Sweden - Saloon Hillbilly Oxhagen

Hi all...

First of all I'd like to say that this little blog write up on this gig will not do it justice and I will have to be careful not to descend into a 'wish you were here' style tourist episode. We flew over on Norwegian Airlines (787's are proper good!) and were greeted by the venue owners who took us straight away to Hard Rock Cafe in Stockholm for dinner and a photo with the staff. Stockholm is absolutely beautiful and everywhere is less populated and clean with shimmering lights over incredible architecture and grace. I fell in love with it instantly....

Conny and Karin (the venue owners) own farmland which they have kept in the family for generations and built their own venue upon its land from which they put on events. Keeping it low key and exclusive they retain all control over what's going on and it gives the place its own vibe. It has a western saloon décor and is situated 30 mins away from the capital amongst a backdrop of Sweden's beautiful rural area. They really are beautiful people and took us in to their home like we were one of the family with the best hospitality I have ever experienced ...period. I feel I have a strong bond with them in the small time I stayed with them sharing a lot of the same ethics and desires.

The first thing I saw as we pulled into the farm that night was a huge wild moose in the garden....just chillin out! The day of the gig we had an extremely relaxed soundcheck having so much time to do what we wanted and explore their home.

The gig was packed full of amazing gentle souls who for which Terry and I being there seemed an event they hadn't experienced much. They were lovely to us and I have received messages from them afterwards.  The weather was so nice there was food being cooked and people walking in and out which meant the event took a private party style feel. People were talking as we played which is new for the tour but they were enjoying themselves and watching. Of course it's always a little daunting doing something like this as there can be a little language barrier but after the show you could tell people had engaged with both Terry and I  because of them expressing how grateful they were for us coming over. 

The next day was a free day for us to explore a little of their local area has to offer. We drove their American car over astonishing countryside, hills, and rural Sweden visiting the sea, a Viking church, a castle where we had afternoon tea...all organised by Conny and Karin. Like I said I'm rushing through it as hearing me go on about it isn't good reading ;-) I wrote a song whilst I was over there called "Sky City" as this was the first sign I saw as the plane touched down in Sweden. I will post a video of the song at a later date.

I can't say thank you enough to Conny and Karin, I hope our stay made them as happy as they deserve to be because I know how much work they put into this event and I wish the Saloon Hill-billy every ounce of success and hope to go back sometime soon....

I love Sweden!

Next stop London at the Half Moon in Putney this Thursday - 29th May. Stage time approx. 8pm.

You can still buy tickets for my headline show in Worthing at The Connought Studio on July 5th

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

Stay Safe

Andy

Xx

Mostly listening to

Coldplay - Midnight

I defy anyone listening to this when standing in a field in Sweden with a ghostly twilight to not be emotionally effected!

Terry Reid Tour - Newcastle - Cluny 2

Hi all...

As I was travelling through the north on the train you can see the remanance of old industrial sites, mills, quarry's and mines. Beautiful countryside, rolling hills, bridges, nature and a huge number of farms. 

It got me thinking of feeding the population and how old farming techniques could surely be phased out entirely as in many years to come it may seem an almost primitive way to do things. This got me thinking of a doomsday scenario when oil isn't currency but food becomes the new power......that done my head in...... so I played Sonic the Hedgehog on my iPad instead ;-)

I'd never been to Newcastle before and I'm not sure what my ignorance was expecting but it's much prettier than I imagined. Maybe it's the soft southern fairy in me being judgmental, but I haven't really spent much time that far up north before.

The Cluny is a venue off the Tyne and I believe it was an old whiskey brewery. It's a great location next to a lock with art centres, a woodwork factory and a steampunk submarine....? It has a bohemian vibe and the Cluny 2 (the room which we were playing in) is a fantastic space for a smaller band/acoustic music. In fact I'd go as far as to say that along with the Bedford it's probably one of the best I have played in. Ross the sound guy deserves a mention for his patience and professionalism, and the staff were lovely. 

What was quite perturbing though was the announcement by one of the bar staff the minute I arrived that the dressing rooms were haunted and to look out for a "vibe". Now being a guy who tries to stay rational I didn't think anything of it but just enjoyed the story....course when I was down there I was looking!...I think it's human nature. I didn't see anything although my door got stuck and I panicked for a second, it's not really "the ring" that though is it ;-)

The Geordie crowd were right up my street, interacting, inviting, friendly and respectful. Although I was on a little too early they were fantastic people and a pleasure to play to. I was being cheeky onstage forgetting the name of the Tyne and saying I couldn't understand them...good fun and they engaged with my music. I would definitely want to come back here anytime and people need to support venues like this one. 

As for Terry's set, it was almost like an event, and the show took on a different vibe making Terry talk more. They really hold him dear up here and his northern connections obviously have made a mark on people maybe on a deeper level. It was like "an evening with" and an evening it certainly was he went way over curfew and played for nearly three hours haha! 

So a late night, hotel mixup, loooong journey to Gatwick....off to Sweden we go!

Stay safe

Andy xx

Mostly listening to Paul Thomas Saunders - Beautiful Desolation

Listening to this album whilst looking out on these bridges is quite an experience. You should try it sometime ;-)

Wolverhampton - Robert Plant... sorry Robin 2.....

Hi all

So on the Virgin train cross country bound for Wolverhampton, for another gig with Terry Reid. I like Virgin Trains...plug socket, smooth, comfy, I don't work for them just don't get a chance to use them a lot. Anyone who's ever been to Robin 2 will know it's a great music venue from which there's not many of them left. A great room with a fantastic acoustic sonic, armed with an experienced and cool headed sound engineer. It reminds me of a slightly bigger Wedgewood Rooms in Portsmouth.

