From the weekend
The remains of winter are thrashing around outside. Rain clouds like giant bruises have sat in the sky, threatening (and delivering) a drenching. Of course I love the wind and rain so this has made me happy and strangely energetic today - a day when my actual physical reserves should be quite low.
Still, for once I'm almost at the bottom of my to-do list and I've spent the day doing productive things at home, at the dayjob and elsewhere. I even squeezed in a visit to my folks which, as ever, is a treat.
Last Friday was a Soul Beaver gig. We played in one of the Oxford colleges and were presented with a large echoing room with very few soft surfaces. From the stage it felt as if we were in a studio with the room reverb knob turned up to 10. Luckily the audience heard a much more clear and distinct sound so they had a good time. Truthfully, I had a good time too. The Beaver has been off stage for months and our rehearsals rarely feature the entire band. So to play together and to play pretty well, was something to be happy about. J even noticed the change in me that playing live music brings. It's funny, being an essentially shy person who has no love for large groups or radical outgoing excitements, I'm hardly ever happier than when I'm on stage. Soul Beaver even gives me a chance to stand at the front and share the spotlight with our excellent singist Emma but on Sunday I was more of a background muso. It was time for Simon Ash's drum clinic students to show off what they were capable of. Andy Cross organised and busy afternoon which ran smoothly and allowed the friends and families of the students to see them in action. We played through a range of tunes with a fine scratch band including Richard Guitarist who brought an extra level of guitar sophistication to the gig.
Rehearsals should start soon for the next project and I hope to have Coffee-Housing mixed and wrapped up soon. Markus Reuter's 'Trepanation' is playing on the new stereo and, just at this momemt in time, all is right with the world. It's a good job I don't believe in fate.
Still, for once I'm almost at the bottom of my to-do list and I've spent the day doing productive things at home, at the dayjob and elsewhere. I even squeezed in a visit to my folks which, as ever, is a treat.
Last Friday was a Soul Beaver gig. We played in one of the Oxford colleges and were presented with a large echoing room with very few soft surfaces. From the stage it felt as if we were in a studio with the room reverb knob turned up to 10. Luckily the audience heard a much more clear and distinct sound so they had a good time. Truthfully, I had a good time too. The Beaver has been off stage for months and our rehearsals rarely feature the entire band. So to play together and to play pretty well, was something to be happy about. J even noticed the change in me that playing live music brings. It's funny, being an essentially shy person who has no love for large groups or radical outgoing excitements, I'm hardly ever happier than when I'm on stage. Soul Beaver even gives me a chance to stand at the front and share the spotlight with our excellent singist Emma but on Sunday I was more of a background muso. It was time for Simon Ash's drum clinic students to show off what they were capable of. Andy Cross organised and busy afternoon which ran smoothly and allowed the friends and families of the students to see them in action. We played through a range of tunes with a fine scratch band including Richard Guitarist who brought an extra level of guitar sophistication to the gig.
Rehearsals should start soon for the next project and I hope to have Coffee-Housing mixed and wrapped up soon. Markus Reuter's 'Trepanation' is playing on the new stereo and, just at this momemt in time, all is right with the world. It's a good job I don't believe in fate.
Comments