Brannan on Tour

IT’S TIME TO PAR-TAY!

IT‘S TIME TO PARTAY!

 

31 Days of Brannan – Day 30  

(The EVE of Jay’s San Francisco Concert @ Bottom of the Hill!!!)

 

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TODAY’S PLAYLIST:  Jay’s VERY BEST MOVES!

 

So I was going to find something deep and moving from Jay’s catalog. That was the plan. That’s what I had envisioned when I started this back on July 1st. I would credit Jay with his deeply evocative lyrics, his lovely, dark prose, his haunting melodies and incredibly layered musical compositions.

That’s what I thought I’d do…

BUT I CAN’T! I am fucking over the damned moon that at the time I am writing this tomorrow, I’ll be watching Jay himself spin the magic that his fans have come to expect, that frequently comment on his youtube channel about how much they love what he does. Fans just as dedicated and just as fervent as I am. Hell, even my granddaughter competes with me on that score. Some days I think she wins. Some days… certainly not every day.

Jay’s a fixture in this house. In my car, on my iPod – he keeps company with other out gay artists and classical geniuses that are part of my repertoire. Brannan is next to Borodin and Bach. Housewife is right along side É Lucevan Le Stelle by Jose Cura.  In my world he has the same place as Amadeus, as that other gay artist that his held in very high regard in my mind – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. To my way of thinking, when you consider the times of these two geniuses (yes, I consider Jay’s prose to be deep and emotive enough that I give it that status – he speaks to the same fears and the same hopes and dashed dreams that I went through many years before he was even born – somehow his existence in many respects mirrored my own – so yeah, he gets a FUCKING genius status in my book – period.)

So Jay and Pyotr are equivalent – very different in their approach and scope of their work, but given Pyotr’s love of pretty boys – Jay would certainly have garnered his interest if he was around these days. So yeah, I think even Tchaikovsky might’ve been a Daddy admirer of Jay were he in the here and now.

But that’s beside the point right now. For me, I want to celebrate the musical joy and brilliance that is Brannan’s work. So for that, no deep evocative and emotive piece. No, instead, I’m just letting Jay dance his hot gayboy body all over the damned place.

Seriously, some boy better grab that soon – were I only 25 years younger… and unattached and not have a family of my own and… yeah. Okay. That was a lost cause even before I began that sentence. But that doesn’t mean someone else can’t snag that – I mean c’mon boys – what’s not to love there?

Anyway, enjoy Jay doing what he ALSO does best – shake his money makin’ body all over the damned place.

I can’t wait for tomorrow night. It simply can’t come soon enough – though when it does, I am sure it will all seem like a dream, one that I won’t want to end. It’s about as fan girl as I can get at my age. I’m good with that. Jay’s work is certainly worthy of this kind of adoration and fandom. Your work touches my past, even though we’ve never met, it gives me a journey of my own. My foray into writing my own works, of creating my own worlds – and for that I am grateful for that creative nudge.

Enjoy!

 

 


 

The Always, Then & Now Tour…

Please check out his site with links for his upcoming shows. I am definitely a late comer to the Brannan bandwagon whenever he pulls through my city. But now that I am going this year, I am making it a goal never to miss when he swings through town. I hope you take advantage of the opportunity as well. Also be sure to check out his web store at the following link.

Jay's Website - jaybrannan.com
Jay’s Website – jaybrannan.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

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80 Days of Jay

31 Days of Brannan – Day 26

 

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Today’s Playlist – Twee Vaders  –  in Dutch, no less…

 

I like that Jay takes the time to find a way to connect with his international audiences. He may flub things up a little but they are so much more appreciative when he makes these efforts. This is a true artist that will work on his craft to engage his audience. Having sung in many languages myself I am really impressed with how fearless he treads these linguistic waters. Part of his brilliance as a self-promoter and marketer, I suppose. Give them what they want, and a little of something they didn’t see coming.

Lovely stuff there Mr. B.

Enjoy this one. It made me smile – and that’s saying something considering I was doing battle with the cable company this morning so I could get my internet back! Thanks for restoring my smile Jay!

 


 

The Always, Then & Now Tour…

Please check out his site with links for his upcoming shows. I am definitely a late comer to the Brannan bandwagon whenever he pulls through my city. But now that I am going this year, I am making it a goal never to miss when he swings through town. I hope you take advantage of the opportunity as well. Also be sure to check out his web store at the following link.

