The theme of this summer was transition. . . lots of it. May brought my graduation from grad school. June brought the preparations for a move to Connecticut, and July came tumbling down, with the heat and humidity of central Virginia, as I packed up my life again to head to New England. All of these events were good things, of course, though I was sad to leave the University of Virginia and Charlottesville. I had a good run there, academically and musically. The musical community was so kind and helpful to me, especially the folks at Gravity Lounge, who really have a good thing going. I look forward to being there Saturday, October 28 to open again for one of my favorites, Catie Curtis.
I have just started to feel settled in our new home, and now my task is to get out there and play! This rainy Labor Day weekend is devoted to updating my press kit and taking stock of the songs I have written since that pesky dissertation was finally off my radar. Check the site for new info and performance dates. Thanks for checking in and enjoy the fall. Best, Melissa
Hey everyone,
I'm finally having a presence here, thanks to my wonderful songwriting/web wizardy duo Annie and Rod Capps from back in Ann Arbor, MI. Thanks for making this so easy!
I just finished my second Women's Four Miler Race to benefit breast cancer research here at UVA. We're continuing to sell these really cool Running With Scissors shirts (check out the graphic in last year's news update) to earn even more money. So, bring an extra $10 with you to the shows I have coming up and help find the cure.
I'm so excited about the two shows coming up at Gravity Lounge, which houses one of the best sound systems in town. I just got word that I'll be opening for Tracy Grammer later this month and for Catie Curtis in December. I love them both and can't wipe the smile off my ridiculous face. Come see it and hear them!
Hope the fall treats you well!
Best,
Melissa
I have exciting news about the new CD. The second track from Pocket of Stars, "Perennial," just won Third Prize in the Metro Detroit Songwriting Contest. Look for local press there to announce a concert featuring the winners. That date and venue haven't been chosen yet, so I'm unsure about whether I can be there or not. Either way, it's bound to be a great plug for music in Detroit and a terrific event. Check out http://www.detroitsongs.com/ for more details.
The CD also won me a spot in an acoustic music competition on the West Coast called Acoustic Live. In October, I'll be heading to Los Angeles to perform in the final stage of competition. I'm elated to have been chosen, and since I've never been to LA, I can't wait! For more info about this event, go to http://www.thelamusicscene.com/acousticlive/.
As if all of this isn't exciting enough, I also wanted to spread the word about the most popular running event in Charlottesville, VA - the Women's Four-Miler, a fundraiser for The Breast Resource Center at the University of Virginia. My friends and I have put together a team of runners called Running With Scissors. We're doing a little fundraiser of our own by selling our team t-shirts; all the profits will go directly to the Breast Resource Center, of course. Here's the cool design:
Shirts are $15.00, and if you're interested in buying one to help support the fight against cancer, email me at melissaopenchord@aol.com, and I'll give you the info you'll need to have this cool shirt show up in your mail box. I'll be thanking you as I struggle to catch my breath while training for the race at the end of the August.
Enjoy the last days of summer and go listen to local music! Deepest thanks for your continued support.
Take care, Melissa