by Matt on October 4, 2008
This weekends going to be a long one. I’ve got a couple of wedding gigs in London and one in the Midlands. They’re my first gigs in London since I moved down but they came from my contacts in the Midlands - so I wouldn’t class it as breaking into London just yet.
The hard thing about this weekend is the order the gigs are in. Unfortunately it’s London on Saturday morning, Leicester Saturday evening, London on Sunday morning and then my usual day of teaching the trumpet in Birmingham on Monday.
That’s a nice 526 mile trip to look forward to. It isn’t one of my biggest weekends tho; the Abersoch Friday evening (finishing at 1am) and the Birmingham Saturday morning gig (leaving at 5am to start at 8am) was the hardest to travel this year. 3 hours sleep isn’t enough when you’ve driven double that in 24 hours 
On the plus side it’s now approaching 4 months of unbroken weekend gigs. Awesome!!
Today I managed to record some content for my podcast with Chris Birch (studying Music PhD), Jonny Hodgson (a pro pianist/ organist in London) and Chris Lydon (MD and Transcriber). The podcast has taken a different direction since it was first conceived and I hope that it will show an insight into being a young professional musician today. It should be appealing to those who aren’t quite sure what path they want to take with their music and for anyone who wants to know what the life is like - especially when you start out.
My website face lift seems to have met with some approval and I’ve got to say everything is much neater and cleaner now. At least it is on my Mac, how PC’s view it is another question but I think it degrades nicely for them 
I’ve managed to work out the glitch issues of uploading images as well so I’ll be sure to post all the pictures that you’ve had to miss out on over the past month - car breaking down and it’s rescue, some of the extreme driving conditions I’ve encountered and of course finally finding out where the sidekick monkey was hiding on his last adventure.
by Matt on September 28, 2008
I was playing with The Soul Vibe Train last night in Wolverhampton. I got to catch up with a couple of mates I haven’t seen for a while including Chris Hickman (pro trombone in the midlands area who often deps on the for CBSO).
The gig went well and as it was with a group I’ve been depping with since college it was nice to feel the improvement I’ve made since then. I’d go into those gigs like a hero back then. Give it everything I had and scream out double G’s all night completely screwing my chops for the next couple of days.
It was satisfying to walk away with fresh chops and know that I nailed the gig.
by Matt on September 14, 2008
As we leave the Indian wedding season I’ve said goodbye to the last official wedding of the season. And what a way to cap it all off with meeting a VERY famous musician in the Indian music world.
Who is it?
I’ll tell you when I get the chance to do a proper post later this week. I’m getting an early night as I have 200 miles to drive tomorrow to get to my pupils and then back home to London. Hooray!!
by Matt on September 12, 2008
I’m out gigging around the midlands for the next couple of days. Just a couple of weddings. I’m coming back to London late Monday night and first thing on Tuesday morning I’ll be in rehearsal with Jonny. I’ll try to post form my mobile until I’m back properly on Tuesday evening.
by Matt on September 7, 2008
Last night I had my last gig in the diary (for now I hope) with The New Disciples Of Soul. It was a lot of fun - made so my the guys in the band.
To give you an idea of the caliber of musicians their pianist is an ex-Westender (Chicago) with a music PhD and the kit player has just finished recording the video shoot for his bands new single. The gig went down well and was enjoyed by the audience (but I suspect by the end the band were having nearly if not more fun than the audience) :P.
I’ve got a few good anacdotes to post but after getting back to Derby at 1am and leaving at 6am for a gig in Luton (then driving home to London) I’m not 100% with it on my post (it’s taken me 30mins to write this much).
More to come on Tuesday after - my 250 mile round trip to teach tomorrow.
by Matt on September 6, 2008
I don’t know why I titled this post like I was a pirate. It made sense at the time.
I’m back in Derby now as I have a gig in Leicester tonight with The New Disciples of Soul. I’m hoping for a pre midnight finish as I’m off to Luton first thing for a wedding. My aim is to try and get as much sleep as I can as on Monday I have my weekly 250 mile round trip to Birmingham and back.
Snore - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
by Matt on August 30, 2008
I don’t think i’ve posted today, but i’m not sure. All the days are bleeding together at the moment.
I had a good gig last night. Stamina is definately improved when you have a good monitor.
I’ve just driven back from birmingham to buxton for this afternoons show and currently sitting by a lake taking in a nice bit of cloud in the absense of sun. 3 more gigs to go then sleep tomorrow night.
by Matt on August 29, 2008
I’m afraid you’ll have to make do with this post until Monday.
I have a gig tonight in Leicester with The New Disciples of Soul at the Walkers Stadium. Tomorrow I have a gig in Birmingham at 8AM and then two show calls at The Buxton Opera House starting at 2:30pm. Sunday I have a gig in Liecester that starts at 9AM and then I’m moving down to London later that same day.
I’ve been trying to pack this morning, cleaned and washed my old car (that I’ve just sold) collapsed my desk into little wooden blocks for the move and now I’m going to make sure my Tux is looking it’s best for tonight.
I love being a musician 
by Matt on August 27, 2008
I managed to get a lift to my calls on Bank Holiday Monday as all the Garages were closed.
I performed in a Gala Performance of Ivor Novello and Nowel Coward in the Buxton Opera House. 2 calls and a Concert later I was on my way home again. There’s not a lot to tell you about the playing itself as Novello and Coward are not overly taxing to play.
On Tuesday morning I took my car into the garage and I’m still awaiting the damage to my wallet. Lets hope it’s less than the £170 that the Vauxhall garage quoted me without even seeing the car!!
by Matt on August 26, 2008
I got through 3 gigs before my nice new car broke down. Great news hey?!
Saturday night With CHris Poole and the Shades was a gig good as always. My weddings on Saturday and Sunday went without a problem but when I went to pick up by buddy Paul for another gig on the Sunday night I managed to rip apart the gear linkage in my new car. Perhaps the sheer force that I slipped it into reverse was the problem or perhaps the gods of gigs are testing me.
Either way I had to put in an emergency dep, put Green Flag Rescue to work and then limp my car back to Derby.
the upside is that Paul sent me a text saying that the gig I missed was the worst one the group have ever had to endure - so perhaps the gig gods could be smiling my way after all?
