Alford Gig 29/1/05
We played our third gig in Alford on Saturday night. Success, tight all the way through four longish sets and an encore of four songs. Steve comfortable and creative with his leads, has got his amp under control. Sox’s sound a seemingly endless collation of layers, able to draw a crescendo out to a satisfying climax. Terry’s fingers driving his bass around an almost melodic line. Nancy, hypnotically projecting her voice and finding inner rhthyms for us all to hear. Myself, somehow filling in the spaces with a rhythmic pulse, Steve’s old amp bucking beneath.
There was a fair bit else on in the district, so the audience was somewhere between 25 and forty adults, with around thirty being there the average in sets two and three. Bar did a busy trade. Most of the folk were locals, which was different from the last couple times. Several made a return visit, were pleased to be remembered. A local FM radio personality from Moonta was passing, stopped outside to listen (she tries to hear all the bands that pass through the area for material for her her radio show), called her mum to get on down ASAP, came in and stayed the rest of the night. May get more work here.
The pub had put up a few posters we had sent up, and ran an add in the paper for a fortnight. I think it paid off, publican said more turned up than she thought would, considering the competition.
From the first song we were tight. The wild flights into improvisation were structured and willed, extensions of songs came about due either need to draw them out, keep the dancers going, give another version of a particularly pleasing solo. The sound was loud but clear, with the instruments and voices nicely balanced. Had the floor light show, so we were probably quite a visual.
Played a few originals for the first time in ages. Very positively received. Noticed that our already powerful sound grew more powerful when we played our own songs. I think this will mean that we always play a song or two at least of our own. I know the audiences like it. As do we, I think.
The other advantage of playing our own music is that it allows us to establish our own name. For example, our mini album – ‘Origins’ - has been obtained by the radio lady, so we’ll get a bit of airplay up there. She will plug us a bit for our next gig, which is the Peterborough Rodeo. The CD and originals give her something to play. The next gig, by the way, is a biggie. Playing to between 1500 and 3000 people (!) from the back of semi trailer, from around 10 30 pm after one of the state’s major rodeos. Massive, from our point of view. Will let you know what happens…
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
Sunday, January 16, 2005
Glanville Wharf Hotel Gig
Jan 14 – 2005
We hadn’t played at this pub before. Steve had noticed the fact that they have bands when he drove past every day. So, one day on a delivery job, he called in and got us a gig. In the week before the show the publican showed himself a stressball nervous nellie. We only put up posters with a week to go, this worried him. Even when Nancy got the show advertised in the various gig guides, the publican was not very nice about it. Oblivious, we determined to do a good show, and put out the word to a few friends.
We were scheduled to play from 8.30. We were set up by about 7.45. At five to eight, there were no new faces in the pub. Steve and Sox were working each other’s nervousness, thinking we’d be playing to no-one. I don’t think the worry wort publican helped. Nancy said don’t worry, they’ll be here and even if they’re not we’ll put on a good enough show for him to know it’s worth it. Me and Terry just plodded on, it’s nice to have a crowd but as long as you do a good job is the main thing.
By 8.30 there were a dozen or so in the room we played, and maybe twice this filtered in through the first set. A few more drifted in later. Very few left before the end of the night. So we played, again, to somewhere between forty and fifty people. Pretty good considering. We would have known about 1/2 of them, and some of those we knew brought friends. It was particularly pleasing to me to see Ben, our original lead guitarist from 1999, in the Audience. He was pretty impressed with what we have become and enjoyed himself. A compliment from Ben is worth ten from most. My other favorite viewers were a couple that came in at the start and stayed the whole night, after hearing us as they drove by and liking what they heard.
This pub regularly puts on live music. Judging by the flyers around the place, the standard is two middle aged men with guitars and a drum machine playing covers in a technically correct manner. We would have been a nice change.
First set was very smooth, we were smiling at its conclusion. The following three just built on this. Our set up on stage was different to usual, Sox and Nancy were back and front centre, Terry and Steve were stage right and left. That left no room for me on the wings where I normally hang, so I put myself in front of the drum, behind nancy, with my amp under Steve’s keyboard. For once I was happy to have a baby amp. In retrospect, this would have created a tighter visual focus for the audience and, by putting me in centre stage, allowed my natural enjoyment and performative nature to show itself more than usual. One of our regular viewers commented on it in our first break, he thought the ‘presentation’ was much better than the past.
Steve seemed much more relaxed and pulled off a few good leads, Sox held the speed to a constant, Terry was smiling more often than not, Nancy was rocking. I managed to lose myself in the music several times, and am working out how to work ‘rhythm’ guitar into the deep fabric of the music, whereby through different strokes and emphases the effect is almost of continual riffs in the background. Great fun.
