The Listening Room

Sunday 19th February: Stu Goodall (Hosted by Daniel Davis)

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:00:05 +0000

“Given that by next year they may well be playing sell-out gigs and on the way to stadium excesses, now might be a good time to get in on the act.”
(The Metro)

“Their last song, the appropriately named ‘Leaving Song’ showcased how the band work so well as a unit, with the energy focused on Goodall for the timings. The song encourages the crowd to “Stay for a while” and I’m sure we all left with the line “And I won’t let you down” ringing in our ears”
(Adam J Bell, Visual Opinions)

“Mr. Goodall and his august colleagues can be relied upon to provide superb musicianship, unconventional yet heart-warming songsmithery, and – if the between-song banter is anything to go by - a great sense of humour. But don’t take my word for it. Have a listen to some tracks, and go to see them live. Something classier has appeared in Edinburgh– why not treat yourself?”
(Stoo Ritchie- Whale Music)

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PLEASE NOTE THERE WILL BE NO LISTENING ROOM NEXT SUNDAY (26TH FEB), AS THE BAR WILL BE FULL OF SHOUTY RUGBY FANS!
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Sunday 12th February: 10th Anniversary Mega-No-Mike! (Hosted by Peter Michael Rowan)

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0000

As we hit the 10th anniversary of The Listening Room, the most intimate of gigs, we will be having a MEGA-NO-MIKE! A Megamike is an open mike with loads of performers getting one song each. But of course the Listening Room doesn’t have any mikes…

This will be a 2-3 hour extravaganza of Edinburgh past and present acoustic talent, with special guests, both in the flesh and in the ether. And fittingly, the night will be hosted by the man who founded The Listening Room a whole decade ago, the lovely Peter Michael Rowan.

Sunday 5th February: Lake Montgomery (Hosted by James Whyte)

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:34:00 +0000

A real gem of a feature act this Sunday, we’re excited! Lake is an outstanding singer/songwriter and performer about whom we could easily wax lyrical, but we’d much rather let her tell you about herself. Seriously though, this is one you really don’t want miss.

IN HER OWN WORDS:
My name is Lake. I sing, play guitar, and write songs. I was born and raised in Paris Texas. But I managed to escape, and take up temporary residence in various towns across the states. Most people cringe at the thought of growing up in a small Texas town. I used to avoid this reaction by claiming whichever place I had just left—San Francisco, St. Louis, Tucson, New Orleans, etc.

When I explain my music, however, I must honestly reveal my roots. I am a child of Paris Texas. So is my mother. So is my grandmother and hers. And so on to the slave times. My music and I grew up in old shanty negro church-house gospel; my mother’s folk/soul collection, my grandmother’s work songs, and the desolation of a hopeless town.

When I came to Amsterdam, I was quickly invited and accepted into this singersongwriter scene, playing cafes all over Holland, playing the Noorderslag and other festivals and appearing on radio shows as that girl from New Orleans. After 7 years in the place, I’ll say that New Orleans does flavor my songwriting style. So do all of my travels. But in the end, I’m a child of Paris Texas. Simply put.

WEBSITE | REVERBNATION | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

Sunday 29th January: Jo Wilson (Hosted by Scott Renton)

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:16:00 +0000

Jo Wilson has trouble knowing how to describe his music. He writes about things that he cares about, things that puzzle him, and things which annoy him. He loves beautiful harmonies and interesting chord sequences, and delights in odd rhythms and time signatures. He finds writing about himself in the 3rd person mildly amusing.

Jo is currently getting himself back into the Edinburgh music scene after a year working in Pakistan, which provided plenty of new ammunition for those scribbled notes which may one day make it to fully-fledged song status.

