Home » 2010 (Page 3)

Archive for 2010

OOTB 401 – 15 July 2010

Posted 15/07/2010 By admin

I arrived early to the basement bar of The Tron. There were already a few musicians kicking back in the corner and the event organisers were busy setting up the stage and recruiting the nights entertainment.

I feel at this point that a brief introduction is necessary. Out of the Bedroom (OOTB) is one of Edinburgh’s best open mic nights, with a reputation for spawning new artists and finding great talent. The basement bar provides an intimate setting and helps to ease artists from their bedrooms to the stage. OOTB has regular acts, who use the venue to test out new material, but also proudly presents debut artists, many of whom are playing in front of a live audience for the first time.

This Thursday was the first event that Visual Opinions attended and woe betide us for not being there last week when OOTB celebrated its 400th evening. We would like to extend a massive congratulations to the crew and urge readers to come along with us from now on, so that you might be there to get your cake at OOTB 500!

 

Cameron Robinson at OOTB 401 (and he'll be the featured act at OOTB 403!)

OOTB 400-401 July 2010

Posted 11/07/2010 By admin

So Out of the Bedroom 400 was indeed an all star extravaganza of epic proportions. It was also the culmination of a lot of people helping out and making the night excellent in spite of a handful of minor setbacks. Huge thanks to everyone who pulled together and made it an excellent night, you all know who you are!


This week at OOTB it’s Ms Fi and possibly The Misfits! with a selection of jaunty Edinburgh songs (they might not all be jaunty, no form of contract is implied or given!) – but anyway, we should be back in The Tron (after our brief sojourn to the City Cafe last week!) but if you get to The Tron on Thursday and we’re not there, do try the City Cafe, because you never know…

We didn’t have OOTB 400 reviewed by visual-opinions.com in the end, perhaps we can put it down to the general chaos and confusion of the night. Of course, once more all i can offer are my apologies that we promised a review, and it didn’t get done. Anyway, i’ve got hope that the OOTB reviews might make a comeback at some point, but i’m making no more promises, because OOTB’s facing some interesting times ahead, and unfortunately reviewing is not something we have the resource to commit to at the moment. Hopefully you’ll all understand, and as i say, hopefully the OOTB reviews will return in the future. Let me just say now, if anybody sends me a review of an OOTB night in time for the next mailout (ie: before the Tuesday following the night in question) then it’ll definitely go on the website. If you really want your performance reviewed though, you may have to bring your own reviewer along!


Next Sunday (the 18th) I’ll (Calum Carlyle) be playing the featured set, accompanied by Sam Bradley on his six string fretless bass, at the Blue Blazer, on the corner of Spittal and Bread Streets in Edinburgh, just off Lothian Road. There’s an open mic section from 8-9pm (as you know) and then it’s us from 9-10pm. We’ll be playing songs from Honesty And Thorns as well as a few other songs of mine. Oh yes, and while i remember, now’s a good time to join my mailing list because you’ll get a free alternative version of “No Use Looking Back” with the next mailout, as well as more alternative versions in the future.

Free croissants! You know Word Of Mouth cafe on the corner of Leith Walk and Albert Street? They do have open mic nights every occasional Friday, and they’re usually excellent too, but this week, they are giving away a free croissant with every takeaway coffee, to celebrate Bastille Day which is on Wednesday 14th July. They’re doing the free croissant every day this week though, so pop in as many times as you like!

Now, two things are happening this Tuesday (13th July) that i wanted to mention (though i mentioned them last week too), first of all it’s Niall Connolly at the Roxy Art House at 8pm, he’s an accomplished acoustic
performer, and he’ll be doing the final gig of his tour in Edinburgh. Also on Tuesday 13th July, it’s the fourth Regent Showcase. These are on every month, on the second Tuesday, at The Regent at the top of Abbeymount near London Road. I think they start at 8pm, and it’s free to get in. There’s comedy this month from Graeme Thomas and tons of music by performers that will be both familiar and new to OOTB regulars.


Steven Tonge‘s band Supermarionation are playing in Bannerman’s (212 Cowgate) this Wednesday (14th July, you know, Bastille Day!) at 8pm. Don’t be fashionably late, they’re on first! They’re followed by Revelry and Sister Bitch, who aren’t OOTB regulars as far as i know. Anyway, get yourselves along there, according to the poster it costs £small to get in.


One other thing i wanted to mention to you is our new OOTB Youtube channel! We do sometimes have people videoing performances at OOTB, on an ad hoc basis, and what we’ve started doing is getting people to sign a release form so we can put some of them on the web for you all to experience again. So, there are a song each from Sam Siggs and Karen Edward so far at www.youtube.com/edinburghsongwriters
and hopefully there’ll be more videos added as time goes on. Enjoy!

