Alfa's second skin

Inspired by one of my favorites...

2012-01-02T13:31:00.000-08:00

Happy 2012, world!

Just a ditty inspired by this weekend. Excuse the vagueness. Inspired by "Polaroids" by Shawn Colvin. Listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nezSWF6ymQ

It feels like ages ago now: the slippery trickles of smoke-hot shower water, echoes of my guilty heart bouncing off and on steamy tiles, a familiar voice pleading an end to the therapy, anything for peace - even shoddy reparation: "piece me together with a needle and thread."

Over and over, reminders of my weaknesses waving over and through me like breakers on an ocean. But what a difference 48 hours makes. From somber reflection to somber reflection, after traversing the peaks and valleys in between.

"Fold me and lay me down on your bed" - now just a pragmatic reminder that I am built to build things up that one only pretends to stand on pedestals

A night of fashion, of shallow ambition, had me tricked for a moment to be the kind of evening I needed to live through to get over, to get better. To be wrapped in tender eiderdown, luxurious and rare. Who was folded on what bed; and in what fashion? Was it tender, as Shawn presumed it to be? Or was it staggered in stumbles; rhythmic in reckless abandon? Foolishly. I didn't need to go or to be anything or anywhere else.

I don't need to apologize for how I accept the things around me. They are why I write, they are the fuel for the music, the authenticity I reach with eager fingers. To others it's just a good time. And that could have been me. How swiftly I was veered from catastrophe. Relieved, calm. Blackened and spit-shone through. Smiling on my way back home.

Again the breakers, this time on a Sunday morning on the first of a New Year I am viewing with far-sighted goggles. This time they wash over rocks and miss me by a mile. I am too taken in by the view around me; the reminder of last year's feats, of potential splendor. Toes in sand, heart on heels, happy to be at square one.

I just took polaroids with my little smartphone. I just lingered in the moment.

Neverending rays of traffic lights

2011-09-03T02:24:00.000-07:00

Driving into Hollywood feels like catapulting yourself into a sea of lights: red, green, yellow, and the halos of countless street lamps divided only my palm trees and high-rise hotels. Even a 2-mile stretch can feel so long with that kind of traffic-light wait time. But still, I found that I was throwing myself into those long stretches multiple times this weekend.

First there was last night with my showcase at RAW - the could-have-been-a-debacle that turned out to be an amazing evening with friends, family, and a sound system that sounded pretty good, considering there was no monitor. I got to meet some cool artists from Portland, and learn a bit more about RAW. The good news is, they'll let us venture out into RAW showcases in other states without the ticket sale requirement ... definitely takes the edge of. Isay it's currently a toss-up between Portland and Austin. The latter would allow me to see my sister again.

Then there was tonight, venturing to Laugh Factory on Sunset Blvd to catch my friend PK and a relatively new friend, KT Tatara, who I met at Columbia last November during a show we did together. What I remember most about that last time we met, was that we philosophized over media while eating great falafel at Maoz. That, and I wore my purple pants. :)

I managed to get my friend Austin to come with, which turned out to be great. He's always a lot of fun to hang with, talk music and movies, and just kind of sit back and chat. Austin and I joined KT and his friends for sushi at Katana, a fancy sushi spot on the strip. We walked over, to save ourselves the trouble of parking. I was glad I was putting my overpriced Nashville cowboy boots to use. Also, it was kind of cold tonight. More wins.

Anyway, it's off to bed for me. Tomorrow I've got to get back to songwriting and practicing for all the shows next week...maybe most importantly, I've got to master a special mash-up of "Rainbow Connection" and "Over the Rainbow" that I'm doing for someone's wedding in New York in exactly a week! I am sure all this can be accomplished if I don't get caught up in all these "How I Met Your Mother" episodes. Earlier this week, I got a freelance job writing HIMYM trivia for an app. All well and good, except I'm kind of a HIMYM junkie now, as I rewatch the episodes. And I'm only on Season 2!

Wish me luck.

In the meantime, remember to always see beauty in life. Including in yourself; your own very unique you.

(That sounded like a fortune cookie, didn't it? I wanted to end on a poignant but genuine note, so hopefully that came through despite the cheese.)

Los Angeles: 5 Months

2011-08-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday marked 5 months here in Los Angeles, and 6 months since I left home. I know I've been falling behind on recording my daily adventures since leaving NJ, so the anniversary gives me a good excuse to impart the long list. Or at least, the long ramble... which I'm certain this will be.

Bear with me...

I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I headed out 6 months ago. All I knew was I was going to be open to the possibilities... to anything, really, that the road would offer. It was foreign beds and drawn-out Interstate driving for a month and even at the first sight of California, I knew I had already come so far. Letting go of my full-time job was the biggest thing. Maybe it was the only thing. My mind was already far from that office when I finally told them I was leaving. It wasn't easy - don't get me wrong. But it was time.

I still remember the way I felt that day, driving white-knuckled, worried that all the junk in my car might spill over at any second, or cause me to swerve at every turn. Rob was beside me, assuring me that I could legally keep the luggage piled high, blocking the rear window. The Garden State Parkway sped past, in all its familiarity - memories of countless drives to Red Bank in the summer of 2008 rushed back. First stop, Virginia. We visited an old friend, Vinaya, and took a 2-mile hike up to the Cascades waterfalls. Our last morning there, we had homemade donuts from a quaint stand not far from Virginia Tech's campus.

Then it was off to Nashville. I can honestly say this little city has changed my life. At the time, I didn't know it. I just knew that I was falling stupidly in love with that town...with all its music-loving energy, its country-style hospitality, its unassuming sensibility. I wasn't in love with country music (and am still not), but loved feeling surrounded by music and the business around it. After a week there, a guitar endorsement, some gigs, and a new batch of friends, we continued the journey to Arkansas, the words of my old friend Kevin So still ringing, "You'll go to LA. You'll hang out there for a bit. But then, you're going to want to come back to Nashville."

I've been back there twice since he said those words.

After spending two nights with my family in Whitehall, I was off to Texas for the first time in my life. I didn't know what to expect. All I know is, when that big Houston skyline came over the horizon, I knew all the things they say about Texas-sized this and that had a little bit of truth in it. The highways looked like what you'd see in a spaghetti bowl. The cosmopolitan energy was there. I really wanted to like Houston, but in the end, the thing I loved about it were the people that I met. All the Kollaboration Houston folks who graciously showed me around and refused to let me pay for anything. I played two gigs out there before we headed to New Orleans for some sightseeing and of course, Mardi Gras.

I won't say too much on it, but I love gumbo and I don't like Mardi Gras. I'll go back, but mostly to see what the town is like on a normal day, and to catch a set at Preservation Jazz, which was closed as the musicians saw it fit to flee the city during the merriment. Maybe it was because me and Rob are pretty laid-back and chill when we're around each other. And packed, drunken crowds and projectile beads don't exactly lend themselves to that.

Soon, it was back to Texas for a show in Arlington. Another good friend, Melissa Polinar came to the show and let us crash at her place for the night. We met her family - all very awesome. I couldn't believe how middle-of-nowhere her place in Texas was, but decided there was something charming about it. The final leg was in Austin, where we would stay for two weeks with family. We were there for SXSW, which meant extra traffic, but I found the means to enjoy the city anyway. I played a few shows while my mom and sister were in town. I learned the difference between West 6th and Dirty 6th. I played GoodPhil at UT Austin, in the beautiful Riverbend Theater. Then we headed out, finally, to California. Our only stops were lunch in Las Cruces, after a quest for sopapilla, and overnight in Tucson (Tucson Tamale Company is heaven, and the most notable thing about our stop there). I almost felt it when we crossed the state line into California.

The last five months have been just as crazy. I've been here in LA, making friends and gigging, writing and sightseeing, but also spent a great deal of time traveling. It was NYC and Nashville in late April to May, then San Diego for a weekend when my friends Jessica and Joyce visited for Memorial Day weekend. Dominican Republic and Alaska in June, then Virginia Beach, Nashville and Iowa in August. I still have so many goals, and my to-do list is going to be the death of me. Marc Lacuesta, who I collaborated with in Nashville in August (band name coming soon!), would often massage my shoulders and notice these impossible knots. Once he told me, "It's because nothing in your life is settled...everything is up in the air" and it's true. But right now, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Here's my conclusion about LA so far - of course, realizing this could change in a week's time - the traffic is hands down worse than NYC. People are much more approachable and laid back. The music scene is much bigger, with more opportunities. There are also more people willing to scam you. 60 degrees is cold. Rain is scary. Downtown is my favorite part of the city.

That's about it so far... I'll be sure not to wait another 6 months before updating you on the big movements of life.

Alaska 2011

2011-06-27T16:33:00.000-07:00

Traversing the last frontier, camera on-hand.
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I just got back from 8 days in Alaska, and found that I can't go on with life without looking back at what came to pass (yes, it really IS that dramatic). In short, Alaska is a magical place. Not like anything you'll see elsewhere in this country. We had a special treat in going this time of year - around summer solstice - because the Arctic sun makes for just about 24 hours of sunlight.
That means that midnight doesn't actually feel like midnight. It's more like 7:30 or 8 p.m. in the summer, with the sun dipping low on the horizon, before coming back up. By 2:30am, it's already sunrise.

This isn't entirely a plus. In some ways, our time there felt like one drawn-out day. Some nights it would be 1 a.m. and we just wouldn't feel like sleeping. The light in the sky played tricks with our internal clocks. And, since I've lived in a temperate zone most of my life, I would often forget that it never got dark, sometimes worrying that if we drove home "too late" we would end up driving in dangerous darkness through the woods.

The trip started in Fairbanks for my mom's school reunion. We were tagging along for the ride and she had asked me to play some songs during welcome night. I obliged. It was the group's smallest reunion yet - I think travel costs factored in a lot - but all were just as enthusiastic as those Sillimanians (graduates of Silliman University in the Philippines) often are.

The plane ride was incredible. We had taken a red-eye flight, so it was strange to see the sky go from dark blue to a lighter pastel. We could see the sun peeking in on one side of the plane, despite the fact that it was 1:30 am Alaska time. From the other side of the plane, the moon hovered mysteriously, casting a lovely reflection on the glassy ocean. Water soon made way to the most majestic mountains I've ever seen - moreso than the Rockies or the Alps. Snow overtook the summits and the silhouettes were jagged, bold, an indicator of what we were getting ourselves into: a place where the wilderness dominates.

The crappy part was our 4.5-hour layover in Anchorage. At first, though, all I could think about was that this was the airport where I first set foot on the U.S. as a 5-year-old. I had traveled with my grandparents and my sister in 1991, and our layover was there. I remembered tracing the unfamiliar landscape with my eyes. It was before me again, and I'd soon learn that those distant mountains were part of the Chugach National Forest - the second largest in the US after Denali.

We arrived in Fairbanks in the morning, all travel-weary and disoriented from lack of sleep at Anchorage's super air-conditioned airport (me and Rob took turns laying out on one of the uncomfortable gate seats). That first day was mostly a blur, but the next day, after a quick morning acapella performance with my sister and Minji, we got to explore the city some more. We took a bus to see the Alyeska Pipeline - an 800-mile pipeline that takes oil from Prudhoe Bay in the Arctic Circle down to Valdez in the south. The existence of the pipeline is the reason Alaskans get dividends of about $1500 per person every year.

We then paid a visit to the North Pole. That is, the town of North Pole, which is humorously south of Fairbanks. It seems a little too kitschy for me, but we did peruse Santa Claus' house, reindeer stable, gigantic sleigh, and yes, his gift shop where we took pictures with the Big Guy himself (and I proceeded to resist spending money needlessly).

That night, there was a big welcome party with the Sillimanians. Afterwards we headed out with a new friend, Nathan - who had grown up in Fairbanks - to see what nightlife was like in the Golden Heart city. Most bars closed early, but some stayed open very late. After hailing a cab NYC-style (apparently this wasn't the norm, but the cab driver was nice enough to humor us), we ended up at Big Daddy's BBQ for drinks and billiards, a little dancing, and a meet-up with one of my distant cousins who had moved to Fairbanks from Hawai'i a few months ago. The crowd was very small-town. I didn't mind, though. People didn't really seem warm, but they also didn't seem uptight. Just in the middle, I guess.
Gussied up for welcome night.

(Believe it or not, a Filipino food stand!)

That same evening there had been a midnight run, a 6K that began at 10pm, but we missed it. I would have liked to see it for myself, maybe even participate too. The next day - Sunday, June 19 - we checked out the Midnight Sun Festival. All the businesses set up booths downtown and it seemed like everyone was around to enjoy the food, music and games. I enjoyed people-watching. I'd say Alaskans are an eclectic crowd. Most people are young. They are also surprisingly diverse. Walking around and taking in the vibrancy of other passersby, I got the feeling that most had come to Alaska recently.

On Monday, June 20, we headed to Creamer's Field with Chevy, my cousin. This was essentially an old dairy farm whose land drew migratory birds from all over, becoming a prime bird-watching spot. But we weren't there for the birds. We were there to put ourselves in the hands of the boreal forest - a thick, swampy overgrowth that I will only ever remember for its gigantor mosquitos. Luckily, the helpful guide gave use bug repellent and mosquito masks that made us feel like we were in combat (in a way, we were). My skin crawled for the entire hike. I wish I could say I saw some great sights, but I was too busy swatting mosquitos. In the end, I suffered no bites. Chevy wasn't so lucky though. He had opted for short-sleeves that day.

We rushed back to the hotel to catch the bus to Steamboat Landing, where we'd take a steamboat tour of the Chena River. The ride was interesting, touching on many aspects of Alaskan life, from dog mushing and the Iditarod to a peek of how Athabaskan eskimos survived in the wilderness. There was a gala that evening at the hotel, but we were so exhausted after this day that we ended up skipping most of it. We eventually attended, but my eyes were already watering over at that point, desperately in need of a good night's rest.

