We have had a series of busy and successful gigs at Cattleyas, it has consistently been a fabulous vibe with some great guests; Dennis Greaves has graciously sat-in on more than one occasion as has Glenn Tilbrook; to have two professional musicians of this calibre playing with us is a joy.
Dean Powell gave his all singing on a couple of songs, and Paris a new fellow on our scene gave us his interpretations of a few of our offerings... These have been well received; to such an extent that we have asked him to come and sing with us at the British Oak this Saturday..
Heres some food for thought; Paris sang on the TV so he has sung to more people in one shot than I have sung to in my whole life... amazing..
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Recent Gigs Reviewed & Local Momentum!
We have just done a couple of gigs where we have had the good luck of working with Glenn Tilbrook, Dennis Greaves, Janny Ballard and Paris (the Voice).... We have experienced much joy; the guests have been so thoroughly musical and have knocked the socks off everyone who was there. The evenings have been extremely busy as well, reflecting that class music can happen locally... as ever you just have to know where its going down...
Coupled with this there also seems to be a bit of momentum happenning locally with Glenn Tilbrrok and the Fluffers pushing a series of surprise gigs at the Anchor and Hope which have been sublime, and the British Oak is offering some really great acts this month
Coupled with this there also seems to be a bit of momentum happenning locally with Glenn Tilbrrok and the Fluffers pushing a series of surprise gigs at the Anchor and Hope which have been sublime, and the British Oak is offering some really great acts this month
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Gluttons for punishment; Powercuts, Juke Boxing and Frozen Hands...
After nearly being booked for a couple of function gigs, and a sonically wondrous gig at the old library in Charlton house for the Picnic in Greenwich Parks Movement, we had some gigs that became more of a challenge than we expected.
An old college friend arranged a special evening for her significant other halfs' half century celebration, intitially we were going to try and fit in a rustic snug bar when the power gave up, whilst it meant that we had to break set in the pitch black (exciting!) we then had to move everything upstairs into a large rather bland conference room, as one can imagine the organisers were fraught.... We got on with rigging the band and thought at one point we may have to play totally acoustically - but we rigged the power from the pub kitchen got on with it turned the lights down and created the vibe - it went down very well and a big thank you for Jim Kimberley who covered percussion and drums beautifully... I also had the added frisson of us performing one of my songs from college days - crikey...
Then Sunday at Catteleyas with the Juke Box second set - where we get the audience to shout out numbers from the Juke Box flyer - this is very tricky as they tend to chose songs we don't always play, whilst this keeps us very much on our toes it can be a bit difficult...
Then Frozen toes, fingers, noses etc, back at the East Greenwich Pleasaunce for the Christmas Open Air party - Carols, Choirs, Santa, Mulled Wine, Mince Pies and an aptly chilled Los Dawsons..
But we brought the sun with us again (in the summer it poured with rain and then was fine for the rest of the day) and similarly the inclement weather disappeared for our two rather chill(y) sets.. I found that if I wore cycle mitts it kept my hands warm enough to start playing.. Ben and Dave were not so lucky, but Kate from the committee thought we kept the audience happy and a lot of people came up to express their amazement that we were to prepared to play outside in December, a record I reckon... So as usual we are trying to keep the gigs diverse.. Im currently trying to sort out a charity gig for Crisis in Smithfield for mid January and I reckon that could be interesting too...
An old college friend arranged a special evening for her significant other halfs' half century celebration, intitially we were going to try and fit in a rustic snug bar when the power gave up, whilst it meant that we had to break set in the pitch black (exciting!) we then had to move everything upstairs into a large rather bland conference room, as one can imagine the organisers were fraught.... We got on with rigging the band and thought at one point we may have to play totally acoustically - but we rigged the power from the pub kitchen got on with it turned the lights down and created the vibe - it went down very well and a big thank you for Jim Kimberley who covered percussion and drums beautifully... I also had the added frisson of us performing one of my songs from college days - crikey...
Then Sunday at Catteleyas with the Juke Box second set - where we get the audience to shout out numbers from the Juke Box flyer - this is very tricky as they tend to chose songs we don't always play, whilst this keeps us very much on our toes it can be a bit difficult...
Then Frozen toes, fingers, noses etc, back at the East Greenwich Pleasaunce for the Christmas Open Air party - Carols, Choirs, Santa, Mulled Wine, Mince Pies and an aptly chilled Los Dawsons..
