It's been quite a while but I have been really busy with life outside of the music business. I've bought a house with my girlfriend AND got a new job, so all change and very little time...
But I have been playing at the Splash open mic regularly and last night I played a great gig down at the Splash to the smallest audience I have played to in my life (apart from All Nations Tavern in Auckland, New Zealand... where I played for two hours to two mates, the cello player I was jaming with and the bar staff... I got paid one thai chicken curry and two pancake rolls... now that's fuckin show business)! But it was great fun and I played plenty of new tunes and many covers I have never played before. The acoustics were fantastic and Fergus and Rick had the PA behaving itself. Fergus and Rick are really great guys, talented, good fun and a joy to share a gig with.
Set:
Keep it loose, keep it tight ~ Amos Lee
Jolene ~ Ray Lamontagne
Holes to heaven ~ Jack Johnson
Emily ~ Stephen Fretwell
Like home ~ Justin Thorne
So beautiful ~ Pete Murray
Cold river ~ Justin Thorne
Iris/The only gay eskimo ~ Goo Goo Dolls/Tenacious D
You're beautiful ~ James Blunt
Wires ~ Athlete
Volcano ~ Damien Rice
Jeremy ~ Pearl Jam
Sail away ~ David Gray
Canonball ~ Damien Rice
Sold ~ Justin Thorne
Mellowdrama ~ Justin Thorne
So cold, son ~ Justin Thorne
My run ~ Justin Thorne
Insane ~ Damien Rice
Phew! I think that is the longest straight set with no break I have ever played!
Listening to...
Actually, I mention a few artists above and I recommend that everyone rush out and buy their albums ASAP... amazing singer-songwriters:
Amos Lee ~ Amos Lee, was recommended to me by my good friend Gary Wassner in New York... that dude knows what I like!
Amos is Jack Johnson with a Soul/Gospel voice, some stunning singing and funky guitar.
Stephen Fretwell ~ Magpie, was recommended to me by The Big Hellos' Kev Pallot.
Magpie is a painfully beautiful album, think Dylan with a northern accent and much better voice.
Reading...
The fantastic Liveship Traders series by Robin Hobb... you can check out an interview with Robin, interviewed by my SFFWORLD mate, Rob Bedford, over at his fiction/comic/movie review blog, Rob's Blog 'O Stuff.
New York...I haven't given up on getting back out to NYC to record an EP with Tommy Allen & Paul Carbonara, the dynamic duo... I just need to get my ass in gear and write some letters to the Arts Trust and a few millionaires to see if they can help... I actually work for one such business man, so I will see if he wants to help one of his employees leave the business to release an album... LOL!
