The Old Bookbinders Arms – Oxford (9.1.11)

The Old Bookbinder’s Arms (or The Bookies) is in the historic suburb of Jericho in Oxford.  Jericho is just outside the old city wall and is said to have once been a place for travellers to rest if they had reached the city after the gates had closed.  Which made it the perfect place for me to call into after a long trip from up North.

When I arrive at The Bookies, 'Highway to Hell' is playing through the sound system.  I say hello to Nigel who runs the open mic and then settle in a back room full of interesting clutter.  A reel to reel tape recorder, a fishing rod, an assortment of old vinyl pinned to the walls, a selecton of radios - one of which has been hooked up to the sound system, pictures of jazz musicians, an electric guitar, a boran, a venetian mask, a bicycle wheel, bagpipes, a triangle, a battered looking bugle, a poster saying ‘Beheading a Lady’, a beer barrel turned into a chair, and some signed posters of the Beatles on the ceiling.  Random artefacts from times gone by.

Nigel kicks off the night with one of his own songs, which he freely admits is a ‘bit of a softy’, and some of the best songs are.  The Rotafors play next with two guitarists, Nigel on bass, and rhythm provided courtesy of some bongos. The first song is like a bit of a warm up, but by the time they get into the second they are much more relaxed and together.  A foot tapping number with a country feel.

Samuel (pronounced Samwell) from Argentina provides some spoken word, with Nigel picking out some backing on guitar.  I havn't got a clue what Samuel is talking about because its all in Argentinian, he could be talking about putting out the washing for all I know, but it works because he delivers the words with such energy and passion.

A girl by the name of Jess follows and she has a couple of her own songs to play. For one so young she doesn’t seem at all nervous and delivers her music to a supportive audience with confidence, I’d like to have heard more.

After Jess there are more musicians with their own tunes to play and I make a note that there don’t seem to have been any covers tonight.  Which is a good thing in my book, as I’d rather listen to what people have come up with for themselves. 

A duo playing accordion and guitar sing about ‘going down’ and I have to be careful how I describe that.  I’d been thinking of bringing my own accordion tonight, but I’m glad I didn’t because this guy can really play, I mean REALLY play.

I get talking to a lad called Andy and he sings in a local band.  He’s here to play some solo stuff and it turns out he writes a bit of poetry.  I give him a copy of my book ‘Poetry vs Lyrics’ which includes a CD of the kaoss sounds.  That book usually ends up in the toilet, I don’t mean literally ‘in the toilet’, I mean in the small room – its a slim volume and a perfect read for when your having a dump. 

When Andy takes to the stage he apologises that the first song he’s going to play is a depressing one.  If you think about it some of the greatest bands and musicians have favoured depressing music, so I don’t think its something to apologise for.  Besides, I like depressing music - it makes me happy!  And I like the song Andy plays too.  He follows it with a more uptempo Americana tinged piece called South of the Border.

Early in the evening I’d played ‘Its been a good year for the spiders!’ which is all about 2010.  The weird thing about the kaoss pad is that something unexpected usually happens and tonight was no exception, because within the drum pattern a strange crunching could be heard on every other beat.  You just got to live with what the machine will throw at you, make it part of the electronic fun.  This music emulates life, you just can’t predict what’s going to happen next.

After I’d played Nigel told me a secret.  It turns out he records all the performances and sends the music files through to the musicians.  This is a nice touch to the evenings proceedings as it means you can take something away from the night for yourself.  Thanks to Nigel you can listen to some of my set right here:

http://soundcloud.com/corncrake/its-been-a-good-year-for-the-spiders-live-in-oxford

Theres a friendly and relaxed crowd in The Bookies and I guess it reflects the local Jericho community of students, academics, musicians, aging hippies and artists.  Nigel does a good job of keeping the night rolling and giving everyone who wants to play a fair chance, and there are certainly plenty of players.  I hope to go back to The Bookies some day.

Illusions Bar, Manchester (20.12.2010)

Dave’s Early Doors Open Mic

The streets of Manchester were paved with compacted ice on this freezing Monday before Christmas.  The shoppers were hobbling along in their droves trying to avoid going arse over tit into the tramlines, braced for the sub zero temperatures and crowded pavements.

