February 2, 2012
Hey Everyone!
I took a lot of time to make things! Hurrah! Here are some of the fruits. Presenting songs from my brand new project with Gavin Youngash: International Tomorrow Society. If you'd like to know more about us, check out our very own website: www.internationaltomorrowsociety.com
And with no further ado:
Proud Animal EP (Advance Tracks) by internationaltomorrow
November 27, 2011
Good job everyone! We made it through the rush of November! What? Your November wasn't a time of nerve-curdling craziness, with new work premiered every five minutes? Friend, I bet you anything it was: you're just way better at keeping your cool.
A happy little re-cap for November, before I run away to Montreal, to write new things, eat smoked meat, and twirl around in the snow.
November 2nd: My last show with The Fugitives, at the Vogue. What a nice way to say goodbye to a band that's been such a big part of my life. I wrote a sappy song for The Fugies. You can listen to it right here:
Nov ember 12: The debut performance by Turtleneck, Vancouver's most ecstatically confounding clown band! This was my very first attempt at doing what "actor-types" refer to as sketch comedy. I wasn't funny at all! But I did kick milk in people's faces, and light my hair on fire. Turtleneck will rise again, I know it. Many thanks to my new Beat buddies, Chris Gilpin, Alla Shishkov and Chris Masson. I feel so lucky to have done this stuff! Hurrah!
November 14: The live premier of Vancouver's newest Glam Folk Band, International Tomorrow Society. Yeah, our debut was at an open mic, and yeah, we totally forgot everything in our second song. But I am of go od faith that this band is going to be nicer than milk and honey. Check out the first song we recorded together, in my living room. Written specially for the Vancouver Municipal Election, it is a compilation of "selfish bylaw" requests sent in by my cyber contacts. More ITS coming your way soon. For now, know that we are: Barbara Adler (vocals, yamaha portasound, accordion) and Gavin Youngash (vocals, hot fire on anything with strings).
November 16-18 was my run of "Simmard's Animal Kingdom", with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. No big deal, this was a ton of fun. And yes, yes, yes, the Orpheum is an amazing stage to step onto. 
I'll leave you with this thought: a life where you can convince your friends to dress up as animals, and also play songs about plankton at the nicest theatre in your town-- this is an absurd and magical life. Check out this photo, from a photoshoot with Nora and Hollis. Featuring the fine animal stylings of many fine friends.
Stay tuned for new everything in the new year. There are some especial treats from Vancouver's premier accordion rock band, Fang coming your way, as well as a long-awaited new thing from The B.C. Memory Game. Please be aflutter for us.
Happy holidays! Make some stew, cuddle with your loves, and put your faces into lots of snow! xo Babs
November 17, 2011
Friends! Excitement afoot. I am proud to introduce Vancouver's newest Glam Folk band: International Tomorrow Society (Barbara Adler & Gavin Youngash). Here is our first song, written in hot anticipation of the Vancouver municipal election. We asked our friends to write in with suggestions for self-serving by-laws they'd like to have passed. For example, I would like to see every ear-damaging bus brake and skytrain track de-screeched. I also think that people should get a property tax break when they grow roses that overhang sidewalks so that I can smell them.
Check out what my excellent informants desire, and welcome, new little band!
http://soundcloud.com/tomorrowsociety/not-unreasonable-1
October 26, 2011
Dear Friends,
Happy cold and crisp! Here is some big news from me. After six fantastic, rowdy, sweet and inspired years with The Fugitives, I'm moving on from the band to focus on my solo work. Yup, I'm super sad to be leaving a band full of people I respect, admire and love like big, sloppy brothers, but I'm also very excited to be devoting time to my own projects.
The last time you can see me with The Fugitives will be:
November 2nd @ The Vogue
The Fugitives*C.R. Avery*Wil
Tix $20
8pm -11pm
Full info here:
Guys. If you're in Vancouver, or close by, come celebrate with me. Six mega years of touring and making things. It's a big deal. I'll probably cry and shit. Please come. Write-ups about all the bands are at the bottom of this mail.
