Gigs with Ivan

Keeping it Local: it’s com-ing home 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Live and Unheard. Lighthouse, Poole. 3.7.21

More..more..yes back again for more Live and Unheard at Poole’s Lighthouse arts centre. Always a good place to hear some new local artists as Previous Live and Unheard blogs have pointed to.

Today’s feast has been squeezed a bit to make way for the England v Ukraine Euros quarter final ⚽️. Two of the three acts for the evening session here in the outdoor theatre have been incorporated into the afternoon ‘bit on the side’ session, to give six acts from 1pm… a great gig goer’s build up to the England game later…and all for a tenner.

Six bands and pretty much all original material…a few covers crept in but limited. Around 65 people in the bring your own camping chair or picnic blanket arrangement. Normally the Live and Unheard sessions would hold about 80 in the indoor Sherling Studio within the Lighthouse building. People like the banks of the outdoor theatre with a bit of tree cover, and with a wind and threat of rain today.. no actual rain today after the music started.

They are watching from the bank behind, honest.

These events throw up some amazing local talent. I’ve become a regular and while not every band in the pot pourri is necessarily your cup of tea, the quality is reliable.

Will any of these make it big? Will I like any of them? It’s not all about what I like I know but this is from a personal perspective. My favourites of the six this afternoon are the first and last – Carley Varley, who kicked it all off and Lee Rasdall Dove, who rounded it all off.

Carley Varley. Very Taylor Swift in folk mode. Impressed. The line is ‘yes it really is her name’. Apparently her parents had a sense of humour. A selection of singles and EPs on Spotify to listen to…and a bit of YouTube: Honest Conflict – a song she played second in her set. You’ll recognise the jumper.

Carley is getting married this week – I doubt she’ll change that unforgettable surname as she’s got it known locally.

Other songs from her set that can be found on Spotify are ‘Dirty Laundry’, ‘Going Under’ and ‘Since you Left’. Also in the set is her next release ‘Miss Me?’ before she finished with a Whitney Houston cover, ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’.

My runner up, or is it runners up as he’s playing with a full band today, is Lee Rasdall-Dove.

From Bournemouth and just 21 years old, playing for the first time with this band which add a great guitar, bass and drums to go with his acoustic guitar and central feature…Lee’s voice. Remind me a bit of Blossoms, with light pop rock and slight folky.

With these Live and Unheard sessions there is that wondering if anyone will break through into something big. This guy has a chance surely. Give him a spin: YouTube Lee Rasdall-Dove

By the time they were on people had started to shuffle off home or wherever to watch England beat the Ukraine by a very convicing four goals to nil 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿. Another performer to look out for on the local circuit.

I’d like to thank you all for coming- goodnight!

In between my winners for the day were four other acts that all entertained. A lovely afternoon.

Jazz Wrann and the Ruby Welts threw in more covers than the others – great rock ‘n’ roll voice. From Southampton. Their double bassist was otherwise engaged but the beat box and two acoustic guitars did the job.

There was a Levellers’ song in there, Cure’s ‘Love Cats’, ‘Jolene’, and wow.. ‘Chocolate Jesus’ by Tom Waits. The covers do make it easier eh.

Two loop guitarists played – if that’s what we call them – both solo artists and clear illustrations of how much one person can do on stage with a loop pedal, guitar and and some immaculate timing. I saw Ed Sheeran take this loop stuff to the limits at Glastonbury 2017 and left before he finished so I maybe I’m not the best person to offer any assessment.

Marco Di Gaetano, from Ringwood and the probably more experienced Tim Somerfield who added some humour and more punch. Tim was selling his CDs ‘for anyone who still uses them in the car’ 😁 and looking to do a deal on his t-shirts between his loop guitar funky stuff.

Also today Plastic Jeezus. What are you going to get with a name like that? A surprise. Uke and bass duo with some humorous ditties that make you listen carefully. ‘Patchwork Covers’ was a clever knitting together of a bagful of stolen hits and lyrics. I’m thinking Victoria Wood meet Chas ‘n’ Dave with essence of Two Ronnies at times.

Never disappointed by these Live and Unheard events. The outside arena gives another Step 3 option. Not long now. Two more constrained, seated, distanced gigs for me before we escape… for a bit anyway. Grateful for all the Lockdown Live and Unheards.

Keep it live! 😷😎

Forest Folk – A Man They Couldn’t Hang

Phil ‘Swill’ Odgers at North Boarhunt Social Club, Hampshire 21.6.2021

This was a special Monday night trip into the unknown….the wilds of …well I didn’t know where…but what I did know was that I wanted to catch Phil ‘Swill’ Odgers on his return to the stage for the first time since Covid was unleashed on us.

North Boarhunt? I had no idea…but we found it OK. Down the M27 motorway towards Portsmouth and off left somewhere. Tickets bought by sending a cheque – had to ring the bank to check if my chequebook was still valid. Excellent.. all worked and tickets arrived. Just 30 tickets available for each of two performances on the same day. 8pm for us.

My first tickets obtained by posting a cheque for decades

Why my keeness? I like The Men They Couldn’t Hang yes….but in Lockdown Phil ‘Swill’ Odgers emerged as one of my Lockdown heroes.

Those months of boredom and Covid nausea were given a musical boost by Swill’s Sundays night sessions – free on Facebook – a relaxed homely feel – and for me and many others these became a regular Sunday night fixture. Not just a relief to find some virtual live performances but it relit my Men They Couldn’t Hang interest.

Swill’s Sunday Sessions were made available on CD subsequently

During Lockdown I was also watching the sessions by (Stefan) Cush from the Men They Couldn’t Hang (TMTCH)…Thursday evenings after the NHS clap….they stopped after a several months and then one day there was the awful news that Cush was dead.

Stefan Cush was 60. A shocker. This tribute published by Louder Than War was fitting. https://louderthanwar.com/we-pay-tribute-to-stefan-cush-effervescent-front-man-of-the-men-they-couldnt-hang/

It felt personal although it wasn’t. When we grow up with certain bands that are a backdrop to aspects of our lives it’s like that, especially when they are or were one of ‘your bands’.

In 2018 I bumped into Cush at Glasgow Airport one Sunday afternoon, while flights were delayed for hours, after TMTCH played King Tuts. I’d been to another gig (Slow Readers Club). He said ‘don’t I know you’ and we had a chat. The previous time I’d met him was in the gents in The Crown Inn in Digbeth, Birmingham before a gig at the Civic Hall/ Irish Centre I thought…I can’t find any evidence of this gig.

Stefan Cush RIP
CD released to raise money for his family

TMTCH were an important part of my tunes in the late 80s…not even particularly seeing them live at that point but just the early albums at that time which I savoured… often with my mate Sean in Weston-super-Mare in our room while on training courses…and anywhere we could find a juke box.

The TMTCH boomed alongside The Pogues’ popularity and brought their lively brand of folk to a post-punky scene. Their cover of Green Fields of France was a huge fave for John Peel listeners and was Festive 50 No.3 in 1984 and Ironmasters No.11 the following year.

YouTube clip: Cambridge Folk Festival, Green Fields of France

I’m a bit rusty on early TMTCH detail but first gig I saw I’m sure, was in 1985 at Battersea Park as part of a series of GLC ‘free’ festivals: this one ‘Jobs for Change’. There were some festivals and the Birmingham gig which I can’t really be sure about and I must check back on but it was more listening to their records than gig activity for me at that time.

I found an old ticket for one at Goldwyns in Birmingham but that’s the only one I still have.

In more recent years a group of us were gigs at Winchester Civic Hall (Oct 2016, including some old Weston buddies) and then Joiners, Southampton (Nov 2017) .

