Blog: Totally Acoustic

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It's been two months but feels like MUCH longer since we last did a Totally Acoustic so it was GRATE to roll up once more at The Lamb and have to explain to one of the chaps behind the bar, as is traditional, what was going on. "But they've just told me there isn't any music!" he said, EXASPERATED, as if I was about to turn around and go home in that case. I wasn't, and I didn't.

Towards the back of the room I found The Table Of Regulars, and the evening BEGAN. We had a chat then moved upstairs to start The Moving Of The Furniture, just as more people began to trickle in, including my GUESTS for the evening Mr Chris Taylor of The Platers and Mr Matthew Williams of The Grave Architects. They BOTH arrived WELL before 7pm, which is always a relief, and soon we had sufficient people attending to get GOING.

So as usual I went to get a drink and have a wee, returning to find other people had done the same, and we eventually got started the usual fifteen minutes later than constantly advertised. Here's what I played:

Work's All Right (when it's a proper job)

It Isn't An Exam

Family Wedding 2021

Literature Search

Strangely Attractive

Please Don't Eat Us

It Only Works Because You're Here

We're Old And We're Tired (and we want to go home)

The Lesson Of The Smiths

It seemed to go pretty well, despite me doing a trio of NERVE SHATTERING songs that I've either not done for AGES (The Words On My Lyrics Sheet suggested Work's All Right (when it's a proper job) about 60 seconds before the start, and it was only as I sang it that I realised I'd not sung it for AGES and was quite surprised by some of the words, and even though I've been practicing Family Wedding 2021, after Sven in Dresden requested it, it was A Bit Scary) or that were BRAND NEW. Have I mentioned It Isn't An Exam on here yet? If not, it's a BRAND NEW SONG that I wrote last week, my first new song in MILLENIA that is a) designed to be sung at gigs and b) does not feature Dinosaurs. I think it went OK, and it was a relief to have sung it AT people to check it was all right. The first song I write for The Next Album always ends up being one of my favourites (previous examples include The Lesson Of The Smiths and It Only Works Because You're Here) so hopefully this will join THAT exalted company.

Also as usual there was a LOT of talking - the other gigs I've done this year have featured a lot of Talking On Purpose, it is something i LIKE.

After me came Mr Chris Taylor from The Platers. As with Mr Simon Fox last time I always feel a bit guilty if the person on directly after me is, as Chris was, a bit more "serious" in his stage persona than I am. After I've LARKED ABOUT so much it can be difficult, for artist AND audience, to make a switch to more LISTENING, but he did it admirably. People were RAPT and several people came up to me afterwards saying "Ooh, he's got a way with a phrase hasn't he?" He HAD.

Then it was the traditional Larger Break before Mr Williams - i saw The Grave Architects last year and a) LOVED them b) was dumfounded to realise I'd had MILLIONS of chances to see them before but hadn't. He was precisely as EXCELLENT as they'd been, perhaps even a little more so due to the way he channelled NERVES into CHARM. I was actually rather MOVED by some bits, especially when he talked about his Dad INSPIRING him, and his version of "Trapped In The Closet (part one)" was ASTONISHING. In a VERY GOOD way!

After that we enjoyed the usual Sitting Around Having A Chat And A Beer - I know I always say this, but REALLY: Other gigs! If you start EARLIER that leaves time for CHATTING afterwards, rather than everyone having to dash off for trains/getting kicked out due to closing time. It's SO much more civilised!

It was a BRILLIANT kick-off for an EXCITING SEASON of Totally Acoustic - I've got THREE more booked over the next few months, do come along if you can, it will be GRATE!

posted 10/2/2010 by MJ Hibbett

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