At the end of the evening, the publican was also relaxed and pretty glad about his selection of band. He wanted to hire us regular, ‘especially if you always bring a crowd like this.’ I made sure he knew that audiences are fickle. Also seems that there is a chance of Sunday arvo gigs here. And I think that getting our nose into a pub in the region will lead to other work, as they all compete and share clientele.
Good gig, satisfying musicianship, rock n roll improvisations pulled off, covered old songs in our own unique manner. Finally, the fans are starting to push for a return of originals. Now, all we have to do is convince Steve and Sox that the fans are right!
We hadn’t played at this pub before. Steve had noticed the fact that they have bands when he drove past every day. So, one day on a delivery job, he called in and got us a gig. In the week before the show the publican showed himself a stressball nervous nellie. We only put up posters with a week to go, this worried him. Even when Nancy got the show advertised in the various gig guides, the publican was not very nice about it. Oblivious, we determined to do a good show, and put out the word to a few friends.
We were scheduled to play from 8.30. We were set up by about 7.45. At five to eight, there were no new faces in the pub. Steve and Sox were working each other’s nervousness, thinking we’d be playing to no-one. I don’t think the worry wort publican helped. Nancy said don’t worry, they’ll be here and even if they’re not we’ll put on a good enough show for him to know it’s worth it. Me and Terry just plodded on, it’s nice to have a crowd but as long as you do a good job is the main thing.
By 8.30 there were a dozen or so in the room we played, and maybe twice this filtered in through the first set. A few more drifted in later. Very few left before the end of the night. So we played, again, to somewhere between forty and fifty people. Pretty good considering. We would have known about 1/2 of them, and some of those we knew brought friends. It was particularly pleasing to me to see Ben, our original lead guitarist from 1999, in the Audience. He was pretty impressed with what we have become and enjoyed himself. A compliment from Ben is worth ten from most. My other favorite viewers were a couple that came in at the start and stayed the whole night, after hearing us as they drove by and liking what they heard.
This pub regularly puts on live music. Judging by the flyers around the place, the standard is two middle aged men with guitars and a drum machine playing covers in a technically correct manner. We would have been a nice change.
First set was very smooth, we were smiling at its conclusion. The following three just built on this. Our set up on stage was different to usual, Sox and Nancy were back and front centre, Terry and Steve were stage right and left. That left no room for me on the wings where I normally hang, so I put myself in front of the drum, behind nancy, with my amp under Steve’s keyboard. For once I was happy to have a baby amp. In retrospect, this would have created a tighter visual focus for the audience and, by putting me in centre stage, allowed my natural enjoyment and performative nature to show itself more than usual. One of our regular viewers commented on it in our first break, he thought the ‘presentation’ was much better than the past.
Steve seemed much more relaxed and pulled off a few good leads, Sox held the speed to a constant, Terry was smiling more often than not, Nancy was rocking. I managed to lose myself in the music several times, and am working out how to work ‘rhythm’ guitar into the deep fabric of the music, whereby through different strokes and emphases the effect is almost of continual riffs in the background. Great fun.
At the end of the evening, the publican was also relaxed and pretty glad about his selection of band. He wanted to hire us regular, ‘especially if you always bring a crowd like this.’ I made sure he knew that audiences are fickle. Also seems that there is a chance of Sunday arvo gigs here. And I think that getting our nose into a pub in the region will lead to other work, as they all compete and share clientele.
Good gig, satisfying musicianship, rock n roll improvisations pulled off, covered old songs in our own unique manner. Finally, the fans are starting to push for a return of originals. Now, all we have to do is convince Steve and Sox that the fans are right!
Lighthouse Gig 31/12/04
New Years Eve Gig - 2004
Ales and Sails Tavern, Port Adelaide
We played again at the Lighthouse Tavern in Port Adelaide. We were invited to play on New Years Eve following our first successful gig at the venue and, I believe, that the band originally booked dropped out several weeks earlier. Years ago, when we first started electrifying our band, it was a goal to play NYE. We finally did it!
The show was listed to start at 9 30 pm. We had set up by 7, and most of the band went to have tea at another nearby pub with some of our supporters (we have a few). When we started playing, there were only half a dozen or so in the band room, but there were around a dozen in the bar. By the end of the first set, numbers had stabilised to between thirty and forty all up, with about two thirds local. Most of them stayed for the whole evening so, considering that there a lot of things on in the local area, the publican was happy.
