As I write, the Summer seems to have started, which couldn't be better news, to be honest. I left my house in Newcastle this morning at 6:30am, and the sun was streaming through the sky - and it almost felt ok to be up at such an hour. Truly, it was actually wonderful and I can't wait for a bit more of the same.
It was particuarly tough to be up early this morning given the Furrow launch was last night. Myself, Emily Portman and Christi Andropolis played together and seperately to a great, appreciative audience in the Sage Gateshead. Although the label has been running for a while now, it was great to see it publicly off the ground. Aside from a broken string, the replacement for which I'd somehow neglected to bring on stage, I had a great time playing my set. It's not too often of late I get to play a set of just my material, and though I feel strangely exposed by it, I actually really enjoy it. I was accompanied by Christi Andropolis on piano, fiddle and voice, and loved it. I also loved playing a few songs with Emily and on Christi's set and the encore of 'Bright Lights Tonight', complete with Lucy Farell's note perfect harmonies (anyone would think she's a Richard Thompson fan) made a good ending for the night.
From here, onwards. Last weekend I was in Cornwall all too briefly with Tom, where we played a beautiful gig near Liskeard - a fantastic amphitheatre. It was a lovely atmosphere, with a great PA operated by Ollie from Blue Sky Sound in Plymouth. I can't recommend him and his crew highly enough. The sound at gigs is sooo variable, and it was so refreshing to have someone who really cared, worked hard, and achieved great results.
This weekend coming I've a gig with Christi on Friday night, Saturday in Suffolk with Tom and in between recording an album with Spinndrift, a great young folk band from Newcastle. I'm taking the engineers chair for it, and it's shaping up beautifully.
So much music, so little time.
