A.J. Walker

writerer

Almost A Gig~ish

As is almost set in stone I went once again to the Keystone open mic. Recently there have always been 12-14 people playing which is incredible really. And to fit everyone in we are each limited to three songs each. This week though we seemed to be a few people down though there were still plenty of regulars and a newbie couple to the Keystone who just happened on the place (Visions of Albion). I suspect the regular carnage that is Liverpool on Paddy's Day probably put a few people of visiting town on the Day of the Green Pavement Pizza.

IMG_0731
Visions of Albion

DaveSinnot
Mr Sinnott doing his bluesy thing

As we were a few down everyone had there usual three songs then those still there went up and played another two each. So I played five songs. Yes, FIVE. That's almost a gig worth.

The songs were:

  • Oh My Sweet Carolina (obviously)
  • Take Me Down To The Infirmary (Cracker)
  • Landlocked Blues (Bright Eyes)
  • Heart Breaks Like the Dawn (obviously)
  • Van Diemen's Land (hey, it was Paddy's Day)

MeAndWords
Words needed/not needed. No one told me to sort my hair out!

Guy1
Some Guy.

IMG_0742

I needed the lyrics in front of me to to Take Me Down and to Landlocked Blues. First time I've done that at the open mic. But they were new songs for me to play; so fair enough.

IMG_0756
Charley style photobombing.

Spent most the evening on the lovely session
Trappers Hat from Brimstage Brewery, then ended the evening with the epic Keystone IPA (just a schooner) from Chapter. So all in all a very good evening - and no pavement pizzas around this area of town. Huzzah!

Comments

Great Live Music

Live music is great. I love it. And last week was fab for it. I ended up playing two open mics in one night on Thursday. I played in both the Head of Steam and the Keystone. Two of my favourite Liverpool pubs. It was good to do.

JackPlayingHOS
Jack playing at the Head of Steam

FC333F4B-4E95-4AD7-A527-56CE150DF8CD
Playing at the Keystone

At the Jack's open mic at the Head of Steam I played four songs. I saw the to women that were sat next to me nodding away to my tunes which was nice. And they were periodically looking at their phones. When I spoke to them afterwards it turned out they were Polish and on their phones they were typing in the lyrics I was singing to find out whose songs I was singing. If I've introduced Chuck Prophet, Green on Red, and Ryan Adams to some more people my job on this world is done.

In the Keystone I played three of the same songs at
John Witherspoon's mic. There was no need for the people there to look up my songs as I play them there every week of course. It was great to be invited to John's full band gig at Jimmy's on the Saturday.

IMG_0582
John Witherspoon at Jimmys

It was a long day on Saturday as the Liverpool match at Brighton was at 12:30. It is far too early for any game. Watched it with a couple of mates at the Head of Steam - we won (0-2) and are still on the coattails of City. Then it was a question of filling my time with reading and what not before the evening gig. I made it in one piece and was very glad to have made it. John's band was great and he looked so in his element it was lovely to see. Definitely worth seeing him play if you get the chance. The support from the singer songwriter Thom Moorcroft was excellent too.

IMG_0572
John with his full band.

Live music is great innit?
Comments

Testing, Testing

I got a letter from the NHS a couple of weeks ago inviting me to take part in a Covid study being undertaken by Imperial College London & IPSOS Mori. I said yes to it; the more knowledge the better for everyone I reckon. Took a while to do on Friday: mainly due to the time it took putting the flat pack box together as some of the tabs weren't stamped out. It was like a Krypton Factor test (showing my age). Got there in the end. Packed it off and sent it away on Friday from a Priority Mail Box by the Aigburth Tap - as I was there mixing business with pleasure. I had no idea until last week that some mail boxes are Priority and others are Unimportant.

IMG_0554

The result came through this morning (which is damn quick) and I am still officially negative. Huzzah! I don't know whether the test is any more official than the swab test you do at home but I guess it it feels like it. And there's a bit more data to be used by the powers that be. Job done.

IMG_0552

Keep dodging the bullets and Onwards and Upwards.
Comments

Not So Different Four

Played at the Keystone open mic again last week. John Witherspoon couldn't make it and the hosting responsibility was past on to Ali Horn (who normally hosts the open mic at the Angus). Didn't do three different songs this week. This week everyone did four songs though (while the cat's away)… played 'Splendid Isolation', 'Oh My Sweet Carolina', 'Heart Breaks Like the Dawn', and 'You Couldn't Get Arrested'.

Ali1

John may have been away but all the usual guys turned to play. Think there were about twelve or so who played (four) some tunes to us. It was fab.

Ali3

The Chapter 'Taller Than A House' and Neptune 'Forecast - Ernest' were great too. Top night all around. Guaranteed as ever.

Ali2

Been playing a few songs at home that I haven't played at open mic before which I may give a try out next time. We'll see.
Comments