Okay, so what projects? Huh? What am I leaving this band for?
Oh friends, I am busy.
I'm getting my music fix with Fang, my loud and sweetly obnoxious accordion rock band. Stay tuned for two fat new tracks, and a new video. The making of this video may give me face exhaustionface cancer. Be excited. Also be our friends on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fangclub
The B.C. Memory Game is still chugging along slowly. Stories for new towns are in the works at www.thebcmemorygame.ca
Remember the hilariously over-ambitious DIY project I did in the summer called "Beast Pieces"? Well, you can still hear tracks from that up at www.badler.ca/beast_pieces. That project landed me a very cool gig: writing and performing a script for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra's elementary school concert this Fall, called "Simmard's Animal Kingdom". Yup, I get to perform at the Orpheum, with the orchestra sitting next to me, like a huge, well-dressed gang.
I am also working on adapting Beast Pieces into a 20 minute musical power-point presentation examining the question: "Why are Animals Funny?" This will be performed by Fang at the Gabriola Poetry Festival in February. Stay tuned, my friends.
Finally, I'm helping spread the good word about early psychosis intervention as the accordion-playing emcee and school liaison for ReachOut Psychosis. This is an awesome program of the BC Schizophrenia Society, which delivers a fun and music-filled presentation about mental illness to youth all over B.C. Accordions helping people with mental illness? Yes-- it's true.
So, my friends. There are many ways we will keep seeing each other. First up though, I would love to see you all at The Vogue.
With cold nose and warm hearting,
Barbara
September 22nd, 2011
Hello Good People!
Three pieces of exciting news!
1. Fang's Beast Pieces project gloriously transformed itself into an amazing opportunity to work with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Yes! I will be writing a poetic script (with key accordion moments) to run through the VSO's Elementary School Concert, "Simmard's Animal Kingdom." If you are an elementary school teacher, get thee to their bookings page, and bring your school to see the concerts in November. I will be performing pieces about animals at the Orpheum! Next to an ORCHESTRA! Yes! My life!
2. The Fugitives are confirmed for a crazy large show at The Vogue. November 2nd. We will be playing with C.R. Avery and Wil. Info at www.fugitives.ca. Follow us at www.facebook.com/thefugitives for lots and lots of updates.
3. It's a big week in the life of Fang. We have two great shows coming up. We'll be helping Geoff Berner and Maria in the Shower headline the Accordion Noir Festival September 23rd at the Waldorf. Here's a great article about the event, and accordion revival in general. On September 24th, I will be hosting The VERY FIRST UNDERDOG INSTRUMENT GRUDGE MATCH for Accordion Noir. Team Uke vs. Team Accordion. Inspired by the big 'do at the Brandon Folk Festival, this past summer. Watch Out!
Finally, we have our very first video...awww! We teamed up with The Green Couch Sessions to make a life performance video for our song "Hipsters Playing Sports". The video features...hipsters...playing sports! We braved some angry neighbours, and also made some friends on the block to shoot this thing. Please watch it and share it lots! Fang yearns to be in your eyes.
You can watch that sweet vid here.
Lots of love and sweet yearning, Barbara!
August 12, 2011
Hello friend! I am wearing both sides of the candle thin these days to keep up with my latest over-ambitious DIY project: Beast Pieces. Once a day, five days a week, I write and post a new track about animals. Last night was the Jindo, and after a morning of teaching kids, and an afternoon and evening of postering for Fang's show @ Nyala August 20th (see how I did that?), I was in no mood to start writing about Jindos at 8:30pm. Anyhow, I'm really doing it, and I'm really proud of a few of these. My top favorites right now are: Honey Badgers, River Otters, Meal Moths and Mean Swans. Check back here once a day to keep in touch with this project. I think I am getting better at writing these things at exactly the same speed as I crack from the strain.
Yours, in sleep deprivation.
