The Great Outdoor Experience announce next gig

After a summer of "writing and keen observations", THE GREAT OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE have announced details of their next gig. On Friday 16th September they are playing at the Servants Jazz Quarters at 10A Bradbury St, Dalston, London N16 8JN. Support comes from The Fruitful Earth. Apparently, there's a speakeasy atmosphere in the venue, which is owned and run by friends of the band. Doors open at 9pm, and it's £3 on the door.

RTYD at 4 Denmark St: A great indoors experience (not so great, outdoors)

Two years ago I started ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP online. One and a half years ago I put on my first gig, at the Dublin Castle in Camden. Three months later I put on my second gig - back then one gig every three months seemed about the right frequency. On the bill that night along with Spirit of Play and 14 Carat Grapefruit, were the Dipsticks and The Great Outdoor Experience. Last night at one of ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP's new haunts at 4 Denmark St., these two bands met again.

Was it only a year and a quarter ago that I first met these guys? It feels like I've known them much longer. And the way it's going I will know them for many more years to come. That has been the success of the gigs over the last eighteen months. The attendances may not have always been that impressive, but the network of bands that RTYD has inspired in London is what makes me happiest.

I'm going to cut back on the gigs I put in on in the New Year. I'm not going to put on regular gigs at the Dublin or Hope or the Fiddlers. And I think I have to knock the Libertine acoustic gigs. I know I have threatened to do it before. But I want to cut back to (mostly) one gig a month, and like last night's gig, at 4 Denmark St.

Denmark St. is a great location. Apart from transport-wise, it is also a good location because everyone knows where it is, and what it stands for. The venue is a good size - 100+ capacity. It is a simple PA set up. I like Isabelle who is the new manager. Long may it last.

Anyway, last night the Dipsticks sounded fantastic there. Despite the heavy rain outside, the band's loyal  fans came out in support and along with a contingent of passing trade, began the night's whooping and dancing. Patrick Begley's lead guitar playing sounded more confident than ever, and his whammy bar work evoked the spirit of the big-H, Himself.

I never get tired of hearing and watching them. And despite being motionless, save his spider-fingers and gum-masticating jaw, the Entwhistle-like figure of Mark McKendrick is as always enthralling. So on it. So in it.

The Dipsticks are for life, not just for Christmas, when they play again at their home venue The Constitution in Camden (11th December).

The Great Outdoor Experience, led by Phil Ram, never disappoint either. They have to be one of the best three-pieces around. Phil is the consummate frontman, one who is not hindered by being tied to a microphone stand by his guitar playing. They unveil a handful of new songs tonight and fill the club with beautiful pop-rock polystyrene chips. God bless them and the outdoors they care so deeply about.

For me the post-gig outdoors experience was not a great one. I cycled home in torrential rain with a sore throat and a throbbing headache, and then I wake the next morning to find my voice box will not open.

The Times they-are-a-writing

It's 6am on Saturday morning, and this is the first time since Thursday that I've had to sit down and blog. Which is good, of course, because it is a sign that I am busy. And I like to be busy.

I'm always worried about the ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP nights at Fiddler's because, for whatever reason, people don't flock to them. The venue is five minutes from Chalk Farm tube, past The Enterprise pub, and down Crogsland Road, NW1, but this seems to be too far for many, or simply venturing into the 'unknown'. And as you know, most people don't like the 'unknown'. Those that do venture there, discover a great venue, with a good stage, sound and layout, and friendly staff. So I do hope it gains popularity. It deserves to.

Anyway, Thursday night's gig at the Fiddler's was made a bit special by the arrival on Thursday afternoon of an email from a young journalist from The Times, who wanted to talk to me about a piece she is intending to write on mature musicians, and to attend the gig with a photographer. Fantastic! We all know there's a great story in 'mature musicians'. It was just a matter of time before someone had the enthusiasm to write it. Apparently, another London promoter had given our young journalist, Mary, a heads-up about ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP, and being a musician herself she was sufficiently intrigued to listen to music by some of the bands associated with site. She said she was so impressed by what she heard, she felt there was a good story in it; a story about what motivates the mature musician to continue making music past the point that they are too old to 'make it'.

Man! My specialised subject. So I rang Mary and she interviewed me for 25 minutes. I couldn't say enough. I was virtually gushing. She was already aware of 14 Carat Grapefruit and Punks Not Dad, who she had already emailed but was was keen to come down to the Fiddler's to talk to, and photograph, more mature musicians and bands. And she came! Remember the days when you put A&R and journalists on the guest list, and they didn't turn up!

