Gemini-nominated Mickey?!?!?

Pretty damn close to it, if I may say so myself!

In summer 2007, I worked with Michael Greyeyes and Byron McKim on an episode of a series called “Dancing with Spirit”. The series aired on the Bravo! Network last fall and I composed the entire soundtrack for the final episode, titled “Triptych”, which has just been nominated for a Gemini award!

Although the nomination isn’t directly for music — how frakkin’ cool would that be? — it is for Best Direction in a Performing Arts Program or Series.

I had nearly entirely free-reign on the musical composition, basing it all off of the story written by Michael Greyeyes and some hymnal inspirations he presented to me. So regardless, I’m pretty f’n excited right now! GO TEAM!

Here’s the news directly from the Soaring Heart Pictures website:

CONGRATULATIONS !!

“Dancing with Spirit” receives

THREE GEMINI NOMINATIONS 2008!

Soaring Heart Pictures is excited and proud to share our great news to you that we have received THREE (3) Gemini Award Nominations for our six-part Aboriginal Series titled “Dancing with Spirit”. See video below:

Byron McKim receives TWO (2) Gemini Nominations for BEST DIRECTION in a Performing Arts Program for ” HERE on EARTH” and ” TRIPTYCH”.

Santee Smith, Brian Solomon, Emily Law and Alex Meraz receives a Gemini Nomination for BEST ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE in a Performing Arts Program for ” Here on Earth”

This series was two years in the making. It was an organizational challenge to schedule six different performance driven dance pieces in six unique locations in six months. “Here on Earth” is a beautiful ensemble piece. Santee Smith and her production company Kaha:wi Dance Theatre is performing continuously throughout the country and we were fortunate to be able to work together in a amazing location that works perfectly for the dance piece. Thank you Santee and congratulations to all the dancers who were very professional and focused!

Michael Greyeyes is a perfect example of the consume artist! I approached Michael two months in advance about participating in the series and he was energized from the start. Michael created the performance around the stories his family had revealed to him about their experience growing up in the Residential School system. “Triptych” is a powerful performance piece dedicated to those individual who may have experience the horrors of the system and the courage to look back.

Both programs are extraordinary dance pieces created by extremely talented aboriginal choreographers & performers! It is a tribute to these Native Artist to be recognized by the Academy and hopefully by the members of the Academy.

We are thankful for the nominations and the recognition for our achievements and passion for dance not once but three times. It would be an honor to receive and except a Gemini Award for our work , so enjoy the programs and we appreciate your support and vote! Click onto the title of the nominated dance video you wish to watch on the screen to the right! Please enjoy the other pages of this web site! Read how each program, photos, how the programs were made and some of the difficulties and fun we had filming. Also, read the resumes and bio’s of the choreographers/dancers and their background on how they got started on this wonderful journey of Artistic Expression!

Video hosting provided by D’Amelio Consulting (click for link)

Thank you Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television !

HOW COOL IS THAT?!?

Mickey

WOOT 1400 views!

How’s it going, good people?  Me?  Well I’ve been busy as a…bee?  Or a hornet.  Or a wasp.  They’re crazy.  They build nests so fast.  Like the one in my backyard.  Shoot, I need to take care of that…

But yes, it has been a busy couple of months!  The Balance is almost finished with our 2nd album – tentatively titled “Crook And A Hero” – and our first single, “It Takes Time” is up on our myspace! Yours truly is rocking the keys (that’s my solo you’re hearing!) and backup vocals (I’m the one who sounds like he’s far far away…lol).

We’re also getting a bunch of shows together in preparation (and post-paration?) of our CD release party (tentatively scheduled for sometime in October).  This weekend we’ll be at the Waterloo Recreation Complex (Saturday, August 9th) and next weekend the boys will be playing a “classic” show without me (which is what makes it classic) as I’ll be in Mexico gettin’ really really DARK.

Valoredge is currently at a near-20 song count…we just need a bassist! (And a 2nd guitarist if we can find one!)  We’re ready to play shows, nearly ready to record, we’re just missing a couple of human elements.  So if you or anyone you know in the Brampton area (or anywhere near Brampton) plays bass and is looking for some awesome musicians to jam with, let me know!  Within the next week or so I’ll be putting up some “demos” on our myspace that you can check out.  If you like what you hear, drop us a line either here or at our gmail account: valoredge(at)gmail.com!

