Stephanie Farrell and the Wild Katz

We have a logo for our new band!  

What do you think?  We are practicing and getting ready to start booking shows.  All of us are really excited about our new adventure.  I hope to have a website with pictures for you to see soon.  I can't wait to introduce you to the band.

We have only 4 more shows with Crystal Image.  It's sad to see it end.  I am grateful to have something new to look forward to.

After the New Year's Eve show, John, Michael and Brian will continue on as Crystal Image and you can see their schedule on their new website: www.crystalimageband.weebly.com

I admit it....

I know that I have gotten way behind in my blog.  To be honest with you, the last month was a hard one and I didn't feel like posting.  Time has a way of fixing things and I'm anxious to go back and fill you in on the gigs over the last few weeks because we had some really great ones.  I'll post them by the date of the gig, so if you do come back, scroll down to see what has been added.

It's funny.  As we come to the end of our time together, our shows just keep getting better and better.  We are having a lot of fun and are meeting terrific people.  And, while it's sad that it's ending, it's also exciting that new things are coming.  Our new band has had two practices and it already sounds great!  I'll introduce you to the guys soon, you will love them!

I feel like I'm 2 different people

When it comes to music, sometimes I am completely confident.  I feel like I know how things need to be and what needs to be done to make them happen.  Then in a flash, I feel completely insecure and ask myself "what the heck am I doing??".  Have you ever felt that way before? 

And, then there is the fact that I am literally in two different bands right now.  Crystal Image, the band that I have been in for the past 2 years and my new band that is my future (we haven't settled on a name yet...any ideas?).  In Crystal Image, I know what is expected of me and I'm comfortable. 

The new band has members that are incredible!  These guys are PROS and it shows.  We had one practice and as I listened back to the recordings, I was amazed at how quickly they were able to make things work.  This is all very exciting.  I realized yesterday that I need to be careful what I say to people.  If I don't sound confident, I wouldn't want my new band to think that I don't have faith in them, it's myself that I have doubts about....as I heard myself talking to someone yesterday and I realized that from this moment forward I have to have complete confidence because these guys deserve that.  It's not fair to them for me to be the least bit wimpy.  So there.   Enough of that!!

And then there is Crystal Image.  I am very glad that we had this amount of time to play together before it was over.  It's been a roller coaster for sure.  Jerry had to leave and a new drummer, Brian (who is very nice and an excellent drummer) took his place.  I had to accept that they had replaced me with another girl and I found that pretty tough.  And after all of that emotion, the replacement girl is now out of the picture.  If she had quit sooner, things may have turned out differently....but God knows best and I think that things are happening the way that they were meant to.  We (Crystal Image) are having some of our best shows EVER.  And we are having fun.  At this moment we have 9 gigs left.  

And while we are playing these 9 gigs, my new band is practicing to be ready to play asap.  So, it can be confusing.   I'm looking forward to keeping the songs that I have enjoyed performing for the past 2 years and adding a whole lot of new ones too!  Steve will be singing more (I think he's really good!) and our new guitarist is an excellent performer/singer/guitarist.  We hope to be ready to play mid January. We have another practice soon and I hope to have pictures and songs to put on a new website soon.  I can't wait to introduce my new band members to everyone!

If you are reading this...I thank you!!  I have made some really good friends over the past 2 years with Crystal Image and I look forward to keeping those friendships and starting new ones too!  

Stephanie

Blessed....

Just a little over a week ago, I had no idea if I would have a way to continue to perform.  I put out the word that I was looking for people to join my band....and magically, 3 great guys showed up.  The are all 3 very talented PROS and super nice people.  We have already had our first practice and we are well on our way!  I can't wait to share more.....and believe me I will!  Thank you for checking in....gotta go play with my granddaughters right now...

Stephanie

The next chapter....

Pause.  Deep breath.  Ok.  Here I go....I'm starting a new band with my hubby.  Is that crazy?  

I've been holding on to some hope for the past weeks that things would work out with my current band, but it's over for sure.  And, I don't want to stop performing.  That means we have to start something new.  

If you know anyone who is looking for a band, please share our information with them:

http://www.whoisstephanie.com  We are hoping to be ready to play in January.  (fingers crossed!)

John and Michael will continue as Crystal Image with new band members.  

I still love them both (and Jerry too!) and we are having a great time at our last few shows.  We are all still friends, really.  

I will keep you updated as we go along.....thanks to anyone who follows this blog....from my heart...I appreciate you!

Corvette Club Party

What a fun party....with a great group of people.  We had such a great time!!  

We were delighted to get to play on a really nice stage with plenty of room.  As we were setting up, this young man met Steve and as they got to talking, it turns out that he was visiting from Texas and really wants to get in to the music business.  He was so sweet.  He was really interested in all of our equipment and later on in the evening, I saw him watching our show from the door way.  I wish I could remember his name!

Before we started our show, they had a special surprise for the group.  A belly dancer performed and she was fabulous!!  Her name is ....wait for it.....Crystal!  How about that? 

She gave a wonderful performance.

And she even persuaded some of the guests to dance with her!

This is Brian who came in to replace Jerry.  He's a really nice guy and a really good drummer.

There was a lot of dancing and tons of fun.  But what would you expect from Corvette owners?  

It was such an honor to play for this group.  They made us feel so appreciated!

As the evening progressed, we turned up the Rock N Roll.

Doin the Locomotion!

They gave us the biggest compliment of all by staying until the last song.  It was one of those thoroughly satisfying nights for us.  

A fun party and a sad goodbye....

We played for the FFA again this year.  It was last year at this same gig that we played with drummer Jerry for the first time.  We all had commitments through the end of the year and he became a permanent member of our band in Jan 2011.  But, it was at this gig that we all knew that he was the perfect fit for us.  So, that made this gig an anniversary of sorts.  

 And as fate would have it, this was Jerry's LAST gig with us too.  His parents need his help and he has moved back east for a time to take care of them.  We had the best time ever!  No sadness...just the joy of playing together for one last time. 

They offered us dinner, mmmm mmm mmm, very good!

We wanted to be all set up before the people started arriving, which meant that we would have to wait a while to play.  

The Weatherbys, very nice people!

Lots of dancing!

Our last band picture with Jerry.  We sure miss him!