RAG TAG MISFITS
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14 Jan 2018 Blog, Fundraising acoustic, busking, ernie ball guitar strings, festival, function, fundraising, guitar, harmonica, hohner, keep music live, keep streets live, live entertainment, live music, live performance, moto hospitality, moto services, plectrums, strings and things, sutherland trading, uk, unique 0

Thank you, thank you, thank you – with cherries on top

ragtagmisfits

grizedale rocks live music cumbria queens head hawkshead festival campsiteThank you and Happy New Year Everyone. So first’s things first in 2018. We would like to thank the individuals and companies that have supported our efforts to keep music live. Without each and every one of you we simply would not be able to do what we do without your help and support.

To our fans and everyone that has attended gigs, booked us, downloaded our music, shared our posts, subscribed to our social media and overall showed us some love.

You have all enabled us to donate and perform for various charities throughout the year. It has helped us stick with our motto “Together through the love of music, we can make a difference”. Not only have you helped us to Keep Music Live but maybe without even knowing it you have supported those who need our help the most.

We donate a percentage of our takings to charity. So you can pat yourselves on the backs knowing that you have fed the under privileged and the homeless, fed and housed animals in need, helped mountain rescue, supported Big Issue retailers, provided funds for research and immunisations, helped those in poverty stricken circumstances, and many other worthy causes. All the charities we choose are well researched so your money is well received and goes directly to those who need it.

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From family and friends, fans far away and closer to home, super fans, people who have booked us, people who have supported our aims and efforts in music. To those of you who have help keep music live on the streets up and down the country, the venues and individuals who book us and rebook us and to those of you who come to gigs. The ones that encourage, buy or listen to our music, for the lovely comments on a bitterly cold day outside busking. For the donations, gifts and random acts of kindness. We truly love you all. You are the unsung heroes and we appreciate everything you do.

We are so fortunate to also have support from a handful of companies. They do it simply to give back and expect nothing in return. In no particular order we’d like to thank:

  • MOTO Hospitality

    moto toddington love bedford city bid bedfordshire live music

    MOTO Hospitality are the service stations you may see dotted up and down the country. The services where you stop to recharge your batteries on long journeys. By the way if you’ve not downloaded their app it is well worth it. They have daily promotions on food and purchases and it can save you a lot of money. I tell this to everyone as we have always taken advantage of this and saved a few pretty pennies in the process.

    moto services hospitality reviews

    During the year we need to travel around in our van to attend gigs, fundraising events and to entertain the crowds on the streets. This means accommodation can become very pricey. The thing is if we were to stay in hotels etc., it would come at a cost. The more we spend on hotels etc., the less we can travel and the less we can give. We don’t mind sleeping in the back of our van surviving off noodles and bananas.

    rag tag misfits live music wedding party band merseyside cheshire lancashireTravelling around keeps your performance fresh in different locations. Since we stay in the van a lot its difficult if you don’t have somewhere to call home for the night. Basic 

    essentials that we take for granted everyday like drinking water, showers, toilets and a safe place to sleep all become very difficult when your on the road.

    moto services hospitality reviews

    Home is where you park it and that’s were MOTO come in. The lovely people at MOTO provide us with ongoing support to enable us to continue with our work. MOTO are our official sponsors of overnight accommodation and allow us to stay over at their service stations up and down the country.

    moto services hospitality reviews

    Our van is self-converted and many campsites can be extremely fussy about who they let on their sites. Panelled vans are a no no on a lot of sites. Unfortunately we don’t have a spare £30,000 lying about to buy a new converted camper van. Our van Scooby does the job though. She may be a bit old, but she always gets us to where we need to go. In the past we have stayed on streets in neighbourhoods in disguise.

    moto services hospitality reviewsWe may have even slept outside your house without you knowing it. The huge problem with this is safety and the lack of amenities. Especially if you are unfamiliar with the area. Driving around in the dark looking for places to park can become very tiresome. Somebody banging on your window at 3am in the morning trying to break into your van is not for the faint hearted.

    moto services hospitality reviewsSince we have been staying at MOTO we have not had any problems like this and it has been a brilliant life line. It has saved us a lot of money, kept us safe and refreshed and has made everything we do possible. It has given us peace of mind and for that we are extremely grateful.

    So here’s to the people at MOTO Hospitality. We thank you for your generosity and for inadvertently helping others. We value your ongoing support and would like to thank you on behalf of the charities we have raised funds for.

  • Sutherland Trading

    sutherland trading hohner harmonicaAnother company that is worth a huge mention is all the guys at Sutherland Trading. Now unless you are a retailer you may not be familiar with this company but if I mention Hohner it may get your ears twitching.Sutherland Trading you see are the kings of harmonica. The chances are if you’ve bought a Hohner harmonica from a music shop it has passed through the hands of the lovely people at Sutherland Trading.

    sutherland trading hohner harmonica

    When I first started to learn the harmonica I thought to myself great, a cheap little instrument that will sound great and last forever. I bought myself a Hohner Blues Harp in the key of C and enjoyed tooting away. I soon realised that since it was a diatonic harmonica I would need to purchase several harmonicas in various keys. Due to finances I bought myself a set of Swan harmonicas and it opened a whole new world to my playing.

    sutherland trading hohner harmonicaI could now play along to any song in any key. There was a problem though. Unfortunately the Swan Harmonicas were not a patch on my Hohner harmonica (I’m sorry Swan but I’m only being honest). They are great for complete beginners to learn scales but I found it hindered my learning.

    sutherland trading hohner harmonica

    It was hard work to bend and run on them. They are quite rough around the edges and after a few hours of playing my lips resembled the joker from Batman. I just couldn’t bond with them. Since I was trying to improve my playing it was difficult to progress.

    gingerbread festival ormskirk lancashire live music 2017I have tried playing a few different brands of harmonica including Lee Oskar. I found the Lee Oskar harmonicas were very well made but for me the reeds blow quite quickly and their tone just doesn’t feel the same. They sound very clean and crisp but if it’s a dirty bluesy sound you’re after, then it’s Hohner all the way for me.

    sutherland trading hohner harmonica

    I then decided to make it my mission to purchase a Hohner Harmonica every month until I could afford the whole set. So with my major key set in hand I began learning different techniques. Due to cost I had to leave the sharps and flats and stick with the more popular keys. They lasted me years but eventually the reeds started to blow and the notes were flat. I really did get a good run from them. I think the thing that killed a few of them was an accidental spillage of Lucozade during a gig. Word of warning to all. Fizzy drinks and harmonicas don’t mix.

    sutherland trading hohner harmonica

    During our “Sing for Your Supper” tour for foodbanks I was delighted when Sutherland Trading very kindly offered me some new harmonicas.

    This would enable us to continue with our work and fundraising. They continue to support us and our causes and keep me happily tooting away. They also sent me a new case to protect them and I carry it everywhere.