Finally, now i know i pimped this last week, but really if you’re a songwriter, go and sign up for the 5090 songwriting challenge – it’s a unique opportunity to be part of a seething online community of rabid songwriters. They’re all really helpful and supportive and if you upload recordings of your new songs they’ll all give you helpful feedback on them. It really is invaluable for a songwriter in my opinion. here’s how many songs i’ve done just this week based on the inspiration from that site. Join up now! 🙂

It’s Out of the Bedroom 400 this week! it’s our first (and only?) covers night of 2010. Learn some covers, especially covers of someone else you’ve heard at OOTB, and come along. There will be cakes, it’ll be reviewed by Visual-Opinions.com. It’ll probably all run hideously off-schedule, but that’s rock ‘n’ roll! I’m certain it’ll be memorable. Come along, and in years to come, you’ll be able to say you were there. Mark my words, it’ll be an all star extravaganza of epic proportions.

One thing i really wanted to mention to you last week, and forgot, is the 50/90 Songwriting Challenge. Can you write 50 songs in 90 days? Even if you think the answer’s ‘no’, do you want to be part of a thriving online community of songwriters, all writing songs simultaneously, collaborating, commenting on each other’s work and generally egging each other on? Check out the site, anyway. I’ve already written three songs since 5090 started on Sunday, only 47 to go!

Now, other interesting events… Two things are happening next Tuesday (13th July) that i wanted to mention, first of all it’s Niall Connolly at the Roxy Art House at 8pm, he’s an accomplished acoustic performer, and he’ll be doing the final gig of his tour in Edinburgh. Also on Tuesday 13th July, it’s the fourth Regent Showcase. These are on every month, on the second Tuesday, at The Regent at the top of Abbeymount near London Road. I think they start at 8pm, and it’s free to get in. There’s comedy this month from Graeme Thomas and tons of music by performers that will be both familiar and new to OOTB regulars.

There are bound to be some other events on this week, obviously, there’s The Listening Room at The Blue Blazer on Spittal Street/Bread Street, it’s on Sunday, get there before 8pm if you want to play in the open mic section of the evening. On Friday, there’s the McEwan’s Ale House open mic night, starting at 9pm on South Clerk Street, across the road from what used to be the Odeon. There are various others, but to be honest i think we’ll let them do their own email publicity for once. 🙂 See you on Thursday!

5090 Songwriting Challenge

Posted 29/06/2010 By admin

Forgot to put it in the mailout, hopefully some of you will look on the OOTB website too. Check this out: fiftyninety.fawmers.org

“This is the marathon of songwriting known as the 50 Songs in 90 Days Challenge. Between July 4th and October 1st, participants attempt to write fifty songs. Songwriters will test their creative mettle by trying to create a finished song in less than 2 days every day for nearly 3 months.

“During these 90 days participants will encourage each other, collaborate, give and gain feedback on their new creations and push themselves to practice and refine their skills in songwriting. Whether long time vets of songwriting or picking up the pen for the first time, participants will grow their skills in making music… and just might have some fun along the way.”

OOTB 399 featuring Dan Gillan

Posted 29/06/2010 By admin

It’s the enigmatic Dan Gillan playing the featured slot this week, you’ve heard his myspace, now come and hear him in the flesh! And get there early enough and you could sign up for an open mic slot too. It’s actually been pleasantly busy even considering the sunny weather, looks like you can’t keep those diehard music types away! Also, bring a pound coin for your chance to enter the prize draw and win “something” from the Silver Bag O’ Dreams!

Also DON’T FORGET, we’ve got Out of the Bedroom number 400 coming up on the 8th of July, that’s NEXT WEEK, and you’re all welcome to participate in the extravaganza. It’s covers night, and you’re particularly encouraged to cover a song by another OOTBer. Start rehearsing now! Oh yes, there’ll be cakes too, did i mention that? Also, the evening will be reviewed by visual-opinions.com (according to my sources) so if you’d like to read what a total stranger thinks about your music then get yourself along next week, or any of the following three weeks. And, if you’d like to be a reviewer, then please get in touch with visual-opinions.com sooner rather than later, letting them know how often you’d like to review, and any other questions or concerns you may have about it.

