I am looking forward to using it live this Friday at the Acoustic Grill in Picton for our “Live at the Acoustic Grill” cd release party.

As well on Friday, I dropped by the Traynor factory to pick up a new bass amp. I decided to experiment with using a 4 x 10 and a 1 x 15 cab instead of the usual 8 x 10. I used this combination for the shows with the Watchmen this past weekend and it was incredible. Just adding that 1×15 gave me that extra warmth that I had been looking for. As well, Jeremy set me up with the new Traynor YGM-3 guitar amp which I will be using with the Variety Show Players. I have not had a chance to try it out yet with the band, but on its own it sounds amazing.

I am looking forward to the upcoming shows and hope to see you all on the road.

Cheers
ken

New Watchmen Tunes and Variety Show news…

Hey there everybody

I hope all is well in everyone’s world. All is good here these days. The Watchmen have a few new tracks recorded, The Variety Show Players are performing and going into the studio in October and I am heading out with Thornley for another show in a few weeks. Busy as always, here is the extended version…

The Watchmen:

New Songs available for download

In the spring we decided to go into Joey’s studio and lay some beds for a few tracks just to see how things would unfold. We were pleasantly reminded of how much we enjoyed creating new music and in the end came up with two new tracks that are now available for download at www.the-watchmen.com

Don’t forget the Horseshoe shows this weekend. They are just a few tickets away from sell out on both nights, so if you are planning on getting tickets at the door you may be out of luck. Visit ticketmaser and grab your tix…

The Variety Show Players:

Live CD – Live from the Acoustic Grill

Last January we played a show at the Acoustic Grill in Picton. Steve and the gang down there have started a live concert cd series and have decided to include the Variety Show Players and our performance from that evening. We are very excited to be having a cd release for this at the beginning of October.

We have been working hard at the new material and things are really coming together. We head in to the studio in October to begin tracking the new tunes. More to come on these songs later. In the meanwhile, we are doing some shows around Ontario.

Friday October 2nd – The Acoustic Grill – Picton (reservation only)
Thursday October 8th – The Red Dog – Peterborough
Friday, October 30th – The Masonic Hall – Campbellford (Elite Guitars Halloween Bash)
Friday November 6th – Maxwell’s Music House – Waterloo
Saturday November 7th – The Corktown – Hamilton
Thursday November 19th – TBA Montreal
Friday, December 11th – Mavericks – Ottawa

As always, stay well and I look forward to seeing you on the road…

Ken
www.kentizzard.com
www.myspace.com/thevarietyshowplayers

Variety Show on Myspace

So there have been a lot of e-mails come my way regarding The Variety Show Players and what we are all about. Well… over the last year or so I started working with a few guys up in my “new” neck of the woods and before I knew it we were a new band. Ken Layton, Ken Grant, Dave Mowat and myself make up the VSP. (yes… three Ken’s)

Of course I have been busy with the Watchmen and Thornley this last year, but during my spare time I have been writing with the VSP and performing as much as possible.

We plan on doing some recording this fall and as soon as I get back to Canada in September we will start playing some Ontario shows.

For now I have dumped a demo for a song called “As Far As I Can Tell” on a myspace page. Drop by and check it out when you have the chance…

http://www.myspace.com/thevarietyshowplayers

cheers
Ken

Summer lovin

Today I swam in the icy waters off the shores of Cape Breton. It has been sunny, but still cool in the shade. The waves were enormous and the water salty, in fact more salty than I remember. The waves hit with such force that the sand in the water would sting your skin. Punishing and refreshing.
The Watchmen September shows went on sale last week and are selling extremely well. If you hope to get tickets at the last minute you will perhaps be dissappointed. Drop by ticketmaster and get them while they are still around.

Cheers
Ken

Summer is here and the travelling is upon me.

This has been a crazy week for me. I decided a while ago that I would be taking this summer off and travelling with the family while writing music for a new record. So far some of the new stuff is coming along nicely. The time with the family has been great. A little too much driving for my liking but we had to get out to the east coast in time for me to do a few watchmen fly-ins. Oh yeah the summer of no gigs sort of changed a bit. There are some things that are just unavoidable. After this hell week- ottawa, Montreal, moncton, pei, Calgary, pei, Halifax, Ottawa (again)and back to Halifax) I will have a few weeks off to just chill. All is good in my world and things for the fall are coming together.

The watchmen are doing the 1year reunion anniversary at the horseshoe on september 25/26.
The following weekend the Variety Show Players release the live cd at the Acoustic Grill in Picton on Friday night followed by a Saturday performance at the Red Dog in Peterborough.

More shows and fun to come. For now I sit in another hotel waiting for a show.

Watchmen repeat performance – ONe Year later>>>

September 26 and 27, 2008, Winnipeg’s favorite rock band, The Watchmen, reunited for a glorious sold out two night stand at The Horseshoe. Longtime faithfuls and newly found fans were more than satiated with the hard hitting set of stellar tunes from the band’s multi-album career.

Back by popular demand, Against The Grain has just announced another weekend with The Watchmen – September 25th and 26th , 2009 at The Horseshoe! Tickets go on sale Thursday, July 9th (TM-HS-RT-SS- $20.00 Adv). A year to the day since their last Toronto appearance, it’s expected that these shows will sell out as quickly as the last.

This will not be a repeat performance! Intent on claiming new territory, The Watchmen road tested three new songs in their hometown. Don’t worry Toronto fans – you’ll have time to familiarize yourselves with the fresh tracks, the band recently recorded the songs in a Toronto studio and will be making the tunes available for free download on their website over the coming months. There is also a documentary in the works by local Winnipeg film maker Reil Munro. The doc is expected to be completed by August. Keep checking with www.the-watchmen.com for updates!

Westben songs of War and Peace.

SO tonight is the big night for local area musicians. Every year I produce a fundraiser in Campbellford at Westben Theatre. The concept is to have 20 local bands each perform one song form a certain theme. In past years we have raised money for Song For Africa while performing Songs of the 70’s and Spread the Net while performing Canada Onstage (A tribite to Canadian songwriters). This years theme is Songs of War and Peace and we are raising money for the Military Families Fund. Less than an hour ’til I head back over to the Barn (Westben). Highlights tomorrow.

Cheers
Ken

then and now

So I am sitting in my hotel room after tonight’s Watchmen show and this “tagged photo” notification comes to me. I click on the link and there is a picture of me from not two hours ago onstage. I hit the back button and it brings me to a picture of me from one of my first high school plays from a lifetime ago. The driver who brought me back to the hotel spoke at length about time flying by… really.