Tuesday, June 21, was Summer Solstice, and the longest day of the year - especially in Fairbanks. Ironically, it was on this day where I'd say it got as dark as I'd ever see it, and only because of rain clouds that entered in and out during the day. Keep in mind, "dark" is like... twilight-dark. We ended up at Pioneer Park for a picnic where delicious king crab was consumed at startling quantities. Me, Rob, Minji, my sister and Nathan played ultimate frisbee along with Joey, a little kid who both had to learn to throw a frisbee and who didn't seem to want to throw the frisbee to me because I was a girl. Thumbs down.

We spent hours sitting on the grass after that, just enjoying the sun and talking about everything. Rob lost his sunglasses in a nearby creek, where a family of ducks swam back and forth. The Sillimanians were just about singing every chance they got, and before long, we headed for Chena Hot Springs. About 60 miles northeast of Fairbanks, this resort was famous for its natural springs, infused with sodium and other minerals. We took Chena Hot Springs Road to get there, and there was no chance of getting lost - the road literally went from Fairbanks to Chena Hot Springs Resort, with no other towns in between (lots of hiking trails, though). We dipped in the uber-hot water and relaxed for a bit before heading for the rainy drive back. We had seen two moose on the way there, and during the journey back, we saw a large mother moose with its calf. She was drinking from a small pond while the calf waited on land. We did a swift U-turn and captured the scene as best as we could. Rob rolled down his window and did his best imitation of a moose mating call.

The night should have ended there, but we ended up grabbing some pizza at Boston's, meeting with Nathan and his friend for a quick drink, then somehow at an elementary school's baseball field playing ultimate frisbee at midnight. We were exhausted, and the mosquitos swirled around us, but we still had energy for this game. Nathan's friend, Eric, sustained a few brutal falls (and both had been drinking all night, so you can imagine the buffoonery), but all in all a good time was had. It was the next morning that was brutal. We had to wake up early to get the rental car that we'd take for our roadtrip to Anchorage.
(The sun around midnight)

Groggy, we somehow made it through the long, monotonous drive to Denali (in all honesty, mostly monotonous because all we did was sleep). And still mustered the energy to do a 3-mile hike along the Savage River. I'm glad we did - the scenes were spectacular. As were the flora and fauna (see adorable Arctic ground squirrel peeking from its burrow below).

After all that, we drove some more to Talkeetna, a quaint mountain village known for its proximity to Mt. McKinley. Sadly, we did not see that beautiful summit, but I do believe I'd caught it on the plane ride into Fairbanks.

We stayed at the Roadhouse, which was an adorable lodge we wished we'd had more time to enjoy. We were only there one night, and despite the daylight, most restaurants were closed. Our only option was My Little Dumpling, which turned out to be a delicious option after all.

The next morning, we were off again, this time to the Matanuska glacier in Glacier View, where we would actually get to walk on the ice. Stretching 27 miles long, we covered an extremely small piece of this earthly wonder, but we looked like quite the adventurers in our crampons and helmets. Our 3 female guides at Mica Guides were extremely helpful and patient with our big group. My favorite part was filling up my water bottle with glacier water that flowed freely. "Pre-industrial age water," as Rob called it.

We stayed in the Winter Cabin of the Long Rifle Lodge that night - supposedly the only place to stay for about 50 miles in that area. What a wonder the place seemed kind of dilapidated. Making up for this shortcoming was the incredible view of the Chugach mountains. After dinner at the lodge's restaurant, where we also bumped into some of the guides, we crashed easily after all that ice-walking.

The next day, our last in Alaska, we were down to the Kenai Peninsula to witness the Portage Glacier, a relatively young formation that has receded significantly in the last few decades, leaving a gorgeously-blue glacial lake in its wake. The drive itself was spectacular. We winded down Seward Highway, where you could see miles of mudflats and the Cook Inlet that led us to Portage. We took a boat tour out and got some great views of the glacier and the surrounding formations. Other glaciers hung on surrounding summits, but the formations on the Portage Glacier were so dramatic - the ice seemed to fall into the water before our very eyes.

That evening, most of the group headed back to Anchorage International Airport to catch their flights home. For the handful of us who had red-eye flights, we opted for the Beartooth Theatre Bar & Grill, after realizing the Native Heritage Center Museum wasn't open. I tried a delicious home-brewed raspberry wheat ale. Our final excursion before the airport was Earthquake Park, a park that had once been an affluent neighborhood, destroyed in a 1964 earthquake. We walked down toward the view of the Knik Arm - which was beautiful, but at the perilous hands of evil mosquitos that succeeded in biting me twice. I thought I'd made it through the trip without one of those painful bites, but I guess I had countless adventures and beautiful sights to assuage the pain.

(The view of the Knik Arm from Earthquake Park)

Rest is for the weak.

2011-02-14T23:03:00.000-08:00

I've been guilt-tripping myself about how little time I've had to pack my life away this past week since leaving my job, so now, despite the fact that it's 2 a.m. and I'm bleary-eyed and dizzy, I keep myself tucked amongst these boxes and bins. It's like a hurricane hit my room right now.

What can I say? It feels like a hurricane hit my inside too. But not in a bad way. Yes, it's a little scary. I've found myself making friends with the measuring tape and marking lengths and widths between my car's trunk, backseat, and all the boxes I've yet to fit so that this chaos can seem manageable. Practical and logical. Maybe because the prudent voice in my head understands when people raise their eyebrows, when they speak silently: "That's a little crazy, isn't it?"

Because I know it is. But the measuring tape and the boxes are all real, and so is this nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach - the one that tells me I'm in this come hell or high water - so maybe if I could remember that there is still organization to the madness, that there are still numbers to be assigned and spaces to be fitted, I'll be at peace with what's to come.

All in all, I'm excited. A queasy, wring your hands, grab the guitar because the shivers can't be contained kind of queasy. I just hope I don't let anyone (and myself) down.

Fall baking + Gearing up for a music-doozy weekend...

2010-11-10T22:20:00.000-08:00

I know you haven't heard from me in a while. But I've been getting pretty domestic.
There was a lull after my Philly show, and because I am not capable of being un-busy, I took to baking a lot of things.

Apple Explosion Lava Rolls, for example. Things that make me think of losing my figure before my time! But all worth it, of course. ;)

I'm gearing up for a three-day weekend of shows. I am really excited. I'm back to NYU on Friday, then playing Best Buy in Lincoln Center (woo!) during the day on Saturday, and then heading up to Boston on Sunday.

I had wanted to head to Boston right after the Best Buy show, but I want to spend some time with my grandparents this weekend. They are moving back to The Philippines and will leave next week. So, I've got to spend as much time as possible with them. That means it will be a bit hectic going to church on Sunday (my grandfather is a pastor and he founded our church) then heading straight to Northeastern, but if you can believe it, I've actually done much worse things. Like that time I flew to L.A. on a Saturday and came back the next day.

I leave you with a cool shot from David Speranza from a shoot we did in September. The many wonderful photos he took have been trickling in since, and you may have seen it on my Facebook already. More to come soon!

NYC, Princeton and Philly, Oh My! + New London Fire

2010-09-30T23:14:00.001-07:00

So much stuff coming up! Piano's on Tuesday - btw, I can't believe I haven't played there yet! - Princeton next Saturday, the 9th, and then Philadelphia with the one and only David Choi on the 14th. I just completed the poster for the Princeton show with the band. Cuh-razy need to sleep.

If you're up for joining in on one of the three shows, let me know on the Facebook Event: facebook.com/event.php?eid=162349010442277&ref=mf

I want to know who'll be there! ;)

I also have to figure out where to get the Birthday Cupcakes for the Piano's show. I promised baked goodies in celebration of my lengthening life. Apparently A & P has some yumzo ones. Amazing.

Anyway, I had a pretty crapster day at work today, as those of you on Facebook may know. :( Maybe God is trying to tell me to just go and do music already?

Or maybe He's just testing me?

Either way, I was glad to have a quick escape in the form of Belle & Sebastian in Williamsburg today. Their first gig in the area in 4 years! How crazy!

Also, here's another good thing that came out of today - the 2nd installment of my new Music Video series for NorthJersey.com!

David Debiak was very cool to talk to. He and I are hoping to do a show together soon!

O Me! O Life!

2010-09-21T22:07:00.000-07:00

O me! O life! of the questions of these recurring,

Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill'd with the

foolish,

Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish

than I, and who more faithless?)

Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the

struggle ever renew'd,

Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I

see around me,

Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me

intertwined,

The question, O me! so sad, recurring -- What good amid these,

O me, O life?

Answer

That you are here -- that life exists and identity,

That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.

- Walt Whitman, "O Me! O Life!" from Leaves of Grass (deathbed version).

Photo: A flower grows in the foreground of Sedona's red rocks. Sedona, AZ. 2010.

This is a song about lies... and deception.

2010-09-19T22:02:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. I'm posting a lot of Matt Sia and Alfa stuff here, but there were so many cool songs that night! I feel compelled to share. Isn't that the joy of music? :)

Here's our folk/blues cover of "Billie Jean". Please share it if you dig it!

"Freshman Girl" at The Bitter End VIDEO

2010-09-16T19:24:00.000-07:00

Me and Matt debut my song "Freshman Girl" at The Bitter End on September 9, 2010. :)

Matt accidentally flubbed the lyrics in the chorus. It's supposed to be "somewhere between the stars...you and me belonged."
:) But all good! It still fits. :)

A month to vingt-cinq.

2010-09-12T19:17:00.000-07:00

I want to savor every single day I have left until I turn 25.
Why?
Because whenever I get a year older, I look back at the year behind me and think, "Wow. I was so young then." Or "I should have appreciated that time more."
So, maybe I'm a little late with this, but I have 29 days until I turn the big 2-5 and my goal is to make every day memorable. Amazing. Moving. Remembered. In my head, this doesn't mean I have to do anything out of the ordinary, so much. But I want to be more conscious of living. More self-aware of my actions, thoughts and deeds. I'm not sure exactly what this means yet.

Today, it may seem a little petty, but I took a huge step by buying a new guitar. I've had my artwood since high school - it was my first serious buy as far as my songwriter self was concerned. I've loved that guitar ("Iggy", as I affectionately call it) for many years and its got a lot of miles - literally and figuratively - on it. But it's time to move on to a guitar that can take me up another notch, and that can suit me where I am. Today I found it, and it was all happenstance.

I don't need the fancy inlays or the "Taylor Swift-signature" model or anything elaborate. I remember falling in love with Iggy just playing in the guitar store for a few minutes. Today, it was an unexpected nudge toward the Taylor.
It all started last night while I was at Casa del Sol in Nyack watching my boyfriend's friends play for a few hours. Dylan, the bassist, told me he recommended the Taylor 314ce. I told him that was a nice guitar - generally out of my price range.

Strangely, I got a call from my boyfriend today around 4 p.m. telling me that he had spoken to Dylan (he'd lost his wallet and thought he might have left it at Dylan's place) and it turns out, someone had just sold a used Taylor 314ce to Alto in Airmont, N.Y. for a whopping $800 (mind you, all the retailers basically sell this guitar at $1600). The guitar was sure to be gone by Monday, as others had called in and scheduled a time to see the guitar on Monday. I checked my Google Maps and saw that it would take about 35 minutes to get up there, but we were just at the Bridge and still had to head home to drop off my sister. Would I make it?

I made a few calls (secretly hoping the place would stay open later to give me some slack time...no cigar) and before long I had Jansen and Claude - childhood church friends who had wanted to hit Palisades Mall - coming along for the ride. Nerves slightly shaking, I got there around 4:45. Made a beeline for the acoustic guitar section and asked to speak to the owner. I tried it for a bit, he told me some more about the Expression System, some of which I'd known about. I plugged it in and played. On the ride up I'd told myself not to be convinced to buy the guitar just because of the sheer drama of the buying experience. But whether or not that was the case, I don't regret it at all.

I came home with the guitar and spend a few hours playing it. It is amazing. I love it. I stand by it.
There will be more to come from my new musical addition, but so far so good!

MGMT Cover w/ Matt Sia + "Penny Royal" Short Film

2010-09-10T03:59:00.000-07:00

Had a really fun time playing yesterday at The Bitter End with Matt Sia! I will upload those videos for you guys sometime this weekend so you can take a peek at our smoky rendition of "Billie Jean" amongst others. To help promote the show, we posted our cover of MGMT's "Kids" on YouTube. I am still a bit rusty on the violin, but thanks to some encouragement from friends, including Jason Yang - who I saw in Tulsa and reminded me that I'd promised to conjure the violin back in March in L.A. - I gathered the resolve. All I have to say, is Huzzah!

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I also wanted to share this short film by Vincent Lin called "Penny Royal", currently in the Interpretations flmmaker competition. I wrote a song specifically for the project and you can hear it from the get-go!

http://interpretationsfilm.com/members/mintstin/

Feel free to post a comment too!

We Escaped The Rain

2010-09-05T11:14:00.000-07:00

I finally finished a song!
Here's a track of me and Matt Sia practicing "Freshman Girl," my new tune that we'll debut live on Thursday at The Bitter End!

Other songs to be sung include covers of Michael Jackson, Joshua Radin, MGMT and more!

The Living Room & OK Pre-Cap / "Second Skin" on PANDORA!

2010-08-24T21:31:00.000-07:00

Hi y'alls! It's 12:30 and I should sleep - it's been quite hectic for me since I got back from Tulsa, so apologies for not updating you on two great shows. First, before I get to updates on the shows, I just wanted to let you know the "Second Skin" - the entire album - is now on Pandora. YES, how crazy is that?! Be sure to create an Alfa channel, if you're a Pandora user. If you're not, check it out! It's a great way to soften the workday.

Now, regarding the NYC and OK shows, I have footage and the like, but it's too late right now to get all that up here. (me want some zzz's). However, if you're itchin' for some coverage on last week's show at The Living Room (here's lookin' at ya, Speranza), there are some blogs that went up about it. How cool!

First is from James Leung: http://raiwebs.blogspot.com/2010/08/alfa-garcia-experience.html
Another from Gordon Nash, a very BIG folk fan in the area who has been so supportive of my music since I met him months ago: http://horvendile.diaryland.com/johnantalfa.html

Thanks guys!
--

Anyway, Oklahoma was amazing. Neither my camera nor my Flipcam were sufficiently charged (I know, sacrilege!) so I couldn't take as much footage from the weekend as I wanted. But I'll paste some that have been posted on FB already. I had an absolute BLAST in Tulsa, and there are so many great people there! Shoutouts to all the Okies and Midwesterners I had the pleasure to meet! It was a joy performing for you.

