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OBVIOUS GOSSIP - WINTER 95/96 - TIDBITS

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peanutsfan69	OBVIOUS GOSSIP - WINTER 95/96 - TIDBITS		Lead	[-]
02/20/06 01:36:00	Tags : None ALL YOU CAN EAT TOUR REHEARSAL by Florence Hutchinson It was a typical January evening in Vancouver, cold, grey and very wet. Well, not so typical, I was off to see a rehearsal for kd's upcoming tour. Even a very modest kd had recently told me that she was very happy with the way she was singing so I knew that I was in for a real treat. The old small arena tucked away in Vancouver's East Eng was buzzing with activity when I arrived. Set designers, lighting techs, key grips, riggers, etc were experimenting with equipment of all sizes and shapes. They had obviously put in a lot of time in the preceding weeks as everything looked ready to go to this untrained eye. "Are you kidding?" said set designer John B, "I've got people working on all sorts of things as we speak". I was surprised to hear that Production Manager Grant was having trouble with the sound board this particular night as he looked his usual calm, reserved self…married life must be suiting him. Production Assistant Paul had that look on his face that many of us would recognise and dread, the computer had just crashed! Up on the stage, kd was fiddling madly with her head and mumbling something about 'ear monitors' … they would have to go. The backup singers were quietly singing the harmonies to the chorus of "this". Ben Mink (although not touring this year but obviously still very involved with the project) was going over some chords with one of the musicians while the others worked on their own parts. Out came Guitar Tech Ron, having just replaced a broken string and everyone took their places. A familiar into then "Just a kiss, just a kiss, I have lived just for this…" kd was in fine form!! They went through the song three times with a quiet group meeting between each version. Out came Ron with a different guitar and it was time to work on "Just Keep Me Movin". The new arrangement was amazing, and kd and the band sounded great even if one of the backing singers was singing 'grooving on an ocean' instead of 'on a notion'. By now my curiosity had got the best of me…it was time to see a set list. Grant showed me a long list of songs but told me these were the songs that they were rehearsing only. A minute later, kd asked Ben if she should not do one song, and do another instead. It was clear that the set list had not bee decided on yet. I have heard about 'delayed gratification', so I could put it into practice now as I would have to wait for an actual concert to find out which songs, in which order, she had decided on. Unfortunately I wasn't able to catch a lot of the rehearsal as they went all day. The crew would start at 8am, the band at 11am and vocals by 1pm. Usually they lasted until well after 7pm, but I must admit I did race over after work on more than one occasion just to listen and enjoy. kd's State of the Art Sound System If you attend one of kd's concerts do not be alarmed if you notice microphones sticking up in the crowd…you are not being "bugged". The 'all you can eat tour' is utilising the amazing Meyer Sound System with a Meyer SIM Room Analyser. This system requires microphones to be placed in various locations in the audience so the SIM operator, Dave Lawler, can monitor and analyse the sound during the show in each location. The information provided by the SIM computer allows sound levels to be adjusted and equalised to give an even as possible sound for each section, regardless of the location in the venue. No matter where you sit you will hear the best sound possible.
