Gigography for 2014

Oops, a bit late with this, but it's still January so I guess the year's still new enough.  Here is a list of where I've been terrorising the earholes of the general public in 2014...

21/02/14 - @The Moorings with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Luke, Rodaidh.  Bass: G&L Tribute M-2000
12/04/14 - @Cafe Drummond with The Inevitable Teaspoons.  Personnel: Me, Al, Chris, Daryl, Kenny.  Bass: Gibson EB
26/04/14 - @The Green Room, Perth with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Luke, Rodaidh.  Bass: Gibson Les Paul Double Cut
03/05/14 - @Downstairs with The Inevitable Teaspoons.  Personnel: Me, Al, Chris, Daryl, Kenny.  Bass: Fender Starcaster
09/05/14 - @The Moorings with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Luke, Rodaidh.  Bass: Gibson Non-reverse Thunderbird

Matt@Moorings 09/05,
picture by Biz

24/05/14 - @Henry's Cellar Bar, Edinburgh with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Luke, Rodaidh.  Bass: G&L Tribute M-2000
31/05/14 - @Cafe Drummond with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Luke, Rodaidh.  Bass: Epiphone Jack Casady
26/06/14 - @Pivo Pivo, Glasgow with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Luke, Rodaidh.  Bass: Gibson EB
29/06/14 - @Opium, Edinburgh with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Luke, Rodaidh.  Bass: Gibson RD Artist
12/07/14 - @Cafe Drummond with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Luke, Rodaidh.  Bass: Gibson Les Paul Double Cut
12/07/14 - @Cafe Drummond with The Inevitable Teaspoons.  Personnel: Me, Al, Chris, Daryl, Kenny.  Bass: Gibson Non-reverse Thunderbird
20/07/14 - @Elphin Music Festival with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Luke, Rodaidh.  Bass: Gibson Victory Artist
09/08/14 - @Johnshaven Fish Festival with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Luke, Rodaidh.  Bass: Yamaha BB450
17/08/14 - @Downstairs with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Luke, Michael, Rodaidh.  Bass: Gibson Non-reverse Thunderbird
23/08/14 - @Dellston, Auchnagatt with The Inevitable Teaspoons.  Personnel: Me, Al, Chris, Daryl, Kenny.  Bass: Fender Power Jazz Special
23/08/14 - @Dellston, Auchnagatt with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Luke, Rodaidh.  Bass: Fender Power Jazz Special
27/08/14 - @Pivo Pivo, Glasgow with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Luke, Rodaidh.  Bass: Yamaha BB450
29/08/14 - @Market Bar, Inverness with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Luke, Rodaidh.  Bass: Gibson EB
30/08/14 - @Cellar 35 with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Luke, Michael, Rodaidh.  Bass: Gibson Les Paul Double Cut

Matt@Drummonds 28/11,
picture by Cat

13/09/14 - @Live at Captain Toms with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Luke, Rodaidh.  Bass: Gibson EB
13/09/14 - @LACT:LATE (Captain Toms) with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Luke, Michael, Rodaidh.  Bass: Gibson Les Paul Double Cut
17/10/14 - @Cafe Drummond with The Inevitable Teaspoons.  Personnel: Me, Al, Chris, Daryl, Kenny.  Bass: Epiphone Jack Casady
17/10/14 - @The Tunnels with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Luke, Michael, Rodaidh.  Bass: Epiphone Jack Casady
07/11/14 - @The Moorings with The Inevitable Teaspoons.  Personnel: Me, Al, Chris, Daryl, Kenny.  Bass: Gibson Midtown Standard
28/11/14 - @Cafe Drummond with The Inevitable Teaspoons.  Personnel: Me, Al, Chris, Daryl, Kenny.  Bass: Gibson RD Artist

Gigography for 2013

I'm pretty sure I'm done for this year, no bookings left and people away so it's unlikely that either of my bands will be playing again in 2013.  Without further ado, here is my year in live music in probably too much detail:

17/01/13 - @Ivory Blacks, Glasgow with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Rodaidh, Luke.  Bass: Yamaha BB450
02/03/13 - @The Tunnels with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Rodaidh, Luke.  Bass: G&L Tribute M-2000
06/03/13 - @Cafe Drummond with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Rodaidh, Luke.  Bass: G&L El Toro