I found myself being carried along by a swarm of people in the Arndale Centre and it was hard to escape.  Every time I got a bit of space someone else moved into it.  Every time I saw an exit, the way was blocked by hoards of people with that crazed look of Christmas in their eyes.  This wasn’t the Manchester I'd planned to see, so I set off for the sanctuary that is the Illusions Bar and Dave’s Early Doors Open Mic.

I don’t know of another open mic that starts at 5.30 like this.  The idea is that you can get along and play some music after work or college, or before going on somewhere else.  I like it, but there weren’t many in when I arrived, perhaps because the event is relatively new and word is still getting round.

The small stage area at the back of the bar is dominated by a grand piano.  Sat playing the piano is Chris who is sporting a Santa hat and singing out some festive tunes.  I’m a sucker for the piano and I reckon the simple formula of human voice plus keyboard is a great foundation for song writing.  It also interests me that songs written on a piano have a much different feel to songs written on guitar.  They go different places and do different things.

A man is circulating the bar offering cheese and onion Pringles to the few people that are in.  I immediately recognise him as Dave, the organiser of this event.  Two women who look like they have just arrived from work refuse the offer of a taste of Dave’s Pringles, but I am more than happy to accept.

“This is an anything goes sort of open mic,” Dave explains to me once we have introduced ourselves.

“That’s my kind of night.” I help myself to another Pringle, because I neglected to eat before I arrived.  The Arndale crush made me forget I was aiming for a chippy.

“People ask me what they should play and I just tell them play what ever you want." Dave continued.  "It’s up to you.  I set up the night so there’s somewhere to play, could be covers, original music, its all welcome here.”

Just then Chris on piano takes a break and Dave goes over to organise the next act.  Its another Chris, but this time playing guitar and strumming out a few classics, such as REM ‘Man on the Moon’.

A woman carrying a plank of wood enters the bar with some friends.  She is called Alexx, and it turns out the plank of wood is an instrument.  A home made twelve string instrument with a pick up and a bar that slides back and forth beneath the strings.  Now we’re talking!  This is what makes these nights so important, the fact that someone would build something unique and then treat us to a rendition of its sounds is fantastic.

Alexx dons some fairy wings and rests the home made instrument on her knees.  The sounds are fed through delay and reverb pedals, and it fills the room with a slightly hippyish vibe.  It makes me want to roll a massive spliff and float into an eternity of sound and vision.  Except I don’t smoke no more. 

Whilst the room is filled with a wall of abstract vibrations there is some other magic happening.  On a large screen behind where we are sitting a live feed is showing what is going on at the far end of the bar.  A magician is playing tricks on a group of onlookers who have gathered to watch him shape shifting a pack of cards and egg cups on a table.  All of it is televised and he has nothing up his sleeves because he has no sleeves.  Its clever stuff and I watch some more.

Meanwhile Dave plays several songs on piano, one of which is an oldie called Crystal Chandalier, reminding us that the trappings of celebrity are nothing new.  And that its destructive powers can make people forget their real friends and loved ones if their not careful. 

It’s a good mixed up kind of a night so I feel some beats and wordsmithing won’t go amiss.  I run through Testosterone, Smells of London and The Return of the Bed Bugs.  It goes down well and for me this is the great thing about Manchester nights, they genuinely embrace different music in this city.  It seems like Manchester revels in pushing the boundaries, and much more so than a lot of other places.

Dave’s Early Doors Open Mic spans the eclectic and the mainstream.  It needs more people willing to add to the variety, but no doubt this will come with time.  And if your lucky, you might just get one or two of Dave's Pringles to keep you going. 

The Oakwood, Glossop (18.12.2010)

Not an open mic night, but I wanted to say a little about The Oakwood in Glossop because I’ve played there a couple of times with the band Old Man Pie, and on both occasions we were so well looked after, I just wish a lot more venues were like this.  The pub is situated on High Street West and has two rooms downstairs, and an upstairs area where the bands play.

