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...
Monday, April 13, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
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
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
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Busy Times - and some...
On Sunday 8 March we did a private party with Dennis Greaves Mark Feltham and Glenn Tilbrook and a great time was had by all - wall to wall music, and we had such a great time that we are currently discussing a potential gig with all of us doing it again - the Albany Saturday lunchtime sprang to mind, of course that is if Cameron the chap at the Albany is interested...
and Glenn said hed endorse us so you cant say fairer than that..
Adding to the mayhem yesterday we did the first rehearsal with the quartet plus Steve Morrison for the long lane gig; as Mark now does more gigs with Steve than us it may have been more the trio joining Morrison and Walker - sweet as a nut which ever way we concoct the outfit - it was awesome... Ben and Mark - great Rhythm section... Steves genius and a brand new repertoire.. crikey... you must come along...
and Glenn said hed endorse us so you cant say fairer than that..
Adding to the mayhem yesterday we did the first rehearsal with the quartet plus Steve Morrison for the long lane gig; as Mark now does more gigs with Steve than us it may have been more the trio joining Morrison and Walker - sweet as a nut which ever way we concoct the outfit - it was awesome... Ben and Mark - great Rhythm section... Steves genius and a brand new repertoire.. crikey... you must come along...
Saturday, February 28, 2009
2009 for the Los Dawsons; ligging, new gigs, new venues...
Numbers! well weve been doing some interesting stuff already; we have increased out repetoire to c70 songs so we can now do 2 independent 3 setters, Im trying desperately to learn all the lyrics- no mean feat...
We were recently hanging out down at Glenn Tilbrooks studio seeing some of the final touches being put to the new 9 Below Zero offering.... which already in its pre mix down format has had an airing on Janice Longs Radio 2 show with great reviews..... we really like what we've heard I reckon its Dennis Greaves and Mark Felthams Exile on Main Street, fabulous....!!!!
Whilst Dave and I were there we were also dead chuffed to be given a couple of pre release "Pandemonium Ensues" which is Glenns new CD and is really good - I love it - very blue eyed soul... And we had the privilege to see Glenns Ivor Novello award up close and personal - blimey they're heavy! cast out of bronze or something....
We have put the final touches to some new work where we are to be the the guts of another friends Cabaret project... Steve Morrisons Guitar Orchestra which will have its first outing on the 4 April at Long Lane Pavillion; this will be very good night, please email and we can tell you who to contact for tickets - we will also be using our Los Dawson quartet drummer Mark Walker who we introduced to Steve and they've been making madcap music together in a baaaddd rockin duo ever since ...
We are also in conversation with some other great musicians to build an acoustic function band.. so that should be fun when weve finally sorted it out... we are also excited about this we may yet be the "funk brothers of Charlton"...
More great news: the Fabulous Oxleas Cafe Sunday gigs are now about to be Los Dawsoned... they currently have a rock covers band once a month and we are going to alternate fortnightly with an acoustic alter ego with the Los Dawson quartet.. hundreds of people turn up - bring their own bottle have some fantastic cafe fare and chill out to the festival vibe - perfect for our kind of performance... Ill have to ping the Greenwich Phantom about this...
We also liked a music pub in Croydon that we think wed fit well in, and are in negotiation with a venue in Beckenham, lots of stuff going on.... though wed like to play more local venues, Glenn is heading up an Acoustic Roster at the Albany today... though I may pop into Rectory Fields to catch the Rugby first as theres some talk of us doing a regular session there...
Mike
We were recently hanging out down at Glenn Tilbrooks studio seeing some of the final touches being put to the new 9 Below Zero offering.... which already in its pre mix down format has had an airing on Janice Longs Radio 2 show with great reviews..... we really like what we've heard I reckon its Dennis Greaves and Mark Felthams Exile on Main Street, fabulous....!!!!
