andrew dodson

As I wrap up a few more things on my last day of work for the week, I have some thoughts about the DVD on my mind.  (This post would be in reference to the Josh Martin Band concert being taped for a DVD this weekend, for those that don’t know)

• Not to give away too many secrets, but we’ve been practicing to a click track (i.e., metronome), and we’re planning on using it for the performance.  I’ve adjusted to it fairly well in rehearsals, so it doesn’t freak me out to think about using it for the performance.  I’ve done it a time or two at church, and I practice to a metronome, so it shouldn’t be a big deal.  It’s in everyone else’s ears too, so that helps if one of us happens to get off track.
• I’m handling the audio recording for the gig.  I’ve flawlessly recorded 20 channels every single rehearsal except for one.  At that rehearsal, I was playing with a bunch of settings in my software, so I think that’s why it didn’t record well that night.  Nevertheless, I’m a little more freaked about whether or not the recording will turn out than how I play.  I just keep telling myself that if something happens and the recording stops or freezes that we can just stop and start again.  No biggie.  Focus on the playing.  Focus on the playing.
• It’s been recommended that we wear base makeup for the occasion.  I admit that it won’t be the first time I’ve worn makeup.  Saxton’s played a gig for KET once and we wore makeup.  Time to get in touch with the metrosexual side of myself.
• I’m really getting into the two new songs we’ll be playing – “Clumsy Believer” and “Christ Is Our Life” are coming along nicely, and I’m enjoying them.
• All indications point to us having a good crowd on hand.  Sounds like at least in the ballpark of 100 are guaranteed.  Two hundred would be awesome.
• We get to record our version of one of my favorite worship songs.  I really like our version, so it’ll be cool to get a good, clean recording of it.
• I bought a new shirt for the occasion.  Hair cut tonight.  Going all out.

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No official announcement yet, but UK has reportedly reached an agreement with Billy Donovan to become the next coach.

WLEX & The Cats Pause were both reporting this story on their websites this morning, but seems like mums the word now.  I guess we’re in “wait-and-see” mode until we hear an official announcement.

Major League Baseball season is just around the corner. This year, I will be attending some Reds games. In an effort to make this happen, I’m actually going to buy tickets ahead of time, sort of forcing myself to go. Up to now, I’ve said I’m going to go every year, and when the time comes, I never go. Usually, it’s the “too busy” or “not enough money” excuses. I’m planning on going to their first Friday night game against Pittsburgh on April 6th. Anyone wanna go?

Here’s a few things I’ve learned by having time off the last several days:

• I will start making time for myself.  Saturdays will probably become “me” days with as little as possible on my schedule.  Even when I’m busy, Saturdays will be my day off.
• I still can’t remember the last time I was “bored.”  I’ve loved every minute of nothing to do.
• I will work harder when I do have things that need to get done so that I can enjoy my free time and not stress about what I didn’t get done.
• I look forward to working again when I’m able to enjoy free time.  Hopefully this will translate into my previous point.
• I have more time to blog.

This week, I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of an immense amount of free time.  I’ve had each of the last four nights off, with nothing major on my “to do” list.  No recordings.  No websites.  No projects.  I’ll gear back up this next week with drum lessons on Monday night, JMB rehearsal on Tuesday, church on Wednesday, JMB rehearsal again next Friday, and our live DVD recording next Saturday night.  So, it’ll be back to a somewhat normal, kinda busy schedule for me.

Other than the DVD recording, I’m currently enjoying a nice break from web and recording projects.  I just finished my latest website for a moving company in Louisville, and I’m just waiting to get their approval before proceeding with securing the domain and activating the site.  On the recording end, I’ll get a break for another few weeks before concerts with each of the Lexington Brass Band, Georgetown College Symphonic Band, and Central Kentucky Concert Band.

It’s been nice to have this time off, so I’ve tried to relax as much as possible.  I’m sure there are plenty of productive things I could’ve been doing, but there’s nothing that I HAVE to do right now, and I don’t get this luxury too often.  I’ve enjoyed it.

The Lexington Herald Leader’s Mark Story seems to agree with some of my thoughts from yesterday.  From some of what I’ve heard in the past 24 hours, I’ve grown slightly more confident in the possibility of landing Billy Donovan.  However, I think it’s still 50/50 at best.  We’ll see.

