Hal Meyers, Larry LeBlanc and Richard Silver - have a blast at the BIG EASY LOUNGE in Bangor

Had a terrific time playing the Big Easy Lounge at the Charles Inn … in Bangor with my two good friends and NEVAH compadres - Larry LeBlanc and Richard Silver.

Here are some photos that Kim Pitula and Lucie* - took from the Charles Inn "gig" this past Friday May 30th. Really appreciate Phil, Kim and Valerie coming out to the Charles Inn to "support". 

From L to R: Richard on Gibson Mandolin, Hal on Martin Guitar, Larry on Dobro
Big Easy Lounge at the Charles Inn, Bangor Maine - Friday May 30th
- Live Acoustic Music in Maine - 

Left to Right: Richard on Mandolin, Hal playing his Stelling Sunflower with
Jet Black Kavanjo Banjo head, Larry on his Martin Guitar
Big Easy Lounge at the Charles Inn, Bangor Maine - Friday May 30th
- Live Acoustic Music in Maine - 

Richard Silver, Hal Meyers, Larry LeBlanc
during set one at the …
Big Easy Lounge at the Charles Inn, Bangor Maine - Friday May 30th
- Live Maine Music - 

And a thank you to Sonja Hannington - too - for stopping by after your gig. Sonja is a superb Sax and Flute player, constantly in demand for gigs all over the place.

Richard Silver on Mandolin, Hal Meyers on Guitar, Larry LeBlanc on Dobro
- Live Acoustic Music in Maine -
Big Easy Lounge at the Charles Inn, Bangor Maine - Friday May 30th 

Richard Silver on a 1930's Gibson Mandolin
Hal Meyers on Stelling Sunflower Banjo with Jet Black Kavanjo Head
Larry LeBlanc on his Martin D-35 Guitar
- Live Maine Music -
Big Easy Lounge at the Charles Inn, Bangor Maine - Friday May 30th

And funny as it may seem … Dick (DDD - Dick Da Drummer - from NEVAH) had just told me about another band he plays with … the * Lucie HotBand. I "friended" Lucie that very morning, and sure enough, guess who shows up as we are finishing our sound check … and stays for the entire evening …

… I'm not going to tell you , you have to guess.

… guessing yet?

I also had a chance to do a little close-up magic for a few folks. I always like watching people flip out when their signed card ends up inside my wallet … the inner wallet inside the outer wallet that is … oh yeah.

Again thank you to everyone who came by, sang along, laughed a bit, drank a lot, laughed some more and applauded throughout the evening …!

More performances at the Big Easy in the coming months … and stay tuned as NEVAH has several gigs in a couple of weeks.

Make it live …

Hal
the NEVAH banjo Guy

The BIG EASY LOUNGE in Bangor Maine presents Live Acoustic Music with Hal Meyers, Larry LeBlanc and Richard Silver - Tonight Friday May 30

Hey … fans and friends of NEVAH …

TONIGHT, it's tonight …

I know it's last minute, but and however … tonight - FRIDAY - May 30th starting at 9pm …

Hal Meyers - the NEVAH banjo guy, along with Larry LeBlanc and Richard Silver will be performing at the BIG EASY LOUNGE in the CHARLES INN … located in downtown Bangor. from 9pm to midnight

Hal Meyers (tNbg*), along with NEVAH's very own Larry LeBlanc and Richard Silver … on guitar/dobro and mandolin/guitar, will be performing at the BIG EASY LOUNGE located within the CHARLES INN in Bangor …

Live Acoustic Music in Maine at the Big Easy Lounge in Bangor with
Hal Meyers - the NEVAH banjo guy
Larry LeBlanc on Guitar and Dobro … and …
Richard Silver on Mandolin and Guitar

I hope you can come and catch us, listen to some familiar tunes, sing along, laugh a bit, get a tasty beverage from the Big Easy's huge selection of BREWS … and maybe, just maybe get to see some close-up sleight of hand magic performed right in front of you during one of our breaks.

Therefore … see you this evening. We'll be playing until midnight!

