More than thrilled to announce that my first novel was just released.
Ready for sale immediately.
Each book is $20.
Thank you for everyone’s support throughout the years. Truly honored!
I will be delivering the books myself so just let me know the best way to deliver them if interested.
As I await the release of my first novel (arriving in the next couple of weeks), I have started work on my next piece. Here is a teaser shot detailing the nature of my next story.
“The mind is an amazing playground…if you just let it go, and believe it can happen”.
Danny Zzzz
A helicopter hovers fourteen stories above the earth-its propeller whirling ceaselessly, blocking out all surrounding sound. Attached to the copter by a cord, an inverted man dangles precariously in the sky, constricted in his movements by a strait jacket.
Contrary to initial belief, this is not a man being transported to the local asylum. This is entertainer Danny Zzzz, and this is his own idea-an act of courageous fortitude that is all in the name of charity.
The mission is simple: hanging upside down, Danny Zzzz’s goal is to escape the constraints of the strait jacket before succumbing to a fate guaranteed to be much worse.
Even with over twenty years experience in the field, it’s difficult not to fear for Danny Zzzz’s safety as he attempts this Houdini-esque helicopter stunt. As he teeters above the perilous landscape below, Dan has to be terrified, or so the onlookers assume. Instead, Dan focuses his concentration and, within moments of ascent, magically relieves himself of that pesky and constrictive jacket. Dumfounded and awestruck, the spectators breathe a sigh of relief as Dan (with a grin as large as a child’s) is lowered back onto the ground without a sense of concern.
In reality, this is simply just another day in the life of Danny Zzzz, a hypnotist, mentalist, illusionist, magician and entertainer.
A former musician and producer/daytime host at 97.7 htz FM (1995-2001), Dan has always been a man who, more often than not, has succeeded in taking chances (in every regard). Gifted with remarkable business savvy, Dan credits a great deal of his success to serendipity: “I have tended to take career chances at the correct time, but I’ve been very lucky. No matter how astute you are business-wise, there is always a great amount of luck involved.”
Billing himself as the ‘premier choice for quality live entertainment’, Danny Zzzz performs all over North America with his Vegas-inspired show (the Danny Zzzz LIVE! Show). Mixing elements of humor, magical mentalism and comedy stage hypnosis, Dan performs two shows a day, seven days a week. In a normal year, he and his technical crew will conduct over 400 performances (He has amassed over seventeen hundred shows in nine years of existence).
In fact, in one forty-two hour span, Dan and his crew traversed across two provinces (Thorold, Ontario and Calgary, Alberta) and two states (Buffalo, New York and Orlando, Florida) to perform their widely-acclaimed show.
Based here in the Niagara Region, Danny prides himself on producing shows that are suitable for audiences of all ages, which ultimately dictates that there is no offensive language or conduct of any kind. In a medium where pushing the limits relishes being the norm, it’s refreshing to witness an act such as Dan’s refrain from that sort of material and continue to remain a relevant and engrossing spectacle.
This respect for his audience has not been lost on others, either. He has garnered wide acclaim from many of his peers in the industry.
In 2007, NBC premiered a program entitled ‘Phenomenon’, a competition show that featured ten contestants competing to become the next great mentalist. Contending against over forty-four thousand applicants, Danny Zzzz secured his spot during an awe-inspiring video-phone interview with producer Marla Brodsky (he performed a Mentalism effect that occurred in two countries at once!). But unfortunately, his role as the lone Canadian representative on the show was not meant to be. A problem in securing a working visa upended his chances of appearing on the program, and consequently another performer was substituted in Dan’s spot.
But this unforeseen obstacle did not deter Dan’s ambitious aspirations. In 2009, he appeared on CBC’s Dragon’s Den, and won over all five demanding judges with his fully-loaded arsenal of magical intrigue (he melted stainless steel cutlery between his fingers). In fact, Judge Brett Wilson was so enamored with Dan’s performance that he continues to hire him to perform and entertain his clients at conferences and parties around North America.
Through these amazing opportunities, one would assume that Danny Zzzz would eventually pack up and vacate the Niagara Region for greener pastures. But though he has had opportunities to relocate his show to Las Vegas or Atlantic City, Dan has adamantly refused the tempting allure of the bright lights and big city: “This is my home. My family is here and my roots are here. Don’t get me wrong, the financial opportunities are there, and it would be easy to flee but I won’t. Home is home, and I love it here. The Niagara Region has a great sense of community, and it has personally provided me with a sea of memories”.