Although it was slow to get going (because of the treacherous icy conditions outside) the people of Glossop eventually emerged from their homes and showed themselves to be a right fun loving crowd.  We played a relaxed first set with a few new songs (that still need work) and a few old songs off the first album.  After a thirty minute booze break we went into a more rocking set, including Beer Monster, Butcher of Banham, Leaky Old Roof and Mackerel Fishing.  People were dancing, heckling and there was general merriment, so you can’t ask for more than that.

For once I could hear my own vocals crystal clear in the mix and was able to emphasise some of the odd words and phrases of those pie songs.  The organisers provided us with free drinks and for some random reason, sunglasses.  Outside was the bleak mid winter and inside we was partying like the summer had returned.

They put on some wonderful music at The Oakwood most Saturday nights and concentrate on original bands and performers who write their own material.  This is in preference to the plethora of covers bands who dominate the live scene in many small towns.  I would thoroughly recommend you take a trip to The Oakwood anytime your near Glossop.

Also of interest:

www.manchesterradioonline.com

Every Man Has His Critics* - The Hop, Wakefield (13.12.10)

The Hop in Wakefield has a well established and lively open mic every Monday night.  I’d been to a couple earlier in the year and there were some fine performances going down, with a friendly audience too.  The night is usually run by local musician Ryan, but on this night his friend, Sebba Williams, another quality guitarist and singer has stepped in.

You have to get to The Hop early if you want to play because its usually a busy one.  But maybe I'm a bit too early this time round because there are only a couple of folks in the place.  No matter, you get a warm welcome here, so I peel off a few layers of winter clothing and settle down with a Pale Gold, courtesy of Ossett Brewery.

It’s not long before people start to drift into the place.  A few musicians carrying keyboards and guitars, some college kids here to support a friend of theirs and Seb too, who sets up the pa.

Two female vocalists practice a sweet song near where I’m sitting and it puts me in the mood for Christmas and what I hope will be a good finish to a tough year.  Some of their friends join in and its great to hear people just enjoying music in that way.

Seb kicks the night off with an excellent cover of I’m Yours by Jason Mraz.  It’s a current favourite at open mics and deservedly so.  He follows this with a song called Shine, which it turns out is written by a friend of his Chris Sharp, and this is the high point of the set for me.  A well written song about the one that makes him shine.  I love it when people cover each others songs.  I've included a video of Shine being performed by Chris and Seb (below).

A young singer called Lucy follows Seb and she is joined by her friend.  They have character and presence these women and the audience certainly appreciates them.  The pub is gradually filling up and the bar area is now busy with people listening to the music and talking with their mates.  It’s a good mix, if you can listen to the music and also have a bit of banter going on, people enjoying themselves is what its all about.

Then Lucy took the care free step of playing ‘I’ve got a brand new combine harvester’ by The Wurzels which was great fun.  The last time I heard this song at an open mic was at The Cider Rooms in Bristol, where they also (naturally) sang ‘I am a cider drinker’.  That was a night and a half and features in my book ‘Open Mic Travels'.

I was on after Lucy, taking beat poetry to the stage and wondering what people would make of it.  Some in the crowd were clapping along to Smells of London and I can’t tell you how much I appreciated that.  A group of lads towards the back looked like they were enjoying it too, laughing at some of the lines in ‘Its been a good year for the spiders’ though I never intended them to be funny, but if that’s what you take from it then cool.  However, a tall and dowdy looking woman with her boyfriend frowned back at me for my entire set as if to say WTF!?  And it’s true that every man has his critics and if you worry about that you’ll never do anything or take any risks.

I enjoyed my set at The Hop, but I enjoyed the next singer even more.  A song writer by the name of Scott Wainright, and I stole that line at the top of this entry from his album title.  I’d seen Scott play here before and very much enjoyed his performances.  He’s got a great way with the audience that gets everyone involved.

“Do you know what I’m getting for Christmas?”  He asks us in his Barnsley accent. “No? Neither do I, I was just wondering if you knew!”

“I’ve got CDs with me if you like my music,” he suggests. “Guys you could buy your wives one and give her a surprise.  She might not like it, but she’ll get a surprise!”

Scott’s brought some slay bells with him to accompany his first song and during a harmonica burst also manages to introduce I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas into the mix.  He sits down and growls out the vocals, crashing his right leg up and down to the music.  He howls at the microphone and wails out his Gospel blues.

