The Dawn Chorus / The Retrospective Soundtrack Players - Blogging all over the World
My name is Kyle. I am a happily failing indie/punk/folk/country/rock musician from Hampshire, UK. I have been singing and songwriting in The Dawn Chorus since 2005, and The Retrospective Soundtrack Players since 2010. I love these two bands like my brother/wife rolled into one. This blog details the shows I have played with both bands, in chronological order.Thursday, April 10, 2014
VICTIMS - Post-Marwood Tour
I've done a lot of gigs over the years. Here are the bands I have shared a stage with - the most common listed first.
The B of the Bang x 39
Ben Marwood x 16
Oxygen Thief x 11
The Steve Bland Assembly x 7
The Day of the Rabblement x 6
The Strange Death of Liberal England x 6
30lbs of Bone, 4 or 5 Magicians, 900 Spaces, A-Custom, Acropolis, Action Speaks Louder, Joshua Adams, Phil Adams x 2, Afrosnatchers, The Agitator, The AKA Band, All The Shapes x 2, The All-Singing Razorblades, Allo Darlin', Lee Almeroth, Amongst the Pigeons, Analogue Manilow x 3, Becky Anderson, Kimberley Anne, Matt Benham, Andy and Jack, Angelgear x 5, Apologies I Have None, The Arkwrights, CM Arnold & the Delta Breaks x2, Arty Karate, Ashford, The Autons x2, The Aviators, B for Butterfly, The B of the Bang x 39, B-Sydes, Rob Ball, Philip Barebones, Emily Barker, Charlie Barnes x 3, Chris Bath, Batrider, Caz Batten, Beans on Toast x 5, Bear and the Woods, Bear Cavalry, Beatamax x 2, Belligerence, Bellyeyesmile, Bemis x 2, Bendigo, The Beneski Murder, Billy Vincent x 2, Bipolar Empire, Joe Black, Black Carrot, The Black Lodge Band, The Steve Bland Assembly x 7, Blue Fox, Emit Bloch, Bodyhost x 2, The Boicotts, Boss Caine, The Bottom Line, Adam Boucher x 4, The Boy I Used To Be x 4, Jack Boyd, Brenda, Loz Bridge, James Bright, Brown Torpedo, Evelyn Burke, Burn the Witch, Sean Buswell x 2, The Cadbury Sisters, Capelle, Captain Fantastic, Carlos and the Jackal x 3, Carmen Rosa, Carmichael, Carnivores, Cassette Culture, Cats:For Peru, Caught in a Crossfire, Helen Chambers x 2, Citizen, Lester Clayton, Clockworks, The Clowns, Cocos Lovers, Aisling Coderoy, Collect My Years, Contra, Kurt Cooder x 2, Alex Cornish, Covernote, Crazy Arm x 2, Creepythinguy, The Crimea, Crowns x 2, Cymbiotic, Dali's Cat, Steve Dalzell, Dancing Years, Tom Dangerous, The Day of the Rabblement x 6, De Squeran x2, Dead! Dead! Dead! x 2, The Deads x3, Deadbeat Descendent, Del Nil x 3, Stanton Delaplane, Delboy French, Depot, Deville, Different Day, The Dirty 38s, The Dirty Roger, Dive Dive, Dlugokecki, Dr Bluegrass and the Illbilly 8, Dropstone, Dumbfounded, Alex J Dunne, Dutch Husband, Echobeat, El Mariachi Pinche Gringo, Elaine Dismissed, Electric Eden, The Elements x 2, Elle Milano, Emptifish, Enjoy Destroy, Erin and the Foundlings, The Extenders, George Ezra x 2, Fade Out x 2, Fake Ray, Luke Ferre x 4, Fighting Fiction, Find X Then Party, The Finds, Fine Lines, Max Fletcher, Fly Monkeys Fly, Food Fighters, Tom Fossum, Andrew Foster x 2, Frank and Jules, Fresh Legs x 3, Frisbee in the Jewel Box, Funeral for a Friend, Funk Yer Mum, The Gallery, Jack Garratt, Geko, Get Amped, Gilbert, Gilkicker x 2, Gintis, The