Hi! Back Again, Gig pics, Blue Pearl Bongo 5 Action

[GreyDad]

Hi Guys and Gals,

GreyDad has been a bit quiet forum-wise these past few weeks - been on holiday with family sailing off the beautiful Essex/Suffolk coast in the UK, a great place and a great holiday!

Got back last Monday and with 3 days notice was asked to play bass in a one-off band formed for a street party in the city of Bristol, UK last Saturday 5th Sep. The guitarist is a friend of mine (we jammed together a good few years ago) but I didn't know the other guys (singer and keyboard/accordion player) who just live on the same street so it was blind date time. No drummer either, so not exactly tight playing it must be said. We didn't manage to get together to rehearse until 4PM and we were on at 6:30!!!

We played covers:

Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynrd
The Scientist by Coldplay
You Give Me Something by James Morrison
Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen
Sally Maclennane by The Pogues
Nothing Ever Happens by Del Amitri
Candy by Paulo Nutini

I only knew the first one! It's a rather odd mix of stuff and mostly not my type of music but the experience was incredibly useful. I love Candy and Nothing Ever happens though, I'm working on better basslines for those two.

Strummer's Blue *DAWN* Bongo 5HSp LE had it's first live gig in the UK though - sounded great and I was pretty pleased with the sound for the type of music we were playing. Thanks Magnus, I hadn't played her for a while but I'm back in love again

Anyway here's a couple of pics:

Sweet Home Alabama, with the crowd joining in the chorus!

Strummers Blue *DAWN* 5hsp bongo in action playing Sally Maclennane by the Pogues

Best bit is that after we played a lady came up to see us who is organising a similar street party in the next street over and now we've got another gig for that in 2 weeks time!

What did I miss while I was away? Are we up to 10k for erin yet?

Cheers all and thanks again Magnus

Neil

 

[Duarte]

GreyDad has been a bit quiet forum-wise these past few weeks - been on holiday with family sailing off the beautiful Essex/Suffolk coast in the UK, a great place and a great holiday!

Hey man, where abouts down suffolk way were you? Next time you're in the Woodbridge area give me a shout! I work in a boatyard there, shifting chains and sanding decks and whatnot...all the dirty work. But it is the best place to work, just beautiful. The pubs round here are very good too. My acoustic band is organising some little gigs in these venues - definitely come down at some point.

And that HS looks totally badass. When are ou expected to return it?

 

[MingusBASS]

Come on, it's Blue Dawn!

 

[bovinehost]

Come on, it's Blue Dawn!

That's what I was going to say!

Cool, though - that bass has done some serious travelin'.

 

[rizzo9247]

Thee best Bongo color. Ever.

 

[Aussie Mark]

Did the singer's cricket match finish at 6.00pm?

 

[GreyDad]

Doh - senior brain fade moment of course it's blue dawn, been away from the basses too long... Really like playing it live I have to say. I spent a lot of today playing it again as well, messing around with the tone controls more - as Jack says it has tons of knobs and I'm still working it all out.

Yes, singer is a tad eccentric don't know why he was wearing whites since it was cloudy miserable and raining part of the time but he has a remarkably good voice - he's only about 17 actually. Singing duties were shared, he did two, the others did two (or so). I'm not allowed to sing, on environmental health grounds.

Duarte, we got up as far as Ipswich, up and down the Orwell basically. Boat is based at West Mersea in the Blackwater. We haven't made it as far up as the Deben yet. We've been to Woodbridge but only by car when we lived there (used to live just outside Bury St Edmunds). Which yard do you work at?

I see EP has about $9k - that's well cool

 

[GreyDad]

And that HS looks totally badass. When are ou expected to return it?

Shhh! He's gone very quiet, I'm hoping he's forgotten all about it...

 

[stingray96191]

Doh - senior brain fade moment of course it's blue dawn, been away from the basses too long... Really like playing it live I have to say. I spent a lot of today playing it again as well, messing around with the tone controls more - as Jack says it has tons of knobs and I'm still working it all out.

Yes, singer is a tad eccentric don't know why he was wearing whites since it was cloudy miserable and raining part of the time but he has a remarkably good voice - he's only about 17 actually. Singing duties were shared, he did two, the others did two (or so). I'm not allowed to sing, on environmental health grounds.

Duarte, we got up as far as Ipswich, up and down the Orwell basically. Boat is based at West Mersea in the Blackwater. We haven't made it as far up as the Deben yet. We've been to Woodbridge but only by car when we lived there (used to live just outside Bury St Edmunds). Which yard do you work at?

I see EP has about $9k - that's well cool

Insane...

I wish i was on vacation by the sea...

One day...

Erin

 

[shakinbacon]

That bass looks great on you. In fact, it almost looks small on the first pic... how tall are you?

Also, what strap are you using?

 

[strummer]

Shhh! He's gone very quiet, I'm hoping he's forgotten all about it...

Looking real good there with the Blue Dawn Bongo, Neil! And not to worry, it'll stay a while with you my friend

 

[GreyDad]

I wish i was on vacation by the sea...

You keep playing bass, you get better, you come to England then we go sailing. Seemples.

 

[GreyDad]

That bass looks great on you. In fact, it almost looks small on the first pic... how tall are you?

Also, what strap are you using?

Cheers - I'm about 6ft 1in. It feels pretty comfortable to play.

I use a couple of 4inch all-leather straps made in Liverpool in the UK - very simple, no moving parts, very comfortable. Sorry, don't know the make, I get them from a big music store I work near in Bristol.

 

[GreyDad]

Looking real good there with the Blue Dawn Bongo, Neil! And not to worry, it'll stay a while with you my friend

I think the blue dawn complements my orange skin remarkably well - I'm not actually that colour normally but we had two weeks of brilliant sunshine on holiday so came back a bit over-tanned.

I'm very privileged to be able to play it, Magnus - I look at it and I still can't believe you shipped it over. Hope you don't mind me taking it out - very carefully looked after and never left my sight when we were there.

 

[strummer]

Hope you don't mind me taking it outQUOTE]

Mind? That's what you have it for, to play the living daylights out of it

 

[Duarte]

Duarte, we got up as far as Ipswich, up and down the Orwell basically. Boat is based at West Mersea in the Blackwater. We haven't made it as far up as the Deben yet. We've been to Woodbridge but only by car when we lived there (used to live just outside Bury St Edmunds). Which yard do you work at?

Ah, I see. Ipswich is very close, but I'm not really familiar with the Orwell that well at all. The only reason I ever really venture to Ipswich for is the mediocre club scene and cheap pubs/bars...there is literally a weatherspoons on every corner. The yard I work at is appropriately named 'Melton Boat Yard' and is just outside the back gate of my house. It's between the Big one in Woodbridge and the other big one in Melton...it's so quiet my boss lets me have parties there! If you're out and about in Suffolk you'll see him at events in an ancient Citroen van selling Crepes.

I don't believe I didn't notice your Blue Pearl mistake! Damn...but that finish is THE legendary Blue Dawn. We should be ashamed of ourselves.

 

[stingray96191]

You keep playing bass, you get better, you come to England then we go sailing. Seemples.

Sounds like a plan...

Now if only Pgh had something comparable to offer..

Erin

 

[GreyDad]

Heard today our second Bristol street gig is confirmed for this Saturday coming, 7PM and a 45 minute set!! yay!!

Looks like the BLUE DAWN Bongo gets to ride again!

 

[tkarter]

Soon you will be so bongo hooked it ain't funny. Enjoy.

tk