Of the people we drew in, two in particular stood out. A middle aged couple had had their first night out in fourteen years (kids!) and had been sitting in their car on the nearby wharf when they heard us playing. Wife had urged husband to come and check it out, and they stayed all night. There were several locals also who left to go to parties etc after the first set, but returned for the later part of the evening.
As gigs go, it wasn’t our best. Nor was it our worst. We played four sets with a lengthy encore. First set was very nervous. Second set we got into a rhythm. Third set was marked by the clock ticking over to the new year. We had been practicing Auld Lang Sine as a band for that moment, but nancy started singing it before anyone was ready. She was singing in a strange key which was not true to pitch. It took us guitars and bass about a verse to work this out. We then stopped, allowing her and the drums to continue. It sounded very scottish. We are sure that we would have pulled tears if we had been able to build the song as we had practiced. Still, we pulled it off.
The locals enjoyed our music, and most of our regulars returned for our next gig two weeks later at the Glanville Wharf Hotel. So we must have done alright. Never-the-less, the band was not too happy with the show. We made lots of silly errors and it didn’t sound as good as it had in the past. We had managed to cover our mistakes so most of the audience didn’t even know of them, but we did.
I taped the show, as I sometimes do. Listening to it later it was clear that we sounded nervous. This backed up what we had thought the case while on stage. Had a word to Steve to not worry about the audience, playing well is all that we can really give them so concentrate on that. In retrospect, the fact he had a new amplifier that he was still working out probably had something to do with his tentativeness.
Our stage presence wasn’t that good, long gaps between songs, every song starting with someone saying, “are we ready?” Half the songs preceded by someone ‘practicing’ a little riff, tuning and technical changes being made at full volume in a clash with the piped music between sets. Luckily, all easily correctable.
But what was really good was that none of the mistakes weren’t easily fixable, it was mainly a case of relaxing a bit on stage.
Ales and Sails Tavern, Port Adelaide
We played again at the Lighthouse Tavern in Port Adelaide. We were invited to play on New Years Eve following our first successful gig at the venue and, I believe, that the band originally booked dropped out several weeks earlier. Years ago, when we first started electrifying our band, it was a goal to play NYE. We finally did it!
The show was listed to start at 9 30 pm. We had set up by 7, and most of the band went to have tea at another nearby pub with some of our supporters (we have a few). When we started playing, there were only half a dozen or so in the band room, but there were around a dozen in the bar. By the end of the first set, numbers had stabilised to between thirty and forty all up, with about two thirds local. Most of them stayed for the whole evening so, considering that there a lot of things on in the local area, the publican was happy.
Of the people we drew in, two in particular stood out. A middle aged couple had had their first night out in fourteen years (kids!) and had been sitting in their car on the nearby wharf when they heard us playing. Wife had urged husband to come and check it out, and they stayed all night. There were several locals also who left to go to parties etc after the first set, but returned for the later part of the evening.
As gigs go, it wasn’t our best. Nor was it our worst. We played four sets with a lengthy encore. First set was very nervous. Second set we got into a rhythm. Third set was marked by the clock ticking over to the new year. We had been practicing Auld Lang Sine as a band for that moment, but nancy started singing it before anyone was ready. She was singing in a strange key which was not true to pitch. It took us guitars and bass about a verse to work this out. We then stopped, allowing her and the drums to continue. It sounded very scottish. We are sure that we would have pulled tears if we had been able to build the song as we had practiced. Still, we pulled it off.
The locals enjoyed our music, and most of our regulars returned for our next gig two weeks later at the Glanville Wharf Hotel. So we must have done alright. Never-the-less, the band was not too happy with the show. We made lots of silly errors and it didn’t sound as good as it had in the past. We had managed to cover our mistakes so most of the audience didn’t even know of them, but we did.
I taped the show, as I sometimes do. Listening to it later it was clear that we sounded nervous. This backed up what we had thought the case while on stage. Had a word to Steve to not worry about the audience, playing well is all that we can really give them so concentrate on that. In retrospect, the fact he had a new amplifier that he was still working out probably had something to do with his tentativeness.
Our stage presence wasn’t that good, long gaps between songs, every song starting with someone saying, “are we ready?” Half the songs preceded by someone ‘practicing’ a little riff, tuning and technical changes being made at full volume in a clash with the piped music between sets. Luckily, all easily correctable.
But what was really good was that none of the mistakes weren’t easily fixable, it was mainly a case of relaxing a bit on stage.
