it's been too long....

It's been too long since I last made a blog entry... sorry about that... if you even read this blog...

The new album so close to being finished... there are just a couple of more songs to complete and it will be sent to mastering up in Denton, TX. I'm very excited to get this released... I feel this is my best work to date...

I have uploaded new songs from The Regulator on my myspace page... so go check them out... I will be uploading a new song next week... and in March, I will upload the entire album on this special myspace page...

The past couple of shows has been fantastic... full crowds and other great artists...

I finally return to Buon Giorno Coffee in Grapevine this Saturday... it should be a fun night... last time I played there was in August of 2009...

I have been accepted to play at this year's NX35 Festival in Denton... I'm very excited and honored to be playing with other great bands... I will have more info on this event later...

I plan on heading back into the studio this summer to record half of the next album... it will be a full band album... I will record the second half of the album in the winter and hope to have it out next summer... I have an idea on what it's going to sound like and it's very exciting...

Touring will happen... I'm just not sure when...

I will try and keep this more updated... so keep checking back...

Radio tomorrow... album update

I'll be on the radio tomorrow... on The Good Show at 10:30 AM... love being on this show and can't wait to debut my new song...

Since I can't get scheduled in stone studio time these days, I've decided to use Jon and Diana Jo Burleson's studio in Wylie, Texas to finish up the album... I'm very excited about this because they are great people and fantastic musicians... go buy their album!!!

Mastering looks like it will take place in late February... so I got less than a month to finish this...

the date has been set...

April 20, 2010... the date that The Regulator will be released online... you can purchase the physical CDs in the summer or fall...

DAY 3

The Steel Man, Burton Lee (Eleven Hundred Springs) came into the studio to add some magic to the tracks... Had some tuning problems in the beginning but was able to make it work in the end...

Right now Everything Dies seems to be the best track on the album... The pedal steel really added to the sadness of the song... I will probably upload that track on myspace on January 22nd...

The next session will be early January with David Clarke on violin and Becky Middleton on piano...

See you next year...

2009 in review...

2009 was a quick year... lots of good things happened... lots of bad things happened...

Let's start with the good...
-It was such a great experience working with Salim Nourallah on my past two records (Dog Years & The Regulator)... I can't wait to share with you the new album (soon, very soon)
-There were some great shows this year... my favorite show I played was opening for The Naptime Shake at The Bryan Street Tavern in Dallas in October... the crowd was great and was really open to listening to my set
-M2S2 was very fun... met some great people...
-Finally getting to play at AllGood Cafe (twice!)... I love that venue, can't wait to have my CD release show there next spring...
-Playing at Bill's Records... I used to buy album$ there at the old location, so it was cool to play a show there...
-Buon Giorno Coffee in Grapevine... that's all I need to say...
-Being nominated for Quick's Solo Artist of the Year...

Now the bad...
-Dog Years release show... have you ever thought about scheduling a CD release show and no one shows up??? Well I found out...
-M2S2... come on people... it was such a great line-up and there was no one there but musicians and the local music advocates... maybe it will be better next year...
-The Listening Room/Club Dada... I was there that infamous day when it was all shut down... oh well...
-A certain show I booked where the other band didn't show... and I didn't even get an e-mail or phone call... very nice...
-Banter... a place where no one shows... but it's still fun to play and I still will...
-Crooked Tree Coffeehouse... the only place where I left my set early because no one cared... and neither did I...
-Not getting nominated for Dallas Observer's folk act of the year...

Nicholas Altobelli's 2009 Schedule:
1/9/09 Buon Giorno Grapevine, TX
1/10/09 Liquid Lounge Dallas, TX
1/24/09 Club Dada Dallas, TX
1/30/09 Banter Denton, TX
1/31/09 Dunn Bros Coffee Addison, TX

2/13/09 Buon Giorno Grapevine, TX
2/14/09 V-Day Art show @ Dunn Bros Coffee Addison, TX
2/14/09 Banter Denton, TX
2/21/09 The Good Show – KTCU 88.7 FM Fort Worth, TX

3/13/09 Buon Giorno Grapevine, TX
3/21/09 Salon Nights on the Levee Dallas, TX
3/27/09 Opening Bell Coffee Dallas, TX

4/10/09 Buon Giorno Grapevine, TX
4/18/09 Hydrant Café Denton, TX
4/20/09 Opening Bell Coffee Dallas, TX
4/23/09 AllGood Café Dallas, TX
4/25/09 M2S2 (Acoustic Stage) Dallas, TX

5/10/09 The City Tavern Dallas, TX
5/22/09 Buon Giorno Grapevine, TX
5/23/09 Dunn Bros Coffee Addison, TX
5/30/09 Day on the Green Dallas, TX
5/30/09 Crooked Tree Coffeehouse Dallas, TX

6/6/09 Buon Giorno Grapevine, TX
6/13/09 The Good Show – KTCU 88.7 FM Fort Worth, TX
6/13/09 Dog Years EP release show Dallas, TX
@ Salon Nights on the Levee

7/8/09 WDW @ Times Ten Cellars Dallas, TX
7/11/09 Buon Giorno Grapevine, TX
7/16/09 Lakewood Bar & Grill Dallas, TX
7/23/09 Dunn Bros Coffee Addison, TX

8/10/09 Hydrant Café Denton, TX
8/28/09 Buon Giorno Coffee Grapevine, TX

9/2/09 DC9 in Space (Dallas Observer) taping Dallas, TX
9/4/09 Banter Denton, TX
9/18/09 AllGood Café Dallas, TX

10/23/09 Bryan St. Tavern Dallas, TX

11/12/09 Mugshot Coffee Longview, TX
11/18/09 Opening Bell Coffee Dallas, TX
11/21/09 Dunn Bros Coffee Addison, TX
11/28/09 Bill’s Records Dallas, TX


COMING IN 2010...
The Regulator will be out in the Spring (April/May)
There will be more touring (mostly West Coast)
A possible EP of Sam Cooke songs (released in December)
Less local shows

see you next year,
NA

DAY 2

Headed back into the studio on a cloudy, cold day in December... perfect weather for these songs...

Very simple day... added some mandolin and electric guitar on two songs... in just over 30 minutes (a new studio record)

Next session is in a couple of weeks... the album is almost finished... just need to get my friends to come in and play their greatness...

I hope to have a song uploaded on myspace in January (February at the latest)

Bill's Records -- Dallas, TX (11/28/09)

Bill's Records is one of my favorite places... I used to go to the old location and this was my first time at the new place... and it's still greatness... bought a Collin Herring CD for $17 (ouch)... but it's out of print and well worth it... I suggest you go and buy his new album Ocho...

The set started late... of course... it's not a show without it starting late... I played my stuff and had a great response from crowd... got to sign the door... so if you go to Bill's, be sure to look for my name on the back door...

Not much shows coming up... next main gig is in January at Opening Bell... time to focus on finishing the record and get it released ASAP (probably April or May)