Me and the amazing Jason Yang, violin extraordinaire and jam buddy.

Here's me on the big-arse stage. Sound guy, Kerry, was awesome! Crystal clear. Hallelujah.

Me and Noel, who won Kollab Tulsa! He's so crazy good at yo-yoing. I knew he'd win it when he told me he was competing.

Me performing at the Pre-Party on Friday night at the bar. Yes, someone is videotaping on their Blackberry. Isn't it funny how we watch performances these days? We put an object between us and what we're watching...

The pre-show jam session!

Noel showing me how to yo-yo. I kinda stink at it. :-/

Of course, we can't forget the founder of Kollaboration, PK (center) and the man behind Kollaboration LA, Roy Choi (left).

--
This is just a funny picture from The Living Room. Me and the guys and a fishbowl of NYC condoms.

Oklahoma this weekend!

2010-08-16T20:51:00.001-07:00

Here's the promo video I posted to help get the word out:

It's a little silly, and I still hate seeing myself on video! But I did find joy in taking a Rodgers & Hammerstein tune and uke-ing it up. <3

Oh the places you'll go

2010-08-15T21:24:00.000-07:00

Being a musician has its fair share of oddities. Aside from the sheer fact that you're doing something about 90% of the population doesn't do, there's all the private events, random street shows and other tome-fuls of one-of-a-kind gigs you find yourself playing. Take for example, Exhibit A:

That's me playing in front of the Ben & Jerry's. How can you tell? See "big cow behind me." I played on the streets of Ridgewood as part of a new program the Ridgewood Guild is doing - something I found out about at my journalist job. It wasn't a paid gig, but I figured it'd be fun, and hey, it's summer! And hey again - it's Ben & Jerry's! I didn't actually get ice cream for myself, but there were many awesome things about this gig. First was this little seating area where people sat after they got their ice cream and listened. Number 2, there were endless amounts of adorable children, all with melted ice cream splattered across their cheeks, one even air-strumming a toy ukulele while I played "Foot Out the Door." He stole my thunder, but I didn't mind. He was incredibly adorable.

Then Saturday night I played a private house show in Piermont. Since it was private, I don't want to divulge too much about it. Let's just say it was a very big, gorgeous house overlooking the Hudson, and that someone in my pay grade would normally never be found at a house party like this one. But see, that's the thing. Being a musician makes you an exception. No. Actually, it just puts you in a different category. It works similarly to my "press" card, except I get into other events that journalists wouldn't get into (and vice versa too).

Those are some pretty cool things about my life I'm grateful for right now.

Solo Footage from our band show in glorious Red Bank, NJ!

2010-08-09T22:02:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my sister, Faye Garcia, who is back from her travails in Cusco, Peru to be my on-the-spot videographer again! haha. :) I love her.

This was a 3-hour set that me, Zach and Jon played in front of Dublin House in Red Bank. It was so much fun - we really had a great time. It did get kind of tiring right around the 2.5-hour mark, though. But I'm stoked we did it! Plus it gave me an excuse to visit these old favorites... More videos with the band (and one of Zach's tunes) to come soon...

"Washington Square" at Sidewalk Cafe

2010-08-07T08:16:00.000-07:00

"Washington Square" performed at Sidewalk Cafe during the "Alfa Plays B-Sides" show.

Photos by Jude Tan are here: www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=247147&id=12392161092&ref=mf

This song reminds me of spending days and nights in Washington Square during college. So many random occurrences, met so many different people, watched so many different people (and animals too, dogs and squirrels mostly), had so many serious talks, silly talks, yummy falafels and kathi rolls while sitting on a bench. They've re-done it now, and it's not quite the same, but I'm glad the Square is still around.

Reston, VA Food & Tennis Festival Recap

2010-08-02T20:19:00.001-07:00

It was a glorious day in Virginia. A little humid, but there was a slight breeze. I didn't know what to expect for this gig, but it all turned out pretty cool. I played two sets, a short one on the Mainstage, before I was escorted to the Philippine Village Stage for a 45-minute set. Although this stage was smaller, there were more people there. Figures. Filipinos. :)

The crowd was super awesome, and I'm always amazed when people sit and listen during outdoor gigs. Got to speak to some super cool folks afterwards (what's up Reston?!), before The Speaks and Ivy Rose capped off the evening. Here are some photos, courtesy of DJ Manalo.

The one above is a cool shot that he took, and the foreground is courtesy of an adorable little girl who was making bubbles during my set. After I played a song, she came right up and let 'em rip. It was her version of applause (I think... haha).

More pictures and bubblicious-ness here: D.C. Food & Tennis Festival, Reston, VA

And I watched this scene with unmoving eyes...

2010-07-29T20:51:00.001-07:00

"Goodnight, Romeo" performed at Sidewalk Cafe at The B-Sides Show on July 17. Video by David Speranza; Audio by Feliza Mirasol.

I've missed playing this song...

Saturday's B-Sides Show: Success!

2010-07-20T21:13:00.000-07:00

Had a great time on Saturday. A lot of friends and fans came in and the feedback was all positive. What amused me was hearing people's reactions range from, "WOW I haven't heard those songs in a long time!" to "WOW I love the new stuff!" :) For people who haven't known my music pre-2009, none of the songs I played on Saturday were familiar. But the set list did draw a lot of old friends. And for that I'm grateful.

Still working to get some other vids from the show. There are some complications I will not get into with that task... but fingers crossed and silent prayers mouthed, we may see some results... in the meantime, below is a video from my FlipCam of "The Kind of Girl", a previously never-performed song I wrote in 2007. Lyrics are below the vid and a setlist of the show is below that.

Also, if you want to see some pictures, Jude Tan took a bunch that kick mucho ass. Check those here. One of my (many) favorites:

The Kind of Girl (2007) - Lyrics and music by Alfa Garcia

Where do we go, from here?
The light is on but the neighbors all have disappeared.
It's quiet enough / by the streetlights
to tell you these things / left in hindsight.

This isn't love, we're still young but we're old enough to know that it's games that we play...baby...

CHORUS:
Oh, I'm the kind of girl you wouldn't wanna fall for
wouldn't wanna fall for, baby.
Oh, you're the kind of man who needs someone to sing for
someone you can figure out...

It's easy enough / I think
To bury the hatchet / bury the hatchet and move our own way
I know this must sound cold / but I've traveled the road
and I wouldn't wanna put you through it.

This isn't love, we're still young but we're old enough / to know that it's games that we play
We'll talk for hours / and I won't change my mind
'cause I'd rather it ended this way... baby.

CHORUS

BRIDGE:
Either way the story goes / pretty soon the world will know what a good man you are.
And as for me I'll be just fine / catching hearts like fireflies
While playing my guitar / playing my guitar...

INTERLUDE

CHORUS

___

SETLIST:

Better ~

Washington Square ~

UnFilipino ~

My Disaster

The Lament

Goodnight, Romeo ~

The Kind of Girl

Massachusetts Sky ~

Meaningless Conversation ~

Love or Fate ~

Aeroplane

Brainstorming a setlist for Saturday

2010-07-14T20:29:00.000-07:00

Me trying to see if Wilbur, the pig, will help me figure out what to sing... =P

Ah man... I never realized how annoying having a lot of songs could be. I don't know really what to play on Saturday. There's SO many songs I want to do, but maybe half of them are not even worthy of a live audience. Ha. Here's my rough draft of the selist so far...

Better
Washington Square
Love or Fate
The Kind of Girl (you wouldn't wanna -bleep- with :P ...)
Massachusetts Sky
(One last hurrah?)
I Would Have
Home to Me? ? ?
Beaches of Blue *
The Way I Am
Disaster
Meaningless Conversation

Lots of question marks still... plus I have to practice new songs... Ahhh what to do what to do...

The B-Sides Show

2010-07-11T18:31:00.000-07:00

I guess you could say this is a show I'm doing for me. It's been a while since I've played songs other than those on "Second Skin" (and some others) onstage...so this is me giving myself the opportunity to fudge around a little, play some older stuff, maybe even play some songs I don't usually play for people at all. Eeeks. Kind of nervous about it to be honest. Haha.. :) Come on down.

8 pm Saturday, July 17
Sidewalk Cafe
94 Avenue A, NYC (at 6th St.)
Free | All Ages

"Isabelle" at KNY5

2010-06-28T19:36:00.000-07:00

This song got me runner-up at KNY5. I was pretty shocked... both because of the sheer amount of talent at the competition, and because I was the first one to go onstage...figured I didn't have a shot. But it's pretty neat! :)

KNY5 Tomorrow Night

2010-06-25T17:49:00.000-07:00

Ninjasonik is guesting too!

More Band Performances from Best Buy!

2010-06-24T21:53:00.000-07:00

I've been swimming in footage and photos from this gig, so you shall reap the benefits. :)

Here is me and Jon's cover of "You and I" by Ingrid Michaelson (Zach is playing some djembe and tambourine in the back. Sadly, his drums weren't mic'ed!)

Here is our cover of Feist's "1,2,3,4".

And here is David's version of "Meaningless Conversation", with similar audio to the one below, but a tighter image.

Now, as for Saturday's amazing Music Video release night, I will get you more footage from them soon... let these marinate for a little bit. :)

ALFA

PS: On a sidenote, I just saw Toy Story 3!! OMIGOD I felt like a loser crying at the end, but I feel like I could totally relate! Anyone who knows me knows how attached I am to my little stuffed pig. :( Anyone else get a little mist in their eyes at the end of that movie?

OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO: "Love as Tragedy: A Play in 3 Acts"

2010-06-20T08:40:00.000-07:00

Ssdkfhad;sfhasldkfjhasdlkjfsdhlaf!!!!

Last night's release was incredible! Pictures from that soon. But. First.

Weeee!!!!! Spread the word and please help this video get all the views that it deserves!!!

Also, please take a gander at http://www.alfa-music.com because Mike Violago did an incredible job of making the website look gorgeous with the video embedded!

Best Buy Recap

2010-06-18T22:22:00.000-07:00

Today was the band gig at Best Buy in Union Square. What an awesome day! The weather cooperated, first of all. It was the perfect New York City summer: warm and light, but slightly breezy, everyone's in a good mood, there's the excitement in the air. Matt Sia opened before Ryan Bandong went on. I'd been pretty anxious about this weekend, mainly because of tomorrow's big Music Video Release, but after today's set, I am really looking forward to it.

I just want to get it out to the world already, ya know? :)

(Here's us playing "Meaningless Conversation," one of my older tunes, but the first time it's been done with a band...ever!)

(Here's "Second Skin")

I saw a lot of friends, some new fans from the Rutgers show 2 weeks ago, some faces I hadn't seen in a while. One of the guys at Best Buy told me it was the biggest crowd they'd had out for a Live at Best Buy show ever. And they've asked me to play at Best Buy in Lincoln Center on June 30! So, that should be rad.

Anyway, I should sleep. I've just been watching movies and perusing World Cup stories on the web all night. =)

Le Big Weekend

2010-06-13T21:37:00.001-07:00

Big weekend coming up in a couple of days. Trying not to lose it!

Friday, June 18: 3 to 5 p.m. ( I Play w/ Full Band @ 5 p.m.)
Best Buy - Union Square (1 E. 14th St., NYC)
FREE / All Ages
RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=129792880372558&ref=mf

Saturday, June 19: 9 to 11 p.m.
"Love as Tragedy" Music Video Release Party & Screening!!!!
Level 9 (34 W. 32nd St., NYC)
FREE / All Ages
RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=126873550675797&ref=ts

Sunday, June 20
"Love as Tragedy" goes LIVE on www.alfa-music.com and www.youtube.com/alfamusic :)

My new ukulele!

2010-06-08T20:33:00.000-07:00

:) I'm in love.

"Love as Tragedy" Music Video Screening Party!

2010-06-06T22:21:00.000-07:00

"Love as Tragedy" MV Screening Party!

9 to 11 p.m. Saturday, June 19
Level 9, 34 W. 32nd St., NYC (9th Fl.)
Free!
w/ Performances from Kollaboration artists Jen Kwok, Cate Song and myself!

You don't want to miss it. Forreals.

Mexico uploads

2010-05-22T20:41:00.000-07:00

I got to it faster than I thought... :) Here are some of my favorites.

A stray dog crossing Juarez Avenue, which cuts across the island of Cozumel. We took a scooter out and this is looking back towards the West.
The East coast of Cozumel has these unbelievable breaks that lend themselves to some dramatic photos, especially with the clouds looming on the horizon.

Cancun's long stretch of shallow water.

The Castle at Chichen Itza, about a 3-hour drive from where we were staying.

A family shot at the beach, Playa del Carmen.

Love this shot! We took this on our first full day. We are silly geezers.

Donde esta los cacahuates?!

2010-05-22T19:42:00.000-07:00

We're back from Mexico today, and let me tell you.. I look exactly like a bright red tomato! Yesterday was the only completely-sunny day the entire week we spent in the Mayan Riviera and that sun beat down extremely hard. It probably didn't help that we spent a good five hours in the beach and the pool. And man, sunburns hurt!

On the bright side, getting some away time was much-needed. I've always been the restless type, and traveling calms me. Maybe it's being in the middle of all the external activity that reminds me that there's little use in fussing over life. Only I know how much of a stickler I am for feeling in-control. So I'm probably the only person that knows how much I need to let go.

:)

Anyway, enough introspection. Pictures will come soon from the trip. We did a ton! Some highlights: seeing Chichen Itza and Tulum, the aquamarine waters of Playa del Carmen and Cancun (which, by the way, reminded me of a water-surrounded Vegas), scootering aimlessly through Cozumel before finding our way to the windswept breakers of the island's east coast, stopping by a roadside stand for fresh coconut, floating under mangroves in Xel-Ha before getting caught in a tropical downpour - and still managing a rather difficult rope bridge, seeing the largest school of fish I've ever seen in my life while snorkeling in Cozumel (I am not exaggerating. Will link that video soon!), and all the food and sunbathing in between. :) It was a good week.