    They sent me the sharps and flats his year to complete my collection and I was as happy as sugar addict in a sweet shop. I love them and it has enabled me to experiment with new songs and create new sounds.

    sutherland trading hohner harmonica

    I’ve always had a love for anything Hohner. My Grandma used to have a Hohner electric organ and I would spend many hours tinkering with it. My dad had a Hohner Weekender which was my very first harmonica. It reminds me of a squeezebox but I still have it with my collection.

    sutherland trading hohner harmonicaI’m far from a pro harmonica player though. That will come with many more years of practice. I am still learning new techniques and saving up for the ultimate Hohner 64 Chromatic Harmonica. It’s like a dream harmonica that I’ve been itching to learn. They come at a price but when I get my hands on one I will love, learn and cherish it. I know a chromatic harmonica is a completely different kettle of fish but it’s one I want to start exploring.

    There’s a great harmonica solo in “I guess that’s why they call it the blues” by Elton John. The man in question who plays the solo is the amazing and very inspirational Stevie Wonder. The solo itself is played on a Chromatic. When I get my hands on one of these this is the piece I want to aim for.

    sutherland trading hohner harmonicaSo I’d like to say a huuuuuuuuuuge thank you to all the lovely people at Sutherland Trading for your ongoing support and thank you for helping us to make a difference.

  • Strings & Things - Ernie Ball

    Fresh and decent guitar strings are a must for any budding guitarist and since Andy likes to change them once every one or two weeks it’s always very handy to have a pack or two to hand. Plectrums are funny little things. I think with plectrums they are similar to hair bobbles, lighters and odd socks. They disappear into a land of the complete unknown. I have a theory that when we part company from this world you pass through a place of mystery and find all of these objects along the way.

    ernie ball strings and thingsKnowing our plectrum predicaments Strings and Things supply us with bright pink plectrums. They may not be the most masculine of colours but they are fantastic for spotting on the floor. To think of all the time we’ve wasted hunting around for a grey plectrums on a grey stage.

    ernie ball strings and thingsThe audience anticipating what the next song will be as you stand scratching your head, bewildered on where the plectrum could have possibly fallen. Gone are those days. Now we have a healthy supply in hand and it’s not a colour that can be missed. When buying a plectrum go for bright every time. Trust me, you’ll appreciate it in a dimly lit room.

    ernie ball strings and thingsAnother thing to mention is a handy little device known as Strap Locks by Ernie Ball. These are the best thing invented (well apart from my foot tambourine).

    ernie ball strings and things

    Before we had even heard of Strap Locks we had a particularly unfortunate incident at a gig once. It was pretty full on and the crowd where shouting for an encore. Andy threw his arms in the air and the guitar promptly fell on the floor resulting in a hairline crack which eventually resulted in a complete head stock repair.

    rag tag misfits live music wedding party band merseyside cheshire lancashireWe recommend these little beauties to everyone. If you value your guitar it is really worth picking up a set of strap locks. They basically do what they say on the tin and lock the strap onto your guitar. No need for rubber washers or the tops from beer bottles. There made by Ernie Ball and since fitting them, they have saved our skin on many occasions.

    Kent International Scout Jamboree Drum Workshop

    So heres a massive thanks to all at Strings and Things for your ongoing support. We would also like to thank you for helping to keep music live and helping others along the way.

25 Sep 2017 Blog, Functions, Party, Wedding acoustic, celebration, ceremony, event, function, guitar, lancashire, live entertainment, live music, live performance, liverpool, merseyside, music, ormskirk, party, party band, party entertainment, pop up acoustic, rag tag misfits, sefton palm house, uk, unique, venue, venues in liverpool, wedding, wedding band, wedding entertainment, wedding venue 0

Sefton Palm House – Craig & Samantha

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sefton palm house wedding venue live music liverpoolSefton Palm House, Sefton Park, Liverpool. Today was the wedding of our friends Craig & Samantha. We have known Craig for many years and a few years ago he met the love of his life Samantha. Sam is a beautiful girl with a beautiful heart and is a perfect match for Craig. Their choice of venue was Sefton Palm house which was perfect for the chilled out couple. We are familiar with the venue as we have performed here several times before.

Even though we have performed here before we took a wrong turn in the park and waded through a few joggers and dog walkers and snuck the van through a gate that fortunately wasn’t locked. Some bloke was laughing at us as I tried to open the heavy gate to save us reversing back down the track. After a short explanation that we had a wedding to perform at. I explained we were not on the rob for precious trees or benches (although Andy is a known for pillaging seeds) he seemed a bit more reassured as to white a white van was driving through the park.

We turned up quite early before the guests to ensure we would be set up in good time.   As we setup the staff were preparing the tables and we decided on a spot that would be suitable as the guests arrived. The venue looked stunning. Sefton Palm House has lots of tropical plants inside as it is essentially like a giant conservatory. Think the Eden project on a smaller scale.

sefton palm house wedding venue live music liverpool

As the staff were setting up I noticed a strange and pretty horrible smell coming from one of the plants. I have a nose like a dog, not in the physical sense that it is black, cold and wet. That would just look weird ha ha. What I’m trying to say is I have a really good sense of smell. I was going to say something but another sniffer dog (sorry member of staff smelt it too).  After much deliberation and various members of staff sniffing the air we discovered one of the plants had stagnant water around it. There was a slight panic and one the maintenance men where called over. This really wasn’t what they needed 40 minutes before the wedding party arrived. But that’s nature and plants do choose their moments. In fairness they sorted it out really quickly and no one would ever know, if it wasn’t for me writing this blog, but hey ho that’s rock and roll for you.

An artist had arrived who specialises in sketching live weddings. He showed us some of his work and it was pretty impressive. A perfect touch to the day.

sefton palm house wedding venue live music liverpool

We opted to play under a large palm tree, luckily we weren’t wearing green so we didn’t blend in completely. Minute’s before the guests arrived Andy started to get the shakes. We realised it was due to a lack of breakfast this morning. We had a busy morning and traveled straight to the wedding skipping breakfast and lunch. Andy and hungry do not go well. Luckily we were in the van and I had a stash of Belvita Breakfast bars. I ran out to the van and grabbed a couple and he munched them quickly before anyone arrived.

Smell gone, shakes subsided, equipment setup and room ready, we were good to go. The guests started to arrive.  As we started to play we noticed a bad sound coming from the amp. Agghhhh this is not what we need. The sound to everyone with a less tuned ear for musical equipment was probably fine. But it was bugging us. It was OK at a lower level but when we turned it up it started to crackle. I couldn’t believe it. We had only bought the amp 2 months ago and it must have been faulty. It would happen at a crucial time like someone’s wedding. We had to lower the sound slightly and we soldiered on and made the best sound we could with a faulty amp. I will be contacting the music shop as soon as the gig is finished.

sefton palm house wedding venue live music liverpool

 

It wasn’t noticed too much by the audience as they joined in with the party. Grabbing instruments they were warming up nicely. We saw a few familiar faces in the audience. Then we spotted Ross and Helen. Ross and Helen are also friends. Ross was sporting a kilt keeping up with his best man duties ensuring everything was running smoothly for the arrival of the bride and groom.

The theme of the festival was Scottish and music. The guests were eagerly waiting and then bride and groom arrived. With a big cheer they entered the room. Sam looked stunning in her beautiful dress and Craig looked rather dapper in his kilt. We performed for an hour and stopped for a short break.

