Songs '..of grace and wit', The Musician. 'A voice and sentiment to lift you from slumber', Fatea Records. 'This will get in your head', BBC Introducing.
We gathered, along with many others on a multi-artist evening at the best city center rock venue that just happens to be in a small market town, somehow, instead - Percy's!
Barn54 we're the headliners once again and at the time of the booking more than a year ago, we weren't aware that it also coincides with Whitchurch's biggest event of the year - The Blackberry Fair.
It was our 1st of 3 gigs with super-pro musician Dayve Dean. He has had just one rehearsal with us and is absolutely nailing our songs. Top work, Dayve.
I had some technical issues surrounding my pedalboard or power to it for a time, Sina (from Barn54) having similar issues too with her sustain pedal, Emma swapping it out for hers didn't seem to help so it may have been a socket issue perhaps.
The gig was a reminder though that technical issues or not (they will also be a part of the rough & tumble of live shows, though of course you try to minimise them) it is the over all vibe and communication of feelings that really counts - I think we got away with it & Barn54 were mesmerisingly good, as always.
Photo: TMR Photography
Photo: TMR photography
Photo: TMR photography
What a night! Photo: TMR photography
Dave, Jonathan, Bass-Depp Dayve Dean & Em of The Blue Yellows. Pic by Dave Coomer.
A very short commute to the gig in my adopted home town of Nantwich to join the wonderful Barn54 who are well into their epic Athens to Aberdeen tour. I did a half hour support set with last minute addition, my Blue Yellows compadre - Dave on Cajon.
It really was such an absolute joy to join them on stage - to be alive and live these precious moments is just so incredible.
This time around at for Dress Down Sunday, we were supported very ably not only by our host Jasmine Allen Estate & nineties-esque rockers The Moondogz but by a rather glitzy, golden glitter curtain left up behind us from a previous event.
Hopefully, even without our recovering ace of bass Simon we did our best without him to bring some classy sounds to the lovely crowd who turned up in the refreshingly cooler weather (at last)!
Great to meet some new people at this show, thanks for coming!
We headed out on what could be a difficult task, playing to a Tuesday night crowd on a World Cup knock-out night AND still a man down in terms of our ace-of-bass Simon.
We were all releaved to hear from Em who had seen Simon having picked up speaker stands & mic stands from his place. Em's report being that Simon had just had his stitches out, was in good spirits and about to strim his lawn! So, as a man of very few words on a phone, rarely using it to communicate it at all, any fears we had for him were allayed & I'm sure he will be back with us as soon as he's physically able to play again.
The Glebe & it's folk, both regular and those just passing through, were also up for a really good time & were treating this Tuesday as if were a Friday or Saturday night, a lovely, attentive & up-for-it bunch.
Having headed home on this sultry night, seen a hedgehog on the way home & after a cool shower & a wet walk under the half-moonlit sky, it's already a wonderful stained-glass memory.
Image by Tim Lee
Tim Lee opened for us, wowing the audience with a set of his lovely songs
We met the feisty and funny Liz Vincent, a big name around here in the DJing world back when it was even harder to make waves as a woman in music.
Tonight was one of those nights, & that can never just come from the band - it's a two way/multi-way/musicians-audience - all-one-mind beautiful thing that is so precious, a thing that is becoming more rare as it only happens there in those moments in a room together.
The wonderful Hayley Strangelove brought the magic and the emotion in, and so much more.
Mike on the desk gave us our best sound yet on stage at Tom's, something that allows us to really did deep into the music we're creating in the moment, putting an aerial out into the cosmos and getting lost in the music ourselves.
Thank you all so, so much xxx
*P. S. A notable feature of this gig was that or was the 1st show where Em played violin and the first one in which Dave played the bodhran (in addition to thier usual instruments).
I've learned to at least try never to have any preconceptions as to how good a gig is going to be, but have to admit that the good feelings I had about this one turned out to be more than justified. In spite of considerable difficulties with the sound through soundcheck, Mike (from We Are Nomad) was as ever thoroughly well prepared but had some real issues for a while... But it was all sorted in time for the show.
As if Mike didn't have enough of an event to sort, he and the other 50% of We Are Nomad , Rona were first up, and what a spellbinding and chilled start to a great night they were. We'd specifically asked them to focus more on original material for this one and it was great to hear their own songs including their epic "The Ocean".
