BirdBlog

SUMMER SESSION AT BIRD

2012-05-14T16:22:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Bird!
We have officially opened our Next Session Registration and are scheduling lessons now for the Summer Months. Our Summer Session begins June 11 and goes through August 31.

We offer many options during the Summer, including week long Music Video Camps as well as Summer Intensives, Boot Camps, and Recording Sessions. Summer is a great time to work on forming new bands, hashing out those side-projects, going solo or recording your debut EP. Stay in shape this Summer and come back to Bird “Stoked!” for our 2012-2013 Season; gather a few friends and sign up today!

All Summer Scheduling will begin June 11 and lasting through August 31. Contact us today at info@bird-sf.com with your availability and we’ll find a time for you at Bird!

Thanks Sincerely,

Andy

March newsletter

2012-03-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

Our March newsletter is packed with news about summer camps, our next session and new offerings like Mama Yoga-Baby Music. Check it out here »

Photos From the Music of Billy Joel Show

2012-02-14T14:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who participated in our celebration of the music of Billy Joel! Below, photos from the performance.

These photos are available to order here.

Next Up: Reggae and Rocksteady Show on April 1. Hope to see you there!

From boot camps to summer camps

2012-01-18T17:04:00.000-08:00

Our latest newsletter is here, packed with info on our upcoming Reggae & Rocksteady session, our Billy Joel show, summer camps, boot camps and swag. Read all about it: http://www.bird-sf.com/news-2012-0118.html

Summer Camp at Bird

2012-01-13T13:44:00.000-08:00

Summertime may seem like a long ways out, but we are already making plans for our best Bird Summer Camp to date. This year, we will again be making music videos to the tunes we learn and record here in our studio, with one BIG addition: a green screen! This screen, measuring nearly 10 feet x 10 feet, will allow us to go to any location that the campers can imagine. Forget about the Fog City Blues, no beach, street or planet will be off limits as we create our most imaginative and in-depth music videos to date. We are looking forward to where our campers take us and are excited to be whisked away starting in June. Weekly camps begin June 4 and run through August 31. Click here for more information regarding Early Bird & Group Discounts. Tip: book a group before March 15 to receive the lowest price.

Below: highlights from 2011!

Can't wait for the Summer to make a music video? Book Bird for your next party and we'll shoot, edit & present a music video over the course of an event-to-remember! Call us at 415.441.3551 for more details or click here for a sample party rental agreement.

Next Session at Bird

2012-01-06T12:54:00.000-08:00

"One good thing about music, when it hits, you feel no pain."

-Bob Marley, Trenchtown Rock

As a kid, my musical tastes largely followed my father's inclinations, which alternated between the local classic rock station in Memphis and recordings of whichever barbershop quartet or chorus was hot on the SPEBSQSA* circuit at the moment. I have vivid memories of gazing in wonder at the colorful spaceship on the cover of Boston's self titled cassette tape as I pounced around the neighborhood with my high-tech, portable walkman in hand and the sounds of "Rock N Roll Band" & "Smokin" blaring much too loud for my mother's liking. I remember the first time I heard "Stairway to Heaven" at a sleepover in middle school, and whined that it was too slow and too boring, while my friend Ryan protested, "Wait, wait, it gets better!" Funny enough, I don't remember the first time I heard a reggae tune, but I do remember the feeling I had when I heard the first words of Bob Marley's "Trenchtown Rock" - "One good thing about music , when it hits, you feel no pain." I have always interpreted these words as: as long as you are listening to music, no troubles can harm you. Today, as I was writing these lyrics on our sandwich board to advertise for our upcoming session, another meaning struck me: that music has the rare privilege of being able to "hit" without causing any physical harm. Not only this, but music can be a driving force of healing in our lives as we let the sounds affect our environment and mood.

When discussing our next band session, we wanted to offer something that would complement the musical journey that our bands take throughout the school year. We also had the desire to provide challenges to the players outside the realms of the Beatles and Billy Joel (show on January 29!). The Reggae & Rocksteady style offers a spotlight for the bass and an opportunity for the drums, guitars and keyboards to work together to utilize the skank, or off-beat, rhythm that often comes naturally to beginning musicians. The vocalists have the opportunity to use harmonies and incorporate the wailing, soul-filled quality synonymous with reggae music.

