Monday 10 August 2015

New Weddings Website

We've just launched a new website to focus on the wedding and corporate events side of our adventure. Please visit it here: www.tofinoweddingband.com

Tuesday 7 July 2015

Busy busy!

Hi folks, haven't need very diligent with the blog lately.... so much stuff going on;

First off, my solo album Women and Losin' is now all over the Internet from iTunes to Amazon to CD Baby and many places in between so check it out, stream it, download it, whatever and let me know what you think. If you're reading the blog on the full version of the website there's a little player to the right where you can check it out.

Also, we've been playing lots of gigs! In addition to the usual Monday jam at Jack's in Tofino and my Thursday's at Black Rock we brought to full band on a mini tour over this passed weekend: Friday night we played at Wolf In The Fog as part of the Tofino Salt Water Classic charity fishing derby and Saturday we hopped in the Jeep and drove ot Bamfield to play their 32nd annual fundraising BBQ and dance... We are now all madly in love with Bamfield by the way... thanks for having us! Special thanks to Paul at Pirate Tours for a very unique and memorable tour around on his funky boat. Drummer Joel's lady took some pictures of the gig I'll post later but for now here are a few visuals
Poster from last week at Wolf In The Fog

Carina and Natalia check out Paul's Boat
Also, on July 2. Julian, visiting from the UK got up and sang a few songs with me at my solo gig at Black Rock. While I played the solo to Purple Rain he went and proposed to his ladyfriend, Liz!

Also, big thanks to Lance LaPointe for having me out to Port Alberni to sit in with his band on Canada Day!

Pretty good things happening in Ballistic Pig land lately and more to come.

Coming up this week:
-I return to Black Rock on Thursday evening for a solo set.
-I'll be playing a set of the tunes from Women and Losin' on Friday night at the Ucluelet Night Market. Daz will also play a set of his Garvies originals. I think we're on from 5-7pm
-A couple wedding ceremonies, too.

Hope to see you at a gig, soon.
-Geoff

Thursday 11 June 2015

Advance Edition of Geoff's New Album, Women & Losin' now available!

Well folks, here it is; Geoff's Adult-Contemporary album Women & Losin' is now available to stream and download! You'll also be able to pick it up at gigs. Hopefully a small CD release tour will happen in the fall along with an edition of the album with a few more tracks.

Thursday 14 May 2015

Album Update!

Hi folks. I'm sure you're all wondering how my DIY ego-project album, Women & Losin' is coming. It probably keeps you up at night, sweating and feverish with anticipation (read with heavy sarcasm). Well I've got about half of the tracks pretty much done and the rest well on the way. I'm hoping to have the bulk of it in the can by the end of the weekend. The newest finished track is called Other Side, I found this one particularly challenging to record because it kept coming across as something a boy band might record and, while I'd love it if a big time boy band did record it (and send me their big boy-band royalty checks) I didn't want it to sound like that on my album. So I kept it simple and even a little rough. Tell me what you think.

Here's another one that popped out of the studio in the last couple days. Kind of a country meets Motown thing.... Really preachy with an odd prog-rock break in the middle.


Speaking of recording the new Ballistic Pig rock band lineup is hoping to record a few demos this weekend in hopes of not missing out on the 2015 wedding season. Stay tuned for those recordings to hit the interwebs, soon.

Lastly, I'm playing solo at The Black Rock Oceanfront Resort in Ucluelet tonight starting at 7:30, hope you can make it!

-Geoff

Tuesday 21 April 2015

Ballistic Pig Rock Band Returns! Acoustic Pig at Jamie's on April 28th

Great News! We've secured a new rhythm section for the Ballistic Pig Rock Band and will be unveiling it with an Acoustic Pig gig at Jamie's Rainforest Inn on Tuesday April 28th. Hopefully we'll be able to record some demos in short order and be able to start booking some events this summer. Anyway, meet the new players:
This is Carina Mach, our new bassist. Very talented, highly trained and super pleasant to be around. She's been coming to Tofino for years but made the choice to stick around for a while so we're putting her to work.
Long time Tofitian and multi-instrumentalist Joel Gray has been playing in various bands in the region for years. We'll mostly be working him as a drummer but there's a good chance his accordian, harmonica, mandolin, guitar and bass playing will come in handy, as well.

Hope to see you at Jamie's on the 28th to meet the new team!

Friday 10 April 2015

The Zeppelin Has Launched, The Rock Band is Reviving!

Thanks to everyone in the "standing room only" crowd at Jamie's last week for the launch of Gef Zeppelin. The turn out and response to the music was great and we're looking forward to taking it on the road next week. Gef Zeppelin will be playing a showcase gig for Riversong Guitars at Rainforest Music in Bowser on Saturday April 18th in the early afternoon. If perchance you're in the Comox Valley area and looking to book some entertainment for a public or private event (even a house party) let us know by email at ballisticpig@gmail.com

Gef Zeppelin also has a private engagement on April 21st in Tofino and will be playing at Char's Landing in Port Alberni on May 1st. 

In other news the Ballistic Pig rock band will be rehearsing a new rhythm section soon hoping to get a set of motown, classic rock and dance tunes for weddings and events this summer. The duo and trio shows are all ready to go but the full dance band has been on hiatus for a while and we've missed it.

