Happily Ever After
Life in The Rural Retreat with a beautiful wife, three cats, garden wildlife, a camera, a computer – and increasing amounts about running
Earlier posts can be found on Adventures of a Lone Bass Player, where this blog began life. Recent entries can be found here.
A Blast At The Bandstand
by admin - 20:47 on 02 November 2014
It's been a busy weekend with my second City Limits gig sandwiched between two days selling my wares at the Strathpeffer Craft and Food Fair. No guesses which I enjoyed more.
The Bandstand Bar, part of Nairn's Braeval Hotel, is the venue I almost played for the first time in March with The Deeds until circumstances forced a cancellation five hours before curtain up. It turns out to be a cracking venue: enthusiastic landlord, decent décor, lively crowd and a vast range of CAMRA-approved beers that I couldn't sample because I was driving. Shame.
The clientele ranged from girlies to old rockers, which is just as well because so does our music – something for everyone. Hits of the night were When You're Gone (Bryan Adams and Mel C) and Roar (Katy Perry) plus a song that after only two gigs I've learned is an infallible if unexpected crowd-pleaser: What's Up by 4 Non Blondes. It seems that everyone wants to sing the chorus.
My playing had improved, despite lack of rehearsal, so it's a shame I managed to botch the start of both Fire (Hendrix) and Rock and Roll (Led Zep) which I've played without problem a heap of times in the past. Hopefully I'll be nearer concert pitch when we're out again on Friday at the Station in Alness, although a full-band rehearsal is still to be scheduled, aspiring actress Ashley being unavailable because of a forthcoming panto. No-one's concerned – we've proved we can get by.
Some of the gig was immortalised by Nairn photographer Graham Mackenzie who came out to play with his new Canon EOS 6D and proved it can take good, sharp stills and video at f1.8 and 3200ISO. I suddenly feel the need to have a go with the Pentax, as I'd planned ages ago (not that my humble K100D shoots video, though). Check out his Facebook page if you want to see the stills. The video above is a very brief snippet he posted on YouTube. There may be more to come.
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