Songwriter's Cafe 2014

Paul Murphy's Songwriter's Cafe has returned this year after a break in 2013. I went along on Thursday and if it is possible it's better than ever. The performance space has been renovated meaning there is more room for the audience. Walking down the garden towards the tree house you are flanked by glittering lights and delicately carved wooden walls. Crossing the bridge over the little stream feels like entering a special world of music, an idyll of talent and calm hidden in the back garden of this house in suburbia. Before the show everyone mills about just outside the tree house around the open fire. It was lovely to see some familiar faces and find out what they are up to. 

On the bill on Thursday were three acts I've heard a lot about but never seen before; The Cadbury Sisters, The Old Dance School and Andy Oliveri as well as two new discoveries Tom Daly and Cal Doonican. 

Host and legend Paul Murphy kicked the night off with a performance of a very lovely song and then introduced Tom. After some surprise that Tom didn't appear upside down through the roof wearing speedos (just me??) I enjoyed his soulful tunes and banter. Next up was Cal Doonican (namesakes are funny things aren't they?) who performed a set of funny and thoughtful social commentary songs that went down wonderfully with the crowd. 

Andy Oliveri was next with his beautiful guitar playing and lovely voice, gorgeous folky tunes settling gently on the room as the fire crackled away in the corner. The Old Dance School, all six of them, were next to cram onto the not huge performance space. Their set was made up of impressively arranged songs and they made being in a band look like lots of fun. 

The Cadbury Sisters closed the night with the sort of harmonies that are surely only possible for siblings to achieve. I'm a sucker for great harmonies but the Cadburys don't rest on their laurels they also have great songs and arrange those vocals in really interesting ways.They explained how much has changed since their first appearance at the tree house a few years ago and that it was quite emotional to be back. They have the feel of a band of the cusp of taking a huge step up (recent gigs include a set in Hyde Park for Radio 2) and it felt quite special to be sharing this little bit of the journey with them. 

Songwriter's Cafe continues every Thursday in October, you can listen in via Paul Murphy's website

Dan Hartland, Alex Vann, The Gamophones and Zaria at Best Seat Sessions

Best Seat Sessions, the gig which my friend Jess (with a little bit of help from me) runs welcomes Dan Hartland supported by Alex Vann, The Glamophones and Zaria to Ort in Balsall Heath on the 25t of April.

Dan Hartland’s brand of rootsy country reinvigorates the lonesome troubadour shtick with a wry pop sensibility. From gentle acoustic picking to the robust influences of early rock ‘n’ roll, Dan’s observational, confessional style offers a potent mix of intelligence and soul.

A dynamic and engaging stage presence, Dan is currently touring his brand new album, Young Man's Game, which features eleven literate slices of Americana-influenced songwriting.

“His well crafted songs offer a fine balance between heartache and joy.” Americana UK

“Cuts right through to the listener’s innermost soul.” Maverick Magazine

Alex Vann is a West Midlands Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has many years’ experience as a solo artist and also in bands. His music encompasses a wide range of genres and subjects but is mainly from his pop and folk influences, and most with a storytelling focus. Alex is currently recording the fourth instalment of his ‘Silhouettes and Pirouettes’ collection of original songs which has won wide acclaim and sales.


 
Bringing the best music from the most famous eras, The Glamophones will take you back to some of the most iconic songs from the 20s all the way through to todays chart hits. These 3 Birmingham Beauties, Carrie-Anne, Laura & Kate will impress you with their beautiful harmonies and exciting musical arrangements. This talented retro girl group guarantee to keep your feet tapping, fingers clicking and your hips moving with every beat.


 
Zaria picked up a guitar around age thirteen, and unlike most musicians, she could put it down if she wanted to. It took about a year before she consistently began playing. However, her writing career started when she was in 4th grade. After combining the two abilities into an acoustic solo act, she played her first coffee house concert in 2009 with Van Wagner. She then began to learn more about the live performance aspect of music rather than the art of performing to the horses she tends to at a local farm. Her influences include, but are not limited to Ellie Goulding, Ingrid Michaelson, Kate McGill, Regina Spektor, and Gabrielle Aplin. 



