*** Gardening, Not Architecture is an EIY musical project comprised of and supported by people who hold hard work, integrity, independence, originality, and honesty as their main values. If you would like to get involved in what Gardening, Not Architecture is building, get on the email list and you'll get messages from time to time, when it's necessary to rally the troops:
Influences
Gardening, Not Architecture is a musical collaboration between singer/songwriter Sarah Saturday and engineer/producer Beau Sorenson that started in 2004 (with a few songs they recorded at Beau's apartment in Madison, Wisconsin). Several project nicknames and almost exactly three years later, in March of 2007, the duo rejoined forces to record their first 'official' release: a four-song ep entitled "The First EP," which they self-released for free through the website and for sale on iTunes and other online outlets. The only hard copy versions of "The First EP" were 49 signed and numbered CDs with handmade paper sleeves and inserts, as well as a limited run of tour edition CDs, which were also handmade and included the music video for "If You Only Knew."
Gardening, Not Architecture completed a three-week self-booked west coast tour in March, featuring Sarah as the sole performer, singing and playing bass with a laptop for backing tracks. The live performance revolved around a handmade LED "lightwall" with choreographed lights for each song.
Sarah and Beau returned to the studio in May to record the duo's first full-length album, "First LP," which was self-released through the website and on iTunes on September 8, 2009. The duo recorded nine new songs over the course of eight days in Chris Walla's (Death Cab For Cutie) Hall of Justice studio in Portland, OR. The first full-length album includes three remixed songs and one rerecorded song ("Stop, I Get It [Nevermind Redux]") from the first EP. The hard copy version of the full-length album again feature a handmade aspect, with screenprinted hand-sewn canvas sleeves.
Gardening, Not Architecture completed a 60+ day self-booked tour in November, as part of the first-ever "EIY Tour" in congruence with Sarah's philosophy-based independent music community website EarnItYourself.com. The tour featured "EIY" artists from all over the country, and was booked primarily through the website's Show Trading and Tour Planner features.
In September, G,NA spent three days shooting a music video for "Stop, I Get It (Nevermind Redux)" at a warehouse in downtown Los Angeles with Enjoy Human Productions, which will be released first in limited circulation along with an exclusive live recording form the tour, sometime in December 09.
During the tour, Sarah introduced a Donate button on the G,NA website that allows fans to invest in the project and become "Official Sponsors" of Gardening, Not Architecture. These sponsors are featured on the website and each receive a personalized thank-you video from Sarah, plus have access to future exclusive news, merchandise, giveaways, and other content.
In the year since Sarah played the first live show as Gardening, Not Architecture (in Los Angeles in September 2008), G,NA has opened for: Black Francis (Frank Black of The Pixies) onelinedrawing Rx Bandits Facing New York Sebastien Grainger (Death From Above 1979)...and many other up-and-coming artists.
In that time, G,NA has been featured on: CMJ Reax Magazine RKCNDY Pollstar Beatcrave ...and many more websites and blogs.
The buzz surrounding Gardening, Not Architecture has grown organically since day one, as was intended for this project, and fans have fallen in love with the music and the honesty behind the project. As the name suggests, this is a project that will flourish in its own time, in a natural progression, without anyone forcing it to be something it's not.
*** Visit the official G,NA website for streaming music, photos, contact info, lyrics, Sarah Saturday's online store, and more: gardeningnotarchitecture.com.
DAMN I wish we could go to your house show! I hope it all goes well, and that the show/party are ridiculously fun for all involved. If it weren't for the Mars Volta I would be there with bells on, you can be sure.
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