Also a night at The Brook sticks in the mind for a ‘Two Men They Couldn’t Hang’ gig.. Swill and Cush. Cush was reluctant to come off stage after numerous encores and a boozy night: so much so he was virtually dragged off the stage before the place had to close.

So I wanted to be in North Boarhunt Social Club on a wet Monday, on the longest day of the year. TMTCH face mask at the ready and Swill Sunday Sessions t-shirt on.

Forest Folk: North Boarhunt Social Club

It’s show time. Stage is set. Stage door left.

As with Kirk Brandon earlier in June, and a few more things lined up in the Lockdown ‘bonus’🙄 of July, this is something of a unique opportunity. Seeing a performance in secret gig like surroundings. A small community hall with an audience of 30 seated, carefully spaced at a selection of tables. I’ve never been to a whist drive but I imagine this is how the room would be set up.

With it being part of a regular folk night – Forest Folk’s first of 2021 – you get that added benefit of a hushed and appreciative audience. It’s different but it works for a man with a voice like Swill and guitar. We later hear that this was the fourth time Swill had played here – I presume from having that affinity with the area when his parents moved down here with him way back.

No wandering with a camera, so trying to be discreet I took a few pics zoomed from our table top.

Phil ‘Swill’ Odgers live

Phil Odgers – Forest Folk night at North Boarhunt Social Club

The day’s two performances, one in the afternoon and this 8pm start, were Swill’s first outings since before Lockdown and the first since the loss of fellow TMTCH frontman and co-songwriter Cush.

On with the first few songs, including Dusty Fields from the 2013 Odgers album The Godforsaken Voyage, which stirred me enough to buy it from the merch stand in the interval – yes there was a merch stand. Some normality returns.

Sound was really good. Clear and strong in the otherwise silenced room, which enabled more focus on the lyrics and the emotion of it all. A slight distraction as one of the lights near us smouldered a bit and popped just when I thought I’d raise the alarm.

Phil is a good between song talker which is why the virtual Sunday Sessions were so appealing and it was clearly hard to introduce songs without slipping to a Cush reference, which he was saving to confront properly later.

So much material to choose a set from: TMTCH, solo material and some covers – in the first half including Gordon Lightfoot’s ‘Early Morning Rain’. Swill said he was taking the opportunity to air some lesser known TMTCH material…which I looked up later.

Songs prompted his recollections including of an MTCH tour of Egypt, funded by the British Council to spread the word on British culture. ‘Mist on the Water’ (from Swills last studio solo album Roll to the Left) written by Swill remembering sneaking onto boats on The Hamble for the night, in his youth.

Today’s two performances totalled 3½ hours I read later, each with an interval – time for a few ales from the well stocked bar – some nice bottles including an Old Thumper. (This social club bar looks like a community lifeline, especially in times like these – no pubs I could see in the immediate area.) I was in the bar queue with Swill so was able to have a masked chat.

After the break a song to fuel my fridge magnet interest: Brooklyn Bridge, a Swill adaptation of a Joe Solo poem about dementia. Bandcamp demo.

Phil talked more about Cush and the huge loss as we went on, sharing the emotion – ‘like losing a brother, worse even’, he reflected. 30 odd years of writing, playing, touring and hanging about together is over. He played ‘Salutations’ in particular for Cush near the end but the one that hit me was ‘Heartbreak Park’, from Devil on the Wind (2009). You know that feeling when your eye sockets ache and you feel like balling your eyes out.

The title track from that album and Mrs Avery both featured in the second half. Mrs Avery is written as a sequel to Dr Hook’s ‘Sylvia’s Mother’, which didn’t meet their approval sufficiently enough to get their involvement apparently. I’ll have to play them through consecutively sometime.

With the TMTCH old favourites in mind I was pleased to feed my Isle of Wight fixation when the brilliant ‘Islands in the Rain’ appeared. I recently picked it up on 12 inch single from a local second hand record shop. YouTube version.

I’ll take a journey through the town to dock gate one
and there I’ll take a ferry boat; That ferry sails across the Solent waters deep
to an island like a castle with a moat…
…I’ll leave the empty shores of Hythe and Netley Bay; The smoke of Fawley will soon fade…
Islands in the Rain MTCH

Ironmasters was as punchy and stirring as ever, and to finish, perhaps inevitably, the single the started it all: Green Fields of France.

A special evening. Thank you Swill and Forest Folk. Emotional.

Next gig for Swill is Water Rats in London, with a bit of late distancing arrangements required as the Lockdown lift is delayed.

Bath time for Kirk

Kirk Brandon at Chapel Arts Centre, Bath 4.6.21

Chapel Arts Centre – a much awaited and much rearranged Kirk gig

We finally made it to Bath. This solo Kirk Brandon gig was booked for 13 November 2020 originally. I bought tickets in the desperate search for a live gig that would likely go ahead. A socially distanced and seated arrangement that was still thwarted by restrictions and rearranged several times until we were finally able to stick on June.

With the Covid caution continuing it really was a believe it when you see it gig but that didn’t stop us – wife Sally with me on this one – booking a week’s holiday around Somerset all based on this gig. It worked. The final anxiety came as the thermometer gun was pointed at my forehead on entry to the Arts Centre, on hot Summer’s evening…I passed, we both passed…we were in. Tense moments.

Royal Bath

I hadn’t been to Bath for about 25 years and had never seen a gig there. Not sure it crops up on the main or secondary tour circuits, given its proximity to gig-rich Bristol. A great place to visit if a gig does crop up, once you’ve found a parking space.

A wide array of bars, pubs and restaurants obviously – many smart ones. I’d recommend The Raven for the more traditional pub feel , complete with two bespoke Raven ales and The Stranglers’ Raven album framed on the stairway wall. Without booking places, it being Friday night, we were a bit restricted and committed the schoolboy error of failing to eat before a night out on the pop. We should have had a pie in the Raven – they’re renoun for them I’m told.

Doing a JJ outside The Raven – one for Stranglers fans

One pub that looked interesting but a bit out of the way was the Bell Inn on Walcot Street, on the edge of the City Centre. We wandered up there the following night but it was brimming over – Peter Gabriel and Robert Plant have had something to do with raising money to keep it open….another time perhaps.

Chapel Arts Centre

In the heart of the old city, the Chapel Arts Centre used to be known as the Central Club and Window Arts Centre, and the Invention Studios, and normally has a 200 capacity standing, 150 seating or 105 with the exotic sounding caberet style seating which we had for this gig – with the little round tables. With anti-social distancing this brought the capacity down to 48 people. The gig sold out and Kirk added an extra night on the Thursday which sold out also.

To ward off the virus we were treated to the usual ‘masks unless seated’ arrangement along with track and trace and ventilation to go with the distancing – it’s getting tiresome isn’t it, especially having been double jabbed. However, the bonus was we could walk up to the bar and buy a drink (!) – worth the ticket price alone surely. And some decent local beers at the bar, bottled.

A rare Covid walk up to a bar scenario – I made the most of it – we were on holiday after all

The rare opportunity to actually walk up to the bar for a beer was explained carefully on the Arts Centre website, quoting the Bath & North East Somerset Council licensing officer – as it is considered a concert hall and not a pub then as a ticketed event we were free from the shackles of having waited table service. A double edged sword this given our lack of food. 🙄 (I wonder if I’ll find this excessive detail of interest in years to come.)

All very relaxed. Lovely place that have patiently rearranged and promptly communicated throughout the numerous changes brought on through the winter of discontent.