And now it's back to life. There's lots to get to, including a show on Tuesday at American Express in the city. I'm also working out the details for the Music Video Screening/Release Party, which I hope to do by the 2nd week in June. Cross fingers for me! Coordinating always seems to be an anxiety-ridden ordeal, but I am hoping we can get it all locked down very soon. :) I've already seen a rough version of the video and I'm over the moon about it! I can't wait until it's actually out there for the world to see...

.. until next updates!

<3 A

Not everything is flat in Iowa...

2010-05-09T22:08:00.000-07:00

The conclusion we came to was that Jon, Zach (the new guy on drums) and I had spent maybe just under 20 hours in transit for a 45-minute set, but that it was all worth it! The folks at Grinnell were awesome, band sounded great and playing for the first time with Zach turned out to be marvelous. Jon and I topped off our one evening in Iowa with some classy wine and cheese, and we all had a chance to check out the town a bit. Not that there was too much to see... but it was fun no less.

One hiccup though.. I've learned that I'm not a fan of too much flat land. It's a North Jersey thing, ya know? We like our tree cover and small mountains in the distance.

There was an immense and cold wind sweeping across the town while we were there. Sad to report, the wind seems to have followed us to Jersey. The plane landing last night was a doozy, as you can probably imagine. Oh well!

Oh, Jon came up with a pretty funny Iowa joke.

It goes, "Iowa-nna come back next year!!!" :)
Actually, that's slightly modified. Jon likes to say, "Iowa wanna come back next year!" but I think that's slightly redundant. Don't you?

Here's some evidence. :) Oh, and I have footage of the gig as well! I just have to kit-kat it... (you know, break it off into pieces) so it's not one big gig file. Though if I could, I totally would. :P

We stayed at a quaint spot, Grinnell House. Here's a view I snapped.

After the gig, we hit up a bar called Lonnski's where they had a shot-ski (look carefully). Basically, they glued 3 shot glasses onto a little ski and we all drank together. This is the Before picture.

...and the after picture...

Yick.

It's us in front of Grinnell House, where we stayed. And look! I'm tall! :)

Flat flat flat...

Cornheads!

Finally, here's the closer for the evening. An off-the-cuff uke tune about our short trip:

"Love as Tragedy" Shoot Pictures!

2010-05-03T17:46:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! Here are pictures from the shoot:

facebook.com/album.php?aid=2614992&id=821401&l=0984f7034b

The wonderful David Speranza will now edit the video, so stay tuned!
Oh, and we'll also have a behind-the-scenes video soon, too! Super stoked. =)

"Love as Tragedy" Music Video prep

2010-04-29T20:38:00.001-07:00

This is a test video Director David put together. I'm not comfortable with singing for camera yet, as you can see. I'm planning on downing a tequila or so before doing this shoot... even if it WILL be at 9am in the morning on Saturday! HA! :)

--
So the last few weeks have been pretty crazy. Between the usual buzz of my reporter job and my gigging, I've been working with Director David (as I will call David Speranza) on my first music video, for the song "Love as Tragedy: A Play in 3 Acts." Not going to exhale just yet, but I have to express my slight surprise that things have worked out so far. Of course, much remains to be seen. Maybe I just believe in Murphy's Law a little too much. :)

David put together a narrative story for the music video that sticks pretty close to the lyrics, something I really like. Storytelling is something I enjoy doing with my music, and in that song in particularly, so it's very cool that he decided to bring that out as the centerpiece to the video. We got some actors to volunteer (mostly his doing, I don't know enough actors), I got some extras together... it's been kind of nerve wracking, but then what's a better sign that it's all worth it?

We're shooting the video at the always awesome Paul Vincent Studios, which I'm familiar with from my work with photographer Virginia Kamenitzer. The place is super neat. Check it out.

More to come soon...

Isabelle @ Tufts

2010-04-22T19:21:00.001-07:00

I've never been very good at taking video. Especially at gigs... come to think of it, that's something I have to get better at... but anyway, I stumbled into this one, taking by my friend Eric. It's my performance of "Isabelle" from Tufts U. :) It's funny hearing different versions of this song through the months since the album came out. My voice really underwent a few changes...

Introducing...Alfa

2010-04-15T21:50:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed a new link up top on the blog. If not, it's cool. I did it whilst noodling on my computer, but then realized I never officially mentioned it on the blog. Ay me.

So my drummer Dave Dodds put together this very cool bio video and I want you guys to check it out and tell me what you think!
Personally, I think I should have put on more makeup in the interviews... but Dave was all, "ohh it's so natural" so then I was talked into it.

Introducing... Alfa from Dave Dodds on Vimeo.

... which brings me to my next point, which is that I am planning to shoot a video for "Love as Tragedy: A Play in 3 Acts" (wahoo!) with the director David Speranza on May 1st and 2nd. We're looking for extras so if you're interested, lemme know! :)

"Supergirl" on an iPhone App

2010-04-15T21:48:00.000-07:00

Do you like to play bongos?

Have you thought about playing "Supergirl" on Bongos?

Ah, you too?! Good, well there's this iPhone app, and you should download it: Bongo Blitz. :) It could be awesome!

"You and I" (Ingrid Michaelson) Performed @ Small World Coffee, Princeton

2010-04-04T21:50:00.000-07:00

Hope this makes y'all smile.

Chicago... all things go.

2010-04-04T21:48:00.000-07:00

Me with the amazing Manny Garcia, Leejay Abucayan and Melissa Polinar after our performance at U. of Illinois, Chicago last weekend. :) Great times.

I just regret not staying longer to soak in the sights and smells.

Rumble

2010-03-22T20:04:00.000-07:00

It's raining... really hard out there.
I'm huddled over my laptop in the attic.
Kind of scared the ceiling is going to collapse...

oh nooo!!

Princeton and Chicago This Weekend

2010-03-22T14:19:00.000-07:00

I haven't had a chance to update the shows-listing, but my good friend and singer/songwriter Manny Garcia asked me to jump aboard to fill a headlining replacement at the benefit concert for Believe International (a Philippine non-profit) in Chicago on Sunday. So this weekend means a band show at Small World Coffee, in Princeton, NJ and then taking an early flight to Chicago on Sunday. Fun times, indeed!

Here's the Facebook event, if you can make Sunday's Chicago's show! www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=352590299372.

And here's the poster for Saturday's show in Princeton, NJ:

There should be a FB event coming up shortly for that... anyway, back to the daily grind that is my day job.

Beantown

2010-03-21T20:40:00.001-07:00

I'm back from a weekend in Boston. Just to hang out and celebrate a friend's birthday.

That city is beautiful when it's warm.

Too bad that doesn't happen often.

The Rat and the Dog

2010-03-16T19:15:00.000-07:00

I saw a dog kill a rat today

on the corner of Broadway and 78th

A duo of little gray things scurried away,

one met its fate: canine incisors

that refused to release him,

his mangled body contorted

gray and white fur awry.

The dog's owner tugged at his canvas leash,

"Let it go! Let it go!" he commanded

to no avail as the spectators stopped;

curious passersby;

New Yorkers deprived of wildlife on display.

The poor man was desperate now,

but likely because he was embarrassed.

Nobody concealed their horror

as the dog first let go the body,

now draining slowly of life.

Dropped on the unforgiving sidewalk.

The dog still would not leave.

Maybe he was scared, too?

Scared that the ghost of that ugly thing

would come to haunt him soon.

Slowly the crowd dispersed

and I walked, also, away.

We all left that unwanted creature cold,

lying lonely, dishonored on the pavement.

Lucky it was a rat, we think,

for we can't muster much sympathy for it.

The poor, sad little thing lay cold now.

Maybe to be buried soon

by a merciful garbage truck

or swept idly away.

3.16.10

new york city

Tomorrow is Pi Day!

2010-03-13T11:24:00.001-08:00

Those of you who know me well, know how much I love Pi Day. :) Mostly because this song becomes relevant...

Whirlwind L.A. Trip and my music on anime!

2010-03-08T07:55:00.001-08:00

Ahhh! Just got back from a CRAZY weekend at Kollaboration X, at The Shrine in L.A. I missed my flight in Friday night, so ended up rushing in on Sat. morning and going non-stop through rehearsals, practice with Mike Isberto, the show and the after party. Then I took a flight out the next day (yesterday) and got home a bit late. So So So terribly tired, but happy for this whirlwind weekend!
Here's a photo of me and Mike at the Red Carpet before showtime, taken by HypnoticAsia.

And here's one from onstage at the beautiful Shrine Auditorium.

In other news, I MUST share this video my friend Ish Baclay created, using the second verse from "Love as Tragedy" along with scenes from Ouran High School Host Club. Never had my music on anime before, so it's pretty cool!

2010 Gigs so far... (Warning: Rambling is involved)

2010-02-28T19:11:00.000-08:00

Just got back from a trip to L.A. where I played a show w/ Mike Isberto (my collaborator this coming weekend in Kollaboration X at The Shrine! Huzzah!), and also played at the Lunar New Year Festival in Chinatown. It was quite a trip... one that started with rushing straight from LAX to a taping of Kababayan LA for LA 18 tv, and ended with a marathon 5-hour songwriting session with Mike. We had been having a hard time writing our song for Kollaboration X between the miles...FYI iChat has a lag, which doesn't bode well when you're both trying to play guitar and sing together. :-/ So getting together those few hours was really needed. Me and Mike have really had a great time hanging out... even though we were a little bummed we couldn't have our own slots for Kollab (we were told we either had to compete against each other for one slot or perform together), it turned out to be a fun experience and collaboration anyway! :)

This past Friday I had a show at City Grace Church on Sullivan St. in NYC. Me and Jon held it down as a duo, since Dave had a last-minute taping in Budapest... I should probably have mentioned that he's a film guy. :) ha.

Before L.A. (stick with me, here), was a show at Best Buy in Chelsea, that had a pretty solid turn-out. Not to mention, The Kennedys showed up to support! For those of you who don't know, The Kennedys are a NY-based folk duo (husband/wife) that have really been making a name for themselves in the national folk scene. It was pretty awesome that they came out to check out my set!
To help publicize the Best Buy show, I did a really late night (like, 1 am) interview at WHCR 90.3, "Thermal Soundwaves" with Cee Truth and Kevin Lawrence (pictured above).

Prior to that, I had a benefit music/art show for Haiti at someone's apartment in the city. Yes... someone's apartment. :) It was big enough to fit nearly 200 people between a few hours... but it was loud! The crowd volume was a challenge at first, but there was something cool about having a bunch of people gathered on fold-up chairs and sitting on the floor, just listening to the songs despite all the ruckus in the back of the room. It's like you're in on your own secret, and working to put your ear to everything being sung. It ended up being one of the most fun gigs of the year so far.

And before that, I kicked off the year's shows with a band gig at The Stone Pony, as the feature for their open mic. We had a pretty solid performance, I thought. We're hoping to play there again soon...

... wow, that might have been confusing, me going backwards, eh? Woops. Haha... for whatever reason, my head's in a jumble and I'm barely in blog-writing gear. So, forgive me for this random rambling.

I know it's almost March and I haven't blogged properly about what's been going on with music this year. It's not even that things have been especially busy (cuz they're pretty much as they usually are, haha). But I'll try my best to do a better job at it! Hoozah!

That whole Taylor Swift debacle

2010-02-03T21:51:00.001-08:00

So by now I'm sure you've ALL heard about that whole Taylor Swift pitch issue, when she was onstage with musical great Stevie Nicks and basically botched her song as well as Stevie's classic song. I didn't watch the Grammys, but my voice teacher convinced me to YouTube the performance (he seems to think it's a conspiracy, TS winning 4 awards despite barely being able to carry a tune).

Anyway, I'm not here to Taylor-hate. She's actually a fascinating character, and her winning big at the awards, coupled with the few performances I've seen of hers (all of which, I'm sad to say, were less than stellar) has me mulling over what the hype around her is all about. She may have played her "damsel in distress" card a few too many times, with the whole Kanye thing, the jilted-lover lyrics in all her songs, and now people coming to her defense about the whole Grammy incident...but... people are still going to buy her records, and be astounded that she writes her own songs (even though Lady Gaga does too, and - even if I don't always like her - she can actually carry a tune...not to mention, if you're looking for a 20-year-old who writes her own phenomenal songs, try Laura Marling instead!), and come to her defense after every painful performance. And I think it's simply because she captures our imagination.

Live performer, she is not. And I am in the camp that believes those rewarded with a Grammy should be real performers - in the studio and onstage - but, I'll admit, she strategizes her pop persona well. I don't particularly think she's very sincere onstage (she was still outshone by a motionless Stevie Nicks, in my opinion, even with as much flair and big hand motions she put into her presence), the signs of insecurity with her voice are all there... but her songs are about love, heartbreak, pining for the football captain - all things that a certain demographic can totally get with. Put that together with super-polished music videos that present her as the dolled-up damsel-in-distress, or the pained high school geek; make the viewers see themselves in the character she plays and voila...it's a formula for longevity, at least in the fickle teen market.

It definitely helps that she looks a certain way. I'm sad to say that her big win shows just how far a pretty face will really get you. Lady Gaga, who I don't think is very pretty but have more musical respect for, definitely deserved Album of the Year, considering all the hits she had out of that CD. But alas, this is why the Grammys has lost so much credibility with other musicians in recent years.

Moment of peace

2010-02-01T11:49:00.000-08:00

Hey you guys!
Geez, I really need to blog more often, don't I? It's been busy, but no - that is no excuse!
What have I been doing? Well, after playing the release show, me, Laura and the guys had our final gig of 2009 cancelled due to snow. So, I pranced off to Europe to let off some steam for New Year's, then came back feeling very refreshed! So far I had a show at The Stone Pony with the band - what a kick-ass venue! And then at a house show benefit for Haiti, an event that was really inspiring and successful too! Organized by the lovely Cate Song (www.catesong.com).

Anyway, one of my goals for 2010 has been to get better on my cover song game. Full disclosure: I have never been a big cover-song person, mainly because the whole reason I started songwriting was because I never felt like I was all that great at sounding like other people. So, yes, this whole songwriting thing came out of an insecurity! And it's taken me much further than I thought it would, but now it's time to be gutsy and face those fears. So, if I stick to my guns (and I hope you guys will keep me encouraged even if I wimp out) ... I should have more cover songs up. Right now I have that Grammy blitzkrieg Taylor Swift's "Love Story" stuck in my head . . . HINT.

