Personally, I have never understood the term “Fun Run”. The idea of running for fun, when your life isn’t even remotely in danger, is a strange concept, and something I spend a good bit of time avoiding at all costs.
However, when you shift the concept from RUN to WALK, and add fundraising for a very worthwhile cause, now that is something I can get behind!
I would like to let you know about a few upcoming events in our home (and former home) towns that I encourage you to take part in.
Regardless of whether you run or walk for fun or just because it’s an amazing cause, please get out and support one of these great events!
Vancouver –
AIDS Walk for Life hosted by Positive Living Society of British Columbia
Sunday, September 18th at Sunset Beach www.aidswalkforlifevancouver.ca/
We have some very exciting things planned for the Merch Odyssey in our online store over the next couple months, including your chance to get an autographed item from Sara and I, and the return of something we have been swamped with requests for, BUT FIRST here is what is in store for this month!
1. We have a few extra posters remaining from our run of dates in Alberta. They are limited edition silk screen posters by Emy Storey and even though we’re not wearing bathing suits on the poster, the old timey guys around us are. Which is pretty awesome.
2. The addition of the silk screen poster means that there are now 6 different posters available in our store! So since it’s “Back To School” time you might want to start thinking about redecorating your room/dorm, locker or the inside of your car (I know people who do that still).
3. Our popular tank tops are all stocked up again, in two different designs! I know summer is almost over, but seriously, tank tops are awesome year round. Duh!
4. And our BEAMS shirt (one of my faves) is 20% off. If you’re wearing the BEAMS shirt and I run into you, I’ll give you extra high fives!
Can you believe that summer is almost over? Or for some of you reading this, winter? Someone asked me yesterday if I was excited for “Back To School” shopping. First off I was like… um, I’m 30, I don’t go to school anymore. Then my second reaction was, oh my god how does just the thought of a fast approaching school year still make my stomach twist into knots at age 30? It goes faster and faster each year, what’s up with that? Sara was trying to explain some theory to me the other day about why it feels like time passes faster as you get older. I was only a 70% student though, so I don’t remember the 30% that included the details that would really back up the theory, so instead I’ll just change the subject.
This past week in Vancouver I went to some awesome events that were part of the Queer Film Festival. Specifically I was moved by:
1. SEEKING SINGLE WHITE MALE – A Film By Vivek Shraya
Vivek Shraya is an old friend who we’ve toured and collaborated with over the years. This past year he released a beautiful and important book called GOD LOVES HAIR and two films, as well as a record (over achiever). Seeking Single White Male is Vivek’s first short. It’s beautiful and interesting and I was proud to be one of many who packed into The Rio theatre this past weekend to witness it on the big screen. Fine work my friend!
The main feature of the night was this film. I found it intensely moving and thought provoking. This past year we traveled to India for a few shows and I was troubled by the politics around homosexuality and gender while I was there. Homosexuality was only recently decriminalized in this country and as a gay woman, I felt uncomfortable in a way I don’t typically experience. A lot of people told us that there aren’t any gay women in India (even gay men told us this) and I just couldn’t wrap my mind around what sort of oppression and fear must be suppressing the urges of their gay community. This film is a glimpse into that world.
3. Then on Tuesday I went and saw a retrospective from director Jamie Travis. You may remember Jamie as the director for our videos for Back In Your Head and Hell. His short films are totally bizarre and beautiful (which is why we chose him to direct our videos!) and there was a packed audience taking in his work! You should check him out here www.modernfamily.ca.
One last thing!
Sara got me to read You Are Not A Gadget by Jaron Lanier. I loved it. I think you should all read it because you’ll probably find it really interesting and inspiring. Here is a video of him talking about SOME of the topics he covers in the book. I think he is so bizarre and wonderful.
Alright everybody! Enjoy the remaining moments of sun or snow and we’ll talk soon.
Wanted to write a final blog about our recent shows and travels! It’s been such a delightful summer and I was sad to finish up what will be our last show for the year this past weekend. Luckily it was a terrific place to do it! Newport Folk Festival was amazing and we really enjoyed the set and the people so very much! If you missed it, NPR recorded our set and you can listen to it here – http://www.npr.org/2011/07/30/137183023/newport-folk-2011-tegan-and-sara-live-in-concert
It all felt very old school playing acoustic and having a very stripped down band, stage and crew. I was getting back to my roots! I can’t think of the last time we did our own changeover and sound check… it was fun! It was also so nice to have family and friends with us and to vacation a bit before and after the show. It’s been a lot of years since we’ve had such a low stress summer of touring.
