Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3: The New Space

(Performing cover of "Your Love" by The Outfield at Rockwood Music Hall - Stage 2)

Show Details:
What: Show @ Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3
When: Thursday, September 19th
Where: Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 3
Time: 9:30pm Doors // 10:00 Show
Cost: $10 tix, merchandise available (CDs $10; T-shirts $30)
Location: 196 Allen Street, NY, NY
Website/Tix: http://rockwoodmusichall.tickets.musictoday.com/RockwoodMusicHall/moreInfo.aspx?event=158183&outlet=2315

Rockwood Music Hall is one of the premier music venues in NYC. It was also one of the first venues that took a chance on me and gave me a slot for a full show, and I've been grateful ever since. Over my years in NYC I've been able to get to know the staff, other great musicians, and see this tiny, intimate, great-sounding room, expand to open an adjacent larger stage (Stage 2), and add two bars. It would appear that Rockwood is taking over the block on Houston between Allen Street & Orchard Street, but no matter how large they're becoming, their main focused hasn't changed: creating a great listening space for artists in New York to express their creativity on stage.

I'm excited to announce that tonight, I will be one of the first of many artists to come to get the opportunity to perform in their newest space: Rockwood Stage 3, and I can't wait! This new space is a mid-range space for a bigger room with still an intimate feel. The stage has a baby grand piano, and will be downstairs, almost like a hidden gem in the city. I'm honored to be performing there tonight and I hope you'll come join me.

Much Love,
NV

Connectivity:

Twitter: @normanvladimir

Instagram: @normanvladimir

Facebook: www.facebook.com/normanvladimir

Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/normanvladimir

Website: www.normanvladimir.com

Hashtag: #normanvladimir

Singing For A Good Cause: American Cancer Society Gala

Event Details:
What: The VIP Gala of the American Cancer Society
When: Tuesday, September 17th
Time: 6:30pm

Hey Friends, Fans, and family,
I am so excited to announce that I have been chosen to be the performer for the upcoming VIP Gala for the American Cancer Society taking place this Tuesday, September 17th. This is such an honor because of the great work that they do and because it is another way I can have the opportunity to honor the legacy of both of my grandmothers, who unfortunately passed away due to complications from cancer. I'm looking forward to a great evening. I will be sharing the experience with you on FB, Twitter, and Instagram. You can follow the hashtags #normanvladimir and #nvacsgala to see pics & video from the evening! Click on my social media links below.

Much love,
Norman Vladimir

Commumications links & usernames:

Twitter: @normanvladimir

Instagram: @normanvladimir

Facebook: www.facebook.com/normanvladimir

Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/normanvladimir

Website: www.normanvladimir.com

Hashtag: #normanvladimir

Unfiltered: Norman Vladimir

(Posted by a fan: June 1st, 2013 at my Solo performance at The Living Room, NYC)

Hey everyone!
First of all, many, many apologies for being away for so long. Much has happened since my last post, and I really look to getting back to a more consistent stream for you. So, as you may or may not know, last time we spoke, I had initiated an Indiegogo campaign for $5000 for funding to do an Spring European tour...and it was a complete success. The tour went from April 15th-May 15th, and I performed to awesome audiences in Berlin, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Cologne, and Hamburg. My audiences grew, I had some features on radio and tv, and I had some stellar meetings with industry leaders who I hope to translate into a wider reach for my music. Can't wait for what's to come.

So, today's post is centered around being "unfiltered". I will say, first off, that I think it's impossible to be unfiltered...because we are, at our core, filtered. What we say and do, hopefully has a thought process behind it. What that means to me in today's music landscape to me is simply being okay with the idea that, though I'm a creative person who, in some way, has to pay more attention to my statements and how people view me (I'm clearly not at Kardashian levels of exposure...thank god!), that it is important to also be fine with the idea of not always being perfect. It's something I think we all struggle with, with our friends, our family, and in our relationships. Creativity thrives on connectivity. Today, with social media being as strong as it is in shaping our perceptions, perception IS reality, so what we hear, though it may be unfounded or bent in some way, can completely shape the lens with which we view a person. There will be no doubt, that along the way, I will say or do something that will be viewed either positively or negatively, but it ultimately comes down to not letting the ideas of perfection get in the way of the people we are or how we are relateable. It's always a balance of wanting to show your heart, but keeping some things just for yourself - sometimes you can control it, sometimes you can't.

I was checking YouTube to see if anyone at one of my shows had posted any new video that I hadn't seen because I'm INCESSANTLY curious how I sound to an audience and how I'm coming off from the stage. It's great for me because I can take notes on the things that I'd like to improve. Was my voice off? What was I wearing? Are my songs making statements that my audience can, if not relate to, at least, understand? It's all about connection, so when this morning, I found this clip I was excited. I love that someone, who doesn't personally know me, would be compelled to post a video from my show. It's such a cool thing to be able to see from the audience since, I never get to...because I'm the one performing. haha! Let me know your thoughts! Message me on FB or twitter to let me know what you think about perception as reality? Is it the case? What about Paula Deen? (yeah I had to ask that too!)