I keep working on recording original music as well, hopefully an album's worth will be completed in a couple weeks. Here are the first few tracks from it:

Jam night continues every Monday at Jack's in Tofino and Geoff solo at Black Rock continues on Thursdays, as well... For other gigs and things check the calendar on the right or the "Shows" page. Thanks all, Geoff

Friday 3 April 2015

Gef Zeppelin Tuesday April 7th at Jamie's Rainforest Inn


This coming Tuesday will mark the first "real" gig of the new acoustic Led Zeppelin tribute project dubbed Gef Zeppelin. We've got a few other bookings around the insland in April and May but this will sort of be the local sneak peek. Show starts at 9 at Jamie's Rainforest Inn, it's all-ages and admission is free so I hope to see you there. Here are a couple demos recorded a while back
After that there will be a duo show at The Wickaninnish Inn's Driftwood cafe on Thursday April 9th with Tara and Geoff playing jazzy standards, soul tunes and some classic rock. Show goes from 6:30 to 8:30, it's also free to attend and all-ages.

In other news, work on Geoff's album continues. One of the first tracks is available to stream (or purchase), here:

Hope you dig it and hope to see you at a show, soon.

Friday 27 March 2015

First Track of Geoff Johnson's Upcoming Album Women & Losin'

Well folks, here's what might well be the first finished track off of my upcoming album Women & Losin. I've putting off completing the album in part because I want every performance to be perfect but, given that I'm recording it in my own studio with an infinite amount of time I'm getting a little carried away with the nitpicking so.... In all it's imperfection here's a tune I wrote a few years ago and did just finished mixing and mastering called Young Man. Hopefully the rest of the album will be done in the coming weeks (also I'll probably let my inner-critic get the best of me an re-record and remix this one, too)


In other news I'm playing a solo, cover set Saturday March 28th at the ANAF in Ucluelet. Hope to see you there!

Monday 23 March 2015

Trio Demos!!

We recorded some demos of the trio today... sort of. Geoff plays both bass and guitar on these track so they're a little different when played live with Andrew on guitar but you'll definitely get the idea. Here they are for your listening pleasure




Check em out and share em around.

PS, Gef Zeppelin demos AND GIGS coming in the next few weeks!

Thursday 19 March 2015

It's The Website's Birthday

Happy Birthday www.ballisticpig.com. It's been a fun couple years. We've got an exciting summer coming up with plenty of weddings, the launch of Gef Zeppelin, the 1 man Led Zeppelin tribute and more. I'm also considering managing some other local musicians and other oppurtunities. While the website is being retooled to reflect these things it might be a little sketchy. If you have any questions just shoot me an email; ballisticpig@gmail.com or call (250) 266 2400.

Thanks, Geoff

Saturday 21 February 2015

Website Being Updated

Hi Folks, we're doing some work on the website to make it a little easier to navigate and such.. Until it's done it might be a bit of a mess. Please be patient.

Saturday 14 February 2015

Tofino Saltwater Classic Theme Song

I've been the MC, sound guy and some other stuff for a local charity fishing derby for a few years now and I thought I might as well write and record a little theme song for them



Have an event, business or project that needs a tune? Get in touch; ballisticpig@gmail.com

Friday 13 February 2015

Happy Valentines Day!!

Tara and I had a lovely evening playing unplugged to a splendid audience last night at The Wickaninnish Inn, we're back there on April 19th (possibly solo, duo or trio... we'll see). With Valentine's Day tomorrow I'll be playing an hour of acoustic, instrumental music at Middle Beach Lodge for the cocktail hour before Valentine's Dinner. They have a great dining room there and I can't wait to play there more as this year's wedding season picks up.

Speaking of wedding season, we're getting a lot of bookings coming in this time of year. Thanks to anyone who has been referring us. It means a lot to have this opportunity to make a living through music and it's a great feeling to be asked to be a part of people's special day.

Also, here's a hint of a new project in the works, A solo- acoustic Led Zeppelin tribute...
 Well folks, see you out and about, soon.

-Geoff

Wednesday 14 January 2015

Happy New Year (Better Late Than Never)

Happy New Year, all. Sorry for the gap in blog posts but I've been a busy boy, recording tracks for the upcoming album, playing some fun shows, booking weddings for this coming summer and more.

We had a great time with the jazz trio playing in the dining room at Black Rock on New Year's Eve and we're back at Black Rock on Saturday Jan 17 for their 6th anniversary and local appreciation party. We're also working on a Valentine's Day show... more on that when we sort it out. All our gigs are on the calendar unit to the right (or HERE if you're on the mobile site).

In other news; The album is coming along. I had intended for it do be very much country and jazz based but the first few songs that are getting close to completion are a bit more rock than anticipated. I'm still hoping to have it ready to go some time in March or April with a small CD release tour in the Alberni-Clayoquot area.

Also, I've just learned that the handsome and talented devils at Riversong Guitars are making me a ukulele. I've been a big fan of Riversong since I bought one of their guitars a few years ago and I suspect that their quality craftsmanship will lead to a ukulele I will love just as much.

Finally, The 4 piece rock band is on hiatus for the moment with drummer Nick away working and planning an extended trip to Europe. We'll let you know what develops with the rock band incarnation of Ballistic Pig, meanwhile we're excited to focus on the album, solo show and that jazz trio. Jam night at Jack's continues though so don't worry local music types.

That's it for now, teasers from the album and another interesting project announcement coming soon.

Thanks for reading, hope to see you at a show, soon - Geoff