Equally important, the ideas of this Jamaican genre revolve around the triumph of love and harmony. Born out of turbulent times, the lyrics in these songs are as relevant today as when they were first sung on the island country in the middle & late sixties. Whether I am listening to The Gaylads funky-pop tune "Joy in the Morning" or Bob Marley's politically charged "One Love," this roots music puts a bounce in my step and a smile on my face that I am excited to share, as we create musical memories that we hope will stick with our students for many years to come.

Thanks Sincerely,

Andy

The Reggae & Rocksteady session starts on January 30 & runs through a show on April 1.

Click here for more information about how you can sign up.

Click here for information about forming a band with a group of friends.

*The Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America, Inc has since changed their title to the acronym-friendly Barbershop Harmony Society

December newsletter

2011-12-19T11:04:00.000-08:00

We may be on winter break now (December 17-Jan 1), but there's a lot coming up in 2012 at Bird! Check out our latest newsletter for the scoop on the next session, summer camps, workshops, new offerings and some last-minute holiday shopping ideas.

Bird Open Studios December 6

2011-11-10T12:25:00.001-08:00

Save the Date for December 6! Bird will open its doors at 7pm for parents, students, friends and guests to share stories and refreshments while viewing photos from the last session. Printed photos of each band will be available for purchase, and special guest Ezra Furman will play a set on the Bird stage downstairs. Be there or be square!!! Check out Ezra's video for "Take off Your Sunglasses" here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0HvpwTS1xc

Billy Joel Session Now Underway!

2011-11-08T15:18:00.000-08:00

With over 150 million albums sold in the course of a career entering into its 5th decade, Billy Joel is one of the world's most beloved entertainers. His accomplishments include inductions in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriter's Hall of Fame, as well as 6 Grammy Awards. We are happy to introduce the Piano Man to our students this session and are looking forward to selecting songs with them this week in preparation for our Winter Show on January 29. For more details or to sign up now, please visit bird-sf.com/session-joel.html.

Thanks Sincerely,

Andy

Bird's Weekend Update: October 22 & 23

2011-10-17T11:39:00.000-07:00

We have a busy Saturday & Sunday coming up!

On Saturday, we are hosting a reggae workshop celebrating the life and music of Bob Marley. This is a great opportunity for those who are interested in playing a new style of music in a group setting. The workshop will run from 1-4pm on Saturday afternoon, you can sign up here

On Sunday, three of our bands will be playing at the SF Kids Music Festival! Come check out Mysturbia, The Mifs & Sputnik strut their stuff on the stage at the Little Marina Green.

MYSTURBIA 1:00-1:30

The Mifs 1:30-2:00

Sputnik 3:30-4:00

Below: Mysturbia takes a break during Tech Week last Spring.

Polk Street Blues Fest Bird Highlights 2011

2011-10-13T15:05:00.000-07:00

Bird bands opened the 2nd Annual Polk St Blues Festival on Saturday, September 24. Check out some highlights featuring The Mifs, Mysturbia, & Empty Seas.

Solo Artist Kif & the Bird's Adult Blues Band, The Sound Checks, were also featured:

Kif of "The Mifs"

The Sound Checks

Fall news

2011-09-23T12:09:00.000-07:00

Our fall newsletter is now in your inboxes and online. Highlights: new band offerings, fall session, workshops and where to catch Bird students performing live, including at the Polk Street Blues Festival tomorrow, Saturday 9/24. Bird bands will be on the Jackson Street Stage from 10-11:30am.

Summer newsletter

2011-06-15T17:30:00.000-07:00

Our latest newsletter is packed with thank-yous and info about our summer camps, including next week's fabulous Glee Week. Check it out: http://www.bird-sf.com/news-2011-0615.html

Bird's Eye View

2010-12-11T12:14:00.000-08:00

Bird was featured on last night's "Eye on the Bay" show on Channel 5. Click here to see host Liam Mayclem's interview with Lane and some clips from student videos. (Bird segment starts at 7:19 on the video.)

November newsletter

2010-11-17T11:40:00.001-08:00

Our latest newsletter hit in-boxes today. In case you're not subscribed, you can read it online here.

