News 2014
Click on the image to find out more about these nights ... and see photos and reviews
The Open Mic and Jam and Feature nights have been found a new relocation at the Six Bells in Brentford. We had our first Open Mic there on August 31st, which we found really great! We had a bunch of new people turn up and a group of stalwarts who have been regular goers to Ailsa Open Mic Nights. We'd like to encourage anyone not sure about the Six Bells that it is going to be a really good venue; the stage area is a bit larger, there are no problems with noise from the neighbours and there is parking along the street adjacent to the pub. The manager Glyn and his bar staff are very friendly and welcoming as well as keen to support live music - so we should help them to make it work and support their efforts by telling our friends about the live music at the pub. There is also an Open Mic night on a Thursday at the Six Bells run by Edwin (which starts and finishes later in the evening) and they have bands on Saturday nights and karaoke. See the pub's web site link above for all the other information.
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The Six Bells is a lovely, traditional pub serving good home cooked, restaurant quality food, cask conditioned London Pride (ESB) and a good selection of wines. There is a pleasant patio and garden with seating at the back of the pub Find out more on our Pub Guide... |
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Public Transport There are plenty of buses to Brentford High Street and the main line station is about 10 minutes walk away from the pub. The nearest tube station is Boston Manor and the E8 bus will take you to the centre of Brentford High Street. Find out more here... |
Les Binks' First Gig as Kindred Spirit's New Drummer
We are hugely honoured to welcome Les Binks (ex drummer for Judas Priest and Roger Glover to name a few) as our Kindred Spirit drummer! Here we are playing our first gig with Les on November 8th at the lovely Belle Vue pub, High Wycombe.
Check out Les' playing on this You Tube drum solo:-
Kindred Spirit Band at Weyfest 2014
August 30th
The Kindred Spirit band made a return visit to this wonderful music festival playing a 50min set of original material, several songs from the forthcoming album. The crowd seemed to like what they heard, the weather was great and the sound was brilliant! Thank-you sound men and Weyfest for another wonderful day! Here is an album of photos taken by Clive Turner of the concert: see photos
Hear the band playing "Wolves At the Gate" (below - a track coming out on their next album)
Gavin and Pete - the "Mushroom Man"
Pete, who was selling
his sculpted wooden mushrooms at Weyfest had a violin over 100 years old, which he had restored but couldn't play and, as he has been travelling around various music festivals, has been asking virtuoso violin players to play it for him and tell him what they thought of it! Today it was Gavin Jones' turn to appraise the violin. Have a listen to Gavin playing it:-
The Day the Heavens Opened!
Odiham Bands and Booze Festival
Saturday 28th June, 3pm Band
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What an incredible experience it was, playing in the beautiful, historic "Bury" in Odiham this year. About half an hour before we needed to start setting up, the skies blackened, lightening bolts started flashing overhead followed rapidly by enormous rumbles of thunder. Mike arrived in his T shirt and we sheltered for a while underneath the end of the stage itself! Thinking we should try to find the organiser we climbed into the end of the stage area, when the rain then ramped up to "deluge" accompanied by hail stones and wind and it was all driving right onto the stage, where the act before us was trying to play! Mike managed to get some video footage of the incredible weather just before our spot! Check it out below:- |
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Mini Tour Success! - Saturday June 21st
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Stage 1: Hanwell Carnival As the ukulele players looked like being a bit late turning up from their stint on the float, Gavin and myself were asked to "step in" earlier than planned and we performed our first, duo Kindred Spirit spot of the day,kicking off the live music on the acoustic stage at the start of our mini-tour! |
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Gavin asked me what the symbol with the clock tower and the guitar with the little bird was and I said that there was usually a mega jam of "All Along the Clocktower" at this event. Ralph Brookfield, who organises the acoustic stage said they weren't going to be able to play the number this time; so I suggested we would do our version! The weather was perfect and as the first rendition of "All Along The Watchtower" of the
day was powering out of the tent and across the field, the crowds began to gather!
