Sat 20th Sep 2008
Downs Barn Charity Music Evening
This was the third year running for this event held at the Cross and Stable Church, Downs Barn, Milton Keynes. The concert is the brainchild of Stephen Tucker and features local acoustic music acts and raises money for Willen Hospice, Milton Keynes and for the Cross and Stable. I have performed at each event and this year, I was also in charge of providing and operating the sound system. My friend Ian Graham (who also plays bagpipes in an occasional Celtic music duo with me) handled the lighting.
It was the first time I had sound engineered for such a large venue and for so many different acts. My equipment included my Mackie CFX 12 channel mixer with ART reverb unit and two Mackie SRM350 speakers. Stage monitoring was via my third SRM350 and a borrowed Laney monitor. I was also using a snake muliticore for the first time.
The running order of bands/artists was Stephen Tucker and Steve Neale/Rick the Rock/Maryanne and Jess/Udo Dolz/Milton Keynes Youth Chorale/Higher Plane/Rag’n’Roll and Taylor’d Country.
The higher Plane set was So Good to Me/Feeling Good/Brown Eyed Girl/Higher Plane/Leaving this Town and Work to Do.
This was a successful evening raising approx £650.00. Subject to fund matching by a local business, this should be doubled.
Shaking the Tambourine
Leaving this Town
Sun 21st Sep 2008
St James New Bradwell: Peace One Day
This was at St James Church, New Bradwell, Milton Keynes featuring four local acts, Tracey Walters, the singer from the Lemonheads and Marcus Armstrong’s band Blue on Blue. I played a reflective laid back set minimally amplified in the helpful acoustic of St James (Higher Plane/Light to my Path/Feeling Good/Down by the River). A number of compliments on my voice were later passed on to me by the minister of St James.