Glad Rags, The Gleebs, Glen Belt, Glossary, Nick Glover (The Seal Cub Clubbing Club), The Golden Hairs, Golden Section x 2, Luke Godwin, David Goo x 2, The Good Intentions, Gary Goodman, Alaistar Goodwin, Paul Goodwin Band x 3, The Greasy Strings, David Greeves, GROOVE, The Gun Show x 5, Luke Haines, Emma Hallows, Frank Hamilton, Happy Accidents, Dave Hause, Zoe Hazell, Headstrong, Hey Sholay!, Elliott Hanan, Hardly Heroes, Hats are for Heads, The Heights, Hexicon, Higgy, Rob Himself, Chris Hobley, Hobos and Eskimos, Hold Fast x3, Holy Roller, Hometown Show x 2, The Hornblower Brothers, The Housewives, Hudson 10 x 2, Dave Hughes and the Renegade Folk Punk Band, HUMANS, I Am Jack, I Am Not Left-Handed, Idiot3, The Incredible Flight of Birdman x2, Sam Inglis, The Inklings, Introducing: Emergency Music, Jimmy Islip, Ivan Campo, Ida Jacobsson, Jake and the Jellyfish, Joey Nightmare, Johnny Foreigner, Roxanne Johns x 3, Judith and the Charmers, Jukebox Vandals, Jumping Ships, Justice Force Five, The Kabeedies, Karmatribe, Kate Goes, Rich Keam, Kenarban, Kid Idiot, Kill Kasper, King Charles, Kody, Elliott Kozlik, Larry and his Flask, Last Days of Lorca, Alexandra Legouix and the Sunflowers, Leptany, The Levels, Life of Byron, The Light Divided, Lion and the Wolf, Lisa Lindley Jones, Lines in Sand, The Lights Shine, The Little Ones, Little Things, Living in Cities, Jim Lockey and the Solemn Sun x 3, The Lonely Cardinals x 2, Looking Through Glass, The Long Goodbye x 2, Long Lankin, Lost Aura, LoveLikeFire, The Lowland Runners, Austin Lucas, Peter Lyons, Richie Madisun, Mama Smokes, Mantis and The Prayer, Mantra, The Marvellous Mechanical Band, Ben Marwood x 16, Elliot Mason, The Masters x 3, Mark McCabe, Jo McCafferty, Joe McCorriston, Sean McGowan, Dave McPherson, Melodramas x2, Men Diamler, Mercy Alexander, The Metropolise, The MFV, Midday Committee, The Mindless Ones, Misty's Big Adventure, MMX, The Model Village, Momentum, The Momeraths, Mono, Monsters Build Mean Robots, The Mopes x 2, El Morgan, Neil Morris x 3, Rae Morris, Moses x 2, Mr and Mrs, Mr Christopher, Mrs Poopars Automobiles, Thomas Muddle, Mull Historical Society, Mumble, My First Tooth, My Name is Ian x 5, The New Root, Danni Nicholls, Owen Nicholson, Franz Nicolay, Nine Black Alps, Ninja Horses, No Skidoo, Nut, Stuart O'Connor, Lily O'Shaughnessy, Oh Stockholm! x 2, Andy Oliver, One Suspicious Monkey, Operahouse, Openroom x 2, Ornament Birds, Otaka, Ottersgear, Ou Est Le Swimming Pool?, Out Like A Lion, Over the Wall, Oxygen Thief x 11, Matt Park, Mrs Burns, Palais x 2, Palehorse, Jackie Paper x 2, Paper Aeroplanes, Park Bench Society, Joe Parker and the Power, Chris Perrin and the Minor Falls, Grace Petrie, The Plans, Plantagenet 3, The Plymouths x 2, The Pompey Pluckers, Poppy, Porcelain Coins, John J Priestly, Race Car Hearts, Race Horses, The Racketeers x2, Kyle Rage, Random Impulse, The Rapids, The Real Raj, The Rebs x 2, Red Campion, Red Mercury, Reikidogs, Relentless, Retrofect, Revere x 8, Rex Domino, Anna Rice, Andrew Ricks, The Ridgeway, The James Riley Band, Rivers of Sound x 3, Roadside Poppies, Rob the Liar, Rockshore, Roco, Roland Shanks, Rolling Dog, Room 