I kind of thought the trains would be empty of cops with all the Occupying going on above ground – ha! Dream on Heidi.  It appears they’ve hired more cops! I said to one of the officers after the eviction of Zuccotti Park; “You guys seem to multiply in front of our eyes. It’s like you’re breeding i real time. It’s nuts!” Luckily, he had a sense of humour.

Two days ago I went to 59th to do what I do, sing & make folks smile & dance & two rookie cops (you can tell they’re new ’cause they’re young, they always walk in pairs and their uniforms are all sparkly & shiny) spotted me from across the train tracks and changed their normal slow saunter up a few notches to a jog.

A ‘jog’? Seriously? I’m singing, not mugging someone.

I watched as the two rookies bounded up the stairs knowing they were excited to come and ticket me as it would show their supervisor that they were ‘on point’. Little did they know I knew what was up. I had seen them see me even though they didn’t know I’d seen them. (Get that? 🙂 And somehow I managed to pack up my guitar, amp, books, CD’s, patch cords, mic and guitar case onto my huge dolly all in under 30 seconds. Before the two cop’s feet hit my side of the platform I was sitting on the bench, blending in with all the other commuters, chatting away as if nothing was amiss.

I waited. Soon the two cops jogged over to where I’d been singing just moments before & watched as they turned around a few times, mumbled to each other, dawned a baffled look and went back to their slow saunter patrolling the 59th St Platform, I suppose trolling for more ‘terrorist musician’ types

I disliked having to stop making people happy but I really enjoyed outsmarting the NYPD 🙂

Then yesterday, we at Occupy Wall St took it up a few notches. Two nights before, Mayor Bloomberg (or Emperor Bloomberg as we often now call him here in NYC) let his dogs loose on us and raided Zuccotti Park between the hours of 1 & 3 AM – arresting and kicking everyone out & lining up blocks of Sanitation Trucks into which he had they trashed all the Occupier’s belongings, including the most coveted “People’s Library” full of fabulous donated books for anyone to read at any time. The timing, one day before our next big rally was not lost on anyone. Perhaps he believed it would squash the movement but, as history has shown many times throughout this movement,  it accomplished the complete opposite. As the #OWS says “Arrest one and two more will come”

Fast forward 48 hours, the turn out at Foley Square was beyond huge. After a relatively bloody & violent morning with over 200 arrests and one protester having his head bashed into the sidewalk by the NYPD, knocking out his teeth, over 30,000 protesters rallied at Foley Square in Lower Manhattan then marched to the Brooklyn Bridge. the crowd was enormous. It was freezing out there as the wind whipped in and out of the tall office buildings of Lower Manhattan. However, being surrounded by so many eager, hopeful and light bearing souls was magical. I marched with elderly women with canes and walkers, parents with one, two, and three children in tow and Doctors supporting the 99%. There was every race, colour, age, language you can imagine represented last night.

People have their opinions of what the Occupy Movement looks like – let me tell you it’s all of us. No matter who you are. It’s everyone.

There was also a fabulous light show that entertained us on the side of the Verizon Building as we marched …Stay creative, stay peaceful, stay loving <3 #OWS

If you are still wondering about Why Occupy Wall Street is … this  list which Occupy Wall Street released one month ago, remastered into this short Youtube video pretty much says it all:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGR5UQJLQvU&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

#OccupyWallStreet

Hi all. As many of you know, I’ve been spending a whole lot of time supporting The Occupy Movement both in person and virtually online.

Just a quick update to let you know my tune “Walk On Through The Rain” is now featured on #OccupyMusic!

Walk-On-Through-The-Rain-Heidi-Kole

And the following album is constantly updated with each march, rally,  & #OWS event so keep scrolling through 🙂

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150329430169477.364693.673319476&type=1&l=271667a2ca

Next post will have even more fun news so stay tuned 🙂

Occupy Wall Street

Dstripped Magazine http://www.dstrippedmagazine.com featuring review of my book, The Subway Diaries, will be in the Celebrity Swag Bag for The American Music Awards! Get your copy of the Magazine @ your local B&B, read the review & buy the book!

Personalized – Autograph special of book @ http://www.thesubwaydiaries.com

Dstripped Magazine available at your local B&N Store or online

As most of you know, despite the two weeks of media blackouts by mainstream, we, @ Occupy Wall Street have taken over what was formerly known as Zucotti Park  – now re-named, Liberty Park and holding numerous marches and protests throughout the city. The largest of which was yesterday and was host to a dozen major US Labour Unions and over 10,000 demonstrators.

I spoke of this happening in “The Subway Diaries”  – I foreshadowed it a few times as I observed the “Cracks in the Economy” and saw what it would lead to.

The movement has grown to include over 200 US cities and globally in multiple countries.

You can get more information on the movement and events in your city here: http://www.occupywallstreet.org

Yesterday’s march was filled with enormous energy and love until the cops did what they’ve been doing, relatively randomly and without much warning to us, a group of peaceful protesters. This particular incident was police violence against reporter Luke Rudkowski and won’t be shown by your local stations, of that you can be sure: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YXuvhg8Ahw&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

If you can’t make it to NYC and wonder what it’s really like down @ Occupy Wall Street – watch this video [vimeo]http://vimeo.com/30081785[/vimeo]

And here are some photos from the march & rally singled out & on my Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150329430169477.364693.673319476&l=271667a2ca&type=1

Namaste & support @Occupy! Heidi & The Subway Diaries

So, tonight, before the cops messed me,the father of this little 8yr old girl named Taylor asked me “What should she do if she thinks she wants to sing?” My answer; “If she wants to sing, she should sing. Kids always know their calling. There’s rarely a question mark with them” – at which point I called Taylor up & handed her my mic & guitar (which she does not yet play btw) & let her have at the audience @ 42nd St. I was so proud of her! 🙂 #goTaylor!