But we brought the sun with us again (in the summer it poured with rain and then was fine for the rest of the day) and similarly the inclement weather disappeared for our two rather chill(y) sets.. I found that if I wore cycle mitts it kept my hands warm enough to start playing.. Ben and Dave were not so lucky, but Kate from the committee thought we kept the audience happy and a lot of people came up to express their amazement that we were to prepared to play outside in December, a record I reckon... So as usual we are trying to keep the gigs diverse.. Im currently trying to sort out a charity gig for Crisis in Smithfield for mid January and I reckon that could be interesting too...
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Oh what a night!
The LD’s rock Plumstead’s One Day Café
We can quite understand why you wouldn’t want to turn out on a dark, cold October evening, especially to the depths of Plumstead, but, we’re sorry to say, you missed a cracker.
The gig was for the One Day Café, an enterprising group in Plumstead headed by Jane Fenton, that is trying to establish a community café/venue an area that’s full of artists, musicians, actors etc. but completely lacking in any decent venue or indeed café. Seeking council funding to secure a permanent venue, the One Day Café organisation has been putting on gigs in various Plumstead locations and Friday 16th October’s event was an imposing brick sh*thouse-like building nominally titled the Greenwich Rugby Club Pavilion. But with a little bit of TLC by Jane and her crew it was turned into one of the cosiest, intimate venues we’ve ever had the pleasure to play in. Attendance was very good too. So a very big thank-you to all the One Day Café-ists who turned out — not to mention a few Los Dawson ‘groupies’ (you know who you are!) and shame on you other Los Dawson-ists who couldn’t summon the courage to venture to Plumstead (and no, you don’t need a passport to leave Charlton!). Seriously, we really appreciate all your support.
Actually there was a bit of Blitz spirit to the evening. Ben was otherwise engaged so bass duties fell to our old buddy Nigel ‘Reggie’ Pierce who’d been working away leaning some 30 songs at very short notice. Paired with his old drumming partner Mark Walker, however, Reggie fitted like the proverbial glove. Handy too that he was playing an acoustic bass, not an upright double bass like Ben — the ‘stage’ was on the small side, barely room for Mark’s kit and our egos let alone Ben’s huge bass. And mid-way through our second set the power went off plunging the venue into darkness and muting our PA and amps. While the organisers hurriedly re-lit candles and ventured to find the problem, Mike serenaded the audience as only he can — the power came back on and we didn’t miss a beat. See, we said it was a special night.
So, a big thank-you to the One Day Café for putting us on. Their next gig is on 4th December (www.onedaycafe.org.uk) featuring the Steve Pringle Trio, a Greenwich-based trio of some of the UK's best up-and-come jazz musicians from Trinity College of Music.
If you want music in your area this is exactly the sort of event you should come along and support. We won’t be playing that one but some of us will definitely be propping up the bar — please join us!
We can quite understand why you wouldn’t want to turn out on a dark, cold October evening, especially to the depths of Plumstead, but, we’re sorry to say, you missed a cracker.
The gig was for the One Day Café, an enterprising group in Plumstead headed by Jane Fenton, that is trying to establish a community café/venue an area that’s full of artists, musicians, actors etc. but completely lacking in any decent venue or indeed café. Seeking council funding to secure a permanent venue, the One Day Café organisation has been putting on gigs in various Plumstead locations and Friday 16th October’s event was an imposing brick sh*thouse-like building nominally titled the Greenwich Rugby Club Pavilion. But with a little bit of TLC by Jane and her crew it was turned into one of the cosiest, intimate venues we’ve ever had the pleasure to play in. Attendance was very good too. So a very big thank-you to all the One Day Café-ists who turned out — not to mention a few Los Dawson ‘groupies’ (you know who you are!) and shame on you other Los Dawson-ists who couldn’t summon the courage to venture to Plumstead (and no, you don’t need a passport to leave Charlton!). Seriously, we really appreciate all your support.
Actually there was a bit of Blitz spirit to the evening. Ben was otherwise engaged so bass duties fell to our old buddy Nigel ‘Reggie’ Pierce who’d been working away leaning some 30 songs at very short notice. Paired with his old drumming partner Mark Walker, however, Reggie fitted like the proverbial glove. Handy too that he was playing an acoustic bass, not an upright double bass like Ben — the ‘stage’ was on the small side, barely room for Mark’s kit and our egos let alone Ben’s huge bass. And mid-way through our second set the power went off plunging the venue into darkness and muting our PA and amps. While the organisers hurriedly re-lit candles and ventured to find the problem, Mike serenaded the audience as only he can — the power came back on and we didn’t miss a beat. See, we said it was a special night.
So, a big thank-you to the One Day Café for putting us on. Their next gig is on 4th December (www.onedaycafe.org.uk) featuring the Steve Pringle Trio, a Greenwich-based trio of some of the UK's best up-and-come jazz musicians from Trinity College of Music.