Kirk Brandon solo

I’ve seen Kirk’s Theatre of Hate and Spear of Destiny many times, way back when (ToH at Hammersmith Palais takes some beating) and in recent years, covered in My Kirk Brandon Years blog, this was only my second solo Kirk gig – well there was a cello accompaniment at the first at Winchester Railway about 10 years ago.

(My last Spear of Destiny outing at 1865, Southampton)

A great idea these shows in these viral times. It suits a seated lower capacity event when everyone’s struggling for ideas about how to legally enjoy some live music.

Kirk has been one of my Lockdown legends: releasing weekly Monday night videos of old Spear of Destiny and Theatre of Hate gigs, free on Facebook mainly, for long periods over Lockdown/up. Mondays for me, and many others in Kirk’s loyal legion, became Kirk night from 9 til 10pm and then I would listen to Teenage Kicks on Forest FM to round off the night. These were the sort of things that kept me going…I say were, let’s hope this nonsense is over soon 😷

There were also a couple of great paid Kirk solo livestreams from a proper venue and really well produced. A brave move the solo gig: a recorded live session is one thing but touring solo when you’ve been fronting bands live for decades is another level….and it worked for Kirk.

The sound was tops and what a great voice, accompanied by his guitars. It was pure Kirk – no support and a two part set plucking songs from through the decades.

Harlan County was one I noted as a fave from the first half. I particularly enjoyed Grapes of Wrath and Love is a Ghost from the second half and. A great selection.

Second half set list – Kirk Brandon – Bath, Chapel Arts Centre

A track I’m less familiar with but have been playing a lot since the gig is Judas . Pumpkin Man from the Outlands album is another classic. I only have that album on pre-recorded cassette – remember those? – so I’ve given that less of an airing from the earlier Spear of Destiny years. (During Lockdown/up I have retreived a cassette playing device from the shed. What a novelty. I notice some bands are starting to release new stuff on cassette: Gary Numan and Maximo Park for example. Not sure where we are going with that….maybe a re-release of Bow Wow Wow’s cassette single C30,C60,C90 …I keep looking for an original one.)

(One of the reasons I started recording some notes from the gigs I go to was to park photos in some context. I’m usually armed with my Panasonic pocket zoom and a mobile phone and only include my own snaps. Obviously at the Covid restricted seated events you can’t wander about and get the best light. This place was good though. The lighting was sympathetic, good view – even enough to check the turnup size on Kirk’s jeans – got to keep an eye on the fashions – and no bobbing heads and jostling so some benefits eh.)

A live gig in the Covid era – now there’s a turn-up.

Yup, really enjoyed this…and after such a wait it was worth it. This was making the best of the black cloud of Covid. An opportunity for these more up-close and personal gigs and I appreciate that the limited capacities mean it’s not great for artists and venues so good on those having a go.

It’s not every gig that you get to have a chat with the artist in the gents before they go on stage, and then meet them afterwards👍Cheers Kirk. Nice one. Will catch up at a few Spear gigs later in the year….all being well. Jab up everyone.

Kirk Brandon and a grey haired gig goer post-gig, Bath

Next stop for me is to see another of my Lockdown legends: Phil ‘Swill’ Odgers from The Men They Couldn’t Hang, in another Covid busting setting.

Five Months of Silence is Over: Toploader play Bournemouth

Madding Crowd, Bournemouth 28.5.21

At last. A gig….after five months, five frustrating months of cancellations, postponements and gloom mongering. I know, I know, many people, notably performing artists, have waited much longer and have their livelihoods at stake with this virus induced hiatus – and there’s still some waiting to go – but I am so happy to have a night of near normal live music.

Back at The Madding Crowd, Bournemouth again where I last was in December. I’ve only been here in the Covid era so tonight feels normal. Yes everyone is seated and at spaced tables like a cocktail lounge but I don’t know any different. Not even any odd plastic shields and screens, just a bit of mask wearing and mic spray to remind us.

Came here a few times at the end of 2020 for The Hoosiers where I gave a bit more detail on the venue and location, and a Matt ‘X-Factor’ Cardle gig, and like tonight each with three mainly quite local up and coming acts.

Come to think of it I haven’t been on a bus for over six months so the £3.60 return fare on the M1 from Poole is a welcome novelty in itself.

Arrived enthusiastically early having misread the ticket email so didn’t miss anything. There had been a rock art promotion the night before and many of the pictures adorned the walls. Caution required not to let the ale flow and take an expensive credit card purchase home on the night bus later.

Mikey Ball

First on Mikey Ball. Pre-gig Googles bring up loads of Michael Ball stuff so I get the ‘Mikey’ bit. Described as Hampshire born, folk rock/ acoustic, singer songwriter, we got the rockier end delivered as a four piece with Mikey clearly a great guitarist frontman.

With our stage side table for two – here with my wife Sally tonight – there is a close up appreciation of the prep, stresses and anticipation of the support bands and we can have a word.

I’d look out for any of tonight’s support acts playing locally, particularly Mikey Ball with a band – enjoyed them all. At times sounded a bit Gaslight Anthem.

The confusing sea of wires, amps and pedals slowly clears through the evening, but not before some additional heavy duty amps from Bournemouth rockers Saints of Sin.

Saints of Sin

Surprised I haven’t bumped into this band before. They’ve been going since 2013. Classic rock and metal with the unmistakable look that exudes a good rock night out – I read that their last album includes a bit of hip hop.. really?

Quite a short set with three supports to pack in but time to include a crowd wander while playing and include their most played Spotify tracks I was listening to beforehand: ’21 Shots’ and ‘Heart Attack’.

Our stage proximity has me keeping an eye on the guitarist Sparkxx’s red wine which wobbles to the performance and is finally rescued when the tension of a wine shower gets too much…it would have been quite rock ‘n’ roll I guess.

More about them in this local Echo piece. Cheers guys.

The stage side setting continues to bring new perspectives as we wait for Fredrik Ferrier to take the stage.

There’s also the chance to catch up on hip footwear in the band world 😁

How rock n roll are those Converse boots worn by Saints of Sin front man

Fredrik Ferrier was in Made in Chelsea which isn’t something I would go anywhere near but my mum and sister were quite animated when I mentioned this. Expecting to be repelled I thought his brief and much shortened performance was top notch even if not my bag exactly. This maybe his first proper gig: I may have misheard. I’m sure he’ll succeed. Clearly talented and will get the airing from his Chelsea thing.

Time was not on his side and only three or four songs possible. This was clear given the set lists we gathered from our roadies’ eye view. We have sat here before. I like this table.

Toploader

Here we are then. Toploader’s first gig in 18 months and one to kick start, all being well, this big tour to commemorate 20 years of their first album ‘Onka’s Big Moka’ – released in Novemeber 1999 so a virus induced belated commemoration. The album reached number 5 in the charts selling 2 million copies, spending 6 months in the chart. I bought my copy 3 days ago in a second hand shop. Not exactly a hard core fan eh but this was a local opportunity not to be missed.

I’ve been listening to this first album and moreso ‘Magic Hotel’, their second, on Spotify though and who doesn’t know ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’. Easy listening pop rock. My anthem should be one of my favoured tracks ‘Achilles Heel’ – my Achilles Heel is my Achilles heel which has hampered the odd gig or three – and ‘Just About Living’ is another fave. Both of these from Onka.

‘Achilles Heel’ performed live on TFI back in 1999.

But ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’ was monster big. THE most downloaded 1999 track by anyone, this single being released in Feb 2000 and re-released in the November went triple platinum. Tonight’s version did it full justice – a classic to hear live in these up-close surroundings: maybe 100 people watching.