6, Roshambo, Rosie and the Goldbug, Rossco x 6, Round Ron Virgin, The Rudimentary Confusion, Rue Royale, Rushing With Apathy, Sallyforth, Salvage, Sarah and Lewis, Saturdays and Sundays, The Shake, Sharks Took The Rest, She Makes War x 2, Shit Hot Llamas!, Silent Radio, Silhouette Showgirls, Timothy Simpson, Sine Star Project, Sister Divine, Six Nation State, Skirts, Sleep Centre, The Adam Smith Effect, Dan Smith, Something Pretty, Sonic the Comic, Sons and Lovers, Charlene Soraia, Spearmint, Jessica Spencer Band, Niall Spooner-Harvey x 2, Stages of Dan, The Stations x 6, Jimmy Stewart, Leigh Mary Stokes, The Strange Death of Liberal England x 6, Straylings, Subzar, Joe Summers x 2, The Summons, Sunday's Child, Super Cannes, Supergrass (DJs), Surprise!, Surviving Sunday, Sweet Plum Trio, Sweetheart, Swift Manouvre, Chris T-T x 8, Tali Trow & The Well Being, Tamborines, Tag Team Preacher, Tamerlane x 2, Paddy Taylor, Temple, They Don't Sleep, Thomas Tantrum x 2, Three Blind Wolves, Tim and Sam's Tim and the Sam Band with Tim and Sam, Tomboy, Transcend, Trinity, The John Trowbridge Band, Frank Turner x 6, Umdongskulen, The Undefined, Foy Vance, The Veils, Venice Ahoy!, Veronica Falls, The Vice, Videosprint, The Visitors, Jon Walbrin, Roo Walker, The Walkmen, The Wave Pictures, The Waves, The Way, The Waysters x 2, We Walk in Straight Lines, Rich Webb, Steve Wheel, Tasmin Whinton, Christopher George Whitear x 2, Whitewash, Wilf, Ben Williams, Ieuean WIlliams, JD Williams, Tom Williams and the Boat x 2, Winners, Wireless, Wiservice x 2, Wood Wire and Words, Michael Wookey, Wyldside, Yellowgroove, Yesterday's Notion, Youthless, James Yuill, Zegema Beach x 2, Zodiac, Zombie Elvis
CCLXXV - Portsmouth Edge of the Wedge
21/03/14
The Bottom Line
Midday Committee
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Caught in a Crossfire
I can't remember how we got signed up to this pop-punk show, but it was enjoyable enough, we played to a non-familiar crowd and went down quite well, and the promoters were very pleasant. And I had some nice chips after the gig.
21/03/14
The Bottom Line
Midday Committee
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Caught in a Crossfire
I can't remember how we got signed up to this pop-punk show, but it was enjoyable enough, we played to a non-familiar crowd and went down quite well, and the promoters were very pleasant. And I had some nice chips after the gig.
CCLXXIV - London, Camden Monarch
18/02/14
Ban Marwood
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Oxygen Thief
And so, the Valentine's Tossers tour came to an all-too-soon end - and what a way. The charming Jay aka Beans on Toast was our host for the night, and as always it was a pleasure to play the Monarch - once the struggle of trying to park somewhere in Camden had been managed.
Our old chum Barry Oxygen Thief opened the show, adding to the family vibe to the show. Knowing it might be our last show for a while to an actual audience for a while, we gave this show stacks, and it was glorious fun. The main man Frank Turner even came down to watch the show - missing his tourbus to Europe in the process. That's the kind of dedication we appreciate!