She came down with two associates, one a photographer, and so I fed her mature musicians throughout the night, and she proceeded to take them to a quiet place and eat them. I mean, interview them.
 
First I introduced Mary to Phil Ram of The Great Outdoor Experience, whose story, as some of you may know, includes a short spell in punk band The Vibrators in the early 80s. Tox from 14 Carat Grapefruit came down to show his support and was happy to talk, so I introduced him next. Then it was Luke Toms, who was playing with his band The Luke Toms Vanity Project. Now, Luke also has an interesting story, because he had a contract with a major record company (I think it was Virgin), for whom he made an album that was then 'shelved', and has never been released. I'd put him in his mid 30s. And finally, I sent in Conal Cunningham who fronts Loose Fruit Museum, the headlining band, which is remarkable for fact that they have been going, with various personnel changes since the 80s, or was it the 90s? A long time anyway.

I have to confess I was buzzing about it all. Even the next day.

Anyway, more about the gig in my next blog. There are a few photos here. And I have videos to post to YouTube.

The Great Indoor Experience: RTYD at The Libertine

Last night, it was RTYD's first 'electric' gig night at The Libertine.

The last gig I put on there in September was an afternoon acoustic show, which had been quite successful, but this was the first 'evening' and 'electric' show I had put on. The fact that there was only two bands on the bill, meant that tonight I was just a little concerned about attendance. I naturally wanted to impress the venue staff with a decent turnout. The reason for the two band bill was the early live music curfew at 10pm, and this only added to my worry. I must stop worrying about stuff.

I thought sound check would be a piece of cake but the late arrival of the drum kit held the whole thing up. This, and afore mentioned 'concerns', turned my mouth dry and my bowels somewhat loose, so I had to have a couple of beers to calm myself. I should have known better though, because soundcheck, as usual, caught up with itself and by 8:15 when the first band, Milk Roar, was due to go onstage, everything was in place.

Milk Roar's frontman Andy Clarke, alias 'Ming The Mong', virtually walked straight into the pub and onto stage with his newspaper still in his hand. He even took a break early in the set, and mid-song, to visit the bar for the first time, in order to wet his whistle. He made full use of his limited space at the front of the stage, at times even wandering off stage to stand before his band, who played heads down in support of his tirades of gripes and grievances, delivered in a Hugh Cornwell-reading-from-the-Sun-newspaper, spoken-singing voice.

The Great Outdoor Experience arrived with a light show and a couple of boxes filled with copies of their brand new EP, which mid-gig they asked me to hand out to those assembled, who (mostly) seemed very grateful. The band were on top form last night, Phil Ram building up his customary sweat and throwing all sorts of rock-postures, shapes and moves, and capitalising on the pub-floor before him, running out on to it as if onto a walkway into the crowd at Wembley Stadium. Great showmanship, from the former-Vibrator, who always includes a version of the song he-co wrote for the punk band as a member in 1980, Disco in Moscow.

Come ten o'clock, and on a roll, the curfew was overlooked for a couple of Great Outdoor Experience encores and dancing ensued, courtesy of one avid fan, anyway.

My other self-imposed duty was to be DJ for the remainder of the night. This gave me time to reflect, if not entirely relax. Feedback was positive from those that approached me, and there were even enquiries about further events, as well as a few additions to the mailing list. I think the venue manager and the bands were all pleased with how things went.

It was nice to see RTYD members, Tox from 14 Carat Grapefruit, John Rigby and Claire Gamble of Easy/Medium/Hard there, as well as Andy from Probing Cranks, who came out to support his mates Milk Roar.

The next 'electric' gig at The Libertine is on Saturday 7th November, and features performances from South London bands, the Trick Noise Makers and Spirit of Play. Yours truly will also once again be DJ-ing.

'Take the old gits gigging, take them gigging..'

Okay. The Dublin Castle. I was pleasantly surprised with the turnout. I was so pleased Colin Gillman came with his bassman Adam Donovan in tow. I was pleased to meet John Rigby - lovely guy, and local, and knows about web sites, and wants to put together a post-punk type band, if you're interested. I was pleased that the band Creak came along, it was nice to meet them, and Gray Dourson came too, as you may have noticed from his discussion on the subject entitled The Dublin Castle: A view from the floor. Colin too has written a review of his experience of the night and in particular seeing 14 Carat Grapefruit. I couldn't beat it, so read his blog Hats off to the Grapefruit here.