During the break we caught up with Craig and Sam and wished them well. It was now group photo time outside. During the photographs they released a load of heart shaped balloons and it made for a great picture. Photographs at a wedding are always funny moments. Trying to get the attention of all the guests at the same time can prove somewhat difficult. There’s always lots of giggling and messing about as the photographer tries to keep their cool.

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When the guests arrived back in it was time for some more live music. We played for another hour as the guests waited to go in for their meal. The meal was running behind and there was some sort of delay so we did an extra 20 minutes to keep the guests entertained.

Since Craig is of Scottish blood and we saw a table labelled with 500 miles we decided to finish on the song 500 miles. Everyone jumped in to it and started bouncing around. As we were performing it Sam grabbed Craig and started to dance with him. Craig said no, no and we thought we’d made a big mistake. I can’t remember him saying this was his first dance song.  Cutting the song short we were hoping and praying it wasn’t their first dance song and we had just ruined the moment. Thank goodness it wasn’t. The reason Craig said no is because he wanted to save the first dance till later on in the evening which is understandable. Sam already had her dancing shoes on and was rearing to go.

It was a beautiful wedding for an adorable couple. We had an invitation to attend the evening function but unfortunately we had a gig booked in elsewhere so we were unable to join them.

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It’s nice to see Craig (pheasant boy as we call him, don’t ask) happily married. He’s a sweet guy and loves his music so we are very happy for them both. Huge congratulations to Craig and Sam, we wish you all the very best for the future. Thank you for asking us to be part of your special day. Here’s to a happy, love filled and adventurous life together. I’m sure we’ll see you again soon, doing your pheasant impression I hope, just watch Andy doesn’t catch you this time and lock you in a cage. With the wedding being Scottish themed, when we left it was ironic that our milometer in the van was at 500 miles.

 

ORGANISING AN EVENT?

If you wish to book live music for your venue, festival, event, wedding or party you can contact us HERE to check our availability

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Live Music In The Lakes – Paul & Suzanne

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live music lake district party wedding band grizedaleLive Music Lake District. Each year we play Grizedale Festival we almost always get to catch up with Paul & Suzzanne. They are in a band called “The Boggleband”. Each year they also do a set at the festival. Paul asked us to entertain at a house party for his wife Suzanne. It was the second part of her birthday party. A bit like the queen having two celebrations. Suzanne deserved 2 birthday parties probably more than the queen does, so why not? Lets do it.

As the house was located in Sattersthwaite we knew roughly how to get there. If we got lost at any point it was tough. There is no mobile phone signal in this party of the country. Passers-by are quite rare. Unless you stumble across an intelligent sheep who knows the local haunts you’re on your own. The sat nav can get you so far, but with houses spread across the landscape all sharing the same postcode it can become quite difficult. With a stroke of luck we spotted the organiser of Grizedale Festival going passed in his buggy. We jumped out and gave him a hug and he pointed us in the right direction.

It wasn’t until we reached the road to the house that we realised how steep it was. Paul had seen us coming from down the valley and came out to greet us. Apparently there was a knack to driving up to his house so we were all ears and followed his instructions. As the little track bent round you couldn’t help but think how I will get back down the steep incline that bends round and has a sheer drop on one side. Don’t worry there is a way to do it Paul said. You’ll be fine. It was still daytime at this point so the thought of reversing down in the dark after the gig seemed quite daunting.

live music lake district party wedding band grizedaleOnce Paul opened the garage he took us through to his rehearsal room. It was kitted out with sound proofing and a glass roof with pictures of bands he had worked with over the years. It was a fascinating little room with a little stage and a full sound system and lights. We brought our own PA but Paul helped us out with the sound and allowed us to go through his desk making it pretty straight forward for us. Once we were setup we were taken through to his house and saw the lovely garden they had both designed.

Overlooking the beautiful Cumbrian countryside the garden was one of the best we’ve seen. It was like something from a National Trust site. With winding paths and rockeries, it looked stunning. Andy and I are quite outdoorsy (if that’s a word). We really appreciate the beauty of nature and it’s always an added bonus to perform in such a spectacular location.

After a while the guests started to arrive and the house was filled with folks. Arthur & Dahnell turned up and it was great to see them both. When we started to perform the room was empty. Since the rehearsal room is separated from the rest of the house we couldn’t see our audience. It felt strange performing to the walls. As we started to play the room started to fill and the party was well underway. The room we were performing in was full of musical memorabilia so it had a great vibe. The sound was brilliant and the acoustics of the room were perfect

live music lake district party wedding band grizedaleThe room was very organised and everything in its place. It would be a fantastic room for recording and rehearsing. It would be brilliant to have a room like that. Just think of all the recordings, writing and videos you could do. If I had a room like that I don’t think I would come out for days (or maybe weeks) on end. Its most musicians dream to have a room to go to where music is the only thing that exists. Paul & Suzanne are very blessed and I’m sure they know it and also make the most of it.

During the break Paul & Suzanne invited us up for some cheese and wine so we had a few nibbles and went outside to look at the evening Forest views. The stars were out in full force without a hint of light pollution. It was breath taking. The air is so clean and crisp. It wasn’t long before we played our next set. Thankfully everyone came back through from the house and joined in the party. The night was a great success and Suzanne had a great 2nd birthday bash.

As we were packing up Paul asked us if we wanted a cup of tea. Oooh yes a cup of tea just what the doctor ordered. It was quite funny because the tea never made an appearance. We could hear giggling in the kitchen. I think Paul had nipped to India to get the tea. A man kept coming in and out announcing our tea would be arriving soon. We think down to a few too many vinos, Paul had forgotten how to make tea. Classic.

live music lake district party wedding band grizedaleWe were well ready to go buy the time the tea was ready so he suggested taking the tea with us. He told us “just take the cups, we’ve got loads”. Knowing that Suzanne may not be too happy about this (and understandably) we brought our cups in from the van. We left cup of tea in hand with the daunting task of reversing down the dark hill.

Paul came out and led us down the hill, which must have used up all of his concentration. We were giggling as we drove off, I just hope Paul made it back up the hill in the dark.

Happy Birthday part two to Suzanne. Thank you Paul for looking after us, for the sound, the tea (and offer of tea cups) and for your great directional skills. Big thanks to your lovely friends and friendly for sharing their love and appreciation.  See you next year, until next time.

ORGANISING AN EVENT?

If you wish to book live music for your venue, festival, event, wedding or party you can contact us HERE to check our availability

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80s Theme – Birthday Party Hannah & Robert

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Wallasey Bronze Social Club, Wallasey. Another gig came though following an engagement party we performed at. We were asked to perform at an 80s themed party for twins Hannah and Robert. It was their 30th birthday party and it was all 80s.

traffic jam m6 chester

This morning we were in Cornwall so we spent 8 hours on the road travelling to the gig. We were stuck in a horrendous traffic jam on the M6 for a couple of hours. We left pretty early as you always have to anticipate heavy traffic. The traffic in hand was no thanks to the brilliant highways genius of having 18 mile contraflow in place. It’s a death trap and has been the cause of many accidents. The lanes are simply not wide enough and it’s quite hairy in busy flowing traffic. After being fed up with the traffic jam and time ticking away, our chance for an alternative route came. There was a junction and luckily the sat nav found an alternative route. Meaning we experienced some beautiful countryside on the way to the gig.

