Many chances to see Mike live!
Greetings! (That’s a royal word for “hello”)
RECENT OCCURRENCES
I hope you’ve all been copacetic or better. I had a great and crazy tour with BFD last month – wildly fun shows, beautiful audiences, cancelled flights, emergency van rentals and vast quantities of friendship on display. My favorite shows were the two Iridium gigs where Rick Musallam was able to join us – see photographic evidence herein. We’re working on putting together a west coast BFD run with the Travis Larson Band later this year, about which I shall inform thee when I have information to inform thee withupon.
Also last month I whooshed up to Vancouver, BC for a few days to work on some new music with Devin Townsend. It was just the two of us in his studio writing and recording stuff. It’s sounding fascinating thus far, and we’re both looking forward to continuing the process when schedules allow – the music is very varied and we’re eager to continue discovering what exactly we’re creating here.
GIGS AND WHISPERS OF GIGS
You know what’s coming up? Some gigs! Here’s them.
On June 4 and 6 there are a couple of Extreme Cream shows with Kofi Baker and Rob Pagliari.
June 4 – Extreme Cream at Brick By Brick, San Diego
June 6 – Extreme Cream at the Baked Potato, LA
Playing with us at Brick by Brick is instrumental progressive band Pet Shark, and their cellist Lindsay Jagich will join us on one of my favorite Jack Bruce pieces, “As You Said” from Wheels Of Fire. Cream themselves never played this piece live – I am really excited about playing it! I love it a lot.
On June 22 I’ll be doing a clinic at Murrieta Arts Studios in Murrieta, CA. I’ve not been to this place yet, but Pete Griffin did a clinic there not so long ago and he told me this place is happening. So this will be a new experience for me and I am very much looking forward to it, like a baby fish looks forward to Infinite Day.
June 22 – MK guitar clinic at Murrieta Arts Studios
Starting in mid-July I’ll be doing various things in Europe – for one thing, a trio gig with Stu Hamm and Chad Wackerman somewhere in Europe (the precise location and date are being kept a secret from the public for a few more weeks. Exciting!) where we’ll be playing Stu’s stuff, a little of mine, some Zappa, Satriani, Vai, Holdsworth – a cornucopia of wonderments.
Then I’ll be out and about in Germany and Italy for a couple of weeks with comrades Jaan Wessman and Schroeder – those details are still being sealed in wax and will be presented with love to you quite soon.
There’s going to be a gig somewhere in South America with some fine musicians we all know quite well which I see has not been announced online yet, so I’ll keep my trap shut on that.
As indicated above, west coast BFD August action is in the planning stages. There’s also some Extreme Cream touring in the blueprint stage for sometime around September/October.
Late October I’ll be returning, with relish, to Progtoberfest III at Reggie’s in Chicago. Last year was a hoooot and I look forward to further hooting. I’ll be doing a set with BFD, and another set sitting in with the Don and Bunk Show (Don Preston and Bunk Gardner – freakin’ legends), along with several other wonderful people, the also legendary Ike Willis and Nick D’Virgilio.
Progtoberfest III at Reggie’s, Chicago Oct 20-22
Oct. 21 – Mike Keneally & Beer For Dolphins
Oct. 22 – MK guesting with the Don and Bunk Show
Other acts at Progtoberfest III include Martin Barre, Alphonso Johnson, The Tangent, Karmakanic, Necromonkey, Cast, Aisle, Bruce Soord, Dave Kerzner, District 97, Thank you Scientist, Discipline, Frogg Café, Randy McStine and many others – it’s going to be a severely action-packed three days in a great venue. Definitely worth your time!
VIDEO ACTIVITIES
I shall leave you with a couple of new videos of songs from Scambot 2 that I played for EMG pickups in their video studio up there last October, which I hope you enjoy the bejeezus out of –
Here’s Roots Twist:
And here’s In The Trees Part One:
GRATITUDE
Many thanks, my friends!
Unquestionably,
Mike