It’s truly galvanizing to encounter a personality quite like Dan’s: Extremely confident in his abilities, but yet ultimately humble in demeanor. Driven by his love for this truly laborious craft, Dan is seemingly unmotivated by financial means in any inherent way. Instead, he simply wants to entertain, and is always insistent on giving back to the region in some measure.
Involved with more charities than thought possible (Niagara Peninsula Centre, hospital fundraisers, diabetes foundations, Big Brothers and Sisters), the man is as assiduous as one can be, but yet a happiness continues to permeate across his face. It’s not about the almighty dollar but rather the smiles of those he affects with his work.
However, his passionate connection to the community has not been simply relegated to his show or stunts. Just recently, Danny released a book entitled ‘Life in a Jar’; a self-help guide that deals with numerous issues such as addictions and communication barriers within social relationships. Dan, who is a well-trained and registered hypno-therapist, has penned this book in an attempt to aid people in their struggle with life’s everyday issues.
Put simply, the element of time clearly does not factor into the hectic world of Danny Zzzz.
Even with the tourism season being unfortunately slow this year, Dan continues to work hard at his trade night in and night out. Running his show out of the Crowne Plaza and Sheraton ballroom in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Dan continues to do what he does best: entertain audiences from around the world with his wide array of dazzling and death-defying trickery.
Asked if he is crazy to perform some of his stunts, he simply replies: “We will always continue to do crazy things…things that will set the bar really high. The hardest part is coming up with new and unique ideas to perform. In a sense, what is next?”
What IS next is exactly what everyone is truly anticipating.
“We want to produce good, quality theatre that will once again identify the St. Catharines downtown district as an important destination for visitors.”
Daniel Abadie
Artistic Musical Director
neXt Company Theatre
St. Catharines was once a city dedicated to artistic expression. Known for being a prevalent area for the arts, the downtown core of the city has progressively diminished in artistic stature over the years. Though Brock University has always conveyed the importance of the arts in an ever-changing modern world, there still remains an emptiness found in the heart of this metropolis.
However, to quote Bob Dylan, the times they are a-changin’. Over the past couple of years, certain inhabitants of St. Catharines have made it their duty to alter the artistic landscape of the city. For the first time in years, there is a feeling of resurgence and rebirth circulating amongst the body of St. Catharines.
For starters, it was recently announced that Brock University and the city were combining forces and finances ($101 million to be exact) to build a new Niagara Centre for the Arts and a Marilyn I Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts in the historical centre of St. Catharines. The deal was also said to include the construction of adjacent presentation spaces that will provide the city with cultural facilities.
On a much smaller scale, there is also something significant occurring at the Sullivan Mahoney Theatre located at 101 King Streetin downtown St. Catharines. Here you will find a small but passionate new professional theatre company working vigorously to provide high quality theatre to the downtown district.
Made up of three core members, Dr. David Fancy, Daniel Abadie and Billy Arthur, the diminutive but passionate neXt Company Theatre troupe have one goal in mind: to make a difference.
Originally an entirely separate company called A & A Theatre, Daniel Abadie and Billy Arthur were focused on recreating the art of the stage musical. When they met Artistic Director David Fancy and General Manager Bryan White of neXt Company Theatre at the Downtown Alliance for Performing Arts (DAPA) courthouse season launch last year, there was an instant connection. Soon after, a partnership was formed to combine the two companies.
Though the two facets of the company had different aims, it was agreed upon that each would continue to explore a variety of theatre styles as one. Thus, A & A still exists as the musical division of the company. As a result, neXt are now the very first professional company to perform musicals in downtown St. Catharines.
What differentiates the group from many other competing companies is its focus on engaging social issues. Not a group to shy away from controversy, neXt is dedicated to the impassioned and informed creation of new work that is both beautiful and demanding for their audiences.
According to Abadie, “neXt is not afraid to bring edgy material to the community. It is important to keep up with what’s going on in the world, and that is what we are trying to do. We want to get people thinking by making our theatre thought-provoking. We want to entertain you while also challenging you”.