To the friends I met at Carnegie Mellon - thank you SO much for your comments on this blog, and I am extremely privileged to have had the opportunity to meet and speak to all of you. I'm thrilled that my speech helped you feel a little bit more inspired. I hope you continue to follow all your dreams, and not let anything get in your way. I'm working on your song... it's almost finished, but still needs to be polished. The words written in your index cards have blown me away... I never imagined such a simple project would move me so much. Stay tuned, I'll be e-mailing y'all soon. :)

Much love,

A

Stoking the star maker machinery...behind the popular song.

2009-12-14T18:41:00.000-08:00

BEFORE you continue to the blog post, I just wanted to direct you to a FREE download of "Don't Write Your Goodbyes" (Acoustic Piano Version), which I'm making available for download just for the Holidays. Check it out: DON'T WRITE YOUR GOODBYES (Acoustic Piano) !!!
***

It's been a long time since I have blogged ... either that, or so much has happened that I've felt guilty for not keeping the blogging world updated to it. Though I confess, I don't know what kind of audience I have here. I.E., I'm not exactly in my teenage Xanga-blogging days. ;)

Anyway, before I recount other things I just want to let you guys know that there is a big announcement to come soon! I don't want to mention it officially just yet, because it's currently still in the works, but keep checking back in the next few day, k? If you came to the release show on Friday, then you know exactly what it is!

... wow, where to begin?
I have to confess, so many shows have happened this season that it's kind of a whirlwind remembering them all. Not to say they weren't memorable, but they are overwhelming to try and recall. The one that really sticks out in my mind, though, was speaking at Carnegie Mellon. I went into it unsure if my message would really get across to the students. I had to talk about what I did as a musician, and encourage the undergrads to pursue unconventional passions. I'm pretty sure I blabbered for a while, and wasn't completely comfortable until I had my guitar in front of me (I ended up singing/playing unplugged!), but I got such a strong response back... students with artistic or musical talent who were always told not to pursue it because it wasn't "practical", or their parents continually told them they could never go far with it, to the point that they'd internalized it and stopped believing in their own talent. I remember feeling that way a lot growing up too... it's the constant challenge for Asian-American families, especially immigrant families like mine, where survival mentality is deeply ingrained.

Not to say there isn't legitimacy to the argument. Of course pursuing the arts is harder than many other fields. But for me, it never made much sense to work hard towards a "fall back plan" when you weren't even giving real effort to the number one plan. You know? For me, currently managing a full-time job while doing music, the danger is to devote little time to the art - something I'm always grappling with. Juggling a job motivates me to keep working at music, just to compensate for the hours lost. It's not ideal... obviously, I'd like to be doing music full-time. But I've got to be practical. I don't come from a family with a lot of money. I'm never happy with living off my parents. So... I make it work. But one thing's for certain... I don't think I can ever give it up.

Anyway, if any of the CMU students happen to run into this blog, thanks for being a great audience that day (and forgiving w/ my blabbering!) I am currently writing your song. :)

Me with some CMU students!

--

Also, for the Tufts U. gig in mid-November, I was lucky enough to have my trusty videographer from Boston, Eric, on-hand to tape quite a bit of that show. So... I wanted to share another video... it's a jam I did w/ one of the opening bands, The Cellar Doors. They were really awesome - a Tufts band, all music majors - with an eclectic sound: violin, djembe, guitar, nylon-string guitar, synths and other fun percussives. I had them jam with me to an older tune, "Meaningless Conversation."

--

After spending just 11 hours in Boston for that show, I hopped a plane back home to play with my band at Wuzz Up Cafe in Bergenfield. My mom, her friends, other family friends, church people, friends of friends of friends came out and made the show really nice, casual, homey. I'm pretty sure I just crashed that weekend... that's really all I could do after sleep deprivation and those wonderfully draining shows.

I just had my release show this past Friday as well! I'll post photos of that up... it's still a bit too new. We had ube cake to Celebrate and it was deeeelish:

Last night I opened for Kitchie Nadal @ The Knitting Factory's new BK location. WOW what a sound system in that place. I'll happily play it again... even if it's like 2 a.m. on a Wednesday night. Just to marvel at the acoustics.

Anyway... me and the band have a show in Princeton on Saturday and then that's it for 2009. Still, my to-do-before-2010 list is quite extensive. I'm not sure how I'll get it all done. Crossing fingers... think good thoughts for me!

<3

FRIDAY and SUNDAY: Official CD Release Party & The Knitting Factory!

2009-11-29T16:06:00.001-08:00

Now that November is pretty much at an end, and the busiest leg of the tour behind me, I'm able to take a little breather. BUT, there's still time to party. The CD Release Party, of course! :) These next shows are back in NYC... check them out if you're in town!

8 pm Friday, Dec. 11
"Second Skin" Official CD Release Party!
Sidewalk Cafe - 94 Avenue A, NYC
Tip jar (and cake!)

----

6 pm Sunday, Dec. 13
Tao Po? Benefit Concert w/ Kitchie Nadal and other guests
The Knitting Factory, Brooklyn
361 Metropolitan Ave., Brooklyn
Suggested donation: $20
http://organichumanity.org

"Love or Fate" at Tufts University, 11.19.09

2009-11-23T22:13:00.000-08:00

My friend Eric shot a lot of the show at Tufts last Thursday, and this is a song called "Love or Fate" that didn't quite make the cut to the album. However, I really enjoy performing it when I find the right kind of crowd. It's a bit different from many other songs I write - one of the reasons it didn't make the album - but I really love singing it. Sorry about the banter, but at least you get to hear the background story!

<3 Alfa

PS: Eric put up 7 videos from the Tufts show. Check them out in his channel, here!http://www.youtube.com/user/25AMDG

Deja Vu in Ann Arbor

2009-11-09T21:09:00.001-08:00

It was kind of strange being back in Ann Arbor. I'd only spent 2 months last time I was there in '06, but everything kind of came flooding back in the few hours I got to spend wandering the campus with an old friend of mine, Justin, who I'd met back in 2002 in Governor's School and is in Michigan Law now. He had been responsible for booking me at Amherst College 4.5 years ago, and that was the last time we'd seen each other.

Anyway, playing the U. Michigan show was a lot of fun, and everyone was so friendly, gracious and helpful with all the logistical stuff. I spent 30 hours there but it felt so much shorter. It doesn't help when the departure flight required waking up at 4 in the morning - but there you have it! It's late right now, so I will post the few pictures I took another day.

I've got a busy week ahead of me! Fordham U. is on Friday, followed by an 8 a.m. flight to Pittsburgh on Saturday, to speak at Carnegie Mellon. Yes - Speak. You don't understand how nervous that prospect makes me. Give me a guitar and a microphone and it's not a big deal... speaking, in front of a 100 people? Oy, pass me a Motrin. :P

Seriously excited, though. I love challenges, and I guess this is just one of them. I'm supposed to speak about pursuing music for 45 minutes... but part of that will be performing and the other part... I haven't decided yet, but I hope to make it interactive. Goodness knows who'd wanna hear ME drone on for 45 min! =)

Family is trickling into town starting Friday night, from Ohio, Arkansas, Trinidad, et al. I'm sorry that my schedule is as busy as it is while they're around, but I'm going to try to spend as much time with them as I can. At least they'll be around for the Hometown Band Show on the 20th! Wahoo!

More thoughts for now... but I leave you with a quote from a song in my head:

"Tension is to be loved when it is like a passing note to a beautiful, beautiful chord."

- Sixpence None the Richer.

The quiet after, and before.

2009-11-01T19:12:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was a blur, but a blast all the same. And what a blast it was!

Last Sat., I got to speak at a workshop all about being an indie artist, and then played two songs during their variety show. Plus I got to meet some new fans of the music - probably the coolest part. :)

Here's my performance of "Love as Tragedy: A Play in 3 Acts" at U. of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.

This is my manager, Jon, after hijacking my camera while I was taking a shower in the hotel room, haha...
This is Manny Garcia - an excellent singer/songwriter from Chicago who reminds me of Michael Buble... sigh. :) I think he's perusing my echinacea pills (I had to bring it to help keep my sickness down, as I was really under the weather all weekend). The next dawn I flew out to Baltimore to catch a benefit show in Fort Washington, MD, hosted by an old songwriter friend, Rod Garcia (wow, a lot of Garcias last weekend, I'm realizing!). The show was to benefit the victims of the recent typhoons and floods in the Philippines.

It was really neat meeting Charmaine Clamor, an acclaimed jazz singer, who was gracious and friendly and such a talent. Check her out if you can.

And this is Gina, who came up to me before the show and told me she'd figured out the piano parts to "Supergirl" and pretty much memorized all the tracks on "Second Skin." She just really rocks, so she gets a shoutout! :)

Here's me with the guys from Lucky 28, a DC-area band. Their sound brings me back to the 70's - think BeeGee's meets Bread. They're fans of my music too, which is really cool to get from others involved in the same art.

Anyway, it's been a relatively calmer week. Had a chance to rehearse with Laura, Jon and Dave (btw the band just joined Twitter! Add them at www.twitter.com/alfamadeustweet!) and got to update the website a bit (www.alfa-music.com). I also played a private show on Friday night for a bunch of partners at a law firm... I can't say much about it for obvious reasons, but enough to say, it was definitely more fun than I thought. I can only hope to get some inspiration from it... law puns are welcome.

Gearing up for this weekend.

2009-10-20T20:55:00.000-07:00

No doubt this upcoming weekend is going to be crazy! I'm really excited, at the same time that I am quite dreading the inevitable tiredness that's usually coupled with such craziness. What I mean is, I have back-to-back shows on Saturday and Sunday... and they happen to be 600 miles apart.

Yep. I'm officially crazy.

But I have to say, I'm totally stoked! Saturday I'm flying out super early to perform at the FACT Conference in U. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. I'm also speaking at one of their workshops during the day, so that should be fun. What I don't look forward to, however, is sitting in the hotel room all by myself.. Oh well, maybe I'll get a good song out of it!

Sunday I'm flying out, again early, to Baltimore for a show in Fort Washington to benefit the victims of the typhoons in the Philippines. Rod Garcia, a fantastic singer/songwriter friend of mine who lives down there, organizes this yearly concert and it's my second year playing. It's always fantastic. It also happens that my grandfather's favorite Filipina jazz singer, Charmaine Clamor, is going to be singing. So I'll be sharing the stage with her... needless to say, autographs and photos will be in order.

Okay... time to rest up for that long weekend! Talk to y'all soon.

Raspberry beret!

2009-10-15T18:55:00.000-07:00

So about two weeks ago I performed down in Jersey City for a benefit held by some of the high schoolers at High Tech High School for Love146, an anti-child trafficking organization. There were many highlights to that show, thanks to a great audience (even despite the rain) and possibly the coolest fan present I've ever gotten... this here beret (or "raspberry beret" for all you Prince fans), crocheted by a lovely girl named Shannon who had recently listened to "Second Skin." The awesomeness of this is infinite...

I sometimes have moments when I wonder if my music is reaching out to anyone at all, and then I get something like this - made with so much love, care and consideration - and I tell myself to just shut my yap and be happy I can spread good vibes with my songs.
--------
Speaking of good vibes, I just can't get the new Regina Spektor album out of my head. I've had it for less than a week and I feel so close to every song on her new record. Particularly this one:

What a head-spinning few weeks it has been for me.
This album somehow calms me down, seems to put things in perspective and at the same time ignite something that makes me want to fight hard to continue seeing the beauty in everything. What I mean is, I turned 24 this past weekend, and I've always had issues accepting age... and I guess this album reminds me to just go with the flow, and see the good parts of growing older. You know?

On a tangent, this is why we should never give up the full-album format. I know people like to release singles these days, because of iTunes and that whole mp3 format... but at least for us singer/songwriters, we should keep the album because it makes such a statement about our music, our lyrics, our entire being. And what is a singer/songwriter if she or he is not simply trying to pinpoint life as it is?

Notes from The Bitter End and apologies...

2009-10-06T20:44:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! I know I've been terrible with updates, and so much has happened by way of gigging and booking more gigs in the last few weeks, I've been remiss to get back to ol' Blogger to keep you posted.

Maybe this will help make up for it?

Also, photos from the show are in the "Photos" section of the Facebook Fanpage: facebook.alfa-music.com.

Thanks to Dave Dodds, Jon McElroy, Laura Dadap, Alex Sovronsky and my sister Faye Garcia for a job well done that night!!!

We had another gig in New Hope, PA shortly after (Sept. 30), and I played two shows out in Jersey City last weekend, including a wonderful benefit show for Love146 sponsored by high schoolers from High Tech High School. Coming up on Friday, I'll be opening for Matt Santry at TCNJ! Check him out here: myspace.com/mattsantry.

The Early Birthday Show @ The Bitter End

2009-09-10T13:48:00.000-07:00

First, and foremost, here's the poster I spent a while working on (have I ever told you that I stink at Adobe??) to promote the Bitter End show on September 22nd.

For whatever reason, I'm getting jitters about this show, so do spread the flyer around if you can! Me, Jon the bassist and Dave the drummer could use all the support we can get. Somehow, band shows still make me kind of nervous. I guess I've just been solo-ing it for so long...

Oh, and since I am not scheduled to play in NY around my Birthday, which is October 11, then I guess this sort of becomes my early b-day celebration.

Maybe we'll have CAKE too???

Good friends Laura Dadap and Alex Sovronsky should be making appearances too, if that is enticing at all!

-------

Secondly, I've been thinking about moving out to L.A. sometime next year. Yes, seriously. Thoughts?