The originals from the early line up of the band from Eastbourne are Joe Washbourn, lead vocals and keyboards and Rob Green on drums and they are playing as a four piece. Not sure I’d recognise Joe from pics I’d seen but I think I could do a go of that haircut.🤔

Rob Green – Toploader – Madding Crowd, Bournemouth

Band are really together and looks like they are all set for a string of festivals and the tour, including a local one at Poole Harbour headlining, accompanied by a string of humourously named – as usual – tribute bands (Including The Fillers and Stereoironics). Not sure if I can fit that one in but will try. Being outside maybe a better shout of it being on. I’d like the chance to see this performance in front of a big, standing crowd.

Joe Washbourn – Toploader – Bournemouth Madding Crowd

Quite a diverse set given the focus on the first album on the tour promo material, including The Waterboys’ ‘Whole of the Moon’ and rounding off with the first track from Magic Hotel: ‘Time of my Life’. At least four I note being from the first album, which will really stick with me now.

The recently acquired bargain *Onka’s Big Moka*, now signed by Joe Washbourn

Set list – Toploader – Bournemouth 28.5.21

Thoroughly enjoyable night. Good to be back out to some sort of near normality and good luck Toploader for the tour. Let’s hope we’re out of this mess by the end of June.

Live Music in the Dark Days of Covid

The gig hunt in Dorset continues in a working men’s club, government grant supported night club, an arts centre, a community centre, a pub and even a barn at a vineyard in the Dorset countryside.

Amid the generally dark, miserable and quite isolating end to the unimaginably awful 2020 I have kept up my search for some live music. With five totally barren months of the year, 27 gigs I had booked getting cancelled but mainly rearranged, several twice – to 2021 or even 2022 – it is quite a relief to have found anything to go to in the last few months. The November restrictions were particularly miserable I thought, with even innovative socially distanced gigs having to be scrapped, or just being scrapped. Prospects for January and February are in many ways bleaker. I feel for the artists, especially those just starting out.

The wait for our vaccines is on. With the way that is being rolled out maybe Cliff Richard could get a show on the road. Otherwise even medium sized event are scuppered.

Keep it small; keep it local, and we might get somewhere. I’d also try and support events where so many hurdles are overcome by organisers and performers to get a safe gig on.

This round up records the live performances I got to from the end of October to the end of December, with snaps from my pocket zoom camera and phone. A time for remaining seated, table service, masks, keeping socially distanced and time where being a solo singer songwriter is an easier way of getting a show on.

Wimborne Folk Club 30.10.20

Antoine and Owena with a backdrop to make you hungry

We thought we would have a look at this. A local folk club – a regular evening in the café of a community centre in Wimborne, East Dorset – home of the annual folk festival that takes over the town. I’d like to think I could pop along to a relaxed evening like this for ever…there were some very mature and no doubt experienced gig goers in here..all with some stories I’ll bet.

Someone called Chloe stood in to warm up for a truly folky Antoine and Owena, followed by Paul Openshaw with more poetic and humourous verses to finish.

Ironed Maiden at Parkstone Trades and Labour Club 31.10.20

Support band were Cock Eyed Squid, a local band I’d seek out again. A rocky set that included a bit of Bon Jovi; ‘Zombie’ by the Cranberries – nice one; Free’s ‘Wishing Well’; ‘Breaking the Law’ by Judas Priest – bot heard that for a while – and the first Iron Maiden number of the night, a poignant ‘Wasted Years’….wasted months anyway.

Then Ironed Maiden. This was the third time I’d seen this excellent, energetic support band, all in 2020. This was a livelier and better attended gig than the last one here. This was gigging in the last chance saloon before a miserable, and in hindsight quite pointless, November lockdown. You could feel that the curtain was coming down. The beee was flowing.

I noted in particular ‘2 minutes to Midnight’; ‘The Trooper’; ‘Flight of Icarus’; ‘Children of the Damned’….. the epic ‘Ancient Mariner’; ‘666’, the very rock’n’roll story of ’22 Acacia Avenue’ and that first big single, the one I bought back then, ‘Running Free’. All songs I’d been playing in the ‘pre-gig revision’ in the weeks beforehand.

This was well focused revision as it was billed as one of a depleted string of ‘Live After Death’ album gigs. A bit of life before a deadly November at least.

Hard to stay sitting, despite Covid restrictions. This short clip illustrates the enthusiasm, and nostalgia, shared on Halloween 2020 before we plunged into a dark and lonely November, hiding in our homes.

Running Free

Matt Cardle at The Madding Crowd, Bournemouth 5.12.20

From heavy metal tribute band to multi-million selling X Factor star. Quite a switch eh. By the end of November I was up for anything and having recently been to The Madding Crowd the Covid safe setting is a good option in the circumstances – my top venue choice of the Covid era.

With several support acts, as has been the case with other recent gigs here, this gives a full evening of entertainment and a legally possible drink without compulsory food. It was almost normal. It started promptly after 6pm so we missed all but the last two song of Ellie Evans.

The club is just right for an up close and personal solo singer songwriter act, which what we had tonight. Beth De Bacci was next. On the keyboard, beautiful voice so clear in the attentive hush.

Next was Joe Dolman from Leamington Spa, apparently invited down by Matt Cardle. He was brilliant, gripping the room with his voice, guitar and keyboard. I was quite astounded really as I hadn’t expected to enjoy the performances tonight as much as I did. My wife Sally was moved to order his CD EP during the act as the merch selling wasn’t practical at the gig. He played a Radio 2 gig in Hyde Park as early as 2014 but one to watch still for the future.

Matt Cardle rounded off a very complete evening’s entertainment, with a selection plucked from his repertoire – joined by a buddy on guitar for some variety later in the set. This guy is a hugely successful artist and half the audience were clearly die hard fans carried with him since his X Factor win ten years ago, just about to the day. Great to see someone like this close up although I can’t pretend to know his material.

Live and Unheard at Poole Lighthouse 10.11.20

The December Live and Unheard session brought three more new acts to Poole Lighthouse, as with last month was in the banked theatre instead of the smaller studio, to allow for social distancing. These sessions are a real treat with the auditorium allowing a bigger gig feel for bands and audience.

Duo Chaos from Order to start, with about five songs. Lesina’s voice complimented by some intricate guitar from Will Kelly, with some elaborate effects – a bit of full on Hendrix reverb at times and softer moments reminding me of The Durutti Column.

Sophie Griffiths next – from Brentwood Essex – young with oodles of style and personality for her age, backed by a band, which from what she said may not always be the case. Well worth a look to see what develops here. She has her own songs and threw in ‘I Heard it Through the Grapevine’ for some familiarity.

Some great backing vocals.

The final band was the rather oddly named We Are Robot. I was expecting some electro Kraftwerk pretenders but they are a proficient and experienced rock pop band with a folky feel from the two acoustic guitars – reminded me of The Thrills at times. They included guest piano from Matt Black who organises these Live and Unheard sessions.

The two front men played off each other well in between songs. Their masked bassist Vijay has played with some big acts but I haven’t sussed out who from Internet digging.

‘A Ghost’ by Travis was one of the highlights in a set of mainly original songs and then to finish: a crowd pleasing ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’. I wasn’t expecting that from a band called ‘We Are Robot’.

Another Live and Unheard winner.

On 18 December, with 2020 disappearing in gloom, we drove out to The Langham Wine Estate at Crawthorne, just north east of Dorchester, where food and drink is served in an outside barn, with some heaters, blankets and coats on and some live music. That night we got to see Nina Garcia with fiddle, her original songs and covers in cheery festive atmosphere, surrounded by hay bales.