On July 26 & 27, I battled at the DMC Toronto DJ Regional and the DMC DJ Battle For Canadian Supremacy, both at the Sound Academy (formerly the Docks).  I almost nabbed 3rd on the Saturday, but it went to E-Flip, last year’s champ.  2nd went to DJ Arsenal, and 1st place went to the hometown hero, DJ Teelo.

Working the crowd.

On the Sunday I made it all the way to the semi-finals, where I had to take on the monster DJ killer, DJ Shub.  Needless to say, he destroyed me (lol) and went on to take on last year’s champ, Toronto’s own DJ TLO.  It was a rematch of last year’s final, but this time Shub grabbed the gold.  But man it felt good to get that close to the finals.  It was the best I’ve ever done head-to-head.  And to top it off, DJ Lil’ Jaz – a Toronto legend to say the least – gave me some high praise that definitely had me looking forward to next year.  Great weekend to be a DJ.

Just this weekend, I’ve met some new people and been asked to collaborate with some local artists (Brampton and Toronto-based) in, what else, a diverse range of projects.  From hip-hop to folk to turntablism, I’m all over the place, baby!

That’s it, that’s all, for now.  Oh, I’m on twitter. Follow me!

Tronix

A Little Bit Of Musical Me…

Enjoy!
Tronix

DMC Oshawa 2008

1st – DJ Versatile
2nd – DJ Irate
3rd – DJ Arsenal

All I can say is…let’s hope DMCs pick up as the season progresses…’cause as much as I respect the organizers and promoters for doing their thing putting on these battles, that turnout was devestating.

And also, don’t worry, I’ll get ‘em in the hometown of T-Dot. Oshawa was a warm up. (Except it was freezing in there.)

Thanks to my cousin, Kevin, for being there in a semi-official photographer capacity. (Lol.)

Pictures up soon. (There were a LOT of me taken by the actual photographer…but I doubt I’ll get em all )

Tronix
P.S. Big thanks to y’all for the well-wishes for the night. I’ll work 10 times as hard to bring home the goods in the next eliminations, just for you!

What’s Old Is New Again…

So what’s up, yo?

Well, I’ve been bizzzay. It seems like even though I’m done school, the music is keeping my nice and occupied. But something that’s been happening over the past couple of weeks is rekindling some old connections with friends I haven’t seen in years. And actually, it’s been some of the best times I’ve had in a long time. It makes me wonder why I didn’t try harder to develop these friendships back then, because when we all get back together, it’s so easy to just have an amazingly good time.

I haven’t laughed as much as I have been lately in a while. All it takes during the course of my day is thinking about one stupid joke or quote or moment from a ridiculous night out to make me smile. And I’ve been smiling a lot. (See?)

So The Balance starts recording in about a week! Our new CD has a tentative release date of July 1st, so let’s all celebrate Canada Day with a new album!

And Valoredge is currently upping our song count, with hopes to record a demo, home studio styles, in a short while. I’ve had a few people asking to hear some tracks from us, so as soon as we’ve got some solid recordings, I’ll make it a point to post up our myspace link.

Starfish Prime has got plans for a new song (and possibly series of songs), these ones on a slightly nerdier tangent…but hey, that’s what we do! I’ve uploaded a new track on our myspace that we’ve only performed once live, but it is the finale to our “Racial Trilogy”. I realize that “episode two” hasn’t been uploaded, but that’s because it hasn’t been recorded! I made a rehearsal track of this “finale” for the other boys to practice with, but I figured, in the name of comedy, I’d let my version stand for now. Enjoy vocals from yours truly (as hard is it is to do so, hahah).

I’ll be suiting up as DJ Tronix on May 23rd for the first DMC DJ Elimination in Oshawa, so if you’ve got the means to get to The Big Sexy Nightclub, then come on out and show some love! More details in the “Events” section, so ch-ch-ch-check it out.

That’s been me so far this May! Things have been bright — in more ways than just the sun! — and I hope y’all are doing fine!

Tronix

(P.S. 1099! Alll right.)

(P.P.S. Go on YouTube and type in “Ryan vs Dorkman” right NOW.)

