Americana 2008

Friday, 22 August 2008

Been a while since this happened but I thought I'd finally get round to blogging about my Americana 2008 experience. We're at the Strumpshaw festival in Norfolk at the moment. It's 7pm and we're not on until 11 (?!), so I have some down time, a pocket PC and a weak mobile web signal - let's blog!

I played with Jay Chevalier at the Americana last year, very much a shout out a key and count it in sort of affair. I don't think Jay even looked at me the whole night and he went onstage in a purple shiny suit, so it wasn't the best gig ever by a long way! Anyway, I got booked again to be in his backing band this year. CDs sent out and tracks to learn and all. So I dutifully turn up for the gig only to find Brian Duggan (the Americana stage manager) and the rest of the backing band looking very sheepish. Turns out that Jay had turned up with a piano player in tow so we had a surplus ivory (well, Kurzweil plastic) tinkler. Being ever the gentleman I fell on my sword and the other guy did the gig. Brian, also being a gent, sorted out my fee and something for my troubles. Paid and home for tea...

I hung around for a while to catch Gail Davies' set, which was very cool and who was on guitar but Dave Luke - an old friend I hadn't seen for years and years. He's a great player with a wonderful clean Telecaster sound. T'was great to catch up with him.

Also, while I was ligging around the new name for my MP3 downloads website, which I'd being wanting to rebrand for ages, popped into my head - StowawayMusic.com. Works on lots of levels don't ya think?

So there you go, Americana 2008 - no playing but all kinds of other stuff happened.

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