Just one more live opportunity to round off the extraordinary 2020… Matt Black playing at The Blue Boar pub in Poole on New Year’s Eve. That will be gig number 28 for me this year, having managed to see 61 different artists. The gig bookings pile up for 2021 but at the same time the early part of the year is clearing week by week, with distant 2022 bookings emerging.

I find it hard to envisage a ‘normal’, even medium sized, gig before at least June 2021. It seems that the Government with plough on with the notion that shutting pubs and venues is a solution to increasing Covid cases, whatever safety measures are in place. I’m not even convinced I’ll get to the socially distanced Sleeper gig – in Clapham in March – the way things are going. I’d be staggered if any of the usual festivals get off the ground…. but I shall keep on looking and hoping. Bring on the vaccines.😷🤞

Hello Again Mr A: The Hoosiers’ Pandemic Return

The Hoosiers 16.10.20 at The Madding Crowd, Bournemouth

Hoosiers, with Barefoot Soul bottom right and Grace Gachot bottom centre

The Covid music scene is upon us. We might be allowed out still – at the time of writing anyway – but getting in to see a live performance somewhere is an achievement. Putting on a gig and playing ball with the latest rules is also an achievement.

The Madding Crowd, usually a 300 capacity night club, is found via a narrow entrance above a row of shops leading up the hill from Debenhams, smack in the middle of Bournemouth’s town centre.

So many options for a pre-gig drink or food within a few hundred yards. Wetherspoons’ Moon on the Square just around the corner but my picks would be Sixty Million Postcards (now with outdoor heaters and umbrellas) and The Dancing Moose. Eating? I’d go with The Real Greek opposite ‘Spoons or The Slug and Lettuce.

The venue was recently successful in getting Government funding to help support the arts during the Covid restrictions. £28,000 to enable smaller audiences to watch here in secure surroundings and with some modifications.

Looking back

I have seen The Hoosiers before, back in 2013 at Mr Kyps, which in itself was something of a comeback in quite humble, but raucous, surroundings for a chart topping band. I’d bought that album, Trick to Life, which topped the album charts in 2007, which included Cops and Robbers, Worried About Ray and Goodbye Mr A, go on… you remember that one don’t you?

Wondering where the name The Hoosiers came from I looked it up. A Hoosier is a resident of the state of Indiana 🤔 Lead singer and guitarist Irwin Sparkes and drummer Alan Sharland spent some time living in Indianapolis, Indiana when they started the band up in 2003. They’d apparently left their home town of Reading for a bit of experience, on the recommendation their school chemistry teacher, a former member of the band Starsailor.

Well tonight The Hoosiers are back, advertised as a ‘stripped back’ version. Understanding the possibility of Covid restrictions I was sort of expecting two guys playing quietly in the corner of a shadowy room but I thought I’d give it a whirl…the songs on that album I had were good.

The Madding Crowd…

Well I don’t know what this place is like outside of this pandemic – I’ve not been before – but I was pretty impressed in the circumstances.

Crowd gathers…. in a socially distanced, seated and civilised manner

It is advertised as a ‘premium’ nightclub and it is, – smart with wipe clean surfaces – much better than I had envisaged. Very civilised, tables of 2,3,4 or 6 with some booth type seating, including some you can’t see the stage from, which was made clear on booking.

Think James Bond film night club more than mosh pits and sticky floors. The waited service adds to the relaxed feel, and drink consumption rate. It wasn’t expensive either. A couple of decent ales at around £4 a pint and the bottles of house wine were reasonable … yes bottles …. make hay while the sun shines these days.

Me and wife Sally got the last table for two, booking the week beforehand, and it is pretty much full tonight to the Covid restricted 100 all-seated capacity. When I realised during booking that I was selecting a particular table and at first look the twos had gone, I was thinking this was going be a sticking point for booking to capacity – finding five friends to entice to a Hoosiers gig at short notice would be a tall order. At least we’re not under tighter controls or it would be single household tables eh. 😷

This is the first of two Hoosiers nights, with Saturday having some different support acts. The second one sold out in advance and tonight is full: so the table arrangements worked.

So what other overt measures are in place as a result of Covid restrictions guidance and legislation applicable to the performing arts?

We are still on the rule of six, so no tables or groups of more than that with distancing between tables facilitated by the reduced capacity. It helps that most want to face the same way – stagewards. Masks on unless seated. Details retained via ticketing/ QR code check-in/ manual record. Waited service with plenty of staff and security to ensure customers don’t let behaviour and cooperation slip – all good.

The stage had plastic screens around the drums – that could just be a sound issue as the stage is quite tight for space. Then there are the new gadgets: the performers’ face shields, pictured above, which aim to stop a shower of exhaled droplets – acts could have done with something similar in 1977 gobbing punk Britain perhaps. I’m not sure about these at all and as the evening went on they seemed like a bit of Covid stage dressing that was just in the way.

Of course there is the 10pm curfew to consider so doors open at 5.30pm, accommodating the four support acts getting a slot tonight! This means, as with cinemas, and unlike normal bars and restaurants, that last drinks are supplied by 10pm but the music and drinking up time continues until the performance is over.

You might read this and think ‘oh no I’ll just wait for the return to normality’. It was absolutely fine and it’s going to be a very long wait so I’m up for just getting on with it. I’ll be back here for anything vaguely appealing.

Tonight’s Support Acts

There’s a selection on show tonight and it’s only later that I confirm who’s who. First up is Alex David Gonzato – singer songwriter, solo with guitar tonight – who usually plays around the Basingstoke area he told us afterwards. Good start with some of his own material and a notable cover of Queen’s Somebody to Love. Bit of a surprise when that came out for an airing.

Barefoot Soul next, from Bournemouth. They were enjoying themselves with some bluesy rock and a bit of early energy rubs off. The singer mentioned that tonight’s band was a bit of a hybrid but not much time for chat or explanations.

After this the best of the supports I thought – Duncan Brookfield UK – great voice.

Next a short set from Grace Gachot before the main band. A real treat this procession of new talent in this sort of environment. With three solo singers on the bill it would be harder to appreciate them in a crowded bar or pub which is where so many new acts have had to compete…and the chance would be a fine thing right now so I’m sure everyone here was grateful for this.

You’ll have gathered by now that the enforced seating meant my pics are pretty much all snapped from the side of the stage we were sat by. Not so easy for the exploratory wander I usually try and go for.

The Hoosiers

I was pleasantly surprised to see front man Irwin Sparkes and original drummer Alan Sharland joined by a bassist and keyboard player. The talk of a ‘stripped back’ performance made me wonder if this was going to be a couple of the band playing quietly in the corner. No such thing. Not sure who else The Hoosiers would bring into their live gigs.

I don’t know their material beyond the Trick to Life album, but they plucked enough from that one to give me a familiar feel, with the notable Cops and Robbers, Worried About Ray, and of course the singalong chart topper Goodbye Mr A (…it reached number 4).

Some lively keyboard action right in front of us and the sound was good considering we were side on to the stage…not blasted out either (precautionary ear protection forgotten.)

I wonder what it was like for the band facing a seated audience of 100 and what had to be quite a tame response, but this was hugely enjoyable in the circumstances…. a bit of Covid escapism on a Friday night.

Lead vocals/guitar and founder Hoosier Irwin Sparkes

Well worth checking out who’s playing here. I see Capulus are supporting on Halloween…I’m otherwise engaged at the moment for that one but let’s face it, it’s a bit make it up as you go along and fingers crossed at the moment.

Here’s hoping for some more oases in the Covid 2020 gig desert.

Rock on!

