Fun show last night at the Ginkgo. Great to have people come out and hear the music. I meant to take a picture of the audience from where I was sitting on stage, but forgot to do so. Oh well, I’ll try to remember to do it tonight at the Acadia Cafe. If I remember, I’ll post it here tomorrow.

Tonight I’ll be playing keyboards for the band Cosmoline. It should be a great show.

So, if you want to claim a small measure of internet fame (a very, very small measure), you can show up at the Acadia Cafe tonight in Minneapolis and have your picture taken by me from the stage.

The music gets rolling around 8pm. I think we go on at 9pm.

Cheers,
–Grant Dawson

I’m just reminding everyone that on Thursday night, I’m playing a show at the Ginkgo Coffeehouse on Snelling Avenue, right in my hometown of St. Paul, MN.

You can find them here: ginkgocoffee.com

The show starts at 7:30pm. Come at 7pm. Drink coffee. Eat a scone. Listen to live music.

Exciting notes: I cut my hair for the show. The Spring buzz-cut has arrived. The Ginkgo has a real, honest-to-goodness piano. They seem to be harder and harder to find these days.

See you there,
–Grant Dawson

It’s official: I’m breaking out of my hibernation. It’s time to shed my winter coat. I need to warm up the fingers, shake some rust off the pipes and get ready to perform. I have a busy Spring.

Next Two gigs (and on successive nights no less):

1. March 11th – 7:30pm – Gingko Coffeehouse
This should be a rad show. I’m opening up for Jake Armerding, I’ll play a 1/2-hour set and (insert pregnant pause here) they have a real piano. I’ll still spend most of my time at my keyboard, but rest assured I’ll slide over to their old, creaky upright at least once. Joy. From what I know, the cost is $10.00.

2. March 12th – 9:30pm – The Acadia Cafe
On this night I’ll be playing with the alt-country band Cosmoline. I hear rumors from the powers-that-be that this show might be acoustic and quite honestly, that would please me. The Acadia doesn’t handle big sound very well. Too many hard surfaces. Cross your fingers and come on out to hear a great band. It’s possible I’ll sing a song or two.

You can find all of these details and more on the “shows” page of this site, but I thought I’d reinforce the message here.

Cheers,

–Grant Dawson

Exciting news!

The Twin Cities-based americana band Cosmoline asked me over a year ago to join them in the studio as they recorded their first album, Give Me Back My Pride. Shortly before Christmas, they released the album on iTunes and CDbaby.com.

I think the album turned out nicely. I especially like “Crawl Back In” and the title track “Give Me Back My Pride.”

My kudos to Cosmoline for their great work and many thanks for asking me to be a part of the project.

Additional news: Cosmoline is planning several shows for 2010, and I’m planning on playing in as many of those shows as my own performance schedule allows. So, if you like what you hear on Give Me Back My Pride, be sure to come out and see a show.

My January-break is nearly over, so expect to see more regular posts and lots more shows appearing on the calendar.

–Grant Dawson

It has been brought to my attention that if you type into Google this phrase: “the most influential man in music” (no quotes), and you hit the “I’m feeling lucky” button, you are delivered directly to my website. I have tried it out and it seems to be true. If I could mail a thank you letter to the nerds in Palo Alto, I would.

Take that Paul McCartney. Take that Bob Dylan. Take that Prine and Petty and Newman and Waits.  Eat your heart out Timberlake. Hey Kanye, take a seat.

Grant Dawson is the most influential man in music.

I’m still laughing.

I think the reason that this has happened is that I wrote a cheeky blog entry about being named the 50th most influential man of the last year (which, of course, I wasn’t). I’m not even the most influential male in my house (Barabbas the Cat wins that honor). I guess the Google crawlers picked up on that and somehow seem to be under the impression that I’m influential. How mistaken can they be?

–Grant Dawson

Thanks to everyone who braved the winter weather to see the show at the 331 Club last night. It was a fun night. I’m in the beginning stages of planning out my 2010 performance calendar, which I can promise will include more live performances in many more locations. Keep your eyes on the website for those shows to be posted.

Have a wonderful holiday and I look forward to seeing you all in the New Year.

Nearest To You
Here in the evening with the lights turned low,
I can see through my window the prairies of snow.
The wintry drifts are piled up high,
And fade into charcoal where they meet with the sky.
The snow glows in the moonlight pale as grace,
And curves with the earth in its infinite space.
When the wind kicks up, it sprays in a mist
And tickles the weather vane light as a kiss.
I can see past the pasture to the graveyard in town,
Where they carved in the earth and laid you down.
The snow has covered you up past your stone,
And I imagine it is hushed under there all alone.
A quiet cathedral, the darkness complete,
Under a broad, unbroken, comforting sheet
Of glistening, perfect, crystalline white,
Drifting from heaven in mourning tonight.
The snow at its base, nearest to you, is blue -
-    as blue as your birthstone – and I am too.
Here in the evening with the lights turned low,
I can see through my window the prairies of snow.

–Grant Dawson

What a pleasant surprise to wake up this morning to find “Holding Up The Wall” as the featured song on Redfizz.com.  So far the reviews have been great! Thanks Redfizz!

–Grant Dawson

Wanted to wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season. Hopefully this silly little movie says it all. Cheers.

–Grant Dawson

Finally, after two weeks of headaches, a drippy nose, a queasy stomach and a canceled show, I am returning to the land of the living. I actually feel pretty good. I’m not ready to climb Kilimanjaro, or tightrope-walk the Grand Canyon, but I was well enough to take a trip to my neighborhood Walmart today. That must say something.

I took a slow lap around the store, not looking for anything in particular. I knew going in I wanted to spend less than $20.00. I had no further ambition. (Actually I’d be willing to bet that most people in a Walmart on a Monday afternoon don’t have a lot of ambition).  Almost immediately, I picked up a DVD copy of Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray ($7.50) in the Electronics section. I wandered from there into Toys and Games. Nerf guns are evidently still as popular as they were years ago. I got around to the Outdoor section, and snagged a set of insulated travel mugs (also $7.50). Office Supplies came next, and I picked up two notebooks ($1.08 each) and a three-ring binder ($1.98). I headed for the counter. The total, with tax, came to slightly less than $20.00. Success.

After I checked out, I passed by the Salvation Army station and very nearly dropped the leftover change into the can, but I didn’t. I’ve felt guilty all afternoon.

Speaking of guilt and the Salvation Army man, here is Edwin Arlington Robinson’s wonderful poem, Karma, for your reading pleasure.

Karma
Edwin Arlington Robinson