OOTB 400-401 July 2010
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! 🙂