We're not old, we're retro

Welcome, one and all!

Friday 5 August 2011

Recent gigs

I like to think I have a gift for refining an audience. Filtering and distilling it until only the best are left. Take Wednesday night at Acoustic Brew for example. Late Night Train did very little work for me, as the place just filled up with people listening intently. A chap read some poems, but was rubbish, as nobody left at all. I refined the audience from 20-30 people to a quality 5 by the time I finished. Then Voodoo Barry undid all my good work, as they all came back in again. Amateurs.
Sunday 31st July was another outdoor "festival-y" gig for Boomshadow. 20 minutes due to a packed programme. Laurence suggested that fancy dress would be the order of the day. We were, variously, Darth Vader, a hazardous waste technician, a clone and something in leopardskin. Pictures on Facebook, free download from soundcloud or bandcamp, yada yada yada. It was fun. A really good use of the recently reclaimed park. Couldn't see my fretboard or my feet though, so the costume has to go!

Saturday 30 July 2011

Wikipedia took this down!

Recently heard the godawful pap that is Nate Dogg and Warren G's "Regulate" on the radio.
I was reminded of how good the Wiki synopsis was, and searched for it - GONE!
Took me ages to find it again, but I reproduce it here for your entertainment:

On a cool, clear night (typical to Southern California) Warren G travels through his neighborhood, searching for women with whom he might initiate sexual intercourse. He has chosen to engage in this pursuit alone.
Nate Dogg, having just arrived in Long Beach, seeks Warren. On his way to find Warren, Nate passes a car full of women who are excited to see him. Regardless, he insists to the women that there is no cause for excitement.

Warren makes a left turn at 21st Street and Lewis Ave, where he sees a group of young men enjoying a game of dice together. He parks his car and greets them. He is excited to find people to play with, but to his chagrin, he discovers they intend to relieve him of his material possessions. Once the hopeful robbers reveal their firearms, Warren realizes he is in a less than favorable predicament.

Meanwhile, Nate passes the women, as they are low on his list of priorities. His primary concern is locating Warren. After curtly casting away the strumpets (whose interest in Nate was such that they crashed their automobile), he serendipitously stumbles upon his friend, Warren G, being held up by the young miscreants.
Warren, unaware that Nate is surreptitiously observing the scene unfold, is in disbelief that he’s being robbed. The perpetrators have taken jewelry and a name brand designer watch from Warren, who is so incredulous that he asks what else the robbers intend to steal. This is most likely a rhetorical question.

Observing these unfortunate proceedings, Nate realizes that he may have to use his firearm to deliver his friend from harm.

The tension crescendos as the robbers point their guns to Warren’s head. Warren senses the gravity of his situation. He cannot believe the events unfolding could happen in his own neighborhood. As he imagines himself in a fantastical escape, he catches a glimpse of his friend, Nate.

Nate has seventeen cartridges to expend (sixteen residing in the pistol’s magazine, with a solitary round placed in the chamber and ready to be fired) on the group of robbers, and he uses many of them. Afterward, he generously shares the credit for neutralizing the situation with Warren, though it is clear that Nate did all of the difficult work. Putting congratulations aside, Nate quickly reminds himself that he has committed multiple homicides to save Warren before letting his friend know that there are females nearby if he wishes to fornicate with them.

Warren recalls that it was the promise of copulation that coaxed him away from his previous activities, and is thankful that Nate knows a way to satisfy these urges.

Nate quickly finds the women who earlier crashed their car on Nate’s account. He remarks to one that he is fond of her physical appeal. The woman, impressed by Nate’s singing ability, asks that he and Warren allow her and her friends to share transportation. Soon, both friends are driving with automobiles full of women to the East Side Motel, presumably to consummate their flirtation in an orgy.

The third verse is more expository, with Warren and Nate explaining their G Funk musical style. Nate displays his bravado by claiming that individuals with equivalent knowledge could not even attempt to approach his level of lyrical mastery. He also notes that if any third party smokes as he does, they would find themselves in a state of intoxication daily (from Nate’s other works, it can be inferred that the substance referenced is marijuana). Nate concludes his delineation of the night by issuing a vague threat to “busters,” suggesting that he and Warren will further “regulate” any potential incidents in the future (presumably by engaging their enemies with small arms fire).

Wednesday 27 July 2011

Turning 40

I dreaded turning 30 from the age of 22. It blighted my 20s. The 40 thing only really occurred to me at 39, and only really in the last week or two became an issue.

But I still wasn't happy about it. I wanted to bury my head in the sand and ignore it. Jess made me have a party. And I'm very pleased she did. It was just what I needed. A night of massive self-indulgence with friends happy to indulge me.

I started it off with my acoustic set. Many people hadn't heard Cold All Alone before, which seemed particularly appropriate on the night.

Dale did an acoustic set, thank you Dale. I only like 2 Tenacious D songs, but I do love those songs very much, so was very pleased he played them both. Many comments about his beautiful voice.

Then a comedy section. Laurence and Paul (Crooke) were excellent. I met Paul only this year on a comedy course Jess booked me on. Nice to have representatives of people I have met throughout life, from 11 (Carl) to someone new in my life. Friends are not just nostalgia, I can still function even at 39 and meet new people.

