AfterNine-Interact

You have received the AfterLife; the life of Jason Eller and AfterNine. http://AfterNineRocks.com

January Dates

Thu 1/6/2005	Lake FX Radio Appearance	LakeFXRadio.com		4:00pm
Sat 1/8/2005	Juke's	Grand Rapids	MI	9:30pm
Thu 1/13/2005	Grant Fine Arts Center (w/AfterNine), wsg. Middlefield and American Accent	Grant	MI	7:00pm
Fri 1/21/2005	Radio Tavern (w/ AfterNine)	Walker	MI	10:30pm
Sat 1/22/2005	Rick's American Cafe	East Lansing	MI	9:00pm
Wed 1/26/2005	Wise Fools Pub	Chicago	IL	9:00pm
Fri 1/28/2005	The Elbo Room	Chicago	IL	9:00pm
Sat 1/29/2005	Coopersville Center Stage	Coopersville	MI	7:00pm

The AfterLife is meant to be a look into what it’s like to try to make it in this business of music. After resigning from teaching, Jason still subs in the county he used to teach in when he’s back in Michigan. "One day a friend came up to me and said, ‘People in the school are wondering what happened because you’re back here teaching.’ Some just don’t get it. I did not resign because stardom was around the corner. I did this because I’ve had enough people tell me they believe in what I’m doing that I started to believe it myself." So thank you to those who believe that life is what you make it.

We take the good, we take the bad, and we move on however we chose. We cannot hype what is happening. That would undercut what the fans are looking for: Honesty; Truth; Something other than Brittney Spears and Ashley Simpson. (And I’m sure I spelled Brittaney’s name wrong.) Let us know what you, Jason Eller and AfterNine fans, look for in music. Let us know in the message board under ‘What I Want in My Music’. Is it depth, a beat, a hooky lyric, that goose bumpy feeling? Of course we know that if you want to dance, Run Child Run and Mirror Mirror may not be your first choice. So tell us. Tell the other fans. This community is about getting to know people and music.

This month AfterNine welcomes Rick Boyd back to the line up. After bidding farewell in January, Rick is coming back for one show in Grant, MI. Which brings us to……

Grant Fine Arts Center

Oh, the good and the bad. This show has the potential to be the largest crowd (other than Celebration on the Grand) that Jason has played for. As of tonight, J&J Entertainment may cancel or postpone the show due to lack of preshow ticket sales. This is the third day of promotion for this show in the county of Newaygo. AfterLifers in the area have been waiting for this show, but maybe the aren’t ready to buy tickets just yet. How many high schoolers do you know that can call a box office and use their credit card. So we’ll just see what J&J does. If you’d like to email them and voice your concerns you may do so @ jjentertainment2@aol.com. If you’re in Newaygo county, we encourage you to pick up this week’s Times Indicator. Mikki Hilbrand and Jason spoke for an hour and a half, and she has printed the interview. This is a great chance for people to see what AfterNine’s music is about. Also, listen to WGRD, 97.9 in Grand Rapids or www.wgrd.com for commercials promoting the upcoming show. If you hear one. Jump on the message board and throw up a note to us that you heard it.

Street Team

As of this Friday, Ultra Entertainment expects to have the Street Team up and running. The Street Team consists of fans whom have seen what’s been going on and want to help perpetuate AfterNine. Street Team duties range from selling merch at the shows and calling local radio stations to going into chat rooms and promoting AfterNineRocks.com. Some members are burning cds. Others are working on AfterNine screen savers and wallpaper. While the officers, who have direct access, work with Jason on how to make the Street Team work as effectively and efficiently as possible. This is a brand new feature offered to us so help us work the bugs out.

Street Team Members have access to a separate message board and Missions for points and prizes. If you are a listener; Great! We appreciate that you see something in the music that you feel is worth while. So keep on listening. If you are a believer in what Jason is trying to accomplish with AfterNine, and want to help bring this to others, fill out an application to be a Street Team Member, and we’ll work together to make it happen. If you’re not sure what a Street Team can do, look at the Los Lonely Boys. They are where they are today because of the number of people who believed in the music.

