Blizzards and Bluegrass

(Posted by Martin @ 3:29 am,  April 13, 2008)

In my ignorance, I’ve always associated bluegrass music with the warmer parts of the USA.

It came as an eye opener to be watching a very neat Colorado Springs band called the Acme Bluegrass Band about seven hours after having had a caterpiller-tracked bulldozer pull our motorhome out of a snow-induced jam. Getting stuck in the snow at Castle Rock campground was almost fun when the whole vehicle was being dragged smartly backwards out of it’s jam just five minutes after we’d put it there in the first place.

But the bluegrass band was a seriously good ending to the day. We’d gone to Colorado Springs to visit Les Irvin a friend who played mandolin on two songs from ‘Love and Other Vices’. He announced that he was playing mandolin with his band that night. Although they only play for beer money, they are seriously good musicians; I guess you have to be, to play bluegrass at all.

And they were brilliant fun as well. ‘Sebie’ the guitarist and main singer was a molten ball of jumping, grinning fun and fine licks, while his wife Tracy, stood with only her fingers moving on her acoustic bass as she sang great harmonies and lead vocals. Les leaned up against the back wall of the stage, one foot crossed in front of the other whether he was chugging out a rhythm part or zipping through some blistering solo.

Speaking of which, the banjo player, John was astonishing. Amongst other songs, they played a bluegrass version of Johnny B Goode (who could play that banjo just like ringin’ a bell). John belted out a thrilling, rocking cascade of non-stop 16th notes at 150bpm on his banjo without the tiniest slip. Guitar shredders of the world, give up. You’ve been beaten.

The weather outside may have been cold, but the music inside was hot.

Martin.

Forum registration fixed

(Posted by chris @ 9:12 pm,  April 10, 2008)

With apologies to anyone who tried to register with the forums, there was a fault that broke the ability to register as a new user. I probably had to fix or patch something else, and broke the forum thing as a consequence. It’s now working again…

The adventure begins!

(Posted by Martin @ 2:18 pm,  April 1, 2008)

After what seemed to be a whole mountain range of ‘last minute’ preparations, Strings and I have finally made it over the ocean to the USA. Huzzah!

We flew over to Boston, Massachusetts and have temporarily based ourselves at a friend’s house a half hour north of the city.

On Friday 21st March we played our first house concert; Kick Off Your Shoes. It went really well, with Strings settling right into her jokey banter between songs and having the full-house in fits of laughter. Then we’d hit ‘em with another sad song to get them crying again. Emotional manipulation is the way ahead!

We have nearly got our motorhome sorted out and will be picking it up on April 4th. Then, as soon as we’ve got it stocked up we’ll be heading out to Colorado and the Rocky Mountains. We plan to take in the scenary for a week or so while getting busy contacting people to arrange more gigs.

Martin.

Tour Blog

(Posted by chris @ 4:06 pm,  March 22, 2008)

Strings and Martin have been in the USA now for less than a week and are currently absorbed in getting various humdrum things like mobile phones and motorhomes sorted out.

They had time to play a house concert in Topsfield, MA, last night, and we’ll get some words and pictures here ASAP.

And you know what? Now they’ve left the UK, I’m damned envious! I wish I could take most of a year out and still get my career back at the end of it. As it is, it’s not to be. Hopefully, I’ll fly over and hook up with them for a week or so later in the year.

Right: back to nailing more of the website back together!

–Chris