Hi folks, just a brief one to keep you posted with Bijou movements over the last wee while… After a quiet Christmas period (hope you all had a good one!) the 2008 gig schedule has started with usual haunts Romsey Labour Club, The Depot, La Raza and Soul Tree dates – also upcoming trips to London, Brighton, Bath and Bristol in March-April to spread our little chicken wings further afield.

Penthouse Funk (26th Jan) was typically rammed full (nice one guys) and despite a couple of sore heads from the previous evening/cold fingers from an afternoon's busking, we Bijous managed to sink a few beers and catch up with familiar faces – pleased to meet a few new ones too. Busking in the town centre once again proved a big hit with the local passers-by who gathered in great numbers to see us sporting the fingerless glove 'tramp' style – the new high street look for '08 mark my words! Well, so long as we have enough change to buy a cup of tea and a pasty…

Blue Barn Session CDs are disappearing like crazy - we'll be going back to the studio in February to record more material, rehearsals underway. You can now purchase these, and t-shirts online through our new Paypal facility (though you can get these cheaper at our gigs!).

And finally… we're always interested to hear feedback, inspiration and such like from our fans. If anybody has any suggestions and/or ideas for us please let us know, we'll be glad to hear from you! (Probably) !! What do YOU want to see/hear Bijoumiyo do in the next few weeks?

Keep it funky, thanks as always for your continued support!
NASH

 

So, my good people here we are at the end of '07 - a colourful journey for all things Bijou. Looking back over the year...

The last few months has seen us become established within Cambridge, and with trips (of varying complication!) to London, Oxford and Bristol there has been far reaching Bijou success, even jamming on the top of a mountain in Eastern Europe as part of the Ramshackle Rally. This year saw us become fully self sufficient with brand new PA system and Bijou minibus, so we were ready to hit the road... not without incident of course. Van 1 died when the gearbox collapsed in the wee hours after a gig, current van 2 broke down on the M4 on a (seriously) cold evening but is now fortunately back in full service. Of course, the AA recovery vehicle mistakenly going to Wales didn't help proceedings... !

Light at the end of the tunnel came in the form of some nights that we can simply say I was priviledged to be a part of, fantastically raucous audiences exposed to the Sanko scream for the first time, and great to see our growing fanbase travelling to all corners to join us too. Special thanks to you guys, you know who you are!

While residencies at Cambridge haunts La Raza, Soul Tree and the Depot along with a host of private parties have provided some monumentally great nights, it's really the festival performances that defined Bijoumiyo in '07. Specifically - and I think by unanimous decision, playing the final set of Strawberry Fair in June and rocking the Secret Garden Party to within breaking point of it's collective g-string to rave review, were the most memorable triumphs.

It's hard to believe that we had achieved so much through just improvising, jamming with - quite literally, whatever ideas came to us at the time. We've spent extended periods as 1 jam band on MySpace, and the Bijoumiyo Facebook group has shot to an impressive 555 members. Even the playing staff has started multiplying with regular cameo appearances from saxophonists Finn, Theo and Dave, relief drummers Jimmy D and Pete Stanton.

Now it was time to get some of this semi-organised chaos down on CD, a task easier said than done "I'm feelin' ma backbone breakin!" ...

All year we had been recording live sets with varying degrees of success (some of these eventually made the Stellagraffiti collection), but the Blue Barn day session (late summer) heralded our first studio recording, all the material 100% improvised from scratch. It was as much an interest to us as our fans how the material would translate to a different performance environment, but glad to say feedback has been good and rehearsing is now underway for the next instalment - including potential singles (gasp...!). Look out for Everything Beneath the Sun and That's My Love among others.

It's been a far from easy year with many a spanner thrown in the works, but through staying positive and feeding from the seemingly inexhaustable energy of our ever growing audience we can look back at a hugely successful 12 months. We'll still be on the streets in '08 (btw anybody see us freezing our asses off this month opposite Next??!) rain, shine or act of God - as well as under the safety of a solid roof and busy bar. With a cold pint of Erdinger of course, our drink of choice!

We hope that you'll be there with us too throwing the shapes and supplying us with the much needed fuel for our little funk fire! It's great to be a part of it, thanks for your continued support people.

Much love and luck to you all for '08.

Nash, and the Bijous.

"One has a stronger hand when there's more people playing your same cards ..."
George Bush
Washington DC, Oct 11th 2007
Right on George, you prat.

Ladies and Gentlemen... So the continuation of the Bijou Bijou diary... It fills us with joy to see such postive feedback from you guys over the last week or so, which amongst the usual banter has included our first public appearance in London, more on street busking and the much anticipated availability of CDs.

Special thanks to those of you who ventured down to Islington on a wet Monday night and filled the room; we'll be back for more London shows in December and plenty more big smoke fun in the new year. Thank the great beard of Zeus that the taxi driver was brisk, and got us to the train (alarmingly close to an evening at Kings Cross) just before the doors closed!

Friday 23rd saw us appear at the first Strawberry Fair benefit concert (Barfly @The Graduate), in preparation for next Junes' festival. This great day also heralded the celebration of our very own Mr Grouvier's 27th year, involving mucho tequila and an impromptu Sanko appearance on the mic in the early hours at the Fountain.

Those seen in public wearing their Bijoumiyo t-shirts shall be rewarded! I am not at liberty to discuss the prize though! Any more suggestions for potential covers?

Keep up the good work people. Anon.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

Nash