Hubbardston, MA

Hey everyone,

Sorry for the complete lack of updates over the past couple of months. Preparing for school just kind of jumped out and slew me. Here's a funny story, as promised, from our last gig of the summer:

This one goes down in Dan Masterson and the Silver Lining history.

Recently, Rich Murphy, Rob McCarthy, Sebastian Courtney and I played a show in Hubbardston, MA...yeah, we still don't know where it actually is. We had a Garmin to guide our way.

Little did we know what we had agreed to. Upon our arrival, we traveled a good distance up a road that according to the Garmin did not exist, passing by bizarre Greek style architecture until we beheld a Radio Disney van (exhibit a).

(exhibit a)

So then we enter the building (exhibit b)...

(exhibit b)

...only to discover it filled with madness. Nay, it was not Sparta, but a frivolous land of amusing things: balloon men, airbrush artists, caricature makers, two-story inflatable bungee runs, obstacle courses, bouncy houses, and those absolutely insane, brainwashed Radio Disney DJs (exhibit c).

(exhibit c)

After assimilating all this and realizing that there would be no stage or PA system (we were to play on cardboard and a tarp laid across the floor), we began to set up until we beheld a familiar face (exhibit d).

(exhibit d)

Yes, that's right. No fabrication or Photoshop. The man from Jordan's furniture is the guy who pays the bill for this shindig...of which we certainly received no portion. Soon thereafter, Elliot was caught stealing a drum lesson from the honorable Rob McCarthy. (exhibit e,f,)

(exhibit e)
(exhibit f)

At around 3pm we began our 30 minute set (originally scheduled to begin at 1pm) in which we played:

-The Distance
-Father Time
-The New Year (by DCFC)
-For The Dreamers
-Building your Castles
-(the still untitled song referred to as the closer)
-Crowd

When we finished, we realized that we were trapped in this place due to absurd rain and hail. Thankfully, Rob had packed an emergency poncho among his gear which I donned as we loaded everything back into the van (exhibit g).

(exhibit g)
Our ride home was uneventful and slow (approx. 2.5 hours).

So yeah, what an adventure. I will update whenever something notable occurs (recording/performance/etc).

Thanks for bearing with me!
Dan Masterson

Show and Guitar Tracks

Hey there,

Monday afternoon, the great Sung-Eun Park stopped by to record cello tracks for two songs and also provided back up vocals for another. Now it is time for the dreaded guitar tracks. Why dreaded, you ask? 1. It is difficult to get a good recording of an overdriven electric guitar. 2. Timing is always an issue. But we shall prevail!

Tomorrow, I will be playing a very low key show with three members of the Silver Lining (Rich, Rob, Sebastian) in MiddleOfNowhere, MA (also known as Hubbardston). We're basically just going out west and playing a like 40 minute set to practice the new songs and refresh some others.

I will update as soon as something else is accomplished!
Dan

Cello Recording, Finished Songs.

Hey there,

I'm just briefly writing to let you know that on Monday, I will be recording some Cello and Vocals courtesy of Sung-Eun Park, a friend from CM who hails from South Korea. I'll most likely be putting some cello here and there on 2 or 3 songs, and he'll be doing some back up vocals. He's a very talented kid.

On another note, I have completed a new song named "Jack and Jill," and will be recording the Piano later today. Soon after that, Rob will add his percussive touches, I'll do a vocal track, and I'll decide if it needs anything else.

I am going to be scheduling a day for my back-up vocal party...aka when those friends and fans who would like to lend their voice to a song or two in chorus with several others. That's right. You, too, can be part of the magic of recording.

Until the next time,
Dan