Tickets are £5 in advance-http://www.wegottickets.com/event/262653#.UyxNe4WE_Qo

Or you can pay £7 on the door.

Ort is at 500-504 Moseley Road, Birmingham, B12 9AH.

The no. 50 Bus route connects Moseley Road to Birmingham city centre.

There is ample cycle parking opposite Ort and free car parking all around the venue.

Paul Liddell supported by Robert Lane at Ort Thursday 30th January

Paul Liddell supported by Robert Lane at Ort Thursday 30th January 
Tickets £8 available from http://www.wegottickets.com/event/253651
8pm
Ort is at 500-504 Moseley Road, Balsall Heath, Birmingham, B12 9AH


PAUL LIDDELL

Paul Liddell is a working musician/singer/songwriter/recording artist based by the sea in the North East of England. His current album, the excellent Milestones and Motorways is a proudly home-made and independent release.

Paul is an experienced live performer with an unstoppable work ethic, clocking up on average 20 gigs a month both solo and with his band ‘Delphians’. Live, his unique voice and unpretentious delivery combine with the use of live sampling, guitar percussion and layered vocal harmonies to provide a great platform for his wonderful songs to shine. Paul has toured in America, whipping up a storm in several little coffee houses across California. While there he performed on a TV show filmed in Time Warner studios in Hollywood, and got his song ‘Brighter Lights’ placed on a nationally distributed and TV advertised folk compilation CD.
Other live highlights include performing on the main stage at the Beverley Folk Festival, and a memorable show at the Piperine Free Festival in Milan. Other artists Paul has shared billing with include Billy Bragg, Turin Brakes, Beth Rowley, Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze), Karine Polwart, Polly Paulusma, Calvin Harris, Nick Harper, Nerina Pallot, and Florence And The Machine.

Other notable achievements include making it through to the final 10 of Q Magazine’s Glastonbury competition, being named as the hardest working, most gigging songwriter of 2009 by the PRS, and selling over 3000 albums and EPs solely at live performances.

Paul is currently unsigned and unrepresented, building a cottage industry into something more in a purely independent, DIY fashion.

Praise for Paul’s album Milestones and Motorways:
Paul is a smooth and capable guitarist, and his low-key vocals tackle social injustice and media corruption with wry compassion. The vivid splashes of grungy electric riffage that punctuate this album add welcome force to this sharply etched portrait of life in modern Britain – Guitarist Magazine

"Milestones And Motorways" is a real troubadour album, one that throws life and experiences right back at you, ready to challenge your thought processes and move on. Politics both personal and global aren't shied away from, Liddell is not about to sell himself and his listeners short by compromising yet still contrasts his aggression with recocilliation – Fatea Magazine

An artist in the bloom of their creativity – Folking.com

Lyrically, the songs come armed with a social and political conscience (bankers, the media, Catholicism, instant gratification culture,) as well as exploring self-doubt and the human condition….. capable of sharp observations and on the lovely Footprints with its ‘walking in circles footprint wheels’ line, unbridled romanticism. – Netrhythms

www.paulliddell.com


ROBERT LANE

Robert Lane is a singer songwriter based in Birmingham.

Robert was chosen by the LG Arena to perform before concerts by Dire Straits front man Mark Knopfler, BBC Sound of 2010 winner Ellie Goulding and international superstar singer/songwriter John Mayer. In May 2013 he returned to the Forum Live to play before Eric Clapton’s main stage appearance. In August 2013 he was on of 15 songwriters selected to attend a song writing retreat/course with Kinks front man Ray Davies.

