Scouting for the Lost Chord.

Thanks to Brave New World for this photo.

2am set-list writing to save set-up time the next day.

17th Sept' 2016

Setting; the beautiful village of Audlem, the venue, Audlem's Scout Hall, the scene of many a cool gig by all accounts.
This was a charity day of live music and stalls, successfully raising a decent amount of dosh for The Christie and The UK Scouting Association.

We had gone into this seriously under-rehearsed to be honest but our mojos appeared to be working, it being an 'in-the-zone performance after a couple of songs anyway. Also playing were an eclectic range of fabulous acts including Rivers and Kidd, Brave New Word and Bash and Strum, all very enjoyable. It was just really sad that friends of ours, Kit and The Icefish didn't get to play and were understandably upset after making the significant effort and sacrificed involved in turning up, waiting around and getting  themselves and their equipment ready. There was good will all round however, and this was no-ones intention, and it was lovely for us that some really good friends came some considerable distance to show their support. Thank you!

Set List;

Killing Me
Flamingos
Big Low Copper Moon
Where the Sky Meets the Sea
There She Moves
The Owl & the Willow
Love Limpet
Toast the Night
Love is the Answer
These Boots are Made for Walking
No Tobacco, No Jesus!

An evening of Songwriters at Ethical Artisans.

Introducing the last song of the evenng, I invited all up for a jammed rendition of No Tobacco.
L-R Martin Rivers, Dayve Dean, yours truly, Jaqui Kidd and Louise Mather who we persuaded onto the stage!
Many thanks to Deborah Edgeley for the photo.

May 31st, 2016

In the past couple of years, I've played several coffee shops, a book shop, private house parties and of course the infamous bike shop of the shop-sessions fame. Some of them have been among the best solo gigs I've played, and such was case with Ethical Artisans, a mini community arts hub and artisan shop outlet in Alsager.

As in the aforementioned cases, this venue involved an invested, listening audience, an intimate 'you could hear a pin drop' type of atmosphere and caring organisers who looked after the artists and public alike, in other words the perfect setting really for the singer songwriter.

I decided it must surely be more interesting to bring some talented songwriting friends along rather than hog the whole few hours for myself, so I had my special guests Rivers and Kidd and Dayve Dean. Martin Rivers confirmed he has completed his 'Different Skies' album to be released in July and Dayve is currently working on songs for a space-themed album, so both very much fitted the bill in terms of contemporary and songwriters, and Kidd, namely Jaqi Kidd, provided wonderfully ethereal backing vocals to Martin's tunes.

A lovely night, thanks so much to Alistair and Jo for organising things and to the lovely folk who turned up and made it special!

A cryptic instruction I noticed on one of Martin's song-sheets.