Live, yes live, and unheard.. and indoors

Dave Griffiths Band, Asha Zee, Harper & Edwards 8.10.20 Poole Lighthouse

This week viral doom seemed to be spreading amid statistical confusion and irresponsible journalism. My continued scratching around for some sort of modified gig going normality hasn’t been unearthing much – usual local and regional gig guide compilers silenced – even a few 2021 cancellations have started and obscure socially distanced options for this year scrubbed.

I was pleased to see Squeeze about to start giving it a go with the first gig at London’s cavernous O2 advertised and old favourites of mine Kirk Brandon (Theatre of Hate/ Spear of Destiny) and Pauline Murray (Penetration) lining up a few special small gigs. I’ve bought a few tickets for some unusual gigs in venues I haven’t been to but who knows if they will go ahead. Southampton’s 1865 seems to be giving it a go with a few things, local bands mainly, and I was even attracted by the novelty of a female Italian blues guitarist – that was postponed before I dived in. Meanwhile the 2021 calendar fills with postponements and hopes.

Lucky then that I was able to rethink my prior casual dismissal of October’s Live and Unheard, book a ticket on-line on the day and get out…reasonably safely. I had my November one booked already having enjoyed the first post-Lockdown night, and two pre-Covid era nights have made these events appealing. Very fortunate to have the Poole Lighthouse venue so near. Use it or lose it!

Live and Unheard in the Lighthouse Theatre

September’s showcase for artists in the making, or more established gigers airing their own material, was in their outside amphitheatre as The Lighthouse arts centre tested the Covid water. For October’s we are inside The Theatre – not the usual Sherling Studio, and not the very big concert hall – usual ‘home ground’ for the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra – but the theatre in between.

What a venue to showcase a new band – Lighthouse Theatre all set

This steeply banked cosy auditorium seats 669 people usually, and has a big stage that can accommodate World renown ballet companies and full-on musical sets. Plenty of room then for some socially distanced performing and a safe setting up for three acts.

With usual limits around 100 – Sherling Studio capacity stated as 130 – the Live and Unheard move to the bigger theatre allows for virus dodging spacing. Tickets only sold for alternate rows and pairs of seats have two free seats between them. At first naturally this spacing looks odd but with house lights down and atmospheric stage lights on, this oddity is masked, like the audience (until seated when you can reveal yourself). I suppose celebrities might find a masked night out quite appealing and hassle free, but no sign of Harry Redknapp and friends under the soft lights as masks come off. It’s bad enough recognising people out of context anyway so don’t know about you but I find I’m staring at faces unnaturally.

This set up is a fantastic opportunity for new bands. I’m not sure how it works out with running costs with the bigger venue of course and it maybe totally unsustainable. Progress though for now.

The great thing about seeing a new act at Live and Unheard is that, whichever of the Lighthouse settings I’ve been to, the sound and lighting is so good compared to many of the alternatives: corners of pubs or soulless community halls. Also the audience focuses on the artists and the sound, without distracting chit chat and shouts to get the drinks in. I should add there is ample opportunity to get your drinks in, and bring them into the theatre. (Tonight’s seated service in the main bar pre-show and in the changeovers was wonderfully efficient, which I slightly regretted next day.)

So to tonight’s bands. I don’t pretend to review their music in any detail but review the overall experience and point out or remind as to what is out there …even now.

Harper & Edwards

A folk/rock duo starting with acoustic guitar and fiddle, switching to two acoustic guitars for some songs.

There are some YouTube clips which I see have been uploaded by Chinnersrocks to help visualise their enjoyable performance.

Harper & Edwards
Lighthouse Theatre Poole

I’d love to hear a Bob Dylan cover with these vocals – I can hear the necessary occasional gravel and at times this reminds me of singer songwriter Ben Mills, who himself can sound distinctly Rod Stewart.

I am yet to conclude which is Harper and which is Edwards in this local duo, this despite a bit of Googling which initially led me to a similarly named tiling firm in East Molesey and a dead composer.

I would certainly go and see them again if playing locally and their Facebook page looks the best way to keep up to date on that.

A relaxing and pleasing set with song called Old Harry Rocks to finish was a notable one – incorporating the pirate tale made infamous by its association with the Purbeck coastal landform.

Asha Zee

I was pretty astonished by this performance. I would be amazed if we do not see Asha boom sometime. Pop with some soul and of broad appeal surely. Of course it’s impossible to know – so much competiton and so many impatient and uninquisitive potential audiences out there…but what an enjoyable performance.

Asha is 14 years old. The band playing with her tonight are young teenagers, oldest being 15, with a few masked dancers thrown in. This opportunity, is gratefully seized by them. My expectations were minimal and I was slightly hesitant in coming thinking I might be faced with nothing more than a school band and a panto audience. How very wrong and assumptive could I have been.

Have a listen to Be Strong if you’re a Spotify listener and you will get what I mean.

Dating for Heartbreak is one of her songs you can find here on Asha’s website and this was performed with her vocals and piano playing centre stage. This was apparently Asha’s first theatre performance and what a massive achievement that is. Watch this space eh. Good luck.

Dave Griffiths Band

Last up tonight is the Dave Griffiths band. Live but perhaps not as Unheard as tonight’s other acts, Bournemouth born Dave Griffiths has played in other ventures with recordings going back to 2013 from what I can see.

The current band plays a selection of original rock songs, up the soft to middle end of the rock scale. Easy going and delivered with unflustered professionalism by experienced musicians.

I don’t doubt Dave Griffiths could blast out a good Bruce Springsteen song and just maybe allowing one cover would be a welcome concession.

This is such a good way to get a look at original material and all three acts tonight brightened the Covid cloud…some normality back to the stage of the Lighthouse Theatre.

All good stuff and another significant step for another Lockdown ravaged venue. Tickets already bagged for November’s Live and Unheard.

(Big thank you to organiser, performer and producer Matt Black for continuing to bring these Live and Unheard sessions to fruition. Rock on.)

Test mission for The Spitfires

The Spitfires live at The Holroyd Arms 1.10.20

I’ve been looking forward to this gig immensely, ever since rapidly hitting the ‘buy now’ button back when we thought we were emerging from Covid clampdown.

When the first of these two nights were announced, the Friday night Covid limited 100 capacity gig sold out within a couple of minutes and I was relieved to acquire some for tonight – Thursday 1 October – when that was added promptly later.

A Covid dodging gig

Even then as Covid controls relaxed a bit, it was a bold effort by those at The Holroyd Arms and the band to make this happen in the face of the Covid fear factory. It must have presented a few headaches over recent weeks. The shifting sands of Covid rules threatened to engulf the initiative shown – but it was all legal and the recent introduction of ‘the rule of 6’ in pubs was dealt with by moving the event out to a marquee behind The Holroyd.

Ticket holders were updated and reassured a few times but I was still looking at my phones in the days before the gig, and even getting in the car, to check that The Spitfires were still ready to scramble and take off as planned.

The usual gig room at the Holroyd Arms, which puts events on under the personally appealing ‘Sound of the Suburbs’ banner, wouldn’t have been able to seat many in new pods of six. The shift outside to a large closed tent was a good move and I really hope it paid off and continues to pay off for them. For most a gig has been put in the ‘too difficult box’. As the nation kicks its gig bookings down the calendar it’s heartening to see someone getting on with it and squaring up to the various requirements (latest ones here). Gigs have not actually been prohibited, like many trading activities have over the Lockdown months, but it has been a case of Covid ‘safe’ (safer) requirements making it really quite difficult to get something on.

What does the Covid resilient Holroyd Arms marquee gig look like, beyond the big tent itself?

