Mykesbass

Whoops, today is a day off, and our journey from Manchester to Oxford went dangerously close to Leamington Spa, where this happened...

Our Travelodge was next door to a 24 hour McDonalds - first one I've had in probably 20 years. Think they seem to have improved 😎

It showed up as unsent on my phone. Oh well, I'll leave it there for comedic effect 😎

Last night was a club held in a vegan cafe in Cleethorpes... Another enjoyable gig - modest, but enthusiastic audience. This is so much more rewarding than our previous Dog & Duck gigs. We've got a great rapport with Eliana and her band who are travelling with us, and hopefully we'll be doing some more work with her next year. We've now picked up some really nice support slots and festival dates care of the promoter, who not only likes our music, but also really appreciates our attitude. Two valuable lessons last night - Carry spares. My IEC for the Fender went missing at the Keighley gig - it is an unusual fitting, more like those used for high powered computer servers. Fortunately I have my Carvin with me. Second lesson learned, no. You don't need weight for great sound. Everyone agreed, the Carvin sounded different, but either felt it was as God or better than the Fender. Amps for sale section here I come!! Manchester tonight - Night & Day club.

Delayed update - this failed to post two nights ago: Fabulous gig at Cafe Choice Choice, a gorgeous cafe/bar on Keighley station. Tonight is the first gig of this kind at the venue. The local promoter was let down on the original one, so these guys stepped in. Very hospitable, as are the promoters. Really well looked after, and all three bands putting in great performances. Could get used to this 😀 Here's Eliana Cargnelutti and her band closing the show.

I'm currently on tour with my rock/blues band. This is a 45 minute set of original material, played to modest but appreciative audiences. It is so much more rewarding than playing to those indifferent pub audiences. Hard work, costing us a bit of money (plus loss of day job earnings), but so glad we made this jump.

Fabulous gig at Cafe Choux Choux, a gorgeous cafe/bar on Keighley station. Tonight is the first gig of this kind at the venue. The local promoter was let down on the original one, so these guys stepped in. Very hospitable, as are the promoters. Really well looked after, and all three bands putting in great performances. Could get used to this 😀 Here's Eliana Cargnelutti and her band closing the show.

And, just for good measure, a thoroughly embarrassing photo of this old duffer competing with our 19 year old singer/rhythm guitarist in a shape throwing contest 🙄

And here is said Italian bass player, Simone with his wonderful old bass.

So, a quick update. All going well. A couple of quietish nights - Bristol Tunnels a bit of a disaster with audience numbers, but it was a foul night, and the venue had a big local blues act on the next day. Birmingham went well - was the home gig for one of the other acts, so it was mainly her audience, but we won a fair few over. Selling CDs at every gig which is positive, and we're playing well - all that rehearsing of the set has paid off. My Fender Pro 800 is sounding great, especially when the Italian band's bass player puts his 68 P through it!! Keighley tonight. Small cafe/bar/venue, with good reputation, and good pre sale. Right on the station concourse if anyone fancies popping over.

Sorry, terrible pic, here's one of the rig from yesterday.

Shuker P/Tele style 5 string fretless through a Fender Pro 800 and two Purple Chili 112 cabs. Sounding blooming lovely, especially getting to hear it out front as the other two bass players are using it.

@Mickeyboro forgot it was Water Rats were we saw Jeff Healey all those years ago!

Got to admit, bass doesn't come first for me. Possibly down to the appalling response of radio speakers of my youth. I'll always remember wondering why the chart rundown had gone silent, only for a short time later when Under Pressure burst into life! Nowadays, it is a whole band thing. Sometimes it will be an individual instrument that lifts it, but again, rarely the bass. Arrangements are the real biggy for me. And as a player is where I like to be.

Well day one was a cracker. It was our home gig, Brighton, and we managed to get nearly 100 people out on a cold, slightly damp Monday night. On this tour all three acts have equal billing. So will play each slot on the bill three times. For our home gig we closed the show. Was a little worried, as the act before us, Italian Eliana Cargnelutti was pretty damned good. Her bass player and drummer were several leagues above everyone else on the tour. No need to have worried though, as we pulled off a strong set and the partisan crowd loved us! To make things easy, we have provided drums and bass rig. Really nice to hear my own rig being played at decent club volumes. Eliana's bass player is using a nice looking, Fiesta Red with tort pickguard Precision - I'll get more details later, and Zoe Green's is using a fabulous looking and sounding Supro short scale. London tonight, Water Rats if anyone is local.

Yes, first time as a band member, but have tour managed a much bigger tour. Main lesson I learnt from that was to eat healthy food - ended up with gastritis!

Thanks gents, and yes, I'm under strict instructions from @Mickeyboro to keep a tour diary, so will post on here - stay tuned.

Hopefully next year! we'll find a promoter who ventures that far! Used to go to Alford every year for work (not music). Loved it up there.

Are you in Aberdeen? Cleethorpes, Keighley, Manchester, all pretty northern for a Sussex band 😎

Start on Monday, dates on the link in the OP. Hope one is near enough.

Always in need of a good editor!

Having reached the age when my kids should be going off on tour, somehow it is me that is venturing out for the first time! My band, Lee Ainley's Blues Storm, is heading out with Zoe Green and Eliana Cargnelutti, on a three female fronted band tour, Ladies of the Blues. A bit of a message for all of those who ask "am I too old?" "is it too late?" "should I/Shouldn't I", well the answer is go out there and do it, you never know what is around the corner. For any of you within striking distance of any of the dates, do come along, support your local venue and fellow Basschatter! Here's the dates.

George Harrison and John Lennon. Genuine opinion, not courting controversy, honest guv!

Yes, new song. Apparently, only melody and words can now be copyright. Chords, there's not enough of them to go around for anything brand new!

As long as they are not with a publisher or collection agency (MCPS) you can have a license from them. Simple agreement that you can show to any manufacturer or distributor.