Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Monday, May 07, 2012

Elderly Instruments 40th Anniversary Lanikai Tenor

I bought my first uke at Elderly Instruments back in 1981 when they were still in East Lansing, across Grand River Ave. from the MSU campus. The uke in question was a Hohner Soprano, which is sitting right next to me as I type this. I remember distinctly that there was a Style 3 Gibson in the store at the same time, and that one of the employees urged me to buy it. It was a sweet uke, he said. But, alas, being a poor college student at the time, I felt it would be extravagant to plunk down $85 for a uke. So I went with the Hohner. It was $19.

Elderly is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and Lanikai has released a special flame maple tenor model to commemorate the event. Edition limited to 300. I'm sure it sounds way better than my Hohner. But man, that Gibson was sweet. Link

Friday, May 04, 2012

RIP Junior Seau

From the Fretboard Journal:
"The world knew him as one of the greatest linebackers to ever play football. What some may not know is that Junior Seau was also a ukulele player and enthusiast."
Link

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Stolen Uke Alert!

Vintage Martin Baritone stolen from Shelby Lynne. Link

Sunday, April 08, 2012

Ukulele Takes Center Stage in GSA Conference Drama



GSA (former?) Employee Hank Terlaje strums an original tune in a video featured at the now infamous Las Vegas GSA conference. The conference has been dubbed Clown-and-Cheesegate by the press. So clearly we've dodged a bullet here. It could have been Ukulele-and-Cheesegate. Whew. Link:

Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Jesus Christ Ukulele Star

This Friday (Good Friday), Seattle performance artist K Brian Neel will perform a one man, one ukulele, house concert version of Jesus Christ Superstar. If you go, leave us a comment and let us know all about it. Link to location at Neel's site. Link

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

NoCal and Reno Ukulele Festivals

The Northern California Ukulele Festival is this Sunday, April 1, 2012 in Hayward. Link

For those of you a bit to the East, the Reno Uke Fest starts Thursday and runs through Sunday as well. Link

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Hello To Jason Isaacs


Prompted by a challenge originating from the Kermode & Mayo show, Jason Isaacs says "ukulele". So, Ukulelia says Hello to Jason Isaacs.

h/t to Paul Adams

Friday, March 23, 2012

Arthur Godfrey Shot By Stanley Kubrick

If you go to the Museum of the City of New York site and search on "ukulele", you'll find 14 pix of Arthur Godfrey playing his uke, including some shots from a live radio broadcast. All shot by Stanley Kubrick. Note the pilot's wings on Godfrey's lapel. He was also an aviation nut. Link

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Just What We Needed?



You've been thinking, I'd like to get a ukulele, but why should I spend $35 on a Red Mahalo when I can spend closer to $1,000 on an iPad, iPhone, and the Futulele app?

I suppose if you already have the aforementioned gadgets in your life, this might have some novelty appeal. It actually might be great for people with developmental or physical disabilities. But I think you're going to be voted off the island if you show up to kanikapila with this. Link

Tiny Library Raises Money with Tiny Uke and Awesome Video

Big Sister Boing Boing blogged this story today. Enjoy

Donate to the library here.

Update: Julie Webster on uke. Nice, Julie!

Monday, February 27, 2012

George Clooney Plays the Ukulele


This just in, via The Daily Beast:
"For the relaunch of Newsweek’s iPad App, photographer Gavin Bond filmed George Clooney, Viola Davis, Charlize Theron and other actors from our Oscar Roundtable interacting directly with your iPad screen. In this video, Clooney hums a Hawaiian ditty while playing the ukulele." 
Well, not really, but if you're a George Clooney fan, I'm sure you'll be happy. If you're Hawaiian, you may be happy that Clooney didn't win the Best Actor Oscar. The app is free to Newsweek subscribers. Now I just need an iPad.

Info at The Daily Beast.

h/t Ukulele.fr Check out the junk uke sent to members of the press for The Descendants.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Win a Uke Autographed by Seth Rogen and Friends


Donate $26 or more by April Fool's Day and you'll be entered to win an actual ukulele signed by me & other performers from the Hilarity For Charity event.  
Also... if you win, I'll tweet a video of me singing a love song to you. And if you want, you can make a video with the ukulele too and I'll tweet it out to the world. It will be our own little love fest, all for a good cause.  
Check out the video...to see everyone who signed the ukulele. Paul Rudd did, Ty Burell did... Sexy Aziz Ansari did...All you need to do is give $26 and you'll be entered to win. It's 26 bucks for a one-of-a-kind instrument/momento/awesome prize.  
Please help support the cause and something really cool while you're at it.  
Thank you, 
Seth & Your Friendly Neighborhood Hilarity For Charity Team
Link

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Lil Rev in the Bay Area

Mike DaSilva reminded me that Lil Rev will be in the San Francisco Bay Area this week for a bevy of workshops and concerts.


 
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