1,000 VIEWS!

SWEET. Thanks y’all!

That’s all for now. LOL.

Working hard on overhauling my basement right now…since Friday, actually…then I gotta look for a daytime part-time job to fill that overhauled basement with some shaweeeet equipment.

Until next time, sports fans!

Tronix
(P.S. W00T, 1000!)

And now April approaches…

That. Is. Messed. Up.

It’s like the months fly, and I don’t even know how they went by so quickly. I hope that with the end of school comes the slooowww dooowwwwn of time. Either that, or I need to wake up earlier everyday.

So it is exam time, and of course that has stunted creativity aside from the bare minimum of rehearsals that I do with The Balance and Valoredge. They’re both like my musical I.V. right now, but hopefully I’ll be on more than just life support once I get through these exams and final assignments. Then I can start actually posting stuff as DJ Tronix on myspace, other than just a pretty picture.

Speaking of which, there is actually ONE track up on http://myspace.com/musicbytronix right now. It’s kinda chillin’ and I did it as a demo of sorts for a possible high-profile collaboration in the near future. (More on that later.) Once I get that myspace to 100% functionality, I’ll be using that as my main music site instead of this one. Why? Well, because I’ve officially purchased a bonafide webspace with my own domain name and space and web-techy stuff like that. I’m hoping to get a site designed as part of the flood of projects that I’m going to undertake once exams are done. (More on this brand-spankin’ new site later as well.)

So where will that leave this place? Well, it’ll be what it’s function is supposed to be: a blog. I’ll still post and leave details for events and stuff, but once the new site is up, that will be the main place to go to find out about projects and shows, allowing this place to be a place that I can leave my thoughts and hopefully open up conversations with you people, who continue to visit, even when I don’t post for weeks on end.

As the projects get rolling and growing in numbers, I’m bound to meet new people, gain new friends, and maybe even create some new fans of whatever music I make.

Here’s to the death of exams.
Tronix

How is it March already?!

That’s crazy talk. It can’t be March…or can it?

Well, yours truly has been on busy mode since January and it looks like it’s not letting up (school-wise) until April 23rd (last exam…damn it). Trying my best to keep it together, but I often find myself procrastinating with a guitar. Or turntables. Or Xbox 360. Or Nintendo DS. How am I supposed to do my work with so many wonderful distractions to be distracted by?

I’m in serious need of a year off. Just from school. I’ll do the work for anything else, except that now. But that’s what I get for leaving all the credits unrelated to my degree but apparently necessary to being a “better” student to my last year. SAVE ME.

Anywhoo, where were we? Oh yes. The Balance is currently still writing — we’re about 10 songs deep with a lot of ideas still flowing — and it ain’t stopping anytime soon. We’ve gone all over the map with this one, trying our hands in mixing genres and just randomly coming up with songs on the spot. (Our latest song was created out of Steve just checking his levels and Nick warming up on the kit.)

Valoredge is also in the writing process still, and also in the member search mode. We’re currently looking for a bassist and another guitarist, so if you or anyone you know wants to play and write in a band, let me know asap!

Seriously, if you’re interested, send me an e-mail at the address I left in the “Contact” section of this site.

I hope to see y’all out at some shows when they start up again. I can’t wait to NOT BE IN SCHOOL.

Peace,

Tronix

Life and looking at it

Coming back from a beautiful city, with some of the greatest friends, full of some of the funniest memories (and non-memories), and constantly laughing at some of the stupidest jokes makes me look at life so differently.

You all inspire me and keep me alive. I’m working hard to wow you some day to return the favour.

Starfish Prime THIS FRIDAY.

Yup, you read it correctly. We’ll be at Backburner’s place, 11 Lonsdale Avenue, as part of the music series within their “What Are You Doing There?” Arts Festival. Come and show us some love, as we make you laugh and love us even more. Even though it may be the kind of laughter where it’s so uncomfortable, you’re not sure what else to do BUT laugh… but hey that’s still laughter right?

Also, it’s looking like Valoredge is the new official name for the once untitled band. Myspace and Facebook page to be completed and launched soon! Thanks to all who helped in making this decision. Can’t wait to get some tracks up for y’all!

That’s all for now. Damn, it’s been bizzzay.

Tronix