Now, this does not mean that the theatre group revels in decadence. Far from it. In fact, it is highly commendable that an up-and-coming company would dare tackle issues that a conservative city like St. Catharineswould normally shy away from.
However, as much as it is admirable to have a dream, financial restrictions will always come into play. With any up-and-coming business, money is always a key factor in propelling a company forward. Already having failed twice before as a result of financial instability, this is Abadie’s third attempt at launching a theatre company, and he is determined not to witness it again.
With a solid background in theatre for many years now, Abadie, with the help of Artistic Associate Billy Arthur and many other volunteers, set out to do something special to help raise money and awareness for the newly merged company: put on a production of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”.
What better way to introduce your company to the region then to perform one of the most influential, controversial and cultish shows in the history of theatre and film. While the company instills a controversial mantra (edgy and not for the faint of heart), the show went on in February of this year to great acclaim, and consequently raised a substantial amount of money that was immediately placed back into the company for future shows.
With the great success of the fundraiser, neXt focused on their next production entitled “That Woman: A Sex Play” directed by David Fancy who is not only the artistic director of neXt productions, but is also a National Playwright Award Winner (for his previous play “Khalida”, which was featured at the Lincoln Centre for the Arts in New York City) and the head of the theatre department at Brock University.
“That Woman: A Sex Play” tackles the issue of internet dating and how it can affect and alter personal relationships. Structured as a love triangle, the play stars Award Winning Actress Monica Dufault in all three of the roles. It appeared on stage from April 13-16 of this year to great acclaim.
As the accolades continue to pour in, the company continues on with an unheralded perseverance. In June of this year, Abadie will direct “March of the Falsettos”, a thought-provoking but humorous take on the issues surrounding modern-day families. Though dark subject matter populates the narrative, the play is peppered with elements of light humor which instills a sense of unpredictability throughout its duration. The play will appear on stage fromJune 23-27, 2011.
As it stands right now, neXt Company theatre is striving to be a key contributor in the artistic renaissance of the downtown core. Highly dedicated to the region, neXt is determined to incorporate local talent and recentBrockUniversitygraduates into their future stage productions. Rather than have them leave the area after graduation for other cities with a more prominent art scene, neXt plans on building a reputation as a highly competitive art institution.
It is perhaps too early to tell if the company will accomplish all of their ambitious pursuits, but one cannot deny their passionate commitment to the city. In a downtown largely devoid of a distinct artistic identity, neXt Company Theatre are working hard to make a difference. This simply cannot be ignored.
The notion of cool has always appealed to my innate desires. To be that rebellious, rock n’ roll outlaw who eschews authoritative direction. To walk with a swaggering strut, highly aware that my limitations as an individual in no way impede on my confident, self-assuredness.
I am in no way talking about the transparent falseness of a high school sort of coolness. This type of coolness is reserved for adult individuals shaken and stirred by a chaotic world, only to smile and openly defy life’s gravitational pull with an air of reckless abandon.
Popular culture works very hard to embellish a sense of cool, but it’s shocking how easily I tend to fall into that maze of fabricated narration. My entire idea of what cool is tends to come from the explosive expression of popular culture artefacts I seem content to consume myself with.
In the “real” world, there is something mediocre about the normality of our society. There are spurts of excitement, but they tend to fall few and far between our social obligation to routine.
Popular culture exerts its persuasive grip over our society because of its ability to sever the ties bound to normality.
Cool exists in many different forms in popular culture. From Ryan Gosling’s stoic, cold-blooded Driver in Drive to Keith Richard’s audaciously manic public personality, this culture of personality is seductive in its embrace.
It’s very difficult not to lose yourself in the moments designed to impress.
Clint Eastwood as The Man with No Name wordlessly commandeering our attention with a malicious grimace.
James Dean’s iconic stroll through downtown New York-hair frazzled as a cigarette dangles precariously from his lips.
Heck, Steve McQueen was cool all the time-his charismatic aura dazzling the eye with tantalizing seduction.
The idea of cool can embody many particular characteristics. The suave and dapper (George Clooney), the flamboyantly stylistic (Scott Weiland), the raw masculinity (John Wayne) or the fearless rebel (Bob Dylan). But then again, these traits aren’t written in stone.