“Jo Wilson hushes the room with a minute or so of delicious loops that abruptly end whilst his songs of faith sweep through the room. Icarus doesn’t overtly retell the tragedy of Daedalus’ son, but hopes (over a breezy island strum pattern and cool chord progressions) that “maybe to Heaven I can break through.” Lazarus then asks us to step into the surprised man’s sandals and try to imagine the electricity of a human resurrection. Solid, beefy guitar set and enlightening lyrics, although the quick death of the brilliant loops and layers is a hard truth.”
Darren Thornberry, Out of the Bedroom

“There is an intelligence about the way the songs are put together that is very refreshing, and the lyrics take this beyond throw away pop into something altogether deeper and more challenging. Buy [Puzzle]… catch them live. This is fantastic.”
Chris Graeme

“Both artists bring with them a mastery of their instruments that makes this a fantastic listen - keyboards are used to great effect, Jo’s guitar work is deft and Tim’s saxophone gives a refreshingly jazzy feel to some of the songs. A fresh breath of life to the indie music scene.”
Peter Frizelle, Cross Rhythms

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BANDCAMP
FACEBOOK

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Sunday 22nd January: Darren Hendrie (Hosted by Caro Bridges)

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:02:00 +0000

Darren Hendrie has been playing all kinds of music on various instruments from an early age, and has come a very long way since his dad taught him the chords to Peggy Sue on the guitar when he was 14. He’s played in several bands over the years but has only been playing his own stuff publicly since August of last year, getting himself involved in music nights such as Out of the Bedroom and The Listening Room.

The first song he ever wrote however, at the tender age of 17, was named “Calling Out” and was only ever heard by his ex-girlfriend. She apparently described it as a cross between the Foo Fighters and The Goo Goo Dolls, so it can’t have been all that bad. Perhaps one day we’ll get to hear it?

Nowadays Darren writes songs he’s happy playing to anyone and everyone, and rightly so because they’re damn good. With influences ranging from Nirvana to Abba, via The Stone Roses and The Chilies he’s not against trying different sounds, moods and techniques.

His songs are, in his own words, “about love, loss, hope and human connection”; and listening to them you can’t fail to spot a talented young man who is passionate about his music and who deserves to go far. Come along this Sunday and you’ll forever earn the right to tell your grandkids “I saw Darren Hendrie way back when he was playing small acoustic pub gigs in Edinburgh. Funny to think that nowadays.”

SOUNDCLOUD

If Tomorrow Felt Like Today by Darren Hendrie

Sunday 15th January: Henry Bird (Hosted by Norman Lamont)

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:03:08 +0000

Henry Bird is a little country boy with a big voice come to the big city for the first time, guitar and knapsack in hand and walking shoes on his feet. Playing songs flecked with soul, folk and jazz he has been making his way round the scene supporting such people as John Smith, the Groanbox Boys and the Geordie Tentree’s Band as well as playing at the Sedbergh Folk Festival and Rowchester.

Whether you like the rolling fields and the reams of the fiddle or smoky jazz joints with them honky tonks, you’ll find something that speaks to you in the music.

MYSPACE

SUNDAY 8TH JANUARY: JAMIE HAY (HOSTED BY FIONA THOM) Kicking us...

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:56:00 +0000

SUNDAY 8TH JANUARY: JAMIE HAY (HOSTED BY FIONA THOM)

Kicking us off for 2012 is Jamie Hay, who’s been making the right kinds of noises on the Edinburgh music scene over the last year. Certainly we’ve heard nothing but good stuff, so we’re thrilled to have him as this weekend’s feature act. His music is introspective and heartfelt, sure to calm the soul after the festive madness.

MYSPACE

Sunday 18th December: Christmas Special (Hosted by Lindsay Sugden)

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:23:00 +0000

Yes, it’s that time of year again. No featured act this week because we know you’re all so full of Christmas cheer and goodwill that all that you can think of doing is singing about it.

Right?

So anyway, presenting two hours (minimum) of open slotty goodness. Learn (or write) a Christmas song, or just play whatever takes your fancy. Bring Santa hats, mince pies and a hearty laugh, and we’ll take care of the rest.

A very merry festive season from all of us at The Listening Room, and a huge thank you to everyone who’s played and and everyone who’s listened! It’s been a damn good year for us and we’re looking forward to your music and your company in 2012.

Please note, this is the last Listening Room until Sunday 8th January!

SUNDAY 11TH DECEMBER: JILL HEPBURN (HOSTED BY NYK...

