I'm absolutely knackered today. It could be down to the heavy gig schedule or possibly down to the heavy Chinese Banquet we had last night to celebrate the Chinese New Year!
3 gigs took place in the past 4 days. 3 of mine anyway. To start with there was the gentle warm-up of Verve in Leeds. I played a handful of original tunes including 'Coming Up For Air' from the new Paradise Street album. (see below!). I also had my first play at 'Can't Stand Losing You' by The Police. We're putting it in with the band soon so I thought I'd give it a go. I think the song works but it was moving so fast I forgot quite a lot of the words. It went much better on Saturday night though. The other songs performed were the hardcore regulars 'These Eyes Of Mine', 'Whiskey Coloured World', 'Gods & Angels' and 'Your Shadow'. Not a bad do, reasonably busy too. 6 out of 10.
The Saturday show was at The Kings Arms at Heaton in Bradford. Following on from the recent succesful band gig it was a slightly different, quieter crowd for Saturday-until late on that is! This probably suited my solo set better and I really enjoyed playing a mixture of originals and covers what I like. Late on a crowd of Bradford City fans 'fresh' from a trip to Luton came in, and this at least meant later numbers such as 'One Of Us' and 'Hey Jude' went well. I also got an encore request of a song I actually knew-which made a change! 'Days' by the Kinks, what a nice song!
I'm making an effort to plan the solo gigs a bit better. Otherwise they just become an exercise in keeping going, waiting for the end of the night. I added in the new Police song again plus 'Can't Buy Me Love' as another ancient standard. I also played recent additions 'Learning To Fly' and 'Rosie' and had another crack at the Ben Folds Five song 'Battle Of Who Could Care Less'. It was a pretty satisfying night, so it gets a 7.
Sunday afternoon in The Grove at Leeds was another winner with the band. It's small but the room has a good sound and we can play more originals (7 in total) to a more appreciative crowd. I just wish it paid a 21st century wage! It's a tough call, there's more duff gigs on better money, so I guess it's down to priorities. I had a lot of fun there as with last time, so it gets another 7.
On the Paradise Street front, the album is in transit to the US, after which I'll be sending an email to all the victims on my e-mailing list telling you all about it. There will be the usual free download, plus links and strong HINTS of where to click to BUY it! I've revamped the myspace page slightly so that now there's 4 songs from the new album playing in full. More news to come.
This week it's a little quieter with The Primrose solo set on Sunday night and possibly an open mic visit to The Chemic on Thursday.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Another fun-packed week with 3 band gigs just completed-not much of a weekend but then that's the way it is if you play in a band.
First up was Friday night @ The Duck n Drake, Leeds. We had a very good first set and a slightly hairy second set as the crowd became a bit animated. 2 thrown out and one fell over the guitar pedals-missing the keyboard this time. If either 3 of these loonies had been hit over the head with a shovel (or whatever I had to hand) they wouldn't have felt a thing.
It's a rare night in there, a great gig but one where you need to calm the crowd down sometimes instead of getting them up as in most places! At times it resembled those old pro-prohibition films in the States where a bar would be filled with violent drunks smashing the place up. We'll be back there soon! Scores 7.
Saturday 17th was our first trip to the Bell & Crown, Snaith. The Middle East as we put it. I've played there once before on my own and it was packed then. This time it was also pretty busy, the place to be in Snaith it seems. We had a good night with no-one falling over us this time. It was well-recieved and we took some more dates. A very nice evening really. Give it 7 again.
Last night (Sunday 18th) was a return to the Bridge Tavern in Bradford. It was pretty quiet which restricted things a bit, and also was a bit tiring after the previous two nights. We played OK though and everyone was pleased at the venue. I'll give it 5.
So we move into another week, just as hectic as the last one. I'm doing Verve in Leeds on Thursday, then the Kings Arms at Heaton Saturday on my own. The band will be playing a Sunday afternoon set at The Grove where we had one of our best gigs a couple of years ago.
The new Paradise Street album is now set-up for digital and worldwide distribution, which means no excuse for not buying one! When it's online for sales I'll let you know.
First up was Friday night @ The Duck n Drake, Leeds. We had a very good first set and a slightly hairy second set as the crowd became a bit animated. 2 thrown out and one fell over the guitar pedals-missing the keyboard this time. If either 3 of these loonies had been hit over the head with a shovel (or whatever I had to hand) they wouldn't have felt a thing.
