Here’s a wonderful deluxe live set from the current incarnation of Renaissance, that lovely ’70s prog band who so successfully merged classical with symphonic rock and medieval themes. Recorded and filmed at The Keswick Theatre in Glenside, Pennsylvania on September 23rd, 2011, the band thrilled the audience with a performance of both their classic albums, Turn of the Cards and Sheherazade and Other Stories in their entirety. Joining the ‘classic line-up’ members Annie Haslam and Michael Dunford are keyboard players Rave Cesar & Jason Hart, bassist David Keyes, and drummer Frank Pagano. If you got a chance to see Renaissance on either the 2011 tour or previously in 2009, you know that this line-up is red hot and does their vintage material justice.

Read complete review at Sea of Tranquility

Gagliarchives Radio 10:00pm to 2:00am EDT

88.9 FM (South Jersey/Philadelphia/Jersey Shore)
95.1 FM (Burlington/Bristol)
100.7 FM (Mt. Holly/Lumberton/Mt.Laurel)
http://z889.org/
http://auralmoon.com/

The program can be heard live on the internet at http://z889.org/ and http://auralmoon.com/ from 10pm to 2amEDT Saturday night. Then the radio program is replayed at 11am EDT to 3pm EDT at http://auralmoon.com/ only.

A big hello and thank you to all for your continuing support. We appreciate the loyalty so many of you have demonstrated during our renewed musical journey. 2011 was a groundbreaking year for us.

We have been busy composing what we believe will be the best Renaissance music ever recorded.

With that in mind, we find ourselves facing the most crucial time in our career: funding the recording of our first studio album in over ten years, called Grandine il Vento.

We must raise all the monies to pay for the production, promotion and distribution ourselves, since major labels no longer care about the music we make nor most of the music you love. Together with you is the only way we can make it happen.

We have put together a program on the fundraising website Kickstarter. There you will find a vast array of pledge opportunities with rewards ranging from advance copies of the album to VIP tickets to concerts, original paintings, executive producer credits, home concerts, plus special items from our private memorabilia collections including two historic guitars and the dress Annie wore on BBC’s Top Of The Pops. Every dollar, pound, euro or yen raised will be put to good use.

Please visit our Kickstarter project and play an integral role in helping us bring Grandine il Vento to life, and to the ears of fans around the world.

Many Thanks,

Annie and Michael

[...] The stunning quad-fold digipack includes a DVD of their live performance of Turn of the Cards and Scheherazade and Other Stories during their 2011 tour. In addition to the DVD, it includes the audio tracks on two CDs. The DVD, two CDs and 12-page photo-filled booklet are also platforms for Annie’s own artwork. The design, layout and physical production of the product is excellent. To prevent compression by the plastic trays, the digipack’s cardboard could have been a little thicker. Video production of the DVD and audio production of the CDs are both outstanding.

Read complete review at Musical Discoveries

There will be a ticket pre-sale available for fans this coming Monday March 5 and general availability will begin on Tuesday March 6.

Pre-sale link: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0200486291D58669 – password is ‘BRE’

Stay tuned for updates about the new studio album, the tour and other goodies!

I am so excited to have been invited by Pamela Ptak, a gifted Couture Dress Designer, to collaborate with her on a gown for a most unusual fashion show called ‘Frock & Roll’ to be held at The Baum School of Art in Allentown, PA, February 9th – March 2nd 2012.

Pamela came to see one of our Fall Renaissance shows and after hearing our song called ‘The Mystic and The Muse’felt inspired to create a gown. When she called me about this, it was the perfect opportunity to discuss the possibility of printing a painting (in this case ‘The Muse’) onto fabric and taking it that one step further.

Since I started painting I have visualised ‘wearing’ my art while singing, now this has become a reality thanks to Pamela and artist/dress designer Ileanna Olympia who so graciously shared her expertise for printing original art onto silk. They have made my dream come true. My painting ‘The Muse’ is now expressed in silk, and with the magical expert hands of Pamela has become a masterpiece.

The opening night is open to the public and the ‘meet and greet’ is also but involves an entrance fee. I would be so happy if you can join me at these two special events.

Opening reception free and open to the public
Monday February 13th 6-8pm

Designer Meet and Greet and Fashion show
Saturday February 25th event begins at 7pm

Please check out the poster for more information about the school and the fabulous designers/artists participating..

Love Annie x

]]> http://renaissancetouring.com/2012/02/annie-haslam-frock-and-roll/feed/ 0 http://renaissancetouring.com/2011/12/annie-haslam-serenades-in-rio/ http://renaissancetouring.com/2011/12/annie-haslam-serenades-in-rio/#comments Wed, 28 Dec 2011 03:18:42 +0000 annie http://renaissancetouring.com/?p=1761 Hope you are all having some great family and fun time, if not, then you are having some well deserved quiet time.

For a couple of years I have wanted to find a way to transfer my old hi-8 films on to DVD. Well I went out and bought myself a piece of software for Xmas that allows me to transfer them, these are from my various trips and escapades over the years.. I am thrilled I can do that, I’m addicted to it!

Lots to share so keep tuned in… (particularly when you see me in a SAMBA competition!!!!) But first!

In 1998 I went to Brazil with my solo band, Rave Tesar, Joe Goldberger, David Biglin and Denny Bridges our trusted sound engineer. The shows went fantastically well, the fans were super friendly and avid fans of Renaissance (we have still never been there (YET) as a band… I have some footage to edit of these guys, we had FUN FUN FUN! I stayed on for a vacation to spend time with my friends Carlos and Luiz. While in Rio my favourite place to eat is at a very popular restaurant ‘FAZENDOLA’ in Leblon (Rio) the owner and friend Mary Lou very kindly threw a party for me.

It felt so good to relax and have fun and a few glasses of wine…I do have footage of me dancing during the evening, but not sure if I will share that LOL’s. I wasn’t expecting to ‘sing’ so luckily I wasn’t legless hahahahaha. The Brazilian band had learned our song ‘Let it Grow’ ahead of time. This song was a huge hit in Brazil in the 70′s, but that was still not enough for us to be able to tour.

I do hope you enjoy my rather relaxed and giggly interpretation of ‘Let it Grow’

Love Annie

Dear Friends and Family:

It is with great excitement and pride that we are formally announcing the release of our Special Limited Edition DVD/CD set which was filmed and recorded on our recent US tour. With the exception of someone sticking a B&W camera at the back of a theater in the 70′s, this is the first time Renaissance has ever been filmed and professionally recorded in concert.

The love and energy bestowed upon us by those of you that were able to attend, reflects in our performance. It is especially exciting for us to have fans all around the world able to see and hear our wonderful new band. We now have five strong vocalists within the band, two keyboard players, an orchestral drummer/percussionist and phenomenal bass player who capture all the lush and richness of our orchestrations.

During the shooting of the backstage interview footage on the DVD we were asked ‘”what’s different about your fans today than when you started?” I answered after giggling… ha ha “they’re older!” Well for the most part we ‘have grown up’ together and truly feel a closeness that we can all share together in our music.

Well, that’s enough blabbing… let the music and show speak for itself.
We thank you for your support and friendship.

Love

Annie and Michael

It will be my favorite time of the year soon and where better to start it off than my annual ‘Holiday’ show at the Sellersville Theatre, Sellersville, PA.

Please come along… we always have fun and lots of magical, festive music!

With me will be my dear friends: Rave Tesar, Dave Keyes, Jason Hart and Frank Pagano and Denny Bridges on sound…

Practice your ‘singing’!

Hope to see you there.

Love and Peace,
Annie