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:09:00 +0000

SUNDAY 11TH DECEMBER: JILL HEPBURN (HOSTED BY NYK STODDART)

Falkirk’s very own Jill Hepburn has long been a very welcome face on the Edinburgh acoustic scene, though sadly her performances in the capital are few and far between. We defy anyone not to be entranced by her infectious and melodic vocal lines and emotive lyrics, underpinned by a gently plucked banjo, which appears to have replaced her nylon strung guitar in all of her recent appearances. As a performer, Jill can come across as shy and at times self-deprecating; but do not be fooled, she is one of the finest singer songwriters you will see in Scotland right now.

MYSPACE

Sunday 4th December: Dave Keir (Hosted by Tom Watton)

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Whilst being a seasoned performer, Dave Keir is relatively speaking still a Listening Room n00b. However after two or three open slots we were so impressed that we just had to ask him to perform a featured slot. And when we did, he not only agreed but asked if he could join the Listening Room hosting team. A beezer of a feature set AND a charming new host, how could we refuse? Dave carried out his first shift as a host most ably on Sunday just gone, and will undoubtedly dazzle us with his frankly scary fingerpicking skills, beautifully crafted songs and clever lyrics this coming Sunday.

Now of course, we wouldn’t book someone if we didn’t think they were of a worthy calibre, but seriously, this man deserves your attention; make sure you catch his set this Sunday.

WEBSITE
REVERBNATION

Sunday 27th November: The Darcy DaSilva Band (Hosted by Dave Keir)

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 01:56:14 +0000

After being together for three months, The Darcy DaSilva Band have played at venues such as The Roxy 171, The Tron Theatre, The Globe in Dumfries and are soon to be performing at The King Tuts before Christmas. They enjoy writing and performing and would like to share their music with everyone who’d like to hear it.

Darcy DaSilva is a singer-songwriter from Moniaive in Dumfries and Galloway. She draws on inspiration from the interesting people she meets and the places she visits. This year Darcy is completely focusing on music and this has led to her going on tour with Creative Scotland and starting to record her first album.

Calum Morrison is a guitarist from the South Side of Glasgow. He also sings beautiful and is thought to be the glue of the band. He is currently studying at the RCS in Glasgow and is a song-writer in his own right.

Eddie Seaman is originally from Letih but is now also studing in Glasgow at the RCS. He is a dedicated Highland Piper but also a sensitive whistle player which is mainly what he does on Darcy’s songs but occasionally he’ll get out the Border Pipes for a tune!

Malcolm Bushby, originally from Tasmania, is the newest addition to the band. He is a fiddle player who currently lives in Newcastle. He studied at the Lews Castle College on Benbecular but now is a full time teacher and musician.

Darcy has worked with musicians such as Karine Polwart, Aaron Jones and Phil Cunningham and loves collaborating. She enjoys sharing her music and is always writing.

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Mending isn’t Beautiful by Darcy DaSilva

Sunday 20th November: Paul Gladwell (Hosted by Daniel Davis)

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 18:49:35 +0000

Paul Gladwell has been on our radar for several years now as a regular performer around Edinburgh and beyond. His songs are finely crafted and delivered with equally high levels of professionalism and honesty. His influences include the likes of Rufus Wainwright, Richard Thomson and Nick Harper; and echoes of these can be heard in his own songwriting, though clearly more as homage than as imitation. From the dark and brooding to the pleasantly pop, Paul’s songs have something for everyone.

MYSPACE
BANDCAMP

&lt;a href=”http://paulgladwell.bandcamp.com/album/save-yourself” _mce_href=”http://paulgladwell.bandcamp.com/album/save-yourself”&gt;Save Yourself by Paul Gladwell&lt;/a&gt;

Sunday 13th November: Windlestray (Hosted by Hannah O'Reilly)

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 23:13:00 +0000

Windlestray are perhaps best described as a well kept secret. They consist of young husband and wife team Ross (Vocals, Guitar, Programming) and Jennifer (Vocals, Synth & Piano) Baird, Ally Dennis (Guitar, Bass, Sampler) and Rory Macdonald (Drums). Longtime regulars of The Listening Room might recognise Ross and Rory as band members of beloved former host Darren Thornberry in Thorn’s Musical Journey.

As a band they have been around for several years now, but Windlestray continue to be surprisingly elusive in their public performances. Nonetheless they are a respected and highly regarded outfit by those in the know. Their music is an intelligent mixture of classic and modern influences which is melodically complex and yet honest, uncontrived and accessible. You’ll love them if you like the likes of The Last Battle, Frightened Rabbit, The Unwinding Hours, and Y’all Is Fantasy Island.