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Once we arrived the venue was locked up and we realised we were the first one’s there. Andy was becoming quite grumpy by this point. I’ve seen this before. He must be hungry. Seriously the Incredible Hulk has nothing on him when he’s hungry.  I can go without food for hours (I have plenty in reserve on my arse alone) but Andy is a different kettle of fish altogether. He’s so placid and gently spoken when his tummy is full. Deprive him of food and he will seriously consider eating your arm. With this in mind, Andy nipped to the shop to buy, guess what, yes that’s right a sandwich and some crisps.

He also bought some chicken bites which smelt distinctly of farts when he opened the packet. If you ever buy any, I think there called “Fridge Raiders” just notice how much they insult your nasal cavity when you open the pack. As with a fart, the smell blends in after a while, you just hope nobody will approach the van window and stick their heads in. Ha ha.

wallasey bronze social club 80s themed birthday party live music liverpoolWe waited for someone to turn up and open the doors. We were waiting for about 20 minutes which to be honest was fine. Since we had been driving all day it was good to have some time to gather our thoughts. Someone who looked like they had authority (well they had a key) turned up. So we jumped out, waited a minute for the smell of fridge raiders to disappear and introduced ourselves. They took us to the spot where we would be performing.

The room looked fantastic and a lot of effort had gone into planning the party. With balloons, photo collages, sweets on tables, blown up instruments and lots of colourful paraphernalia it looked perfect for a party.  The theme of the party was 80s meaning all of the guests would be retro fitted with 80s clothing. This meant bright costumes and lots of colour. Since we were also providing the recorded music we had a great selection of 80s themed music for the guests.  We were asked to learn an Annie Lennox song so we chose Sweet Dreams. A favourite 80s song known by most.

wallasey bronze social club 80s themed birthday party live music liverpoolIt was a fabulous party and everyone made the effort to dress up well.  I think I saw Madonna walking around 3 times and George Micheal popped up once or twice.  Towards the end of the evening the whole crowd joined in with the Locomotion. The whole party formed a train type circle around the room, it was lots of fun.

We played two live sets and everyone was just happy to dance and join in with the shakers. It turned out to be a lot of fun and we played our last song at midnight. Happy joint birthday Hannah and Robert and thank you Kristina for looking after us. I asked Andy to “Wake me up, before I go, go” so I wouldn’t be falling asleep on the way home. No worries we’ll grab a much needed coffee on the way back.

ORGANISING AN EVENT?

If you wish to book live music for your venue, festival, event, wedding or party you can contact us HERE to check our availability

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Live Music Hitchin – House Party – Alex

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Live Music in Hitchin. Today we would wake up the neighbours at a house party to celebrates Alex’s birthday. Last year we performed at a wedding for Mr and Mrs Binks and todays gig was a result of Alex seeing our performance and booking us. Most of our bookings come from gigs where people have seen us. I suppose we should take it as a compliment as it shows we are doing something right.

live music hitchin band wedding party hertfordhire road sign

Hitchin itself, if you’ve never been there is a smallish town with lots of history. You may have seen it on the TV series as the set for Doctor Foster starring Suranne Jones. James Bay was originally from Hitchin, not bad for a fairly small market town. James Bay’s brother actually performed at the same wedding as us last year. His name is Alex too and he’s pretty damn good in his own right. It’s a small world, especially with music.

The garden party today would be at Alex’s house. House concerts are brilliant as everyone is relaxed and not worried about re-mortgaging their houses due to the price of drinks. A stunning property with a huge garden. Its really not what we expected when we pulled up. The house itself is amongst terraced houses and looks relatively small from the front. It reminded me of on old police station or post office. It was quirky and looked like it was steeped in history.

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We carried the gear through the house. We passed through the kitchen which seemed to be the central hub of activity. Lots of Alex’s friends were preparing a feast and there was a hog roast cooking away in the back. The garden was beautiful. With mature borders and lovely trees it really was a shock to think this existed down such a busy street. It was like stepping into another dimension. Looking for the best place to set up we decided the corner of the patio would be perfect. It was slightly shaded which was brilliant as the sun was beaming with full force. It was situated right infront of the guests and we felt like part of the party.

Quite a few people were already at the party and I’ve a feeling they had started a few hours earlier. With preparations well underway, live music, a hog roast and a selection of drinks the party was ready. It was an afternoon gig and we were due to start at approximately 4pm. The idea was to do a set before the hog roast and then one afterwards. Plans changed. The hog was ready to be served sooner than expected. This meant we would need to wait another hour before we could do our first set. It wasn’t a problem though as we had no more gigs planned for that evening. We waited around for an hour and Alex & Wid kept us well watered with drinks and a lovely table full of delicious food.

live music hitchin band wedding hitchin party hertfordshireAs we were waiting we couldn’t help but notice the trampoline in the garden. It was an excellent idea. Rather than having a frame there was a big hole in the ground and the trampoline was sunken to ground level. It was brilliant and the kids loved it. The thought of heavy winds and injuries all gone. Sinking the trampoline seemed to be a fantastic solution. When the food had been served and everyone’s tummies were happy we started with our first set.  For the first hour we played mostly to people sitting on the grass or chatting nearby. It was a chilled out affair. During the break we had the opportunity to catch up with Mr and Mrs Binks and yes they are still happily married so all was good.

The second set was a lot different to the first. The mood changed to party mode and everyone was dancing. A group of young girls were busy working out a dance routine on the trampoline. They came up to us and requested a song. They said “make sure you tell everyone to watch us, were putting a show on”. This took me back to when I was a little girl. The dance routines and singing in my hairbrush. So when I announced the “Show” I told the audience “I’ve been asked to make sure your all watching so pay attention to the girls on the trampoline” This raised a few smiles. They received an applause and then kept on requesting more and more songs.

live music hitchin band wedding hitchin party hertfordshireThey party only really started get into full swing towards the end of the second set. I think with so many friends catching up they didn’t realise the music was going to end soon. When we announced the last song, everyone was very well watered by this point. Alex asked if we were able to do another set. No worries, we’ll be happy to oblige. The only problem was the party was due to finish much earlier so we didn’t bring any lighting. By the time we finished our third set the sun was just about to drop below the horizon. We had a quick break and then broke into song for our third and final set.

There was encore after encore. After the 3rd encore we announced this really is the last song. We finished with a rapturous applause and again another request for “one more song”. Although the lady shouting it seemed a tad tipsy and it sounded like she was shouting “one more thong”. It was quite a long gig but turned out brilliantly. It was so nice to see friends and family in the comfort of their own home having a good party. We chatted to a couple at the end of the night who really enjoyed our set. Everyone had moved into the kitchen by this point and any left over food was being savaged and drinks were still flowing nicely.

live music hitchin band wedding hitchin party hertfordshire zippyIt was dark by the time we left and everyone was positively smashed by the end of it. Alex gave us a lovely bottle of fizz and a couple of ciders to take with us. There were hugs and she thanked us for going the extra mile. Overall it was a brilliant house party full of love, food, booze and laughter. As we drove off into the night with smiles on our faces, we were sure they would be partying till the early hours of the morning.

