Shakespeareshead Blog

Sorry - not had access to computer as easily as required lately !

Got so many people to thank I’m going to have to miss most out - but - hey - you know who you are.

Will mention a couple of out of town visitors we have had down - Amy Wyke from Kettering and Karen Killeen from Coventry - both most welcome indeed!  I’ll be getting them a couple of gigs locally and will keep people posted by me my space blog - myspace.com/bobdilling

Thanks over the last few weeks then to ….. Kev (and Dave!), Christmas Tree John, John Seals, Jez Ryder, Gax Marsh, Tom Harding, Guitar John, Nick the Singing Barman, The Moorsiders, Sam, Cherry and the Orchestra, Riley, Christopher Tedd, Liam and The Snail Club, and a big thanks to J J Manning.

Don’t all turn up at once for heavens sake! But see you soon!

Well - it just keeps getting better and better!

First of all thanks to The Moorsiders  for doing an opening set for us.  Coming together nicely and you got the gig!

Thanks to Christopher Tedd for doing the sound again and for his set ( sorry you only got three!) even though you didn’t do my favourite - the one where the grass is always greener.

Steve Parker managed to escape for the evening and entertained in his unique laconic way.  Love your songs, Steve, and enjoyed the singaround with you too.

Another John - ‘just’ John, made his Shakey and microphone debut and acquitted himself really well, even though the nerves were showing a little bit! It’s quite daunting ain’t it mate! Well done and thanks.  Expecting more from you in the future you know!

Tom Harding gig was double booked - bad news for him but good for us as he came to the Shakey instead.  Again sorry only time for three Tom (but a very nice three they were too! Anya liked ‘Crazy’ especially ‘cos I saw her singing along!)

Kev came even though he’d not been well - you couldn’t have told it though. Thanks once more.  Christmas Tree John continues to expand his repertoire, I’m pleased to say, with his unique method of playing stuff instrumentally for the first few outings and adding lyrics later! It works though!

Cherry bought the raw materials of her new band down to flex their musical muscles.  Really REALLY great! We only had Fiona’s cello on one number but what a difference it makes.  Christina on eggs (!) and Sam giving us a problem now - when we talk about a ‘box’ I’ve been used to that meaning a guitar - now - well Sam’s box is … lets face it… a box!  Gives the songs that extra feel and rythym though - you kept the tempo constant as well which is not necessarily easy. 

Guitar John was able to join us for the first time in a while in the singaround and Sam played his other box as well.  

Nick, the singing barman, got on this week.  Highly entertaining as usual and didn’t break a string! Thanks, Nick.

We wound it up just after two o’clock as people ‘didn’t want to stay too late’! Cor Blimey! It’s killing me! Loving it though and looking forward to next week.

We keep having one good night after another.  Lots of people to thank again.

First of all there was JJ - only the one guitar and standing up! Loved the blues stuff you did - first time for me that I’ve heard you feature the blues in your set.

Nice to see James and Mop again with their refreshing ‘just do it’ attitude to covers which are quite difficult to carry off with just 6 strings and vocal - don’t know many that could tackle the numbers they do successfully.  Thanks boys.

Thanks to Adam Gardner for bravely saying ‘f**k it’ to academic success and coming down for a play and a few beers - quite right too! Alex joined him later sans laptop - your songs stand up well without it mate, don’t worry!

First timer Lawrence did one excellent number down the mike and joined in with the rest of his gang ( whose names I will take a week or two to remember!) in the after midnight sing around. Enjoyed your company lads and your music.

Another first timer was Ken - The Shakeys answer to Larry Adler - thanks Ken.

Christmas Tree John and Kev made their regular contribution - what would Wednesdays be without them! Always love ‘that Harvey Andrews One’ and well done to John for remembering all the words to ‘The Sick Note’!

Gaz Marsh came down - on the shandy but still there at the death! Thanks for ’Angel of Montgomery’ !

Finally thanks to Jez Ryder - wish he wouldn’t borrow my guitar - he’s really playing himself back into form but plays my old cheesegrater so well I lose my best excuse for fluffing things !  

Poor old Nick didn’t get a look in this week - I’m sure he’ll tell me that you can have too much of a good thing!

Looking forward to next time again!

Thanks everyone for another good night.

The Moorsiders opened things up for us with some covers I was glad to be reminded of and some of Rigsby’s originals too - nice. Apologies to Andy for roping him in at short notice on a number he’s never heard before (’cos it was a new one of mine!) - didn’t phase him though!

‘Formal Warning’ were great - thanks for hanging around to some more later on lads.  Sorry about your sound man! (Me)  

Stalwarts Chrsitmas Tree John and Kev took the floor with Kevin on Mandolin too - another ‘first timer’ at The Shakey.  Thanks lads ( Even though Kev couldn’t think what to do again)

Sam bought a little bit of sanity to the proceedings for us - he’s the ’seasoned pro’ now - nicely delivered mate - original stuff as well which is always more difficult to communicate.

Nick, the singing barman, did some late on - he insists he hasn’t been practising but I’m not sure I believe him.  If you’re that good without practice, imagine how good you could be if you got of your a**e and did some then!!

On a night when town was ‘dead’ according to Dave, the relief manager, we were rocking!

Andy, Connor and Rigsby, collectively know as The Moorsiders, made a welcome first visit -  hoping to get them back to do a longer set at some point. Thanks lads.

Adam Gardner was another first timer - excellent stuff Adam, thanks for your support.  Alex sang for the first time at the ‘Shakey’ as well - he’s pretty good so don’t believe his own publicity!

Thanks to Kev ( ever faithful ) and Christmas Tree John ( who is getting better every week!).  I even got to do a few and we got Nick, the singing barman behind the microphone this week - the practice is paying off - nice one Nick.

Don’t know what time it all finished - I left them to it at about half one - but I’m an old man!

Check out the myspaces  /bobdilling and /shakespearesheadcouk - links to Adam on mine via ‘friends’.

Sorry for the late start ( though maybe I should be apologising for the late finish! I know it wears a few of us out but we’re too weak willed to go home!)  A big thanks to all who came - listeners and performers. We had a great night - So many singers I think Kev only did 3 songs all night!

Thanks to Liam and Gary (AKA The Snail Club)  who did a couple of mini sets for us - they had to leave early sadly - would have been nice to have had them for the singaround.

Thanks once more to J J Manning - the only man in the world who would bring 3 guitars for what is effectively a floor spot! Thanks for inviting me in on Early Morning Rain too.

Christmas Tree John did some, Jez Ryder did also and a first timer for the Shakey was the one and only Kenny Wilson - what a line up!  I even managed to get in a few myself.

Heres looking forward to next week.