Matt @ Lemon Tree 06/04

06/04/13 - @The Lemon Tree with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Rodaidh, Luke.  Bass: G&L Tribute L-2000
28/04/13 - @Copthorne Hotel with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Rodaidh, Luke.  Bass: Gibson IV
17/05/13 - @Cafe Drummond with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Rodaidh, Luke.  Bass: Epiphone Jack Casady
01/06/13 - @Dellston, Auchnagatt with The Inevitable Teaspoons.  Personnel: Me, Chris, Daryl, Kenny.  Bass: G&L El Toro
08/06/13 - @BOX, Glasgow with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Rodaidh, Luke.  Bass: G&L Tribute M-2000
15/06/13 - @Douglas Hotel with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Rodaidh, Luke.  Bass: Epiphone Jack Casady
29/06/13 - @Torry Lighthouse Festival with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Rodaidh, Luke.  Bass: G&L Tribute L-2000
05/07/13 - @Downstairs with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Rodaidh, Luke, Robin.  Bass: Yamaha BB450
03/08/13 - @Belladrum Festival with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Rodaidh, Luke.  Bass: Yamaha BB450
09/08/13 - @Cafe Drummond with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Rodaidh, Luke.  Bass: Fender Cabronita Precision
31/08/13 - @Allathan, New Deer with The Inevitable Teaspoons.  Personnel: Me, Al, Chris, Daryl, John, Kenny.  Bass: G&L Tribute M-2000
21/09/13 - @Eagle Bar, Inverness with FaR.  Personnel: Me, Fifi, Rodaidh, Luke.  Bass: G&L El Toro

Brings us nicely round to 47 gigs in my "career".  Looking forward to 2014!

Gigography for 2012

Oops, I completely forgot to do this at the start of the year.  I give to you my gigography for 2012.  You lucky, lucky people.

14/01/12 - @The Moorings with The Oxbow Lake Band.  Personnel: Me, Chris, Andy, Daryl, Al.  Bass: Yamaha BB614
30/03/12 - @Slains Castle with The Oxbow Lake Band.  Personnel: Me, Chris, Andy. Daryl, Al.  Bass: Gibson RD Artist
21/04/12 - @The Greenhouse, Dingwall with The Oxbow Lake Band.  Personnel: Me, Chris, Andy, Daryl, Al, Kenny.  Bass: Gibson Victory Artist
21/04/12 - @Mad Hatters, Inverness with The Oxbow Lake Band.   Personnel: Me, Chris, Andy, Daryl, Al, Kenny.  Bass: Gibson Victory Artist
06/05/12 - @Banff Castle, Banff with The Oxbow Lake Band.  Personnel: Me, Chris, Andy, Daryl, Al, Kenny.  Bass: Gibson IV

Chris and I@Macduff Arts Centre

26/05/12 - @Macduff Arts Centre, Macduff with The Oxbow Lake Band.  Personnel: Me, Chris, Andy, Daryl, Al, Kenny.  Bass: Yamaha BB614
24/06/12 - @Breemie Stone Circle Solstice Gathering with half The Oxbow Lake Band.  Personnel: Me, Andy, Daryl + others.  Bass: G&L Tribute L-2000
29/06/12 - @Slains Castle with The Oxbow Lake Band.  Personnel: Me, Chris, Andy. Daryl, Al, Kenny.  Bass: Gibson SG-Z
30/06/12 - @our back garden with 2/3 of The Oxbow Lake Band.  Personnel: Me, Chris, Daryl, Kenny.  Bass: Gibson RD Artist
16/07/12 - @SHMU FM with half The Oxbow Lake Band.  Personnel: Me, Andy, Kenny.  Bass: Gibson SG-Z
26/07/12 - @Cafe Drummond with The Oxbow Lake Band.  Personnel: Me, Chris, Andy, Daryl, Al, Kenny.  Bass: Gibson RD Artist
28/07/12 - @Last Bus Depot, New Pitsligo with The Oxbow Lake Band.  Personnel: Me, Chris, Andy, Daryl, Al, Kenny.  Bass: Yamaha BB300
03/08/12 - @Belladrum Festival with The Oxbow Lake Band.  Personnel: Me, Chris, Andy, Daryl, Al, Kenny.  Bass: Yamaha BB300

32 not out.

Sound engineers - will you please listen?

I've just had the dubious pleasure of listening back to our performance at Belladrum.  It's... fast.  I don't know if we were keyed up because of the event itself, or the technical difficulties that delayed our start by 10 mins (which is a lot when you've only got a 45min slot), but we're playing like we're on speed or something, and this is unusual because we're not Motörhead.

