Big News - Were going to record a new CD...

We thought it was about time we recorded something that reflects our current abilities and line-up. So we are hoping to have a CD ready for the Oxleas Wood Cafe gig, as we think that would be an appropriate launch... If any of the dawsonistas out there has any nice black and white photos of the boys in action it may be considered as artwork for the new title, we havent got an idea what to call this one yet...

Also HOT PRESS we will be doing an early 4pm'ish set on this Sunday 3 May before our usual session due to it being the last match of the season at the Valley..

Be there or 4-sided...

The British Oak Easter Sunday: The Quartet.. and a new mail id..

We quite often go out as a quartet if we can, as its a joy to perform with Mark Walker as he is very inventive drummer/percussionist and his washboard playing is er sublime...

(I have to say here that when Mark cannot play we also play with Jim Kimberley who is just as much fun, we are privileged that two so musical drummers want to perform with us).. I digress..

We were offered an opportunity to play at The British Oak at their BBQ afternoon on Easter Sunday, we used to play there before before it changed hands so whilst we are always a bit worried by bank holiday afternoons as London can become a ghost town, we didnt want to lose the opportunity... We like the pub and ro be honest we had given up hope a bit as perhaps we thought were not the landlords kind of thing..

So we were pleasantly surprised with the call and so it had to be.. A lot of the acts in the 'Oak are primarily "music" rather than "music and entertainment" but the audience there are intelligent and will encourage acts if they fit in... were a bit different as we encourage a fairly intimate experience.. we are used to engaging, thankfully there were a few familiar faces and they were local people who will go to the Oak again..

The Gig: 4 musicians, a vocalist with a bad chest infection, 3 sets, 33 numbers, condensation on the windows, audience clapping and joining in, Dawsonistas from Southwark and Balham, the Oxleas people coming along to make certain were the right kind of act...

All in all it went extremely well, the Landlord said hed book us back, and I got to play some more harmonica (it may be catching....) and as the dawsonistas are aware they now receive a dedicated email from thelosdawsons@gmail.com to tell them what is happenning - if you want to join in send us an email and youre included too..

thank you - all of you you are making certain I can keep on playing guitar singing and now picking up harmonica again (ill have to make certain I play well enough if Mark Feltham turns up.. phew)

Mike

A Surprise at Catteleyas 5 April

Its funny, when we think we're going to have a few quiet gigs the condensation runs off the windows.... I guess it helps in smaller venues with the amount of people and our frenetic activity.... we thought the Sunday at Catteleyas on the 5 April would be a man in his flat cat and a sheep dog... How wrong were we......

We had Matt the minister and a party to celebrate his wifes birthday (wed done a surprise bithday gig in his garden last year). Dennis Greaves and Dean Powell and their partners and friends turned up, Sharon from the Special League was there and too many others to mention - absolutely tremendous.. I had to rush home to get some lyrics for Dean as our repetoire doesn't include the Faces.. and grabbed an old harmonica that half worked to have a blow with for a bit of a joke (I used to play harp in a few Rhythm and Blues bands 25 years ago...) to whit I ended up supporting Dennis Greaves on I cant quit you baby.. which is a bit tricky with a 50% harp and a quarter century of no emblature and practice.. however the response was - we didnt you know you could blow you should do more... food for thought indeed...

Truly fabulous performances from Dennis Greaves (and hed just done 4 gigs in
Germany on the bounce... and flown back from the ruhr in the morning - a consumate professional...) Dean Powell rolled off a few faces and small faces classics with aplomb, should he ever want to give up boxing managing and promoting he could give Weller a run for his money...

Ben and Dave as ever were on the money (strange term that... as I reckon weve never made a brass farthing from music... hahahaha do we care...)

Its an inspiration as I then have to start the noprmal week on the Monday morning...

April News.. and hunting gigs...

Well we put in considerable effort for the Steve Morrison gig, got some lovely music arranged and then the Gig was cancelled due to circumstances outside our control, we were all a bit despondant as the vibe was lovely - so were now looking for a venue suitable enough for the guitar orchestra; Ive heard that Dr King's Jailhouse at the East Dulwich Tavern may be a goer, though I cant find kingys email pah.. I wonder if hes the same Dr King that dressed up in a bear suit with Jim Moir at the Parrot Cafe all those years ago, if it is it would be fun to recount old stories... so we will have to investigate, another likely venue maybe the Hob in Forrest Hill ...

we are getting quirkier gigs this year so were pleased - there seems more momentum...

see you all at Cattleyas on Sunday evening there should be some good music on...


Mike