A Catch Up

This month seems to be passing so fast, how quickly our everything has changed from that late blooming summer in September, through an increasingly chilly October, right through to the lovely romantic fog of Bonfire Night. I have so much I have been wanting to talk about on this blog, from more information about my EP launch back in October, to the gigs that I've had through this month. So, first of all, a little catch up.

I spent a fabulous week in South Wales, leaving on my Birthday on the 12th. The original intention was to perform at the Tenby Blues Festival, but in the end my girlfriend and I made a lovely week long break out of it. I had a great time, and it was very special to share a place that was a huge part of my growing up with her.

I did perform at an open mic session during the Tenby Blues Festival and it was a good gig. There was a very large and excited crowd crammed into a medium sized sea side pub, and they were very nice and kept asking me to play more tunes, not something that often happens at open mic sessions...

On Sunday the 22nd I was once again at The Newhampton Arts Centre, Wolverhampton, to take part in a brand new Songwriters Evening. It is always a treat to perform at this fabulous venue, which is still pretty new and little known. It must have the best sound of any venue in the Midlands, as well as a lovely atmosphere and some of the best bar/sound/door ladies and gentlemen ever to have devoted their time and talents to making performers and audiences happy. (I might even have said that if there weren't so many of my friends working there!)

Some of my ever loyal friends and family came along, thanks very much to them. I had a good time and got to play a few new tunes, which seemed to go well. I enjoyed the other acts;

the crazily named and very talented singer/songwriter Brains for Breakfast, who as well as doing a very nice cover of Human League's Don't You Want Me, also has a very good line in witty narrative songs.

Matt Anderson, another local singer/guitarist performed an energetic set featuring tracks with memorable vocal hooks.

Rich Batsford, virtuoso pianist with the sweetest voice and stage manner who played one of the few songs that can make me cry, The Beach Boys God Only Knows, and allowed me to do a very unfair trade of one of my 3 track EPs for a copy of his newly released 12 track piano solo albums.

So the sound was great, the other acts were cool and I had a good time. Just a shame there wasn't much of an audience to speak of! Such is the nature of Sunday evening gigs I guess...