I’m beginning to wonder if there is something seriously screwed up with the human mindset when it comes to what we call news. I don’t buy a newspaper, and I rarely watch the news on the TV - although I do recall a TV advert that implied that I was just putting my head in the proverbial ostrich hole for choosing to do this. That somehow by ignoring a lot of current affairs I was just in denial. But I tell you, it’s not through lack of trying on my behalf.
I accidentally caught the TV news a couple of days ago, and as I watched I remembered why I didn’t bother with it. The news consisted of people dying, people being murdered, people being abused, the government in turmoil, the strong suggestion of economical meltdown, etc etc. Not one piece of good news from anywhere in the world, not one! Why is that? Is good news not considered newsworthy? Are people more interested in hearing about pain than hearing about others’ successes? I began to wonder what would happen if all of the world’s media took the decision to give half of their time to our current stream of bad news, and also give an equal amount if time to successes, to people actually finding their lost children, to stories of hope. Would it change peoples’ way of looking at life? Or would they in fact crave more of the negative stuff? By watching this everyday does it somehow allow us to think, ‘well, at least my life isn’t as bad as theirs’. I do hope not.
I thought we’d have some fun on the blog today with some lovely free technology. Do you have a favourite of my albums? If you do, please cast your vote by clicking the link below. I’d be fascinated to see the results as they grow.
The internet is an amazing thing for independent musicians. Whilst the rest of the music industry seems to be in huge difficulties, the web has opened up the playing field and, with the arrival of sites like iTunes, put us on an almost equal footing with the major acts.
Here’s another fabulous tool for us indies.
One of the problems with touring as an indie is that you never know how many tickets you’re going to sell etc. One of the ways to help this is playing home concerts, and I’m imbarking on the first leg of a week home concert tour at the end of May.
Another way is Demand It.
If you want me to come and play in your area, just click on the link below and make a demand of me! When I get enough people, I can then contact you, and let you know where I’ll be playing! How wonderful is that! So, go on, make your demands.
I played the Faerie Folk Festival yesterday in Deal, Kent. It was organised by the most energetic chap I think I’ve ever met, who is not only organising this event, but at least two more this year, and a spiritual magazine!
Last Wednesday I developed an ear infection that by Friday had left me deaf in one ear. It’s not perminant, and I’m in for treatment this Wednesday. Now I’ve, so far, never had to cancel a concert, and I didn’t want to start with this one, but pitching my voice was, shall I say, interesting.
We arrived at The Landmark Centre at 10.30 (doors were opening at 12 noon - a nice sensible time for a Sunday!) and Cerri set up the stall while I set up my instruments in the performance hall. There were two other acts on the bill, and one, a band called Touch the Earth, had kindly brought their PA system for us to use. What I found was that I could pitch my voice easier to the droning sound vibrating in my head rather than the sound that was coming into my one remaining good ear! So once again I chose to play the gig completely acoustically.
I was a little worried. I just couldn’t tell how loudly I was singing, or playing the guitar! But there was no way this audience were going to get any less than my best. I was going to say nothing about my ear but on this occasion I thought it would be better to say something, mainly asking that, if people at the back of the hall couldn’t hear me, please tell me and I’d sing louder.
It was a great experience and I’m so pleased that I dug that little bit deeper and played the concert. I often wondered what happened when things like this happened to performing musicians on the road, now I know - you just get on with it! In the end people were singing along, and joining in with the vibe in the hall. They must have been singing loudly as I could easily hear them really well!
I’ve just returned home after a wonderful weekend in Glastonbury at the Pagan Federation’s Wessex conference. It was held at the Town Hall, a venue very familiar to me as that’s where I organise the two gatherings each year for members of the Order of Bards Ovates and Druids. I was playing in the evening, just before my mates The Dolmen took to the stage, and I was also asked to give a presentation in the morning about the modern Bardic tradition - The Creative Quest.
I don’t tend to do talks. Put me in front of a crowd of 1500 people with a guitar and I feel completely at home. 200 in a hall, minus the guitar, and I was very nervous - I thought I would feel naked, exposed, but I needn’t have worried at all. This is my passion, my life-quest, and when I sat down to write the talk, I discovered that I really had a lot to say! The challenge became more about how I fitted everything in!
In the end I got really excited about it, and the response from the audience has made me wonder whether I should organise a Bardic weekend workshop/retreat. Do get in touch if you’d be interested.
The evening concert approached, and The Dolmen arrived with their PA system. If you’ve ever seen these guys play, you’ll know that it is impossible to just sit still and listen - you just have to get up and dance. In preparation for this there was a massive gap between the stage and the audience. Now, people do occasionally get up and dance to my songs, but that is rare. More often I entertain the audience in the traditional folk concert style, with conversation, music, singalong choruses, stuff like that. I looked at that dance floor gap, and realised that I just wouldn’t be able to communicate from that far away. I took a gamble and made the decision to play the concert completely acoustically. So I set up my three instruments on the dance floor, right in front of the audience. It was the right decision.