Hal

*the NEVAH banjo guy

NEVAH at 4Points BBQ LAWNCHAIR CONCERT SERIES - NEW POSTER

Hey … Hal the NEVAH banjo guy here …

I just went to the 4Points BBQ Facebook page and saw this wonderful image … it's the NEW Poster for the 2014 4Points BBQ & Blues House – LawnChair Concert Series - in Winterport - Maine … 

See if you can spot the NEVAH name!

We're right in the mix with some truly amazing talent. Oh, yeah - it's going to be one heck-of-uh great concert line-up this summer that you won't want to miss - seriously.

The 2014 4Points BBQ LAWNCHAIR Concert Series POSTER
Can you spot NEVAH?

Contact the 4Points BBQ and Blues House in Winterport, ME - to get further information. 207-223-9929 and to purchase NEVAH tickets … which we understand through the 4Points BBQ grape vine (or was that beer line -?) are going pretty fast.

See you there …

Hal

tNbg

NEVAH - JUNE 14th Concert Tickets Arriving at 4Points BBQ -

Oh yeah - It's official (just got word from John Ramirez - the man himself) 

Tickets for NEVAH's performance on June 14th at the 4Points BBQ Lawn Chair Concert Series are arriving in about 2 days (May 15th) and can be purchased when they get hee-ah. 

NEVAH in Concert at 4Point BBQ & Blues House June 14th

Contact the 4Points BBQ and Blues House in Winterport, ME - to get further information. 207-223-9929

4Points BBQ Concert Series Line-Up … NEVAH is in VERY GOOD COMPANY

FYI: We've got some very cool stuff planned for this show. 

Hope to see you all there!

Hal

the NEVAH Banjo Guy

The NEVAH BANJO GUY on KAVANJO.COM Home Page

Hey friends and fans of NEVAH …

A lot of you have seen us perform live and I know you’ve seen my Stelling Sunflower Banjo with the shiny Jet Black Banjo head. Not your standard/typical banjo look, but kinda fits my on-stage persona. I’m trying for the older bald guy who wears a lot of black, cowboy boots and requires reading glasses to see the frets … a persona I think I’ve achieved.

NEVAH at Macy's
Note (on left) my "Older Bald Guy wearing Black Look" with my Stelling Banjo sporting the Kavnajo
"Black Diplomat" ® banjo head system

… well …

I just found out that my picture (along with another band member - can you guess who) has been included in the KAVANJO.com home page, along with some amazing “notable musicians”.

Kavanjo.com site with Hal and another NEVAH band member - we're amongst GREAT company

Turns out I asked for and received the first Jet Black Kavanjo Banho head, now called a “Black Diplomat” ®. This banjo head with a hand wound patented hum bucking pickup system allows me to quickly and easily “plug in” and amplify my banjo whilst playing music, especially with NEVAH … and it works seamlessly with my Line6=G30 wireless rig too.

I posted several images of the banjo and of me using it, and even wrote a few articles/blogs for my halmeyers.com site.

Would anyone like to take a closer look at my new Kavanjo Banjo Head?

Yesterday I contacted John Kavanaugh - the inventor and manufacturer of the Kavanjo Banjo Head system to tell him I was going to show it around at the upcoming Kruger Brother academy in North Carolina. John then informed me that my picture was on his site … oh yeah.

Definitely check out kavanjo.com when you get a chance …

It's a NEVAH Ending Weekend of LIVE MUSIC in Maine

Fine … let it snow, let it snow, let it snow … but the day after the snow stops … actually the two days following the end of the snow storm - there will be a NEVAH-ish ending weekend of LIVE Prograssabilly MUSIC in Maine. 

Starting FRIDAY …

FRIDAY the 14th:
Hal, the NEVAH banjo guy, will be appearing at the 4Points BBQ on Friday the 14th from 5 to 8pm … come by and order some amazing BBQ and drink … and have a fun filled evening of music (tunes we all know), along with lots of laughter and a little magic thrown in.

Hal the NEVAH banjo guy at the 4Points BBQ on Friday March 14th

… THEN …

SATURDAY the 15th: 
NEVAH will be appearing at the Bangor Grange on Saturday the 15th. This is going to be a wonderful evening of NEVAH-ish tunes with a little twist here and there. We have a few surprises up our sleeves. So come on out on Saturday … get to the Bangor Grange early and purchase a dinner and NEVAH combo pack … a scrumptious pre-St Patricks Meal (from 5:30 until the food runs out - which is pretty quick if I recall) … then catch the show at 7:00 pm. 

