What happens when the police stop a bear driving a brand new Merc ?

Of course you would not believe that the very same thing that caused me such a huge head ache at the Ed Fringe  is still causing me a head ache !!! that's too long for a piece of business to go without conclusion...

This nightmare - just about single handedly took the enjoyment out of doing the fringe most nights. Its not to be mistaken as something that could not have been avoided - it could have been...

Anyway - so here I am. I wanted to work on some music and move some pieces forward, but at the moment I am not in the mood to do this. What I have been able to do so far is put more work into the Uke pieces - and some time into themes for future shows. I had some interesting ideas from a walk down the South Bank in London at the weekend - and what I need to do next is pull this stuff together into a show structure - but its not at that stage yet... its a set of notes and pictures I have on my laptop for now...

I have a critic / come producer / come music addict / come frustrated consultant who is going to give me some help to build the show (Mr Deed) - and I can guarantee I will get a lot of comments on bits of the show as I work on them from various quarters. I don't want to be doing shows on a regular basis - but I cant see how with out some way of trying stuff with a wider audience I am going to be able to tune the show.. so that means picking up a gig or two along the way then...

I also dropped a line to the organiser of the Free Fringe. The note was to give him feedback from the various acts at the Renroc venue (a lot of it was not that pleasant) .. Why me - I was the point of contact for the venue on behalf of the fringe ... The venue was terrific for what it was - but it had some pitfalls which were enhanced and multiplied by an Edinburgh fringe management team who really thought that they were doing the entertainers a favour... well they need to think more mutually - is my only comment.

So what happens when the police stop a bear driving a brand new Merc ? I have some ideas - but I am always interested to hear others ....

The Bareguitarist !!

Camden, Brighton, Edinburgh ... ?

I was sat here yesterday - and Camden Fringe was suggested by a Meerkat  ...

Ah yes - Meerkats .. its a name I have now adopted for hyperactive individuals (normally female) who are always moving quickly, eating loads, and always interested in what's happening ... Meerkat...

So I had a look, and its on at the same time as the Ed Fringe ... that's a bit of a dilemma ... I was still thinking of doing a short something at the Ed Fringe next year - and now I have Camden to look at as well. That's Brighton, Camden, and possibly Edinburgh. If this carries on I will have to go full-time :) :) yeah yeah ... like that's going to happen.

I am looking at the material I am going to use for the next fringe events already - and I am sure that I will do 2 shows this time - one a solo bareguitarist act and one a music based show with Musicsmith - if he still wants to do one of course.

Also - I don't think I am ready for the type of audience interaction I did in the Ed fringe show ... I was using a pull / push method for the comedy - but that failed on certain nights - and was too good on others. Failed when the audience was so far in one dynamic that they could not see what I was doing (I am thinking specifically when most of them didn't speak English..) - and too good when they not only saw what I was trying to do - but contributed so much that the show over ran ... These nights were the best fun ever - but I am not experienced enough to be able to run to time.

The best fun ever shows were things like ... when I asked in one part of the show if women had a secret draw of ex-male partners conquests underwear that they took out and recalled old memories from - I was given explicit details by one middle aged American and 2 NZ 's !!! The american woman had an old pair of boxers from an old boyfriend she kept in her draw and took them out for a sniff every so often !!!! the NZ's hid an old shirt they got given by a male stripper - and they made their dates wear them - then had a sniff or two of them after !!! Man - that night was the funniest, most awkward, and shocking night I have encountered in a few years .... thanks god I didn't do the bit about STD's in the show - or this night would have been unrecoverable ...

Another fun show was when someone decided to have a debate with me about Norma Jean - when it was released, and the fact that it was not in the 80's ????  that was just too weird for words.

Of course - talking about fun nights - the famous - infamous - ring tone night ... Yes - You Corn Beef !!!! and your two ring tones when your mother called during the show .. its recorded and can be downloaded for anyone who wants to see it... I suggest you show your mother this.. therefore by the grace of god go I .. as there were a umber of shows I forgot to turn my phone off - and I could hear it buzzing away behind me constantly...

Anyway - so what about some golden oldies on the Uke ? I am working on some bits currently - 2 new songs as well - and I am going to get a backing track done for the 2 Calypso pieces - as one of them sounds out of tune with just the Uke ...  anyone play Jazz Brass ?

