Two gigs meant things were slightly less strenuous last week, but still as always plenty to do! We were back in my birthtown on Friday night at the Bridge Tavern in Bradford. This pub still has three bands on a week (and we're told live music is struggling!) and for me this was our best night so far here, even though we've played it a fair few times over the years.
Saturday was a change of scene with our first visit to Lindley Liberal Club, over-looked by the famous Clock Tower which has a bell louder than the band!! We got a nice response and it's always good to have a stage to work from, making it feel more like a proper performance.
On Sunday I was gig-free, so went down to the Galpharm to watch my beloved but struggling Bulls take on Wembley-bound Huddersfield (bastards). I'm talking about Rugby League if you're not following. How nice it was to take a rare win so Sunday was a rather pleasing day all round!
In and around all this excitement I've been doing a few other things. Top of the list of course is the new album, for which the penultimate track was completed last week, leaving the last one to mix. I have the artwork and then it's onto the final listen throughs. These will either be moments filled with pride or panic depending on what it all sounds like! There's usually a few things to adjust but nothing major, I hope.
I've also been continuing my promotion of the Paradise Street album, Catharsis. If you're not familiar with my female songs project you can find out all about it here. This has been the first album I've fully promoted online and I've learnt a lot. I've also made some great contacts particularly in the podcasting world where tracks have been featured several times. As usual with anything done for the first time, there is a lot of trial and error involved as I sift through my 'bible' of online contacts. When it comes to promoting my new album the groundwork will have been complete so I will know not to send it to, for example, a Live 365 station that specialises in Thrash Metal!
So there you have it, the new album will NOT be thrash metal. Other than that, all will be revealed pretty soon!
One last thing to mention is that the band will be back at The Fenton in Leeds this Thursday (20th) at 9pm. Last time we had a great night there so I'm looking forward to going back.
There'll be no blog next week as I'm taking a short break. You will find a way to cope.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
If Carlsberg did music venues...
...then they'd probably be something like the Boot & Shoe in Ackworth!
Let's start positive this week. The Paul Jeffery Band made it's debut at the above venue on Friday and what a refreshing change it was in some respects. Sure, the crowd was pretty good and the gig went down well, but the facilities for bands....wow!!
In what is essentially a pub venue, the same as most others we do, we found that the venue had it's own PA (a proper full-range one), own lights, smoke and a stage. Then there was the icing on the cake in the form of the load-in: open a door and step straight onto the stage. I nearly forgot to mention the drum riser. No wonder so many bands want to play there, and they have a live band 3 nights a week!
I know these things may sound like fairly basic requirements for a gig but they are so rarely found all in order in most of the places we play. Virtually no venues have their own PA system for example. When we use our own, I have to take some responsibility for the sound. This is a thankless task as anyone who has done it will tell you! So having someone else to twiddle the nobs, plus the fact we don't have to carry the damn thing around, is a MAJOR plus point at a gig for me!
With all these things in place, it's easier to turn the gig into a 'show'. And our setlist is aimed at doing just that. So the whole thing is lifted several degrees before we've even played a note. OK, there were some calling out for Van Halen at the end of 'White Room', but even this turned into the champagne moment of the night as I was able to play the hackneyed synth intro of 'Jump' in the middle of 'Hell Freezes Over'! Listen to the song, when it gets to the end of the instrumental it just fits perfectly. Oh how we laughed.....if only said hecklers were still in the room when we did it!
So overall, a fanstastic night and a fanstastic venue. Take me back there please!!
The previous night of another busy week saw me back at The Hop doing a solo set this time. Whilst the audience weren't overly keen on clapping and listening, the night went pretty well and it's nice to see so many events happening at this place, long may it continue.
It was a shame Saturday night followed on from the Boot & Shoe, as the gig at the Bell & Crown in Snaith was rather disappointing. We didn't get much of a reception, just a couple of beer mats thrown, unlike the previous two visits where we had a very good crowd. Still, can't win them all!
I sent out a very short ezine last week to all the mailing list letting them know the album will be on it's way soon. I now have the artwork and all the parts are recorded. I'm still finalising the mixes (or tinkering as it's also known) so there should be more news on this soon.
Let's start positive this week. The Paul Jeffery Band made it's debut at the above venue on Friday and what a refreshing change it was in some respects. Sure, the crowd was pretty good and the gig went down well, but the facilities for bands....wow!!
In what is essentially a pub venue, the same as most others we do, we found that the venue had it's own PA (a proper full-range one), own lights, smoke and a stage. Then there was the icing on the cake in the form of the load-in: open a door and step straight onto the stage. I nearly forgot to mention the drum riser. No wonder so many bands want to play there, and they have a live band 3 nights a week!
I know these things may sound like fairly basic requirements for a gig but they are so rarely found all in order in most of the places we play. Virtually no venues have their own PA system for example. When we use our own, I have to take some responsibility for the sound. This is a thankless task as anyone who has done it will tell you! So having someone else to twiddle the nobs, plus the fact we don't have to carry the damn thing around, is a MAJOR plus point at a gig for me!
