19the July 2022 It was Britain's hottest ever day with record breaking high temperatures reported all over the country. Caring, responsible dog owners resorted to taking out their pets very early in the day to avoid the worst of the heat. The ground during the day becoming hot enough to burn their pet's delicate paws. As dogs don't sweat, they have limited means of regulating their body temperatures, another issue. Owners of Koi card and goldfish ponds looked on in alarm as the temperature of pond water rose dangerously high and oxygen levels dropped. The ill and infirm in this country were advised to stay out of the sun and people were asked to keep a neighbourly eye on them. Against this background Against this background the following brave and hardy souls ventured out to the Six Bells in Chiddingly for the Bob Dylan themed open mic night. Before the event we decided to perform outside as we thought we would be cooler at that time of the evening/night. As it turned out the weather had begun to break. We decided to hold the event inside which meant a hasty setting up of mixer, microphones, speakers etc. I, (Lance Maleski) hosted the event and performed ‘Knocking on Heaven’s Door’ and ‘Mr Tambourine Man’. I passed the baton to Simon Watt and he performed ‘I Threw it All Away’ from the album Nashville Skyline, ‘You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere’ and lastly a song from the album ‘Oh Mercy’ ‘Shooting Star’. Helga was up next and performed a song by Wolf Bierman best translated (it was sung in German) ‘Take Heart’. Helga’s next choice of song was written by Joan Cartwright ‘Blue Bossa’. Jason Loughran joined Helga and performed ‘Knocking on Heaven’s Door’. Helga left the stage and Jason remained to perform ‘Only a Hobo’ a Dylan song he fist heard on Rod Stewart’s second studio album Gasoline Alley….. then Jason completed the last of his three songs from the Dylan album ‘Blood on the Tracks’ ‘Simple Twist of Fate’. Manus McDaid performed the Bob Dylan song ‘Born in Time’ from the album ‘Under the Red Sky’. Manus then performed ‘Fanny Mae won’t you Please Come Home’, a Buster Brown song. At this point we had a break as many of us wanted liquid refreshment. Chris Martin welcomed us back and performed the Bob Dylan song ‘It’s all over now Baby Blue’ and the two of his own compositions ‘Xerox Armies’ which was influenced by Bob Dylan and the way he writes his lyrics and ‘Unwanted Fruit’ that he wrote during an open mic night in Tunbridge Wells. Heather Curry followed Chris and used her keyboard to good effect and performed beautiful versions of three Bob Dylan songs ‘The Time’s they are a Changing’, ‘Just Like a Woman’ and lastly ‘It Ain’t Me Babe’. Frank Xerox made a very welcome appearance and followed Heather. He performed beautiful versions of three Bob Dylan songs ‘Sign on a Window’, ‘Just Like a Woman’ and lastly ‘My Back Pages’ from the 1964 album ‘Another Side of Bob Dylan’. Rounding the evening off was Keith Willson with three Bob Dylan songs ‘The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll’, Pawn in the Game’ and ‘The Time’s they are a Changing’. That’s it, we all helped pack up and left to go home in the heat of the night.
0 Comments
5th July 2022 This enjoyable evening was kicked off by Manus and Helga, with a Jazzy-Latin instrumental improvisation on guitar and flute – Jazzy Latin in 6/8 – which went off smoothly. Next was Simon with two short songs: Rollin’ Rollin’ (Randy Newman), followed by How Do You Like Your Coffee in Bed (Tom Paxton), which showed Simon’s ragtime guitar skills to good advantage. Anticipating next open mic night’s Bob Dylan theme, Steph contributed a beautifully soft rendition of his classic Blowing in the Wind, which suited her lovely voice. Her second song, I live not where I love, featured lyrics dating back to 1630. Manus played two R&B numbers on his mini-guitar which he had just finished refurbishing: Robert Cray’s Bad Influence and his own arrangement of Singing the Blues (Altered Blues), adding an instrumental part by Pat Metheny. We all appreciate Helen’s a capella singing, and enjoyed her interpretations of This Wheel’s on Fire (Bob Dylan & Richard Dalco) and A Groovy Kind of Love (Wayne Fontana and the Mind Benders). Great voice and guitar harmonies came next: Jason and Lisa playing the classic Helplessly Hoping (Stephen Stills), followed by Perfume Garden, one of their own songs with a haunting, tuneful melody. Newcomer Charlie offered two great songs, Ginseng Sullivain (Norman Blake) and Raggy Levy, an old worksong from Georgia (USA), reimagined by Jake Xerxes Fussell. Keith brought his usual infectious energy to the evening, performing two of his own songs, Dusty (about a typewriter awaiting new compositions) and Don’t, featured on his CD. Terry’s renditions of the American Ballad of Long John Dean and Scottish Miss McCloud’s Reel showcased amazing sounds and twangs, giving you the sense that several guitars are being played at once. Paula followed with the lively tune Dance, Dance, Dance and then a new self-penned song which only had its second outing on the night. Next up was Jayne with Twisted Whiskey, a song she recently wrote, showing her skills with thoughtful lyrics, beautifully sung and accompanied. She finished with Across the Great Divide (Kate Wolf). And then we had the great pleasure of something completely different! Garry brought this Scottish Bag Pipes, and filled the entire pub with rousing renditions of Flett from the Flotta Wings and the Flower of Scotland Skye Boat Song. To round up this evening of great musical diversity, everybody got a further song. Manus and Helga: Blues in E Improvisation. Simon: Rocket Man (his satirical tune about the North Korean dictator). Steph: Fling it here! (Yetties). Manus: Desperate Don (own song). Helen: She Moves Through the Fair (Loreina McKennit). Lisa and Jason: Calcutt’s Fair (joint composition). Charlie: Midsummer Day (own song). Keith: The Worst Thing (own song, CD). Terry: Eilan Donan (Scottish tune). Paula: Caravans (Mike Bates). Jayne: Why Worry (Mark Knopfler). |
AuthorThe person that runs the evening writes the blog Archives
October 2024
Note - You can leave a comment - by click ing on the blue "comments" link at the top and bottom of the blog. |