Atticus Gig Cancelled

Sadly my gig at the Atticus in Bearwood on December 7th has been cancelled. I heard from the promoter yesterday that the venue has had to close due to financial troubles. The promoters, Acoustic Brew, are attempting to find another venue in Bearwood, and in the mean time we plan to swap the date for one at Birmingham's Bar Island.

Sorry to anyone who was planning to come to the gig, hopefully I'll have a date in Bearwood soon.

Cross Roads

Last Thursday, 13th of November I went down to the Crossroads blues club again. I performed a song in the open mic called Double Trouble.



Then jammed with Chickenbone John and Ken Stratford on their jazzy version of Route 66. Yet again the I had a great time. Here are some photos of my last two visits to the Crossroads, the Blues Jams on October 9th and November 6th.

I have always had an interest in history. History of all kinds. In particular I have, for some reason, had a kind of fascination about military history. I started in the way it does for many young boys, something about soldiers and warfare seems like a good game.

But it has carried on and now I am equally interested and disturbed by the whole thing. When I get chance I like to read about it and recently I've read books about British Commandos in World War Two, German U Boats and the Western Front in The First World War. Today I read about the Second World War in Greece and on Crete, because I didn't know a lot about it.

Last night I watched the time team programme about underground dugouts in Ypres, then found Band of Brothers was on.

I've just got back from seeing Oh What a Lovely War at the Arena Theatre.

I really eat this stuff up. It's matched only by my interest in Music, Film, and Comedy.

But I don't like it. Everything I've read has led me to understand the horror and uselessness of war.

I'm interested in the stories and the machines of it all. I can name battles and aircraft. I was in the ATC from 13 to 19 and enjoyed it greatly; I was a Flight Sergeant by end of it which meant I was the one doing the Bull and the shouting. Show me a tank and I'll find it interesting, but hate the idea of what it is for. What a hypocrite I am.

It seems I’m not the only one. The whole country is like it.

On the news today a roaming reporter at the Menin Gate interviewed a veteran about the terrible suffering and the fallen friends he is remembering and then spoke to his grandson. At the end the conversation with the child the reporter asked "would you like to be a soldier?"

Strange isn't it. It's good that this country has a festival of remembrance. I'm often annoyed that more people aren’t interested in the stories of soldiers, but at this time of year most people do there little bit to mark respect for them. Then there are the people serving today, they require our respect and support too, even though so many of us don't agree with the reasons they were sent to the places they are currently serving in. In fact they need our support even more in that case.

So I’m interested in this stuff and I'm sickened by it. A man of contradictions you see

Think also of the people who died in the less famous wars and conflicts such as Korea, Suez, Aden, Bosnia, Cyprus. The list is long and sad.

My weekend

The following blog contains some detail about my recent experience of a vomiting bug. You don't have to read it, although it's nothing like the detail I share when telling people about it face to face. Lets say this post is an experiment in how personal the Internet should be. I mean on my facebook, I'm constantly being told about peoples relationships and inner most feeling via their status tool, but would they tell the world about this kinda of thing...

On Friday night I became very Ill, at first i thought I had food poshing, but my girlfriend had eaten the same meal and didn't end up sick, so it must have just been a bug I guess. It didn't last very long, the actual being ill, (I was sick 6 times in 6 hours, literally at a quarter to each hour)

I kept the light on all night, with the idea I could see everything if I suddenly had to, erm, leave the room. All through the night I had a very disturbed sleep/throw up/shiver in bed/lay looking at a book I'm reading about the Western Front, not being able to think about the subject matter type of cycle going on. At some point in the early hours I was able to try a bit of (lighter) reading, ending up with a Micheal Caine biography, very interesting and made me relax a bit. He suffered from malaria for sixth months after national service in Korea. My being sick wasn't that bad I realised. Still horrible though!

I think i got quite badly dehydrated and was so thirsty. I tried water, and here comes that horrible expression "couldn't keep it down" which was pretty depressing, what with being very very thirsty.

I had to cancel my Saturday's work at the music school I teach at, which was shame as it was my last chance to practice with some of my students before their concert on Friday. I also had to cancel a gig at very short notice, and I'm very sorry to all concerned.

Over the next couple of days I got much better, and just suffered from aches and "weakens"

Today, Tuesday, all better really, just feeling the effects of lack of sleep.

And it's my birthday tomorrow.

Who's Reading This?

Through the wonder of clever Internet type things, I've managed to find out that this blog has had readers in places as exotic as the USA, Italy, Canada, London, Willenhall and Sutton Coldfield (I have an idea who that might be)

It's a really nice feeling to know people are following the blog, and I hope you find it interesting.

It'd be even nicer if people said hello though! Who's reading this, where are you reading it from, how did you find it, were you looking for something else? have you heard any of my music or seen me at a gig? What's your favourite colour??

Leave a comment, or email rlane110@hotmail.com if you feel so inclined, if you don't, not to worry, I'm still going to blog!

I went down to the Crossroads, again

A belated post, this one.

On thursday the 9th of October I went to the monthly Jam at the Crossroads Blues club, which is held at the Tower of Song, Birmingham. Again it was a brilliant night.

I've really enjoyed the nights I've been to at the Crossroads, both performing and listening to the really talented musicians who play there.

Sadley I didn't get chance to go to any of the nights since, what with practicing for the Terrifying Tour show and teaching lessons etc, and it's been a month already and the next jam night has rolled around again. I'm hoping to be there on thursday, and more regularly this month.