Next up were brand new band (this would be their third ever gig), namely youth indie-rockers Contemporary Nightmare I knew front-man Dylan Bugg from both his previous band The Buggs with brother Owain and from the fact that I taught them both guitar when they lived in Cheshire. To say we (I think I can confidently speak for everyone there) were impressed was an understatement. A teen band 3 gigs in are supposed to be really rough, battling with the basics like staying in time, maintaining a solid groove and holding a good melody under the pressure of the public gaze and not wanting to let yourselves down... These things typically take many gigs to begin to master before a band goes on to flourish. These lads definitely have "it" - straight out of the box - hugely enjoyable set.
When it came to my gang The Blue Yellows we felt ready to take some risks on some newer material as well as some old favourites. Everyone seemed to love it.
The night was certainly massively enhanced by such a thorough approach to sound from Mike, a superbly atmospheric light rig provided by Pod (Jason Podmore), plus a dry-ice machine (I think we're supposed to call it "haze" nowadays having been laughed at by a student working in light shows for calling it "dry ice"!). On top of that, many great photos were taken by Tim Lee, Martin Edwards & others many of which will appear over the coming months no doubt (with credits of course) in our socials and so on. On top of all this, the venue itself - Tom's Tap and Brewhouse - well, we just love the place and love playing here. Not only are their beers, ciders and other beverages and food top notch, but like any great places the personalities of the people running the joint really makes a difference and they have really built a community - one with all the right vibes and a real focus on egalitarianism and inclusivity.
I will certainly have missed people out in this something of a thanks-fest post but as ever - the people who really make the difference are you lovely lot who come to the shows. YOU give us the energy, you share the emotions and excitement of making this mad, roller-coaster of feelings that is a live music show; thank you so much!
A gig at Tom's Tap was among a string of gigs that were among the 1st that we preemptively cancelled when it was becoming clear just how serious Covid was turning out to be not long before the 1st lockdown was announced, so it felt especially good to be back at this absolute gem of a brewery come comedy & music venue. With We Are Nomad's Mike on Sound and our good friend Tim Lee opening with an engaging performance of his emotive songs, it was set for a great night. Lovely to see good friends and new friends, thanks to all for coming along on such a dark and drissley night.
Thanks to Tim for the great photos on top of the great songs.
18th and 19th June 2022 (updated 21st June to include video footage)
If you see my previous post you can see that for this and a variety of other logistical reasons we were feeling fairly under-rehearsed for the two hour gigs we were scheduled to perform across the weekend.
The Middlewich Folks & Boat Festival was back after a Covid-induced absence of two years and was now actually better than ever, with acts including Cast, Gruff Rhys, The Waterboys, Boo Radleys and more. Founding festival organiser Lizzie was back at the Helm in collaboration with the local council and I'm sure played a huge part in making this the best one yet, 30 years on from the 1st event.
Under-rehearsed though we were, we've now reached the stage where we know each other so well musically, we can not only take risks but jam-out songs successfully with gusto and with a sort of free-flowing, exhilarating vibrancy even though we might not know them brilliantly well yet, as was the case with the live debut for "The Stronger You Love", newish songs in terms of playing live like "Bella" and "new" cover "Closing Time".
In a complete reversal of what I'd expected, the Saturday gig was much busier (in spite of a slightly more out-of-town venue) than I expected and the Sunday one seemed to be more "hangover day" with a very small but nevertheless responsive audience.
The gang played absolutely brilliantly and it was a joy to see so many old friends and as meet lots of new people who seem to have enjoyed it all.
Me & my gang are delighted to feature (*along with many more) in the new book Railtown Rock by Andy Pennance.
It’s been something of a labour of love for Andy and it covers the music scene in the Crewe and Nantwich area from the early Skiffle groups who gigged there in the 1950s through to the current scene of bands, venues and musicians.
It’s printed by Mpire Press at a cost of £15 +P&P
*Including The Beatles, Dario G, Dr Phibes and the House of the Wax Equations, Tower Struck Down, The Scorpions, Train Set, Snakey Jake & the Dead Skunk Band, Gary B. Goode and The Hot Rots.
It seemed like a good time to do a lockdown livestream tonight, unfortunately there were some issues with my weak on-board internet so I re-recorded the set!
