The best thing about living in London (even as I type that it doesn't seem real still) - is having the option of seeing great live music at any given time of the week.
The worst things about living in London is that I would need to sell my car in order to afford to go to the big ones. I far prefer a nice intimate gig. The difference between seeing John Mayer play Shepherds Bush Empire in 2004, and seeing him play the Palace of Auburn Hills in Michigan in 2007 was incredible. The first was like a lovely hidden secret. He talked to the crowd, he hadn't yet crossed the line into mega-idiot-star. It was bliss. I even sqeezed up to the front and stood with my arms propped and folded on the stage. The second was so huge, I couldn't even see him. There were so many pre-teen girls screaming because they 'so related' to his music, and he had no rapport with the audience at all. He had turned into a mainstream monster and worst of all - Jessica Simpson was there. That's $60 i'll never bloody see again.
Give me the first any day.
A couple of weeks ago, we went to see Ellie Goulding play at Dingwalls in Camden. Great little venue, and perfect for her. Everyone there was there because they knew they were onto something good. She belted it out with her Bjork/Julia Stone-esque pipes and made the crowd feel like they had got their money's worth. Her album is on constant reply on my iphone at the mo. Boootiful tunes.
My favourite thing is to find out about something good before the masses - which is why I am SO excited about getting some weekend tickets to the Hop Farm Festival!
It seems to be a new-ish festival in Kent, with massive potential to be the 'go-to' festival in the coming years. It's the same feeling I get about the Forfey Festival in Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It seems more organic, creative and without all the crazy trimmings of the bigger festivals. This years line up (so far) proves they are onto a good thing:
Bob Dylan
Mumford and Sons
Seasick Steve
Laura Marling
Peter Doherty (bah)
The Magic Numbers
& Foy Vance
FABULOUS!
Get on it, the tickets are gonna go fast...
Tuesday, 30 March 2010
Tuesday, 16 March 2010
New Starts
Hello peeps,
I know it's been a while - but a lot has happened! With the fabulous trends of twitter and fb taking over our networking time, I realised that good old blogs have been a bit neglected - and that makes me sad. I have had a personal blog for about 6 years, and I can't bring myself to delete it. It would be like chucking my diary in the fire. But, I need a fresh focus.
I also know that stuff on the music front has been really quiet recently, and that's because my husband and I have recently moved to London. This means lots of new things for us: New home, new jobs, new friends, new pace of life. It's taken a good few months to really adjust our lifestyles to the hustle and bustle of the big smoke, but we are loving it.
Now that a routine has clicked in, I've started to feel the pang for that creative outlet again - so here we are! This is my attempt to get back on the music/creative train and throw my thoughts, inspirations and aspirations out there again.
I intend to make this blog a bit more generic, about life in London at the minute, as I collect my ambition and retrack where life is taking me - rather than solely focusing on the music stuff. It will eventually all blend together...
Thank you for sticking with me - for supporting us through this big move - for asking me when I'm coming back with more music, when I'll be gigging in London etc. It means a lot.
FYI - the 'My Brother's Keeper' EP is still available on itunes and CD Baby. If you haven't yet got yourself a copy...
Big London Lovin,
Mx
I know it's been a while - but a lot has happened! With the fabulous trends of twitter and fb taking over our networking time, I realised that good old blogs have been a bit neglected - and that makes me sad. I have had a personal blog for about 6 years, and I can't bring myself to delete it. It would be like chucking my diary in the fire. But, I need a fresh focus.
I also know that stuff on the music front has been really quiet recently, and that's because my husband and I have recently moved to London. This means lots of new things for us: New home, new jobs, new friends, new pace of life. It's taken a good few months to really adjust our lifestyles to the hustle and bustle of the big smoke, but we are loving it.
Now that a routine has clicked in, I've started to feel the pang for that creative outlet again - so here we are! This is my attempt to get back on the music/creative train and throw my thoughts, inspirations and aspirations out there again.
I intend to make this blog a bit more generic, about life in London at the minute, as I collect my ambition and retrack where life is taking me - rather than solely focusing on the music stuff. It will eventually all blend together...
Thank you for sticking with me - for supporting us through this big move - for asking me when I'm coming back with more music, when I'll be gigging in London etc. It means a lot.
FYI - the 'My Brother's Keeper' EP is still available on itunes and CD Baby. If you haven't yet got yourself a copy...
Big London Lovin,
Mx
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Viva La London!
Back to the grind after a fabulous long weekend away with the band in London. The sun shone strong and bright, and we were pure roastin the whole time, but it was a welcome change after a very rainy and depression non-summer here in Northern Ireland!
