A Musical Journey Through Wanderlust
All has been quiet on the homefront as I’ve been busy with work projects. Got a couple music video releases coming up soon that I’m looking forward to sharing as well as some upcoming tour dates to be announced soon for dates in March and April.
In the meantime, I recently worked Billy Idol “Kings and Queens of the Underground” tour when it came through Detroit on 2/6/15. Billy still has it!!
Happy New Year!!
2014 was a beast of a year and brought many new adventures. Along with shooting several new music videos, I experienced my first international tours throughout Canada, Israel, and the Caribbean. I also expanded my knowledge in web design and content creation, and launched this website to share my portfolio and journeys. Additionally, I was featured in VICE magazine, Hip in Detroit; published an article on the Limping Chicken international blog, was the featured poet at several Detroit colleges and universities, as well as a few other personal accomplishments.
2015 is already bringing bigger opportunities, more tours and more music videos!! I’m looking forward to the next year and the adventures that follow.
Thanks for following my journey and your words of support!
– Mark
On Saturday 12/20/14 I had the honor of Assistant Directing another music video alongside Director Adrean Mangiardi. We filmed a music video for Gospel legends The Rance Allen Group. We are excited to have worked with them on their first music video shoot in their 40 year career. They were wonderful to work with and I’m looking forward to sharing the finished product for their new single “A Lil Louder (Clap Your Hands)”.
On 12/12/14 we performed a special holiday hometown show in Ferndale, Michigan. Sean flew in DJ Robbie Wilde (who also is Deaf) to perform with us. This was the first full live performance featuring Sean, Robbie, Jake Bass and myself. The show was a blast, a couple new tunes that Sean and Jake have been working on were debuted. I want to thank everyone for coming out and showing support. We truly had a blast.
Here are a few pics from the show, all taken by Jojo Forbes.
As mentioned in my earlier post about the D-PAN workshop we hosted in Mill Neck, New York, I’m proud to share the students video for Walk the Moon’s new hit single “Shut Up and Dance”. The original video we shared received over 4,000 views in several days as well as praise from Walk The Moon themselves.
Check out the video that the students did. Click here for more information about the Mill Neck Workshop. For more information about D-PAN ASL Music Video Workshops or to learn how to host one, click here:
Back home in Detroit after a week of performances with Sean Forbes on Passages Deaf Travel Deaf Freedom Cruise 2014 to San Juan Puerto Rico, Tortolla British Virgin Islands, St.Johns Antigua, Willmsted Aruba, & Oranjestad Curacao. What an amazing experience rocking the boat with Sean, and DJing the nightclub Halloween Party.
I wanna thank John Maucere & Deaf Freedom Cruise 2014 for having us on the boat with them. The staff, interpreters, performers and all the new friends we met was a total experience I’ll never forget. 2,205 folks, 25 countries, tons of new friends…Thanks for making us feel so welcome. Your constant words of admiration, inspiration, awe and excitement stir in my head. Looking forward to seeing you all again, somewhere on dry land.
Will be uploading pictures soon.
Hip in Detroit, a popular Detroit blog focused on sharing hip and exciting events, concerts and people in Detroit did an interview with me talking about my hearing loss, being a Deaf musician, and general questions about interacting with the Deaf community. Check it out, it’s a great read with some great questions.
The Limping Chicken website shared my latest article focusing on positive news in the Deaf community that I think more people should be talking and sharing with their peers. This article is an attempt to bring some positive conversation to a community that has been frustrated with how the mainstream press has been spotlighting sign language.
Completed another successful ASL Music Video Workshop with the D-PAN team. We had 2 days to teach 22 high school students the process of creating a music video; teaching them the process of pre-production, performing, production and post-production. These kids put in some hard work, and I couldn’t be more proud of them. Will be sharing the final video as soon as we release it.
Last year I wrote an article for Hands and Voices talking about the workshops and the experience the students had. Check it out: “Empowering Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth Through Music Videos”.
On Tuesday, October 21st at Macomb Community College’s “A Day of Poetry” event, I will be doing TWO readings, and will be debuting a brand new poem titled “Death in the Depth of Deafness”.
Event is open to the public – come and check it out.
Tuesday, October 21
Paradise Road 