Childless Creativity
Next month sees this year's Childless festival at Chester Storyhouse. The 2 day event (September 23rd-24th) explores childlessness in all its forms. I have been roped into volunteered to take part in one of the panels. I am childless by choice and will be part of a men's panel discussing what it's like being childless, either voluntarily or involuntarily, and how it impacts creativity, purpose and legacy. As the panel will be looking at creativity I was "volunteered" to write a song for the event, which I have done. It's "global exclusive first-time performance" will be at this panel.
For more info follow this link https://www.storyhouse.com/seasons/storyhouse-childless/
Gigging with a broken leg
I'd promised back in March to play this wedding in August and I didn't want my broken leg to break that promise. Huge thanks to my long-suffering partner Dawn for lugging all my kit around and for helping me setup. This was my first gig in several months and it went really well thanks to a lovely audience. I'd never even visited The Chester Fields pub before, it's a smashing spot!
Wot no gigs??
The observant amongst you will notice that I haven't played many gigs of late. I hope this picture goes some way to explaining why. On June 1st I went climbing to Pentre Halkyn, a lovely little natural bouldering site near Holywell in North Wales. Mistakes were made. On June 2nd I had a fairly major surgery to remedy those mistakes and have been out of action ever since. Consequently I had to cancel gigs I had arranged for Cornerhouse and Chester Market. I can still play sitting down of course but live gigs tend to involve lots of equipment and lugging that around at the moment is not an option. This self-imposed house arrest has meant I've finished another one of my songs (see previous post) and am well on the way to finishing another so I hope to have a couple more tracks out over the next few months. I hope to be back playing live before Christmas.
Covers or Originals – you choose!
Exciting news people! My old friend Les "Fruitbat" Carter, formerly of the legendary Carter USM, and currently of the mighty Abdoujaparov, has asked me to support Abdou at their Chester gig on May 5th at The Saddle Inn. I'm a bit scared, I'll be playing a set of my originals and it'll be the first time in a long time, but as Les is largely the reason I began writing and releasing music I could hardly say no!
I'll post ticket details as and when I get them but would be great to see you there.
If you'd like to hear me play other people's songs for free though I'm back at the Chester Market on Saturday April 29th and on Friday May 26th xx
Live at Cornerhouse this Friday 24th March
I'm back at Cornerhouse this Friday 24th March for a solo outing, back there in June with Echochamber