But the one thing that is annoying me is the fact that the singer has asked for more vocals in the monitors on at least 4 occasions (gave up counting after that, no wait, I think I heard a fifth).  It is clear that nothing's been done - Andy's more shouting than singing and that's because he can't hear himself.  Daryl's harmonica is a bit wayward at times because he can't hear what he's doing.  That's a big problem when you're responsible for the tuning/intonation of your instrument (that includes voice).  It's not so much of a problem for me, playing fretted electric bass.  I have a tuner on the floor and I keep my basses set up properly (intonation compensation at the bridge etc.) so as long as my open strings are in tune then when I stop the string at the correct place, I get the correct note.  I can play the fretted bass visually/by feel and it'll sound OK, but it won't be as tight as it could be as instead of "being one with the rest of the band" (which comprises a combination of muscle memory through practice and being able to hear everyone else) you're either anticipating (which can make you early if you get it wrong) or reacting (which by definition makes you late).  And I don't have to bloody well like it - in fact I hate the feeling of playing in a bubble, where you're playing the bass and have no idea if you're even contributing to the proceedings (hoping to hell that the front of house sound is better than this).

Sound engineers, can you please explain to me (like I'm a four year old - as I have no comprehension of what you do and no right to tell you what to do) why it is that some of you are seemingly unwilling (or unable) to give us decent sound on stage?  We are not moaning for the sake of it, not giving us decent sound on stage is like asking us to gut fish with a butter knife.  You'll have your fish, but it won't be pretty.  All we're asking for is to have a decent monitoring on stage so that we can do our jobs properly.  We are not professionals, but we take our hobby seriously and want to perform at our best for the good people who come out to see us, dance and generate money for the venues that employ you in order that they continue to do this.  If you hamper our performance because we can't hear what we're doing, punters will stay away, and it's as much in your interests as ours to keep bums on seats and feet on dancefloors.

Yay, it's 1997 again!

And that would make me ... 22.  Man, time flies.

Tonight is the night I decided to switch the criminally underused stereo on and put a CD on.  I'm not sure what the motivation was, I was watching the documentary "An Ox's Tale" about John Entwistle (bass player in The Who, in case you didn't know) and ended up feeling a bit sad (y'know, 'cos he's dead and all that).  Then I remembered a while back I was feeling all guilty about having hundreds of CDs that I never listen to so I decided to finally do something about it.

I didn't put much thought into choosing a CD, the first letter I looked at was S and I had an urge to put on Supergrass, "In It for the Money".  I fired up the amp, the CD player and the graphic equaliser and stuck it on.  I'd like to tell you that I was whisked away to a magical fantasy land, but the Android phone, the Intel i5 sticker on the laptop, the electricity monitor and the fact that I just tweeted the picture to the left kept me in the 21st century.

All the same, it felt like I had reclaimed or rediscovered something about me, something I had forgotten, something I used to like about myself and it felt good.

CD's nearly coming to an end ("Sometimes I Make You Sad") - one more for tonight, I wonder if I'll keep with the 1997 theme or put something classic on...

Video from the Depot

I've put up a few videos from Saturday's gig at the Last Bus Depot near New Pitsligo.  It's a little "band in a tin box" sounding, but hopefully it's good enough to tap your toes to and remember a good night - or wish you had been there and spur you on to join us at the next one!

Report from gig at Last Bus Depot

What a fantastic place, what a fantastic gig!  The Last Bus Depot is an amazing venue - a bit like a big boy's playroom.  Can't explain it in enough words, so have some panoramic photography courtesy of Jayne (thanks darling!)

The crowd were really up for it and I would say that it was one of the best gigs we've ever done.  I can't wait until we come back and do it again!

Gig tipoff: The Oxbow Lake Band, Omar Bin Mohamed Afif

When: Saturday 28th July 2012
Where: The Last Bus Depot, New Pitsligo
Doors: 7.30pm
Tax: £5

An unusual new venue for us - the Last Bus Depot just outside New Pitsligo.  I can't explain it any better than their own site, so have a link - http://www.lastbus.org

I'm really looking forward to this one, hope to see you there!

Gig tipoff: The Oxbow Lake Band, The Carousels

When: Thursday 26th July 2012
Where: Cafe Drummond, Belmont Street, Aberdeen
Doors: 8pm
Tax: none, free entry!

Oops, left it a little late to put this up but if you're at a loose end this Thursday (tomorrow as I type) then why not head down to Cafe Drummond and treat your ears to the psychedelic country tones of The Carousels followed by a heap of different tunes from us, our songs, other people's songs, all good time tunes.  Free entry, no excuses, hope to see you there!