Happy birthday to Alex and a huge thanks for looking after us. Thank you to Wid for your hog roasting skills and to your wild audience for showing us their love. I wonder if that lady ever got her “one more thong”.

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Kings Acre, Saughall, Cheshire – Mr & Mrs Waters

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Kings Acre, Saughall, Chester. Today was the wedding of Kieran & Sarah. Today they would become Mr & Mrs Waters. Their venue of choice is a beautiful little venue in Saughall known as Kings Acre. It is a small holding, deep in the countryside and is perfect for a festival style wedding. We have performed at this venue before and we looked forward to returning.

As we arrived we noticed a large marquee and a couple of bouncy castles. The venue itself is so unique. Set in a rural location with a small lake and a boat. There is a little decking area and plenty of space for little ones to run around.

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Kings Acre is off the beaten track and is very tricky to find. Since this was our second time it was a little easier as we had a general idea on where we were going. There were also signs directing people to the wedding. When we arrived the gate was closed with a sign saying no vehicles beyond this point. Obviously we needed to be closer as today we were using the full PA. We opened the gate like naughty school kids and drove down the track getting a few odd looks on the way. Looking for a discreet place to park so we didn’t disturb the wedding we tried to hide the van behind the bouncy castles.

Once we parked up we hunted around for a member of staff. If in doubt check the bar. They assisted us in navigating the van and suggested we park the van around the back. We would need to go back out and down another dirt track. They told us this would be better because we could slip in through the back of the marquee. Perfect. Or so we thought. Moving the van proved quite troublesome. We headed back out and down the VIP track only to be faced with a track full of potholes. I’m so happy we decided to leave the Porsche at home as it would have shot the suspension. Never the less our trusty van trundled on through no problem.

kings acre saughall live music cheshire wedding band venueWe parked up a second time and this is where the fun began. The marquee was tight up against another tent at the back and there was quite a few shall we say giant marquee pegs around. Krypton Factor here we come. Marquee pegs aren’t your typical tent peg made of plastic. These beasts could hold King Kong down in a tornado. They were going nowhere.  Inevitably no matter how careful you are carrying heavy gear accidents happen. You would think we would learn but both of us tripped over the same peg not twice but four times each. It was quite funny. Although I think the peg was laughing at us deliberately poking his head out a little further each time we passed. I think we only hit our heads twice on the low rail you had to limbo underneath. We got there in the end. No trips to casualty were required.

Once we decided on where to setup we noticed we weren’t really in the best location. The DJ would be arriving half way through our set and we were right where he would need to be. The ideal area for us was still occupied by a soft play and eating area for the kids. No kids were there. They were probably sweating and red faced burning any excess sugar off on the bouncy castle. The staff informed us they would move the bales and play area further over so we could set up.

kings acre saughall live music cheshire wedding band venueWe set up the equipment quite swiftly and did a quick sound check. Well I say sound check. There was no sound. When this happens in the heat of the moment panic sets in. What happens if the speakers are broke? What happens if the mixer has snuffed it? Trying to stay calm and scratching our heads the problem became apparent. Doh, it was simple. In the rush of trying to get the equipment in and moving the equipment several times, I had plugged the lead into the wrong inputs. Andy just looked at me with one of those faces. He didn’t say it but is facial expression did. “Dumb Blonde”.

After a period of calm we got ourselves together and it was the perfect time to introduce ourselves. Its usually quite easy to find the bride. Nine times out of ten she’s the lady wearing a big white dress. The other one out of ten is someone who has turned up in a big white dress trying to outdo the bride. Luckily today this wasn’t the case. There she was and she looked simply beautiful. Sarah the bride was boasting the most beautiful dress. She looked perfect.

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We went and chatted and congratulated her and discreetly asked were Kieran was. The groom is usually much harder to spot. Oh yes I’ve done it once and never again. Since the ushers, best man and groom are all suited and booted in a similar fashion, it can be tricky. Once I congratulated the best man at a wedding and told him how beautiful his new wife looked. He laughed and said “thanks, but I don’t think my best mate would be too happy about that”. I wanted the earth to swallow me up. So I’ve learnt now to do a bit of research before approaching the groom.

Kieran and Sarah are such beautiful people. So down to earth and laid back. Before meeting them it was apparent by the style of wedding just how lovely this wonderful couple were. Meeting them only confirmed this. They asked us if they were able to borrow our microphone for the speeches. In the van we carry a portable amp for situations like this. We happily obliged. Feedback can sometimes be an issue though as they are not familiar with microphones. We told them to stand behind the amp with the microphone to avoid killing the audience’s ear drums. They did this and the speeches went down brilliantly. With the odd tear, lots of laughter and a rapturous applause.

kings acre saughall live music cheshire wedding band venueAt one wedding in a similar situation we advised them about the feedback and to stay behind the amp. The feedback kicked in and everyone went “ouch”. Although a little bit of feedback can clear the eardrums and granny thinks her hearing aid is playing up its not very pleasant. The message wasn’t passed on to everyone giving a speech and we had to go over mid speech and tell them to stand behind the amp.

We were asked to perform the first dance for Kieran and Sarah. They chose “1000 Years” which is such a beautiful song. Perfect for a first dance. Since the DJ would be performing after us and all the evening guests hadn’t arrived we decided to do the first dance as the last one in our set. This would work well as we would pass our performance onto the DJ and everyone would be on the dancefloor.

kings acre saughall live music cheshire wedding band venueAs we started to play, any thoughts of the Krypton factor completely went out of our thoughts. We give it our all and it was worth it. With such a wonderful and encouraging audience it was a breeze. An absolute pleasure. The little ones made us laugh. They all ran in from outside and sacrificed a bounce on the bouncy castle to see what all the noise was about. It was so sweet. They all sat crossed legged in front of us instruments in hand. A little girl had all the instruments lined up in an order and a toddler kept coming over and stealing the instruments. It was so funny to watch. It was like the penguin scene on David Attenborough’s Frozen Planet. Instead of stealing the rocks the toddler kept on taking the instruments and started to build quite a collection. We performed for about 2 hours with a short gap in between. Kieran and Sarah have such a lovely group of friends and family. It was so interactive and the children really enjoyed it to.

Towards the end of our set we announce our final song and called everyone to the dance floor. It was that moment again where I need to try and control the goose bumps and clear any lumps in my throat.  I am a professional, I am a professional, I can do this. Nope it got me again. As they slow danced everyone gathered around the dancefloor. They looked lovingly into one another’s eyes. They were in a bubble all on their own. The love was beaming from them. What a moment and what a pleasure to perform the first dance. It’s so nice when someone has confidence in your performance to ask us to do this.

kings acre saughall live music cheshire wedding band venueI won’t lie the first dance is a bit nerve wrecking. All cameras in hand. To most it’s a very important moment.  Since the song was well practiced we were very confident with it. You have to be. No room for error. On the day though it’s different and you have to be prepared for this. I can happily report though we played it well and Mr & Mrs Waters were very happy with the performance. That is all that matters. Job done. We passed over to the DJ who took advantage of the dancefloor being occupied. Since it was a beautiful day it was quite a struggle to keep guests inside and the BBQ was just being served.

