Hiya all
Welcome to May and a Rab Noakes news update.
The dates in March went well and included a successful, well-attended, return to London at The Kalamazoo Klub.
The first half of April was dogged by the presence of a nasty, stubborn, virus which floored me. I had to cancel one private concert which, I’m glad to say has been rescheduled for a date in May.
2016 has been good so far for private concerts or ‘house concerts’ as we refer to them. First one was in January, a 50th birthday celebration in Arbroath. I played a most enjoyable Sunday afternoon on the shores of the Forth in February followed by a wedding in Pollokshields. Later in April I was a surprise 60th birthday present on the Isle of Skye. A great, upbeat, celebratory night full of songs ensued. There are some more of those shows scheduled in the coming months. I enjoy playing them as I do like their up-close-and-personal nature. I like to tailor the repertoire to suit which makes them creatively interesting for me. We’re up for trying it in any location too, Scotland and beyond. If you’re interested in one, please contact Stephy at stephyneon@gmail.com
She’ll tell you how it all works and will book it.
Back in January 2105 I was honoured to be a part of the Celtic Connections opening concert. It featured Greg Lawson’s bold and successfully imaginative orchestral arrangement of Martyn Bennett’s ‘Grit’. I’m now delighted to report the show will be replayed in 2016. The first outing is at WOMAD Festival on July 29th, the second at The Playhouse, Edinburgh, as part of the Edinburgh International Festival, on August 23rd. Booking details are on the gig list.
Here’s a list of all forthcoming dates
May
12th Hythe The Tin Tabarnacle Shane Record 01303 240452
Art-Write 01303 261925
20th Moffat* Town Hall www.dgartsfestival.org.uk
21st Selkirk String Jam Club County Hotel Selkirk 01750 721233
June
23rd Dundee Clark’s on Lindsay Street www.facebook.com/clarksonlindsaystreet
25th Aberfeldy The Weem www.theweeminn.com
30th nr Salisbury** WOMAD Festival http://womad.co.uk/artist/the-grit-orchestra/
Jul
15th Thames Ditton The Ram Club ramclub@btinternet.com
22nd St Andrews*** Botanic Gardens
http://www.standrewsbyreinthebotanics.com/events/batb-barbara-dickson-rab-noakes/
Aug
5th Beauly Belladrum Festival http://www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk/
6th Ullapool Ceilidh Place http://www.theceilidhplace.com/whats-on/
8th Uig, Isle of Lewis Community Hall tickets tbc
14th Edinburgh Fringe AMC http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2538411
23rd Edinburgh** Playhouse EIF http://www.eif.co.uk/2016/grit#.VyW5zz99iRs
Oct
15th Cupar Watts tickets tbc
*with Fraser Speirs
**Grit
*** Barbara Dickson and Rab Noakes
I’m looking forward to this month’s dates. Hythe’s first and it’s a first time there for me. Kent of course is the Noakes family seat so it’s always good to pay a visit to that part of the world.
Moffat on the 20th is part of the Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival. A request was made for me to do it with Fraser. We don’t do so many gigs with the two of us these days so we’re both excited about it. Last time I played The String Jam Club in Selkirk was a couple of years ago. It’s always a good night there, well-run with a room full of informed music lovers. It was really good last time so all the more reason for me to work it up and make even better this time.
My health issues continue with regular follow-up meetings, scans and weigh-ins. There’s really little of note to report as progress is as anticipated, if not better.
If you’ve been at a recent show you will have heard a couple of the songs I’ve written informed by it all. There are a half-dozen of them now and I’ve recorded them all at John Cavanagh’s place. I’ll be making them available soon as a download EP called ‘The Treatment Tapes’. Don’t worry though, they’re not self-centredly miserable. There’s love, defiance and humour in them.
Here’s something from just before the treatments commenced. In 2014 I was invited to be a part of photographer Walter Neilson’s Creative Fifers project. It was launched in Kirkcaldy in March of 2015. This link’s to a video recording of the event.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUYY25tB9rU&feature=youtu.be
Next year, 2017, is an anniversary year for me. In May of 1967 I played my first properly billed and paid gig, with Robin McKidd, at The Glasgow Folk Centre in Montrose Street. Also in May I’ll be turning 70. We’ll be making something of this in a few specifically celebratory shows with appropriate repertoires.
Do visit the website www.rabnoakes.com for, amongst other things, the CD/Vinyl/Download shop.
Also, visit my FaceBook page at /Rab Noakes Music