To everyone who came out to support us, thank you, thank you, thank you. We are busy working on writing our next album, and more than ever I feel so grateful for our career and amazing fan base. I count my lucky stars every day!
Some cool announcements coming in the next few months about collaborations and our new DVD…
We made it to Newport!! What a lovely and quaint little place! There was mucho traffic getting here, but we made it!
As it turns out, we HAVE been to Rhode Island before, twice! But my mom has DEFINITELY not been here. Phewff. Our first trip to this lovely state was in 2001 (apparently). We were out in support of our second record This Business of Art.
Rhode Island is adorable and reminds me a lot of the East Coast of Canada. I found a lovely shot of the Newport Folk Festival that I thought you might like, and one of Newport itself for good measure. I’m like the tourism board right now!
First thing to do tomorrow is check out Gogol Bordello. We toured with them over five years ago on the Ultimate Sunshine Tour with Cake. They were a very difficult act to follow. I had extreme anxiety the entire month. Their show is a circus and Eugene is like a beautiful wild lion on stage. Our show, in comparison, is quite tame. Sara is a bit like a domesticated house cat. Nonetheless, I fell in love with their whole entourage and would watch side stage every night as Eugene or one of the lovely performers on stage would crowd surf on a bass drum over the audience’s heads.
One day maybe I’ll ride the drum, I would think to myself. And so perhaps tomorrow I will.
After a month of terrible weather in Vancouver, I have to say I am overjoyed by the heat here on the East Coast. Everyone is still so well dressed, even in the heat! You people are hard core. Which is why I salute you by wearing this tie.
Okay, now down to business.
We’re in New York! We’re getting ready for our Newport Folk Festival debut this week. Feeling pretty excited to be heading to Rhode Island for the FIRST time ever! Even our mom is excited so we brought her along! You can’t see our bathing suits in this photo but we already have them on in preparation for the Atlantic! We’ve rehearsed with some lovely fellows from New York who will be accompanying Sara and I on bass and piano. We’ll be doing some new arrangements and some old ones too. We can’t wait to see all the bands (there are some great ones) and all of you who are attending. We’ll be blogging on our Tumblr and promise to do our best to give you a few updates this weekend.
When Sara and I were eight years old we started taking piano lessons. Contrary to the popular depiction of children being forced into learning piano in movies and television, Sara and I actually REQUESTED the lessons. We ended up completing nine years of classical training and theory on our own accord.
At age 15 we became interested in a guitar that our step father kept under the stairs in our basement. Secretly, we took turns playing with it in the afternoons after school while our parents were at work and then storing it before anyone caught us. After a few months we got brave and asked if we could take lessons. My parents agreed, although we were to still partake in weekly piano lessons. After just six guitar lessons we quit, (just as my parents thought we would) and at the end of that year we stopped piano lessons as well (to my parents’ surprise).
During the last years of high school we were too busy with friends and school work and just general teenage behaviour to remain interested in classical anything, but both of us continued to use the guitar and the piano in our house to write our own music. By the end of high school we had joined a band, started recording our own demos at home and at school and were arranging weekly gigs for our friends and their friends. Although the lessons had stopped, our interest in music had not.
Even with nearly eight years of classical training, if you sat me at a piano right now and asked me to play “Für Elise”, I could play the first few bars but that would be the end of it. My sheet music reading skills are nearly all gone and I never write music in a traditional format. But over the past 13 years, as I have been playing more and more keyboard on stage, I feel the dust blowing off the keys in my head (metaphor) and I am starting to familiarize myself with the theory I once knew and the training I once coveted.
And so, when approached recently about creating sheet music for our more popular songs, I jumped at the chance. If for no other reason than to have the opportunity to see what we’ve created on paper in a format that was once so familiar to me. So here it is. If you too want the chance to see it, play it and own it click here: teganandsara.com/shop/#sheetmusic
Here is the July update for 2011: A Merch Odyssey!!
New black tank tops and green t-shirts! We have held over the sale on the Gold Twin Print t-shirts, only $15!!
The cycling cap pre-order went very well and so we are keeping them up for sale. Those of you who were first to order, we have just put them into production so you should be getting yours very soon!