After our performance we received lots of compliments from the bride and groom and many of their guests. They told us it was the perfect addition to the day. Kieran told us he originally booked us because he liked our unique set list and style. Since he wasn’t keen on the run of the mill songs he was keen for us to play. He was right. It was just what the doctor ordered and it wasperfect for the audience.

kings acre saughall live music cheshire wedding band venueWhen we finished packing up and after our mission to complete the Krypton factor with those naughty pegs and poles we went to say our goodbyes. Sarah was sat on the decking near the lake with some friends and we couldn’t find Kieran anywhere. The sun was setting in the sky and it was a warm summers evening. People were scattered across the field enjoying the warm breeze. Then we spotted him. He was on the water in a boat paddling away. It’s not every day you see a groom participating in a bit of water sport. Ha ha brilliant. It sums up this lovely couple perfectly.

They invited us to stay for a bite to eat and since the gig was right through dinner time, it was really appreciated. Again we hadn’t eaten before the gig. Throughout the summer our diet consists of sandwiches and bananas in the van out on the road. It was nice to have something hot and it was so kind of them to think of us. We really wish this lovely couple the best in life. They are kind souls with a hearts of gold. So appreciative and thoughtful. Congratulations Mr & Mrs Waters and here’s to many happy years together. To a bright and wonderful future, we wish you all the love and blessings in the world.

Krypton factor done, we headed out down the dirt track  , through the pot holes and hit the road. On to our next gig, Hertfordshire here we come…

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18 Aug 2017 Birthday, Function, Functions, Party aisle music, aisle song, ambleside, ambleside mountain rescue, beatles, brathay hall, celebration, ceremony, cover music, cumbria, dakota, evening, event, festival, first dance, function, guitar, lake district, lancashire, live entertainment, live music, live performance, liver buildings, liverpool, love me do, merseyside, music, ormskirk, party, party band, party entertainment, pop up acoustic, rag tag misfits, sing bride down aisle, stereophonics, surprise birthday party ideas, uk, unique, venue, venues in liverpool, warrington, wedding, wedding band, wedding entertainment, wedding venue, wirral 0

Party in the Lakes – Ambleside Mountain Rescue – Brathay Hall

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llive music cumbria brathay hall estate fundraiser ambleside mountain rescueBrathay Hall, Ambleside. Our third and final destination for the day was situated in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside.

Clare originally booked us for a birthday party for her husband Rick in Chester. A change of plan meant a location change to Brathay Hall, Ambleside. Clare initially saw us performing at a local haunt in Cumbria and decided to change location for the party. Many of Clare’s friends were due to be on holiday in Cumbria when the party was taking place meaning it would be more practical to change location of the party. Clare then decided to change the theme of the party into a fundraiser which we thought was a wonderful idea. Since the party was taking place in Ambleside she chose Ambleside Mountain Rescue as her charity of choice. If your going to have a party, why not raise some funds and do some good for the local community. Brilliant.

Chugging down the M6 motorway Northbound in our old trusty rusty VW campervan. We were in a bit of a rush as the initial booking with a 20 mile journey to Chester had changed to a 100 mile journey. Time was tight. The traffic was light though and we managed to get there in an hour and a half. We eat tea on the way (sandwiches, coffee and bananas) and did a nonstop trip. Feeling tired but still with plenty of energy left for the 3rd gig of the day.

live music cumbria brathay hall estate fundraiser ambleside mountain rescueWe reached Brathay Hall and immediately noticed the lake and a spectacular view. Breathing the fresh countryside air and idyllic landscape for a brief moment. We jumped out the van and were welcomed warmly by Clare and Rick. I explained when the location was changed that we may arrive a lot later than when we did. They were so happy that we managed to arrive before the guests. Everyone got stuck in and kindly helped carry the gear in. It was a great help. We could get used to roadies to be honest. Instead of five trips to the van, it’s done in one load.

Once inside we noticed the large rooms and tall ceiling, it is an old Georgian style 18th century building that has been and continues to be used for the purposes of the Brathay estate. The mission is to improve the lives of children’s wellbeing and helping communities.

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With all the help it took us literally five minutes to unload. The room where we would be performing looked similar to an old style library room but with soft furnishings and a bar. It was large enough to fit everyone in and even the DJ managed to find a table and setup his laser that made the room come alive. Once we were setup and sound checked we had some time left to wait for the guests arrival. We went outside as the view was breath taking. We took a moment on the bench overlooking the lake to gather our thoughts and prepare for our 3rd gig of the day (Clare took a sneaky photo of us both). Overlooking Lake Windermere it’s apparent why notable artists of the last century like Coleridge and Constable come here for inspiration.

With the guests arriving by the bus load we opted to swoop in before it got too busy. As we burst into our first set and the dance floor was filled from the first song. This was a crowd who wanted to party. I must say every single song went down well. Sometimes at gigs you may throw a song in and be a bit unsure of how the audience will react. It becomes easier with experience on how to read your audience. This audience was like an open book. Since they loved it all we saw some really funky moves on the dance floor. At one point a guy had done a shoe swap with his wife and had the crowd in stitches. There was a bit of body popping, swirling, shaking and all over rattling and rolling. It was a tremendous gig.

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We had a small break and we were invited to help ourselves to the buffet. This was a Godsend. We were pretty hungry as we hadn’t had much time to eat throughout the day. Lovely jacket potatoes and a range of fillings. So simple yet so effective.

We started off the second set with the same reaction. The dance floor filled immediately. There was a lot of banter in the room which feeds our performance. The DJ turned out to be an expert Cow Bell Ringer which of course we brought to everyone’s attention. He proudly bashed away and even gave a lesson or two to willing participants.  The room was busy and the even the bar staff were merrily dancing along. They later told us “we haven’t had a night like this in ages”. The gig was pretty much full on right to the end with encore after encore.

To be honest we were pretty tired when the gig finished, but we didn’t let it show. We went full throttle to the end and then some. Clare sent us away with some beautiful sunflowers and a couple of bottles of plonk. We packed the van up and took to the road again for our 100 mile journey home. Before we started the engine we both looked at each other and said “and breathe…” The day was a huge success and all 3 gigs were brilliant.

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Clare did such a fantastic job organising the whole event and also managed to raise quite a sum of money for charity. Huge thanks to Clare for booking us, Happy birthday to Rick and well done to both of you for all the good work. Thank you to your lovely guests for keeping us well entertained and to the lovely bar staff at Brathay Hall. What a way to end the night. Until next time my lovelies…

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Antrobus Village Hall – Cheshire Wedding for Rosie & Pete

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Cheshire weddings unique live band ideas music antrobusA Cheshire Wedding. Antrobus Village Hall, Antrobus, Cheshire. Antrobus is a Village we’ve never even heard of let alone visited. Situated in Cheshire, Northwich it is a quaint little village with approximately 300 houses, a post office run by volunteers, a Church, a Chapel, a meeting house, a community garden, a golf course and of course a village hall. We headed out to Antrobus Village Hall for our second wedding of the day. This was the wedding of Rosie Beech to her man Pete. It has a rural feel to it and is the perfect location for a wedding.  After the wedding this morning with Louise & Dan at the Liver Buildings it seemed a world away from the busy hustle and bustle of city life.