Robert has appeared at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Birmingham Artsfest and The Tenby Blues Festival as well as venues including Birmingham's Glee Club and Jools Holland's famous venue The Jam House. He has supported a wide range of performers including Nell Bryden, Polly Paulusma, Paul Liddell, Alice Gold, Cattle and Cane, Jazz Morley, Edwina Hayes, Dan Wilde, Jess Morgan, Steve Gibbons, Jay Leighton, Dan Whitehouse and Steve Ajao.

“(his) songs all have a fantastic melodic core…really intrigued by the melody…it’s particularly sweet” Alan Clifford BBC Radio Nottingham drivetime

"Well crafted, written and of course performed...bang on your iPod" Steve Pettitt - Contributor to Guitar-Cafe.co.uk

"Lane is another prime example of the sheer amount of talent we have residing in the Midlands at the moment, and a valuable addition to the Birmingham music scene as a whole." Luke Deakin, Counteract Magazine

"Robert Lane accomplishes what many fail to do, writing catchy songs without compromising any of his musical integrity…dynamic selection of tracks that instantly becomes a compelling listen." Darren Brookes, Media Essentials

"Rather splendid…songs about changes, very wistful quite impressionistic…slice of a moment" John Edgar, The Storyjohn Podcast

www.robertlanemusic.co.uk

The Junction, two Randys, an Actress and the Bishop

I played two lovely gigs in Birmingham last week. First up I supported the band Sylvia at the first music night at the rather excellent Harborne pub, The Junction. The crowd here were very friendly and it was great to see some familiar faces and make some new friends, including Zoe who wrote this very nice blog post about the night.

Sylvia have changed their sound since last time I saw them and become a psychedelic power trio whilst retaining their beautiful harmonies. Very cool stuff.

Then on Sunday night I headed to The Actress and Bishop and supported Randy and Randy, front men of Canadian band Cherry Suede currently on an acoustic tour of the UK.  I was given a good 45 minute support slot and had a great time playing to the crowd of Cherry "Fuckin" Suede fans who had gathered for the event.

The lads themselves played a blinder of a set, check them out if you ever have chance.

Nottingham and Jamming with Tom Walker

Last week was a fairly busy one in terms of gigs.

On Tuesday 19th I ventured over to Nottingham with Andy and Ian and had very nice time at the wonderful Malt Cross, a very unique venue.

Robert, Andy and Ian at The Malt Cross, Nottingham

The next night I turned up at an open mic in Tamworth to try some new songs, and then on Thursday I met up with Tom Walker to have an unrehearsed jam at The Crossroads Blues Club. I sang He'll Have To Go, Tom led us through Old Love and then we were joined by Mick on bass and Mal on drums for a bash through Leave My Kitten Alone.  Tom then suggested we drop in to a jam night at The Old Speckled Hen in Sutton Coldfield and we played Crossroads and Cocaine with the guys there. (Clapton fans, much?)

Tom Walker and Robert Lane at Crossroads Blues Club

Sunday January 27th I supported Nell Bryden at Hare and Hounds, Kings Heath, Birmingham.

The Hare and Hounds is great, the room was filled by a very attentive audience who were kind enough to arrive early and watch my set and Nell and her very talented band played a brilliantly fun and at times very moving set. So all in all I'd describe that as a good night.

Robert Lane performing at Hare and Hounds

Robert Lane and Nell Bryden

Photographs

Over the last couple of months there's been some cool pictures taken of me and the band at gigs stuff, thought I'd share some.

Here are some from a Robert Land Band gig at The Yardbird taken by the wonderful people at Hennessy Davies

Well, bad luck Brum.

I've just decided on a new mini mission; each month I'm going to visit and then blog about one Birmingham arty type event or place I haven't been to before. The idea being to decide for myself if the UK City of Culture people are missing out on something, or if they are fully justified.

Unfortunately I'm not in a position to visit Derry at the moment, so it's not going to be the fairest or unbiased of views I end up with, but I still think it's worth doing.

Being born and raised in Brum I've visited a fair few of the places in the city, but there's many more I haven't. Any suggestions on places to see are very welcome.