Frankly I think a lot of us who made it here would be happy to be sat in small cages in the rain just as long as we get to see the band play….but the adjustments needed are fine and much more hospitable.

Pub garden tables are arranged with maximum six at each table. Most lined up parallel to the stage so you’re not even facing others on the table as everyone’s eyes are looking forward to the stage.

Table service accessed by the QR coded pub app. Ticket holders details are already recorded through the booking process.

As advised by the reassuring emails, the gig start time is brought forward to allow the place to be cleared by the new 10pm pub curfew. Doors, well tent flaps, open at 5.30pm, the band on at 7pm and no support, so limiting the stage and preparation time mixing.

Hand sanitiser, space, a bit of mutual respect, sufficient security arrangements, visors for serving staff and a crowd of very grateful punters seems to go a long way.

What a bloody relief to get here and in anyway. On a personal note I’ve also buggered my knee up and have been driven here, with a crutch out of the shed, by wife Sally. Touch and go this one all round.

Yes there’s even the good old merch stand. I recommend the live in Hamburg double clear vinyl EP with New Age on and despite my bulging t-shirt drawers I convinced myself I needed to mark this occasion with one of the new album LIFE WORTH LIVING t-shirts in sky blue.

My rock ‘n’ roll Guildford

Despite the proximity of Guildford to my suburban London youth, it’s not somewhere I’ve been much at all. Even this evening we managed to avoid the centre completely as the venue is on a main road about a mile out of town. There are rooms at The Holroyd and aside from the Travel Lodge a mile away the other options are quite a hike if you were thinking of staying over.

Guildford was though the first place I ever saw a live band. Penetration at Guildford Civic Hall on 10 May 1979 – a mere 41 years ago. A Stiff Little Fingers (The Wall supporting) gig followed at the same venue and a few trips to Guildfest and that’s it.

I am a big Stranglers fan and as this was their original stomping ground I was all set to see them here at G-Live a few tours ago but another limb ailment prevented me from making the trip. I have a ticket for their ‘last tour’ here which will now be next year and a memorial to Dave Greenfield who we sadly lost in Lockdown….to Covid-19.

It’s not that bad a trip so a place with a few venues to keep an eye on, especially if they’re up for it like The Holroyd Arms/ Sound of the Suburbs.

The Spitfires

The Spitfires‘ sound was one of those instant likes when I first heard them, around the time when their third album Year Zero was released in 2018. There’s a Jam thing going on, even a young Weller thing with front man Billy Sullivan and the inclusion of ska beats and reggae sounds easily draws references to The Clash, The Ruts and Two Tone. I’m also reminded of The Rifles who I like a lot.

With Billy Sullivan on lead vocals and guitar, are Matt Johnson drums and Sam Long on bass and backing vocals.

The band, from Watford, is essentially a three piece but previously they had a permanent keyboardist. Brass is more evident on the latest album and tonight there is a two man brass section – trumpet and trombone – a valuable addition.

As Billy reminds us in the set, it’s eight years since they started out. Life Worth Living is the their fourth album and, as he said, it was released during the middle of a global pandemic which is hardly ideal, but there is no stopping their enthusiasm. The album is a move on from the last and very much not just another album. I love it, as I do the last one, Year Zero.

We have seen them before, just once, last year in Southsea at The Wedgewood Rooms where they were particularly special guests for The Selecter. A top night.

Grabbing a selfie with Billy Sullivan at The Wedgewood Rooms last year

The Gig…at last eh

The sound is good. Everyone’s happy. This is a treat: an oasis in the live music desert. Bar an enjoyable Lockdown live stream this is the first Spitfires gig of 2020. They’re off.

The brass does add polish to the sound and brings variety to the crashing guitar and rhythms.

New Age from the last album was delivered early. A favourite (YouTube listen)

From the new Life Worth Living album my picks were Start All Over Again and Kings and Queens which starts with that unmistakable melodica sound – I’m sure it was a melodica that appeared (my sisters used to play them). It Can’t Be Done was another notable one performed from the new album.

Bassist and backing vocalist
Sam Long at The Holroyd marquee

I do wander about a bit to take a few photos usually so being rooted to my table brought some limitation on my ability to catch bass and drums with my trusty pocket zoom.

Over and Over Again from the last album was another cracker appearing later on. I tapped a few reminders on my phone notes but didn’t get anywhere near a full set list – should have snapped a pic. I wonder if same set for Friday?

Some older tunes come out to play before the 75 minute set comes to an end: singles Stand Down (2015) and On My Mind (2016). A great mix of material to draw on now and it was good to have that variety to weave new album tracks into.

Wandering off to the car to go home at 8.20pm seems odd yes but we are in the midst of a global pandemic. I’m grateful… to the band and the venue. Rock on.

Live and Unheard – emerges from Lockdown

Poole Lighthouse 19.9.20 Becoming Branches, Chris Payn, Mischa and his Merry Men

Live and Unheard is an opportunity for unsigned bands to showcase original material, usually in the setting of the Sherling Studio, holding up to about 100 packed into the bench seating in there. Events are promoted by locally based musician and record producer Matt Black.

I’ve been to a couple of these events before and come away with something new. Highlights have included Capulus and DD Allen at previous Live and Unheards This one has been much more awaited though. It’s the first live event put on by Poole Lighthouse arts centre since Lockdown. It’s a restrained and well socially distanced sell out and it’s outside which is not without its risks.

The outdoor stage is set at Poole Lighthouse for Live and Unheard

There is a small outdoor arena at one end of the Lighthouse arts centre building, with a steep grassy semi-circular bank, quite well sheltered. I’d never noticed this before despite it being just down the road and passing it most days. I even went up for a look when I bought the tickets and was encouraged. I’ve never known it used but in the viral circumstances this a great solution. Fortunately it’s a warm still evening. The camping chairs and picnic blankets are out, as requested, and the bar is open and I do my best to boost its takings in these difficult times.

I could sense the widespread relief at getting to the starting line without some new Covid rules, a thunderstorm or in my case some knee ligament damage to scotch the much anticipated restart.

Three acts this evening: Becoming Branches, Chris Payn and Mischa and his Merry Men.

Becoming Branches

Rob, Jaz and Hannah are the interestingly named Becoming Branches from the Fordingbridge area, up to the north of Bournemouth on the edge of the New Forest.

Folky gentle sounds with Jaz Joyner’s beautiful voice was a fantastic start to this evening and a well received way of breaking the live silence for many here.

There’s plenty of room in this very relaxed little amphitheatre, despite all the tickets having been sold. With around a hundred it’s likely to be a bigger audience than would have been possible in the usual studio setting for a Live and Unheard.

My wife Sally slipped away to acquire the Becoming Branches EP Take you Home which is a good listen and can also be found on Spotify and YouTube . A hunt for suitably disinfected virus free pen to have the EP signed before the possible rise to stardom didn’t realise its aim. A great listen though in recent weeks.

Becoming Branches are first up for this restart

So good to hear live music here again but it’s dark already, we’re in the back half of September and I’m wondering how we are going to manage as we descend into full blown Autumn. Another bottle of wine to help support The Lighthouse and let’s worry about that another time. This is relaxing music.

The song about a travelling harpist …. called The Travelling Harpist (!) stuck in the mind after Rob’s introduction to this song about a relative of his – the tale of the harpist who travelled from place to place to play had appealed to him. But why did his old relative travel around nomadically with a harp he wondered – he’d stolen it was the answer, so crushing the romance and hence the song.

A lovely sound.