The Bareguitarist..

To Infinity and Beyond ....

Brighton Pier

So this is it - do I continue with my Blog - or consign it to the archives of "lonely and no longer loved" blogs..?

I think I will continue - as I am planning to make a further journey next year - with possible stops along the way .. next year - I think I will focus on the Brighton fringe .... and then possibly look at doing other smaller fringes as well. But my target is going to be the Brighton fringe this year...

Why? - well the Ed Fringe is a world established event. Its shows are on far extremes - on one extreme - the "bareguitarist" type of free show - limited budget - shoe string production - and performing with your heart on your sleeve  (and your bollocks in a bear!!) - and on the other the ticket based £20  per head per night professional shows with sound and lighting engineers, massive PR coverage, and critics who want to be seen reviewing them. I have to compete for audiences against these shows - which is nearly impossible.  I have seen and was told about shows that had no audience attending them. I was lucky to always have an audience. I just think its going to be easier to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond for the moment. Hence Brighton.

4* Accommodation Brighton 

I also have a thing about the huge cost of accommodation, food and drink - which seems to be over London prices for the entire show. I think that Brighton is not going to be a massive amount cheaper - but its closer for me to get to, travel and other costs are likely to be much less, and accommodation should be cheaper. Its also by the sea !!! a bonus then..

I am going to aim for a blog every couple of days - rather than the frenzy of every day with the road to Edinburgh ...

In between - I am going to try out some new material on audiences as I go along - how I do this as a hobby type of thing? Haven't figured that one out yet - but certainly planning it.. 

I will keep you updated on how this goes -

So to infinity and beyond .... and another black hole to dive into :)

Photos and some video from the show - enjoy !!!

Here it is then - a collection of pickies - some amateur video taken from the day the PA system was not working .. the one and only fully acoustic session I did ... from my time at the fringe 2011.  See more pictures and a longer video on

https://picasaweb.google.com/102379488944742411887/Fringe2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCMiRv-TzxODp6QE

Enjoy !!

I have added some comments to contextualise the pictures (what ever that means :) :) )

Sooty Out on the Town

Slith  had a hole in her jumper  -
a rather large one

Sooty Machine 

Ed Sights

After the run finished  -
Some relax time !!

Sunday after the run - fresh air ..
View From Arthur's Seat 

And another view

The alter-ego of the
Bare Guitarist - from one of the shows

And again -
Like the ears?

Araon out of the town

Sooty was at every show
Always sat at the front

Same Hat - different person !!
the "see you Jimmy" hat

Oh the wonderful clean
Toilets at one of the venues

The Best View of the
Barnsley Prop .. A bear
Sown onto a C - string !! often did not stay on
and I did nearly end up being totally nude
About 5 times during the show !!!

If you go out with the McDonald Twins - you will Always end up at a Chip Shop

My Normal persona - The bare guitarst

Ah - right - Keith did this on one of the
Days - this is the comical stalking rendition of
Coleen Nolan - a different person form the
audience was used every night ..

My Cute Cuz as Mini Mouse !!

Last night out - Sooty stayed in
and we caught him Knickers sniffing !!
Dirty Puppet !!

Last night out in Ed - everyone was rather tired by this point
But put on a brave face !!!

A thistle - standing in front of a thistle !!
Hee hee !!

Slith finds her Mini me
In the background feeding ducks

At the top of Arthur's seat 

If we weren't at shows -
Yes we were eating again

Every one had the munchies
after so much beer

A half man / half woman
walking around in Ed - just one
more strange site

Sooty having his pre-beer pasta

Pissed again - Sooty
was out on the pull !!

Sooty did not plan to pull
 Keith though !! shocked Puppet !

The Uke contest - came in 3rd
but was a horrible night !! 

Sooty text's his black book
Looking for a date !

A night out with Ed - Sooty again in the back shot
Sid - Anne - Gordon - Jen

Sooty pulls Anne while her
 hubby Sid is at the bar
He is a breast Bear !!

Hang over coke ...

Sids wash toy :) :) 

The Human Shelf -
On route to the Festival
A most impressive
service 

The Venue - small
but nice basement

On route to the show the
border of Scotland