Doing
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Posts Tagged ‘gigging’
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A Fat Cat
Saturday, 2nd August 2008No one ever told me ever told me to expect a steady lifestyle, singer-songwriting, but sometimes I forget how oddly things can turn out. This was proven at 9am this morning, when I was stirred from my slumber by a text from a talent agency I’ve never actually gigged for before, hunting a soloist to fill a cancellation in East London. I figured I’d drop my busking pitch to give it a go.
So here’s me now, in one of the friendliest London bars I’ve ever gigged at, very solo, but talking to a crowd like I’m back in Harry’s Bar in Wakefield, surrounded by mates.
In all fairness, busking has delivered me curvier curveballs, but it’s rare that I’ve been backfooted by a plain old 9-to-11 gig. A great time, apparently, was had by all, and hopefully I’ll be back there soon.
Thank you and goodnight, Bow Wharf!
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Falling Asleep at the Wheel
Thursday, 19th June 2008Once I went out one night with my good friend Matt Burton (half of The Famous Pair), got steaming drunk, then went to the monthly open mic at the Red Shed Labour Club in Wakefield, West Yorkshire and tried to play.
I fell asleep, on stage, at the mic, during an instrumental middle eight in Damien Rice’s ‘The Professor’. Neither Matt or myself are sure, now, how long I was out for, but when I woke up, stood facing a portakabin full of disgruntled left-wingers, realising that there was a guitar in my hands and that I was capoed at the third fret, I just carried on.
I went back a few months later, distinctly more sober, to play. No one seemed to notice that I’d been unconscious at all, which perhaps says something about The Red Shed – or more likely, my performing style.