I'd really love to do another tour like this with Ben, I can't stress enough how much of a pleasure it was to go on a completely ego-free, bullshit-free tour to 50-100 a people night who just really want to be there. What a marvellously enjoyable experience, if we never do another tour I will have these memories to retire on.
18/02/14
Ban Marwood
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Oxygen Thief
And so, the Valentine's Tossers tour came to an all-too-soon end - and what a way. The charming Jay aka Beans on Toast was our host for the night, and as always it was a pleasure to play the Monarch - once the struggle of trying to park somewhere in Camden had been managed.
Our old chum Barry Oxygen Thief opened the show, adding to the family vibe to the show. Knowing it might be our last show for a while to an actual audience for a while, we gave this show stacks, and it was glorious fun. The main man Frank Turner even came down to watch the show - missing his tourbus to Europe in the process. That's the kind of dedication we appreciate!
I'd really love to do another tour like this with Ben, I can't stress enough how much of a pleasure it was to go on a completely ego-free, bullshit-free tour to 50-100 a people night who just really want to be there. What a marvellously enjoyable experience, if we never do another tour I will have these memories to retire on.
CCLXXIII - Swindon, The Vic
17/02/14
Ben Marwood
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Sean Buswell
Compared to the previous three nights this was a slight comedown - but only slight. Kieran helped us out at the last minute by putting this show on, and he is without doubt the only soundman that I've ever seen come down from the booth and enthusiastically dance with his wife through the majority of the set.
By this show we had played an awful lot 'zilch', a dice game that our bass player Joel had recently discovered. In fact it was threatening to take over the tour, such was the resentment caused when we had to stop a game to soundcheck.
Mine and Ben's dinner tonight was bought for us by Kelly, who came to ALL the gigs despite living in Canada. Now that's dedication. In terms of the gig, it was nice to play with Sean Buswell again (look back in the blog a few hundred entries), and the band played more songs with Ben than any other night, so I got to enjoy watching my own band, which was a lovely treat.
And another short drive to bed. Delicious.
CCLXXII - Southampton, Joiners
16/02/14
Ben Marwood
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Happy Accidents
El Morgan
Woke without hangover - joy! - and watched quite a lot of the Sochi Winter Olympics, in this case men's cross country skiiing (the one where you have to go uphill and downhill.) Hit Tesco for some breakfast before tackling the long drive from Leeds to Southampton, which was actually much smoother than it should be. We must be becoming hardened travellers.
Stopped in to see the good wife and have a bit of cake before heading on through to the Joiners. I hadn't played the Joiners in ages, certainly not as a full band, and this was hands-down the best show I've ever done there. The supports, again, were superb, and we had an absolute ball. Supporting Ben certainly improves the touring experience.
16/02/14
Ben Marwood
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Happy Accidents
El Morgan
Woke without hangover - joy! - and watched quite a lot of the Sochi Winter Olympics, in this case men's cross country skiiing (the one where you have to go uphill and downhill.) Hit Tesco for some breakfast before tackling the long drive from Leeds to Southampton, which was actually much smoother than it should be. We must be becoming hardened travellers.
Stopped in to see the good wife and have a bit of cake before heading on through to the Joiners. I hadn't played the Joiners in ages, certainly not as a full band, and this was hands-down the best show I've ever done there. The supports, again, were superb, and we had an absolute ball. Supporting Ben certainly improves the touring experience.
CCLXXI - Leeds, Fox and Newt
15/02/14
Ben Marwood
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Helen Chambers
Joe McCorriston
Woke in a truly horrid state in a Travelodge in Cheltenham. The mood was not improved by a monumentally bad breakfast in a Harvester restaurant next door to the T-lodge. Ben decided not to join us for breakfast, wisely choosing a few hours' escape from our endless mad bants and in-jokes.
We then decided to find the cars, parked at the previous night's venue, by foot. It was nice to have a bit of fresh air, but we were pretty much just walking in and endless trail of eachother's hung-over farts. But eventually we found the cars, and after half an hour of Kelv trying to find his lost phone (this happens most gigs) we set off to Leeds. One of the party was sick into their own hands at a service station somewhere in the midlands. I think this was the lowest moment of the day.