Secret CDs is on tomorrow (30th July) at 7:30pm at The Phoenix Cellar Bar which is on Broughton Street, as usual a fine selection of live acts can be heard for only two quid. This month they are: Thank You So Nice, who you’d have heard if you were at the Lindsay And The Storm gig last month at the Voodoo Rooms, The Green Lights, making a return visit to Secret CDs, Sophie Ramsay, who i have to admit is a particular favourite of mine, in that her ethereal performances are quite different to most of Edinburgh’s acoustic acts, and Stephen Harrison, a bass voiced songsmith in the classic tradition, so i hear!

On Friday 2nd July (this Friday), come along to the debut of a new Edinburgh musical showcase, called Magic Letters. It starts at 9pm, it’s in The Forest Cafe on Bristo Place, and it’s FREE to get in. This Friday, featured acts will be Sam Barber and the Outcasts, the ever increasing acoustic punk pop combo, Calum Carlyle and Sam Bradley, playing new versions of tracks from Honesty And Thorns, and Mutant Lodge (featuring Nyk Stoddart) flexing his musical muscles in preparation for a CD launch in the not-so-distant future. For a free Friday night, that’s not bad.

Here’s something a little bit more unusual, it’s a creativity competition. Check it out, there are prizes and money to be won, if you are a creative type, a musician, filmmaker, artist or photographer etc, then take a minute to have a look.

On Sunday, it’s the final of the Livingston Battle of the Bands. Usually i wouldn’t mention this, since it’s my personal opinion that Battles of Bands are counter to the spirit of real music, but perhaps that’s a discussion for another day because in this case one of the bands in the finals are former OOTB darlings Jump Press A! They’re so cuddly, you won’t be able to resist zipping out to Da’ Vinci’s Hotel in Livingston to support them at 6:30pm this Sunday (4th July). Here’s what the band have to say: “Hey Guys, We would really love it if you could come and support us in the FINAL of the DaVinci’s Battle of the Bands.If you can take a car and fill up the extra seats, we will pay your entry fee and if you would like a space in a car share get in touch!” – So, how can you pass an offer like that up? Look them up on Facebook and get in touch.

Other things that are on are: tomorrow (Wednesday 30th June), The Southern Bar open mic night starts at 8:30pm, and it’s at The Southern Bar, 22 South Cleark Street. Then on Friday, as usual, there’s the aptly named McEwan’s Ale House Open Mic from 9pm, at McEwan’s Ale House at 22 Clerk Street, and on Sunday, there’s the ever popular Listening Room at The Blue Blazer at 8pm, on the corner of Spittal and Bread streets, and it’s also free. This week the featured act at The Listening Room is unconfirmed at this time. Watch this space –>    .

One other thing i’m going to mention is an email i got this week from Miyagi, here’s the gist: “You may or may not have heard of a wee Facebook campaign going on just now called Storm The Charts. Essentially they have chosen 40 independent artists who would not normally have the opportunity to get in the charts and are attempting to get as many of them as possible into the charts in the same week.” so, the upshot is Miyagi want you to go to Amazon or iTunes and buy their track “Cry Cry Cry”.

OOTB – A Surreal Moment In Denial

Posted 23/06/2010 By admin

It’s Nyk Stoddart giving us the featured set this week at OOTB 398, in the Tron on Thursday (I’ve had a lot of people emailing me recently asking where and when OOTB is, check out our info page if you’re at all unsure of our particulars. So, Nyk Stoddart’s going to be playing songs from his next CD, some of which you may have heard, some not. He’ll also be accompanied by a mysterious and enigmatic cypher on the bass guitar so get yourself down there and check out the uniqueness.

Also, i wanted to mention to you something you might find very useful if you’re a songwriter, it’s The Ten Tips For Songwriters e-book, now available for FREE online. It features ten tips each from 18 songwriters (so 180 tips in total!), and it’s quite an enjoyable read too.


Out of the Bedroom 400 is nearly upon us (it’s on the 8th July) and it’s our first (and only?) covers night of 2010. Learn some covers, especially covers of someone else you’ve heard at OOTB, and come along. There should be cakes too. Not only that but there should be the return of the Out of the Bedroom reviews!!!!!!! Yes, you read correctly, OOTB 400 to 403 will be being reviewed, or that’s the plan anyway, by the good people at Visual-Opinions.com. So if you want to be reviewed, come along during the month of July, and if you would like to write a review, then get in touch with Visual-Opinions.com here.



Here’s something you may like, it’s a song being performed live by Thorn’s Musical Journey, in Colorado last month.