If you want music in your area this is exactly the sort of event you should come along and support. We won’t be playing that one but some of us will definitely be propping up the bar — please join us!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
September and Onwards
We had a gig without Ben this last Sunday, and Reggie filled in with great aplomb, Dennis came and sat in then disappeared with the PA for some secret Nine Below Zero Mission.... BTW what a great version of "you never give me your money" with Glen Tilbrook on the Mojo CD this month... I bet Macca is made up...
We have a flurry of activity in a couple of weeks... lets keep our fingers crossed for even more interesting opportunities we like odd gigs...
Mike
We have a flurry of activity in a couple of weeks... lets keep our fingers crossed for even more interesting opportunities we like odd gigs...
Mike
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Los Dawsons Break Records
Phew! The weekend of the 25-26th July was a busy one for us. A private function on the Saturday night for the quartet yielded our biggest income for the year. Hurrah! We can now afford new strings (well, not sure about double bass strings). Special thanks to Sue & Peter Boyles for putting on a great party. Clearly that’s all you need for a good evening: people, beer, garden and the Los Dawsons!
Some of us — we’re not saying who but he plays the nylon string guitar — were rather ragged around the edges come Sunday evening’s regular slot at Cattleya’s in Charlton. We turned up to find the place full and by the time we’d started playing it was standing room only (we broke the house record again) and unfortunately some people had to be turned away. Special thanks to Candy and Helen for helping out behind the bar to make sure those who could get in got a drink. As any of our regulars know it can get very, very busy so we always advise that you book a table in advance. Just call 0207 642 1014. Our next gig there is on 23rd August, 8pm start.
We were joined by the ever-youthful Dennis Greaves from Nine Below Zero who sat in for rollicking renditions of Let’s Stick Together and the Fabulous Thunderbirds’ She’s Tuff freeing up Mike to blow harp. The ‘Zeros have just put the finishing touches to their new album ‘It’s Never Too Late’. We’ve heard the finished tracks and suggest that you all rush out a buy a copy immediately. Their best album for years? We think so! More info www.ninebelowzero.com
So, apologies again for the over-packed Sunday at Cattelya’s, don’t forget book early for the next one. See you on the 23rd August!
Some of us — we’re not saying who but he plays the nylon string guitar — were rather ragged around the edges come Sunday evening’s regular slot at Cattleya’s in Charlton. We turned up to find the place full and by the time we’d started playing it was standing room only (we broke the house record again) and unfortunately some people had to be turned away. Special thanks to Candy and Helen for helping out behind the bar to make sure those who could get in got a drink. As any of our regulars know it can get very, very busy so we always advise that you book a table in advance. Just call 0207 642 1014. Our next gig there is on 23rd August, 8pm start.
We were joined by the ever-youthful Dennis Greaves from Nine Below Zero who sat in for rollicking renditions of Let’s Stick Together and the Fabulous Thunderbirds’ She’s Tuff freeing up Mike to blow harp. The ‘Zeros have just put the finishing touches to their new album ‘It’s Never Too Late’. We’ve heard the finished tracks and suggest that you all rush out a buy a copy immediately. Their best album for years? We think so! More info www.ninebelowzero.com
So, apologies again for the over-packed Sunday at Cattelya’s, don’t forget book early for the next one. See you on the 23rd August!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
We've had a quietish month so far
Dave was away so we had a bit of a break; now we're ready to go - we have a party on Saturday night as the quartet, and at Cattleyas on this Sunday (26th July) as the trio, and if eveything is even we should have a good bunch of people down, I am hopeful....
We think we want to add some newer material to the repetoire and are even starting to consider adding some original material - Crikey, watch this space.... Currently we have potentially four varied sets (over 50 songs) circa 4 hours of music so to add some more material should be fun - trying to memorise all the lyrics can be a challenge, thank goodness I dont have to sing Dylan or some of the more wordy Springsteen songs..
Though as one of our (as usual) perceptive punters remarked - we play covers material in such an unusual manner that we shouldnt necessarily worry too much about these not being originals... Oh well lets see what happens... its all a journey...
Mike
We think we want to add some newer material to the repetoire and are even starting to consider adding some original material - Crikey, watch this space.... Currently we have potentially four varied sets (over 50 songs) circa 4 hours of music so to add some more material should be fun - trying to memorise all the lyrics can be a challenge, thank goodness I dont have to sing Dylan or some of the more wordy Springsteen songs..
Though as one of our (as usual) perceptive punters remarked - we play covers material in such an unusual manner that we shouldnt necessarily worry too much about these not being originals... Oh well lets see what happens... its all a journey...
Mike
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