"John Martyn meets Nick Drake for the 21st Century" inthemix
So, standing at Morte Point and gazing out onto South Wales, and then off down the A361 to circumnavigate the Channel to actually get there. Off to visit our oceanic neighbours and partners in coastal dwelling, the Pembrokeshire folk...
Easy travelling there and arrived at the Queen's Hall Narberth, an up-and-coming venue, run by fine fellow Ashley with help from Jo... gobsmacked was I, as a home-cooked Indian feast was served up in the performers' honour. Lesser promoters take note...this was artist relations at their most shining.
So it was no.2 of the new Queen's Hall acoustic night, and as the promise of snow and high winds gusted outdoors the hardy SouthWaleans filled the now cosy hall, congenial calm atmosphere pervaded and some local talent took the stage. All impressive stuff and special mention to Lowri Evans whose Welsh-sung songs were magical..
So off to the stage for me, and string break after the first song...bah...and forgot about the spares.... luckily a spare guitar from Robbie Price was offered, but the bugger had tuned it to some dyslexic monstrosity (only kidding mate) and spun me out so Lowri's guitar player, Lee, offered me his posh Taylor (which i pranged and almost flung off the stage) and then changed my string on my trusty Yammie....what a gent you are, i owe you a string!
The set was great though for that, lots of fun and we got some got some good shit going too...
here's a review :
http://www.pembrokeshiretv.com/content/templates/nContent1.aspx?articleid=890&zoneid=32
Many thanks to all the amazing Pembrokshire denizens who made me feel like part of the flock, especially Ashley and Jo, but special mentions to sound-soundman Bruce and Doylie + pals for your gift which I have been enjoying! :)
What a chilled and sound lot you all are, must be the water....
Anyway, the next day, leaving Pembroke, the wind blew hard, but no snow... leaving the coast, heading north to meet the A40 (one road in/one road out), cars appeared from t'other direction , ominously with thick snow flying atop their roofs. The sky darkened, the A477 was closed.. Snow fell , gently at first, then blizz'rdds, reducing once mobile automobiles to skidding goons. A40 closed now too, so I tried to reach Narberth and safety. A 5 minute journey took 45 minutes, and finally managed to park the car safely and took to my heels, avoiding marauding local snowball assassins, skidding and sliding to the local hosteliery... where many more strandees congregated. The Last room was mine, and there i stayed till the next day....snowed in in Narberth...
Album Update
Crumbs, it's getting there! almost done, myself , Jon Hopkins and Myke Studio shadows of men... but we're almost done.....
look out next Spring!
Swiss Pigeon
The first 'The Pigeon Hole' night at the sweaty dive of the St Moritz club....totally rammed, temperatures and oxygen soaring and disappearing... but what a blast, cheers to Team Pigeon for putting us on, cheers to all that came down.....and cheers to Champignon and Raph for accompanying melee...
Was a privilege to be involved in the first one, hopefully not the last...
I hear some 'big stars' are coming to Pigeon next year...look out! and look out for Phil Cosby, meanest mouth trumpet in Mithrashire..
Had a interesting jam with my psychedelic cohorts Champignon and Raphael t'other day, and good it was....we recorded it and upon listening turned out to be a 20 min droney/flutey/groovey thang....I hope we shall do more soon, to release where who knows, will be enough for people to hear it.....maybe on the net?
Got some gigs on the near horizon in November, will post up details soon, bring a firework...
ok, thas all for now, see youse soon... x
Arborise Update
After a hectic and surreal summer, time to knuckle down and finish the album..... hopefully back in the studio by end of september.... and release it next year...
Get focused and demo the new songs....
and play live always, which is what music is about? any gig suggestions out there?
ok, roll on autumn once more ...
happiness and fun for all...
dan x
ok fellow fellows....
so off to the greenman, wending our way around and over the bristol channel and up through the black mountains, to Baskerville Hall near Hay-on-Wye ....
its an interesting festival this one, lots of music played for music fans and musicians by music fans and musicians..... everyone listens and everyone is nice to each other....
its heartening that we have lots of talent coming through, and doing things off/on their own steam rather that falling into traditional record industry traps...we hope anyway....
we saw much to please the ear, Joanna Newsom is very good and i liked Euros Childs (from Gorky's) solo set, skewed and beautiful.....
well the 'danseizure' set was wholeheartedly successful, was dan on laptop and harmonica, myself on delayguitar and ma.cheney of 'arctic circle' on juno... we ended up playing for 50mins and the audience was happy and clapping instead of afraid ... what did it sound like? well funnily enough, we just did a studio version here in devon and should be released when we can yes? good... watch out for 'dan vs dan' ..... 'heavy ambient' perhaps a description?
nice moon above the main stage at night, magic....