Shock horror! No gigs to promote this week (unless one crops up between now and Saturday).
Guess what – one has just cropped up last minute
Saturday 28th September
The Park Hotel
Colwyn Bay
I was going to say it is probably not a bad thing really, a weekend off will allow the batteries to recharge and some thinking to be done.
Last week we were back in Morecambe, not at the Bath as usual but in the West end at the Imperial Hotel.
I had noticed the Bath was having a couple of tribute bands on (Ozzy & Dio) so I was not expecting a large audience in the Imperial to be honest. There are only so many people to go round after all.
Anyway we trekked up the M6 and did our thing as only we can (we played a pretty good set actually) and it was as expected. Mike is trying hard to make a go of this venue but I’m not sure it is going to work.
The last time we were there the “music” being played was club dance music, which doesn’t really encourage rock fans to step in through the door. We did speak to them about this and they wrote in their book that this time we played it would be rock music playing. Well I’m not sure in which world 80’s chart music (ABC, Frankie goes to Hollywood, New Order, Joy Division etc) is classed as rock but certainly not ours. Still, it was an improvement on last time.
Will we play there again? Well there was talk of next year but not sure it is viable.
Never say never.
That left the rest of the weekend free for once which was quite nice.
I had an amp for sale on Ebay that finished on Saturday night at 7:00pm. Always a bit of excitement in the last ten minutes as that is when most people bid. Rather disappointingly no bids at all despite it being a decent starting bid price. It’s back on for another week.
Saturday the weather was ok so after doing a few household tasks it was out for something to eat in Red door. Saturday night we popped round to our local, the Saughall Hotel, to see a “band” called Blue Murder and partake of a few drinks. Well the “band” was actually a duo with backing tracks and not really appropriately named. They started their first set bizarrely with Kenny Loggin’s Footloose and then a song from Evita? It was strange enough to keep you interested, which I suppose is a good thing. The singer had a head mic and was quite theatrical in a “musicals” style of delivery. They were actually quite entertaining in a sort of Holiday camp/Benidorm type of way. A very mixed set with a fair percentage of Queen tunes.
Literally 2 *45 minute sets finishing at 11:15.
All in all though it was a fun evening so can’t knock it.
Sunday was again a nice day so it was breakfast, dog walking then relaxing after a couple of minor jobs on cars (brake light bulb replacements) plus some admin work.
This week of course I went to see Uli Jon Roth in Liverpool (Tuesday) followed by US blues guitarist Kent Duchaine in the Saughall on Wednesday. Both guitarists were amazing although obviously completely different. Crackin’ week really.
I received an email the other day to tell us that our last single “on the Radio” has been added to the playlist on internet radio SKOPE. http://www.skopemag.com/radio.html Not too familiar with it myself but hey, not complaining.
Total Biker FM (TBFM) also has us on their playlist as well. www.tbfmonline.co.uk
Speaking of this sort of thing I need to progress trying to obtain funding for the New Clan album via Pledge music. Currently I need to produce a short video to encourage people to donate. Basically the idea is you ask people to pay for the recording costs upfront in return for copies of the album (signed probably) when it’s finished plus special extras such as exclusive songs, T shirts etc. Quite a lot of bands do it and it makes sense really.
Marillion are one high profile band that has been doing this for years very successfully.
Rants
So, Costa coffee drive-thru. I haven’t actually tried this but to be honest it takes them so long inside their shops to make a coffee I can’t see this being particularly efficient. How they cope with people ordering hot food I have no idea. Perhaps you can’t?
Speaking of Costa coffee, why are their saucers offset? Just silly really.
Not a lot else to complain about really. Must be chilling out for a change.
Music
Well it was mainly listening to Uli of course ready for his gig. Actually that made me listen to his younger brother Zeno as well, he’s no slouch on the guitar either.
Anything else – well a few thoughts for potential inclusion in our set list. No titles for now in case they don’t happen.
Anyway – I suggest that you set yourself 40 minutes aside, crank up the volume and listen to “The Scorpions – In Trance” album on. A masterclass in rock guitar.
Keep rockin’
Craig