When we bought our house on a lake and north of New York City in 2015, the thing that excited me the most about the property was the small garage/carriage house, set back in the woods, that we called “The Barn” from the get-go. It was very run-down, full of interesting old glass bottles, rusty tools, and spiders. One of the windows was just a pane of glass leaning on a ledge. I casually mentioned that one day this could be my studio space. It seemed like such a long way off that we both just kind of shrugged, and over the next few years, we started renovating the main house. At first, just at weekends, we pulled up carpet, refinished floors, and painted walls and ceilings.
In 2019, we did some major renovation involving architects, real contractors, etc., and we built a new kitchen. With the end in sight, we started to think more about the lowly structure a short walk from the house. Work started - much to the dismay of the chickens living in the basement of the building - and six months (ish) later, I had a space I could work in. After some finishing touches, I could set about making it my creative sanctuary.
The pandemic gave me what seemed like unlimited time and, more importantly, permission to explore musical avenues I had always felt guilty about pursuing. Over the next few years, I worked on putting together a solo musical performance. I also wrote and recorded music, worked on magic, edited and printed photographs, and hung out with friends. The Barn started to reveal itself as less of a “studio” in the traditional sense and more of a space for gathering.
When I decided to pause my public efforts in magic performance and photography, and focus solely on music, the idea of The Barn becoming a venue of sorts started to become more of a reality. I moved out everything that wasn’t directly related to music. I made a stage area with a piano, drum kit, sound system, lights, and rugs. A year ago, I told a few people I planned to host performances there, and wanted to invite friends and neighbours, as a way of bringing our community together through shared experiences.
Earlier this month, it finally happened: The Barn Sessions lives.
The Barn Sessions No.1 | Alex Harris | Full Performance
If you’re interested in attending a show, you’ll need to be subscribed to this blog (it’s free). I will send out an email with a link to reserve a ticket. Space is limited, so it will be a first-come, first-served situation.
Click below to add your email address. You’ll also receive any posts I make here straight to your inbox.
Gorgeous space, man. I just moved into a house with an old detached garage that is in pretty rough shape, but your commitment to fixing up The Barn is pretty inspiring. Might need to pick your brain on that one of these days!