The Oxbow Lake Band: At the Festival

I'm very excited to announce the first recorded output of The Oxbow Lake Band since my joining.  It's a song called "At the Festival" and it's been recorded to celebrate our upcoming appearance at Belladrum Festival in August.

You can have a listen here:



You can also download it for free from Bandcamp and Reverbnation.

Gig tipoff: The Oxbow Lake Band, Q-nim, Jamie Rodden

When: Friday 29th June 2012
Where: Slains Castle, Belmont Street, Aberdeen
Doors: 8pm
Tax: none, free entry!

Once again we grace the "orchestra pit" of Slains Castle for another night of totally groovin' tunes.  Six musicians to squeeze into the pit this time (and seven if we have MC along with us for a couple of tunes), so I'll have to make sure I don't lop anyone's head off with me bass.

If you missed us last time (or can't remember, it was 3 months ago), here's a little reminder of how we roll:

Support from Jamie Rodden and Q-nim.  Things get going (hopefully) at 8pm, it's free entry so head on down, let your hair down and dance!

Photo a day 2012 (83/366) - band in a pit

Photo taken in Slains Castle, Aberdeen.  Went for a spy the week before we played here.  It's interesting having the audience all around you and slightly above you.  I think the band here were called Sort of Alive.

Photo a day 2012 (61/366) - Kitchen Cynics Orchestra

Photo taken at The Tunnels, Aberdeen.  Went to see local legend Alan Davidson perform alongside Jan and Claire from Seas, Starry.  Guitars, bowed bass, loop pedals, effects, a theremin and a finale of strange things with a horn and a string which the player bows.

Photo a day 2012 (60/366) - post-practice tidy-up

Photo taken at Musical Vision, Aberdeen.  First band practice in a few weeks tonight, it was a good session, trying some stripped back, acoustic versions of songs and it went very well.

My first YouTube upload :)

Yes, I realise that YouTube has been around for several years now but last night I put up my first video - of course it's of me making a goon of myself on stage with the band.

Jayne was on camcorder duty, thanks darling!

Gigography for 2011

I was writing this (fairly short) list last week when all of a sudden we got asked to play a gig at 3pm on Monday for that night.  Glad I held off putting this up :)  I am now pretty confident that the gigging business will shut up shop for the festive season.

Chris and I @ Banff Castle, photo courtesy Kate James

06/08/11 - @Whinnyfold Fun Day with The Oxbow Lake Band.  Personnel: Me, Chris, Andy, Daryl.  Bass: Gibson IV
13/08/11 - @Cruden Bay Gala with The Oxbow Lake Band.  Personnel: Me, Chris, Andy, Daryl.  Bass: Guild B402-A
22/10/11 - @Banff Castle with The Oxbow Lake Band.  Personnel: Me, Chris, Andy, Daryl.  Bass: Gibson Victory Artist
29/10/11 - @City Cafe, Aberdeen with The Oxbow Lake Band.  Personnel: Me, Chris, Andy, Daryl, Al.  Bass: G&L Tribute L-2000
02/12/11 - @Cafe Drummond with The Oxbow Lake Band.  Personnel: Me, Chris, Andy, Daryl, Al.  Bass: Gibson RD Artist
19/12/11 - @The Lemon Tree with The Oxbow Lake Band.  Personnel: Me, Chris, Andy, Daryl, Al.  Bass: Gibson IV

Gig count now stands at 19.  Not exactly hard working, am I?

The Oxbow Lake

I think if you've been to 5 practice sessions and you haven't been told to get lost then I think that means you're in.  I've joined The Oxbow Lake on bass.  It's good to be back in a band again - haven't done anything since December and haven't been in a band properly since August last year.  Things are going well - the lessons have really paid off and I'm finding it so much easier to pick up tunes and come up with something on the spot.

Hopefully there'll be some gigging next month.  I'll keep you posted.

