Posted by Gareth Then a classic open mic started - I say classic because it was most of the best (Del and others weren't there but....) and everyone was on great form - and me and Ritchie introduced our dodgy name LOL - and managed to get through Old Habits without the guitar cutting out (that happened last time we played at the Barn - got the guitar fixed now though yay!) Talking of getting things fixed - when I arrived at 7.00ish, Nick told me his amp had blown - so I asked Ritchie to bring his with him - which he did and throughout the night Ritchie was the Barn sound technician as new equipment meant a new can of worms - I thought it illustrated how lovely Ritchie is that he didn't hesitate to bring it, sit at the performers side and watch their levels were okay before going back to his drink, then racing back if there was a problem. Ade (who for some reason likes playing first) played a great set to start the open mic off - first with Moon and the Marigold - which is off his brilliant CD (get it if you can) - and then my favourite of his songs "Skyswimming" - which really shows off his voice - and great sense of melody - it's an unusual tune I think - which is the magic of the song really - beautiful words. James did Alice In Chains' "Nutshell" (they've reformed yay!) - and The Verve's "On Your Own" - two songs that really suit him. Becky Anderson did "Hand in my Pocket" and something else - but I was running around the club at that point - so not sure what the second one was - sorry Becky! I ran back in to catch Leigh - and thankfully she'd only just started! (it's a problem you know trying to sit down and catch everyone because if you leave someone out I get messages saying "what about me???!!!!!!" - granted I sometimes forget to mention them after i've seen them! - but sometimes it's the whole "gotta go to the toilet or go and speak to someone" thing...so yeah, sorry Becky! - anyway! Leigh....ahhh Leigh was brill as usual - and she did Alanis' "You Outta Know" and did a storming version - she sounded like she meant it - and from where I was didn't make any cock-ups (she will be the first to tell me if she did) - and then did her beautiful "Me and You against the world" - aided by her male chorus (me. Rich and Oli - singing as loud as we can, grinning at her like a bunch of certified loonies LOL) Then it was us! Us that is - BEMIS! We have finally settled on a name - it's bloody hard getting a name that hasn't been taken - but we finally settled on something that we both like that was free. Turns out it's a bit dodgy though LOL - as people were shouting "Penis???" at us - mind you this is The Barn! LOL _ Kev Hardy reckons the publicity will be good (I think that's called looking on the bright side LOL) Anyway - we started with "Old Habits Die Hard" - the closest thing you'll hear to a rock song in my repertoire probably - that I brought back out again once I started working with Ritchie (only ever done it as a duo - it's not the same that one on your own) - and loved every munite of it - Ritchie was going for it, soloing between the parts of the song - and we did that thing where we change things slightly and somehow both read eachother's minds..... Then we did the Bemis version of "Brilliant Fire" - with Ritchie. second guitar, vocal harmony and solo. Heard the audience again in that one too. Yay! Nick came back on (he began the evening with "Sometimes") and gave us great performances of "Good is loving you" and the violent "Swiss Roll" (the neighbours huddle up together in fear of their lives when we "sing" that song). He was just like Elvis - only better (is that ok Nick?) The raffle appeared around this time - and it was another Jazz Raffle - and I had the assistance of Leigh telling me what the colours were LOL - and Hugh Hefner to the side dancing and filling in the scat while Rich got his 57 prizes. Brad was asleep in the gutter when we did the raffle.I want someone to shout "HOUSE" next time....that would make me smile. Becky Jerams was next - with a new song that had everyone around us totally gobsmacked! - Becky has written her first disco hit! - Brad, get a bassline on it, Jay, get a funky drumbeat on it - let's buy a brass section for it and dance like it says in her song!!! (great song Becky, nice to hear you singing so fast - lots of people don't bother trying to do that - I wrote a song when I first started where I sang fast but unfortunately the words were a bit naff so i'm not likely to play it now LOL Then she played a blinding version of "Spit" - with a guy on drums playing a consistent, parallel rhythm - changing the dynamics as she did - great stuff. (apparently he'd been nagging Terry all night to go on the drums - and kicked Rachel off to do it - but Rachel walked away with drumsticks so she was happy....) Jay performed his smoothy Paulo Nutini song LOL - which he does very well, then did Seal's "Kiss from a Rose" which had people singing along. Lauren performed "Mustang Sally" really well (of course) then did a duet with Terry!!! (I'd love to see them do Renee and Renate's "Save your love" as a duet actually.....maybe next week) - it was Joplin's "Mercedez Benz" - ideal for Lauren's voice. Rory Hefner sang his excellent song "Metal Heart" - and a new one which I also liked called "Ravenheart" (I think) - I bet you I got the title wrong - but the huge variety of ways to get "Machismo's" words wrong always makes me smile... Talking of "Machismo", I had one of the most powerful experiences i've had in a club this week. Really quite literally blew me away - I had no idea it would affect me like it did. I'll start by saying that Lee has been one of the most vocal supporters of my stuff since my new return to playing this year - he has ALWAYS thrown superlatives at me like I was collecting them - and making me feel really good - and I appreciate it loads mate - he was there to see the big set me Ritchie and Richie did at Titchfield and, most strangely, hugged me after I played Machismo last time at the Barn LOL (before I got off stage LOL). Well this week, Lee played "Machismo" - and he was bloody brilliant - he always is really good but (maybe it's extremely easy to play) Lee did a perfect version the song - and made it his own - he played the chords differently to how I play them - which made it more "his" is you like, which was excellent - and sang it in the key that would show his voice up the most. I was in the middle of The Barn so I spent the entire song fighting off tears LOL - I may have been completely embarrassed if my face had tears roaring down it - but if I hadn't have fought them off I would have been a state LOL - thank you sooooo much Lee for a special moment - and I know it's an odd thing to do - to do a song that everyone hears so much from me - but I take the compliment as its meant. - and thanks. - again. (bloody weird feeling when he was there and he started "I hear he wants to teach" - goosebump city) Knocking on Heaven's Door was also lovely - but Dylan wasn't there LOL Irish Sam did his swansong before buggering off to Sheffield!!!!! - we're gonna miss him hugely!!! - someone has to start doing Roy Bailey songs now! - actually i'm learning Ewan Maccoll's amazing "Ballad Of Accounting" at the moment- so I guess that's quite close.... He did a lovely Nanci Griffiths song which captured a moment that I shared with Ali - i'll try and describe it. It's a typically bouncy Griffiths song that makes you smile and Nick got everyone clapping to Sam's performance. EVERYONE WAS JOINING IN - it was typical of The Barn that we all felt connected by this performance by Sam - and I leaned over to Ali and told her I loved her - she said it back - and then I said "you can feel the love in the room can't ya?" - and she looked at me, smiled and nodded her head. What a place. Laurie completely took the atmosphere to a different place entirely and played his rock n roll thing - this time it was a bouncy number about stalking - which coming from Laurie was actually quite disturbing! Delta Elemental finished us off with a song that Steve tells me is their most popular on their page - and I think I like it more than the other one I mentioned a few blogs ago - but they both weren't happy about the PA. (not sure if they realise they wouldn't have one if Ritchie hadn't stepped in) An emotional night. A great night. - and next week it's Andy Muscat and Becky Jerams!!! Thanks to the people that replied to the last blog by the way - keep them coming if you have any mroe thoughts - it's an interesting debate I think.... - and please add yourself to the Bemis page if you haven't already! Gareth p.s. I need a cup of tea after this!
on September 9, 2006, 2:09 pm
80.3.160.11
So Rich got the evening to a great start - and Kramer took us through an hour of mellow, piano led Floydian ambience. Nice.
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