In an effort to assist the Gulf Region in the wake of this disastrous Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico, we will be holding a benefit concert in Thrasher Park in Downtown Norcross on the evening of July 1, 2010, from 6:30PM until 9:30 PM. The monies raised from concert attendees will be contributed directly the Gulf Restoration Network. This effort is part of a larger plan to hold concerts at venues all around the country that evening to benefit the Gulf Restoration Network.

We are asking for a minimum, voluntary donation of $5 per person to attend the concert.

The concert will feature music by two very talented local bands: shadowood and Clap for Daylight. For samples of each band’s musical style, please visit their websites included below:

shadowood’s website
Clap for Daylight’s website

We are encouraging attendees to make an evening out of attending this event. Bring the kids, eat dinner at a local restaurant in the Downtown Norcross area and then attend the concert in the park. There is a wonderful playground for the kids to enjoy near the stage.

Be sure to pack a picnic blanket to spread on the park’s luxurious lawn to relax while you enjoy the evening listening to live music in one of Norcross’s beautiful, new parks.

We will also have a bake sale booth at the concert if you would like to buy some yummy, home-baked treats to enjoy while you listen to the live music on a beautiful, summer evening.

For the latest event news on the Norcross, GA concert – please visit:  http://www.gulfoilspillconcerts.com/

For details on the events being planned all around the country, you may obtain details here:  http://www.gulfcoastbenefit.com/

We’d like to thank the City of Norcross for the use of Thrasher park for this event.

NOTE: Pets are not allowed in the park, so please leave your furry friends at home for this event

Thank you for your consideration-
Desiree Doucet & Trey Eiland
Event organizers

Letters Home – A tribute to our soldiers by shadowood

Take a few minutes this weekend to remember those who fought for you and never got the chance to return home.

While you’re at it, thank those who WERE fortunate to return home. Personally, Trey E’s dad and grandfather and Trey T’s step-dad and grandfather all served our country to allow us to have the freedoms we have today, so from the bottom of our hearts… and we could never say this enough…

thank you.

Tuesday night we played Smith’s Olde Bar for the 500 songs for kids charity event. This was an event that spanned 10 nights – 50 songs each night. We were song 242 chosen by the founder of the charity Josh.  (pictured below with 2Treys)

We played the song “More than This” by Roxy Music. It was also covered by 10,000 Maniacs. We put a shadowood spin on it and re-arranged some of the vocals. It turned out GREAT. Two people at the bar (yes, that’s a lot in my book and I could have lied about the number) came up to us and said they loved the song and really liked our arrangement.

Unfortuntely we weren’t smart enough to record it there, but we recorded it last night in the smurfhole. You can see it (and Triplewide) at our youtube link – http://www.youtube.com/shadowoodmusic. Howard, that Kapo placement is dedicated to you. Yep, it’s on 8.

More Than This

This is the song we played for the 500 Songs for Kids Foundation this past Tuesday.  More Than This was song #247 of the top 500 songs of all time.  It was originally performed by Roxy Music, but we did it like Natalie Merchant and the 10,000 Maniacs version.  Hope you enjoy.

…obviously we’re kidding.  These guys are better than us now, so if this was really us, you’d think we would have improved, right?

RB.

Acoustic Rockers UNITE!!!

Another original shadowood founder, Howard Chalmers, came by the Smurfhole this week, so we decided record a few songs for you guys.

Here’s a sample, below, of our original song “Fork“.  There are more videos from Howard’s visit if you click through to the rest of the post or go to our YouTube channel HERE.

Fork (shadowood)

(more…)

Fork is a song that debuted on our second cd “the treehouse incident“.  I, Trey E, still remember waking up one night about 3am after dreaming about literally standing at a fork in the road.

You see, at the time, my girlfriend at the time (now my wife) were “on a break“.  And we both had to make the decision of whether or not we wanted to get back together or just take different paths.  Obviously, we got back together and I’m so glad we did.  My life wouldn’t be complete without her.

But, what I DID do when I woke up was immediately reached for a pen and paper and wrote down the dream details that would later become the song Fork.

The next day I called Trey T and told him about my dream and talked about how vivid it was.  Like he’s awesome at doing, he almost immediately came up with the music,  chorus and this verse of the song.

The road is hard, the road is dirty now
The road is dark and alone
I see you through the distance now
the way you walk, so unsure

You knew it was Trey T’s, since it had confusion and roads mentioned all in one.  That’s not easy, people.

Anyway… It started so easy that we knew that we could potentially have a good song brewing.

A few weeks went by and we happened to land a gig out in Dallas opening for Bad Company (I’m pretty sure it was only like two original members, but still).  During the trip, I was really missing Jen and thought a lot about the decisions we were going to have to make in the near future.  So, on the plane ride back sitting next to Howard (original shadowood member), inspired by my situation with Jen and Tunnell’s great chorus, I wrote the rest of the lyrics to the song.  …the rest is history.

This song has a special place in my heart and always will.  It’s the first song I ever wrote for a girl, so it’s pretty cool that girl is now my wife.

You can hear a clip of (and buy) Fork at iTunes and CDBaby.

You can hear the full song and vote for it at Zoxsy by clicking HERE.

Hope you guys enjoy it as much as it means to me.

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Fork

Trey Eiland and Trey Tunnell

This is a letter from one of Trey T’s friends after she listened to “Letters Home“.  If this doesn’t make you love and appreciate the sacrifices that the troops make for our country, then you truly don’t have a pulse.  Thanks so much to Sandy for allowing us to share her letter with the rest of you.

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Hey Trey!

I learned about your band when you sent out the request to vote on Zoxsy. I wanted you to know I love your music and am absolutely touched with ‘Letters Home’. Though my husband has deployed twice now (Afghanistan and Iraq), we’re nearing our first deployment as parents. We’ll be relocating again this summer and then my husband will be shipping out a couple weeks later for a year in Afghanistan. We’re both pretty nervous about it – the increasing danger in Afghanistan and, mostly, my husband’s separation from our 18 month old twins. It will be a different kind of tough for both of us.

While listening to your song, I thought about when my husband was in Iraq. Shortly after their arrival, an IED killed 3 of his soldiers. One of whom had a 6 month old son back at home. His son is now 7 years old and only knows his dad through the eyes of his mom, relatives and friends, like us. I appreciate you trying to feel their pain and respecting their sacrifice.

To expand on this story, the mother of this son has since transformed from a stay-at-home mom (and certified teacher) to become a commissioned officer in the Army as a physical therapist for wounded soldiers. Pretty incredible.

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