In his last song he musters up some audience participation and has us singing along to Blueberry Jam.  He shouts ‘Do you know what Mamma's making?’ and we shout back ‘Blueberry Jam’ and he asks do you know what Pappa's making? And we all shout Lemonade!  At least that’s what we're supposed to do, but I found myself forgetting the lemonade bit and just shouting blueberry jam all the time, which didn’t have the same effect.

After Scott’s set I buy a CD off him.  I usually buy CDs if they are on offer because if someone has gone to all that trouble (as a music lover) it would be rude not to!  I'm often disappointed and get a CD home from someone who is a good performer, only to find I now own another lack lustre album that will never be played again.  But Scott’s album is a good body of work, its well recorded and the songs are imaginatively presented with unusual instruments enhancing the songs.  I’ve included a link to Scott’s website (below) if your interested, give him a listen.  He may have his critics, but don’t we all?    

Scott is followed by the legendary Little Elvis, a one time Elvis impersonator now retired from the job.  His real name is John, but it’s proving difficult to kick that Little Elvis tag.  The last time I was at The Hop Little Elvis, sorry John, played a few covers and to be honest, they were bad.  But I reckon John’s been practising since then because his playing seems to have come on leaps and bounds, and although I don’t know the song he’s singing, he delivers it in a relaxed style which works for me.

I had to get off half way through John’s set because I’d made a promise to call in at The Hop in Leeds, a night which is run by the talented Leeds based song writer Matthew Belmont.  Matthew had asked me to bring over some of the beat poetry and (since I don’t get asked that often) was more than happy to oblige.  Unfortunately, by the time I negotiated my way out of Wakefield and over to Leeds (a route I don’t know too well), found a place to park (it was busy and hard to find parking) and walked through the dark arches (they really are called that) the performers were pretty much done.  So I’ll wait for another night to tell you about The Hop in Leeds, but what I will say is that it has the most awesome sound system.  A very expensive piece of kit perfectly arranged in an unusual space to give maximum acoustics.

* The title of this blog is taken from Scott Wainwright’s album of the same name which can be found here: http://www.scottanthonywainwright.co.uk/

HOLE IN T' WALL - Hebden Bridge (25.11.10)

Won't you take me to? Funky Town?

Hebden Bridge is situated between Halifax and Burnley on the Yorkshire side of the Pennine Hills.  It has its roots in the wool industry, but during the last decades has become known as a centre of creativity and artistic endeavour.  This month, Hebden won the ‘Great Town Award’ given by The Academy of Urbanism, and has also been crowned the fourth 'funkiest' town in the world (not sure how that works) so I thought I’d pay one of its open mic nights a visit and see for myself how funky it gets in Hebden.

The Hole in t’ Wall is on Hangingroyd Lane, next to the canal and the open mic night is run by Craig.  Craig is well known round these parts and does loads of work for local music, getting involved in festivals and different musical events, and also running a separate acoustic night.

When I arrive at the pub, Craig is having a dilemma - no-one wants to open the night.  After some persuasions a pianist, and a regular on these nights, Derek Elton, kicks off with a couple of Beatles numbers.  When I last saw Derek play he turned out some rock n roll circa Jerry Lee Lewis and a few numbers the likes of which you might see Jools Holland play.  The Beatles numbers are well played, but they are short songs, so all the people who didn't want to play first, don't want to play second either.

There’s a group of younger players in one of the warm side rooms and you can tell there’s no way they are going on next.  And there’s a group of guys at a nearby table who I hear have already told Craig, with some proper Yorkshire firmness, that they won’t play early.  Other singers have suddenly disappeared from the room, which means I am moving rapidly up the list.

I’m thinking what’s the deal with not playing early? But because no-one else wants to play it makes me not want to.  So I try not to catch Craig’s eye and chase the Copper Dragon that I’m nursing.  I look at the walls and make conversation with a stranger, but I can sense Craig has got me in his sights and I can’t avoid it any longer.  I’m on next.