Whilst Dave and I were there we were also dead chuffed to be given a couple of pre release "Pandemonium Ensues" which is Glenns new CD and is really good - I love it - very blue eyed soul... And we had the privilege to see Glenns Ivor Novello award up close and personal - blimey they're heavy! cast out of bronze or something....
We have put the final touches to some new work where we are to be the the guts of another friends Cabaret project... Steve Morrisons Guitar Orchestra which will have its first outing on the 4 April at Long Lane Pavillion; this will be very good night, please email and we can tell you who to contact for tickets - we will also be using our Los Dawson quartet drummer Mark Walker who we introduced to Steve and they've been making madcap music together in a baaaddd rockin duo ever since ...
We are also in conversation with some other great musicians to build an acoustic function band.. so that should be fun when weve finally sorted it out... we are also excited about this we may yet be the "funk brothers of Charlton"...
More great news: the Fabulous Oxleas Cafe Sunday gigs are now about to be Los Dawsoned... they currently have a rock covers band once a month and we are going to alternate fortnightly with an acoustic alter ego with the Los Dawson quartet.. hundreds of people turn up - bring their own bottle have some fantastic cafe fare and chill out to the festival vibe - perfect for our kind of performance... Ill have to ping the Greenwich Phantom about this...
We also liked a music pub in Croydon that we think wed fit well in, and are in negotiation with a venue in Beckenham, lots of stuff going on.... though wed like to play more local venues, Glenn is heading up an Acoustic Roster at the Albany today... though I may pop into Rectory Fields to catch the Rugby first as theres some talk of us doing a regular session there...
Mike
Friday, January 9, 2009
And a big Thank-you to all our guest sit-ins in 2008
The last year has seen some regular guests who have helped make our evenings go with a swing, Notable thanks go to Glenn Tilbrook, Dennis Greaves, Mark Feltham, Dean Powell, Steve Morrision, Reggie Nigel, Mark Walker, Jim Kimberley, Phil Dearing, Andy Ropek, Gus Glen, Mark Trounson, Keith Parker, Mike Porter and some other more anonomous players who if I have forgotten anyone many apologies...
and those of you who have promised to come down please do... you are always wellcome - but give us a ping first...
and those of you who have promised to come down please do... you are always wellcome - but give us a ping first...
The 2009 Los Dawson catch-up
Well its been a busy last year; 3 bassists, we reckon about 60 gigs, some good venues, some ghastly ones, lots of new songs but more consistently we think better music and more variation, we have developed a varied repetoire and we now have close to 4 x 45 minute sets, not that we ever expect to perform all of them in one evenings entertainment.... make us a challenge!
Further to the issues above: we now have a new Bassist Ben Hillyard who is a fine musician, thanks for making the transition a pleasant one... We have stopped the Thursday nighter in Old Kent Road/New Cross because we felt the venue wasnt suitable, an issue was either punters who seemed disinterested or psychotic; "stop tapping your feet when youre playing" well I think that was what he was trying to tell us... but seemed a trifle non compis mentis
One new venue we liked was the Vanbrugh Arms though they were trying to establish a Sunday acoustic venue with too little publicity- it deserves to continue and has a lovely vibe... We are looking to establish a residency on either the alternative sunday to Chu and Chos or on the Thursday evening, we dont know where yet but we are working on it - weve heard good things about the Nuns Head in (unsurprisingly) Nunhead... cor this establishing acoustic gigs is hard work...
If any of you out there in blogdom have amny ideas please get in touch
Further to the issues above: we now have a new Bassist Ben Hillyard who is a fine musician, thanks for making the transition a pleasant one... We have stopped the Thursday nighter in Old Kent Road/New Cross because we felt the venue wasnt suitable, an issue was either punters who seemed disinterested or psychotic; "stop tapping your feet when youre playing" well I think that was what he was trying to tell us... but seemed a trifle non compis mentis
One new venue we liked was the Vanbrugh Arms though they were trying to establish a Sunday acoustic venue with too little publicity- it deserves to continue and has a lovely vibe... We are looking to establish a residency on either the alternative sunday to Chu and Chos or on the Thursday evening, we dont know where yet but we are working on it - weve heard good things about the Nuns Head in (unsurprisingly) Nunhead... cor this establishing acoustic gigs is hard work...