It's a rare night in there, a great gig but one where you need to calm the crowd down sometimes instead of getting them up as in most places! At times it resembled those old pro-prohibition films in the States where a bar would be filled with violent drunks smashing the place up. We'll be back there soon! Scores 7.
Saturday 17th was our first trip to the Bell & Crown, Snaith. The Middle East as we put it. I've played there once before on my own and it was packed then. This time it was also pretty busy, the place to be in Snaith it seems. We had a good night with no-one falling over us this time. It was well-recieved and we took some more dates. A very nice evening really. Give it 7 again.
Last night (Sunday 18th) was a return to the Bridge Tavern in Bradford. It was pretty quiet which restricted things a bit, and also was a bit tiring after the previous two nights. We played OK though and everyone was pleased at the venue. I'll give it 5.
So we move into another week, just as hectic as the last one. I'm doing Verve in Leeds on Thursday, then the Kings Arms at Heaton Saturday on my own. The band will be playing a Sunday afternoon set at The Grove where we had one of our best gigs a couple of years ago.
The new Paradise Street album is now set-up for digital and worldwide distribution, which means no excuse for not buying one! When it's online for sales I'll let you know.
Monday, January 12, 2009
A slightly quieter week last week, I did the open mic at The Yorkshire Rose, Guiseley on Thursday night. I played 'Your Shadow' and 'These Eyes Of Mine' and also continued to play some recently learnt covers: 'Learning To Fly' (Tom Petty&Heartbreakers), 'Rosie' (Jackson Browne-what is that song about I wonder??), and 'How Long' by Ace. I play all the latest hits!
Speaking of Ace, Paul Carrack was back at the Ritz Ballroom Friday night, and I was there having fun again watching one of my all-time favourite singers/keyboard players in my home town. Nobody comes to Brighouse. It's hardly surprising, most people are trying to get away from it. But for the past 10 years one of my idols brings his fantastic band and they bring the house down. A gig at The Ritz is always an experience, it's straight out of the 1960s, I just wish more artists would play there. This year the dance-floor was packed, and he played quite a lot of new material which is hard as people don't really know the songs. I was quite merry by the end and couldn't resist getting Lindsay 'no dream impossible' Dracass' autograph! She was after all Miss Eurovision 2004!
Sunday afternoon featured the return of the Paul Jeffery Band to The Railway at Berry Brow, Huddersfield. One of our fondest venues from 2007 (we missed last year as the pub was up for sale) was back on form again. It's just about the smallest playing space imaginable and it took a while to fill up, but by the last set (of 3) we had people's attention and as before the original tunes shone through. 'Whiskey Coloured World' was outstanding I thought. Scores a 7. (nb: I'm not rating open mic nights).
So it's onto another crazy week, 3 in 3 nights with the band, 16,17,18 January. Please check the listings. More and more bookings seem to be coming in at the moment.
The Paradise Street album 'Catharis' is totally finished and I'm now printing the complimentary copies (no, you can't have one!), and then it's ready to be distributed to the States from whence it will be digitally distributed to Itunes etc... Will it top previous records of $2.66??!
Speaking of Ace, Paul Carrack was back at the Ritz Ballroom Friday night, and I was there having fun again watching one of my all-time favourite singers/keyboard players in my home town. Nobody comes to Brighouse. It's hardly surprising, most people are trying to get away from it. But for the past 10 years one of my idols brings his fantastic band and they bring the house down. A gig at The Ritz is always an experience, it's straight out of the 1960s, I just wish more artists would play there. This year the dance-floor was packed, and he played quite a lot of new material which is hard as people don't really know the songs. I was quite merry by the end and couldn't resist getting Lindsay 'no dream impossible' Dracass' autograph! She was after all Miss Eurovision 2004!
Sunday afternoon featured the return of the Paul Jeffery Band to The Railway at Berry Brow, Huddersfield. One of our fondest venues from 2007 (we missed last year as the pub was up for sale) was back on form again. It's just about the smallest playing space imaginable and it took a while to fill up, but by the last set (of 3) we had people's attention and as before the original tunes shone through. 'Whiskey Coloured World' was outstanding I thought. Scores a 7. (nb: I'm not rating open mic nights).
