I AM SPARTACUS

Merely days away from what I consider our most important show to date in one of the most recognized venues in the world, I look back at my 8 yrs creating, writing, playing and loving music....

2001
This is the year where it all began for me. I got a call from my best friend Juan about being the lead singer for his band Main Artery which i accepted. I remember being nervous and afraid in that first rehearsal, where the guys told me ''this will be like your girlfriend'' and it has been that way ever since. I remember being so naive about stuff at the time and my first attemps at writing lyrics. BOY THERE ARE SOME BAD ONES. But eventually... i fell in love.....

MAIN ARTERY
For the next 5 years, this band was my life. The 1st year was just constant rehearsals, we would just write and play covers.. just for the hell of it! I sometimes miss those days, it was like religion for us, every sunday we were at edwards house doing our thing. The live shows were awesome, i evolved my live skills with every new show. We put out one record, A Portraits View, which was a combination of 2 eras of the band musically speaking. In the end i felt Main was veru underrated by people, the only time we truly shined was our record release. Ill never forget those days, i learned everything music wise with these guys and i love them all to death.

THE CHINESE CALENDAR
After main, i really didnt wanna do anything right away, but it was my best friend Fernan who pushed me to do something new. AND WOW! TCC was born. When we won MMMF, it was still to this day to me unbelievable. By now i had perfected my live performance craft, i knew how to make the crowd have a good time and enjoy our stuff. We put out a digital ep called Come On In which we released at Cinema Cafe, which was a full house that night. I learned also how to be sorta a PR guy for the band as well. We started getting recognition from the ''big guys'' in the scene. We also had a lotta drama with Daniel leaving the band. Ill go on record saying that event was both our faults, his and the bands. We were ready to take the next step and go more serious....

CALENDAR
I consider the moment Radi entered the band that we ceased to be TCC and just simply Calendar. It was a different approach, my first attempt at spanish lyrics. We werent afraid to experiment... these songs til this day ive said have been the best songs weve ever done. We played ALOT live too! Quintana bar will always have found memories for me at this time. Right now weve... or maybe i should say I have had troubles with Radi with his recent leaving. I still dont know how to react to it, there are days i understand completely and there are other days where i do not understand at all... but 2 things are for certain, 1 - hes welcome back if he ever returns, and eve though were mad at eachother lo aprecio mucho. 2 - No matter what, i will not let this band go away, im prepared to do anything for it.

2009 - HARD ROCK CAFE
2009 ive considered it to be the year for us. We shall release the new record in summer and we have an upcoming tour that starts in june. Also this year will be the first time we play outside of DR. The past 2 shows at Bellas Artes and Feria del Libro have been weirdly gratifying, since we are rarely happy by how we play live. Now finally this tuesday, i realize something ive wanted to do for a while, play a gig at Hard Rock Cafe. Growing up, there was this special on mtv2 called Live @ the hard rock, where ive seen the likes of AFI, John Mayer, etc play this venue and truly the shows are always magical. Ive always dreamt of playing a HRC. When they opened their doors in Sto Dgo, i thought of the possibility right away. It took a while, and i even lost hope, but finally were doing it, it will be an exciting and emotional night for me, my family and girlfriend will be at my side that night. We will be playing with bands, some new, some old, who we trully admire and respect in the DR scene. This night i know will be special for me.. i wish some ppl dear to my heart were there with me, like my uncles Henry and Joel, who always support me, my father, who even though doesnt show it, hes happy for me big time and finally, i wish Radi were here also to be on stage with us, cause i know deep down inside, he WANTS to be here with us.

gracias a dios, se me cumple un sueño that ive had for a long time, even though we fight and bicker sometimes, theres no doubt that love doing what we do... and this tuesday at HRC, the lights will never be brighter.....

she wrote this for me..... everyday i love her more and more, shes my soulmate, mi antidoto.

porque sin tí, creo que estaría perdida
porque sin tí, esta felicidad inmensa
que tengo, no estuviera.

porque tú viniste y llenasta cada uno
de los rincones, vacíos de mi corazón.

porque sin algún día te alejas, no se qué
será de mi, pero se que perderte no es
una opción y que tenerte para siempre
es mi deseo, mi anhelo, mi sueño.

jochy saldivar, tú iluminas mi vida,
de una manera increíble, haces
que mis tristezas se vayan
y te amo como nunca he amado a
nadie en mi vida.

quiero estar contigo por siempre
y espero que tu también.

te amo así como que hoy más que los días anteriores, y mañana te amaré más y más.

te amo jochy saldivar.

y yo te amo a ti stephanie reyes, con todo mi corazon, te amo.