The gig in Leeds was even better than the night before, once we'd got past the overpowering smell of frying burgers upstairs where the live music was. Joe and Helen were great, and we blew away any lingering cobwebs of the morning's hangover to play one of our best ever shows. The singing along to Ben's set was possibly the most passionate I've heard, and we had a great time backing Ben up on 2 or 3 songs from his set too.
Afterwards we hung out with our Leeds chum Charlie Barnes, and when we were all in the chippy something something monumental happened - Marwood became the first person ton complete the 'Pauly A Pauly B' game. What's this game, you ask? It works thusly: over a reasonably brisk beat (usually provided via the mouth of another player) you must simply rap the words: 'Pauly A, Pauly B, Pauly C, Pauly D....' until you either get to Pauly Z, run out of breath or make a mistake. It's much harder than it sounds, indeed nobody had completed it up until today. We all went bonkers in the chippy, then went home (Travelodge) to bed.
15/02/14
Ben Marwood
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Helen Chambers
Joe McCorriston
Woke in a truly horrid state in a Travelodge in Cheltenham. The mood was not improved by a monumentally bad breakfast in a Harvester restaurant next door to the T-lodge. Ben decided not to join us for breakfast, wisely choosing a few hours' escape from our endless mad bants and in-jokes.
We then decided to find the cars, parked at the previous night's venue, by foot. It was nice to have a bit of fresh air, but we were pretty much just walking in and endless trail of eachother's hung-over farts. But eventually we found the cars, and after half an hour of Kelv trying to find his lost phone (this happens most gigs) we set off to Leeds. One of the party was sick into their own hands at a service station somewhere in the midlands. I think this was the lowest moment of the day.
The gig in Leeds was even better than the night before, once we'd got past the overpowering smell of frying burgers upstairs where the live music was. Joe and Helen were great, and we blew away any lingering cobwebs of the morning's hangover to play one of our best ever shows. The singing along to Ben's set was possibly the most passionate I've heard, and we had a great time backing Ben up on 2 or 3 songs from his set too.
Afterwards we hung out with our Leeds chum Charlie Barnes, and when we were all in the chippy something something monumental happened - Marwood became the first person ton complete the 'Pauly A Pauly B' game. What's this game, you ask? It works thusly: over a reasonably brisk beat (usually provided via the mouth of another player) you must simply rap the words: 'Pauly A, Pauly B, Pauly C, Pauly D....' until you either get to Pauly Z, run out of breath or make a mistake. It's much harder than it sounds, indeed nobody had completed it up until today. We all went bonkers in the chippy, then went home (Travelodge) to bed.
CCLXX - Cheltenham Frog and Fiddle
14/02/14
*START OF THE VALENTINE'S MANLOVE TOUR*
Ben Marwood
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Joe Summers
We had been looking forward to going on tour with Ben for years (read: badgering him to let us be his backing band), and we finally got round to doing it - eventually. The weekend the tour started on followed a week of relentless rain, flooding huge swathes of southern England ie our route between our homes and Cheltenham.
I have to mention that on the way to the gig, somewhere near Oxford, we went over a toll bridge that cost 5p. Has anyone else been on this toll bridge? We were quite amazed and found it all rather hilarious, to the obvious chagrin of the teenager manning the toll booth. We gave him 20p and told him to keep the change, which we thought was hilarious, but probably the behaviour of most people going over the 5p bridge.
We didn't have time to soundcheck, so we had to get to grips with the stage sound as we went, but the show still went pretty well. Certainly it was a huge thrill to play to a fairly packed Frog & Fiddle, having only ever played there before to single figures. It's nice supporting someone popular.
Ben was superb and after the show we all went and danced to power ballads at 2 Pigs (it was Valentine's Day after all.) There is video evidence somewhere of us emoting rather passionately to Aerosmith's 'I Don't Want to Miss a Thing' - I'm sure it will see the light of day eventually. I think we got taxis back to our Travelodge - suffice to say that we were in various states of disrepair come the following morning. Nothing like overdoing it on the first night of tour.
14/02/14
*START OF THE VALENTINE'S MANLOVE TOUR*
Ben Marwood
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Joe Summers
We had been looking forward to going on tour with Ben for years (read: badgering him to let us be his backing band), and we finally got round to doing it - eventually. The weekend the tour started on followed a week of relentless rain, flooding huge swathes of southern England ie our route between our homes and Cheltenham.
I have to mention that on the way to the gig, somewhere near Oxford, we went over a toll bridge that cost 5p. Has anyone else been on this toll bridge? We were quite amazed and found it all rather hilarious, to the obvious chagrin of the teenager manning the toll booth. We gave him 20p and told him to keep the change, which we thought was hilarious, but probably the behaviour of most people going over the 5p bridge.
We didn't have time to soundcheck, so we had to get to grips with the stage sound as we went, but the show still went pretty well. Certainly it was a huge thrill to play to a fairly packed Frog & Fiddle, having only ever played there before to single figures. It's nice supporting someone popular.
Ben was superb and after the show we all went and danced to power ballads at 2 Pigs (it was Valentine's Day after all.) There is video evidence somewhere of us emoting rather passionately to Aerosmith's 'I Don't Want to Miss a Thing' - I'm sure it will see the light of day eventually. I think we got taxis back to our Travelodge - suffice to say that we were in various states of disrepair come the following morning. Nothing like overdoing it on the first night of tour.
CCLXIX - Portsmouth, Edge of the Wedge
22/12/13
Chris T-T
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Christopher George Whitear
It was my great pleasure to put on Chris T-T for the last show of his solo tour, and what a lovely relaxing gig it was. No rushing around with crazy full bands to set up, just a quick soundcheck, lovely bit of dinner, three great sets, lovely job. Then off to enjoy a big fat christmas.
22/12/13
Chris T-T
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Christopher George Whitear
It was my great pleasure to put on Chris T-T for the last show of his solo tour, and what a lovely relaxing gig it was. No rushing around with crazy full bands to set up, just a quick soundcheck, lovely bit of dinner, three great sets, lovely job. Then off to enjoy a big fat christmas.
CCLXVIII - Manchester, Star and Garter
07/12/13
Larry and his Flask
Crazy Arm
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Jimmy Islip
Our annual Christmas party - and what a belter. For some reason I have since forgotten this was a matinee show, which meant we had played, watched Crazy Arm and loaded out in time to get a Toby Carvery christmas dinner on the way home. We needed to do a good Manchester show as we'd had a few toughies in recent months, but we played to a packed house and we were on great form. I'd even go as far to say that the gig itself was better than the Christmas dinner - praise indeed.
07/12/13
Larry and his Flask
Crazy Arm
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Jimmy Islip
Our annual Christmas party - and what a belter. For some reason I have since forgotten this was a matinee show, which meant we had played, watched Crazy Arm and loaded out in time to get a Toby Carvery christmas dinner on the way home. We needed to do a good Manchester show as we'd had a few toughies in recent months, but we played to a packed house and we were on great form. I'd even go as far to say that the gig itself was better than the Christmas dinner - praise indeed.
CCLXVII - Southampton, University SUSU Bar 2
18/11/13
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Rob the Liar
I did my PGCE at Southampton Uni in 2005. At the time, we even played a gig there, at the Stag's Head. I think it was my 3rd or 4th gig ever, if you fancy reading back that far on the blog. I have to say it was very strange to be back, but Phoebe and all the guys who put us on were lovely, the crowd all had a good time and we went home (not very far) happy, so a winner.
18/11/13
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Rob the Liar
I did my PGCE at Southampton Uni in 2005. At the time, we even played a gig there, at the Stag's Head. I think it was my 3rd or 4th gig ever, if you fancy reading back that far on the blog. I have to say it was very strange to be back, but Phoebe and all the guys who put us on were lovely, the crowd all had a good time and we went home (not very far) happy, so a winner.
CCLXVI - Reading, Rising Sun Arts Centre
16/11/13
Bellyeyesmile
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
+1 other
We seem to play Reading every fireworks night/weekend, so hopefully we will again next year. What happened at this one? I'm really struggling to remember... I know that Bellyeyesmile were incredible and we all bought their t-shirts and EPs. Beyond that, no idea.
16/11/13
Bellyeyesmile
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
+1 other
We seem to play Reading every fireworks night/weekend, so hopefully we will again next year. What happened at this one? I'm really struggling to remember... I know that Bellyeyesmile were incredible and we all bought their t-shirts and EPs. Beyond that, no idea.
CCLXV - Devizes, The Lamb
25/10/13
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Tamsin Whinton
Lily O'Shaughnessy
Just me and Kelv doing an acoustic show. It went pretty well.
Thursday, April 03, 2014
CCLXIV - Manchester, The Black Lion
05/10/13
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Dancing Years
Zombie Elvis
+more
On the positive side, Jenn and the other people who put this gig on were lovely and very accommodating. On the downside it was painfully quiet, and although we didn't play too badly, I did have a particularly dark 15 minutes watching the band before us (although they were good) and posted a few 'what's the point?' type tweets. I then felt instantly sheepish and decided never again to be tempted to vent my 'first world problems' on the twitters.
05/10/13
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Dancing Years
Zombie Elvis
+more
On the positive side, Jenn and the other people who put this gig on were lovely and very accommodating. On the downside it was painfully quiet, and although we didn't play too badly, I did have a particularly dark 15 minutes watching the band before us (although they were good) and posted a few 'what's the point?' type tweets. I then felt instantly sheepish and decided never again to be tempted to vent my 'first world problems' on the twitters.
CCLXIII - Southsea Fest, The Atrium (Xtra Mile stage)
14/09/13
Beans on Toast
Crazy Arm
Ben Marwood
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Oxygen Thief
Fighting Fiction
Christopher George Whitear
Elliott Kozlik
The Day of the Rabblement
George Ezra
Sean McGowan
Rex Domino
Where to even start? Me and Pauly B were running the stage (when we weren't playing on another stage - see above, or below), we set the stage up at about 8am and I think we left around midnight. The Atrium is a tiny crappy little wine bar above a much bigger, better venue, The Fat Fox. The Atrium smells of old chip fat and has the stickiest floor you could possibly imagine. Like walking on a highland toffee bar.
I can't possibly list how excellent everyone was, but I must give a brief mention to Crazy Arm, who nearly broke through their second Southsea Fest ceiling.
14/09/13
Beans on Toast
Crazy Arm
Ben Marwood
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Oxygen Thief
Fighting Fiction
Christopher George Whitear
Elliott Kozlik
The Day of the Rabblement
George Ezra
Sean McGowan
Rex Domino
Where to even start? Me and Pauly B were running the stage (when we weren't playing on another stage - see above, or below), we set the stage up at about 8am and I think we left around midnight. The Atrium is a tiny crappy little wine bar above a much bigger, better venue, The Fat Fox. The Atrium smells of old chip fat and has the stickiest floor you could possibly imagine. Like walking on a highland toffee bar.
I can't possibly list how excellent everyone was, but I must give a brief mention to Crazy Arm, who nearly broke through their second Southsea Fest ceiling.
CCLXII - Southsea Fest, King's Theatre
Veronica Falls
Foy Vance
George Ezra
MMX
Sons and Lovers
Kimberley Anne
Joe Black
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Regular reader(s) will know that I've played every single Southsea Fest in on band or another, and this was another highly enjoyable notch on the bed-post. I was actually running my own Xtra Mile stage across the road, so we had to pop out for an hour to open up the King's Theatre with a full band set. The atmosphere was slightly odd after we had played the same slot the previous year when we were doing the last ever Dawn Chorus gig, but still excellent fun.