Random things happen when you play live electronic music and for some reason half way through my set I found myself using the wrong loops for the wrong words.  In a lapse of concentration I’d spun the wrong dial and sent a pattern intended for later, back into the here and now.  So I went through ‘Disappeared Friend’, having created the music for 'It’s been a Good Year for the Spiders' – and only realising half way through when the setting was in the wrong key.  Not that anyone would have noticed.  These two separate pieces super imposed themselves on top of each other reasonably well.  And that’s what the kaoss is all about in my book, every time I play those tunes they are different.

There were a fair few people listening to my set and I later reflected that sometimes it pays to play early, because people leave as the evening wears on, or the crowd changes.  In fact some of the later players had less of an audience than me, just showing that you shouldn't fear the early set.

Lost Soul played after me, a punk rocker in a stylish hat, tattoos and ear piercings.  He dedicated a song to the two Christian ladies who told him God had not intended him to use his skin to draw all over.  What arrogance some believers have, to think that they know what God intended, and that they can speak for the God that they worship!  Doesn't the bible say 'never judge a book by its cover'?  Little wonder that one of the many stickers on Lost Souls heavily decorated guitar reads ‘No God, No State, No Lies’.

Lost Soul plays a strong set and one of the songs asks where are you now and did you find the answers?  It could be a lyric in my own Disappeared Friend.  He dedicates another song to the memory of Sophie Lancaster who was viciously beaten and murdered by a group of young thugs because of the clothes she wore.  She was different and therefore a target in their eyes, and ignorance reins supreme on the streets of England.  It was a tragic loss of a young life. 

Lost Soul also sings of other equally highly charged issues and I like that about his song writing.  That you can bring these issues to the fore are important.  On the last song he is joined by his mate ‘Zero’ and the songs are given a folk lift by some clever picking.

Bowfell Ribbon and the Band are up next, a trio of musicians who have come from all around Lancashire and Yorkshire to be here tonight.  Cleverly named after an area of outstanding beauty in the Lake District, they play some self penned number and some covers.  The rhythm is kept going by a guy playing a Cajon. Cajon's are becoming a major feature of open mic nights it seems, possibly because they are so portable and have a great sound.

A singer by the name of Bill Pringle played a Randy Newman song called Drop the Big One which is a sarcastic dig at American foreign policy.  At least I think it’s sarcastic, but you can’t quite tell with Randy, whether he might just have meant those words at the time.  It’s not a well covered song for that reason, because it speaks about America obliterating the rest of the world like that would solve all their problems.  Some things never change, as Bill rightly points out and wikileaks have all the facts.

Bill finishes with one of his own tunes and I always like to hear what people are writing for themselves.  It’s a song about that infamous statement ‘we can still be friends’ and how you don’t necessarily still want to be friends when you’ve been through so much together, maybe you just can’t.  It goes down well with the regulars singing along to the words like it’s a song they’d heard on the radio, and well it could have been.

Quite a few people had been telling me about how good the next band were but it was time to head back.  There were weather warnings in place and I needed to get over the Pennines.  Hebden is lucky to have a night like this and I hope the people appreciate it.  In my home town we had a similar event every month but it went by the way side through lack of support and it was a shame, everyone misses it now.  It’s a lot of work putting on these nights and they are to be cherished and enjoyed, even if the music isn’t always what you’d listen to and you never know what to expect.

Hebden Bridge the cultural centre of the universe?  I'm not sure about that, but its certainly well worth a visit and if you've nothing much on this Thursday night and your in the area you should get yourself down to The Hole in t’ Wall for some free music in funky town.

Beat poetry on Leeds charity album

Its an honor to have on of my tracks included on this compilation album, and its all for charity.  Check it out here:

http://www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/13805

Llandudno – The Cross Keys

Back in August I was passing through Llandudno in North Wales and called in on an open mic at The Cross Keys.  The night is run by charismatic live wire Rachel who also plays in a local band called Cyra Elia – check out some of their lovely tunes, particularly Painting By Numbers and Shadow of Doubt. 

I discovered heaps of originality in Llandudno and it pretty much makes up most of Chapter Twelve, including what happened to me on the Great Orme.  Anyway, here’s some quality footage (courtesy of bottlemedia.co.uk) of a man playing his didgeridoo – its completely random and very, very cool, I hope you’ll agree.