Stop Child Trafficking Now

2009-09-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

Last night's performance at "Walk the Talk" for Stop Child Trafficking Now was an eye-opening experience for me. I know there are a number of great organizations working towards eradicating child trafficking globally, but I think SCTN has a truly far-reaching approach to their work. Instead of attacking on the supply side - getting the girls and the pimps off the street, which is often temporary because of sheer numbers - SCTN attacks from the demand side. Now I don't know the specifics too well, but the idea is to work on prosecuting pedophiles and getting them into jail. Apparently, they can be prosecuted for 20 years to life for having sex with a minor - the problem is just that we aren't getting enough of these people arrested and jailed. Once arresting pedophiles becomes the norm, we can actually have a shot at curbing demand for child sex and we can shrink the market for this awful practice.

Please take a moment to check out Stop Child Trafficking Now's website and see what it's all about for yourselves. There's no reason any innocent child should have to be put through this atrocity: sctnow.org.

Also, somewhat in conjunction with this... I wanted to share the latest from Jeremy Manongdo (aka Passion). It's not dealing with child trafficking directly, but was just a shot of inspiration for me...a reminder to stop looking at ourselves and putting weight on our petty problems, but to start looking outward and gearing our lives towards others. I know this has been a challenge for me, but listening to this gave me motivation to change my perspective on this... life, music, everything:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jGLFBpeTKg.

Thanks. :)

Kollaboration Acoustic Re-cap and Tomorrow Night @ "Walk the Talk"

2009-09-01T15:19:00.000-07:00

By some strange alignment of the stars, or something else other-worldly, I came out of Kollaboration Acoustic 3 tying for the Grand Prize along with Mike Isberto. If you've been following me on Twitter or Facebook, you may know this already, but since this blog format allows me to ramble any way I please, I just have to express how totally surprising this outcome was for me. I recall prepping myself thinking that all that mattered was I sold some CD's, maybe made a few new fans and got to network with some other artists (who, by the way, were ALL fantastic! All tremendously friendly, making this East Coaster feel very welcome). So when they announced me as the other winner, I kind of did this: I looked to the audience - searching for someone to explain this descrepancy to me - and then put my hand to my mouth in an instinctive gasp, not really sure what just happened.

I played "Supergirl," which was my instinctive choice. Though I did reconsider the week before. Which song might I have played? I don't think I want to say. :)

Anyway, there is a lot more about my West Coast trip, but I'll save that for another post.

Tomorrow night, I am playing at "Walk the Talk," a fundraiser for Stop Child Trafficking Now. This is an event I'm really psyched to be a part of. Check out the event on Facebook here: http://bit.ly/4ILPP.

The night starts 6:30 pm at the Sage Theatre (711 Seventh Ave., NYC). Child trafficking is a cause that seems to always come back to me. I don't know if it's because the issue is so relevant to Southeastern Asia - though it truly IS in more places than people realize - or just because the thought of this horrendous practice is absolutely disgusting to me. Either way, I hope you'll come out and support this event! There will be a few other singer/songwriters and some video clips, plus the $15 admission includes a drink (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). Hope to see you there!

Proud to be a Lefty!

2009-08-13T14:28:00.001-07:00

Happy International Left-Handers Day, everyone!

Here's an article I wrote for The Record: Southpaws group refuses to be left out

Kollaboration Acoustic 3 VIDEO!!!

2009-08-09T11:55:00.000-07:00

Here's the promotional video for Kollaboration Acoustic 3 in L.A.! Can you spot me? :)

Kudos to the guy who was awesome enough to sing the chorus with me and my sister! (4:21) =)

August, Ahhh August!

2009-08-03T21:20:00.000-07:00

So many things going on this month, so if you haven't checked it out already, check out the show schedule on the newly re-designed website!

Looking forward to my second trip out to L.A. this summer...

Cheers and goodnight! This kid's tired.

Filming for Kollaboration L.A.

2009-07-30T20:14:00.001-07:00

Remember how we had to do that promo video for Kollaboration NY? You know, this one? So I have the wonderful opportunity to be able to re-live the Kollaboration experience again, this time with the folks orga

nizing Kollaboration Acoustic 3 in L.A. at the end of August. Of course, the promo video is needed and sin

ce I'm all the way out here, it's posed a little bit of a challenge for me. After helping the gang record an acoustic version of MJ's "Heal the World" (I played some keys and sang a few lines), I had to videotape my part and have it sent over to their side of the country. Yeah, not an easy task?

Thanks to the help of Dave Shaw and his cameraman Mike, we managed to get a few shots in order. A few were interesting (see below, from my sister's sneaky Blackberry camera)...and there were some pretty views of NYC from the Western side of the river:

A Last Minute Addition...

2009-07-29T20:51:00.001-07:00

So, if there was any doubt that this would turn out to be a gig-crazy August, I've just been informed that my performance at the NY Songwriter's Circle is confirmed for August 4th. The musical madness continues!

:) All kidding aside, I'm glad that August will be full-swing of gigs! It'll be back to that onstage rush, at least for the month. Will you come and join?

This week's NY shows are as follows:

8 p.m. Tues., August 4th

NY Songwriters Circle @ The Bitter End

147 Bleecker St. | $5

(more info here)

6:30 p.m. Fri., August 7

American Folk Art Museum (Free Music Fridays!)

45 W. 53rd St. | Free

(more info here)

------------------

Copies of the album will be available, if you haven't already picked it up from iTunes or Amazon... or all those other digital distributors. Thanks for supporting independent music!

xoxo

Alfa

SAVE THE DATE... September 22 ! ! !

2009-07-26T22:11:00.001-07:00

The "Second Skin" Record Release Party!!!

8 p.m. Tuesday, September 22
The Bitter End
147 Bleecker St.
NYC

Featuring moi, Dave Dodds on Drums, Jon McElroy on Bass, Bret on Guitar and special guests to be announced... !!!

Pencil it in - better yet - SHARPIE that !

Less than 2 MORE DAYS on OurStage.com's JetBlue Competition!! :)

2009-07-22T21:18:00.001-07:00

*UPDATE*: Hey guys! There's less than 2 DAYS left in the competition! I'm currently at #19 and I could use all the help I can get staying in the Top 20! Please sign up and listen to the songs while you can! More details below. :)

Hey Friends!

I've entered my song, "Home To Me" into OurStage.com's JetBlue Live at T5 competition! The Top 20 Artists chosen will have a chance to duke it out for a spot on Terminal 5's stage.

This would be, as you can imagine, SUCH an amazing stage to play on. Please visit http://www.ourstage.com/contests/3140-jetblue---live-from-t5 and log in (it's free.99) to vote! Here's the catch, though: You won't be able to vote for one particular song. You have to rank the songs they give you, four at a time. There are over 400 songs submitted and mine is currently #23. I'll need to stay in the Top 20 by the time the competition is over in two weeks in order to have a shot at playing Terminal 5. So, after you log in, click "Judge" on the top panel and then enter the JetBlue Live at T5 competition. When "Home to Me" gets onto your player, please rank it #1, so the ranking can go up on the song!

It's a great way to kill idle time while at work and hear some great new music in the process. Please note that all songs are required to be acoustic and not have drums on the track.

Thanks so much for reading this far, and for your help!

xoxo
Alfa

ISABELLE - Lyrics and Video

2009-07-15T21:47:00.000-07:00

Leave a Comment on the Video HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7xo0u_O8W0

It's been a long time coming, but a friend had long requested this song be posted along with the full version of the story and the lyrics. I guess I've recounted this many times at shows, but I will say it here. Isabelle was my "grand-mere" when I lived in Switzerland for a time. She was a widow who had loved her husband very much, and bided her time living the simple (but sweet) Swiss life...tending her garden, cooking, keeping house. In many ways I felt that I was her preoccupation, to make life a little more fulfilling. She truly was a grand-mere - she made sure I had everything I needed for long trips, she made breakfast every day and even put together dinner parties for my friends (one for Thanksgiving, too, which they don't even celebrate), she taught me French and took great pains to help me perfect the language after dinner every night, she drove me to places every once in a while, and if I didn't tell her where I would be, she would sometimes get frustrated with me. She took me to art museums and theatre events with friends, sometimes even driving hours to get to an exhibit - Basel, Lausanne, Geneva.

Sometimes I would catch her staring out of her window, over the vineyards and towards the Jura mountains, stroking her one-eyed cat Pepette's fur while nursing a cup of mint thesan that rested on the coffee table. I knew in these moments that she was missing her husband. And even though her children sometimes visited and she had adorable grandkids, she didn't feel complete without him.

Anyway, that whole story is part of the inspiration for this song. I tried to capture that melancholic sentimentality and that feeling that life had somehow passed someone by, though not necessarily in a negative light... but just that this is how life is many times, and that it's wasn't easy for me to feel connected to her life because of my age and because I haven't been through much of what she had. Somehow, I guess, writing this song was a cathartic way to try and make up for that disconnect.

Isabelle waits by the window, her eyes meet the sky in the afternoon glow.

She sees the sun even before it comes when the mountains give it away.

Down past the street is a church and a vineyard

when she was a child she'd run through.

Now she sits still while I play on piano

the sun no longer moves.

Isabelle, tell me again.

Oh, I remember your stories so well.

How could I ever know?

For you the world lives on in echos.

Often I'd find her asleep in the garden

the one-eyed cat slept by her feet.

And in a moment she'd rise and the old woman watched

The sun took my hair, she'd say

"Colors are what make a girl, and this world is so fragile so hold on for life.

You have the heart of a child." And I understood then that she was mine.

Isabelle, tell me again.

Oh, I remember your stories so well.

How could I ever know?

For you the world lives on in echos.

Here where the sun meets the sky

I can hear your lullabye...

"Cherie, toujours je t'aime. Pourquoi il n'y a rien de toi?

Je reste toute seule

La nuit et l'aube

c'est moi sans autre... jusqu'a la fin du monde..."

Isabelle, tell me again.

Oh, I remember your stories so well.

How could I ever know?

For you the world lives on in echos.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Two Album Reviews and "Second Skin" from Crash Mansion!

2009-07-06T18:25:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!

I'm SO excited, humbled and honored at these positive reviews of "Second Skin."

This one is by Ted Reyes, for the New York Indie Music Examiner

AND

This one is by Eugene Song at the Born in Chinese blog.

Please note that you can pick up your advanced copies at the Merch Page at the soon-to-be-renovated website.

Finally, a little amuse-bouche... ;) Here's a video from my performance this past Independence Day at Crash Mansion. I did this one solo...

Enjoy... and get your romance on!

Sun and rain and walking on airplane wings.

2009-07-02T12:20:00.000-07:00

June came and went, and there were 8 days of sun and many days of rain... it was a challenging month for me, as I settled back after a week of West Coast freedom and realized that the gap between work life (aka the Day Job) and music life (aka the Better Job) is really a gaping hole waiting for internal combustion.

I had the chance to speak with an old friend and somewhat successful songwriter/performer last week over dinner at the Stage Door Diner in midtown. He told me what I have increasingly come to feel, but of which I am still admittedly afraid. All that's left for me to do, he said, is take that leap. Do music full-time, or at least, make it the dominant part of every day. It's been on my mind ever since and I've gotten the opinions of a few folks. Everyone's been supportive. I guess the doubt really comes down to just me.

It isn't easy coming from the background, family and experiences I come from and just let go. I know they're no excuses. But it's like the "principle of wing-walking" that my IR professor used to bring up in class (as I recall, he gave me the lowest grade I ever got on a final in college). If, ever, you were to find yourself on the wing of an airplane, maybe you could tell me if this one's accurate. . . but it goes to say that the "principle of wing-walking" is the reason why people don't change course immediately; why they are afraid to make the next step and would rather stand still, where it feels remotely secure. The funny thing is, if you're walking on an airplane wing, you're not secure at all, are you? :)

The good news is, I'm starting to pick up my guitar and just play again...so maybe those creative juices are coming back after a year.
The bad news is my voice has never been 100% since I got back... so I'm up against a challenge on this one.

Just a little sumthin' sumthin'...

2009-06-26T21:53:00.000-07:00

To possibly brighten your Friday. . .

Be sure to post a comment HERE!

Oooh... what does THIS do?

2009-06-24T21:11:00.001-07:00

Alfa Garcia

Create Your Badge

Kollaboration NY this weekend!

2009-06-23T21:06:00.000-07:00

Hey Friends!

Many of you might have heard by now that Kollaboration N.Y. is coming to town this weekend!

This is a very cool "meeting of the artists" in the Asian American community of NY, there is also a West Coast counterpart in L.A. that has been going on for some time. As far as I know, they haven't had one in NY for a bit of time now...

Anywho, some performers competing include Magnetic North, Kevin So, Taiyo Na, Marie Choi and more. I will also be performing along with the gang...we will be singing our rendition of "Closer" (video below).

You might remember I spent some time in March and April getting together with some of these artists (along with Vudoo Soul, G*LEE, the filmmaker David Shaw and the co-producers of Kollaboration Kym Pham and Jinny Jung) to put together the promotional video.

It has pretty much gone viral on YouTube, and I thought it was only appropriate to post it on here just before the event this weekend. Please check it out and support the show!

You can also get to the link HERE to get more hits on the YouTube Video and post comments!

KOLLABORATION N.Y.

8 p.m. Saturday 6.27.09

NYU Skirball Center

559 LaGuardia Place, Manhattan

For more info, visit kollaborationnewyork.org

Best. Gig. Ever.

2009-06-21T21:04:00.000-07:00

Or maybe in the top 3. . . I give leeway for my faulty memory.

So let me tell you how today's gig at the Make Music NY Festival in Jackson Heights ended up being one of the coolest gigs I've ever played. It was a big surprise, considering I almost didn't do this show because of the intermittent rain and some issues with organizing (i.e., I was told the backline would be "electricity." Since when was "electricity" a backline?!)

After playing a half-hour set on Grand St. in NYC, we headed over the Williamsburg Bridge and instantly saw the massive grey-tone rain clouds forming in the distance. Knowing my luck, I almost knew that localized storm cloud was hanging over the very spot I was to perform. And it was no surprise that when me and Jon got to the place we were supposed to play, there was absolutely nobody there. Just a makeshift tent for rain covering, and a tiny two-prong extension cord that jutted out of Italian Farms, the storefront generously providing the electricity for us. The problem with a two-prong is that my amp is three-prong...and then there was the issue of plugging Jon's amp in. I considered just bouncing from the gig altogether. No one was there, and according to one local, the other guys who were supposed to play earlier bailed on their set because of rain.