Sunday, December 12, 2004
Venues we've played at
(those I remember, anyway)
North South Dining Room
Heritage Hotel
Breakers Pool Hall
Governer Hindmarsh Hotel
Adelaide Unibar
The Cloisters
Queens Head Hotel
The Brecknock Hotel
The Equinox Bistro
Gaslight Tavern
Brompton Park Hotel
Milang Football Club
Aldgate Football Club
Federal Hotel
Red Lion Hotel
Elizabeth Tavern
Gepps Cross Hotel
Brahma Lodge Hotel
Sailmaster Hotel
Lighthouse Tavern
Alford Hotel
Cornucopia Hotel
North South Dining Room
Heritage Hotel
Breakers Pool Hall
Governer Hindmarsh Hotel
Adelaide Unibar
The Cloisters
Queens Head Hotel
The Brecknock Hotel
The Equinox Bistro
Gaslight Tavern
Brompton Park Hotel
Milang Football Club
Aldgate Football Club
Federal Hotel
Red Lion Hotel
Elizabeth Tavern
Gepps Cross Hotel
Brahma Lodge Hotel
Sailmaster Hotel
Lighthouse Tavern
Alford Hotel
Cornucopia Hotel
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Sailmaster Gig
North Haven, SA - November 27, 2004.
You could be forgiven if you thought Odd Sox plays sea shanties, judging by the nautical nature of the venues we’ve played at recently! This hotel is a large modern venue, built overlooking one of Adelaide’s marinas. We played at floor level in the main bar room, with the dining area visible about fifty metres away, the boats at the moorings in sight beyond the outside decking, on which were outdoor tables and chairs. The social club had their christmas show and booked us as their preference. The publican here apparently doesn’t like bands so I doubt we’ll play here again. Never-the-less, not a bad evening.
The room was big, long, and carpeted. This made the sound different yet again. Though licensed to take over 500 people, I reckon we were playing to around fifty at any given time. A lot of young ones went and played pokies awhile, but they hung around. So in numbers, not too bad.
We only got to play for three hours, which made it relatively light work as gigs go. We only played three sets (the middle one being about an hour long).
First set was a bit stilted, I realised I had no foldback on our side of the stage. At the end of it Sox and Steve were shaken, thought it had been terrible. I think that’s because they normally are next to each other on stage and this time I was next to the drums and Steve on the wing, they couldn’t hear each other. When I think of some gigs I’ve played, I’m personally always thankful when I can hear ANYONE at all, myself especially!
Anyway, the second set started in the same hesitant vein, but picked up massively after High Voltage (which we pulled off as well as we ever have). The audience was visibly responding to the back of the dining room. This was a very long set, and some of the band were feeling tired by the end of it. Nancy threw in (unexpectedly) a medley of old fifties numbers at the end, audience loved it but rattled some of the band. Set us up okay for the last set.
Before we knew it, time to pack up and leave. For once (the only time?) we actually finished at the advised time and were home around 1am. This would be one of the easiest shows we’ve done in ages.
From my perspective it was good fun, not a huge crowd but big enough to get a sense of audience appreciation. Dancers were up for most of the second and third sets. I certainly enjoyed being near the drums (but I think that will be the last time for a while). I was experimenting a bit with different styles of rhythm chops, as always trying to think of ways to emphasise the music in a way that fits with our 4/4 style and doesn’t leave me or the listener either confused or bored. There certainly is more to rhythm guitar than first meets the ear!
You could be forgiven if you thought Odd Sox plays sea shanties, judging by the nautical nature of the venues we’ve played at recently! This hotel is a large modern venue, built overlooking one of Adelaide’s marinas. We played at floor level in the main bar room, with the dining area visible about fifty metres away, the boats at the moorings in sight beyond the outside decking, on which were outdoor tables and chairs. The social club had their christmas show and booked us as their preference. The publican here apparently doesn’t like bands so I doubt we’ll play here again. Never-the-less, not a bad evening.
The room was big, long, and carpeted. This made the sound different yet again. Though licensed to take over 500 people, I reckon we were playing to around fifty at any given time. A lot of young ones went and played pokies awhile, but they hung around. So in numbers, not too bad.
We only got to play for three hours, which made it relatively light work as gigs go. We only played three sets (the middle one being about an hour long).
First set was a bit stilted, I realised I had no foldback on our side of the stage. At the end of it Sox and Steve were shaken, thought it had been terrible. I think that’s because they normally are next to each other on stage and this time I was next to the drums and Steve on the wing, they couldn’t hear each other. When I think of some gigs I’ve played, I’m personally always thankful when I can hear ANYONE at all, myself especially!
Anyway, the second set started in the same hesitant vein, but picked up massively after High Voltage (which we pulled off as well as we ever have). The audience was visibly responding to the back of the dining room. This was a very long set, and some of the band were feeling tired by the end of it. Nancy threw in (unexpectedly) a medley of old fifties numbers at the end, audience loved it but rattled some of the band. Set us up okay for the last set.