To be honest, it’s how it is expressed that makes cool so vibrantly alluring. Anyone can attempt coolness, but it’s how it is projected to the naked eye that truly matters, because truthfully, everyone’s definition of cool will differ in some way.
I am well aware that my idea of cool does not include everyday performers striving to make this world a better place. I seem to be preoccupied with popular culture and what it has done to motivate my senses. But I make no apologies for what I find cool. These are the images and personalities that leave me awe-inspired as a result of their nonchalant middle finger to codified classification.
And for that, I will forever be enthralled!
Attending the 2011 S.C.E.N.E music festival has opened my eyes to a stark reality-I simply do not fit in with modern day youth culture.
As I scurried amongst the thousands of others in downtown St. Catharines on Sunday afternoon, I was quick to realize that I was the odd man out. Heavily surrounded by a population greatly enamored with tattoos, piercings, mohawks, sideways baseball caps, and skinny jeans, I totally felt out of place with my Noel Gallagher t-shirt and Puma sneakers.
Normally a conservative city, St. Catharines was overrun by a youth movement no longer interested in my membership services.
However, my ostracized self aside, I have to admit that I was extremely impressed with the vibrancy of the downtown core. From the very first moment of my arrival, the city was brimming with an energetic exuberance rarely encountered in an area largely dedicated to retirees.
The most crucial aspect of my day was to be the musical choices I was going to have to make. With over 160 bands performing, it was of the upmost importance that I choose my destinations wisely.
A band I had missed last week in Toronto at NXNE, PKEW PKEW PKEW (gunshots), was playing an early gig at the Merchant Ale House so it was quickly decided that this would be my first stop of the day.
Arriving at the venue early to enjoy a frothy beverage, I happened to stumble upon the final 15 minutes of the Flash Lightnin’ show, and was instantaneously blown away. Mixing knee-buckling guitar solos with pounding, rhythmic drums, I couldn’t help but think that it was a huge mistake to have booked these guys so early in the day.
Not to mention that within mere moments of my festival arrival, I had already made a crucial mistake of missing half of this show. I would have to wise up.
Following the PKEW PKEW PKEW (gunshots) show (bubbly and energetic pop rock), I moved onto Rockford’s House of Rock where Buffalo, NY’s The Bunny The Bear were performing. Specializing in experimental hardcore metal, this show opened my eyes to the sonic diversity present at this year’s festival.
Loud and abrasive growls/vocals by two singers (one wearing a bunny mask, the other wearing a bear mask-get it?), the show’s atmosphere was intense to say the least.
In fact, this type of hardcore musicality appeared to be the theme of this year’s event. No matter what time of the day it was, the city was repeatedly overpowered by the echoing presence of thrashing guitars, booming drums and vocals possessed by hellacious fury. Some of the other bands I happened to catch also embraced this wholeheartedly (Abandon All Ships, Black Lungs, Silverstein, This is Hell).
This angered aggression actually reached a boiling point during the Twitching Tongues (3 p.m.!) performance at The Mansion House. Hailing from Los Angeles, the metal rockers were involved in a brawl during their set that actually navigated its way out of the bar and onto the street-a participant actually had his head bounced off of a parking meter. Apparently beginning as a result of a band member shoving a bouncer, the fight snowballed into an all-out war containing as many as 25-30 people (band members, concert-goers, bouncers and police). When it was all said and done, the bar was shut down for the rest of the day resulting in many of the bands having to reschedule somewhere else (if they could find an open time slot).
It’s interesting to note that one of my earlier concerns was that nothing intriguing would occur throughout the day. I’m relieved that that fear was undermined within the first three hours of the festival.
As the day went on, things began to simmer out and music once again became a priority. Possibly the best show of the day belonged to Die Mannequin, who masterfully controlled the crowd with a set filled with driving and forceful attitude. Closing with Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”, and injecting it with a raw grunginess only helped to further solidify an already stellar appearance.
In an attempt to match this intensity was USS’s headlining performance on the main stage at The Market Square. Mixing elements of electronica and rock, the band consistently offered up one of the most entertaining yet enigmatic performances you will ever witness. Whether they are discussing elements of science, blending up orange juice and drinking it on stage, or covering Outkast’s “Hey Ya” (all performed Sunday night), their shows rarely disappoint.
For me personally, it was a great way to end a day fully devoted to the significance of music.
