Viale XV Luglio, 1, 31100 Treviso, Italy
+39 389 838 4316
Music from about 8pm
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0 Eden Cafe – Treviso – Italy
0 Overcoming Writers Block with New Equipment (New Live Song Uploaded)
After the release of 4 albums combined called ‘Go Forth Bright Scenic‘ back in 2012 it’s understandable that one should be out of material.
That was always kinda the point for me. To draw a line under things and to start again.
This was after feeling that maybe as a solo artist I was risking feeling stale and so to shake things up following the release of ‘Go Forth Bright Scenic‘ was the best way to go forward, so to speak. And by shaking things up I really don’t mean much more than to really take my time with new material and to be a bit more calculated with the process of songwriting.
In the past I was simply writing songs as and when they came to my head. The real art (for me) was the urgency with which I would wake myself up (Ideas often came when falling asleep) or pull the tour van over; or stop whatever it was I was doing to fully focus on getting an idea documented.
This time however I wanted to go about things with a different approach. At first I thought it could be seeking inspiration elsewhere and so I attempted to broaden my taste and started digesting music less familiar and often much more discordant to my ears than previously digested hoping that somehow the influence may shift my subconscious to produce something new. But this didn’t seem to work as new ideas simply did not come. Also compounded by the fact I was on the road for nearly a year and songs just didn’t materialise at all.
Eventually 18 months later I decided to take a plunge and invest in some new equipment. I begun by going against all my musical morals and bought a sampler.
I had taken to some intense laptop time and as a result had developed some sounds which I knew would just never be able to be reproduced live. So with this in mind I took to breaking my rule of (never using pre recorded sounds in a live context). It took 8 years to get to this point but I felt quite confident that this was the right thing to do.
So I set up my live rig (Looper, guitar, mic, Chimes set) and would rehearse on a daily basis recording almost everything with little or no aim or direction. The Sampler would be run through the looper and it would be simply added to the layers I normally use. The music naturally begun to become more electronic than ever before.
Next I added to the mix two effects pedals. But instead of running them through the guitar I connected them to the mic that was already a part of the loop station set up.
The DD6 by Boss and the Vintage XP-100 Whammy Wah by Digitech were both there as back ups to my normal set up for guitar. So to have them with me was a natural progression and I knew how to use them. The DD6 gave options of messing with delays of various kinds including the super sweet backwards sound and the hold option for Glitch style time shifts. The XP-100 offered pick shifting and harmonising joy. Perfect to mess with the voice and the chimes set.
So then that was it. I messed around and listened back and then tried to hone what I had. Hours of indulgence (which I had little trouble with) 😉
Over time I was beginning to find a sense of structure in what was coming and eventually 4 new compositions found there way into the live setlist. Then it was time to return to the the road. My European tour would last 5 months and would take me through UK, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Czech Rep, Austria, Italy (where I am as I type), Switzerland & France tolling about 100 shows. This enabled me ample opportunity to play these songs live and to hope to evolve them with each show.
Then came additional purchases whilst on the road:
Despite it having a very christmas reindeer sound I invested guided by the inspiration of John Stanier of the band Battles who managed to integrate a very similar sounding device into a far from Christmas sounding song.
The final acquisition from the road came when playing in Kracow. I wandered through a market to find this cute little music box for sale. It plays a traditional Polish tune and when I hold it to the mic and put on the effects pedals it creates a wonderful and unique atmosphere.
Thus far the new bits are rarely being utilised within the new songs but are helping to create sounds refreshing to me and in good time I hope it will become a unique addition to the new material.
Anyway for anyone who made it this far into rambles here is a new live version of a tune recorded at the end of last month out in Pszczyna – Poland. I hope you enjoy 🙂
0 Rialto – Rome – Italy (Guest Vocalist with Zero Call)
in 2012 I collaborated with Italian band ZERO CALL
We made this song:
On 25th October I will perform with them in Rome as guest vocalist. This will be the only time to perform this song live in 2014.
Via di Sant’Ambrogio, 4, 00186 Roma
https://www.facebook.com/events/1570156113207902
Music will begin @ 10pm
0 Songs from Every Album – Febo – Orvieto – Italy
Orvieto has always been a special place for me to play. In 4 of the 5 times I have toured through Italy I have played there. This time however was in a different venue to those of previous trips due to Noise complaints putting the other venue out of action (a common theme the world over).
So this time I was playing a bar called Febo also in the heart of the Town. Incidentally the town is located in a unique position as it has been built on top of a very large rock. The streets there are very narrow so I had to leave ‘Udo’ (the tour van) at the bottom of the hill and have a lift up with the gear all squeezed into a little car.
Set 1
1st Sunday (Currently Unreleased)
Set 2
Bugscope (Currently Unreleased)
Decide (Currently Unreleased)
The set list was a unique one in the sense that I played songs from all 7 of the albums released over my nearly 9 years on the road. Also 3 songs as yet unreleased that I have been trying out on this trip. One of which can be heard here from an earlier show in the tour. Designed to Stop was the only song from my 2006 debut included in an otherwise mish mash set of material.