Highlights:

Our November 7th concert rocked with 27 bands!
Winter Session II: Michael & the Jacksons is underway. The kids are learning to make their own charts.
Important holiday closure dates
Set List concert will be December 12th
Introducing Yoga-a-gogo - Bird Yoga comes to you
Holiday Recording Special
Preschool music offering: Bird Feeder
Bird Sign tee now available

Calling all uke fans

2010-09-25T16:41:00.000-07:00

The Castro Theatre welcomes the Mighty Uke Roadshow tomorrow, Sunday, September 26 at 3pm, featuring the award-winning Mighty Uke Movie, as well as live performances by Uni and Her Ukelele and Ukulele Dick plus special guests. Filmgoers are encouraged to bring their own ukes along to join in a Guinness record-breaking giant ukulele strum-along.

Want to learn to play or improve your ukulele skills? Our next Uke Clinic starts October 5 at Bird.

Birds on stage

2010-09-03T15:00:00.000-07:00

Bird bands will be playing at two upcoming music festivals here in the city:

Saturday, September 25 check out Mysturbia at the Kidaroo Music Festival at Little Marina Green.

Saturday, September 25 and Sunday, September 26 Bird takes over the Union Street Stage at the Polk Street Blues Festival both days from 10:00-11:30am. Mysturbia will be playing here, too, along with fellow Bird stalwarts Sputnik, The Empty Seas, Phresh, The White Caps, and the Mifs, as well as a couple of solo acts and our adult band.

Should be a great weekend of Bird-driven entertainment. Hope you can catch some of the performances!

2010-08-10T20:57:00.001-07:00

Our latest newsletter hit in-boxes today, with news on the band sessions, classes and clinics happening this fall at Bird.

Highlights:

Fall session will feature the music of The Rolling Stones

Guitar and uke clinics start in September

Discounted evening rehearsals through Night Bird

Session bands can now choose to record a music video

Still a few weeks of summer camps and workshops left

3-for-2 yoga special for new members

Adult band rehearsal Monday evenings

Preschool music class starts September 14

And much other awesomeness and useful info! Read the whole newsletter here.

Performance Op: Polk Street Festival

2010-08-10T20:54:00.000-07:00

The Polk Street Blues Festival runs September 25 and 26, and Bird bands will be playing the stage at Polk & Union from 10-11:30am both days. Your performance will raise money to help kids in need attend Bird this year. We're booking rehearsals now for this great opportunity -- contact us asap if you're interested in performing.

Song Birds

2010-07-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

Check out Bird student Danielle Bowen's cover of "The Day the Words Went Away," recorded here at Bird:

The Day the Words Went Away (Murchison)
Sung by Danielle Bowen

Our awesome teachers

2010-07-15T22:26:00.000-07:00

Two of our instructors got some press this week: David Daniels in the NY Times and Ben Davila in SF Weekly. We already knew they were awesome, but it's always nice to see the rest of the world recognizing it, too.

"Take a Little Thoreau, Mix With Spunky Jazz"
NY Times Music Review
July 13, 2010

The idea behind David Karsten Daniels's latest project, the album "I Mean to Live Here Still" (Fat Cat), is clear and unsurprising, and in fact a little obvious. Mr. Daniels, a singer-songwriter from Texas who lives in San Francisco, wanted to illuminate some verse and prose written by Henry David Thoreau and went about it by collaborating with a rowdy jazz group....The connection comes easily through the ears and through the intellect; it's a pleasant, thoughtful record. More »

"Ben Davila Needs to Write Songs Like a Dog Needs to be Walked"
SF Weekly Local Frequency
July 7, 2010

Since March 2009, Ben Davila has written a song a week. Each Thursday, the 28-year-old invites everyone -- his young music students, the hapless soul miles away with no prior songwriting experience, and the members of his two bands -- to join him in posting a topical composition by the following Tuesday. This week, Davila reined in his passion for math, time travel and all things nerdy, and challenged the World Wide Web via his Song Club blog to write a song about the beach. More »

Where is the Love?

2010-07-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

Our summer campers take on the Black-Eyed Peas' "Where is the Love?":

See the original video here.

Full-on Sabotage

2010-07-07T13:22:00.000-07:00

Here's the hilarious full version of Sabotage:

Compare it to the original here.

Sabotage!

2010-07-01T19:59:00.000-07:00

Here's this week's teaser from the kid-geniuses at our Video of a Video summer camp, featuring the Beastie Boys' "Sabotage":

There's still room for kids entering grades 2-8 to join the fun this summer - details and sign-up link on the summer camps page.

Ninja fingers

2010-06-25T20:18:00.000-07:00

The ancient Japanese finger-weaving techniques in this video are actually a great musician's exercise -- good for preventing and treating carpal tunnel syndrome as they gently stretch your tendons: