October Start and List
Today's trip and events for the month
Happy Tuesday!
The first day of October began early with a trip over the water to somewhere I’ve never been before, a town called Southsea within the conurbation that surrounds the city of Portsmouth. I don’t know any of it very well, just a place to pass through and catch a ferry, or in this case a hovercraft!
Once, in a previous life I came to help a cross-channel ferry company with their data processing needs, but in that distant memory Southampton was also in the itinerary, and the two sets of offices and ferry terminals were indistinguishable.
Today however, the purpose of travel was much more honourable, it was for music.
A Nick Harper album launch gig in a record shop, called Pie and Vinyl. We didn’t buy the vinyl, but chose the resurgent compact disc format. The intimate gig was sublime and the pie was very good too. The album is called “Earth Day Blue” and was recorded at Abbey Road in one day with just voice and acoustic guitar, plus an ad hoc chorus of singers providing embellishment. Genius. Here he is, warming up outside before the record shop gig.
We wander along the seafront for a while, and then take a lightning fast flight back to sanctuary island. That was my day, starting off the month.
Kings Head
Yarmouth town is having a difficult time for the next few weeks, with the swing bridge closed to vehicle traffic for resurfacing, but my gig on Sunday early afternoon at the Kings Head was one of my favourites for some time. I’ve always had a soft spot for this little historic pub, with the giant fireplace and so on, but was expecting a pretty quiet sort of gig. I’d started writing out a setlist for another occasion, the Folk and Ale festival now to be known as ‘Folk and Stay’ this Saturday coming in Ryde at the Royal Esplanade Hotel. They want folk music, I can do folk music, both traditional and contemporary.
So I started off in the Kings Head with the same folky setlist, expecting to revert to more popular covers if the prevailing conditions changed. Instead, the pub slowly filled up with people happy to sit and listen to a set heavy with originals, in the main and the atmosphere and acoustics all worked nicely together.
Setlist
I’m a bit pressed for time tonight for lots of writing so I’m going to have to quote from a recent facebook post:
I just finished writing out a setlist from which to choose for "Folk and Stay" event at the The Royal Esplanade Hotel RYDE next Saturday 5th. 5-7pm and I'll be brushing up some of the songs from it today (yesterday) at the Kings Head, Yarmouth. 1-3pm.
Of course the first point of call is my own album "The Rowan Tree" from 2021
The Nutmeg Tree
Cajun Cooking
The Last Nail
Biggleswade Stomp
The Rowan Tree
London Bridge
The Wreckers' Prayer
Blackthorn
Truro Agricultural Show
Mondura Dam
There are also one or two from Philosophical, As yet unrecorded "Biscay", and from this year's project: Boulevard Days the show.
Plus covers, both traditional and contemporary.
(Contemporary folk meaning mainly acoustic singer songwriters from the folk revival 1960s-70s) including Michael Chapman, Tom Paxton, Al Stewart, Richard Thompson, Loudon Wainwright, Roy Harper, Wizz Jones and more
That was for:
The Kings Head, Yarmouth. September gone 1-3pm
Here’s a current gig list for this month:
OCTOBER
* Royal Esplanade Hotel RYDE Saturday 5th. 5-7pm
* Quay Arts Acoustic Originals Monday 7th
* Kings Head, Yarmouth. Friday 25th 9-11pm.
* The Star Coffee & Ale House Cider and Sausage festival Sun 27th 12-2pm
I found a few copies (5) of The Rowan Tree CD remaining, so if you'd like one (£10) please ask Linda at any of these events, while stocks last. Thanks!
All for now, hope to see some of you at the weekend
Cheers
Andy