So it's onto another crazy week, 3 in 3 nights with the band, 16,17,18 January. Please check the listings. More and more bookings seem to be coming in at the moment.
The Paradise Street album 'Catharis' is totally finished and I'm now printing the complimentary copies (no, you can't have one!), and then it's ready to be distributed to the States from whence it will be digitally distributed to Itunes etc... Will it top previous records of $2.66??!
Monday, January 05, 2009
First one of the new year, Happy New Year everyone. I know this is a depressing time of year for many (when you realise its the same shit, different year) but I've always quite liked it. I'm not a huge fan of Christmas as it is these days, so in some ways I look forward to January more.
Not that there's been much respite since New Year...3 gigs already chalked up for 09.
New Years Day in the afternoon may seem an odd time to play, indeed that's what I though, but the Old Pond at Hove Edge was pretty busy throughout. Busier than a lot of gigs last year anyway!! We played a fairly strong set, had lots of good feedback, and were home in time for tea-a curry in my case. We were even subject to a whip-round to get us to play on, but I politely refused and the money went to charity. What a generous start to the year! Who said people were tight in Yorkshire? This scores a solid 6.
Moving on to the following night (Fri 2nd), we were at the Kings Arms, Heaton. This is fast becoming one of my favourite pubs on the circuit. We're well-looked after and the crowd is appreciative. We played 5 originals and had a good reception, particularly in the 2nd half. I'm very pleased to be going back there to play solo on Jan 24th, as well as with the band later in the year. Tonight's act of generosity: possibly the oldest chap present offered to help us load out! This gets a 7.
The final onslaught was Sunday night at the New Inn, Barwick-in-Elmet. This is one of my long-standing solo venues and I try to play as much original material as possible. Ian Wingate was also playing, doing 2 sets. Whilst not quite as good a night as we had last time, the evening was fairly pleasing. I stuck to my plan of playing lots of my songs, plus less well-known covers of songs I love. These included Tom Petty's 'Learning To Fly' and Jackson Browne's 'Rosie'. It's nice to be able to do songs like those and not get blank looks. Score 6.
That just about wraps up 'week 1'. A fairly busy start considering it was technically still holidays. A last-minute computer problem meant I couldn't sell copies of the new Paradise Street album. Hopefully I can very soon. All the artwork is done, first test copy done, just one final adjustment-and the computer said no!! All being well, it will be released very soon this month. In the meantime I've plenty of other recording to be doing, I've a 3rd album half-way through as well, you have been warned!
Not that there's been much respite since New Year...3 gigs already chalked up for 09.
New Years Day in the afternoon may seem an odd time to play, indeed that's what I though, but the Old Pond at Hove Edge was pretty busy throughout. Busier than a lot of gigs last year anyway!! We played a fairly strong set, had lots of good feedback, and were home in time for tea-a curry in my case. We were even subject to a whip-round to get us to play on, but I politely refused and the money went to charity. What a generous start to the year! Who said people were tight in Yorkshire? This scores a solid 6.
Moving on to the following night (Fri 2nd), we were at the Kings Arms, Heaton. This is fast becoming one of my favourite pubs on the circuit. We're well-looked after and the crowd is appreciative. We played 5 originals and had a good reception, particularly in the 2nd half. I'm very pleased to be going back there to play solo on Jan 24th, as well as with the band later in the year. Tonight's act of generosity: possibly the oldest chap present offered to help us load out! This gets a 7.
The final onslaught was Sunday night at the New Inn, Barwick-in-Elmet. This is one of my long-standing solo venues and I try to play as much original material as possible. Ian Wingate was also playing, doing 2 sets. Whilst not quite as good a night as we had last time, the evening was fairly pleasing. I stuck to my plan of playing lots of my songs, plus less well-known covers of songs I love. These included Tom Petty's 'Learning To Fly' and Jackson Browne's 'Rosie'. It's nice to be able to do songs like those and not get blank looks. Score 6.
That just about wraps up 'week 1'. A fairly busy start considering it was technically still holidays. A last-minute computer problem meant I couldn't sell copies of the new Paradise Street album. Hopefully I can very soon. All the artwork is done, first test copy done, just one final adjustment-and the computer said no!! All being well, it will be released very soon this month. In the meantime I've plenty of other recording to be doing, I've a 3rd album half-way through as well, you have been warned!
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