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peanutsfan69	OBVIOUS GOSSIP - WINTER 95/96 - TIDBITS	#1	[url]	[-]
02/20/06 02:07:00	HOTLINE INTERVIEW - WINTER 95/96 DM: Happy New Year Kd :Happy New Year It's been a while, did you have a good one? Yup Another wild one? Oh Yeah, I was in bed by ten Did that beat your record from last year? No it was about on par. Sleeping I might add Are you relieved that the press tour is over with now? Well the actual press tour's over but the press doesn't stop. I have to do tour press. Yes I'm actually quite relieved, but I'm excited about getting on the road and touring because the music is why I do everything else. I'm dying to get out there on stage You were looking forward to the in-store signing in Tokyo and Australia when Rita interviewed you. How did it go? It went good. I got tired near the end. In New Zealand I was pretty tired but those things are always great and I met a lot of people The feedback was great because people were told that the only thing they could have signed was the album and apparently you were signing a lot more than just albums Well, I have a hard time saying no You've got a new band. Is that the band that we've seen on Leno and the VH1 Awards? Yeah, that's the band, that's the band! An eclectic looking group Yes, I call them my combo platter. It's awesome and they're all really, really, REALLY, superior musicians and we're really bonding already, so it's going to be a fantastic tour Were you involved in the whole audition process or were you given the shortlist? No, I was involved in the auditions very much Did you know of some of them by name or reputation before? You sort of hear about them through the grapevine sort of thing Is one of the backup singers one of the girls at the Concert of Hope? I know that one of the sang with George Michael but I don't know if it was at the Concert of Hope How long did the whole audition process take? A couple of weeks. Well we started looking for people six months ago but the actual auditions took a couple of weeks As fans have noticed, the image is changing again. Is this a result of maturing as a singer? I have no idea what it's a result of. Lack of creativity I guess. I don't know, my image is constantly changing. You asked us to put out song requests (on the hotlines and internet) for the tour. Were you surprised at the range of songs? A few surprises, but actually no. I think a lot of my favourite songs popped up so I was real happy to get them and hopefully we can fulfil al those, well not all of them, but the big requests I noticed the shows in Vancouver are a 9:30 start. Is that a late time to start? Yeah, it's too late for me. Cripes I'm already going to be sleepy by that time. I didn't know until now that it's starting at 9:30. I don't know why that is. Is there a support band on the tour? I don't know When you're preparing for your tour, you've had such great lines in past tours, do you actually script the show? No I don't. Those are just kind of gathered up through rehearsals and through joking with the band. I just sort of build my banter as I go along. It's not actually scripted, but it's kind of like sculpted throughout the firs few shows Do you focus on anything in particular when you're singing? Generally the curve of the melody. You kind of visualise either colour or shape when I'm singing so I'm focused on that, on the melody and on tone, and breathing, the actual singing part Can you actually see the audience when you're on stage or are the lights really bright? I can see the first, say three rows. It depends on what the lights are doing How do you travel on tour? Rollerblades generally.. No, um, it depends on what the distance is between cities. Sometimes bus if it's short, but mostly flying because I have to get there to do interviews, or meet radio stations, or other jobs that I have other than singing Here are some more general questions. With the Oriental influence on the album have you ever tired or been interest in Tai Chi? Yeah, actually I took Tai Chi for a while back in my Edmonton days when I first started performing. So yes, I have studied Tai Chi Do you have a favourite flower? Betty Crocker's I think. Or Robin Hood When was the last time you took a real holiday? A real, real holiday, I guess, was after the Grammy for Ingenue. I went to Hawaii Do you occasionally enjoy doing absolutely nothing or can you do nothing? Yes. Yeah I can, but I have to really talk myself in to it People have asked if you had a Christmas tree and was it farmed or cut down. Are you into all of the holiday decorations? No I'm not really into that. We had a fake tree this year, so I guess we're going to have a fake tree for the rest of my life. My sister decorated the farm so it was all pretty In Billboard they're announcing a feature on Canadian Singer/Songwriters Wow So many Canadian women in particular, yourself, Jann Arden, Sarah McLachlan, Alanis Morissette, Loreena McKennitt Anne Murray. No, Anne Murray doesn't write songs. Jane Siberry! There's so many, and you all have completely different styles. Can you explain the recent success of this? Well, I think the Canadian music industry in general is getting stronger and more competitive but I think there's always been a very strong tradition in Canadian songwriting. I thin that it's something Canadians pride themselves on. I think that that started with people like Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot and Neil Young and Leonard Cohen, I could go on and on but there's a great sense of pride as a Canadian songwriter and I think that the world is just starting to turn on to that now You're keeping your own things going. You can all be classed as Canadian Singer/Songwriters, but there's not a lot in common other than that is there? No, because I think that the entertainment structure is very, very different and Canadians are not only influenced by the American scene but by the British scene and a lot of roots music. So I think you're getting a lot of different styles because it has so many more influences The other night on a 'you asked it' television show they were talking about why someone's own voice sounds so different when they hear it on tape. When you hear yourself on a tape or record, does it sound like it sounds in your head when you are singing? Oh no, I'm much better in my heard! Well thanks for taking the time, the rehearsals are starting? Starting, and I'll see you soon in your home town. GET IT ON!
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