To find out what the running order for all the entertainment was and more see the Carnival web site at:- |
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Photo by Clive Turner
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Photos by www.rp-photography-solutions.co.uk
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Stage 2: Kew Fete After two bus rides and a walk from Hanwell Carnival (to avoid the jam running from MacDonalds to Kew Bridge) Gavin and I performed our next duo Kindred Spirit spot at around 3.45pm. We followed a talent competition for very young performers, an awesome acoustic spot from Lucy Bloomfield, a dance and karate display. |
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It was still burning hot and the stage, which was a very professional affair, was facing the sun so playing on it was quite uncomfortable! Due to some protracted issues with the sound, we only played about 3 numbers - again deciding to power into "All Along The Watchtower" at the start. There was a terrific and really appreciative crowd; so it was a brilliant event to play at! Thanks to the organisers for having us! Here is a review:- "Kindred Spirit played at Kew fete on 21st June in front of hundreds of people. Their music pulled in a great crowd as their unique style of folk rock with electric violin and guitar kept the audience rooted. As the organiser of the stage acts at Kew fete, I just hope Kindred Spirit can play next year and captivate the audience once again."
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Photo by rp-photography-solutions.co.uk
Photo by Clive Turner
Stage 3: Prince Albert Pub, Twickenham
In the evening we played at the Prince Albert pub, Hampton Rd., Twickenham and we weren't intending to play "Watchtower" again but a very interested audience member at the bar commented that Gavin's playing would go well with "All Along The Watchtower" - so we played it for him specially! It was a really good gig, with plenty of interested people in the crowd. Hassan did a great support spot for us too!
You Tube of "Watchtower"
New Look to Web site
Earlier in June I went on a web basics design course, which has lead to some redesign of a few pages and structure on the Kindred Spirit web site; notably the home page, which has a "slider", "calls to action" (as they say in the digital marketing world!) and a punchier, more appropriate look. When I have figured out how to do the web design using "frames" the site should become increasingly more mobile friendly!
Elaine's Open Mic Surprise!
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I was asked to come to Alan Dublon's Second Sunday of the month Open Mic at the Ailsa on May 11th because they wanted me to take part in a number. Having no gigs that day, I agreed not realizing that my Open Mic friends (because that is what we have become), probably lead by Alan, had planned a special "thank-you" for me, in the form of a card signed by loads of Open Mic goer friends AND, amazingly, a fabulous open frame "Sinsonido"guitar! This was TOTALLY unexpected and I became quite emotional! I must admit I was surprised at how many people were there on the night and did wonder why Clive, my husband looked to be setting up his video camera! Thank you SO much to everybody who contributed towards this wonderful surprise. The guitar is exactly what I need for my neck / shoulder problems (very light and narrow width). It also sounds great too and I shall be able to play with either acoustic or electric sounds (with a little help from a few effects pedals). |
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And here's some of the video footage - if you missed it - or wanted to re-live it!
The surprised moment and cover of my "Best Days" song:-
"Run Red" - played on my new "Sinsonido" guitar
Saturday, 10th May, 2.30pm, The Green, Surrey, TW9 1QJ,
The weather forecast wasn't great for the day but it seemed to hold out with quite a bit of sunshine - right up until the band were about to start - when it poured down in torrents! Thankfully this didn't last. It was another whirlwind set up, which leads to problems with getting the balance right etc. but the sound wasn't too bad considering. Unfortunately, just as we reached the number which features the bass guitar - "The Chain" (Fleetwood Mac) with the iconic F1 bass riff - Mike's home built bass
rig decided to stop working! I managed the riff on my acoustic guitar - but it wasn't the same! Shame... See more of Clive's photos on this Facebook photo album
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We have a new, excellent dep violin player, who will hopefully be able to play violin for us at gigs which Gavin can't make, called Marc Weide. He plays violin and viola, sings and has an electric violin. Marc has been a full-time musician since 2009. He teaches, performs and records with other musicians. He has gigged with Luke Jackson, Blabbermouth and Galley Beggar, and plays classical and jazz as well as folk and rock. Marc and Elaine had their first duo gig at the Fox Inn Beer Festival , Hanwell on Saturday, April 19th! Marc played really beautifully and delighted the crowd, who were keen to talk to him.
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photo by RP Photography Solutions
Gavin has Returned as Main Violin Player
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As Phil Martin will be unavailable to play from early next
year, Gavin Jones, who is the fabulous electric violin player on our "Metamorphosis" album, has returned as main electric
violin player for us. |
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