Jay's Website - jaybrannan.com
Jay’s Website – jaybrannan.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Swimming upstream…population of one

31 Days of Brannan – Day 21

 

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Today’s Playlist – Official Video Release – Square One

 

So Jay piped in across his media network that his newest video was posted to YouTube. Of course I had to check it out. So here I am, on a  lunch break at work, writing about my first impressions of the release. This song was one of my favorites on the album. I liked it’s snarky-ness. The way it boldly lays it out that life doesn’t fucking care about our tribulations. Whatever strife we go through, whatever foibles cross our path. Be it in our lovelife, our daily routine, interactions with others who momentarily intersect in our existence here on the planet. It doesn’t matter. Life goes on, unabated, indifferent – no matter how hard we push, how hard we strive, how much we want the brass ring.

Life doesn’t care.

The universe doesn’t care.

If there were any bigger evidence that none of it matters in the big scheme of things, I can’t think of any. We spin our own drama, we create the strife within ourselves and for others around us. I guess it’s nearly impossible in this day and age not to make waves (emotively, responsibly, or physically). We leave our footprint behind whether we want to or not. It’s just evidence of our passing through, yet, none of it truly matters in the long scheme of things. Even those who achieve some sort of historical significance, that too is fleeting. What was relevant and pressing say in Elizabethan times, probably doesn’t mean nearly as much now. A thousand years hence? Forget about it…

So I get the point of the song. The futility of life. The struggle to eke out some acceptance and recognition from someone (or anyone really).

It can seem very futile. It can even seem crass in how hard it pushes back on our struggle just to survive, say nothing of loving or having it retuned in kind. It can all be a bit debilitating, emotively if not mentally. It’s grueling, unrelenting.

And we’re always being reset, always regrouping and trying again.

I’d like to say you’re in it together. And for a great bit of it you are. But there are times when, even though I am surrounded by friends and family, I still feel utterly alone in my struggle. I can’t help it. The responsibility can be sometimes too much to bear.

It’s just part of the human condition to keep advancing despite how hard life tries to push against us.

Okay, I didn’t mean to get so maudlin. The song sort of brings it out in me. It is a reminder of the struggle in life. And the video is great at visually giving us that.

Sidebar: Jay looks really good. I think he improves with age. He’s gonna be one of those lucky guys whose appeal grows as he matures (both musically as well as physically). Good for him…

I will say this though. His music gives me the drive to press on. To keep advancing. If not for me, than my family, my friends, my fledgling writing career.

So, yeah, being set back to Square One. It’s a space in life I am quite familiar with. I have to think most of us are too.

 


 

The Always, Then & Now Tour…

Please check out his site with links for his upcoming shows. I am definitely a late comer to the Brannan bandwagon whenever he pulls through my city. But now that I am going this year, I am making it a goal never to miss when he swings through town. I hope you take advantage of the opportunity as well. Also be sure to check out his web store at the following link.

Jay's Website - jaybrannan.com
Jay’s Website – jaybrannan.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A Little JB @ the Soda Shop

31 Days of Brannan – Day 18

 

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Today’s Playlist – Soda Shop 

 

First off, I’ll take Jay’s video posts regardless of his level of dress or even undress. To my way of thinking: Jay can do whatever the hell he wants. No matter what it is. At the very least, I can be guaranteed that it’ll be entertaining in some way, shape or form. He hasn’t let me down yet.

I particularly like this entry because it’s a song that was hard to come by (he’s since corrected that by posting it to iTunes and the like). Also, I love the Toilet Studio rendition. The acoustics  are perfect to allow him to resonate beautifully for this song. Even down to the additional “orchestration” at the end. Brilliant fun, that.

It’s another story song – I am sure you’re beginning to see what the appeal is for Brannan’s work. But hey, I am good with that. He does story songs so beautifully. They’re melodic, hummable, toe-tapping (in this case) and emotive. But then again, Jay’s never been anything if not emotive. And i don’t mean that to be harsh. Everything he does is fairly slathered with it. But that’s a good thing (I think so, anyway).

Soda Shop is from the movie he also appeared in called Short Bus. I really liked the film and Brannan in it. As for the music posting I have in today’s blog, I like his little rant before he plays the song. I love it when an artist has some real conviction and, I dunno, -verve? -oomph?  ah, no, cajones. Yeah, that’s what that swagga is. I sorta love how he pushes back a little at his critics of his youtube postings. I like that he rails a bit against how the movie that he is quite literally proud of – and he has every right to be – was sidelined by IMDB because it didn’t fit into the norms of standard (mainstream) filmmaking.