Now Colin arrived too late to see the Dipsticks so his blog doesn't include comment on their performance. So I will. Led by the blue suede shoed Patrick Begley, ambulance driver by trade and songwriter and guitarist by nature, and supported by the rock steady rhythm section of Mark McKendrick (who incidentally hadn't played or even been in the Dublin Castle for 32 years!) and Angie Thedrummer (who's could well have been born that same night, judging by her youthful looks), the band entertained a home crowd with their mid-tempo blues rock and Patrick's lyricism. They even had the females in front dancing in the first few minutes. It was an early goal for Rock-Til-You-Drop. Did this mean it would all go down hill from here? It did for Everton over the weekend. Thankfully it did not.

Spirit of Play also brought a decent crowd, and entertained them successfully with their witty lyrics and four-part harmonies. And Wendy wowed the McGuinn fans among us with her electric twelve string.

While I defer to Colin's review of 14 Carat Grapefruit, I do have to say what a lovely bunch of guys they were, and like all the bands on the night, punctual, reliable and very friendly. They had us all in stitches for just over 30 minutes.

Unfortunately, the division between live area and bar took it's toll on the last band The Great Outdoor Experience who played to a fairly empty room. Apparently, they'd played on the Saturday previous and therefore shot their load for that week. Naughty. Oblivious though, they played a blistering set.

Dove Jones was a wonderful MC as usual, and Steve 'Dog-Headed Man' Musham, left me singing Holiday in Cambodia and Take the Skinheads Bowling for the next few days.

MySpace...MyArse...My Advice.... to older bands (including my own): Make every gig count

I went to see The Great Outdoor Experience (TGOE) last night. I've booked these guys to play the next Rock-Til-You-Drop night, and I was especially keen to meet their lead singer and guitarist Phil Ram.

When I arrive Phil is busy with pre-gig arrangements so he introduces me to the band: Adam, who plays bass, and James, the drummer. We chat for a short time before they too have to attend to pre-gig duties.

We're at The Abbey Tavern in Kentish Town. The musicians at the Soundbites Club play through small amps and sing through a small PA here. There is a compere. And the gig is free to enter, so the bar is busy, largely with 20-30-somethings. The bill is a mixture of bands and duos.

I'm not drinking. I'm not in the mood, after a weekend of it. Its about 9:15 when I arrive.

After technical and tuning problems the TGOE get up to speed with Better World, and its Shadows-style lead intro. Phil's songs, as his band's name suggests are concerned with the natural world, with finding peace and beauty through nature and love, and by renouncing all things material and ephemeral. You know the message, and lifestyle.

Their set is rushed by earlier technical problems but they play the end of their set at full tilt, the penultimate song being one which Phil co-wrote whilst briefly in The Vibrators back around 1980. Tonight it's hard to imagine him playing in a punk band. Reference point - someone I can: TV Smith - who still wears drainpipes and boots and tight cap-sleeved t-shirts.

After their performance, I don't get a chance to speak to Phil as he is busy with a group of friends that have come down to see him, but I leave feeling like I do occasionally after my own band's gigs. Like it was a good gig. The band played well. But who for? A few friends and a respectful and polite but indifferent audience. What is the consequence of this gig? How does this gig move the band forward? If I wandered into The Abbey Tavern tonight and happened upon TGOE, and kinda liked them, what next?

Well, I might go home and find their MySpace page. Even if I fucking hate myspace - I would probably start here. Because the music's on the front page. MySpace looks shit. It's badly designed, the important bits are too small and hard to find, and ads are always moving and popping out at you. You can't really personalise it either - whatever you do it looks like MySpace - shit.

Anyway, so I look. There's a player. The profile is too long. It's unreadable, and out of date. The band picture is awful. Doesn't show you anything. Further down, there's a list of friends, including Arthur Brown, and endless messages. A pointless waste of (my)space.

The thing is. Where are the CDs for sale - or the link to them? The T-shirts? The Merchandise? If I'm going to follow this band, I need something to follow, something to buy. In lieu of the press, where's the blog? Where's the imagery, the identity? The lyrics? The CD artwork? The personality?

Nowhere to be seen. It is killed by the limitations MySpace.

To be fair to TGOE, they do actually have a website, but it's out of date. It's been under re-construction for a while now. This is a shame. This needs to be a priority.

Now, I'm just using TGOE as an example. They are not alone. My band don't have a website. Or new CDs to sell. Or T-Shirts. The point is, it is worth doing more around the gig itself to make the gig pay off. To make every gig count. There is more to it than just playing and going home, as two-thirds of the band did immediately their performance was over.