Each of the gigs were really different, all with a brilliant atmosphere and response from the crowds. Sutton was relaxing, a nice way for us to start off, Green Note was buzzing, electric and intimate, and The Prince Albert was really fun and a great way to wind down the weekend.
Big thank you goes out to Sam Thomas who supported us at Sutton, and Emma Pears who supported us at the Green Note in Camden on Sunday night. She powered through the pain of slicing her finger open just 15 mins before going on to play the keys. Big thank you's also go out to Estelle for housing us and being our tour bus driver, to-ing and fro-ing gear to venues, and generally putting up with our banter.
We loved being in London, and hopefully it won't be long before we are back again.
If you were there, I really appreciate you coming. If not, we hope to catch you at the next one.
Check back for pics of the tour on the myspace or facebook site.
Love xo
Each of the gigs were really different, all with a brilliant atmosphere and response from the crowds. Sutton was relaxing, a nice way for us to start off, Green Note was buzzing, electric and intimate, and The Prince Albert was really fun and a great way to wind down the weekend.
Big thank you goes out to Sam Thomas who supported us at Sutton, and Emma Pears who supported us at the Green Note in Camden on Sunday night. She powered through the pain of slicing her finger open just 15 mins before going on to play the keys. Big thank you's also go out to Estelle for housing us and being our tour bus driver, to-ing and fro-ing gear to venues, and generally putting up with our banter.
We loved being in London, and hopefully it won't be long before we are back again.
If you were there, I really appreciate you coming. If not, we hope to catch you at the next one.
Check back for pics of the tour on the myspace or facebook site.
Love xo
Monday, 17 August 2009
I'm terrible at this.
You'll have to forgive me. Time has trickled away and life has an agenda of it's own...to cut a long, excuse-filled story short - I'm forgetful.
Here's a briefing of some of the latest melwigginsmusic news:
* Lots of fun gigs over the summer - highlights include beautiful sing-alongs and good fun at Summer Madness Festival, the beautiful and quirky barnyard gig at The Forfey Festival.
* Gearing up for some banter on the mainland with a couple of gigs and radio interviews in London this coming weekend! Tickets still available (only just!) for the Green Note gig on the 23rd of August - click here to get em!
* Lovely cheeky times with Gerry Anderson, live session and interview at BBC Radio Ulster.
* Planning my first ever single release!!! - 'Heart As Your Home' - revamped and jigged up, coming to a wireless near you soon! Release date TBA.
* Having 'Simplified' included on the brand spankin' new EP for our new friends The Fifty Penny March! Their beautiful little compilation CD is available here!
There are a few more exciting tales to tell, but the powers at be have warned me to keep my lips sealed for the meantime...but I promise you, it'll be worth the wait.
Hope to see you London side, please keep checking the website or myspace for all the up-coming dates! And the EP is still available here, here and here!
Again, thank you for supporting me in this little adventure,
xo
Here's a briefing of some of the latest melwigginsmusic news:
* Lots of fun gigs over the summer - highlights include beautiful sing-alongs and good fun at Summer Madness Festival, the beautiful and quirky barnyard gig at The Forfey Festival.
* Gearing up for some banter on the mainland with a couple of gigs and radio interviews in London this coming weekend! Tickets still available (only just!) for the Green Note gig on the 23rd of August - click here to get em!
* Lovely cheeky times with Gerry Anderson, live session and interview at BBC Radio Ulster.
* Planning my first ever single release!!! - 'Heart As Your Home' - revamped and jigged up, coming to a wireless near you soon! Release date TBA.
* Having 'Simplified' included on the brand spankin' new EP for our new friends The Fifty Penny March! Their beautiful little compilation CD is available here!
There are a few more exciting tales to tell, but the powers at be have warned me to keep my lips sealed for the meantime...but I promise you, it'll be worth the wait.
Hope to see you London side, please keep checking the website or myspace for all the up-coming dates! And the EP is still available here, here and here!
Again, thank you for supporting me in this little adventure,
xo
Monday, 8 June 2009
AU Magazine Review!
The latest edition of AU (Alternative Ulster) Magazine has given a really beautiful review of the EP. In case you've not had your lazer eye surgery yet, here it is in a good big font:
"After 10 years in Canada and London, Mel Wiggins finally relocated to Northern Ireland to pursue her admirable pure goal - to sing songs about the things that matter. Through her lurics, she denounces injustice and seeks to nurture a sense of solidarity. Little surprise, then, that several charity organisations have asked her to write songs for them. But her poignant and stunning lyricism, close in the spirit to that of Foy Vance, is not only the appeal of My Brother's Keeper. Mel's sugar-spun voice kindly strolls you through these narratives and adds a delicious frisson to the stirring subject matter."
