Tonight’s Show Cancelled (Charlotte)
August 31, 2011
The club cancelled the show. Maybe they hate people with AIDS, I don’t know. But I found out just before leaving town that it was off. Will post about the tour soon! Hope this finds you all well.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
NYC Show is Still On
August 28, 2011
Check out Synthetic Division, Inertia and Bella Morte on Monday night (August 29) at The Delancey in the East Village in NYC. 7:30 pm doors, we start the show at 8 pm sharp. No cover, 21+!
We picked a fine time to tour the northeast coast, didn’t we?
This week has been kind of crazy, keeping tabs on the storm and keeping safety first and foremost in mind. I gave Andy of Bella Morte a ration of shit for naming their new album Before the Flood. I think he’s to blame for the bad weather. He names the album Sunshine and Goldfish and we’d have a whole different situation on our hands…
One of the convenient aspects of this tour was that Josh and I were planning on staying with his family for four nights, since the first three shows were so close together. But after Cambridge, MA was postponed, we headed out of the area a bit earlier than expected to avoid Irene’s wraith. Josh and his father did get to enjoy a couple of days together, which is always an added bonus of these Synthetic Division jaunts. As we were there, his dad was so inspired by all the iReporting that was going on with Hurricane Irene that he whipped out his camera and shot this footage of Josh and I returning to his home with water.
I’m beyond thrilled that the hurricane became a tropical storm and that the damage wasn’t the worst case scenario that was being projected. I’m a prevention guy, so I really don’t mind being warned and thus easily avoiding otherwise disastrous consequences. That’s why I was ready to get out of dodge completely if need be. Last night after the second show in Manchester, NH, Josh and I started making our way closer to NYC (avoiding I-95 and taking a more inland route), but were unable to make it to our friend’s house 4 hours away and had to seek shelter in Connecticut due to heavy rain and wind.
Until the storm landed in NYC earlier, that show seemed to be hanging in the balance. Earlier today, we woke up to find out that it’s still on, which is cool as it will be nice to see a lot of my friends who live the area. After that we return home to C’ville home for a day or so before the Charlotte show on Wednesday night. The shows have been going really well, despite low turnouts due to concerns over the weather.
Better safe than sorry.
One of the coolest things about being on this tour is hanging out with my friends in Bella Morte, goofing around with Josh and discovering a new band (new to me at least!) in Inertia. They traveled all the way from London to be a part of this tour, and are not only a great band but a great group of people. It’s been fun chatting about music, movies (seeing Human Centipede is now at the top of my priority list) and overcoming some of the obstacles this tour has put in all of our paths. It’s been a true bonding experience.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
Flower children- Bella Morte and Synthetic Division in Providence, RI at Remi’s.
Me with Inertia, minus guitarist Gabe, who was busy sniffing the flowers.Wall of HIV-positive Needles
August 26, 2011
While on tour, I mark one of my merch bags with “Pens, Needles, HIV Meds”. It’s intended to make the bag undesirable to any passerby. It’s also intended to humor myself. But a doctor in Brazil has taken the notion of the AIDS cup and the merch bag to a whole new level- literally, lining her wall with needles filled with HIV-positive blood instead of lining her wall with, say, barbed wire.
Check out the article here. I bet Austin Powers and Batman could find a way over that wall unharmed.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
Show Details for August 26- 31 (RI, NH, MA, NY, NC)
August 22, 2011
Here are the final details for the Synthetic Division shows on the Bella Morte tour. Hope to see some of you on the road! Will try to blog some updates while traveling, but will likely be spending the next few days getting ready before I leave town.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
Friday, August 26 Providence, RI
Club Remi’s http://www.facebook.com/
9pm 18+
Saturday, August 27 Manchester, NH
Milly’s Tavern www.millystavern.com
9:30 pm $20 18+ (This is a charity event to benefit the New Hampshire Food Bank – http://www.nhfoodbank.org/
Sunday, August 28 Cambridge, MA
The Middle East
http://www.mideastclub.com
7 pm (Synthetic Division on around 8:30 pm) $15 advance, $18 at door 18+
Monday, August 29 New York City
The Delancey
http://thedelancey.com/
FREE 21+ Doors at 7:30: Synthetic Division on at 8 pm, Inertia at 9 pm and Bella Morte at 10 pm
Wednesday, August 31 Charlotte, NC
http://www.themilestoneclub.