The danger might have been that some people would talk, and I just wouldn’t have been able to compete with the noise, but I am so blessed to have such loyal audiences, and this was no exception. It was the audience themselves who asked the few remaining chatterers to quieten down, and soon I had their full attention, and the magic began.
What a night. It always feels so wonderful when you hear people singing along with the choruses of your songs. But when they also join in with the verses, you really know something is happening! At one point during Lady of the Silver Wheel I sang the wrong verse, but the audience sang the right one - so I just stopped singing, continued to strum the mandolin, and they carried on for a while singing without me! Absolute magic! It was like that throughout the whole set, the circle span with the audience feeding from my energy, I fed from theirs - the perfect night.
When I got my Ovation guitar 8 years ago, a musician friend of mine said, “You know what they say. If you can’t get an ovation, buy an Ovation!” Cheeky sod, I thought. Well, on Saturday night I got my very first standing ovation. It was a point in my musical life I will never forget. So if you are reading this, and you were there, thank you!
This year I’ve got more concerts than ever before, and I thought it would be fun to bring a few tales from the road onto my blog.
This weekend just past I performed at the Pagan Federation Belenus festival in Brighton - the first Pagan conference in Sussex since 2000. It was split over two venues that were each about 3 minutes walk apart, a pub, and the Unitarian Church. Now even before the event began I wondered which venue would be favoured by the Pagans. Traditionally a pub would come before a church…
For an acoustic performance you cannot beat a church. It’s natural reverb adds an incredible depth to the overall sound, and if it is quiet, it can pick up the most subtle inflection of voice and instrument - like playing through the most expensive PA system, yet completely natural. No wonder they were built in this way so that Christians could honour their God with voice and music.
Although the overall attendance at the event was low, the concert was great fun.
There was one point when I began my introduction of the song Green and Grey when I became aware of one of the stained-glass windows. There he was, Jesus, looking down at me as he cared for the suffering children. If you’ve read my blog before you’ll know that I have no problem with the Christian faith at all. I have a deep respect for the ancient Celtic church of Columcille, of Palagius, of those that seeked the message of peace behind the words of this figure who had caught my eye. So I offered him a respectful bow, and told him that this song is not an anti-Christian song, but a song that tells my Truth, reflecting how I feel some of his followers demonised my God, and that this tale also had to be told.
Imagine a Cauldron hanging over a fire, it’s in a small room, dark, the air smelling of rich herbs carried on the steam. The contents of the cauldron, bubbling, glimmering red, blue, yellow, shimmering with light, stirred by a youth whose attention is on other far-away things. The cauldron has been bubbling for a year and a day, and finally it is ready. Whoever tastes just three drops will know the secrets of all that ever was, is, and ever will be.
Would you taste from this brew?
Once a young boy did just that and he was hunted down by the Goddess. Shape-shifter was he, and She also, as they ran through the Realms of Earth, Air, Water and Fire, only then was he consumed by the Goddess Herself and reborn as a Bard.
Hi Folks,
I’m playing at the Pagan Federation’s Belenus festival at the weekend. Tickets are still available to what looks like it’s going to be a great day. Doors open 10am at the Unitarian Church, Brighton. More details here: http://www.pfse.org.uk/ASPPFSE/PFSEConference.aspx
Come and have a sing along. Spread the word!
Peace
Damh
Proving that nobody should ever DARE me to play a song live. 200 Pagans all singing along and doing the actions - what a laugh that was! I had no idea it was being filmed, but am very glad it was! ROFL! From the Pagan Federation Devon and Cornwall conference this March.
“I challenge you here today, and I recommit to challenging myself, to become a modern bard, to tell the stories of today and record for history what happened at this crucial juncture in time, and to push past our comfort zones into new uncharted territory, because, selfishly, that is where the greatest songs lie waiting, and most importantly where a kinder world still waits for us.”
Those who are familiar with my album Spirit of Albion will already know the song, When I become the Moon. This beautiful and evocative song was written by the American folk singer/songwriter Eliza Gilkyson. Now she has revealed herself to be a great speaker when she gave the keynote Speech at the Folk Alliance Convention, February 21.
My friend Philip Carr-Gomm has reproduced the speech on his blog. If you are a folk musician, a songwriter, or have any interest in music that refuses to comply to the 4.5 minute commercial song format, have a look.
I’ve just returned home after a wonderful weekend in Glastonbury at the Pagan Federation’s Wessex conference. It was held at the Town Hall, a venue very familiar to me as that’s where I organise the two gatherings each year for members of the Order of Bards Ovates and Druids. I was playing in the evening, just before my mates The Dolmen took to the stage, and I was also asked to give a presentation in the morning about the modern Bardic tradition - The Creative Quest.