You don't want to miss this one.

NEVAH at the Bangor Grange Saturday March 15th

Thank you … and hopefully we will see you at both the 4Points BBQ and the Banagor Grange …

Hal
the NEVAH banjo guy

p.s. oh, oh, oh … and we (NEVAH) will have CD's for sale at the Bangor Grange Concert on Saturday - the 15th.

"So Sayeth the Prophet"

        
               I don't have time to tell you the things I don't know, but here's one.
WHY ARE WE SO NARROW WHEN THE WORLD OF MUSIC IS SO BROAD? or, (every generation gets stuck in the music they claimed as their own).
               Here's my guess; because it is comfortable and safe.  We are descendants of those who did what was safe and survived.  With few exceptions, the risk takers ended up in the wrong link of the food chain or paying for their imagination and courage with their lives.
               Our predictable behavior comes from the immense power of inertia and that we are hard wired to"go with the flow."  Besides, isn't being comfortable what all music is about anyway?  Maybe, for some of us there is more.
               Historically, the exception seems to be the 15-25 year age group of each generation, healthily hard wired to reject the safe in order to try something new to claim as their own.
                                "It may be just music, but it's our music"
                                "No thanks, that sounds like my parents music", or
                                "Back in my day songs mean't something goddammit, not just
                                 noisy racket"
                The result is marketing strategies aimed at our soft spot.  Advertising and Public Television pledge drives geared to:  
                                        The Big Band Era - Teens in the 30's-40's, now the oldest age group alive, lived through WWII, the Big One, The Greatest Generation. 
                                        On the Corner- the age of Doo-Wap, teens in the 50's early 60's, too young for WWII, too old for Woodstock, the Real Rock n' Roll.
                                        The 60's Folk Scene - rejected the slick silliness of Pat Boone & Bobby Vee, back to the land songs of the real people.  Unfortunately we got the Kingston Trio instead of Leadbelly.
                                        Soul, R&B - late 50's, 60's black commercial identity, instead of copying white hits, the whites copied them = Elvis.
                                        Classic Country - 50's, 60's white music from Nashville or Memphis, Honkey Tonk, Hank Williams, the Louvins, Patsy & Lefty.
                                        Swingin 60's - Woodstock Generation, Freedom Rock, you've heard it to death.
                We hate to admit it, but this 15-25 business applies to us just as much as it did our grandparents.  So we like what we liked when we were young.  Who cares about before and after.
                "I like what I like and besides it's only music anyway."

                                    Fast Eddie, Prograssabilly Prophet
                                     (Next month - Add a little history)

                 

                            

NEVAH Appearing at THE Bangor Grange Sat March 15th

Oh yeah … we've had a lot of folks asking us when our NEXT NEVAH Concert is going to be held. It seems they can't wait until the June appearance at the 
4Points BBQ Lawn Chair Concert Series

  

… well … Guess what? 

Saturday March 15th NEVAH is opening the 

Historic Bangor Grange Concert series

and it coincides with a fantastic

(we're talking' really good food) 

St. Patricks Day Supper as well.

The supper is $7.00

The show is $8.00

or you can have both for 

… ready for this … 

an unbelievable $13.00

NEVAH Poster for the upcoming Bangor Grange Concert

Hope to see you all there …

Hal

the NEVAH banjo guy

NEVAH PLAYING THE 4POINTS BBQ LAWNCHAIR CONCERT SERIES

Just a quick heads up … NEVAH has been booked – in JUNE – for the 4Points BBQ and Blue House 2014 Lawnchair Concert Series …

… and we're in really good company … check out the current line-up.

Hope to see you there …

Hal
the NEVAH banjo guy

One Last Look

 Think a "NEVAH" Spring Fling?
 Stay Tuned for more info!

A Few More Memories

We thought we would share some more from the show!

So you had that side effect too?

The Elders

Really, Humpty did jump!

Scotty, if only we could do this on a sailboat.

Honey, who are these guys?

Josh make sure you get a lot of pictures of me.

Hal, what are you doing here?