Traveling

In February, Jason will be playing shows in Tennessee again. After anchoring dates for the 18^{th and 19th} _{^{at the ‘Triple C’ in Sevierville (5 minutes from DollyWood), now the job becomes to book routing dates to get down there. J&J Entertainment is making phone calls to colleges in Indianapolis, Kentucky and Tennessee, and Jason is calling the bars he’s stopped at to see if it’s possible to play down there. Sometimes venues are more than willing to let Jason in. Other’s ask for a following. Well, it’s tough to bring a following into venues you’ve never played before, but you can’t find fans unless you play the venues. This can cause a bit of stress; but we keep plugging away.}}

_{^{Once down there, Mojo Music Management will be coming out to Jason’s shows. M3 is a booking agency that may be able to help Jason build a fan base in the Nashville, Knoxville, Gatlinburg area. We’ll let you know how that goes.}}

_{^{Website Updates}}

_{^{There is merchandise to buy on the website. If you need an AfterNine Wall Clock, Thong, Hoodie, Boxers, T-Shirt, Button, Sticker or Mouse Pad, now is the time. Everything AfterNine is here. Also, don’t forget the chat room and message boards. Members of the AfterLife before Ultra Entertainment took over the website may experience problems logging on. If you are one of these charter members, and are experiencing problems, please email us at AfterLife@AfterNineRocks.com}}_{^{and we will make sure we get your user name and password to you.}}

_{^{If you are at a show with your digital camera, you can take a picture and upload it to the website.}}

_{^{Lake FX Radio}}

_{^{Lake FX Radio continues to be a large supporter of AfterNine, continuously spinning the disc and bringing Jason in for live shows. Last month Jason and ‘Anisa’ played a show with the whole crew in the studio. This month, on Thursday, January 6, Jason and Anisa will reunite for another dual show. If you are able to listen to the show, jump on the chat room and talk to us. We’ll play whatever you want. Listen @ http://LakeFXRadio.com}}_{^{. This web-based radio requires the use of a Real Player}}_{^{. Let them know what you want to hear by posting to the message board or calling in.}}

_{^{Reality by Jason}}

_{^{There is nothing like the feeling of playing live. And with the great highs come great lows in the business. In fact the best songs can be written at either time. Some shows have eighty, some shows have eight. There is no regret, only frustration. Unprofessional people who don’t call back and the word, "No," are countered by the great people I meet at the venues I play. To find someone I can stay up with and talk until the bar closes, then part ways with knowing that I have been affected by them as they by me. It doesn’t always pay the bills, but it could. If I could only find the right persons to promote. Some people listen. Some people enjoy. And some people believe. Believe that what I have to offer is more than just a guy on a guitar. The idea that I have some wisdom to share, can be overwhelming. The question of what if I’m wrong is countered by what’s in my heart. My own personal belief that I have something to share. And if nothing else, that’s a lesson in itself.}}

_{^{The question for me has been, what is my reality? And is’t a scary thought to beg the question, do I have a say in what my reality is? Is it the need to get a job so I can have a wife and kids? Is it having a 401k? Or is it being a person of consistency with a fervor for life that infects others to the point that they decide they want to create their own reality. If I have anything to offer I hope it’s that; that it’s ok to pour out your soul. But can that only be done on stage? Off stage, do I conform to the "reality" that I need to have an ever increasing bank account? Is there something wrong with being un-rich and happy; will one finally affect the other?}}

_{^{And so on the subject of creating something for myself that no one can take away, I thought of a crystal that I had purchased for someone, but haven't given her. I looked at it on the window ledge that rarely saw light through the curtain. I pealed back the curtain and marveled how this piece of glass bent the light……..}}

^{I Bent the Light}^{. Jason Eller}

^{Light enters a crystal,}

^{It bends on the way through.}

^{It rebounds like a racquetball off of every internal surface.}

^{Light enters the ocean}

^{It bends on the way through.}

^{It makes aquatic ripples of a compressed glowing line upon its bed.}

^{It didn’t ask my permission. It didn’t ask your consent.}

^{The light doesn’t wait for you to voice your discontent.}

^{I listen to my heart beat just behind my ears}

^{When the quietness of my life comes to me,}

^{And I bend the light my way.}

^{Standing behind a spotlight}

^{Abandons every other view.}

^{Do you define yourself or blind yourself with your perception?}

^{If God ever got tired, would you bid him rest.}

^{Would you starve a Jewish man because the meat has not been blessed}

^{We can disagree on whether you’re in the dark}

^{I know you’ll always think I am.}

^{Forgive me. Or don’t, you probably won’t.}

^{But I’ll bend the light my way.}

^{And I listen to my heart beat just behind my ears}

^{When the quietness of my life comes to me,}

^{And I find I’ve bent the light my way.}

^{That's it.}

^{That's the AfterLife}

^{What's your reality?}

^AfterNine

^{http://AfterNineRocks.com}