Second open mic night
July 29, 2009
Gone midnight as I type this (VERY late for me these days).
Just come back from doing my second open mic night. Very excited about how it went. I sang my little heart out tonight and the songs are sounding MUCH better. Had a chat with Elijah Wolf. Very nice man. He was playing one of my favorites of his as I got there. Also I was very pleased that my neighbour, friend and bandmate (when I’m folk-ing it) David and his stepdaughter Ella came along for moral support.
I’m aiming to do some recording this week if I have time as I think my voice is sounding much better and the song arrangements are falling into place.
Looking forward to playing tomorrow night too (No.10 bar, East Street, Bridport, west Dorset).
Debut gig update
July 28, 2009
Last night’s gig went well. It’s not really a proper gig: it’s an open mic night where you turn up and do your bit but from the way I was getting all worked up about it beforehand I might as well have been opening for the Kings of Leon.
It was good fun though and I now remember the difference between playing your songs at home in the front room and standing up at a microphone and singing it to a crowd. At first I was playing and singing carefully to make sure I got things right but then I realised that it’s important to be aware of the atmosphere or ‘vibe’ in the room and play to that. I also realised that you need to perform not just sing. I don’t mean turn into someone else, just give it your absolute best shot.
All this analysis from a small gig in an out-of-the-way country pub: calm down dear.
Next gig: The Axminster pub (in Axminster), Wednesday 30 July 2009 about 9.00pm.
Debut ‘gig’
July 27, 2009
First off, apologies for the rather flippant tone of my last post. I annoy myself sometimes; it feels like I’m saying something smart but it turns out I’m being a twit.
Right, if anyone can get to the Half Moon in Melplash, West Dorset tonight I’d be delighted as I need some moral support: my first gig on my own at an ‘open mic’ night. I was going to be doing just one gig this week (at ‘No.10′, East Street, Bridport on Thursday night) but after talking to another local songwriter, I find out there are 3 ‘open mic’ nights this week: and I intend to do them all.
I’m always apologetic with my answer to the question: ‘what sort of music do you play?’ and describe it as the ‘usual singer-songwriter nonsense’; mainly because I’m shy of saying what I really think which is that they’re some of my best songs I’ve ever written – come and hear them!
Lyme Regis
July 24, 2009
A wet afternoon mooching about in Lyme Regis turns up an unexpected gem. What I like about this photograph is that it’s rectangle. They’re great aren’t they, rectangles.
New song: We Could Start Again
July 23, 2009
Not so much a new song as three verses sung one after the other with, as yet, no sign of any sort of arrangement.
For your listening pleasure.
Here.
Twatter update
July 23, 2009
Quite enjoying twitter actually. It’s great. I find myself desperately trying to think of something interesting to say, realising I’m saying it to no-one (or myself) and what’s more I rack-up a bigger phone bill from texting in the process.
It’s the way forward!
New photographs
July 22, 2009
Twatter
July 21, 2009
Should I copyright that word?
Anyway, someone said “join twitter as it’s good for networking/work opportunities”. Of course it isn’t. It’s another well designed waste of my time here on earth, as is this blog in a way (apologies to those of you who enjoy reading this!). I’d never seen twitter until today and I’ve duly signed up (username: petemillson) and, if you’ve never seen it, it asks: what are you doing? The answer is, of course, wasting my time typing crap into an electric typewriter.
Follow my activities on there. It won’t take long!
New Book
July 17, 2009
The LETS SEE portraits exhibition comes down close of play tomorrow (Saturday 18 July) so if you’re anywhere near Bridport, pop your head in and have a look. Some of my best portraits to date are in there; even if I say so myself.
All is not lost as far as access to those images go however. I’ve got a beautiful book now available (softback £14.95) gathering together all the photographs and accompanying text from the show.
It’s a great book for any fan of classic small-camera portraits, the documenting of communities and for anyone who would like to know a little more about the fantastic trading system that is LETS.
Wedding photographs
July 16, 2009
I’ve just updated my page of wedding images. If you can think of a less-gripping blog entry than this, I’d love to hear about it.
Beautiful new images via this link.