Happy Homecoming to Me! // News for July 28th, 2011
I know you're not supposed to sing celebratory songs to yourself, but I am happy to say that I don't care if it's in bad taste. Hurrah! The more or less constant trek that started in February is more or less done for a bit! Home! I loll around in you! Many thanks to all the festivals and fans The Fugitives visited this month. I cannot believe how many famous and talented people I was forced to spontaneously "rap" in front of. Yeah, yeah, but it was a blast. I met my new favourite Canadian band at the Brandon Folk Festival. Check out The Burning Hell. Their intelligent eccentricity, warm hearts and good artistry will make you feel nice about existing.
As you can probably see, I've taken my newly found freedom from sitting in the tour car for hours to park myself in a computer chair for hours and update my website. If you browse through this puppy, you'll probably notice a lot of cosmetic changes, but most importantly, Fang has its very own, dedicated page here. Read about Fang's checkered past, learn about our new EP, Diskopatska, and, yes, even buy the sucker, using the magic of Paypal.
Speaking of Fang, please read on for a very fun request. I need you to help me make some art. What do you need to do? Drink your favourite booze, expresso drinks, teas and ice-cold beverages, and take pictures. Really! It's in the name of Art! Intrigued? Visit Fang's Bathroom Graffiti Collection Project to learn more.
If you are in the Vancouver area, check out my upcoming dates. Fang will be performing at SeaFest in White Rock on August 1st. SeaFest: White Rock's Premier Festival of the Sea. Yow! We also have a couple of other shows planned for August, including another raucous and sweet popcorn and beer swilling house party, to send Fang's bassist back to school for the year. If you want to be invited to these very special things, be my friend on facebook, and join The Official Fang Club. It is much less work than being my real-life friend. You will only be asked to sing to me on occasion.
Slurpees and flowers!
Barbara
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July 15, 2011
Happy sunshine mixed with scattered clouds!
I’m in Vancouver, taking a brief break from traveling all over the place, and gearing up for the final hop of summer festivals with The Fugitives. Where have I been? Well, I’m not sure I totally remember at this point, but I think the abbreviated list goes something like this: Grand Forks, Cranbrook, Chetwynd, the Kootenays, Surrey, Cranbrook, Montreal, Toronto, Peterborough, Vermont, Northern Vancouver Island, Ontario, Quebec, the Maritimes, Wells, Smithers, Heider, Toad River, Watson Lake, Prince George… Yup. Cranbrook is on there twice. Lots of Cranbrook!
My head’s been on a lot of couches, and my elbows on a lot of kitchen tables over the past few months. My biggest, cuddliest thank you to all the people on the road who have taken me in and sent me on. I feel like I’ve probably left socks at your places. I’m very low on socks.
The summer is also looking busy, with a bunch of festivals. The Fugitives will be playing at: Midsummer Folk Festival (Smithers), Vancouver Folk Festival, Brandon Folk Festival, Hillside Folk Festival, and the Powell River Festival. I’m very proud and excited about all of this, but a couple of cherries on the sundae are: hosting the accordion stage at Brandon (my very first official accordion stage hosting!), and co-hosting main-stage at Vancouver Folk Fest on Sunday night, with Brendan McLeod. I am faithfully reading up on accordion jokes, and brushing up on my mime and puppet act.
Fang has also been booked for its very first summer festival, no big deal. We will be playing SeaFest in Whiterock on August 1st. We’re opening up for the Susie reunion show. If you are from Whiterock, you know that we will basically be given the keys to the city for this.
In educational news, I will be teaching at an awesome book and writers camp for kids this summer: The Vancouver Public Library’s Writing and Book Camp. From August 8-12th,I’ll be hanging out with 11-13 year olds, and teaching them how to put their poetry to music. Holy cow! This is my chance to force 11-13 year olds to learn the accordion! This will be waaaaay better than the summer camps I went to as a kid. Getting struck out in California Kickball stays with you for a long time. I’m just saying.
Stay tuned for more news. I have firm plans to spend less of next year traveling, and more of it writing and creating. Hurrah! Get ready for new stories from The B.C. Memory Game, new shows and music from Fang, and any other shiny thing that comes into my head. If you live in Vancouver, get ready to see more of me. Hurrah!
Happy suntan lotion, and hope to see you at a show or diner soon!
Barbara