Biggest July Crowd This Year!

MDF have had a couple of gigs lately and I've used the OMC PA system. The last one was Barby Fete on Sunday 25th June. No.1 Roadie and I got there nice and early and got everything nicely set up. All was well, and after the second set there were some grumbles from the audience. I would have dismissed them had one ofthe audience been No.1 Roadie. That was the worst I've heard you. It sounded awful. :-( Clearly the amp, at full volume, was on its limits, and the speakers were distorting.
It has been on my mind for a while now that the way to go is to invest in some higher quality gear.
And so it was on the Monday I was on the phone  to Music Express Coventry https://www.expressmusic.co.uk/ and talking active speakers. I've bought a few things from them recently, and they are always very helpful. A deal was done and a couple of Yamaha DXR10s went into the back of the van, only coming out of their boxes on Friday Night,

Mike & John

There's a little experimentation to go with levels before I've got the sound just right for The George, but with the additional support of an 800W sub there was no question that the difference was amazing. My thanks to Derrick for keeping me informed of how things sounded at the back of the room.

It was another full night of various genres and I began the evening's proceedings with a Bob Dylan cover, 'All Along The Watchtower'; this time with harmonica. Not sure how it sounded, but I think it is definitely in need of more practice. Sitting on the high-stool the guitar kept slipping down my thigh, making those barre chords very tricky. My second was one of my own. It doesn't have a title, but it is about one of my favourite subjects, 'death'.

Next up were John & Mike. Their first song of the evening was Van Morrison's, 'Brown Eyed Girl' follwed by Elvis Presley's 'Wooden Heart' with "einige einwandfreie Deutsch singen"

A baking July evening meant that the firedoor was open, letting a much needed cooling breeze through the assembly. That probably explained why it is that Hedley looked so cooldelighted us with his accompaniment and solos while our regular contributor Nigel Lewis gave us Bob Dylan's 'Knocking On Heaven's Door' and his own composition 'I'm Not Sure'; a song that gets better each time I hear it.

No Strings Attached

We haven't seen No Strings Attached at Kilsby for a while and it was great to welcome them back. Their two guitar  jigs and reels are delightful, and this evening, with the addition of a bit of bluegrass, was no exception. I missed the titles of this evening's pieces, but think the first was a reel called Jenny Lyn

Sandi &Torgul

Tony Collins

Without the rest of the band Sandi & Torgul are free to pick from a much deeper pool of music, and they had their dancing shoes on tonight. Poor old Leonard Cohen is much maligned, but one of my favourite songs of his is a spectacularly cheerful 'Dance Me To The End of Love'. This was followed with a bit of country and George Stait's, 'I Just Want To Dance With You'

Tony Collins has been heavily involved with this year's 'Folk on The Water' cuminating in an open mic at The Boat Inn, Stockton. I should imagine he is shattered, so it was good to see him this evening, and he brought along his harpsichord. He had his femine side on display this evening, with songs from Suzanne Vega and Bette Midler. The first being 'Queen and The Soldier' and then finishing with a song I've heard him cover a few times now,
'The Rose'

Pete and Marianne

Steve Bates

Steve Bates was on good form this evening. Noel Gallagher's 'Half The World Away' suits his style of playing and his voice very well. His second song was a self-penned song around the experience of  losing touch with your children. The title 'Miss You' said it all, and it was a very moving song.

Pete Nash was armed with a bundle of leaflets promoting his open mic night at The Bull, Clifton. You have to admire him for it, and it is a night I've been promising myself for ages. Tonight, with Marriane, they gave us the song of the night Melanie Safka's 'Look What They've Done To My Song Ma'
Pete's other song was the Harry Nilsson classic from Midnight Cowboy, 'Everybody's Talking At Me'

MDF was a bit thin on the ground this evening, just John, Mark and myself, and with the Crick Scarecrow Festival busking coming up, we decided to stick with the things we'd be playing over the weekend, beginning with a song about a train and then Guy Clarke's Baton Rouge. I wasn't expecting to be jostled off the mic, but Grandad Banjo wasn't missing out on the chorus.

No socks in sight - Steve Edgar

Steve Edgar was in plaintive warbling mode this evening, blasting me back to my youth with a bit of Led Zepplin and Pink Floyd. It isn't everyone that can carry off 'Stairway to Heaven'. Like many of the songs we all know, it is more difficult to sing well than it seems.
His next song was banned from guitar shops all over the country for at least ten years. It is still frowned on, but a beautiful song all the same, and one of my all time favourites, 'Wish You Were Here'.

Bringing the biggest ever first half to a close, it was half ten after all, was Dangerous Derrick Meyer and his grandson Alec; I'm sure that's what he said. Derrick started off with a blast from the past, Cat Stevens' 'Wild World' and then bang up to date with George Ezra's 'What You Waiting For'. He finished his solo set with Gordon Lightfoot's 'Ghost' before being joined by Alec and together singing 'Crying In The Rain'. The harmonies were superb, and I think The Everly Brothers would find it hard to do better; especially since Phil died in 2014. On his own Alec sang the Roddy Woomble song, 'I Came In From The Mountain'.
Something strange happened at 10.45 and lots of people decided that they had to go, leaving a few of us to enjoy a few songs, lead by Steve Edgar and to an audience of two and the staff. We started off with a bit of Bob, no not that one, Bob Marley and Three Little Birds, followed by Tony's suggestion, 'Working Man' and finishing on Be Bop A Lula.

Thank you to all participants and performaers, you were awsome!

It all happens again on Friday  4th August.