Laurence and PC played the song Bertie and Ru recorded with Paul (Carroll) for my birthday. Beautiful. I love it. Best gift I had.

Then Who (mostly) covers. The high point of the evening for many, it seemed. There was dancing occurring. Si made an excellent Townshend. PC was great. Kester and Carl were in my first ever band Give Way, over 20 years ago. Had a thoroughly bloody good time. Whilst the process of writing and performing my own material gives me massive spiritual fulfilment, it was fan-bloody-tastic to blast out some of the songs I love listening to. Can't explain, substitute, jilted John, pinball wizard, boys don't cry, I can see for miles and my generation were tremendous fun to sing. Well inside the comfort zone in a way, and yet the first time I think I've ever sung without a guitar on.

Fatbwoi. A friend whom I am a proper fan of. Chicken, zombies, a rare crack whore, a duet. I love his stuff. Its on my ipod and everything. I got to request the set list. I think I went beyond the half hour, oh, just a tad, and further knocked the evening back.

Boomshadow got on about midnight, I think, and when I looked up after the first song, half the guests had left. Last bus? Last train? I shall pretend it was that. I love Boomshadow.

So I had a thoroughly lovely night. Sunflower Lounge have decided not to give us our deposit back for not spending £350 even though we clearly did. But I'm going to ignore that for now. Masssive thanks to Jess, Dale, PC, Laurence, Paul Crooke, Simon, Carl, Kester, PC, Fatbwoi, Paul Harwood, Laurence, PC, Phil and Angela for coming down from Carlisle, and to everyone who came to celebrate with me. I thank you. It meant a lot to me. I hope you enjoyed it too.
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

Saturday 14 May 2011

Had a lovely gig with Less For Murder and Fatbwoi at the Hollybush Pub in Cradley last night. LFM have a CD out, do have a listen (see their Reverbnation, MySpace etc for where to find it). I remain in awe of Fatbwoi Dave as a live act. We each did half hour, like normal people, Fatbwoi was still getting encored at 1h 15min.

Anyway, I was marvellous, obviously, and you'll have to accept that unless you're prepared to come see me in person. Next gigs: Wednesday 1st June at Katie Fitzgerald's in Stourbridge (its NOT that far, and its worth the trip); Monday 6th June at Adam & Eve (Digbeth. That's handy and central. Nice pub. No excuses!); oh yes, and a stand up comedy showcase probably on Sunday 29th May, details tbc)
(Boomshadow 27 May cancelled)

Friday 22 April 2011

More dates

G solo - Wednesday 1st June - Katie Fitzgerald's
G solo - Monday 6th June - Adam & Eve

Thursday 21 April 2011

And in a packed programme tonight .....

Sunday 1st May 4pm - Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge (Boomshadow)


Monday 2nd May 11am - Lightwoods Park (Boomshadow)

Tuesday 3rd May 8pm Yardbird (G solo)

Friday 13th May 8-11pm - Hollybush, Cradley (G solo, also Fatbwoi, Less For Murder)

Friday 27th May 8-11pm - Sunflower Lounge (Boomshadow)

Boomshadow for Picnic in the Park, Warley Woods - tbc

Sept 9-10 - Artsfest - tbc

Tuesday 12 April 2011

Current tour dates:

Monday 2nd May 11am - Lightwoods Park (Boomshadow)
Friday 13th May 8-11pm - Hollybush, Cradley (G solo, also Fatbwoi, Less For Murder)
May/June tbc, Boomshadow in Brum
Julyish - pencilled in Boomshadow for Picnic in the Park, Warley Woods
Sept 9-10 - Artsfest - application in, never put us on before, but you never know

Monday 4 April 2011

The revival continues

And there were more Boomshadow rehearsals. And a Fatshadow/Boombwoi gig on 28th March. And Gareth, Fatbwoi, Omar and PC for Jess' 30th on 2nd April. Boomshadow booked in for Picnic in the Park in the summer. Boomshadow 1st act on 2nd May for Lightwoods Park grand re-opening. G solo with Less For Murder and Fatbwoi on 13th May. An offer of a pub re-opening needing some music. Its all starting to come together a bit. Music is afoot!

Wednesday 2 March 2011

Gig alert, not really Boomshadow, not really solo

Fear not, dear readers, for Boomshadow proper will have their first rehearsal of 2011 in March!

But to whet your appetites for the upcoming album and world tour, there is a collaboration coming up. A Fatshadow Boombwoi production will be presented in all its glory on Monday 28th March at the Adam & Eve in Digbeth (8pm, free entry)
Should be an interesting partnership, with a blend of fairly diverse musical stylings and facial hair. And body mass. Fatbwoi being something of an ironic name, we shall look like the number 10 when standing next to each other.
Hope you can make it

Wednesday 19 January 2011

Happy New Year

Well, hello there.
Ok, so its now 2011. I was born in 1971. You do the maths.
So that's one thing that 2011 will definitely bring, but what else?
I have been hoping for an album for about 3 years now, 4 maybe. Will that happen this year?
Will there be gigs? Will they be solo and/or band?
Will we have something recorded and able to be played on the radio?
Solo albums?
Que sera sera.
I just hope 2009 wasn't the peak