#nickhoward

Hi everyone, 

I apologize for my lack of entries.  Now it will be different.  I want to write up about my weekend in NYC!  I can’t believe how much I got out of it! I went because of this one gig, that was a Tribute Show to Daniel Cho....with a bunch of amazing musicians (including Nick Howard...that’s why I went down) performing.  Here’s a pic of me, at the Megabus stop at the Bay Bus Terminal in Toronto, Ontario.  I did the midnight haul. 

Then, 12 hours or so later, I arrived!  I was one hour late than planned, and my arrival location changed too!  Stupid bus driver, didn’t tell us about it until 2 hours before our arrival in NYC.  So I madly Facebooked my friend until I arrived.  It was great, I got to eat Korean food and catch up to her for a couple of hours.

In the midst of the trip, I became friends with a person who’s probably an activist.  Turns out we’re both from the East side of Toronto somewhere, we both only travelled to NYC only for the weekend, and both of us were going to Central Park the same day, almost the same times!  We exchanged numbers so we can keep contact and also in Toronto for future meetups.  

I didn’t talk to her after we got off the bus.  =(  There’s a funny story after this though.....

After my lunch, I roamed around to Sam Ash Music and got myself a little device that you can only get in the US.  It’ll help me record my performances and putting them on YouTube easier.  Yay for that!

Next stop was my Airbnb. Not bad...it was in Brooklyn, my first time there...kinda got lost in the NYC subway system....detours and construction, as usual with any system in the weekend, I found the place, dumped my stuff, and back out I go, headed for Central Park.  

Once I got off the subway line, what do you know, it’s nighttime basically.  That’s ok.  I need to step to Central Park.  What I forgot to mention is that there were a free ticketed even, for Globan Citizens....some free large festival, part of United Nations Week (the Pope just had his parade the day before, and the President was doing speeches...man, I missed all that!)....the only catch is that you do need a ‘ticket’.  My newfound friend told me she didn’t have a ticket, but will use her “power of persuasion” to get into the VIP section.  Knowing her personality by that point, I’m sure it would happen.  and it did.  I crossed the street from the subway exit, and low and behold, there she was talking and exchanging contacts with another person, right there on the corner!  I yelled her name out, we screeched and gave each other a hug.  We didn’t know if we were going to see each other again.  She showed me her wristband.  Sure enough, it was the “VIP” wristband.  She wanted to give it to me, in front of the security guard she was hanging out with (who stored her stuff in her car!  how nice was that?  Yes, she got her stuff back before she departed the park), the band wouldn’t come off...darn.  too bad...I almost got to see Obama talk, and performances by Coldplay, Pearl Jam, Beyonce, and Ed Sheeran, to just name a few names!  When she left me, I just walked around Central Park aimlessly...but it was cool....though some areas were fenced off...we were all trying to watch the show...but we couldn’t see anything...so what happened was ....I think some guy had free streaming on his phone...so this is what he did so that we can all benefit from the echoes of the show, and to supplement our limited viewing capacity...he put his phone, right by the fence, so that everyone can see the free streaming of the show live, ....and since we can’t see anything where we stood....we all crowded over the phone so that we can watch the show, with the echoes of the actual performances somewhere way farther away from where the fences were!

Alright, my trip goes on!  So when I finally decided that I was finished there, I looked up Nintendo World, and see what time they were closing.  My good friend Jason suggested me to go there and visit that place for him, so I did!  I haven’t been there before so why not?  I barely found my way there..a short subway ride and walk...(ok...about 25 mins travel)..and I got there 10 mins before they closed!  Here’s some pics!  It was cool in there!

I think after that...I still roamed around downtown after that, then I went back to my accommodations and showered and rested, knowing the fact that I might stay up till 3am the next morning, and need to get back to my bus back to Toronto by 7:50am...I needed sleep.

The next morning, I took it easy.....bought some food and snacks (for the duration of my trip, and the bus ride home)....I made my way to Coney Island (a few friends suggested me to visit there).  Wow....that place is cool.  Carnival-like rides, games, and a boardwalk, close to the sandy beach area....wow!  Here’s some pics!  I also visited Nathan’s dog...or whatever that place is called.  Good food...and I drank beer with it!

Colourful place!  I wanted to go on the Wonder Wheel...but I had other things to do.

Afterwards, I went back to Brooklyn, went back to my place, had a bit of rest, changed a bit, and then finally its as time to go to Brooklyn Bowl!  Half bowling place with booze/half music venue, with tv screens and large stage!  

Brooklyn, to me felt like a spread out West End of Toronto. I loved the area, especially where the venues are...the place blew me away....and then it was time for the gig!

SHIT! I made it !  almost “peed in my pants”!....Long description short, this was a Tribute Show for a man named Daniel Cho, who died 5 years ago.  He drowned in the middle of his tour (not sure how, but he was a damn wicked cellist and musician!!!)....left behind a wife and two kids (or one), but it’s sad.....

Finally, secured my spot at the front of the stage...watching many high calibre of talent...shit, I mean..they are all signed artists, tours internationally...and are damn tight in their performances...tightest I’ve ever seen without rehearsal!!!!  I wish I can do videos.....but I’ll make a video and stream everything together...and talk in it so it’s easier to share...maybe..

I can’t believe I got to talk to Nick Howard, before his set!  OMG......he was standing at the back with his friends and family...and I gathered my guts to talk to him!  I asked if he remembered from Canada, when he opened for the show for Lenka at the Horseshoe Tavern back a couple of months ago ( I talked to him then and took a pic....don’t believe me? look below!) he said he remembered me....!

THAT PIC ...was taken in July 2015!!!