Gigography for 2008-2010

Happy new year everyone!  Being very much between things musically, I decided to look back at all the times I have graced the stage armed with a "big guitar".  Not prolific by any means over the past few years but here goes:

Me@The Lemon Tree 03/04/09 - photo: Andy Thorn

• 09/08@The Music Club (Open mic).  Personnel: Me, Jayne, Karel and Charlene.  Bass: Squier Bronco
• 04/10/08@The Tunnels with Sound System.  Personnel: Me, Jayne, Scott, Karel, Rich, Ben.  Bass: Squier Bronco

 

• 03/04/09 - @The Lemon Tree with Panda Eyes.  Personnel: Me, Marie-Claire, Jan, Chris, Carol.  Bass: Epiphone Les Paul Standard
• 22/04/09 - @Cafe Drummond with Panda Eyes.  Personnel: Me, Marie-Claire, Jan, Chris, Carol.  Bass: Epiphone Les Paul Standard
• 07/08/09 - @The Lemon Tree with Panda Eyes.  Personnel: Me, Marie-Claire, Jan, Chris, Carol.  Bass: Gibson G-3
• 30/08/09 - @The Tunnels with Panda Eyes.  Personnel: Me, Marie-Claire, Jan, Chris, Carol.  Bass: Gibson G-3

Panda Eyes@The Tunnels 09/04/10 - photo: Ryan Simpson

• 02/10 - @The Tunnels with Panda Eyes.  Personnel: Me, Marie-Claire, Jan, Chris.  Bass: Gibson G-3
• 25/03/10 - @Snafu with Panda Eyes.  Personnel: Me, Marie-Claire, Jan, Chris.  Bass: Gibson G-3
• 09/04/10 - @The Tunnels with Panda Eyes.  Personnel: Me, Marie-Claire, Jan, Chris.  Bass: Gibson G-3
• 29/05/10 - @The Moorings with Panda Eyes.  Personnel: Me, Marie-Claire, Jan, Chris.  Bass: G&L Tribute L-2000
• 02/10/10 - @The Tilted Wig with Mr. Flaxman and Friends.  Personnel: Me, Jayne, Mr. Flaxman.  Bass: Epiphone Les Paul Standard
• 09/10/10 - @The Tunnels with Sound System.  Personnel: Me, Jayne, Karel, Scott, Neil.  Bass - G&L Tribute L-2000
• 27/11/10 - @The Tilted Wig with Flaxman and the Hollowmen.  Personnel: Me, Jayne, Mr. Flaxman, Mr. Long Hair.  Bass: Danelectro Hodad

I make that 13 appearances on stage so far.  Oh well, I hope to get something sorted out in 2011 and add to that number.

I start writing this with a real "what's the point?" kind of thought in my head.  Does anyone actually read this stuff?  Does anyone actually care?  I was reading a thread on a certain local music forum which was making an example of someone who was documenting their entire life in minute detail on Twitter.  Let's just say that ridicule was most definitely on the menu.

Well, for those of you out there not sleeping (or having trouble sleeping), I'm mostly looking forward to this weekend - pay day's on Friday, got a gig with the band on Saturday (it's a birthday party, otherwise I'd be pimping it to the max, but if you really, REALLY want to go then let me know and I'll see what I can do).  Minor highlights will be band practice on Wednesday, and hopefully receiving a missing piece for one of my basses which some kind soul on Basschat seems to be happy to give me for nothing.

Jayne and I recorded a wee song for the IheartUTG CD at the weekend.  It's a reworking of the Burns song "The Slave's Lament".  Considering we recorded it in the bedroom in a few hours with nothing more than a bass, a keyboard, a small plastic tub (improvised drum), a Shure Beta 58A microphone, a USB sound interface and Audacity, I think it came out pretty good.

Jury's still out on the whole earplugs thing - in the three practices I've had since I got them I've had variable results - room 4 in Musical Vision was good, room 2 was passable and room 5 was bloody awful.  There's probably a plethora of reasons why - different amps, different basses, different room dimensions.  They have been great at gigs I have attended though.

Lesson learned: don't skimp on protection

I recently decided to get hold of some half decent earplugs having been pointed in the direction of a good deal on some ER-20 earplugs on eBay.  I've tried cheap foam ones before and while they are useful for getting a snooze on a busy aeroplane, they tend to muffle music unnaturally and make having conversations difficult due to the way they attenuate sound.

I tried out my new ER-20s at a gig this weekend and I have to say I was impressed.  The sound was pretty clear, high frequencies from the drums were still a little muted but nowhere near as bad as with foam.  I was able to have conversations reasonably well.  I walked past (literally feet away) from a loud rock band and didn't even feel the need to blink, it was just like listening at reasonable volume at home.

The big test will come tomorrow when I'll give them a go at band practice.  I tried foam plugs once and it was a disaster - I felt so detached from the rest of the band I couldn't play properly, timing was all over the place.  I'll let you know how I get on :)