All quiet on the southern front...

It's been quiet on here, sorry about that. But stuff is happening. Slowly.
Things have been a bit difficult on the non-music front recently but hopefully they'll be settling down over the next couple of months.
But we've still been practising, sporadically, as a band, and we've got a cracking gig on Friday night (tickets here: https://www.seetickets.com/event/dan-webster-band/the-crescent/1291379?fbclid=IwAR0IoqXk3Q3ICWBY5fE2MAsm74ex1r9Sp_wohyUI2-DgRrKdWJefWEhHgys) and I'm about 90% there on the next solo EP.

Shall I give you a spoiler? Why not, it's going to be called, "The Dead Detectives Club."

Solo gig at the Basement

On Thursday night I will be doing a solo gig at The Basement - Live Music & Comedy Venue. It's a singer-songwriter evening with Dan Webster, Rich Hardcastle from Karno's Circus, Chris Mather from The Savoy Ballroom and Carol Henderson.
The music will start around 8:30ish and we'll be going round in a circle taking turns with the songs. It'll be £4 on the door.
The challenge is what songs to play!
I've made a shortlist:
Stressed - http://drewstephenson.bandcamp.com/track/stressed
The song of the henchman - https://soundcloud.com/blinddrew/the-song-of-the-henchman
A ballad of installations
The White Tower - http://drewstephenson.bandcamp.com/track/the-white-tower
Not like this (a brand new song - about death of course)
6 Monkey Song
Ok (also known as the dead girlfriend song) -http://drewstephenson.bandcamp.com/track/ok
Goodnight - https://soundcloud.com/blinddrew/goodnight
The engineer
No dreams - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBoZ9NxWf_E&list=UUKZj0zfIVJjYdcX8DHnwqRA
so if there's anything you particularly want to hear, shout out in the comments.

Here's the link for the gig:https://www.facebook.com/events/518235204945473

Full Band Gig!

A gig you say?
A band you say?
What's all this about then?

Yes indeedy the band has its first gig. We'll be supporting The Dan Webster Band and Vesper Walk at The Woolpack on Wednesday 23rd July.

We're working on a couple of approaches for the band; some gigs will be with a full drum kit and electric geetars and amps and all that stuff, some will be stripped back with a cajon and acoustics. York's music scene being what it is* I expect we'll be doing a lot more of the latter.

This gig will be of the stripped back variety and we're currently working on a set list that should give a nice mix of some new songs, some old songs and a couple of re-worked ones.

Finding places to play original music in York is not the easiest thing nowadays, and this will be one of the last gigs that the Woolpack puts on. That's a shame but all the more reason to come down.

So we've got some songs, we've got a gig, but of course we're still working on a band name. Any suggestions? Pop 'em in the comments.
Stay well
Drew

* I'm not having a dig at the York scene by the way, we have an excellent crop of acousticky-type musicians in York and a lot of venues and pubs who support them. Trying to get a full band gig of original music means a lot fewer options though.

Ghost blogs and gig

This blo-og, is comin' like a ghost blog etc etc etc.

Firstly, last minute gig news: Out of nowhere, a gig appears! I'll be playing at the food festival on Parliament Street at 7pm, and later on I'll be playing a bit of bass with Dan Webster. There'll be food, beer and music - what more do you want?

Secondly, we now have a band. Yes indeedy, although I'm very sorry to say goodbye (musically) to Dr Jones now that she's in Sheffield, both a drummer and bass player have now been recruited.
We have obtained rehearsal space and are knocking up some songs.
You wouldn't call it "Rock", but it's definitely a bit more like that than what I've been doing for the last few years.
More updates will follow when we sort out some gigs.

Late Notice Gig in York!

Tonight, that's sunday night 5th August, to celebrate the pub's 10th birthday, I will be playing at the Rook and Gaskill along with a whole host of other folks.
Free to enter, full line up below:
11ish Mr Pants and the Spectacles

10.00 David Ward Maclean

9.15 Aimie J Ryan

8.30 Lee Parry

7.45 Drew Stephenson

7.00 Chris Barnes

4.45 Rookoustic 120, two hours of the world's best open mic.

4.15 Zack Ford

3.30 Liberty Hutchinson

2.45 Amy Greene

2.00 Jane Stockdale

1.20 Adrian Spendlow

Furhter details for Facebookie types: https://www.facebook.com/events/387352334652242/393858404001635/?notif_t=plan_mall_activity

Sorry about the late notice, was expecting to be working this weekend but find myself unexpectedly free.

1 week to go!

Now then, two-and-a-bit years' work and now we're down to just one week to go. I will confess to being more than a bit excited...

We've got the support acts lined up: Serve Immediately... and Dan Webster,
We've got the venue sorted out, 1331 on Grape Lane in York,
We've got our set-list chosen (it's a secret)
And we've got a fair number of you coming down to make it all happen.

To say thank you for all the support we've had, we'd like to buy you a drink, so if you're going to come down, drop me a line, we'll add you to the guest list, and your first drink is on us!

And for anybody who's not yet had chance to hear us play, you can listen to some tracks from the album on myspace now (full length tracks as well, none of that 30-second-sample rubbish)

Hope to see loads of you there
stay well

CDs and listening and stuff

Right, well amongst other things, last night i picked up the CDs.
That's about where the good news stops.
The bad news involves having a disagreement with my car about where we were going and coming to a decision that upside down in the ditch was the answer.
That and finding out there's a problem with the CDs.
It's fair to say that i've had better days*.

But, i'll be sorting out the cds in time for the launch. So, date for your diary.
Friday 19th November.
Upstairs in 1331 (Grape Lane in York)
Free entry
We'll be playing, Dr Jones' other band will be playing and we'll be joined by the excellent Dan Webster as well.
CDs (in all their corrected glory) will be available for ten of your english pounds.

For those of you who've pre-ordered and aren't based in York, i'll be getting yours in the post to you once they're sorted and i'll sent you bank details.

In between now and then i will be putting the various tracks up in various places (myspace and bandcamp) so that you can have a listen prior to parting with your hard earned. 

Watch out for a flyer nearer the time (i.e. when i've had time to do it**) that will help persuade you that this really is the best thing to do on friday night.
Stay well
Drew

*As, to be fair, has the car.And, unlike the car, i don't have a scratch on me.
** Today i have mostly been speaking to insurance companies and their associates.