Now that you all know how he looks like...anyway, I personally told him (I can’t believe I could, and I did!!) that i want to cover his song, “Can’t Be Friends”...and he told me to upload it on YouTube and send the link to him because he’d like to watch it!  I told him that I apologize if I can’t get the chords all properly, but I will do the best I can!  Wait until I do an elaborate version of it....just like how he does his cover songs...with multiple instruments and screens!  Watch me.  I will do it, and I’ll make sure he sees it!

I left him, because he obviously wanted to go back to his friends and family.  That’s fine with me...I meandered my way back to the front of the stage!. After I came back from the trip, I looked up his Twitter page and tried to see if he snapped a pic of the audience....because I saw him backstage later that night, and he held his phone up....I would only assume it was a video and or a pic....so...here it is...look for me standing at the front of the stage near the middle somewhere! haha. THERE’S DOCUMENTATION, from NICK HOWARD’S PHONE!...I did a screenshot on my phone. =)  so exciting!

I’m like to the right of the front stage speakers....3rd to the 4th person! look for my hair colour!!!

After I talked to him...moments later, I just randomly looked around the audience, and there I spotted someone really familiar.  Seconds later, I realized she was the lead guitarist who toured around with Ingrid Michelson for awhile!  HOLY SHIT!  ....I barely recognized her because she dyed her hair green....I was like, “Is that for real? Was I dreaming?  I watched some of videos of her, and she’s a singer/songwriter herself who plays the ukulele....but really? What are the chances...” then I realized I’m in NYC...Ingrid is from NYC! Shit, I think it’s her! Her name is Bess Rogers!

So, this is how I tried to make my embarrassment tame (I don’t want to just run up to her and make a darn fool out of myself...hehe)...I poked her shoulder and said, “Hi, I’m sorry to bother you, but I was just wondering if you, by chance, are a guitarist?”....she said, “yes, I am”....I asked, “Are you by chance, Bess Rogers?”...she said, “yes, I am!”.....OMG!!!!!!!  I can’t believe she was standing in front of me!  We talked, and she said that she’s here with her band also performing tonight....REALLY!?!?!?!?!...What a fantastic bonus to my trip thus far....oh ....but there’s more of course!  I told her I’m staying for the whole night...and I want to watch them perform!

Here’s Nick Howard performing!

Forgot to mention that I asked Bess for a pic with her..before I left her group....

My night goes on...!  so here’s her band playing!

They were all elfin’ amazing musicians and singers!  never have I seen this level right in front of me..!  I couldn’t see the drummer.....

I saw Rachel Platten, and Leann Rimes! SHIT! I LOVE RACHEL!  I will cover her song “Fight Song”...that song is apparently all of the radio, and hitting the charts...she went to iHeartRadio too ...and Sony to either be signed or to sing for them...wow!  She performed that song that night, and it brought tears to my eyes.  Her story of that song was that her friend Daniel, who died, totally help her start her career, helping her to learn the piano because she can sing, but no instrument skills.  He said to her that she has something really special and she needs to share it, and that she can build her skills to share with the world.  and she did, and wrote this song.....unfortunately shortly while she wrote it, I think it was, Daniel died.  She was so teary telling that story, she made me tear up, and the lady behind me too.  She then started singing.  In the middle, she invited Daniel’s 5 year old daughter to sing a verse and chorus.......wow...heartfelt, and sad, and happy.......

have I wowed you yet?  I’m wowed to the highest of heavens times a million!!!!

When the night ended...OMG...I’m soon in awe.......and I thought.....if I can get a pic with the band,....and get their CD ...and get it signed...that would really make my trip totally awesome, and total icing on the cake!  and so I did!

I actually brightened the pic up in my phone somewhere..but couldn’t find it. They are called “SECRET SOMEONES”.  OH WELL!..I told Bess that I just started gigging, and gonna go in recording my first EP soon, and hopefully tour next year, and she told me that it’s great that I’m going out there and doing my thing and making it happen!  She hopes to see a show of mine, and to see me at her shows!  cooooooooollll......!!!  Actually, they are all cool!

......I think when I left that place...it was like 2am.....I got back to my airbnb like....230am...didn’t sleep till like 330am (was packing...and had a shower)....slept till 6am...and trekked my way out to my departure area...

I barely made it to the bus stop.  After I got off the subway stop, my maps on my phone weren’t working..and I had no idea if I was supposed to turn left or right on that street...so I took a chance....since I’ll get a 50/50 chance of going in the right direction...and thank gosh I got it right!  I walked faster, and faster, huffing and puffing, and finally, got to my bus. 8 mins before departure.

You’d think my adventure ends there......nope.  One last little cherry on top of my icing of my cake...the person who sat beside me was an elderly Chinese-American, who’s also Cantonese!  WOW, even Americans at that age, you can see very clearly, are different than Canadians, less polite, but great to talk to him!  His usage of language is like mine, and nothing like my mother’s ..casual, looks at the brighter ways in life, and having fun.  He told me that my mom’s too uptight, and that he would love to meet up with my mom and drive her crazy.  haha.  I love his thinking!  so my 12-hour bus ride, seemed, extremely short with our crazy and funny discourse!!!  He son was once a pianist and even got up to playing in Carnegie Hall, then he stopped.  Again, a musical connection....he himself doesn’t know much, but he listens to tons of music and was even sharing with me his music on his iPhone! haha

We exchanged WhatsApp, and we made an exchange that when I’m in NYC again, and when he comes up to Toronto (he has family...reason why he came this time is because his mother just passed away, and there was her funeral the day after)....we’d go out and eat somewhere, and if I have shows in NYC, he’ll come out.