From here my next show will be in Perugia where I return for a 2nd time on this trip.
0 RIP Melsie – Melissa Galea – 6/10/1980 – 24/10/2014
Melissa Galea was someone I only knew for a short while. During my 2nd Australia tour back in 2009 I was opening for Aussie troubadour Paul Greene on the east coast. It was our 3rd jaunt together following Aussie 2 years prior and the UK a year later.
However this time things were different. Paul had a tour manager.
Melsie had been tour managing Paul for at least 6 months by now and it was clear the hours spent driving around this enormous island had flourished into a strong friendship between the two. I could understand too as Mel was built for the road. She had a zest for life and adventure and worked only to ensure we made it to the gig in good time and that we both enjoyed the journey.
During touring it can become easy to clash with people just due to the intensity of the experience and the amount of time spend together. With Mel that was never the case. When Paul and I would lock horns from time to time one would expect the tour manager to side with her employer and close friend. But she never did. She was on no ones side other than the side of logic and progress. The chance was there to ostracise me or even add fuel to the fire but that was never her way. She simply wanted us to be the best and most professional we could be and for all issues to be resolved as quickly as possible. This for me was a life saver. I had come from a New Zealand tour of many months alone and to suddenly be sharing the road with others and to feel a little powerless and out of control of my destiny was a big culture shock. But thanks very much to Mel not only did the tour become easy and relaxed but also a total joy. Paul and I were able to clear up our differences and enjoyed the road.
After a couple of months on the road the tour wrapped itself up in Sydney and Mel, Paul and myself ventured out separate ways. I have many great memories of that trip. Jamming together in various places. Dancing like no one was watching at festivals and constant jokes and jibes at one another. I remember Mel laughing hysterically at me when a spider came into the tour van and dropped to the floor inside the van. I reacted like a little girl. We could not see it and despite spraying lots of bug killer it had vanished. For the whole rest of that days journey I refused to put my feet on the floor which gave Mel plenty of ammunition to take the piss.
I’m pleased to say that was not the final time I saw Mel. 2 years later I was back to play some concerts in New Zealand and was stopping over for a connecting flight at the Gold Coast airport and who should I bump into. We sat and had coffee for an hour or so. She was on her way to Thailand and was blissfully excited to be beginning the “adventure of a lifetime”. Her warmth of character was perfect against the cold backdrop of customs and security and after hours of time spent in planes and airports it was perfect to be reconnecting with someone so human.
Mel will be missed by so many. This news story is testament to the love and friendship Mel attracted with her honest, salt of the Earth character.
To quote my fellow troubadour Paul Greene:
“She’ll be the life of the party where ever she is…Safe onward journey Melsie”
0 Gingillo Loungecafe – Perugia – Italy
Strada Perugia – San Marco, 06131 Perugia, Italia
+39 075 41442
Music starts around 9pm
0 The Italy Tour Rolls Forward
Set 1
1st Sunday (Currently Unreleased)
Before Your Very Eyes (Atoms for Peace Cover)
Decide (Currently Unreleased)
Set 2
Bugscope (Currently Unreleased)
SWOTWAT (Currently Unreleased)
MY 2nd show of the Italy tour was in the scenic town of Passignano next to Lake Trasimeno. The venue was run by music loving folk and for me a chance to enjoy the location and a chance to try stuff old and new. All 4 of the new tunes in the set got a play through aswell as City at Night from my Debut album released back in 2006. The song itself has not had an outing since I don’t know when. Which was nice for me but made no bones to the audience who were new to all the material.
I chucked in an Atoms for Peace cover midway through the 1st set for shits and giggles but really the highlight of the night was after the set when I parked up the tour van next to the lake and watched the night sky for a couple of hours. The shooting stars were out and the surroundings were serene. The following morning the view was just as perfect in the sun 🙂
My next show will be in the hills 2 hours south.
0 First Ever Shows in Switzerland Announced!!!!!
It gives me great pleasure to say that as a part of the final leg of my 5 month European tour I will be performing my debut shows in Switzerland.
Geneva and Zurich will be my destinations en route to my final appearances in France and Germany before I return to the UK.
I am grateful to the people who have helped me to keep busy during the travels not just in Switzerland but also in Poland, Czech Rep, Austria, Italy, Germany, France, Netherlands and the UK. It has been one hell of a tour.
I still have to make it through the Swiss mountains yet so fingers crossed it all works out.
Stoo
0 Rome concert announced with Zero Call performing ‘This College Year’
in 2012 I collaborated with Italian band ZERO CALL
We made this song:
On 25th October I will perform with them in Rome as guest vocalist. This will be the only time to perform this song live in 2014.
Rialto, Via di Sant’Ambrogio, 4, 00186 Roma
0 Febo – Orvieto – Italy – 6pm show
Via Gualverio Michelangeli, 7, Orvieto Terni
0763 341057
Live music from about 6pm
