seat of the pants gig from a few years ago

[Paul Cowham]

Hi folks,
I was trawling the internet yesterday, and came across this video of a number from I gig that a played in 2015 (nice to be reminded of pre lockdown times).

It was a pretty surreal experience for me, as I was depping and we had about 45 mins rehearsal to get a set together before the gig. I was playing rhythm guitar, but this features Simon Brady on the mandolin who is a really great player, and my old buddy Jonny Hulme on the banjo who is also a mighty picker, and finally Ray Walmsley who is a pretty mean bass player, although this was the only time I've met him! I think this was the last number of our set, hence the introductions. Please excuse my poor attempt at an impromptu break, my flatpicking wasn't up to the tempo!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7Hd-0mmXAU

[journeybear]

Oh, don't run yourself down. That's what we're here for! ;)

After all, you were put on the spot by the announcer. You probably weren't intending to take a lead on this, given the tmpo, as you said. Also, as this was the last song, you might have been hoping to get out of there in one pieve without being put on the spot. Just your luck, eh? I think you managed fine all the same.

I like how Simon was ready and rarin' to go after the bass solo. Smart lad, understanding the situation and anticipating his solo. Leave it to the mandolinist to save the day! :mandosmiley:

[Dagger Gordon]

Well done Paul. You did very well, I thought.
Hot little band, I must say.

[Paul Cowham]

Thanks Journeybear - yep, Simon is a really good player. He has a youtube channel with some more of him on it https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-FOO5GnE-OHqe_Np0JKz8g/featured

Hi Dagger, thanks for your kind words, and I hope you and family are keeping well. I did feel a bit out of my depth, but really glad that I played that gig, good to be out of your "comfort zone" now and again... The banjo player is an old friend of mine, it's probably fair to say that he and Simon are amongst the top tier of bluegrass musicians in the Uk. I don't often get chance to play bluegrass (lockdown apart), as there isn't much in Manchester, but at least there is plenty of Irish trad and similar. Looking forward to being able to reconnect with that scene once things start to get back to some kind of normal.

A fairly local friend, Maria who lives in West Yorkshire, puts on Americana gigs and Uk tours through an organisation she set up called truenorth music
http://www.truenorthmusic.co.uk/. Anyhow, she put Sierra Hull and Ethan Jodciewicz on, Simon and Jonny supported and here is their end of eve mash up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeDb15DG1E8

[Paul Cowham]

Maybe I should have started a new thread for this... Anyhow, the great Simon Brady and Jonny Hulme on mando and banjo from the first post on this thread have recently teamed up with some other top pickers in NW England and made what I think is a lovely arrangement of a Christmas song, hope you enjoy and happy Christmas!

It looks like this was put together and arranged by a session musician from Liverpool called Scott Poley, this is on his youtube channel.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgKyxO-d7lo