People are nice.
Monday, 1 June 2009
Sunshine & Fermanagh TV
Boy oh Boy, it sure is hot.
The weather has taken a turn for the good in this beautiful land of ours, and all over the place you can see the difference it makes to peoples attitudes and wardrobe choices (cropped trousers central!)...
I'm about to skip out to a band rehearsal with the lovely boys and a few extras that are going to be filling in during some of our summer gigs while some of the band goes on holidays, so we're hoping to fling open the windows and let the sound flow out into the streets of Belfast...if you happen to be passing by, call in!
Just wanted to update you with a little video piece we did for Fermanagh TV. They were kind enough to come hang out with us for a morning at Blick, interview us for their new station and record us doing a few tunes...
Don't forget the EP is up on Itunes and all other wonderful media/music outlets (CD Baby, Amazonmp3, Rhapsody, BandCamp etc) so please get yourself a copy, get out your sunnies and relax and bask in the glorious sunshine while it's still here!
The weather has taken a turn for the good in this beautiful land of ours, and all over the place you can see the difference it makes to peoples attitudes and wardrobe choices (cropped trousers central!)...
I'm about to skip out to a band rehearsal with the lovely boys and a few extras that are going to be filling in during some of our summer gigs while some of the band goes on holidays, so we're hoping to fling open the windows and let the sound flow out into the streets of Belfast...if you happen to be passing by, call in!
Just wanted to update you with a little video piece we did for Fermanagh TV. They were kind enough to come hang out with us for a morning at Blick, interview us for their new station and record us doing a few tunes...
Don't forget the EP is up on Itunes and all other wonderful media/music outlets (CD Baby, Amazonmp3, Rhapsody, BandCamp etc) so please get yourself a copy, get out your sunnies and relax and bask in the glorious sunshine while it's still here!
Tuesday, 19 May 2009
What a difference a year makes!
Apologies apologies apologies to one and all!
As you may see, my last post was one year and 4 days ago...slightly neglected, but I'm back and ready to be on the ball with this whole t
hing again...
So much has happened in the last year with all the music stuff, that it would bore you (and me) to try and condense it into a readable post...but I will tell you this...
Things have been very intense, busy and exciting.
The 'My Brother's Keeper' EP is done and dusted and ready for your ears...you can get it here.
It was such a pleasure to work on this EP with Declan Legge of Big Space Studios. Declan is a top bloke, with so much experience and for someone like me, who gets bored in the studio, he really did make the process much more enjoyable and easy.
I started gigging about 18 months ago with just myself and John on guitar. Not long after, Marty joined us on double bass, and eventually last summer, Pete came on board with the drums. I couldn't ask for a better bunch of guys to gig with. We were also joined by Nathan and Rachael Power on brass for some of the tracks both on the EP and at our launch party, and that has really spiced things up and opened up a whole new sound for us to play with...hopefully there'll be more of that to come...
There has been a lot of press and promotion for the EP, so I'll try to keep everyone up to date on all of that as I take up the reigns of this blog again...
There are many many exciting things on the horizon and I can't wait until the time is right to update you all on them, so please keep coming back!
But for now, I give you my thanks for your support this far on this leg of the journey and ask that you do yourself a favour and grab yourself a copy of the EP and let me know what you think...
Mel x
As you may see, my last post was one year and 4 days ago...slightly neglected, but I'm back and ready to be on the ball with this whole t
hing again...
So much has happened in the last year with all the music stuff, that it would bore you (and me) to try and condense it into a readable post...but I will tell you this...
Things have been very intense, busy and exciting.
The 'My Brother's Keeper' EP is done and dusted and ready for your ears...you can get it here.
It was such a pleasure to work on this EP with Declan Legge of Big Space Studios. Declan is a top bloke, with so much experience and for someone like me, who gets bored in the studio, he really did make the process much more enjoyable and easy.
I started gigging about 18 months ago with just myself and John on guitar. Not long after, Marty joined us on double bass, and eventually last summer, Pete came on board with the drums. I couldn't ask for a better bunch of guys to gig with. We were also joined by Nathan and Rachael Power on brass for some of the tracks both on the EP and at our launch party, and that has really spiced things up and opened up a whole new sound for us to play with...hopefully there'll be more of that to come...
There has been a lot of press and promotion for the EP, so I'll try to keep everyone up to date on all of that as I take up the reigns of this blog again...
There are many many exciting things on the horizon and I can't wait until the time is right to update you all on them, so please keep coming back!
But for now, I give you my thanks for your support this far on this leg of the journey and ask that you do yourself a favour and grab yourself a copy of the EP and let me know what you think...
Mel x
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