Doors Time: 8:00PM
Tickets $10 adv $15 at door 18+
Driving the Point Home About Condom Use
August 17, 2011
Over on Twitter I saw a post from One Condoms about a roadside hacking incident. I know it’s not legal, but I find the thought of seeing “Zombies Ahead!” flashing on a traffic alert sign very funny. It would make my month if that ever happened. The hacked sign message that One linked to, however, was even cooler than zombies…
Now that’s driving the point home, eh?
I’m about to hop in the car for about a week. It’s going to be filled with Synthetic Division t-shirts that few will buy, CDs that will most likely be returned to my closet once I get back home, and a big, awesome neon sign that has a really cool case now- much better than the cardboard box I used to lug it around in. But the one item that won’t be coming back home with me? The free condoms. Last year, Josh and I gave out hundreds of condoms. Shows are such an unexpected place for people to have access to free condoms, and the connection really works. I’m more than happy to combine my educational work with my passion for music- it’s all me, and the thought of someone having a safe sexual encounter thanks to Synthetic Division is music to my ears.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
NYC Folks: FREE Show at The Delancey (Mon. Aug 29)
August 15, 2011
In two weeks I’ll be in NYC playing a show in the lower East Village at The Delancey. Synthetic Division goes on at 8 pm, followed by Inertia at 9 pm and Bella Morte at 10 pm. It’s an early show, and a great way for you NYC peeps to start your week. Plus, if as many people as I know and love who live in the city come out to support the show, I may be invited back!
Monday, August 29 7:30 pm (21+)
168 Delancey Street
New York, NY 10002
Free show! No cover. And free condoms too, thanks to One Condoms. (Let me know you’re coming on the Facebook Event page.)
The venue has a capacity of 200, and I’m confident that we can fill the place up. So help this positoid out and spread the word, would love to see you all there!
Positively Yours,
Shawn
DC… No Show, But Got a Sponsor! Plus Final Tour Dates
August 11, 2011
So I got a very exciting email from Carrie Meyd- that the DC show was mocha sponsored. Thanks Carrie and Jackie for the mocha love! Then I got another email that there is no DC show in August… well, it was tentative all along, and now it’s solidly in the Not Gonna Happen column…
But Carrie dug down deep into her soul, and came up with an awesome solution. Just transpose the sponsorship to another city that is happening. The idea is brilliant in it’s simplicity. The city? Wait for it… wait for it…. New York City! Oh yeah. Thanks so much, Carrie and Jackie, your kindness is much appreciated. So now 2 of 5 cities are covered. Here’s the full run down of the final tour schedule for the Synthetic Division leg of Bella Morte’s tour:
August 26th Providence, RI @ Club Remi’s
August 27th Manchester, NH @ Milly’s Tavern
*August 28th Cambridge, MA @ The Middle East (Upstairs)
*August 29th NYC @ The Delancey
August 31st Charlotte, NC @ The Milestone
*mocha sponsored dates
It’s coming up so soon now. Can’t believe it’s two weeks away. The house is an arts and crafts studio now. Still can’t forget to learn my own songs…. gotta remember that!
Positively Yours,
Shawn
August 28 Boston Mocha Sponsor Secured: Thanks, Ben
August 9, 2011
My good buddy Ben was the first to step up to the donation plate. Boston-bound himself, my putt putt rival found it in his heart to sponsor an old pal heading out on the road. I look forward to toasting him, and perhaps sharing a personal story of our friendship in a future blog entry that may or may not be on Sunday, August 28 when Synthetic Division plays in Boston with Bella Morte, Inertia, Strange Affection and Anar at:
Middle East –
Upstairs
472 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA.
Over on Facebook, I got a question from a prospective DC show mocha sponsor, asking if you had to be able to attend the show in that city to be the sponsor…. the answer is absolutely not! Because I’d feel bad asking someone to pay to get into a show and sponsor the iced mochas and muffins.
Hope this little blog post finds everyone happy and healthy.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
PS… Ben and I are doubles tennis champs amongst our friends in our CHILDREN OF THE COURT tennis league, having defended the title a record 12 times in a row. Check us out. Fans of Decker’s Daily might remember this moment making my Top 10 Mocha Moments of 2010.
LIFE IN PHOTOS
Shit got whack at da coffee shop today.
One of my #Halo friends is a vicious monster who will attack the moment you turn your back to him. Every Team Slayer match is basically 3 on 5 with him involved. The game should have trials for war crimes as a game mode.
Yesterday the neighbor's cat paid us a visit. His name is Hobbes, and it was our first meeting. He is very friendly.
I know what you all want, and it isn't pasty European Heavyweight champions... it's me drinking iced mochas. Behold.
Speaking About Sexual Health
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