Thank God for my sister, who said I should suck it up and figure out a way to play...even if it meant playing without plugging in (true blue busking style!). I meandered into Italian Farms and met with the nicest woman ever, Mary, who went out of her way to find a three-prong extension cord that would reach far enough to go around the front door of her store, around the corner and out to the performance tent. Then she got someone else from the store to help her find a surge protector, so we could plug in the bass

amp. Seriously, she was a miracle worker, because in a few minutes' time, we were already setting up and the passersby were stopping to see what was happening.

The set went super awesomely. The crowd was so receptive, and I have to say, it was the perfect kind of sidewalk to play on. Not too big that folks could just duck out of your way and keep walking, and in an area with a good amount of traffic. And the faces were young, old, diverse... the beauty of Queens, I guess.

Well, then the rain began to pour. Some folks

left, but surprisingly most stayed, opened their umbrellas, and some even stood in the rain to hear us play. I invited them to come into the tent, seeing that the rain was getting worse. And they did! It had turned into a very cozy, uber-intimate kind of show.

This would happen twice- and the second time, the crowd was so squeezed in that me and Jon had to play our instruments nearly upright (see picture) to make enough room. I also love the expression of the little kids, just looking slightly drenched, but still interested in the music.

What was also cool, was seeing cars slow down at the intersection and roll their windows down to hear the music. Someone in an SUV was even videotaping the set as the car crawled slowly forward. I felt like I knew the audience members better than most other audiences I've had... which is truly an amazing thing. They were super appreciative and enthusiastic about the music, and we had some great feedback. We also had the guitar case out, so these little kids would come and drop dollar bills from their parents into the case. SUPER cute!

We were eventually forced to stop, because the rain was drenching through the outlets and we didn't feel like getting electrocuted. While we packed our things and made a mad dash for the car, I told my sister how amazed I was at how everything had turned out, that if it weren't for her egging me on about not letting a small thing get in the way of playing, I would never have had that experience, nor would I have the chance to spread the music to others.

So... there it is. Best gig ever. Or . . . top 3. :)

~ Clips from D.C. ~

2009-06-15T14:40:00.000-07:00

Here's a video of "Footnote", as performed down in the D.C. area back in April. Thanks to Kelly who did this footage from what looked to be a phone-video camera. [see more here: youtube.com/randumbutts]

Pretty sweet! She didn't have a tripod so disregard the shakiness if you can. Jon is on bass and Derek Lee (of the Speaks) on drums.

And here's "Supergirl"...along with intermittent orders of Filipino food. :) Never a bad thing.

WFDU Recap!

2009-06-08T08:08:00.001-07:00

Saturday morning my sister and I headed down to WFDU at Fairleigh Dickinson, to do a radio interview with Evan Toth, an awesome singer/songwriter who performs frequently around these parts and is the Radio Jockey for "Good Music" (it runs 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays).

I got to chit-chat about the album and have a couple tracks played: "Supergirl", "Love as Tragedy: A Play in 3 Acts", "Isabelle" and "Second Skin." Then we did some CD giveaways which was pretty cool. It's kind of neat how people call in when they hear you on the radio... without people calling in, how else would you know anyone was listening, right?
Going to find some time to get videos on my YouTube from the Seattle and L.A. trips and also from this radio appearance. I am positively terrible at keeping up with this multi-media stuff. My sister is definitely a big help... with her gentle reminders and her tech-savvy. :) . . . and her post-radio iced tea!

UPDATE:

Check out a quick clip from that interview below!

"Los Angeles, I'm Yours"

2009-05-29T12:18:00.000-07:00

Finally have a chance to sit at a computer and update. After a fun show and a few fun days of sight-seeing in Seattle, me and my friend Joyce came down to L.A. to check out the scene.

I had a pleasant surprise when I got into town - check out this article written by Antoinette Bueno at Balita newspaper here in L.A. Super excited about this one!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of appearing on "Kababayan LA" (a Fil-Am local TV show), to promote the upcoming shows. Amazingly, some folks who saw the show actually came to last night's show at Second Street Jazz! I'll see if I can get that clip online to post here.

The Second Street Jazz show was excellent! Had the pleasure of meeting a lot of the local artists and listening to some fantastic music (Joyce Lee, Jinah Kim, Devlin Murphy and Dawen Wang played).

Tonight is my final West Coast show

9 p.m.
Blue Dahlia Cafe
738 E. 3rd St.
Los Angeles
Free (tip jar!)
-------

Also, if you guys are on Facebook, you'll notice I've been keeping everyone up-to-date with mobile pictures (I'm still obsessed with my new Blackberry) and status updates, so friend me there if you'd like! You can also check out the Facebook FanPage or join the Facebook group.

Alfa

2009-05-24T00:47:00.001-07:00

Ah what a fun show! An old acquaintance came down from British Columbia and a handful of friends now living in the Seattle area came by with friends of their own. It was such good times to be had, and a perfectly intimate venue to share my music to... Off to sleep now! Xoxo

2009-05-22T14:45:00.001-07:00

On the plane to Seattle! Updates when we get get there. :)

Interview with Boston Progress

2009-05-21T10:19:00.000-07:00

So I had the pleasure of doing an interview with Boston Progress, the online website and community for independent Asian American musicians. Check it out here: http://www.bprlive.org/2009/05/21/alfas-second-skin/#more-2213

:)

Much love...

alfa

Dying for your aeroplane to take me in its wings.

2009-05-19T21:12:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I had the pleasure of playing at my cousin's wedding. It was a request he'd made to me almost a year ago.

"Alfa," he said. "You're going to sing at my wedding, right?"
"Uh, with my guitar?"
"Yeah."
"Um, ok," I hesitated. "But you know that I have like, literally one love song, right?"
"Yeah, it's cool. We just want you to play," he replied.
So the set list included such anti-love songs as "Love as Tragedy" and "The Lament", but hey... I think it was well-received. I revived "Washington Square" and that seemed to go well. I'm looking forward to taking it out West with me.
So the sojourn begins to Seattle in a few days...
I am still running around trying to do the preparations, feeling a little apprehensive. But I think it'll all be better when I get the first shipment of "Second Skin" tomorrow.

YES! Finally here! Even though it's been more than half a year since most of the songs were recorded (the last track was recorded a just few months ago), it still feels so new. I'm still a little anxious to hear what people think, since it's been undisclosed for so long. What better way to make a splash then go out West (where they don't really know me yet), right? The great Wild West. When I get back, I'm going to see about getting it online. . .

Oh, ANNNDD there's a new shipment of t-shirts coming in. So you can start ordering now at
merch.alfa-music.com.

Drum roll please....

2009-05-13T22:35:00.001-07:00

The official cover of "Second Skin", the album:

Yeahhhh... :)

This was thanks to the genius of photographer Virginia Kamenitzer (who took my blog photo at right) and graphic designer Billy Becerra. Holla!

And here's a shot of the back:

Master Your Moods

2009-05-05T21:11:00.000-07:00

This is from an e-mail from a fan down in the D.C. area. I thought I'd share (and I'm editing to protect identities here):
Thank you for including me on your list. I thought my daughter was your biggest fan, but sorry I lied about it, just couldn't admit in front of you, I am your biggest fan. Stay positive; master your moods, live by your commitments, not your emotions. Obey God and live all the consequences to Him. I can see success is coming you way.

"Master your moods."

What a piece of advice, eh? That's definitely something to think about, and to work hard at. Particularly for songwriters, who often thrive on mood changes, it's hard not to think that managing our moods would be like ... stifling the flame, ya know?

Anyway, just food for thought. Going to sleep with Ceviche, margarita and guacamole in my tummy...

CAPA Festival!

2009-05-03T18:08:00.001-07:00

It was a rainy day, and we had a bit of a bumpy start driving in for the CAPA Festival, but the set was a lot of fun for us and (I think!) for the crowd that braved the damp weather to check it out. We had our stuff huddled under a tent and umbrellas - Jon's upright bass, Dave's wooden kit, my guitar and keys. It was definitely a long haul, but we got through the day! That's all that matters, right? Plus there was some good food and good people. I was pretty happy to get home and dry off though! :) Now I'm just vegging... video and pics below!

It was a day full of challenges, and more than one group prayer was uttered among me, Jon, Dave, my sister, my bf and Jon's girlfriend... but the bright side is I did get to slip a copy of the album to Alan from Sesame Street, who co-hosted the first portion of the performances. He was SUPER nice and very gracious about it. :) Dave's a big fan so he was all for getting that CD to him. We sold CD's and got some mailing list sign-ups so that was all good in the hood.

Pics below!

Saving the equipment from the rain!

Jon on Bass.

Dave on Drums.

New Song on MySpace!

2009-04-29T20:04:00.000-07:00

Okkkayy, so it's official. "Love as Tragedy: A Play in Three Acts" is on the MySpace! Check it, homeslices: www.myspace.com/alfa.

Lyrics here:

Love as Tragedy: A Play in 3 Acts

Act One was brilliant, we played our parts so convincing

and I still remember the lines.

You had me going on first dates and I fell

like Icarus falling away from the sun.

Chorus:

Now that it's all over and done, I notice

you just needed someone to play your damsel

Now that I can see things a little clearer

I feel sorry for the next girl

and you will always see, you'll always see love as tragedy.

You will always see, you'll always see love as tragedy.

Act Two was gripping, she came out of nowhere

Storm in a teacup, the irony bare.

And you seemed so honest, playing your part so convincing

but she is speaking my lines.

Chorus Interlude

Now that it's all over and done, I notice
you just needed someone to play your damsel
Now that I can see things a little clearer
I feel sorry for the next girl...

Now that it's all over and done, I notice
you just needed someone to play your damsel
Now that I can see things a little clearer
I feel sorry for the next girl
and you will always see, you'll always see love as tragedy.
You will always see, you'll always see love as tragedy.

So don't let me sit through another minute

'Cause Act Three's the part that I couldn't get right.

And you'll be persistent, 'til somebody gets it

but I don't intend to find out tonight.

Virginia debrief and CAPA Festival this weekend!

2009-04-27T21:53:00.000-07:00

Talk about one heckuva hectic weekend in D.C.! After the initial 20 minutes of our road trip down, my sister, our friend Mariah and I took our first stop at the Bergenfield Dunkin' Donuts (oh what a distance!) then continued onward until about 12:30 at night. Our hotel was in Old Town Alexandria, what turned out to be a really gorgeous place (see photo), especially with all the sun this weekend. I wanted to spend more time gallivanting, but sadly couldn't!

We squeezed in time to sight-see where we could, but the sweltering heat made it hard to have energy to do too much. I had rehearsal with Derek Lee of The Speaks and my bassist Jon McElroy, who came down on Saturday.

We met up with an old friend, Beisa, and her boyfriend Ricky and had some Lebanese food in Arlington after rehearsal. I then had to get to Maryland for a quick rehearsal with Rod Garcia's band for two songs that I was playing violin for.

The thunderstorms began shortly thereafter so we headed back to the hotel. Jon was having issues with the place he was staying at, so he ended up crashing on the pull-out couch in our suite. He had the sheer honor of hearing me cough, spit and sneeze all night from the ridiculous allergy attacks I was suffering. . . wish someone had told me the pollen count would be sky high in D.C.!
Anyway, Sunday we had lunch at a seafood place by the Alexandria waterfront called The Wharf where my sister and I devoured some raw oysters (YUMMM). Jon and I skipped out early to catch soundcheck at the venue, Manila Cafe - Springfield, VA.

The show went really well, and I managed to sell some pre-release copies of the new CD. Rod seemed to be doing a lot better after his stroke. The crowd was super friendly and attentive, and Derek rocked out on the drums, despite having just one 2.5-hour rehearsal the day before. I knew he would rock it!

(L to R: Playing with Derek and Jon...Rod Garcia, Rick Brigham, me and sis, Jitter Garcia, Matt Magnaye and Rocky Garcia)

We bounced out of there soon, but not before catching up with some friends from the area who we hadn't seen in months. I sadly drove the whole way home, even though I was pretty exhausted from the show. Oh well! At least I managed to catch some shut-eye...

Coming up next!

CAPA Asian American Heritage Festival
This Sunday - May 3
Dag Hammarskjold Plaza
47th Street between First and Second Avenues, Manhattan
Noon to 6 p.m. (my set at 3:40 to 4 p.m.)

:) My last show in the area for at least another month and a half...

Alfa

PS: Check out some updates on my West Coast dates on the MySpace.

New songs on MySpace?

2009-04-20T14:33:00.000-07:00

Oh and one last thing. . . most importantly, actually . . . I'm looking for a fourth (and possibly 5th) song to post on MySpace. If any of you have been to a show recently and have a favorite... please let me know what you'd like me to put up.

I know only a few people have heard the recordings so far, so I know it might be a longshot to ask if people have favorites yet. :) But thought I'd be democratic anyway.

<3
A

The Virginia Show... totally on!

2009-04-20T14:26:00.000-07:00

So Rod Garcia (visit him here: http://rodshacienda.com), who suffered a stroke last weekend, is pushing through with this weekend's show. Hope he can recover 100% so the night doesn't become too difficult for him. He did, however, extend my set to a full 45 minutes. So... I'll probably be throwing in some solo stuff. :)

I also found out that I'll be playing my Seattle show with Washington-based singer/songwriter Micah Thompson... I have yet to get his MySpace page, but I'll be sure to share that as soon as I do.

Anyway, sorry I haven't been posting pics recently. I've been meaning to share a cool video of Michael Dadap rocking out on the ukelele... but alas, me and technology are (as my producer likes to say), "like fire and water."

Speaking of technology - and to continue this rambling streak - check out this fun article about Twitter on Pitchfork: http://pitchfork.com/features/puritan-blister/7642-puritan-blister-43. Everyone from the NYTimes to the paper where I work seems to be talking and pondering on Twitter, trying to figure what to think and how to accept it. I think this article, by William Bowers, expresses the mixed emotions and thoughts that I've been having about it...

The Virginia Show... maybe postponed?