It’s always a pleasure to check out bands in their unbridled infancy-uninhibited and free from corporate manipulation. Festivals like S.C.E.N.E. and NXNE are perfect platforms to witness a band true to itself. Without compromise, it’s a fresh and invigorating treat time and time again.
Even if I don’t necessarily fit in.
Date: Friday, June 17, 2011
City: Toronto, Ont.
Venue: Horseshoe Tavern
Rating: 3.5/5
It was a wild night at The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern on Friday. Not only was West Coast Hardcore Punk Supergroup OFF! performing, but someone also lost a shoe. This is no joke, and this latter fact became public knowledge thanks in large part to lead singer Keith Morris’ (of Black Flag and Circle Jerks fame) seemingly unhealthy obsession with returning a shoe thrown onstage during the opening song. The case of the missing shoe lasted the entire 40 minute set but was never solved. It’s safe to say that this was the tamest aspect of the show.
Known for quick 1-2 minute songs, OFF! needed to slow it down a little to fill the 40 minutes, so Morris took to the microphone to air some personal grievances with our North American oppressors-the rich and powerful. One fan was so angry at the reality that a singer was actually going to talk during a show that he began to agonizingly scream at Morris to shut up and simply play the music. I assumed that he must have been employed by the government.
So every 4 to 5 minutes (3 songs worth), Morris began to speak out. His most controversial moment came when he began to talk about 9/11, and how the death of Osama Bin Laden meant nothing because the American and Canadian governments were currently in the process of training future Bin Laden’s to carry out further terrorist agendas.
Dinner conversation this was not.
But really, what would a punk rock concert be without this sort of anti-establishment sort of behavior? Renowned for pushing life’s most provocative issues to the forefront (and for his dark sarcasm), Morris was ready for a fight (the rest of the band looked bored with his rants). But all the crowd wanted to do was rock, and when OFF! eventually did, the venue became electrified with energy.
Performing quick and pulsating tracks was what people came to see, and when these moments did occur, the concert-goers became moshing fiends. Without hesitation, they would recklessly leap onto the stage only to dive back into the crowd to surf above outstretched hands.
When the band remained focused on the music, the show truly embodied the essence of a punk rock event. As colorful as Morris’ conversations were, they seemed to detract from the overall energy of the show. But, hey, who really wants an 18 minute gig?
Date: May 26, 2011
City: Toronto,ON
Venue: Opera House
Rating: 4/5
If you like your rock n’ roll immersed in grimy filth, the Opera House was the place to be Thursday night. Devoid of pretentiousness, South African rockers Seether skillfully adhered to a back-to-basics sort of rock. Loud and ferociously abrasive, the jam-packed audience was sonically assaulted from the very first guitar riff.
Though the set was a mere 13 songs with no encore, Seether accomplished what they set out to do; entertain a crowd foaming with rabid intensity. From the opener “Gasoline” to closer “Remedy”, the raucous crowd passionately embraced the essence of what a rock n’ roll gathering should be. With total disregard for personal safety, multitudes of bodies were repeatedly propelled above the outstretched hands of the frenzied audience with careless abandon.
Feeding off this energy was a band who simply wanted to rock. Talk is cheap, and Seether barely said more than ten words throughout the entire evening. But who desires words when a guitar, a bass and a drum kit have the ability to express so much more.
Crisp-sounding and tight throughout every song, Seether performed many of their hits including “Broken” (acoustically), “Fine Again” and new single, “Country Song”. Having also been largely inspired by Nirvana over their career, the band even covered the grunge-rockers “Heart-Shaped Box” with staggering success. Not too many singers can match Cobain’s intensely emotional vocalization, but Shaun Morgan’s unbelievable voice (as powerful as it can get) paid homage with booming ferocity.
But not everything was pristine. Though Seether has been known to play very short sets over their career, the concert seemed to conclude rather prematurely. Just as the energy in the building was gaining in intensity, the show was suddenly over. Many were left surprised and looking abandoned without any intuition as to what to do. There were futile attempts to await the return of the band but to no avail. Without an encore, the congregation filed out ontoQueen St.impressed, but secretly sulking for more.
Apart from this and, of course, the obligatory drum solo that was conducted during the performance (which has grown tiresome over time- no matter how talented the solo may be), the show entertained. Simple and straightforward-the way a rock concert should be.