Anyway, Jay’s already on the tour and living a life out of suitcases. I hope his houses are packed each night and that it proves to be a very lucrative (both monetarily and emotively) for him. From one artist to another – I wish him success with it all.

 

 


 

The Always, Then & Now Tour…

Please check out his site with links for his upcoming shows. I am definitely a late comer to the Brannan bandwagon whenever he pulls through my city. But now that I am going this year, I am making it a goal never to miss when he swings through town. I hope you take advantage of the opportunity as well. Also be sure to check out his web store at the following link.

Jay's Website - jaybrannan.com
Jay’s Website – jaybrannan.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

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And now for sometihng completely different…

31 Days of Brannan – Day 6

 

Today’s playlist – JAY’S BEST MOVES!

 

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Okay first off – I FUCKING LOVE THIS VIDEO! When I am low, need an emotive shot in the arm, a boost of energy, a smile on my face, a happy moment in a dark world I play this little ditty of a video. And I am truly happier after I’ve watched it.

I was a fan when I first really started to listen to his work. I was enamored with his prose. He is hands down a brilliant writer. He is a major influence in how I write what I write. The way he juxtaposes imagery and words – weaving textures that are truly thought provoking yet completely hummable and singable is truly an amazing gift.

Now pair that with a voice that is crystal clear, and supported but an incredible amount of breath control (as a classically trained singer I am really impressed by the degree of control he has over his breathing). Jay is clearly a natural singer. It comes to him like breathing. Whereas we other poor slobs have to work at our craft to achieve the same level of control and mastery of our talents.

So why this video today?

Actually, I wanted to save it for the 31st – I may even replay it then anyway – but I’ve been pondering some of Jay’s recent posts in the Twitterverse. What I want to know is –

How fucking blind are the gay guys in NYC that someone hasn’t wooed this man into romantic oblivion yet?

I mean, am I missing something here? Just look at the video, or any of his videos for gods sake and you can tell he’s the whole package deal. Brilliant mind, looks that the camera just loves, and sexy as hell moves on the dance floor – what’s not to love?

Maybe he likes his solitude.

I spoke at length about this with a guy who I consider to be so close to me he’s like a brother to me. I turned him onto Jay’s music and he and I agree whole-heartedly, in fact, it was my friend who came up with the analogy – he said he’s kind of like the gay Mozart. Incredibly talented, almost genius in the quality of his work. That sort of quality can be hard to cope with. Maybe Jay does require a lot of down time to regroup and work through his next project as it takes form in his head. Pure speculation on our part and not idle words either. We talked at length about the lyrics of his songs. The choices he made in the production of them, why he chose what he chose to produce them. There was solid craftsmanship in them.

Eh, it’s all speculation on my part. What I do know is, with the public persona he’s projected on the internet and in social media, he’s got quite a thing going on. And it’s rather impressive in that his fans seem very devoted to his work and are extremely supportive.

I don’t believe for one minute that I am the only one who blogs about the quality of his work – not for a minute. I am sure that there are others out there doing their level best to get the word out about his tour and the inbound release of his newest project.

Anyway, I wasn’t trying to over think this. I wanted to let everyone enjoy Jay shaking his groove thang… and he shakes it so well.

 

I think I’m gonna watch it over again – I’m in need of a good smile.


 

 

The Always, Then & Now Tour…

Sidebar: I bought my Deluxe Package from Jay Brannan’s store for the tour he’s embarking on now. The cost of the deluxe package is $40 and you get quite a bit for it. There are other packages as well. But that isn’t why I did it. I did it because I truly feel indebted to this man of words and music. I am enriched by his musical musings and experiences. I am emboldened to discover that I am not alone in my dreams and fears. And for that I will always support him and do what I can to spread the word.

 

picture of deluxe tour package

The deluxe tour package from Jay Brannan’s merchandise store – get this or many other offerings from his site.

 

Please check out his site with links for his upcoming shows. I am definitely a late comer to the Brannan bandwagon whenever he pulls through my city. But now that I am going this year, I am making it a goal never to miss when he swings through town. I hope you take advantage of the opportunity as well. Also be sure to check out his web store at the following link.

Jay's Website - jaybrannan.com
Jay’s Website – jaybrannan.com
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