Terry's in good spirits, soundcheck was great and everyone was relaxed and chilled. What's great about this venue is there's a small hotel attached to it! I wish all venues were like that how much easier would that make touring...it should be default ;-) it just relieves all the leaving the venue angst that can put a downer on the night sometimes. 

Terry's friend Robert Plant came to see him.....what was that? Yes Robert Plant from a little band called Led Zepplin. I shook his hand 15 minutes before I played. His opening gambit when he came through the doors was " who's that imposter" pointing at a poster of tribute act 'Boot Led Zepplin' who were going to be playing the venue soon....which I thought was hilarious. It's not everyday you meet arguably the most famous rock frontman of all time....

Terry reading an article on himself from a melody maker from 1969!!

Zoe was on first displaying some great soulful vocal talent from a bygone era. She reminded me of the singers from the 70's, simple songs but all the performance is in the vocal display rather than a kaleidoscope of arrangements and chord structures. She held the stage like a country rock singer that had been a staple for years.

I enjoyed my set even though it was a little weird using Terry's gear as it's set up for him of course. I am using Terry's tree of life Gibson acoustic on this tour and it's absolutely beautiful and people obviously don't get a chance to use a guitar like it. It just goes to show though you need time with an instrument to fully understand how it responds and where it's sweet spots are. The onstage sound was great and I flew through my set. I felt a little dislocated from the crowd tonight but it always seems to be worse in my head than it is. The crowd were extremely polite...like English but turned up to eleven. 

Tonight people were here to see Terry though and that was quite apparent. He was onstage again with legendary pedal steel player BJ Cole who I had a brief chat about royalties over dinner.

The highlight for me was a down right bizarre and psychedelic versions of his songs that were rediculously trippy, I don't know where BJ's head went but it was fun to witness! Terry was coaxing the polite crowd to settle in to the night with his rock and roll anecdotes and they seemed to be lapping it up. It was quite a downbeat set from Terry with songs being a little slower than usual and breathing more but the venue is great for this.

With Robert being mobbed by tipsy fans and Terry laughing his way to bed....we retired...

So next stop Newcastle! Never been there let alone play there, should be fun!

Stay Safe

Andy xx

Mostly listening to 

Damon Albarn - Everyday Robots

Terry Reid Tour 2014 - The Cellars at Eastney - Portsmouth

Hi all!

So Its my pleasure to be on tour again with Terry Reid, this time in Portsmouth, Wolverhampton, Newcastle, London and....Sweden! Yes the land of Moomins! I've been to a few dates I wasn't playing on such as Brighton Komedia, and the Jazz Cafe where I had a great chat with Michael Kiwanuka about his second record (he had come to see Terry as "no one does it like him") and Terry is in good spirits for the tour.
So we start with the Cellars in Portsmouth...

This time he has brought some cosmic Americans with him from over the pond and cosmic they most definitely are! They are his backing band for most the dates on the tour and also playing a musically bonkers Bluegrass set to open the night. They are called "The Cosmic American Derelicts" and the name is very apt as its though they have been beamed straight from planet Woodstock. They are the most gentle and incredibly musical people I have ever met, they can deal with any genre chucked at them and with George the bass player, there's a Keith Richards alter-ego inside him hiding just below the surface! Lovely fellas though all of them and they compensate Terry perfectly.

My set is now peppered with some new songs from my up coming album due in the summer "Science & Magic". The songs have been going down well and the older songs that are on the album have now bedded in to a point I can deliver them right. Because of the intimate nature of the crowd there is room for explanations of songs and anecdotes and they engage with the whole evening perfectly. You really can't ask for more :-)

Terry is in good form tonight after a rather meloncollie start for him (he does like to shake things up), the version of "Brave Awakening" was spellbinding and the evening takes on a kind of "living room" gig kind of vibe. 

Next stop Wolverhampton on Wednesday 21st May

Tickets for my Worthing show in July can be bought from this link

CLICK HERE

Stay safe

Andy xx

mostly listening to

Beck - Morning Phase

James Walsh (Starsailor) @ the Wedgewood Rooms & The Troubadour

It's always an absolute pleasure playing the Wedgewood Rooms in Portsmouth. There's so much history in the place that has formulated my musical life and has influenced, shaped and guided many a musician and music fan for many years. So after a while having not graced that halo'd stage I was very excited to be playing with James whom has also influenced me in past years with his band Starsailor. Particularly the John Leckie and Phil Spector produced 2nd album 'Silence is easy'. 

People turned up early and I could tell the crowd were going to be vibey and receptive as the room buzzed with that electricity that many a musician looks out for before they go onstage. 

My set was mixed with new songs and old but a full and playful crowd helped me relax and get into a groove from which I thoroughly enjoyed. 

You can't write this kind of crowd interaction, when it goes right and people are interacting and bantering back. It makes for a much better experience all round and personally for me I always play better when the crowd are engaged and they feel relaxed enough to enter into the spirit of what I am doing. Some would say that's my job to create that..it often depends on many factors because by the nature of the musical limitations of solo artists you don't take people's heads off volume wise, so a lot depends on a fragile balance of you and them. The real stars of the night were the crowd themselves. James came on with a fantastic set of his new solo material mixed with some Starsailor classics and it was a pleasure to meet him. He gave me some great comments from the stage and completed a great gig for me.

Next up was The Troubadour in Earls Court London. It's another Titan in the formation of the bohemian folk scene in the 60s with many songwriters passing through including some bloke called Bob Dylan. It's a beautiful place as I've said before and even though the night was rather thin on attendance, it's always a pleasure to people watch Londons more refined characters live in a way only people with money can. 

Photo by Aaron Bennett Photography

Stay Safe

Andy xx

Mostly listening to

Damon Albarn - Everyday Robots