There are bound to be some other events on this week, obviously, there’s The Listening Room at The Blue Blazer on Spittal Street/Bread Street, it’s on Sunday, get there before 8pm if you want to play in the opn mic section of the evening. This Friday too, there’s the McEwan’s Ale House open mic night, starting at 9pm on South Clerk Street, across the road from what used to be the Odeon. There are a lot more gigs than that though going on. This week, i’m going to let you all figure them out for yourselves. Read posters! Go and see bands you like and listen to the other bands’ sets too! it’s all good clean fun. And then see you at OOTB on Thursday.


Calum Carlyle
Out of the Bedroom

OOTB 397 – Susanna MacDonald…

Posted 15/06/2010 By admin

This week we’re being treated to a feature set by Susanna MacDonald. Her CD “Some Misconceptions” was bluesbunny.com‘s CD of the month last month. Susanna’s got a full size cabaret show on during the Edinburgh Festival which I strongly urge you to go and see, it’s got my recommendation anyway. This week at OOTB however, expect a more intimate and acoustic gig from Susanna, though i’d be surprised if there aren’t a few surprises as well!

There’s also the usual open mic slots, chances to win big with the Silver Bag o’ Dreams and much more zany originalness will also be available this Thursday, an evening of fun for all the family. Also DON’T FORGET, we’ve got Out of the Bedroom number 400 coming up on the 8th of July, and you’re all welcome to participate in the extravaganza. It’s covers night, and you’re particularly encouraged to cover a song by another OOTBer. Start rehearsing now! 🙂

Okay, we’re onto the “also happening this week…” section. First of all, come along to Electric Circus tonight, it’s twelve bands for a fiver, proceeds go to the charity Cash For Kids, and my (Calum Carlyle) shiny new band will be playing a four song set (sometime after about 8:30pm we think). The evening starts at 6pm, finishes at 10pm, and it’s at Electric Circus on Market Street.

If you don’t fancy that, then consider going along to the Roxy Art House on Roxburgh Place for mayhew‘s EP launch. They’re playing at Glastonbury, so it’s bound to be packed! 8pm start, 11pm finish and it’s £2 admission.

Then on Wednesday it’s Doctor Ruby’s at The Jazz Bar on Chambers Street, featuring Black Diamond Express, Aaron Wright and the Aprils and The Electric Ghosts. Doors: 8pm, entry £4/£3 concessions, or £3/£2 (before 9pm).

On Thursday it’s OOTB ft Susanna MacDonald of course, and then on Friday, Word of Mouth are having another open mic night, they’re always great fun, so come along. It starts at 7:30pm and it’s at Word of Mouth cafe, 3a Albert Street (just off Leith Walk). It’s free to get in and it’s BYOB.

This Saturday, as part of the Leith Festival, come along to Great Junction Street Studios at 125 Great Junction Street for their Open Day. there’ll be booze and music, and also cakes, hand made by the now-famous Georgie from Neoviolet! Admission is £1, doors open at 2pm, Also, there’ll be plenty of live music of course, as well as some spoken word performances. Performers in full are: Mutant Lodge, Euan Currie, Steve Callaghan, Sons of Fionn, Women’s Writing Group, Sacre Noir, Steve Redman, Graeme Smith, Black Sea Sailors, Calum Carlyle & Sam Bradley. So, Mutant Lodge is on at 2:30pm, Sacre Noir are on at 4:30pm and I’ll be playing at 6:30pm with the awesometastic Sam Bradley on bass. I really recommend you stick around for the whole day, because i’ve heard most of these acts and liked them a lot.

Then on Saturday night, if you’re up for going to Glasgow, it’s Ballboy and Eagleowl performing at Pivo Pivo. Admission’s £8.50 and it starts at 8pm.

As usual, there’s the aptly named McEwan’s Ale House Open Mic on Friday from 9pm, and on Sunday, come along to The Blue Blazer for the ever popular Listening Room at 8pm, it’s also free. This week the featured act at The Listening Room is Juan x Juan.

Caro Bridges EP & upcoming gigs

Posted 08/06/2010 By admin


This week our featured act at OOTB is Cameron Phair. He’s a great songwriter, a great performer, and a nice guy too. Come along this Thursday, you’ll like it. The usual open mic slots, chances to win big with the Silver Bag o’ Dreams and much more zany originalness will also be available this Thursday, an evening of fun for all the family.


By the way, OOTB performer Caro Bridges has just brought out a free online EP so please check it out. I think she’s really good, and i hope you will too. Once you’ve listened to it, why not give us your opinions by commenting below?