I thought Dr. Hicklicks was playing.

Thanks Esteban!

Does anyone need a lawyer?

Maybe we will offer frequent attendance points!

      

FEVAH RELIEVED!

        NEVAH would like to thank everyone who came to our show on the 18th.  You truly made our efforts worthwhile as you had fun, listened, drank a little (okay maybe a lot), participated, and hopefully at the end of it all had "your fevah relieved"
        A special thanks to Mike Dow for introducing us in such an elegant and complimentary fashion.  I for one couldn't wait to hear the talented group he was talking about and then I realized, "it was us," then, "I got nervous."  Fortunately from the reaction of all that were present I think we came close to living up to Mike's kind words.
        As promised we continued to stretch our wings a little as evidenced by the second set where we featured different groupings of members with some solo presentations.  It warmed our hearts to hear the spontaneous reactions elicited by each vignette.  From the clapping that started with Richard and Larry's mandolin offering to the audible crowd gasp when "Mr. Humpty jumped instead of fell" as told in Hal's beautiful rendition of "Cinderella's Story" to the huge, swelling, cheer that built up as we broke into "Helplessly Hoping" only to be topped by the "pin drop" silence everyone experienced during Ed's solo Big Band crooning, Jack's emotionally stirring dobro instrumental, and Dick's stepping out from behind the drums to play guitar and present a heartfelt version of "Can't You See" we were elated.
        The Next Generation Theatre has become a second home for us and we want to thank Tracey for providing such a great venue for all the musicians in the area to be able to do what they love "Play Music"
        Until next time I will leave you with a few pictures
from Cabin Fevah Relievah Pas Tois, enjoy!
                   " Phil the bass player"

      

Josh look into my eyes "You will make us sound good"

Maine's - Bangor Daily News - NEVAH at Next Generation Theatre

NEVAH Gets a Nice Mention From 

Emily Burnham

in the Bangor Daily News

Maine Band NEVAH Presents the Cabin Fevah Relievah 3 - This Saturday January 18th

Hey … only a few more days until NEVAH's Cabin Fevah Relievah 3 at the Next Generation Theatre in Brewer, ME

Tickets are going like "hot cakes" smothered in Maine made Maple syrup and home churned butter oozing over the "HOT" golden brown surface.

… fine, I have no idea what that means … but call 207-989-7100 to reserve a seat (seating is limited). 

Show starts at 7:00 pm … 

Hope to see you ALL there …

Hal
tNbg

NEVAH's Cabin Fevah Relievah 3 - Poster

NEVAH ANNOUNCES - CABIN FEVAH RELIEVAH 3 - JANUARY 18TH

To all our NEVAH friends around the globe …

Yes, we can finally release most of the "Cabin Fevah Relievah 3" details.

Saturday - January 18th - 7:00 pm

at the 

NEXT GENERATION THEATRE

in Brewer, Maine 

We have been planning and rehearsing a truly unique NEVAH show … just for you … and hope you will all be able to attend.

See you soon …

Phil, Richard, Ed, Larry, Dick, Jack, Eric and Hal

A New Year

     It's hard to believe another year has passed and "NEVAH" has much to be thankful for.  Our families who offer constant support, our friends, old and new, that we have made over the previous years, and the enduring bond shared by the members of our little group and their dedication to make room in their busy lives to get together to "make music."
     This past year we were finally able to record and release our first "CD, Tales From NEVAHLAND an atypical album Part 1."  For many in the band it was their first time in a studio and it was a true learning experience and in the end a very rewarding one.  As our friends, "The Kruger Brothers" stated "you either come out of the first recording experience as a stronger group, or end up breaking up."  Thankfully we took the former road and continue to work on new original tunes, a few of which we hope to perform at "Cabin Fevah Relivah Pas Trois" at the Next Generation Theatre on Saturday, January 18, 2014.
     So to all out there who took the "Road less Travelled" while "Driftin with the Tide" as they rode the "Last Bus to Bangor" wondering whether "I Lean Left, you Lean Right" on that "Hometown Open Road" and experiencing a "Rare but Serious Side Effect" the NEVAHBAND wishes you the "Happiest and Healthiest of New Year's."  Phil the bassman.