Tonight, after Taylor (featured above: ) handed me back my guitar & mic I sang…I sang for Occupy Wall St. & our all-connectedness and though I was far away from Wall St there @ 42nd, every time I spoke the words “& this one’s for @Occupy Wall Street “- the platform erupted in cheers. It let me know and you should too @Occupy Wall Street , that this city is 100% behind you. Even if they are not all physically down there @Liberty with you, they and their energy are with you. Know that, feel that & let it propel you forward @Occupy!

I’m sure at this point, even though it’s taken over two weeks for the press to cover, you’ve seen some of the footage – but if you’ve not, here are a few links to fill you in on what’s going on here in NYC

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgr3DiqWYCI[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqWEPwuIYtA[/youtube]

& Finally, on my way home, I always pass these guys, but tonight the irony just smacked me in the face …

“They must find it difficult…Those who have taken authority as the truth, Rather than truth as the authority…” ~G.Massey – Egyptologist

Peace, Love & Namaste to all of us in our peaceful protests that one day soon we WILL have a voice & we WILL be heard ~ Heidi & The Subway Diaries

So, this past week I was visited all the way from the UK by the fabulous documentary film “The Busking Project” – it’s one of the most down to earth & real projects on busking that I’ve been involved with.

Of course the day we filmed it was 104 degrees underground & we all almost passed out – but we got it done in between the rushing “A” trains and stifling heat

• You can see a preview of whet they are doing at http://www.thebuskingproject.com or find them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Busking-Project/129125297129185

Then, directly after our shoot I had been asked to do an interview on the radio show Riding On The Rails which is a show by buskers, for buskers (and anyone of course who is curious about our world 🙂

• That interview you can actually hear right now – no waiting !  http://soundcloud.com/rotr/riding-on-the-rails-09-04-2011

Enjoy the interview & links !

Love & music Heidi Kole & The subway Diaries

The Lawrence Busker Festival in Lawrence KS rocked! It’s taken me a little bit to post some photos due to earthquakes and hurricanes passing over The Big Apple & taking up most of my energy

Anyway – we’re in a lull here, amidst the storms and so here ya go!

• The first day I flew into KS City and was driven straight to perform at the opening benefit concert for Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Lawrence.
• The next morning I did an early AM breakfast concert at the hotel I was staying in (omg – not my best time of day!)
• Later that day the movie I’m in, Busking The System had it’s first screening and I did the Q&A after which was superb fun
• I busked the streets of Lawrence – (my most favourite part!) met some fabulous people and absorbed festival energy while I sang, way into the night
• Next day we had another morning Q&A for Busking The System
• Followed by a stage show that went superbly & where many bought CDs
• Followed by a book signing/reading & concert of “The Subway Diaries”@ Signs Of Life , the bookstore hosting my book signing and reading at the Festival
• Finally I busked into the evening that, my last night in Lawrence – too the plane back the next day & collapsed for a blissful 14 hrs of sleep!

Lawrence KS, I would busk your city any day! Lookin’ forward to next year!

And finally an album of shot of the beautiful environment @ The Lawrence Busker Fest – soak it up!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.10150288641627295.347509.728737294

Love, Light & Music

Heidi & The Subway Diaries

Hi all

It’s been beyond hectic here – Lot to tell re the Fabulous Busker Fest Experience in KS and all it shared w/ me  – but for now, after a week of earthquakes and after shocks I and most of NYC is a tad occupied w/ the impending visit of Hurricane Irene

The city of NYC is slated to shut down all rail, bus, train and toll roads into and out of the city – so I guess if I do not leave now – I’m here to ride it out w/ Irene.

My concern is, as many of you know, I live on the 45th floor which I looove – however the height combined w/ the wall of Wet facing windows is causing me great concern since that’s the direction Irene will be hitting us from. That plus I live a block from the Hudson and when Irene hits at high tide, flooding is inevitable.

I may have to evacuate- waiting for “Emperor Bloomber’s’ word on that as I type. But either way I’m busy taping up windows, putting plastic up as well in case they shatter and pulling all items down off shelves and filling the bathtub with a large amount of H20

I swear the apt’s gonna look like a Hurricane hit it before anything actually happens!

Favourite quote from Apt Building’s “Hurricane Warnings & Precautions” letter left under my door : ) 1) If at any time you are uncomfortable or feel unsafe, go sit in the stairwell. Favourite Quote #2  There is a possibility that there will be a loss of electricity, In this event you will want to do the following. Fill containers with water and put them in the refrigerator.”

Here’s my “Gift Basket” that I’ve prepared for Irene’s arrival : )

Irene's Gift Basket I've prepared for her arrival

Please pray for NYC and all of the East Coast

The ‘storm’ may go on for a few yrs here, the ride will be tough but so worth it on the other side  – so buckle yourself in & connect w/ all that you love

Big changes are occurring on the planet – the “Shift” is happening. Stay aware, stay awake, use your right brain more than your left, see the big picture and stay positive because marvelous things  exist on the other side of the storm as the old is washed away and the new is ushered in.

Namaste Lovely World

Heidi ~