To make the UK basketball story more interesting, Randolph Morris signed with the New York Knicks today.

It seems in our current society, everyone is “busy.”  When we see a friend and haven’t spoken to them much lately, it seems the response on both sides is, “Oh, I’ve just been SO busy.”  I admit that I fall into this quite regularly.  I’ve grown to the point of not even wanting to say, “I’ve been busy.”  Mostly because I know that everyone else is busy too.  It’s almost as if it doesn’t count as an excuse anymore.  It’s become the norm.  However, there’s a physical danger to being too busy.

Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, recently blogged about his personal health issues from being “too busy.”  (read here)

My goals as of late have been trying to find ways to simplify my life.  I enjoy all of my activities, so I’ve been trying to manage time better to have personal time for relaxing and recreation.  One of my mentors, who leads a very busy life, recommended making time for myself over a mentoring session at the beginning of the year.

Biblically, we’re called to adhere to the rules of the Sabbath.  While I’m still confused as to whether Saturday or Sunday is considered the Sabbath (most people think Sunday), I fully plan on devoting one of those two days to myself, family and friends.  My hope is that by devoting time to myself, I can renew my strength and focus throughout the week to be productive in other areas.

The Dave Matthews Band has released Volume 8 of their Live Trax series. The set comes from a 2004 concert at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin. I’ve been wanting to do semi-regular album reviews, so here’s the first installment.

Hello Again – One of the “new” songs from 2004. The band spent the summer road testing a handful of new songs, including this one. It eventually appeared on 2006′s Stand Up. Newer versions of this song are faster and more aggressive. I appreciate this early version because it’s more laid back, and has a better delivery.

Granny – One of the better versions I’ve heard of this song. Once again, a good delivery by the band.

#41 – One of my favorite DMB songs, especially live. A little shorter than some versions, mainly due to no guest solos. Nice, simple version.

The Stone – Fairly standard version – this one doesn’t change too much live. I’m not a huge fan of this song, but overall, it’s a good version.

Crazy Easy – This song was the main reason I bought the set. Another one of the “new” 2004 songs that’s yet to appear on any official release. It’s an excellent version – similar to “Crush” and “Captain” in its laid-back, jazzy style. Also has a chord progression that reminds me of “Best of What’s Around.” Very nice to finally get a clean, mixed version of this song. Up to now, I’ve only had audience tapes to rely upon.

So Much To Say – Standard version. Never a bad song live.

Super Freak – The band elected to pay tribute to Rick James, as opposed to doing their usual segue called “Anyone Seen the Bridge?” Not a complete version of the song, but a nice tribute. James had just passed away at the time of this concert.

Too Much – This song got a small face lift in 2004. LeRoi added a nice, Indian-style breakdown, and they added an extended outro with Dave quoting lyrics from a song I don’t know But, it finally made the song more listenable for me. Before the changes, it was a fairly mundane song, in my opinion.

Bartender – I’ve yet to listen to this song closely, but it’s always a great live song. Especially the end solos between Butch and LeRoi. More of the laid-back, jazz style that I enjoy from DMB.

When the World Ends – Simple. Short. Standard.

Help Myself – A somewhat rare song that I enjoy. A studio version can be heard on the Scream 2 soundtrack. I really enjoy this song though – similar in style and emotion to “The Stone.”

I’ll Back You Up – a great “full” band version of the song. Stefan adds a nice solo in the middle, Butch adds some emotion to the song on keys, and Carter comes in at the end with cymbal rolls and backing vocals. A very nice version of the song.

Joy Ride – Another one of the “new” 2004 songs. Sort of a jab at George Bush and the war. If you don’t pay attention to the lyrics too closely, it’s an enjoyable, upbeat song. I actually don’t pay too much attention to lyrics most of the time, so maybe that’s why I enjoy this song.

Grey Street – A great transition from “Joy Ride” to this one. Probably my second or third favorite DMB tune.

Sugar Will – Once again, a “new” 2004 song. Very mellow. Some fans love it, some fans think it’s boring. I enjoy it once the song gets to the solos. The intro is too long for my taste, and as I mentioned, I don’t pay attention to lyrics too often. Just give me the solos, and I enjoy it.