Speaking of Cameron Phair (as we were), he’s got an evening on tonight (free admission) at The Regent Bar, which is at the top of Abbeymount, it’s the third Regent Showcase, a sort of acoustic revue. I really enjoyed the last one and would urge you to go along tonight. For those with money in their pockets though, why not go to the Voodoo Rooms tonight? It’s Come On Gang!, Thank You So Nice and Lindsay and the Storm playing for a fiver.

Then tomorrow night (Wednesday 9th June) you can hear the incredible sounds of mayhew and Three Long Words at The Lot in the Grassmarket from 7pm for only £5. This is worth it, folks. In years to come, will you look back and think how great it was to be involved with the thriving music scene in Edinburgh? Now’s the time to go for it, Edinburgh’s music scene’s more vibrant now than i can remember it being for a long time.

It’s Out of the Bedroom on Thursday of course, and as usual, there’s the aptly named McEwan’s Ale House Open Mic on Friday from 9pm, and also at the McEwan’s Ale House on Saturday is the debut of a new fortnightly event run by Nick Splinter Smith, and this Saturday it’s Nick Splinter Smith Presents… Calum Carlyle. Starting at 10pm, It’ll be an informal acoustic evening with me (Calum) playing some of my songs solo. Free admission. Then on Sunday, come along to The Blue Blazer for the ever popular Listening Room at 8pm, it’s also free.


I may as well tell you about next week while we’re here, because i really want to mention the gig next Tuesday at Electric Circus. It’s twelve bands for a fiver, ranging from rock to pop to acoustic to decks ‘n’ drums, however most relevantly it’s the first ever outing for my new band. At the moment, we’re just called Calum Carlyle and Friends, and we’ll be doing a twenty minute set, along with eleven other bands. I’m quite excited about it, to be honest, and as i say it’s at Electric Circus on Tuesday 15th June starting at 6pm. Realistically, our band’ll be on somewhere between about 7:45pm and 9:30pm, but i’ve heard a few of the other bands and they’re all worth hearing so get there early. It’s £5 on the door or £4 in advance. All the profits go to the charity Cash For Kids.

Audigy at OOTB in March 2010

Posted 30/05/2010 By admin

The remarkable Joe Roberts filmed this at OOTB this March. It’s Audigy, who are great. Enjoy!

OOTB 394 – It’s all going on!

Posted 25/05/2010 By admin

This week at Out of the Bedroom number 394 it’s the enigmatic Stephen McLaren, who is, i believe, one half of Collar Up. He uses the piano to impressive effect and this Thursday he’ll be playing a featured set for us at OOTB. Come along, Out of the Bedroom’s been really good this year and I’m sure this week’ll be no exception. Also, you can hear the cream of Edinburgh’s performing songwriters (no dodgy covers at OOTB!) plying their trade, so why would you want to be elsewhere on a Thursday evening? PLUS you get a highly reasonable chance of winning a quirky and interesting prize from the Silver Bag o’ Dreams (TM)

Now, none of you wore the sunglasses last week to OOTB, so I’m not going to even try and instigate a theme for this week! I’m not even sure any of you are reading the emails! Just in case you are though, let me tell you a few other things about OOTB. First of all, it’s OOTB 400 coming up soon, on 8th July 2010 no less. We’re going to celebrate by having our first “covers night” of 2010. You’re encouraged to come along and sing your own songs, or covers of other OOTB performers’ songs, or imaginative covers of popular hits and classics. There will probably be other fun stuff on the night, but we’ve not finalised the details yet.

The other thing I wanted to tell you is that we’re hoping to have the occasional video up on the Out of the Bedroom website. It’s just on an as-and-when basis at the moment, ie: if a video comes our way, we might put it on the website if the artiste has given us their permission. But what this means in real terms is that you’ll get to see some OOTB performances from the comfort of your own computer. Watch this space…

Okay, now we’re onto the “also this week” section. Tonight (Tuesday 25th May) there’s a new open mic night at The Cruz Bar, 14 The Shore, Leith. It starts at 8pm, Perhaps I’ll see you there. Tomorrow (26th May) It’s Edward and the Itch (aka Sam Siggs, our feature act for OOTB 390) performing live at the GRV. 7pm start, I’m not sure of the admission cost. On Friday you can of course go to the excellent open mic night at McEwan’s Ale House on South Clerk Street, which starts at 9pm and on Sunday it’s The Listening Room at The Blue Blazer on Spittal Street (on the corner of Bread Street, just off Lothian Road). It starts at 8pm, and it’s great fun. You always get a good selection of interesting performances and from 9-10pm there’s an invited artiste playing a featured slot. That’s it from me, see you on Thursday at The Tron…
Calum Carlyle
Out of the Bedroom

WP2Social Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com