Hosted by the infamous Southbound Attic Band, the Acoustic Dustbowl is a twice monthly live acoustic event held at the View Two Gallery on Mathew Street in Liverpool.
Last night, with my band The Rhythm Section, I featured at this month’s first, supporting a fantastic group called The Good Intentions.
One of the great things about playing at the View Two is that Ken, the gallery owner, tends to draw pictures of the groups and artists he really likes.
A wonderful night.
Thom
Yesterday I learned, or re-learned, a valuable lesson.
Which is: do not turn up to a rehearsal with musicians playing with you for free and proceed to play the same two songs for an hour and a half. Particularly when one of them only really needed the intro clearing up a bit.
No matter how much you like your own material, hearing it over and over again and steadily growing more sick
of the sound of a melody of even the sound of your own voice is worse when you put that to the collective.
That said, the other recent practices have been so enjoyable it’s hardly felt like work at all, and the new songs coming together for the album are brilliant. What’s been profoundly shocking is how much of a great bass player I didn’t realise Adam Lewis was. I mean I knew he was good, but he’s even better really.
Last Friday I released my first single ‘On All Night’.
Described by the founding editor of Mojo Magazine Paul Du Noyer as “cheering and addictive”.
The video above was first shared by the makers TableTop film – please check some of their stuff out.
Launched on the day I supported Beans on Toast on The Shipping Forecast, while I was playing at The Gallimaufry in Bristol and then The Whiskey Jar in Manchester the video received over a thousand views in less than four days.
To buy the song click here.
A busy week ahead of doing things I should have done about 6 weeks ago at Morecroft/Danger HQ (Mondays are kindof Sundays here…)
Exactly one month until the release of new single ‘On All Night’ – a big thanks again to Chris Cousineau, Elle Schillereff, Adam Greenwood, Nick Whitehurst, Jon Astley, Phil J Todd, Kayla Howard, Matthew Lee, Amber Cornish, Dominic Brooks and Dave Walker for their involvement.
Also exactly one month until me and Danger support Beans on Toast at The Shipping Forecast (Liverpool), and a week this Thursday that I begin hosting the weekly Thursday acoustic nights at The Jacaranda Liverpool. And a week on Sunday I begin to co-host the Sunday open-mic with Sarah Bridgewater.
AND have been having talks over this week with Patrick O’Shaughnessy, Mark Robson, Mike Neary, Luke Moore, Danger, CousCous and Dom about crowd-sourcing to make a new album next year in the middle of March.
I’ve also been having conversations with Danger about a collaborative album he’s putting together in the new year with some of the veterans and up-and-comers of the local music circuit. He’s a good cookie.
Fleetwood Mac – Threhold Festival 2014 – Big Love
On Sunday the 30th of March, Fleetwood Mac came to Liverpool to play at Threshold Festival. Well, not physically THE Fleetwood Mac. Or even Rumours of Fleetwood Mac, the popular tribute act.
But here is a video newly published by the good people of Culture City Television of me playing ‘Big Love’ by Fleetwood Mac at District for Threshold Festival 2014.
This was the last song of my set that evening in the Baltic Triangle, where I had been hosting the District stage for many hours. The talented Jord Hewitt was behind the mixing console.
‘Big Love’ was a song which originally appeared on FM’s 1987 LP release ‘Tango In The Night‘, which I believe was the first album my Uncle Simon ever bought on compact disc. It was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic; reaching #5 in the US Billboard and #9 in the UK. I’m sure it was a hit on other charts in the UK and US, and in other countries, but for some reason, no one feels this is worth mentioning so it hasn’t seeped into my anorak-brain yet.
The incredible Lindsey Buckingham, who held the pen behind this track, had originally intended this to be a part of his third studio album but for reasons unknown to me this ended up being a Mac album. He can’t have been that keen on the idea though: he quit the year of release. Musicians do that sort of thing. They make these albums and then they run away.
Fleetwood Mac wouldn’t include the song in a live show until Buckingham’s return in 1997, where he famously brought the track out somewhat stripped down. Stripped down arrangement-wise anyway. That ridiculous hybrid picking he does is something I cannot even dream to touch.
This night just gone I played at a pub in Shrewsbury, my hometown. Genuinely sweet little venue on St Michael’s St.
Last night me and the band (bassist Adam Lewis, drummer Chris Cousineau and guitarist Dominic Brooks) did a cheeky little set at The Cavern Pub at the Monday Club. The lovely Ian Prowse was looking for a support slot for an Amsterdam gig on the 31st of May at The East Village Arts Club in Liverpool. Suffice to say we unfortunately didn’t get it, but it was great fun and we wish him for the best for the 31st. I feel Ian raised far too many expectations for the audience that night with regards to telling people I would be on later throughout each half hour as a ‘sexy beast from Shropshire’.
This week I’ll be hosting The Parr Street Acoustic Sessions at Studio 2 this Wednesday 14th with guests Richard Francis, Eleanor Nelly, B Jack Bainbridge and Iain Till from 8.30pm
I’ll also be making a return to Shrewsbury to play some sets at The Dolphin Alehouse this Thursday from 7pm before their weekly open mic starts up at 9pm on Thursday 15th. I haven’t been back to my hometown for a while so imagine my Mum will probably be in the audience.
Then Friday I’ll be playing at the Commercial Hotel in Chester from 8pm onwards. Looks like I’ll be able to catch the train home if it finishes at 10pm!
March
1st Won in all three categories nominated for in the Liverpool Musicians’ Awards: best solo male, best acoustic band and best album
6th Played at Bar Java in St Helens for the 2Track Sessions
10th Did short set at The Golden Lion in Bristol – first gig in Gloucestershire
19th Hosted 1st ever Parr Street Acoustic Session at Studio 2 in Liverpool – guests were Alexandra Jayne, ME and Deboe, Hannah Kewn, The Gaffney Collective, Matthew McGurty and Vanessa Murray. The week has since continued to be a fortnightly acoustic night showcasing unsigned talent in a glorious setting.
21st Played in Theatre 1 in the Unity Theatre for the opening night of the Liverpool Acoustic Festival on the same bill as Robert Vincent, Anna Corcoran, Ewan McLennan, Andy Pink and Shannen Bamford. I was billed as a “veteran” of the Liverpool music scene. Went for delicious curry with Mr Vincent afterwards
22nd Played at Unity again in the bar during the daytime bill of the LAF
23rd First full band practice with Adam Danger Lewis on bass, Dominic Brooks on guitar and Chris Cousineau on drums
30th Played at District for Threshold Festival 2014
April
5th First gig in The Ship Inn, Handbridge in Chester with Richard Francis
10th Played 2nd gig in Sheffield at The Green Room
11th Returned to The Cellar Bar in Chester
13th Took a trip to Ashton-Under-Lyne with Silent Cities to film with Vidzta
19th First full band gig at The Zanzibar Club in Liverpool supporting Emma Stevens on her UK tour with Professor Yaffle, Alexandra Jayne and TJ & Murphy. Good eggs in attendance, last gig in Liverpool for some time and a jam at the end with Alexandra Jayne on The Weight
24th Bit of a return to Shropshire to play in The Sandbrook Vaults in Market Drayton and to hang out with good-egg sound engineer Tom Wiggans
Last night’s gig at The Baltic Social was a good ‘un. I really enjoyed sets from Little Rivers, Grace Hartrey, Tiz McNamara and Kalandra.