Before we knew it, time to pack up and leave. For once (the only time?) we actually finished at the advised time and were home around 1am. This would be one of the easiest shows we’ve done in ages.
From my perspective it was good fun, not a huge crowd but big enough to get a sense of audience appreciation. Dancers were up for most of the second and third sets. I certainly enjoyed being near the drums (but I think that will be the last time for a while). I was experimenting a bit with different styles of rhythm chops, as always trying to think of ways to emphasise the music in a way that fits with our 4/4 style and doesn’t leave me or the listener either confused or bored. There certainly is more to rhythm guitar than first meets the ear!
Monday, December 06, 2004
Lighthouse Gig 13/11/04
Lighthouse Gig, Port Adelaide, November 13 2004
A week later we played at the Ales and Sails Hotel, by the Lighthouse at Port Adelaide. The pub is better known as The Lighthouse.
Once again, played in converted dining room, this time on the floor. The pub didn’t have meals on, so we set up a couple hours before playing and had a sound check about a half hour before starting at 9.00 pm
There were about 40 people at the start of the show, of which we knew about half. Not too many more came in (I think the peak numbers was 60 at most if you include the front bar crew in the attached room), but there were still 40 people there four and a half hours later when we stopped.
We played five sets of slightly more rocky music than at Walaroo. The barstaff liked us and we’re now booked to play there on new years eve.
Steve was more comfortable on his leads, Sox appeared to be enjoying himself more (he had been a bit ill the week before). The tempos were much more regular than they had been, and the sound check made quite a difference. Only problem I thought we had was a consistent one, starts of the songs were really sloppy.
We were all much more pleased with this show, no major disasters. Each gig is a noticeable improvement to the last, the next should be a ripper.
A week later we played at the Ales and Sails Hotel, by the Lighthouse at Port Adelaide. The pub is better known as The Lighthouse.
Once again, played in converted dining room, this time on the floor. The pub didn’t have meals on, so we set up a couple hours before playing and had a sound check about a half hour before starting at 9.00 pm
There were about 40 people at the start of the show, of which we knew about half. Not too many more came in (I think the peak numbers was 60 at most if you include the front bar crew in the attached room), but there were still 40 people there four and a half hours later when we stopped.
We played five sets of slightly more rocky music than at Walaroo. The barstaff liked us and we’re now booked to play there on new years eve.
Steve was more comfortable on his leads, Sox appeared to be enjoying himself more (he had been a bit ill the week before). The tempos were much more regular than they had been, and the sound check made quite a difference. Only problem I thought we had was a consistent one, starts of the songs were really sloppy.
We were all much more pleased with this show, no major disasters. Each gig is a noticeable improvement to the last, the next should be a ripper.
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Cornucopia Gig, Wallaroo, 6 Nov 2004
Flowing from the Alford show came another gig, at a nearby town called Wallaroo two weeks later. It was in a old hotel, huge and rambling and full of mysterious angles and passages. The show was a private one, a surprise party for the pair who had been publicans for the past ten years, put on by the locals. Over 200 people paid $20 each for a ticket, the pub was closed for the night and the front bar invited into the dining hall for the party. Amazingly, despite the honoured couple being the publicans, it was a total surprise for them. They were flabbergasted. The proceeds for the night went towards a holiday voucher for the lucky couple. They must have been quite special for such a show to be put on in their honour. We played from eight to about 1.30 am on a long shallow stage. The night was organised by one of the barmaids, who had seen us at Alford and liked us so much that she asked us to play at her pub.
The people really enjoyed it, had people dancing from the second song. A handful came up from Adelaide, which was really good to see. The locals loved it.
We played four sets. Technically, our greatest problem was in the levels department, we didn’t have a sound check and the acoustics of the area worked real weird (levels were significantly less than at practice and the treble had to be down). We tended to accelerate the tempo as we played, which was also a consistent problem. Overall however, it was pretty good. The publican said that if he hadn’t been leaving, he would have had us play there once a month.
Pretty cool, for a band’s second gig.
The people really enjoyed it, had people dancing from the second song. A handful came up from Adelaide, which was really good to see. The locals loved it.
We played four sets. Technically, our greatest problem was in the levels department, we didn’t have a sound check and the acoustics of the area worked real weird (levels were significantly less than at practice and the treble had to be down). We tended to accelerate the tempo as we played, which was also a consistent problem. Overall however, it was pretty good. The publican said that if he hadn’t been leaving, he would have had us play there once a month.
Pretty cool, for a band’s second gig.
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