May 2015: New Song, Tour, & Radio Appearances
New Song: Studio Version of “Burning Bright”
Tour Dates (* with Peyton Tochterman)
- Thurs, May 28 – Uncommon Ground, Chicago, IL, 8 PM* & Sedgewick
- Friday, May 29 – Trinity House Theater, Livonia, MI , 8 PM*
- Saturday, May 30 – Crazy Wisdom Tea Room, Ann Arbor, MI, 8:30 PM*
- Sunday, May 31 – House Concert in Tawas, MI, 6:30 PM*
(RVSP with mikemvial@gmail.com)
RADIO
Prepping for my tour and new single “Burning Bright,” I’m excited to share radio appearances in May:
1. May: LCCRadio.com: M897 Spotlight
I’m the M897 Artist Spotlight for May.
LCC is offering a free download of my new single, “Burning Bright” all May.
2. Friday, May 8: LCC Radio, 89.7 FM, Lansing, MI, noon
Noon: I’ll be on the Coffee Break show at noon
with hosts Jack and Karen.
3. Friday, May 8: LCC Radio, 89.7 FM, 5 PM
Later at 5 PM, LCC broadcasts my Grand River Studio Session, a full concert! Also on LCC TV.
This airs again, Wednesday, May 13 at 7 PM.
4. Monday, May 11: WXOU, 88.3 FM, Oakland University, MI, 9 PM
9-10 PM, I’ll be on Attack of the Spak show! (I’m excited to see Anthony Spak. He was in my Holly High honors class years ago!)
5. Sunday, May 24: 107.1 FM, Ann Arbor, MI, 6 PM
Between 6-7 PM, I’ll be on Tree Town Sound
with host Matthew Altruda.
6. Thursday, May 28: FearlessRadio.com in Chicago, IL, 4 PM (EST)
4 PM EST/3 PM CST, Peyton and I will be on Fearless Radio before our Uncommon Ground show.
Big thanks to these wonderful radio shows!
LCC Radio Interview & Grand River Studio Sessions
LCC Radio (89.7 FM in Lansing) has been a major supporter of my music since I made the commitment to do music full time in 2011. (I even finished writing the bridge to “Love Birds” while warming up in the studio, while staring at the stars in their logo!)
This May, LCC Radio will be broadcasting interviews, a concert taping, and offering a free download of a song on their website as the M897 Artist Spotlight.
1. Grand River Studio Session!
My episode airs on Friday, May 8 at 5 PM and rebroadcasted Wednesday, May 13 at 7 PM.
We taped nine songs and two interview pieces for the show. I crafted a special set list for the taping, including one song from my first EP that I haven’t played live in many years.
The audio will air on LCC Radio 89.7 FM, and LCC TV will be broadcasting the video footage.
Many thanks to the video and audio crews for spending their afternoon with me taping the show!
Big thanks to LCC Media Services and the Digital Media, Audio and Cinema department!
2. Friday, May 8, noon: Live on air on the Coffee Break Show with hosts Jack and Karen
We’ll be talking about my May tour with Peyton Tochterman, how the musical life has changed now that I’m a dad, and!what to expect from the Grand River Radio Session being broadcasted that night.
3. Free Download of “Burning Bright” at M897 Artist Spotlight this month of May!
Get a free download of “Burning Bright” this May at LCC Radio!
Sarah Spohn will be interviewing me for the M897 Artist Spotlight, and LCC Radio will be offering a few download of “Burning Bright.”
One way songs are different than poems is the amount of energy one can devote to the work in one sitting.
Jane Kenyon told Bill Moyers that she could work on a poem for about two or three hours before having to stop: “Writing poems is spilling your guts, and you can’t sustain that over hours.”
But writing songs are different; music refuels itself.
I can work on a song for eight to ten hours straight, playing the melody and chords and rhythm over and over again as I consider the draft.
Each art requires a rhythm, and knowing when to take a break.
*Language of Life, Bill Moyers
Almost as scary as having a baby: I turned email off on my iPhone
When I asked Chris Dupont and Betsy King what it was like to have a baby and be self-employed songwriters/artists, they said, “We quickly learned how to stop wasting time!” (Chris and Betsy King had their first baby, Leo, on November 30! He’s awesome.)
Betsy and Chris tracking for Matt Jones’s new record!
Natalie and I have only been members of the parenthood club for four day, and I have already missed one deadline, my monthly songwriting challenge for PVSG.
I know my songwriting friends will give me a pass, but finishing this first song while being a father is an important step. I need to prove to myself that while my schedule has changed, my songwriting abilities haven’t.
I guess it’s not really about songwriting abilities; it’s about time management.
Balancing time requires a deliberate mindset. The lizard brain tells me to feel stressed out about my new limitations of time; instead, I want to follow Chris and Betsy’s footsteps and see it as an opportunity.
I’ve already determined my biggest distractor: my iPhone. Last year, I deleted all social networking apps from my phone. Last week, I made an even more difficult choice: I turned off email.
It’s April 1st, but I’m not joking: I’m limiting my time holding my iPhone, and balancing my time between holding my baby and a musical instrument.
Since we’ve gotten out of bed, I’ve changed three poopy diapers; Natalie’s fed Ginny four times. By the end of this day, these numbers will increase, yet hopefully I’ll have a new song finished, too.
The song might never make a record, but it will be one of the most important tunes I finish this year.
Ginny likes my mandolin, and she doesn’t mind if I sing out of key!
Big thanks to all of friends and family who made it to my last shows before the baby’s arrival! The baby’s due date was yesterday, but the little one is taking her time. I’ll keep you posted.
I’m officially on paternity leave, a three to four week break. I haven’t given myself this much time off since I was teaching at Holly High! I also haven’t had a day off this year since the snow storm on Jan. 31.
Natalie’s feeling well, the baby’s been moving a lot, and Lois, our dog, is still unaware of the addition to our Vial/Burg family.
Photo credit: my mom!