With all these things in place, it's easier to turn the gig into a 'show'. And our setlist is aimed at doing just that. So the whole thing is lifted several degrees before we've even played a note. OK, there were some calling out for Van Halen at the end of 'White Room', but even this turned into the champagne moment of the night as I was able to play the hackneyed synth intro of 'Jump' in the middle of 'Hell Freezes Over'! Listen to the song, when it gets to the end of the instrumental it just fits perfectly. Oh how we laughed.....if only said hecklers were still in the room when we did it!
So overall, a fanstastic night and a fanstastic venue. Take me back there please!!
The previous night of another busy week saw me back at The Hop doing a solo set this time. Whilst the audience weren't overly keen on clapping and listening, the night went pretty well and it's nice to see so many events happening at this place, long may it continue.
It was a shame Saturday night followed on from the Boot & Shoe, as the gig at the Bell & Crown in Snaith was rather disappointing. We didn't get much of a reception, just a couple of beer mats thrown, unlike the previous two visits where we had a very good crowd. Still, can't win them all!
I sent out a very short ezine last week to all the mailing list letting them know the album will be on it's way soon. I now have the artwork and all the parts are recorded. I'm still finalising the mixes (or tinkering as it's also known) so there should be more news on this soon.
Monday, August 03, 2009
Another very hectic week has concluded, with 3 more gigs to talk about. These started on Wednesday (29th) with the Paul Jeffery Band's third visit to Harrys Bar in Wakefield, this being the first time we'd done the more regular Wednesday night slot. This is just the sort of night I like as a musician. An 'unusual' night for a gig, with a good following for live music. We've been well-received here before and this time was, if anything, the best so far. The gig coincided with an art exhibition which drew in some more people. My throat was not at it's best all last week (recovering just after the conclusion of the week's gigs!), but this will be long forgotten after what was a very good night for the band.
Thursday saw me hopping over the Pennines (no passport required) to play at the Bakers Vaults in Stockport. This is a good music venue and the band will be playing there in September. The night was very quiet but I played a couple of sets to an appreciative crowd. There was then another solo gig on Sunday night at my regular New Inn at Barwick-in-Elmet. Where is Barwick-in-Elmet? It's just off the A64 out of Leeds heading for York, before the M1 link roundabout. It's a beautiful village and for once it wasn't raining so it was nice to drive over there, this not always the case with all gigs! I've got used to playing to the regular followers there, and I hope they've got used to me too. This time there were some 'newcomers' and this made for a great atmosphere in the small music room. I played a large number of originals, and also some requests (if I knew them). Well, all the people I didn't recognise stayed well into the night, so I think that must count as a success-I usually try and scare a few of them away!
In between all this excitement, on my night off on Friday....I went to a pub to watch a band. Just for a change! This was the Uplifters Ska band who are from Manchester, featuring my good friends John and Gaston. They were playing nearby in Wyke so I went along and found myself in a packed pub watching a band! There, it can still happen! I really enjoyed their set. On Saturday night it was strictly Stock Cars in Coventry where I drove down a flooded M1 but thankfully the night stayed dry. A great atmosphere for the first world semi-final, and 'm looking forward to the second one in Birmingham soon.
This week sees another 3 gigs with the first being solo on Thursday (6th) at The Hop in Wakefield. This being their acoustic night. Then it's back to the band for the 7th & 8th at Ackworth and Snaith respectively.
Until then, enjoy the British summer!
Thursday saw me hopping over the Pennines (no passport required) to play at the Bakers Vaults in Stockport. This is a good music venue and the band will be playing there in September. The night was very quiet but I played a couple of sets to an appreciative crowd. There was then another solo gig on Sunday night at my regular New Inn at Barwick-in-Elmet. Where is Barwick-in-Elmet? It's just off the A64 out of Leeds heading for York, before the M1 link roundabout. It's a beautiful village and for once it wasn't raining so it was nice to drive over there, this not always the case with all gigs! I've got used to playing to the regular followers there, and I hope they've got used to me too. This time there were some 'newcomers' and this made for a great atmosphere in the small music room. I played a large number of originals, and also some requests (if I knew them). Well, all the people I didn't recognise stayed well into the night, so I think that must count as a success-I usually try and scare a few of them away!
In between all this excitement, on my night off on Friday....I went to a pub to watch a band. Just for a change! This was the Uplifters Ska band who are from Manchester, featuring my good friends John and Gaston. They were playing nearby in Wyke so I went along and found myself in a packed pub watching a band! There, it can still happen! I really enjoyed their set. On Saturday night it was strictly Stock Cars in Coventry where I drove down a flooded M1 but thankfully the night stayed dry. A great atmosphere for the first world semi-final, and 'm looking forward to the second one in Birmingham soon.
This week sees another 3 gigs with the first being solo on Thursday (6th) at The Hop in Wakefield. This being their acoustic night. Then it's back to the band for the 7th & 8th at Ackworth and Snaith respectively.
Until then, enjoy the British summer!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)