Last Week:
Last time I was about to go off and do the New Inn Music Festival on Saturday 20th August. It was very well-supported again and I enjoyed my all-originals set very much. It sounds like the day went very well indeed.
Since then there's been just one other gig which was last Sunday with Atlanta Soul in Stockport for the bikers' festival in the market square, right in front of the Bakers Vaults pub where we play. This has to go down as being one of my favourite events of this type with a really busy crowd that got right behind what we were playing. Even outbreaks of rain and lightening (!) didn't send the crowd away.
This Week:
That just about concludes the 'summer festivals' season for me (debateable on both counts, as we've hardly had a summer) and so it's back to my regular New Inn solo slot this Sunday (4th Sept) at Barwick-in-Elmet again.
Music:
I've been listening to Seasick Steve's latest release, which is called 'You Can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks' and features Paul Jones from Led Zep on bass. It's got some great dirty bluesy riffs on it and even a 10 minute monologue at the end!
Immediately following on from this album I listened to a bit of Chris Rea's incredibly prolific 'Blues Guitars' CD collection. Again, lots of dirty bluesy slide riffs. Having listened to both I just can't help feeling one of these gents is more authentic than the other....Chris Rea of course.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
OK, last blog was August 2nd so there's a bit to catch up on. You'll like it, not a lot.
Todstock 2011 was on Sunday August 7th. There was a lot of rain about that weekend so the field we played in (undercover thankfully) was pretty much waterlogged. The makeshift 'stage' of wooden pallets did it's job very well! There's some photos taken by Mike Green if you click here and go to page 5.
On Friday the 12th I had an altogether drier gig at Leeds Town Hall. This was as part of an exhibition about the history of popular music in Leeds. It was a lunchtime set, superbly organised and I played 2 20 minute sets, solo this time. OK, it was in the basement room and not the main hall but I can now say I've played (sort of) a venue Queen performed at on their first national tour supporting Mott The Hoople, so there.
On Thursday 18th the Paul Jeffery Trio was out again at the Chemic Tavern in Leeds. What a great night. Rarely have I enjoyed playing a 3 song set so much! It sounded spot on from where I was standing, and this of course makes for a much better performance. Absolutely loved it!
Today (Sat 20th) I'm gearing up for the 2nd Barwick-in-Elmet festival at the New Inn. I'm on at 5pm doing about 45 minutes. Last year you may remember I had to break off part way through the set to move my car so the combine harvester could get through! This year I plan to park further away if possible.
I listened to Paul Simon's recent album 'So Beautiful Or So What' this week. I'm not sure where he fits in these days. The album didn't feel relevant and it didn't really move me in anyway. Oh well, who am I to blow against the wind?
Todstock 2011 was on Sunday August 7th. There was a lot of rain about that weekend so the field we played in (undercover thankfully) was pretty much waterlogged. The makeshift 'stage' of wooden pallets did it's job very well! There's some photos taken by Mike Green if you click here and go to page 5.
On Friday the 12th I had an altogether drier gig at Leeds Town Hall. This was as part of an exhibition about the history of popular music in Leeds. It was a lunchtime set, superbly organised and I played 2 20 minute sets, solo this time. OK, it was in the basement room and not the main hall but I can now say I've played (sort of) a venue Queen performed at on their first national tour supporting Mott The Hoople, so there.
On Thursday 18th the Paul Jeffery Trio was out again at the Chemic Tavern in Leeds. What a great night. Rarely have I enjoyed playing a 3 song set so much! It sounded spot on from where I was standing, and this of course makes for a much better performance. Absolutely loved it!
Today (Sat 20th) I'm gearing up for the 2nd Barwick-in-Elmet festival at the New Inn. I'm on at 5pm doing about 45 minutes. Last year you may remember I had to break off part way through the set to move my car so the combine harvester could get through! This year I plan to park further away if possible.
I listened to Paul Simon's recent album 'So Beautiful Or So What' this week. I'm not sure where he fits in these days. The album didn't feel relevant and it didn't really move me in anyway. Oh well, who am I to blow against the wind?
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Last Week:
I finally got a night free to play a solo open mic at The Hop in Leeds last week. I don't do much negative stuff on here now but to be blunt one staff member did two things wrong and I won't be going again with any of my line-ups. It's a pity because, as a recent blog will show, I was enjoying going there and it had probably pushed itself up to being my second favourite Leeds open mic night. However, as I'm only there for my own benefit giving my time and efforts for free, it's an easy decision to make to not bother with the place.
To put into some context, think how many open mic nights I've done since 2007 (if you're not familiar with it I must have done hundreds). And I can literally count less than 5 that have in any way pissed me off. That's 5 gigs not 5 venues!
Enough of that. On Friday night I was out with Atlanta Soul playing a wedding in a Cheshire hall, complete with gardens and estate. The problem these days is some of these venues are just not up to standard!
Stock cars in Skegness Saturday night, lunch in Port Sunlight on Sunday followed by watching the Bulls arsed by Warrington (I remember when we used to do that to them). I used to say to my friend about the annual arsing of Warrington, now it's very much by instead of 'of'.
This week:
Saturday with Atlanta Soul again (another wedding, will these people ever learn!). Then on Sunday afternoon it's the Trio back at Todstock. Our set is at 4:00pm so if you're near Todmorden come along to Centre Vale park and buy a CD, sorry, I mean watch us play.
Music:
Joss Stone's new album, imaginatively called 'LP1' is a stunner. It's all real instruments, classic rhythm and blues, hammond organ, crunchy guitars etc....and that voice, it's electric, I love the passion in her voice. To me she's a modern day Tina Turner, and I mean that in the best possible way, awesome record. Only 10 songs, short and simple, it's superb.
I finally got a night free to play a solo open mic at The Hop in Leeds last week. I don't do much negative stuff on here now but to be blunt one staff member did two things wrong and I won't be going again with any of my line-ups. It's a pity because, as a recent blog will show, I was enjoying going there and it had probably pushed itself up to being my second favourite Leeds open mic night. However, as I'm only there for my own benefit giving my time and efforts for free, it's an easy decision to make to not bother with the place.
To put into some context, think how many open mic nights I've done since 2007 (if you're not familiar with it I must have done hundreds). And I can literally count less than 5 that have in any way pissed me off. That's 5 gigs not 5 venues!
Enough of that. On Friday night I was out with Atlanta Soul playing a wedding in a Cheshire hall, complete with gardens and estate. The problem these days is some of these venues are just not up to standard!
Stock cars in Skegness Saturday night, lunch in Port Sunlight on Sunday followed by watching the Bulls arsed by Warrington (I remember when we used to do that to them). I used to say to my friend about the annual arsing of Warrington, now it's very much by instead of 'of'.
This week:
Saturday with Atlanta Soul again (another wedding, will these people ever learn!). Then on Sunday afternoon it's the Trio back at Todstock. Our set is at 4:00pm so if you're near Todmorden come along to Centre Vale park and buy a CD, sorry, I mean watch us play.
Music:
Joss Stone's new album, imaginatively called 'LP1' is a stunner. It's all real instruments, classic rhythm and blues, hammond organ, crunchy guitars etc....and that voice, it's electric, I love the passion in her voice. To me she's a modern day Tina Turner, and I mean that in the best possible way, awesome record. Only 10 songs, short and simple, it's superb.
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