Ants Marching – My favorite song. Probably the song that made me fall in love with DMB. Particularly, Carter’s playing on the song. I love it.

Everyday – Newer versions of this song are butchered, I think. Dave has come to the point of scatting most of the lyrics, which I don’t like. However, at the time of this concert, he was still singing the lyrics. I really enjoy pre-2005 versions of this song.

Typical Situation – A “classic” DMB song. It’s not a “standard” live song for DMB, so it’s always a treat to hear.

Warehouse – I’ve never heard this as a set closer, but I was pleasantly surprised. It works really well, and this is a great version.

Overall, it’s probably my favorite live release to date. To top it off, the mix is fantastic. Chris Kress is responsible for mixing the Live Trax releases and he does a great job. I firmly believe DMB live recordings are better than any other live recording. Even “bad” DMB live mixes sound better than most. Besides the mix, it’s nice to hear just DMB with no guests. While guests are usually cool (Bela Fleck, Robert Randolph, Rashawn Ross), there’s something special about just DMB on stage together in this set. If you’ve got some money to spare, and enjoy DMB, I recommend this release. You can buy it here.

Names are already being tossed around as the next coach of the University of Kentucky’s men’s basketball team.  Billy Donovan seems to be the fans’ top choice, while the media seems to think it’s unrealistic.  Other names include Tom Crean (Marquette), Rick Barnes (Texas), Mark Few (Gonzaga), Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Billy Gillespie (Texas A&M), Travis Ford (Massachusetts) and John Pelphrey (South Alabama).

This is my first experience of being a Kentucky fan during a coaching change.  I was a little too young to either know or care when Rick Pitino was hired.  So, it’s interesting to be a part of what – in Kentucky – is the equivalent to having a new President.

Personally, I would love to see Donovan as the next coach.  When I look at his situation, I see the possibility of Florida having a weak team next year if their stars turn pro.  On the flip side, if he became the coach at Kentucky, he would most likely land hot prospects Patterson and Lucas, and inherit a good team.  While Randolph Morris will likely turn pro, the rest of the lineup is in tact, with a solid freshman class becoming sophomores and having experience on their side.  There is also a rumor that Donovan has an “out” clause in his contract for one school – Kentucky.

It may be unrealistic for Donovan to leave a school where he may likely be the coach of back-to-back national champions in a couple of weeks.  If that’s the case, my pick is Tom Izzo.  He’s a big-name coach and has proven he can win – especially in March.  He would be high on my list if I were Mitch Barnhart.

Next on my list would be a tie between Mark Few and Travis Ford.  Few has proven he can put a mid-major on the map, and keep them there on a consistent basis.  Gonzaga has been a solid team under Few’s watch.  Kentucky would be a step up for him.  In Ford’s case, he’s proven he can win at any level – he made Campbellsville a tough opponent in the NAIA, took EKU to the Big Dance, and has turned UMass around to the point of making an appearance in this year’s NIT.  Being a former Wildcat only adds to his case for being a good choice as coach.  To top it off, he’s a young, up-and-coming coach and can build a program at UK, similar to Florida’s choice of hiring a young Billy Donovan several years ago.

Based on media reports, it seems the early front-runner is Marquette’s Tom Crean.  While Marquette has been a consistent winner with Crean as coach, I can’t say he has the aura of what Kentucky should be looking for.  I just have a feeling we’d have another Tubby-situation on our hands in several years – a solid, winning team, but not a team that’s a threat to win the title every year.  I’d say the same for Texas’s Rick Barnes.

The bottom of my list would be Pelphrey.  He’s still a young coach, and I believe he still has to prove himself worthy of being the coach at Kentucky.  If he can do with South Alabama what Few did with Gonzaga, I may give him more credibility.

The glory of the situation is the Kentucky has tradition on their side.  Being one of the premier programs in the country, they should be able to get the big name the fans want.  The question is whether or not Barnhart will go after the big name, or will the likes of a Crean or Barnes get the job?

I just received word – and at this point, this is unconfirmed information – that Tubby Smith has resigned. Rumor is that he will take the coaching position at the University of Minnesota. We’ll see how this unfolds – will this be accurate, or will I have egg on my face?

[3:30 UPDATE:] Channel 27 is covering the story live.

[4:00 UPDATE:] ESPN confirms the story.