Posts Tagged ‘musicians’

Office Gigs. It’s The Future.

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

Clearly, the idea of doing a gig in an office is one that some people find hard to get their head round. Like this guy.

Fortunately, he’s already had an amazing experience at a solo bass concert, but still took some convincing. Proof that the best advert for anything is the personal opinion of someone you trust.

Let us know if you want to be part of this brave new future.

Office Gigs. Coming to an Office. Near You. Soon.

Office Gigs: The Musicians

Sunday, September 13th, 2009
Lloyd Davis playing and singing, photo by Roo Reynolds

Lloyd Davis playing and singing, photo by Roo Reynolds

While Office Gigs is clearly an idea that could stretch far and wide, we are initially keeping the roster of musicians small. It may (will) grow bigger over time, but the idea here is as much about “making great music happen in unexpected places” as it is about the enterprise. (If you want to be involved, or want to suggest people, there’ll be time for that as the idea/model unfolds. There’ll be info about how to do that on here as and when it fits, I promise.)

I’ll write more about each artist, and they’ll all be contributing to the blog here, but for now, here are some links and a little bit of background. If the idea grabs you now, and you want to start planning an event, please do check out the “How It Works” page and drop us a line:

  • Steve Lawson – (that’s me) solo bass guitarist, nay, the only solo bassist ever to play a whole set at the Royal Albert Hall (or indeed at the top of the Gherkin, but more about that later…) The music is pastoral, ambient, tuneful; like the soundtrack to a film you REALLY wish you’d seen. Or indeed, as the strapline on my website goes ‘The soundtrack to the day you wish you’d had’ – the tunes all have stories attached, and the general response is one of great surprise that a solo bassist can make music that appeals to anyone other than other bassists. You can listen to lots of music on last.fm or spotify, and watch video on youtube.
  • Lobelia – singer/songwriter, often performs in a duo with me (Steve Lawson), but also as a solo acoustic act. Has a penchant for bizarre 80s cover tunes, as well as her own deeply moving songs. The combination of the 2 plus her between song chat and stories of growing up in West Virginia make for a stellar show. Listen to her on last.fm or reverbnation.

Here’s a video of Lobelia and I playing together, at a house concert in California:

  • Miriam Jones – Miriam is a Canadian ex-pat, now living in Oxford, playing and singing her amazing songs at festivals, clubs, music venues and house concerts around the country. She’s done the big-budget, slickly-made album thing (and very good she was at it, too!) and is now exploring the more autonomous end of the music-world. Whether solo with just a guitar, in a duo with amazing pianist Jez Carr, or with a trio/quartet/quintet, she always manages to connect with her audience, to entertain, inspire and make you laugh. Listen to her on last.fm or spotify and check out her ‘solitary songs‘ monthly song project .
  • Ben Walker – Ben is something of an internet phenomenon. His song ‘The Twitter Song’ (AKA “you’re no-one if you’re not on twitter”) has had hundreds of thousands of views, spawned T-shirts, and had the thumbs up from  the great and the good (Demi Moore and PDiddy amongst them!) He’s played songs about Hugh Fernley Wittingstall to Hugh Fernley Wittingstall, and organised a glorious event in Oxford called ‘Ben’s Big Gig’, hooking up as many bits of the show into the internet as possible. He writes hilarious songs, which is a rather dangerous game unless, like Ben, you’re a fab musician and great songwriter with or without jokes. Listen to lots of Ben’s music on his website, and watch the Twitter Song on Youtube.
  • Lloyd Davis – Lloyd and his ukulele are one of the most recognisable musical sights on the UK social media scene. Often called upon to sing his wonderful songs at just about any event where people can come up with an excuse to put him in the program. For years, his main musical outlet was busking, but now he plays shows in and around London, mainly playing songs from the 30s and 40s, just him and a ukulele. The number of people I’ve met who had no idea that a bloke and a tiny guitar could be so wonderful to listen to is in the hundreds. He’s on youtube (playing at an office gig, no less!), and has a free downloadable demo EP here.

So there you go, that’s us, for now. A small team, that can play in all kinds of spaces. Watch this space for more ideas…

    Office Gigs, You Say?

    Wednesday, August 26th, 2009

    Miriam Jones live at Darbucka, by Paul Clarke

    Miriam Jones live at Darbucka, by Paul Clarke

    Some music is just too good not to share.

    The problem is often not the quality of the music, but the accessibility of the event where the music is happening.

    One concert trend that’s becoming increasing popular in recent years is House Concerts

    holding small musical events in your living room. Inviting friends, and turning an evening of music listening into an event. An event where the music is part of an amazing evening. Food, great people, comfort, and the best that the world of music has to offer. The sound is better, the musicians are there to be chatted with, no-one has to travel far or pay high prices for drinks and food in a venue better suited to housing cattle.

    So, we thought, why not extend the idea to offices, to places of work? What better way to reward and inspire your staff, colleagues, investors and customers than by hosting a concert.

    Could be during lunch, could be for an hour or so after the work day has ended. It Could even been an all-afternoon-take-a-half-day-to-celebrate-a-job-well-done type event.

    If that sounds like a good thing to you, then keep reading, cos that’s what we’re here for.

    This ISN’T cabaret. it’s not background music. It’s not a way to book a tribute band.

    All the performances will be small-scale, easy to set up, self contained, requiring no stage or lighting, just a singer or musician, or maybe a duo, coming down to play some amazing music for you. Simple, artful, more than just entertainment: a unique event.