Much love,
NV

FB: www.facebook.com/normanvladimir
Twitter: twitter.com/normanvladimir

CBS News: Norman Vladimir's music is "Depressingly Hopeful"

To see the full feature, click here: http://smarturl.it/cbsnormanvladimir

So, it's here! I was featured on CBS News and I'm still reeling. Huge thanks to a wonderful crew at CBS for making the experience super relaxed and enjoyable. I had an awesome interview and my show was even better than expected. I could safely say, that night, I was on cloud 11! But then comes the day after, when you start trying to rewind & playback the night to see if there were any glaring mistakes you made vocally, any statements you didn't mean to make in the interview, and so on. As a creative person, you're constantly picking yourself apart, not for any masochistic purposes, but because you want to make sure you're learning from each experience, and you want to get it right, or at least, get it better each time.

So, when the producer of the CBS News piece sent me the link to the completed feature, I was overcome with equal parts of excitement and sheer fear. What if I said something I didn't mean to say? What if I had spinach in my teeth during the whole interview? What if they only chose parts of my performance that weren't, in my opinion, my best moments vocally or performance-wise? So, pensively, I clicked on the link, and what do I see: "Norman Vladimir: A Pop-Soul Artist with "depressingly hopeful" lyrics". AHHH!!! Depressingly hopeful?! Did I really say that?! And, I remember, I totally did. LOL!

There was a moment during my interview where I was asked how to describe my writing style, and I referenced an interview I did on Radio 2 for the Netherlands in which I joked with the radio host that my music sounds happy, but it's actually quite depressing...but at least it's hopeful. So, in a nervous twitch of sorts, I combined that idea, and said that my music was "depressingly hopeful". Let me say for the record, that there is nothing depressing about being hopeful - my statement just awkwardly combined two ideas.  Basically, I just goofed! So, I thought it was funny that the statement became the hook for the piece, but I think it's good because people will want to know what is meant by "depressingly hopeful". Eh! Live and learn...at least the statement is true! I'll work on my on-air polish, but I'm so happy about the feature overall. Huge thanks to a wonderful crew at CBS for making the experience super relaxed and enjoyable. I felt like a rockstar. I'm looking forward to more of these features.

Much love,
Norman Vladimir

Links:
CBS News Feature: 

Winter Jamming at Sullivan Hall NYC

I had a big show on Saturday... and it was awesome!

So, I signed up to perform in the 7th Annual Winter Jam at Sullivan Hall, arranged by good friend/fellow musician Paul Hudson. Paul asked me a couple months in advance to see if I'd be down to perform for it, especially since I had performed at Winter Jam the past two years. Both times had been good nights of fun music and dancing. But, this year, there was more at stake. This year, I found out that I was to be getting a feature and that a major TV network was coming in to interview me and film my show...this could be a potential gamechanger!

So, as luck would have it, I would find myself after the first week of January with no voice and no shows set up for the month. Couple that with the weather dropping well below freezing and no cuddle buddy in sight, and you have a recipe for a depressingly cold month. What was that you ask? What crazy rager of a party did I go to to lose my voice for about 2 1/2 weeks straight. Well, the answer is NONE! I literally woke up one morning and I didn't have an upper register when I tried to sing. I FREAKED out!! My voice is what my whole journey has been about and now when I finally get a chance to show the world what I've been working, my voice is gone and for no reason! ugh!

Well, after going to see a top-of-the-line ENT voice doctor for a couple of consultations, it was good to hear that my vocal chords (which I got to see for the first time) were healthy and normal, but just swollen, possibly due to all the weather changes. So, lots of rest, some anti-inflammatory medication, and gallons of water were to do the trick, and I'd be good to go for my big debut. Well, I'll admit: it was an hour before going on on stage, and my voice still wasn't back...so, I did what any other reasonable musician in my position would do...I ordered a Jameson on the rocks! ;)

I think it worked well enough - most of my voice came back, and I had a great show. I've been getting so much awesome feedback since the show, I can't wait to do it again - sharing that energy and connecting to you guys is the best drug I could ever take. Look out for my feature coming soon!

Much love,
NV

Crazy : Songwriting With NV

I'm starting a small series for my next few post called "Songwriting with NV" (get it, NV = envy). I thought I'd take the opportunity to do a little of what most people want me to do anyway as a songwriter and explain a few of the songs I've written. Now, don't worry, I'll do that...at least a bit - I can't give away all my secrets, you know. Some of it's still for me. ;)

Photo by Don Razniewski

So, below is my song "Crazy", and it is also on my EP Sounds...which you can purchase on iTunes here (shameless plug!). So, confession: I LOVE playing this song! (yeah, I know - it sounds kind of self-aggrandizing, but it's true!) It's such a departure from my more serious explorations of the tougher situations we find ourselves in: it's fun, it's upbeat, it's danceable, it's sexy, it's about admiring the one you love, and it's that other side of me that I think the people who know me get to see the most. I tend to save that more melancholy, introspective side of my personality for myself - not on purpose: it's just the way I am. 