Since it was our first time at the village hall, we were unsure of the location and parking situation. As we arrived, from first appearance it seemed to be all locked up. Not a soul in sight. No cars in the car park. No signs of catering vans or the usual vendors you would expect to see at a wedding. I decided to have a look around hoping we were in the right place. I walked down an alley alongside the building. There was a large car park in the back and the main entrance to the Village Hall. Outside was a beautiful little sign announcing the marriage of Rosie and Pete. Brilliant. We have the right venue.

When we entered, the room was decorated beautifully with a big stage at the back. It was surprisingly big for such a small village.  There was still no sign of life though. The bar was closed. I was surprised as the guests were due to arrive in 40 minutes. Then I heard chatter and laughter coming from the kitchen. I popped my head through the door and said “hello” and frightened the life out of the caterers who were busy preparing food. This made me giggle.

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I’ve got a thing with “booing” people. Not that it was intentional this time. Andy is great to boo. His whole body jumps and his arms go up in the air. I once hid in the back of the van when he went into the shop. I was giggling in the bed under the covers trying my best to compose myself. He returned and assumed I had nipped into a shop. His reaction was priceless when I jumped up and booed him. I could write a whole blog on “boo” moments. I’ll save that for another day and get back to the wedding.

After I frightened the caterers I asked if they knew where we would be performing? They didn’t have a clue. They told us they were just caterers. It seemed we would have to work it out for ourselves. When booking us Rosie mentioned she wanted an outside wedding, so we had a snoop outside. Antrobus Village Hall boasts a lovely little courtyard type garden with an open back overlooking a playing field. It was fairly breezy but the sun was shining.

We asked if we could open the doors so the guests would have easy access to come in and out. When the doors were open though it was causing havoc on the table cloths. They were flapping about like a fish out of water. The door slammed shut in the wind. We would have to wait until everything was on the table to weigh the cloths down and wedge the door open. Nevertheless we made a decision to setup outside and waited for the guests to arrive. There were straw bales stacked in the courtyard. We assumed these were to be used as seating. So once we were set up we took it upon ourselves to place the straw bales strategically around the courtyard. The guests would now have somewhere to sit.

Cheshire weddings unique live band ideas music antrobusAfter a short while, the guests started to arrive. I looked a bit like Wurzel Gummage after shifting the bales. I shook off the straw and we broke into song. The decision to set up outside paid off. Most people accumulated outside anticipating the arrival of the bride and groom. Processco’s in hand we continued to entertain the guests. They were really getting into the music and most of the instruments were already out of the box.

It wasn’t long before Rosie & Pete arrived together and walked through. There was a big cheer and again the goose bumps started to rise on my arms. You would think I’d be used to these emotional moments by now. Every wedding is different though. All brides and Grooms are unique and all guests react differently, so it gets me every time. Rosie looked absolutely stunning and Pete very dapper. Her beautifully detailed ¾ length dress was perfect for a summer wedding.

Cheshire weddings unique live band ideas music antrobus

A few months earlier Rosie and Pete requested a few special songs to be performed live. We learnt “Little Respect” by Erasure for them so we decided to play this song upon their arrival. They both smiled sweetly at us with an unspoken thank you. The live music was going down brilliantly. I can happily say it was the perfect addition to a chilled out and relaxing atmosphere. The audience were brilliant and everyone was getting into the afternoon vibe with live music from the Rag Tag Misfits. The percussion went down a treat too and everyone was having a good ole singalong with us.

We performed 2 sets with a small break in between until the Guests were called in for a meal. Rosie and Pete came and thanked us and were then called in. As they entered the room we heard a big cheer. We packed up our equipment and headed to our third our final gig of the day in Cumbria.

Huge thank you to Rosie and Pete. Also to your wonderful guests for being so lovely and welcoming. We wish you love, happiness and blessings throughout your life as a married couple. Let’s raise a toast for the Bride and Groom. To Rosie and Pete everyone.

ORGANISING AN EVENT?

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15 Aug 2017 Function, Party, Wedding aisle music, aisle song, beatles, celebration, ceremony, cover music, dakota, evening, event, festival, first dance, function, guitar, lancashire, live entertainment, live music, live performance, liver buildings, liverpool, love me do, merseyside, music, ormskirk, party, party band, party entertainment, pop up acoustic, rag tag misfits, sing bride down aisle, stereophonics, surprise birthday party ideas, uk, unique, venue, venues in liverpool, warrington, wedding, wedding band, wedding entertainment, wedding venue, wirral 0

Liver Buildings, Liverpool – Wedding – Louise & Dan

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The Liver Buildings, Liverpool. Today we were to sing the lovely Louise down the aisle and entertain her guests before the wedding ceremony. It was the first of three gigs booked in for today.

One of the most iconic and beautiful buildings in Liverpool. The Grade 1 Listed building (that will probably outlive us all) was constructed in 1911 and sits on the Pier Head on the River Mersey. It is home to two fabled Liver Birds who watch over the city and the sea. Legend has it that if these two birds were to fly away the city of Liverpool would cease to exist. To be honest if two great big concrete birds flew away that would be the last thing on my mind. I’m now starting to imagine all the structures and landmark animals coming alive, so I won’t even go there with my whacky imagination. All I can say is the Statue of Liberty would kick some serious ass.

Anyway back to the Liver Buildings I can be proud to say that my Grandad used to clean the windows many years ago.  Pronounced “Lyver” not Liver as in the stuff you make pate’ with. I suppose this is quite confusing for visitors since Liverpool is pronounced “Liver” like the stuff you do make pate’ out of. Quite contradicting and apologies to all visitors, but it will be somewhere in history where the name comes from. I’ve just done a quick google search and apparently there is a reason.

When we arrived at The Liver buildings we were lucky to find a parking space right outside. It was close to the service lift and free to park so it was quite handy. It was a tad windy and the weather wasn’t really on our side with that horrible bitty rain (the type that looks like it’s not raining but soaks you through).

liver buildings wedding venue live music liverpoolI banged on the door whilst Andy polished his boots and a member of staff who was very helpful showed the best way to gain access. We unloaded the equipment and headed for the service lift. The man in the service area warned us about the lift being quite abrupt. He wasn’t wrong there. We pressed the button, a siren sounded and the lift door quickly slammed shut. It frightened the bloody life out of me.

We found ourselves on the top floor and amongst a maze of corridors and empty rooms. I ran ahead due to the venue being so enormous to see where we needed to be. After running around like a rat in a maze I finally sniffed out my cheese. I headed back to Andy who was looking quite bewildered guarding the equipment. We eventually found ourselves facing the sea front on the south side of the building. Opening the doors it looked like it could be a wedding reception room and as it turned out it was. Yay.