In addition to these new items, we have more stickers, posters and shirt designs than ever before!
I’m happy to announce that THEOPHILUS LONDON’S ‘TIMEZ ARE WEIRD THESE DAYS’ comes out today! ‘Why Even Try” is on it and so are 10 other fantastic tracks! *Especially excited about ‘Love is Real’! Go Holly Miranda!
Truly a great group of folks in that camp and I had SUCH a blast working on the song, as well as performing with TL in LA at the Music Box and on David Letterman. DO go out and support by getting the album and checking out a show! You can stream the RAC remix of Why Even Try below!
Hello Everyone!
What a whirlwind these past 3 weeks have been! It all started on the West coast in San Francisco with SF Pride! It was invigorating to be involved with Revel and Riot and to meet so many wonderful people during our week there. I was recharged completely when we flew to New York for rehearsals for our upcoming Canadian tour! We decided to change up the band for this little Canadian tour. We added some great musicians whose names are Ben Perowsky and Brad Albetta! Our plan was to still play as a full band, but strip things down to the basics. We only had a few days to rehearse but it was a lot of fun. It seems after releasing our rockiest record yet (Sainthood), Sara and I are craving a little return to our folky roots. Who knew that would happen?! Ha.
photo by Lindsey Byrnes
Every show was magical for different reasons this past week, but what they all had in common was the feeling of joy that I had during each of them. I know that might sound cheesy but it’s been a while since I felt actual joy on stage. Perhaps we just needed a vacation or perhaps it was the actual audiences or the stages or the nights we played, but something felt totally different and it was awesome. It’s been 13 years since Sara and I started touring and playing professionally and while we toured across Canada this past week I was reminded how lucky we are to do this job.
photo by Lindsey Byrnes
Our tour finished up with two nights at The Grand Theatre in Calgary. It was nice to end it where it all began! We tend to hit Calgary at the start of a cross Canada tour each year and so this time we decided to end the tour there! What a great idea (patting myself on the back)! We were able to relax and sleep at home while getting to hang out in our old hometown and see friends and family! It was amazing!
photo by Lindsey Byrnes
While I was in Calgary I stayed at my step dad’s and took a few photos of some really old memorabilia. See below for my favourite pieces. The first is a Sara and Tegan shirt. The first we ever made!!! I still remember going into the t-shirt shop and explaining what kind of shirt we wanted. We did a white shirt with red writing and a blue shirt with yellow writing. The sun and moon kill me. I have no idea why we added that flare. Thank god we did though. Eek! Ha.
Below is a ticket from the Under Feet Like Ours CD release party. I remember how nervous I was for weeks leading up to that night. We were only 19 and about to sign a record deal and I remember feeling so terrified of what that all would mean. I also remember my Gramma coming to that show and us having held a table for her and she said “why do I have to sit? I can’t dance?” She stood the whole show. So cool.
I just want to take a minute to reflect on the date of the release party, August 20th, 1999. I met fans of Tegan and Sara this week that were born that year. BORN THAT YEAR! Ha. I also met fans born in the late 1950s. We feel truly blessed to have a fan base that spans so wide. TRULY! I met another set of adorable teenagers that were born the year I graduated! Seriously. It’s so neat to be playing to people of all ages. Finally!
And here is a shot from the Skyride at the Calgary Stampede this past week! It was SO great to go back to the Stampede. It’s been YEARS since we’ve gone. As kids we LOVED going with our parents and our cousins and as teenagers we LOVED spending the day eating mini donuts and racing from ride to ride with our friends. We’d end up at the Coca Cola stage to check out out favourite bands. I remember one year Sara crowd surfing to…54.40? Really? I think so! Now that we’re so much older we ate mini donuts but only rode the Sky ride and walked slowly taking in the sights! Ha. Sara even won us all prizes at the games area. Thrilling stuff kids!
It’s been a great few weeks! Now it’s time for a bit of relaxing before we head to Newport for the folk festival at the end of the month! After that – vacation? Maybe.
Have a good week! And thanks to you ALL for such a wonderful mini tour!
-Tegan
IMPORTANT NOTE TO FANS:
Tegan and Sara do not correspond directly with fans via email or social networking platforms. They do not, nor have they ever, had personal Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Live Journal, or Tumblr pages. Besides the social media sites below, any accounts or people claiming to be Tegan Quin or Sara Quin are fake.