Chris Payn

Next up Chris Payn. We bumped into a Chris Payn live performance on Poole Quay a few weeks earlier on a sunny afternoon. He has an an excellent repertoire of covers and medleys of these crowd pleasers and gigs a lot in the area. Tonight it’s a showcase for his own material though and this was more punchy stuff – had me thinking Jack Savoretti or James Bay. I’d certainly pop to see him again and a bit surprised I’ve not seen him before.

From what the final act said I’m not sure how they decide who plays in what order at these Live and Unheard sessions. At previous ones I’ve been to it has been the bigger bands with the more full on sounds that have finished the evening off and the order has been a seemingly more obvious one.

Mischa and his Merry Men

The enthusiastic feel continued with Mischa and His Merry Men . A three piece including a double bass, and cello on some songs, and a mandolin to accompany the vocals and guitar.

I read since that this band is a changing collective of musicians and instruments with up to 11 taking to the stage on occasions. I’ve not come across them before and not the sort of thing I listen to but they rounded off this unusual evening well.

We shuffled off home with our camping chairs. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed this return. It was by no means what I recall as being ‘normality’ but it was a ‘return’ of sorts for which I am grateful.

I shall be back for the November Live and Unheard for what should be a socially distanced gig in the theatre rather than in the smaller Sherling Studio. There is also another event in October.

I’m not sure where all this is going. I’ve had 21 gigs postponed or cancelled over recent months. Everything booked before Lockdown for 2020 has now become a casualty. Not many venues seem to be trying much – the bigger the riskier. It has become increasingly difficult to plan ahead with the latest increase in Covid restrictions. I shall keep looking out for those brave enough to give it a go… and fingers crossed for a vaccine or some innovative pre-gig testing arrangements some time soon eh.

Covid-19 The Number of the Beast… at last a gig

Ironed Maiden 28.8.20 Parkstone Trades and Labour Club

The Gig Desert of 2020

Last gig I went to was 15 March, just before we were plunged into five months of Covid-19 induced live music silence. What started as a nuisance soon became a miserable reality and you have to wonder if it will be the same again for a long time.

Having been to 75 gigs (on my established counting scheme) in 2019, adapting to the live music void has made me try anything. I booked a couple of drive-in gigs – Gary Numan in Bristol and The Lightning Seeds in Cheltenham – that I thought might offer something.

All they offered was a bit of hope and enthusiasm for a few months before they were cancelled. A little unclear as to why but my deduction was poor ticket sales, uncertainty and insurers quaking in their boots in the face of experts’ uncertainty 😷.

After those folded I even eagerly booked a ticket for a tribute band drive-in festival on a farm in Wimborne, Dorset. That was subsequently cancelled also but the organiser, Mr Kyps, at least had the decency to provide an honest statement outlining why poor ticket sales meant the plug had to be pulled.

There is still uncertainty and confusion about what is allowed. It is legal at the moment to put on a live gig indoors unless in an area under special restrictions, but a risk assessment, social distancing and other safety measures need to be considered and implemented. Clearly outdoors is easier at the moment but then there are noise worries. Organisers are clearly nervous so I salute those giving it a go. However the uncertainty is obvious and guidance ever changing.

Great young Bournemouth based band Capulus were due to play this Bank Holiday Saturday in a pub near Wareham – I rang up to book a table or whatever you had to do but someone had pulled the plug days before.

This weekend The 1865 venue in Southampton is trying two days of indoor socially distanced table seated gigs which I’ll be interested to hear about. I know Saturday went ahead.

Covid pastimes

In some ways I have enjoyed months of exploring on-line offerings with varying degrees of success; TV Glastonbury in the garden; John Peel session archives; Radio festival days; Saturday nights in with Mike Peters of The Alarm; Teenage Kicks on Forest FM; Kirk Brandon’s Monday night video premieres; YouTube feasts; Swill’s Sunday Sessions; a deep mining of Spotify, listening to albums from Rolling Stone Magazine top 100 and discovering Bob Dylan for myself; taking suggestions from anyone and even listening to a load of Beatles albums in full 🙄…but all this is just an attempt to fill the live gig void.

Outdoor pub gigs

As a build up to the eventual first post-Covid indoor gig for me, I did manage a few outdoor pub gigs: Weymouth’s Leggomen at The Horns, Wimborne (20.8.20) where we found an empty table in front of the stage to enjoy some top covers live, close up and amplified, and Dorchester’s Nina Garcia singing her new original material and covers beautifully, with her electric fiddle, in the well set out and spacious garden of The Three Tuns, Bransgore on the leafy western edge of the New Forest (20.8.20).

I applaud the pubs that have tried to liven up the end of the summer against the odds. As we go on I can envisage more innovation for outdoor set ups, heaters and beer garden audiences. I think I’m looking for some sort of outdoor garden niche punk and 80s club….. the search for a blast of guitar through some meaty amps continued.

Stand up to the plate, Weymouth based, Ironed Maiden and Parkstone Trades and Labour Club.

Only been here once before, for another tribute act Oasiss.

Don’t you just love tribute acts’ band names. Special emphasis required on any diversion from the real name as in ‘IronnnnED maiden’ and ‘Oasisssss’ or the gloriously named all girl tribute, ‘the Sex Pissed Dolls’ (they have changed that now as I presume it was overly amusing and a distraction).

Ironed Maiden

Unfortunately the answer to “are you ready Parkstone? Let’s hear you!” was ‘not quite, where are you?’

We have to start somewhere though and me and the 21 others watching looked to thoroughly enjoy the show. What a professional effort from the band of excellent musicians lead by frontman Carl Williams in red spandex trousers. What a top tribute band they are.

Beyond buying the single ‘Running Free’ from Sunbury Record Scene when I was 16 I own no Iron Maiden material and I’ve never seen them live. I was exposed to them by school friends (Rich and Curly, RTh ACu ) as they lapped up the NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal, as Sounds badged it) and I guess it rubbed off. I know the singles and after chancing upon Ironed Maiden at gig in The King Charles pub in Poole in January, I vowed to see them again. Little did I know what would happen between then and now….Covid-19, ‘the number of the beast’, the new number anyway.

The upstairs room in the club is substantial and could easily accommodate 200 I’d guess so the 22 of us were able to socially distance from the spaced out tables and perimeter seating. £5 admission which in my case was paid for by London Pride at £3.30 a pint.

The set was advertised on the band’s Facebook page as 1980-88 so I’d done some Spotify ‘revision’ in the weeks beforehand.

An early song hit the right note: ‘Die with your boots on’. I feel a sense of let’s get on with life, and live music. There will be needs to adjust restrictions as we go but on the South Coast there’s more chance of being run over by an enthusiastic new cyclist than bumping into someone with the dreaded virus.

Frankly I’d go to a normal gig and just get on with it if I could but I appreciate that everyone has their place on the spectrum of perceived Covid safety. People have got to be comfortable to enjoy any form of optional entertainment. Hopefully I won’t die with my boots on.

‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ was another epic number that was notable in this full-on performance. The hairy enthusiasts knew ’em all and some seated headbanging escalated to a three-man mosh pit 🤫 and a token stage dive (jump, as a dive would have been hazardous onto a vacant dancefloor.)

Frontman Carl’s ‘let’s hear you Parkstone’ cries and arm waving were met with loud socially distanced cheers. The lighters even came out for one song….I looked on enviously and waved my empty hand.

Rock on! It’s a start. For a while it might be a case of ‘stay local, shop local and ROCK LOCAL’.

Thanks guys and thanks Parkstone Trades and Labour Club. We bought our tickets for the Halloween return….numbered 1 and 2…now that’s enthusiasm eh.