It’s strange how much of the building is not in use. You get to see things like this when you’re behind the scenes and it’s actually quite fascinating. Upon entry you would expect it to be highly furnished throughout. Imagine how much the maintenance on a building like this costs though. I think it would be slightly more than a 2 up 2 down.

Today was Louise & Dan’s big day and the room looked magnificent. Walking through those corridors you wouldn’t expect to walk into such stunning décor. There was an arrangement of seats with big balloons on the end of each aisle. The balloons reminded me of something my head lives in so I had to pose for a picture behind one.

We introduced ourselves to the wedding coordinator who assisted us in showing us our performance spot and a secret little cupboard to hide our bags. Over in the corner was the photographer snapping away at all the little quirky extras Louise and Dan had arranged. The room was very white like the video to Imagine by John Lennon. The view was amazing. To think my Grandad cleaned windows this high up and probably higher, ooohh makes my palms sweat thinking about it. Overlooking the River Mersey you could see right up the estuary. We set all our stuff up and we were quite early so we were hanging around a bit before the guests started to arrive.

Louise & Dan requested Dakota by the Stereophonics to be performed live as Louise was walking down the aisle. We had to get the timing spot on. The song itself is over four minutes long so we would need to sum up the song in approximately 30 seconds. We had to contact the wedding coordinator beforehand to check how long the isle was. This in itself was quite tricky as you needed to miss verses and guitar breaks out. When you are used to singing a song in a certain structure it can play havoc on your brain.

The guests started to arrive so we entertained them with a few sing along songs. Louise & Dan wanted a happy and relaxed atmosphere.  There were a few stragglers who were slightly delayed in arriving as apparently they got lost (very easy to do in a building this size).

It was similar to a surprise party as we needed to wait until the bride was about to enter before we started. We had to stop mid song as a member of staff signalled her arrival. The doors then opened and so we began with Dakota. First to enter the room were the beautiful Bridesmaids and the flower girls holding a balloon which I think said Mummy’s on her way. About 20 seconds later Louise entered, she looked absolutely stunning. There was a gasp from her guests and it was like something in a fairy tale. I could feel goose bumps on my arms whilst trying to hold it together with my singing. When she arrived at her Husband to be we stopped the music. With the ceremony about to commence we slid away to the side behind the partition and listened to them make their vows to one another.

After Louise & Dan tied the knot a rapturous applause erupted from behind them and they were now man and wife. To celebrate this momentous occasion we broke into Love Me Do and had the guests singing and cheering. It was brilliant. We played some more live music as the guests made their way into the next room. It was a great start to the day for Louise, Dan and their guests and also for us. They were all very pleased with our performance and we received many compliments as people were exiting the room.

Louise’s dad came up to us as we were packing up and said “that was absolutely brilliant” and gave us a big tip. We were overwhelmed by his generosity and kind words about us and very happy that our performance created beautiful memories for the lovely couple. That’s why we love our job. We are so blessed to share moments like these.

Thank you so much Louise & Dan for asking us to be part of such a momentous occasion. To all of your family and friends for being so lively and welcoming. We wish you all the love and blessings in the world.

First gig of the day done, another two to go. We packed up our stuff, navigated ourselves through the maze, down the angry lift and hit the road for our second wedding of the day. Northwich here we come.

ORGANISING AN EVENT?

If you wish to book live music for your venue, festival, event, wedding or party you can contact us HERE to check our availability

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Bickerstock Music Festival, Lancashire

ragtagmisfits

This year’s Bickerstock was a classic festival that saw some sunshine and lots of rain as usual for the festival. Starting off on the Friday with the local ceilidh band and finishing off on the Sunday night with some of the biggest local talent in the area. This year’s highlights featured  Weekend Wars, Georges Big Shed, Flora Golden, Big Bambora, Sheldon Blackman from Trinidad & Tobago, Polaris, Psychic Robot, Red Eyed Jedi, Red Men Don’t Walk and many, many more… oh yes and us The Rag Tag Misfits.

We missed out on the festival on the Friday and Saturday. This was due to travelling back from Kent and a gig on the Saturday at The Hop Vine in Burscough. When we did arrive for our set in the afternoon at Bickerstock we unloaded our stuff and walked down to the Bar Stage. I love Bickerstock as we know 80% of the people there. It’s like a big gathering of new and familiar faces. We don’t mind going on the smaller stage so to speak, to be honest we prefer it. Its inside for one and the weather can be quite unpredictable in August.

It wasn’t long before we were due to perform so we give the sound engineer the nod to let him know we had arrived. We did a quick sound check and Paul (who knows our settings inside and out) gave us a great sound. He then decided to join us on stage with his double bass. Paul has played with us many times and is always welcome to join in. I love the sound of the double bass and he turns his hand to anything. He looks out for the chord changes and off he goes. The tent was pretty full already but then it started to rain and it filled up even more as the audience tried to stay dry.

I decided to call Pauls finance Gel up to do backing vocals for one of our own songs. Gel did backing vocals on the recording of our CD so it was brilliant to share a stage with them both. With our set over and the crowd nicely warmed up, we sold a few CD’s and handed over to the next act. It was time have a few drinks, relax and unwind.

bickerstock festivalThe Quaintest Show on Earth was a treat. Greedy Jesus (as everyone knows him) was due on stage. We’ve done a couple of nights with him in Liverpool and he’s a unique character. Nobody knows his real name. It’s probably something really normal like Bob or John. Everyone just calls him Greedy and he seems happy with that. His antics on stage were amusing and he was a real crowd pleaser. His energy was immense as he jumped on speakers and out into the audience. They didn’t what had hit them. Brilliant.

We also watched the Kirby Skifflers who do a great selection of songs. In particular “My Old Mans a Dustman” went down as a favourite. As the cider started to flow, the camera went into the bag and good times were had. We danced along to Big Bambora, Psychic Robot and of course the night was finished off by George’s Big Shed. It’s a Bickerstock tradition for Georges Big Shed to finish the night off with the crowd dancing along and begging for more at the end of the night.

bickerstock festivalThe rain had really come down in the last few hours and made some lakes on the field. You had to feel sorry for the people in tents. Still it was all part of the festival experience and reports show that a great weekend took place, yes there was the odd hiccup of a band pulling out but nothing major. All in all a great little festival. Thank you to all the Bickerstock Crew for your determination and hard work on making this event happen and for bringing the community together. To the bands, the caterers and of course You, the audience for helping keep music live. Until next year….

ORGANISING AN EVENT?

If you wish to book live music for your venue, festival, event, wedding or party you can contact us HERE to check our availability

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Just posted a photo https://www.instagram.com/p/CGj2bl9HHAP/?igshid=1rvocmt6r0dg

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Your not allowed to busk, but the businesses, shops and restaurants will be open??? That makes no sense. Surely music on the streets should be welcomed as we try to get things back to normal. With the virus… https://www.instagram.com/p/CCq7nfmnCxt/?igshid=1vheo7rz75ecl

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27 May

PLEASE RT - Want to be in our new music video? It's about life during lockdown. Kind gestures & community spirit @bbcmerseyside People from all walks of life, young and old. Please PM or see our Facebook page for details http://www.facebook.com/ragtagmisfits

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