OOTB is a lean, mean fighting machine on 27th March. A handful of folks haunt the place, and they are treated to intimate sets and surprising newcomers.

OOTB 295 – April 03 2008

Broken Tooth, Ross Neilson/Zen Transmission, Freeloadin Frank, Jenny, Davy O’Hara, Nyk Stoddart, Jordan Ogg, Hugh Mann, Calum Carlyle and Jimmy, Jake Logan and Ross Coburn, Marcies New Haircut aka Kieron(debut)

OOTB 292 – 13 March 2008

John Downie, Rosie Bell, Hannah O’Reilly, Susanna McDonald, Jake Cogan & Ross Coburn, Ivor, Mike, Furious

Colin’s songs are tender, sweet and full of the wisdom of a long life. Colin (so a birdy told me) is 87 but could easily pass for 20 years younger, I only hope that I will be writing songs as witty, wonderful, and occasionally filthy at that age. Tonight he plays his glute* unplugged and really engages the audience. I particularly like the one about sleeping with (or not sleeping with) a ‘pro’. The songs and playing have always been great, but Colin is really growing in confidence.

*[that’s a cross between a guitar and a lute, rather than the muscle of the same name]

The Canon’s Gait was packed for a fun-packed night of stylish performers – Big Jim wore his compering hat and an exceedingly fetching Out Of The Bedroom t-shirt (available at OOTB, be quick to get hold of this season’s limited edition must-have!).

Darren Thornberry, Colin Milne, Starship, Hannah O’Reilly, Johnny Pugh, Aaron Lowen Berger, Rossco Galloway (Featured Act), Yogi, Colin Donati, Nigel Ashworth (debut), Ian Petrie

Our compere, Darren Thornberry, kicks things off with ‘In Theory’ which features his trademark soaring counter-tenor. The tentative early days of a relationship trusting nothing do not last and the novelty cannot sustain forever, love was meant to hold us.

A bit of an apology to go with this review, as essentially I’m writing it from memory. I was compering the night and our reviewer sadly couldn’t make it. I didn’t take any notes or anything, but this morning I decided it would be a pity not to document the night in some way. So don’t expect much detail (and if you want song names you can pretty forget it). Nonetheless I shall do my best to convey the mood of what was a superb (if short) evening in the company of a wistful few music lovers who have nothing better to do on Valentine’s night.

OOTB 287 – 7 February 2008

Performers: Nelson Wright, Aaron Lowenberger, Jonny D, Fletcher, Jim Tudor, Will Tomson, Lindsay Sugden, Mike, Jim Whyte.

A quick break occurs during which the bar does a roaring trade, several people decide to inhale the fumes of burning plants through small paper tubes in the freezing cold, and i find out how to spell Simon T Munro’s name…

Our humble compere ROB SPROUL-CRAN now does something I’ve never witnessed. He’s written a song while Ross was playing, and now he performs it, having had no time to pick up a guitar or give it a good sing. It’s something to do with death. I saw you cryin’ the day he died. It’s rather tender in that Rob way. I want to hear this one again soon. Well done sir!