Category Archives: Ray’s News

News about what’s going on with me these days.

New Year's Eve, Ray in Amsterdam, Ray's News, Stark and Dormy

New Year’s Eve in Amsterdam

January 1, 2016

Joe, Marie, Sarah and myself in the back room of Susie's Saloon in the Red Light District in Amsterdam. — Joe, Marie, Sarah and myself in the back room of Susie’s Saloon.

A little New Year’s Eve Tale!

Sarah and I met up with friends from Bermuda, Joe and Marie Bento in Amsterdam on New Year’s Eve and had a blast. Joe is, amongst other things, a great singer and guitarist and I am sometimes able to persuade him to play a set at my gigs! :)

We met at Oriental City at 11:30 am and had a great Chinese meal and then went to Susie’s Saloon in the Red Light District for a few drinks and spent some time in the back room. Woo hoo!

View from the patio at SkyLounge at Amsterdam Doubletree Hilton.

Then we went to the Doubletree Hilton by Centraal Station and watched the sunset from the SkyLounge. Here are a couple pics from the patio at sunset. What a nice place it is. Excellent drinks and food in a contemporary atmosphere. We even had the Amsterdam version of the Dark and Stormy called, Stark and Dormy! It was an interesting twist on an old favorite. We also had some potato balls, cheese spring rolls and crispy chicken bites. It was all delicious!

Happy New Year from Amsterdam from Sarah and me.

Then we went to hear a live, classic rock band named, Southern Comfort at The Waterhole in Leidseplein til we kissed at midnight (Sarah and I, not Joe. ) and said Happy New Year. Thankfully, our hotel is very close to the last stop so we walked home when the band stopped at about 12:20.

Ingredients for a Stark and Dormy. — Ingredients for a Stark and Dormy – fresh sage and honey water, shaken with Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, fresh lime juice and topped with Fever-Tree ginger beer

Ya, right. Like I would need a menu at this place. Oriental City!

A photo by the skating rink on the Leidseplein on New Year's Day. Here's to everyone having a great 2016! — A photo by the skating rink on the Leidseplein on New Year’s Day. Here’s to everyone having a great 2016!

We were some of the first customers this afternoon at Susie's Saloon. It's a great place to have a drink and a puff at the same time! — We were some of the first customers this afternoon at Susie’s Saloon. It’s a great place to have a drink and a puff at the same time!

Southern Comfort at The Waterhole.

A video posted by Ray Pasnen (@raypasnen) on Dec 31, 2015 at 11:26am PST

Bermuda News, Ray's News

Only the Good Die Young – Live | Swizzle Inn

Video January 8, 2015 1 Comment

I just stumbled across this video from my buddy, Evan, on youtube today. It was shot at The Swizzle Inn in tribute to James “Turtle” Smith, a good friend of ours who had recently passed away far too young. It is particularly hard to watch today as not only does it bring back the memories of James but, now, the memories of Neil. Neil is playing the sax at the beginning and the harmonica at the end of the song. He was taken, quite unexpectedly, last year. Here’s to James and Neil. Always remembered!

Only the Good Die Young - Ray Pasnen - Live cover — Tribute song from Ray Pasnen and Neil Burnie for James ‘Turtle’ Smith at The Swizzle Inn in Bermuda.

Ray's News

Ray Pasnen – Drift Away – cover

Video February 2, 2014

Ray Pasnen im Weserschiffchen sings “Drift Away”

Wesserschiffchen is a restaurant near Minden, Germany where I played a year or so ago. My friend, Herr Lueck video taped the performance and I did not realize it until today. Dankeschoen, Wilfried Lück!

Maine News

Maine needs more legal marijuana growers. Lincoln job news…

Quote January 31, 2014 Leave a comment

LINCOLN, Maine — Maine needs more legal marijuana growers, Paul McCarrier says, and that’s why his organization will offer the Lincoln Lakes region’s 200 recently laid-off millworkers a chance to learn the job for free.

Putting Lincoln, Maine back to work? — Medical marijuana caregiver Paul McCarrier uses a razor blade to cut a branch off a marijuana plant that he is cloning in 2012.

Marijuana growers in Maine. Lincoln job news. — Cash Crop! Lincoln, Maine farmers could grow marijuana!

Medical Marijuana Caregivers of Maine estimates that despite the state having about 1,300 licensed growers, the addition of post-traumatic stress disorder to the list of maladies doctors treat with marijuana greatly increases an already pronounced need for growers, said McCarrier, the organization’s legislative liaison. [more from the Bangor Daily News]

Ray's News

25.01 – Samstag Abend Bei ANNO ~ Ray Pasnen Live 20:30 Uhr

January 24, 2014 Leave a comment

Ich spiele morgen Abend (01.25.2014) bei Anno: die besondere Kneipe. Kommen Sie und sagen Hallo zu Franzi & Gerhard – Die Show beginnt um 20:30 Uhr mit freier Eintritt – Kommen Sie früh und sichern Sie sich einen guten Platz! Sorry für mein schlechtes Deutsch. :)

So… I play tomorrow night at ANNO in Minden Germany. The show will be streamed live on the internet at ANNO-TV at these times:

The show starts at 8:30 pm on Saturday evening in Germany. That is:
Saturday, 25 January 2014, 2:30 pm on the East Coast of USA
Saturday, 25 January 2014, 11:30 am on the West Coast of USA
Sunday, 26 January 2014, 03:30 am on the West Coast of AUS

Ray Pasnen Kneipennacht Minden 2013 — Kneipennacht at ANNO 2013.

Ray's News, Takamine Guitars

I play both Takamine Pro Series P1DC & GB-7C guitars and I bought them…

January 23, 2014

(I play both Takamine Pro Series P1DC or GB-7c and I bought them…)

at higher prices in the stores than I have been able to find on the internet, today. I can’t believe that just a quick search can now turn up better prices than running all over NYC or Bangor, Maine or everywhere in between that I have bought my guitars in the past. (Many places, believe you me!) I have a Takamine GB-7c in Germany and several in Maine. (At least one of which is playable.) And I searched for a new GB7c in May 2013 from Maine to NYC and could not find one, so, I bought a “Takamine Pro Series 1 P1DC” for my return to Bermuda in June. It has the same electronics as the GB-7c and sounds just about the same. A very good substitute and it worked so well throughout last season that I plan to use it again. Here is some more info about my guitars and pricing… (Photos of my actual guitars are below.)

Live music!

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