EMERGENCY SHOW TONIGHT – Toys for Tots Benefit at the Smiling Moose

December 10th, 2011

Due to a last minute cancellation, I’ll be performing a solo acoustic set at the Toys for Tots Rockin’ Christmas show at the Smiling Moose, along with my buddies Hot N’ Heavy and the Butter Birds.  It’s going to be a great time, and Toys for Tots is a great charity.

Those of you who know me personally are probably saying “But John, you loath Christmas,” and you’re correct, but I’m not going to turn down a show that benefits kids.  Those of you who are already sick of hearing the same fourteen songs on the radio everywhere you go, rejoice, as my set is 100% Christmas song free!

Doors 9:30, show starts at 10:00pm

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Come see a rare solo acoustic set on November 23rd!

November 18th, 2011

November 23rd I’m doing a solo acoustic set at the Fallen Monument cd release party.  The band Hot N’ Heavy will also be there.  It’s going to be a great time, and you’ll get to hear some new material I’ve been working on, a few No Exception tunes, and a few of my favorite covers.

See you there!

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Anyone going to the Backspace Writer’s Conference?

October 30th, 2011

Thursday November 3rd I’ll be attending the Backspace Writer’s Conference in Manhattan to promote my middle grade adventure novel The Song to End All Songs. Will anyone who reads this site be there?  If so, say hi to the dork in the silly fedora.

I haven’t been to NYC in a while, but unfortunately I won’t have much time to explore.

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Some surprisingly good live videos

August 1st, 2011

We’ve gotten some shockingly decent quality live videos out of some of the recent shows we’ve been doing. I’ll add a live section to the site and include a bunch of them. Meanwhile, here’s some highlights.

Vengeance is Mine – Miles Away Live

No Exception – Rain Live

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Come watch me jump around and scream like a weirdo

July 25th, 2011

My metal-core band, Vengeance is Mine, has some shows coming up.

July 31st, 42nd Street Sports Bar in Greensburgh

With Visions of Scion and Arcane Haven.  Brutal!  It’s a Sunday, but the show starts at 5:00 so you can get to bed early if you are a wuss, but if you’re a wuss you probably don’t belong at a metal show anyway.

August 11th, 42nd Street Sports Bar in Greensburgh (Tentative)

This show is still up in the air, I’ll post more details once things get nailed down.

August 30th, the Inn Termission on the South Side

With D.R.E.A.D.  We love playing at the Inn Termission.  There is usually no cover charge, and the sound is surprisingly good.

Come check us out!

 

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John Cusack as Edgar Allen Poe? Why not?

July 22nd, 2011

I’ve just been made aware that the director if v for Vendetta is putting together a period serial killer flick, starring John Cusack as Edgar Allen Poe.  Poe is apparently trying to track down a killer who’s crimes are based on Poe’s fiction.

Raven

Raven

I guess it’s not the most unique idea, but I’m intrigued.  I like John Cusack and think it’s decent casting.  He’s too good looking to play Poe, but Hollywood never gives ugly people a chance so you have to take what you can get.  V for Vendetta was a damn good flick, if you could get past the heavy handed political message.

Seems like it’s worth checking out.

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Lots of shows coming up

July 9th, 2011

If you’re looking to check out one of my live acts, this upcoming week would be a great chance.

Wednesday, July  13th 8:00: No Exception at Howler’s Coyote Cafe in Pittsburgh with Chris Darby and Alicia Romano.

Chris Darby is a singer song writer from Chicago, and he’s stopping off here in Pittsburgh on his tour to support his new album.  It’s probably unwise to play favorites, but Alicia Romano is my favorite singer song writer working in the Pittsburgh area.  Her voice is beautiful and her songs are catchy as hell.  This should be a great show!

Thursday, July 14th 6:00: Vengeance is Mine at The Smiling Moose in Pittsburgh with Armor for the Broken and Belie My Burial.

This is going to be brutal.

Saturday, July 16th: Ninjafest

Ninjafest is a huge festival in Adrian, Pa.  It runs Friday through Saturday.  We’re playing Saturday at 6:00pm, but there’s over 60 bands and most of them are killer.

Get in and see one of my bands live before I die from exhaustion, ha ha ha.

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Welcome to the new www.JohnPloskina.com

July 6th, 2011

I’ve launched a new website, and I guess the first thing you’ll notice is that it’s a modified WordPress blog.

I’m terribly sorry.  I tried to resist it, I really did.

WordPress blogs always look pretty generic, so I created my own content management system in PHP and MySQL, and that’s how I was running the old Ploskinaverse website.  Given all the stuff I have going on in my life, I just don’t have time to both update a website and fix bugs and implement features in my own lame content management system.  As a result, I neither posted content nor improved things under the hood.

So, I started working on setting up a WP blog I could at least tolerate, and I think the new site layout turned out pretty well.

WordPress is never going to be as exciting and sexy as something entirely custom made, but I have more than enough sexiness to overcome this hurdle. Also, I’ll be able to start posting more regularly, both to keep people update on my creative projects and provide my unique perspective on things.

Why anyone wants or needs these things, I’m not sure, but people do read this website.  Insomnia cure?

 

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