2009-04-17T08:57:00.000-07:00

Got a bit of sad news here... my good friend and wonderful songwriter/musician Rod Garcia, who I was set to perform with next week (April 26) in Springfield, VA had a stroke a few days ago. He's just been released from the hospital and sounds like he's in better spirits, but he may have to postpone the show - understandably.

I had been really excited to play this, also because another good friend, Derek Lee - drummer for a great band that just finished off their Philippines tour, The Speaks - was supposed to play with me. Hopefully we'll be able to jam another time...

In the meantime, I'm going to see if there are coffeeshops or other places to play down there, since we might still take the VA trip after all.

On a lighter note, I'm glad (and honestly a little surprised) to see seven followers on this blog! Woo! :) Thanks for caring enough about my music and my life to want to stop by and listen in for a bit...

Alfa

PS: I am going to be reproducing the new album soon, at least so I have something to show for during the May shows in NY, Seattle and LA... stay tuned! Plus, looks like I may be playing 2 shows out in LA...
:)

Arario Gallery, 4.9.09

2009-04-10T20:43:00.000-07:00

It was a little crazy, but I managed through the short set at Arario Gallery, an Asian art gallery in Chelsea. A USC-based group called NetKAL put together a fancy networking function and my new friend Jinny Jung, who co-chairs Kollaboration, invited me to play. My friend G*Lee also DJ'd the event and I got to see some of the Kollab gang again. Hollaaa! :)

The place was littered with drunk high-rollers by the time I took the stage, and sadly I didn't have my quarter-inch cable (rookie mistake ... oy), so I had to contend with a microphone on my guitar. How positively amateur!

Kindly, many of the folks standing closeby were supportive, and clapped

on for a second song, even when I was ready to leave it at one. Good times at the end of the day, and some fancy art too! Check it...

Two pieces by Hyung Koo Kang.

After the Bitter End...

2009-04-05T21:58:00.001-07:00

It was a fun night at The Bitter End. Super big thank you to the great folks who dropped in, including friends from Kollaboration, VuDoo Soul who took a bus down from Boston to surprise me (and then proceed to request the "Pi Song" for the encore), some co-workers, old college buddies, my producer, friends of Alex Sovronsky the violinist/melodica player, some family members and even some friends I had made on assignment for my work - they were sweet enough to bring me a bouquet of flowers!

I was feeling slightly off during my between-song banters... I'm not really sure why. May have had something to do with how busy this day was (had to go to church in Queens and then teach a violin lesson before driving down to Manhattan) as well as a slight wardrobe malfunction ... but my voice was feeling good and Alex and I had fun up there, which is what matters the most!

I also got to play a mellow piano version of "Don't Write Your Goodbyes", which is usually in the fast-paced band format (see MySpace).

Next one... Dag Hammarskold Plaza for the CAPA Festival!

**************************

I always told myself I'd chase rainbows until the end

hover over oceans until I reached land

save tomorrows at the palm of my hand

somehow I never thought

that endings sometimes come too soon

or demons overtake simple tunes

that it's remarkable how wheels can grow

to move even when the heart stops.

- Alfa | 4.6.09

We are like pendulums, our arms swinging at our sides.

2009-03-24T20:39:00.000-07:00

Photo by Kym Pham.

Had a chance to catch up with an old friend tonight after voice lesson in the city. Her name is Kyle and I've known her for a while. Anyway, she's quite the bohemian jet-setter these days. :) When she's not working at the American Museum of Natural History, she's working my secret dream job as a waitress in a quaint NYC cafe, and when she's not doing that she's probably thinking about her next excavation (she's studying to be an anthropologist!) or her next overseas adventure... which as I understand it is going to be a backpacking trip through the Philippines. Yeah! Go Kyle! :)

It's kind of funny catching up with a friend who's known me since I just started mustering up the balls to get on stage and play for people. She and some other good friends used to come to almost all my shows around the city, usually after classes...now that I think about it I can't believe they could stand listening to me playing the same songs over and over again, especially when I was mostly a nervous wreck and I hadn't figured out how to sing properly yet. Talk about true blue support, eh? Anyway, it's a funny thing to sit and talk about what's happened since those days, and to hear some feedback on everything so far. I guess time's distance has a funny way of becoming a good mirror, or at least some kind of measurement of where you've been.

:)

So... this week's accomplishments so far: playing Baruch College last Thursday night (the show was topped off with a ridiculously large Dosa - above), losing my cell phone at a Rockland County bar and then managing to get it back, getting my taxes done (TurboTax - yes!), analyzing/talking through a management contract I'm currently mulling over and filming for a promo shoot for Kollaboration NY - an endeavor that took me driving all over 3 boroughs. Later this week... rehearsal for the Bitter End show:

8 p.m. April 5th
The Bitter End
147 Bleecker St., NYC
$5 / 21+

Come! It will be full of Rock-ness... like a Loch Ness. :)
----------

Saturday. Stuck in traffic on the way to DUMBO for the Kollaboration shoot; a shot of Manhattan Bridge from DUMBO; later at a studio shoot in Long Island City.

Me with T. Vu of Magnetic North, Taiyo Na and G*Lee. (photo by Kym Pham.)

(Post title is from "Pendulums" by Sarah Harmer, the song currently stuck in my head)

Album titles, album covers and so forth...

2009-03-20T10:32:00.001-07:00

Now that I'm in the crunch to figure out the logistics of the album (art, name, layout, how many panels, track list, thank you's, etc.), I figured this would be fitting. My friend Eugene Balasta posted this on his Facebook, but I thought I'd put my results here.

Here are the guidelines:

1 - Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/. Click “Random Article" in the top left navigation box. The title of the random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3.The last few (4-5) words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days. The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4. Upload and tag your Album cover with the people you want to take part (and don't forget me). Bonus points: type your random band name and album title onto the picture, using a program like Windows Paint, before uploading it.

My album cover:

(Check out the photographer here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/27730404@N08/3367609195/)

My band name: DIRTY HARRY

My Album name: WITH A LONG-HAIRED DIRTY STONER

:) How perfect is that?

Back from a long weekend...

2009-03-17T18:27:00.000-07:00

A "vertical video" of Saturday's performance of "ISABELLE" at the Bowery Poetry Club.
As you can see, my bf didn't quite realize we would be unable to rotate it once it was uploaded! Here's your opportunity to lie in bed and watch a video... the violin is up quite a bit because of its high frequency - it gets picked up more by my camera microphone than it was during the performance...
Enjoy!

____________________________________

Wow, what a crazy weekend! I wanted to update last night on all the stuff that's been going on, but I'm afraid I'm still stumbling to keep in step with myself.

Friday night I had the last rehearsal before Sunday's show at the Bowery Poetry Club. Jon was feeling much better. Alex decided to throw in a melodica in addition to some violin, and we ended up having him play on half the set. We practiced until 11:30 at night, and then I had to get a few hours rest (which really was just 1 hour) before driving my sister to the airport to catch her 5:50 a.m. flight.

I got home and crashed, and later that day ended up in some corporate office on Wall Street, getting set to shoot a music video for Kollaboration New York - a music festival in June that I'm going to fill you guys in on soon enough... anyway, we were on the 52nd floor of this corporate office and the entire floor had been laid off, so there were some killer views out of this empty space... Here let me show you:

Look it's the Statue of Liberty!

We ended up going out to DUMBO later that night to shoot some shots. I ended up freezing in the cold with a dress on . . . ah, the sacrifices we make for art!

Sunday was the show at the BPC. It was So Much Fun! The band sounded great and the crowd was very cool. We had a good number of folks come out, which was really neat for a Sunday night. Stone Forest Ensemble also played - and I hadn't played with them in a while. (Last time I did, we ended up in a jam session backstage at NYU's E & L Auditorium.) Super cool group of guys/girl... here's me with their djembe player, Joshua Benson, who booked us the gig . Look at his awesome shirt *and my cheesy smile! :)

There's Dave rocking out on drums...
above, Alex on violin (left) and Jon on bass (right).

The night was topped off with some good eats at Spitzer's in LES with some Kollaboration friends, including songwriters VuDoo Soul and Nam Ninja - and of course the festival's co-chair Kym Pham.

You remind me love is a road that's long

2009-03-14T09:11:00.000-07:00

It's official. Tomorrow's show at the Bowery Poetry Club is going to be Sick. As. Sh...oes!

8 p.m. Sunday, March 15

Sulu Series at the Bowery Poetry Club

Alfa, 7Yossarian with Lucky Sdaerd, Brown Rice Family and the Stone Forest Ensemble

308 Bowery, Manhattan

$8 / students $5

I'll be playing with Dave Dodds on drums, Jon McElroy on bass and Alex Sovronsky on violin/melodica.

All in a day's work! <3

2009-03-08T21:18:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo of Virginia Kamenitzer taking some shots today on the roof of her Hoboken studio. We also ended up at a very rad Jersey City coffee shop called LITM (Love is the Message). We scored the corner table and got some great natural light. I'd show you some of those photos if I could, but they're under wraps for now. I'll just post a couple behind-the-scenes pics my sister took.

After a nice glass of riesling, a food run to Ibby's Falafel and a well-needed nap, I had rehearsal with Dave and Alex, the violinist. Jon was out of commission 'cause of the flu. Feel better Jon!

Anyway, just for kicks - and in hopes of Jon feeling better - I'm posting an old rehearsal vid (you can tell it's old from the Christmas decor, hehe) of "Second Skin".

Need more sleep.

2009-03-08T09:33:00.000-07:00

It completely slipped my mind that Daylight Savings started today, so of course yesterday I was out a little late in the city, hanging out all day, shmoozing with friends at night, and found myself taking the PATH to JC around midnight, when all the drunk folk from the St. Patty's Day parade in Hoboken stumbled into the already-crowded train, slobbering and cursing and kind of being obnoxious but comical all the same... I found myself driving home and getting to bed at...
2 a.m.? What? Yeah - I hate that feeling. At least if you're aware DST is about to start you can mentally prepare yourself, and maybe get home a little earlier especially if you know you're going to be up for church and a photo shoot the next day. Buuut no, that's apparently not my speed.

So here I am... tired, lazy and getting set to go to Hoboken to walk around town with photog Virginia Kamenitzer.

Maybe I'll try to rest up later? Not likely. Dave and Jon are coming for band rehearsal... and an old friend of mine from my orchestra days, Alex Sovronsky is playing violin for a couple songs. He's an awesome musician/actor who, I believe, just completed a production of Othello in the city.

So anyway, if you're not planning on coming to the 3/15 show at the Bowery Poetry Club - you should reconsider, because I hear it's going to be LEGEN. . . wait for it . . . DARY!

:)

Beware the Ides...

2009-03-02T14:48:00.001-08:00

Last night was a fun show at Wuzz Up Cafe, a local jam spot that I hadn't played since my college graduation show back in 2007. I was opening for two Pinoy bands, one of which ended up not making it because they were stranded in Atlanta snow. No matter, it was a decent crowd given the looming storm. Chapter 2 Band played an upbeat set of covers and a singer named Robertino Limas (?) sang Jazz standards that could make any girl swoon.

"I guess that's why they call them standards," he quipped.

Gotta love those at-home gigs. Sure beats loading your guitar and keyboard and other equipment into your teeny car to travel hundreds of miles (looks like this'll be the formula for April, when I play the D.C. area).

This week is busy busy busy! I'm gearing up to record (again, I know... when will this album be finished?!). Friday I'm heading down to Long Branch to record at this place where a bunch of awesome folk have recorded (Springsteen, Bon Jovi - the Jersey shore bunch - and Meatloaf...as legend has it, he recorded "Bat out of Hell" on the same piano I'm going to tinker amateurly on). We're re-doing "Home to Me" (lyrics here).

But I'm also psyched to see Glen Hansard play an acoustic set at Joe's Pub on Wednesday. YEAH. And... for you foodies, I'll be dining at Veselka with some college friends tomorrow night. Nothing like some yummy Eastern European fare - at least for me, I had a bad experience with borscht a few years ago. :-/

Photo by Mike Lesley.

------
Anyway, someone asked about a song I opened with last night called, "Love as Tragedy: A Play in Three Acts". So I'm posting the lyrics here, along with a live performance of it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBjVffKNBQA. The awesome recorded version, you shall hear soon. Promise.

Love as Tragedy: A Play in 3 Acts

Act One was brilliant, we played our parts so convincing

and I still remember the lines.

You had me going on first dates and I fell

like Icarus falling away from the sun.

Chorus:

Now that it's all over and done, I notice

you just needed someone to play your damsel

Now that I can see things a little clearer

I feel sorry for the next girl

and you will always see, you'll always see love as tragedy.

You will always see, you'll always see love as tragedy.

Act Two was gripping, she came out of nowhere

Storm in a teacup, the irony bare.

And you seemed so honest, playing your part so convincing

but she is speaking my lines.

Chorus Interlude

Now that it's all over and done, I notice
you just needed someone to play your damsel
Now that I can see things a little clearer
I feel sorry for the next girl...

So don't let me sit through another minute

'Cause Act Three's the part that I couldn't get right.

And you'll be persistent, 'til somebody gets it

but I don't intend to find out tonight.

(Don't Ever) Stop the violins

2009-02-24T14:19:00.000-08:00

Had a cover story in the paper today, on a local violinist/repairman named John Hsu: http://www.northjersey.com/entertainment/violinrepairman022309.html.

This was one of the most fun stories to write (tomorrow's will be another fun one - I went rock climbing!), and it gave me a chance to go back to my violin-playing days a little bit. I might have my next chance with my old orchestra at their summer concert in Carnegie Hall. We'll see - depends if I get the sheet music and/or find time to practice!

In the meantime, this weekend is a show at Wuzz Up Cafe in my hometown of Bergenfield, NJ. I will open for two Fil-Am bands, Chapter 2 Band and Primo. Please come and check it out! It's on Sunday, Mar. 1 and starts at 7 p.m. (8 Bedford Ave., Bergenfield, NJ)

I've also just booked my first gig in Los Angeles! Okay, so I've played out there before (with the Rembrandts, back in '07), but that was technically just outside of L.A., so this is really going to be exciting for me. It's also a challenge - I've got to somehow get a good crowd out on a Wednesday night...

have any friends out West? :) Help a sister out.