If anyone can't get to the Barn, I totally recommend the Cds by Manu and Lee Rogers. I couldn't stress that any more - two amazing sets. I'll tell you more in a mo....
Crazy things happened tonight!
1. The loudest audience ever due to 2 clusters of people who walked in without realising it was a music venue (you'd have thought they'd have realised it after a while).
2. Nick had a complaint lodged against him because of his noose!!! Somehow someone objected to the appearance of the weekly noose - which Nick set up during the metal extravaganza that James and Simon gave us.
3. My guitar decided it wasn't a guitar - it said "tonight matthew, i'm gonna be a firework" - and it kept doing strange exclamations that went far beyond the call of duty - and sometimes went quiet, as if it was reconsidering it's attitude to the entire performance. Ritchie valiantly kept going, treating me to a great solo which I could only hear as his decided to be too heavily influenced by my rebellious guitar. We're gonna have words with our wood.
4. My best performance seemed to be the dance I accepted with a table during Jay and Brad's performance of "You".
5 Sam was possessed by the spirit of Lee Rogers, being forced against his will to sing with an Irish accent! - I don't know how he did it, but Lee Rogers obviously wanted to keep playing....
6. Laurie (was that his name?) was attacked by a tiger on his way to the Barn, but performed in his post-ravage T-shirt anyway (Nick complemented him on his nipples).
7. Me, Chris and Terry shared percussion duties during Andy's great version of "Stuck in the middle with you." (although Terry had the advantage over us with his larger "kit").
8. There was a late start and still Nick managed to get 16 performers on after the two hour slots! - it was toich and go for a while - but that's another blog entirely....
9. Ade Cull happened to play my favourite song of his! - without me reverting to the voodoo that Lee Rogers used to possess Sam.
10. Nick played like Pete Townsend and compered like Dave Lettermen (is that ok Nick? - I expect you want some comparisons...) He played "Swiss Roll" with a passion that made him look 40 years younger.
11. Loads of singing - loads it's fun!
Manu played with masses of soul, hands glided past the strings as he took his own songs to the perfect vehicle and made every cover into what sounded like his own....I, at the end of his set, thought "I could listen to Manu all night!"...
- then Lee Rogers gave us a performance that will be talked about in years to come. His voice was a beautiful mix of John Martyn, Joe Cocker, Van Morrison and someone else that Ben coudn't remember. His playing delicate, sensitive to the material, powerful and dynamic. The way his voice occasionally "growled" the words, like John Martyn does in "Solid Air" etc, was pretty special. It was a magical night!
I better go to sleep now, as it's 4am and im close to collapsing....
Nighty night!
Gareth
p.s. I didn't mention my album when I was near the mic! although to be fair, the element of surprise has sometimes been a useful tool....my album will be ready soon.