Veronica Falls
Foy Vance
George Ezra
MMX
Sons and Lovers
Kimberley Anne
Joe Black
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Regular reader(s) will know that I've played every single Southsea Fest in on band or another, and this was another highly enjoyable notch on the bed-post. I was actually running my own Xtra Mile stage across the road, so we had to pop out for an hour to open up the King's Theatre with a full band set. The atmosphere was slightly odd after we had played the same slot the previous year when we were doing the last ever Dawn Chorus gig, but still excellent fun.
CCLXI - Bristol, Mother's Ruin (VALFEST!)
18/08/13
Oxygen Thief
Ben Marwood
She Makes War
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Thomas Muddle
This rather excellent gathering was in honour of Val, who is not dead or sick or anything, just visiting on holiday. Oh, and she's probably the biggest Xtra Mile nut you'll find.
I'm writing this about 6 months on from the gig, so all I can really remember was it was bloody hot, packed out and great fun.
CCLX - Petersfield, Uncivilisation Festival
17/08/13
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
Grace Petrie
30 lbs of Bone
Chris T-T
+others
Very last minute and very out of the ordinary. Chris T-T asked us to fill in for a band that pulled out late in the day, and Petersfield is just down the road from us. This was a truly lovely surprise - probably 100 people listening in complete silence in a gorgeous outdoor shelter. We even had an unusual first of a few very liberal folk questioning our cover of gospel standard 'Just a closer walk with thee' (I just think it's a great song.)
Lovely people, unexpectedly thrilling fun. We also played 'No man is poor who has friends' for the first time, which is probably the best song we've ever played.
CCLIX - Portsmouth, Southsea Bandstand
11/08/13
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
The Day of the Rabblement
Electric Eden
Playing the bandstand is always risky business, as the weather can quite literally decide whether you play to a couple of hundred punters in glorious sunshine, or the show gets rained off and cancelled. Today was really touch-and-go all the way through the morning and the support acts, but luckily it just about held out.
We were meant to be playing both of our albums in full from front to back, but somehow that message got lost on the day and we just did an hour or so, which I'm sure was quite enough.
11/08/13
The Retrospective Soundtrack Players
The Day of the Rabblement
Electric Eden
Playing the bandstand is always risky business, as the weather can quite literally decide whether you play to a couple of hundred punters in glorious sunshine, or the show gets rained off and cancelled. Today was really touch-and-go all the way through the morning and the support acts, but luckily it just about held out.
We were meant to be playing both of our albums in full from front to back, but somehow that message got lost on the day and we just did an hour or so, which I'm sure was quite enough.
CCLVIII
01/08/13
Wickham Festival
I'd never been to Wickham Festival before, much less played it. This is possibly the closest gig I've ever done to my house. We go to the butcher's next door to it and they do a lovely sausage. This wasn't really my kind of festival set-up - there was basically one massive tent where largely quite dull 'rootsy' acts played very long sets, and a smaller tent where tonnes of 'local' bands played short sets with five minute intervals. The thrill of being there was our payment.
Because we were rushed on with a 15 minute turnaround and no particular stage crew (and following a ten-piece funk band), our on-stage sound was awful and really didn't help us to play that well. But some people seemed to like it, we sold some stuff and we got to go and watch Dexy's afterwards - they even played 'Come on Eileen'!
*historical note - Rolf Harris was arrested for noncing when he came off stage on the Sunday :(
01/08/13
Wickham Festival
I'd never been to Wickham Festival before, much less played it. This is possibly the closest gig I've ever done to my house. We go to the butcher's next door to it and they do a lovely sausage. This wasn't really my kind of festival set-up - there was basically one massive tent where largely quite dull 'rootsy' acts played very long sets, and a smaller tent where tonnes of 'local' bands played short sets with five minute intervals. The thrill of being there was our payment.
Because we were rushed on with a 15 minute turnaround and no particular stage crew (and following a ten-piece funk band), our on-stage sound was awful and really didn't help us to play that well. But some people seemed to like it, we sold some stuff and we got to go and watch Dexy's afterwards - they even played 'Come on Eileen'!
*historical note - Rolf Harris was arrested for noncing when he came off stage on the Sunday :(
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