well here it is. my newest setup on the streets. woo hoo!
-marc
busking
my newest invention
just got out of the lab creating my newest invention.
may look strange but this little bad mother is going to help me bring some cutting edge music technology to the streets!
-marc
sketchy
here’s another great sketch while playing downtown in asheville north carolina last night.
little people
check out this littler person i was tipped while busking last night.
-marc
memories later
this will make a great memory later. here’s my street setup at a festival i played this weekend.
you're not suppose to be here
i just got kicked out of a festival. it happens sometimes. i show up uninvited and try to sneak in some tunes.
i was kicked out after only 10 minutes! that’s a new record for sure! but i made $100 in those 10 minutes! haha. what a great moment in time.
-marc
Live Artwork
Wow! It’s so amazing when visual artists feel inspired to create while listening to TAMDF live. We though it’d be fun to show off some of the artwork that has been gifted to Marc after performances. Whether on the street, at a concert hall, or in someone’s home (house shows woot woot).. these spontaneous creations never cease to amaze us with how well they capture musical moments in time.
We start with a simple sketch. Simple yet complex, this piece was created and gifted to Marc at a house show in Rochester New York back in July 2011. It was a phenomenal night with TAMDF playing alongside Jeffrey Lewis, Seth Faergolzia, and John Ludington! This art piece definitely was the icing on the cake! Unfortunately the artist never told Marc her name. Very mysterious and beautiful!
Next up is a moment in time. It’s an amazing capture but we’re not sure who the photographer is. This was at a house show in Asheville North Carolina.
Here now is an ABSOLUTELY AMAZING piece that was “photographed” by the very talented Henry J. Sullivan. Henry was passing through Asheville and happened to catch Marc performing on the street last week. What a beautiful piece of art! Marc has this framed and it is on display in his studio.
Ok so it may be weird to hang up artwork of yourself but because this is such a beautiful piece, that should make it ok and not weird!
This piece was created at a show back in July 2010. The artist is Evan Galbicka of The Church of Holy Colors. It was done on a 6″ x 6″ block of wood and was gifted to Marc after the show. It’s so neat to see visual interpretations of music!
Next is a sketch that was done just last Sunday. That’s right, less than a week ago! The artist, whose name is unknown (unless you can decipher the signature), caught Marc performing in downtown Asheville in front of an art gallery. This is better than any tip put in Marc’s tip jar!
And finally we thought it’d be fun to add this beautiful piece into the mix. Although it wasn’t done at a live show, we’re pretty sure Alma Elaine Shoaf was listening to TAMDF at least some of the time while she created this piece. Haha. This poster art was commissioned by Marc and is available for purchase at live shows.
To all you visual artists out there… if you’re ever at a TAMDF show and feel the desire to do what you do best, please don’t hesitate to break out the pen and paper or the camera or even the paint brush! We’d love to see your creations! And to all the artists that have created while listening to TAMDF, whether live or with a recording: Thank you for creating something beautiful and intertwining TAMDF’s music into the process. It really does mean the world to Marc!
beautiful artwork!
check out this amazing artwork created on the streets of asheville north carolina by the very talented henry j. sullivan!
check out the details!
wow this is beautiful! i love that artists share their art with me when i share music with them on the streets.
-marc
living on the streets
well not really. playing on the streets though!
and with friends! here i’m jamming on violin with my good friend peter levitov on handpans.
-marc
Busking!
Throughout the world, if you’ve walked the streets of any major city, you’ve probably heard the occasional street performer. Sometimes you can’t pinpoint their location and the sound becomes an intoxicating breeze. Other times you’ll catch it head on in all it’s splendor.
Although, not every busking artist is worth a listen. Yet if you spend some time this summer in Asheville North Carolina then you may find a treat. To All My Dear Friends recently created a portable street worthy setup and has been using it throughout the streets of downtown Asheville.
The design is entirely battery powered. Marc created it with ecological impact in mind. He made the box frame entirely from reclaimed wood. All the electronics use rechargeable lithium ion batteries and so there is no physical waste from the pedals themselves. The amplifier uses built-in 12V lithium ion batteries. Everything is lightweight and easy to transport.
The term busking has been around since the mid 1800s. Before the advent of recording, it was a common means of employment for entertainers. Marc first decided to try his hand at it when he noticed how popular Asheville North Carolina was for tourists.
“I’d seen other musicians doing this through watching videos on YouTube and the like. I figured, there’s gotta be a way I can do that without wasting resources.”
Burning through a pile of batteries each week does not aid in the creative process. So Marc did some research and got to work.
“Instead of working through old material, I challenge myself on the street by always playing new music. It’s improvisation. I can equate it to backing myself into a corner and then trying to find a way out. I enjoy the challenge.”
Not only has he found another way to get TAMDF out into the world, but he makes a few bucks during the process. This money can go towards the next album, due out early next year.