 

Anyway, I remember when I wrote this song how good it felt. It was actually one of the first songs I'd ever written, and it was at a time when I had just stopped seeing this very awesome, beautiful girl...and yes, I said girl. My, oh my, have the times changed! ;) She was smart, charismatic, fun, jovial, hot...yes, hot, and just an all-around awesome girl. I had made the decision I was going to pursue a music career, and I had just started trying to figure out how I was gonna get started, since I honestly knew nothing about the music business (truth be told...I still don't. It's an ever changing headache of a beast!) I was sitting around one day, and I was just thinking about how awesome this girl was and how I was so glad that, for whatever happened between us, I was able to have been a part of her life. 

Now, I know you're thinking: why did the word "Crazy" come to be the title of the song if this girl was so awesome. Short answer: I love juxtaposition. 

 

Well, I was playing around on my keyboard (that I still have and use to write songs...thanks to my awesome friend JBR) and this very rhythmic comping feel came to me, and it felt like a smoky jazz club in Paris in the 1940s, St. Germain, with well mixed drinks clanking in the background. If I ever re-record this song, it WILL have horns dammit! So, I got this rhythm going and then these words started flowing: "Woman your hips, and your lips, and your kiss on my cheek, makes my body so weak, that I can't seem to think, about anything else". I wanted to interplay the physical beauty with her inner beauty in the second verse: "You pique my curiosity, and you challenge me, with your brain, I refrain, from those games that those other guys try, but still I have to say..." So, as I kept playing and thinking about this girl, and more broadly, about how overwhelmingly cool it is to be smitten, the more kept coming. It was the first time I realized, "I'm turning ideas into songs. I'm a songwriter. This is CRAZY!" So, between putting out those feelings and being proud of my success at writing what I felt to be a good song made it simple: this song had to be called "Crazy". Pretty crazy huh?

So, tell me. Do you have anyone in your life that you love that's, for good or bad, got you goin' "Crazy"? Leave a message or post your thoughts on twitter @normanvladimir. Thanks for listening. 

 

 "Crazy" by Norman Vladimir on Sounds

Much love,

NV

Links:

- My Website:  http://www.normanvladimir.com/
- Twitter: @normanvladimir
- YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/normanvladimir1
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/normanvladimir
- iTunes "Sounds": https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sounds/id326854876

120 Volts: Songwriting With NV

I'm starting a small series for my next few post called "Songwriting with NV" (get it, NV = envy). I thought I'd take the opportunity to do a little of what most people want me to do anyway as a songwriter and explain a few of the songs I've written. Now, don't worry, I'll do that...at least a bit - I can't give away all my secrets, you know. Some of it's still for me. ;)

Official Music Video for "120 Volts"

 Directed & Edited by Mary Anderson Casavant

So, this is my song "120 Volts", and it is also on my EP Sounds...which you can purchase on iTunes here (shameless plug!). So, to begin, I literally woke up one morning at around 4am, which is when my brain is its most creative, with the majority of this song already written. How, you ask? Well, I'm always, always, always, thinking about song lyrics and melodies - I can't help it. Literally, I woke up and I just had this driving, 4-on-the-floor beat in my head with these lyrics about how sometimes you just need some PASSION in your life, good or bad. A shock of energy, a jolt to wake you up. Yes, my friends: the lies, the distrust, the frustrations someone can bring into your life can be just as much of a turn-on as flowers, chocolate, and remembering your birthday. Passion gives you feelings, emotions, things to laugh about, things to cry about, things to let you know you're living and that your life is dynamic. Why this song was in my head at 4am...who knows! I'd like to think my life has a good amount of passion, but maybe there was room for more, as I stated in my previous post: I've never been in love, so perhaps subconsciously, I needed more. Anyway, I had this song and this melody in my head, and I needed to QUIETLY play it out on my keyboard at 4am and write down those lyrics before I forgot them...I had roommates that were still sleeping, you know. HA!

What I love about this song is the juxtaposition of this happy march-like beat interspersed with all these major (happy sounding) chords, but the lyrics are so damaged, defeated, and pleading. I also like how the chorus builds into this frenetic, chaotic sound with a few sound effects and EQ effects (even with a faint robotic voice in the background), and once it's out of the chorus, it's back to that steady 4-on-the-floor beat.  

A few fans have said to me that they wished the song was longer and that I repeated the chorus a few more times, but I personally like the idea that you leave a song wanting more...that's what the "repeat button" is for! ;) Another one of my fans abroad said, "Will you change the song when you're in Europe?" I asked "Why would I do that?" And they responded, "Well, Europe is on the 240 volts system!". I said, "HA!Good point!".

Thoughts? What do you think about this song? What do you do to break your daily routine to find passion? I'd love to hear your thoughts Hit me up on twitter: @normanvladimir

Much love,

NV