If any of you out there in blogdom have amny ideas please get in touch
Monday, December 1, 2008
busy busy busy and a new residency in New Cross
The last week in November has been an eventful one for us, and (thankfully) in a good way… The previous Sunday evening we did a great gig at the Vanbrugh in Maze Hill with Ben on Double Bass, which was fun as we are always trying to play more venues.
The people there are trying to establish a live music presence on Sunday evenings and as such have a fabulous vibey environment with a very clean and dry acoustic, but not many punters know about the gig currently. The problem with any Sunday evening gig is that it’s a long haul, the manager and the band have to spend the time establishing it…We know we’ve done Cattleyas for nearly 3 years; there are only so many fans who can turn up, we have a loyal fanbase but we get different people turning up to different gigs
At the Vanbrugh we had some loyal friends turn up, so hopefully we may get a few more there – but we have to play it consistently for people to be aware that its us and established.
Ken from the White Hart Hotel 184 New Cross Road SE14 5AA had seen us at Chu and Chos and wants us to establish an acoustic sit-in on Thursday evenings starting 4 December and he knows it takes time so we will see whether New Cross Gate is ready for us, we are looking forward to it as New Cross almost has a Camden approach to live music…
On Tuesday we had to prep up Nigel/Reggie Pearce from the Tinnies (Tin Gods) for yesterdays gig at Chu and Chos as Ben wasn’t able to do this one. So armed with 8 pads he then had to guess the remaining 17 songs which he did with aplomb.
To add to the frisson, Glenn Tilbrook turned up for a birthday party so we couldn’t really not ask him to play: so for you squeezistas out there he played and sang “Labelled with love”, “Gershwin’s You cant take that away from me”, Peter Green’s “Oh Well, as well as sitting in with about six or seven of our usual numbers.”
Nigel did extremely well and it can be a bit awe inspiring for everyone when someone as capable as Mr T gets going… as he was and still is definitely the guitarist/musician of his generation, watching him play and sing with us is a privilege and if I’m really honest a bit of an education..
The people there are trying to establish a live music presence on Sunday evenings and as such have a fabulous vibey environment with a very clean and dry acoustic, but not many punters know about the gig currently. The problem with any Sunday evening gig is that it’s a long haul, the manager and the band have to spend the time establishing it…We know we’ve done Cattleyas for nearly 3 years; there are only so many fans who can turn up, we have a loyal fanbase but we get different people turning up to different gigs
At the Vanbrugh we had some loyal friends turn up, so hopefully we may get a few more there – but we have to play it consistently for people to be aware that its us and established.
Ken from the White Hart Hotel 184 New Cross Road SE14 5AA had seen us at Chu and Chos and wants us to establish an acoustic sit-in on Thursday evenings starting 4 December and he knows it takes time so we will see whether New Cross Gate is ready for us, we are looking forward to it as New Cross almost has a Camden approach to live music…
On Tuesday we had to prep up Nigel/Reggie Pearce from the Tinnies (Tin Gods) for yesterdays gig at Chu and Chos as Ben wasn’t able to do this one. So armed with 8 pads he then had to guess the remaining 17 songs which he did with aplomb.
To add to the frisson, Glenn Tilbrook turned up for a birthday party so we couldn’t really not ask him to play: so for you squeezistas out there he played and sang “Labelled with love”, “Gershwin’s You cant take that away from me”, Peter Green’s “Oh Well, as well as sitting in with about six or seven of our usual numbers.”
Nigel did extremely well and it can be a bit awe inspiring for everyone when someone as capable as Mr T gets going… as he was and still is definitely the guitarist/musician of his generation, watching him play and sing with us is a privilege and if I’m really honest a bit of an education..
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