We’re very pleased to have Windlestray perform an unplugged feature set this Sunday night at The Blue Blazer, this is one you don’t want to miss.

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Here’s Ross performing a stunning little Windlestray song at The Listening Room a few years ago, alongside our very own Darren Thornberry.

Sunday 6th November: Danny Mullins (Hosted by Rob Sproul-Cran)

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 09:00:05 +0000

Danny is a classically trained pianist who picked up the guitar when he first went to university at eighteen and has struggled to put it down since. He feels the same about playing drums/pots/guitars/people.

Danny eats more chocolate than is considered healthy for a person, and often struggles to get up in the mornings. He is a musician and performer who performs, learns and teaches internationally as part of a theatre company called The Nomadic Academy of Fools who he has trained with for two years now.

More recently he supported Phil Kay and Cameron Sinclair at “Phil and Cammy’s Late Night Nonsense” at the Fringe festival for a short run of musical comedy shows. He began teaching outside the fools academy this summer at “The Secret Grove” based at the Botanic Gardens.

Previously he has toured with Bob Hillary and the Massive Mellow ( Chrysalis Records ) and written material for their second album. This year he has London Management and music video work with the people who worked for Fatboy Slim.

SOUNDCLOUD
MYSPACE

Sunday 30th October: Gavin Taylor (Hosted by James Whyte)

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:31:00 +0100

Gavin Taylor is an accomplished instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, music teacher and he also produces and arranges. Born in Edinburgh he has been a musician for the past 26 years. Gavin wowed us in a Listening Room featured act recently alongside Toby Shippey as “The Whisky River Boat Songs” but he has agreed to return and share some of his own songs. Musically his influences range through blues, jazz, reggae and salsa music, and his onstage sound has a definite hint of americana to it. Not only are his songs beautifully crafted and great to listen to, but Gavin is what you might call “a musician’s musician”. Come along if only to watch a roomful of guitarists wistfully watching this man’s hands.

MYSPACE
REVERBNATION

Sunday 23rd October: Lisa Rigby (Hosted by Caro Bridges)

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:55:00 +0100

Lisa Rigby started penning tunes a while ago but properly since 2004, as a result of a songwriting partnership with Iona Marshall as ‘Soul Alba’. When Iona left Edinburgh Lisa kept playing and gathered enough songs to make an album ‘Hello’ with the assistance and guidance of Dave McGruer and Stuart Clark.

Her main musical outlet at the moment is singing, playing and co-songwriting with the band Townhouse alongside Stuart Clark and John Farrell.

Lisa holds the enviable but well-deserved accolade of being the Burnsong Songwriting Winner for both 2007 and 2009.

MYSPACE
REVERBNATION

Sunday 16th October: Sir Tom Watton (Hosted by Daniel Davis)

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:49:00 +0100

Sir Tom Watton is a pleasure to experience live: he’s energetic, heartfelt and always entertaining. Musically speaking he has broad ranging influences (including Danny Thompson, Fairport Convention and, err … Enya) though broadly speaking his sound can be described as “folky”. Or as he says himself, “a mixture of genres, but a good mix”. We think that’s pretty fair. Except for the bit about Enya, obviously.

He’s also one of the people who helps to run The Listening Room, and you may have seen him host on occasion.

Tom started performing his own material at the age of 14, in an improvisational comedy duet ‘The Lesbian and the Thespian’ with Sarah Bentham.

Since then Tom has written in a variety of styles, including comedy, but he mostly composes folk influenced acoustic songs. As a double bass player and bass player Tom has accompanied Ollie Banks, Harriet Frank, Alastair James, Phil Simpson and his dad; John ‘The Jazz Pistol’ Watton.

It was onstage at Beached 2006 in Scarborough that compere Graham Rhodes gave Tom his stage name (Sir Tom Watton) when Tom was playing double bass for acoustic guitar virtuoso Ollie Banks. The title was given as an accolade for his organisational work with both Beached and Acoustic Gathering.

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Sunday 9th October: Calum Carlyle (Hosted by Caro Bridges)

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 09:31:00 +0100

Calum Carlyle is an independent singer-songwriter from Orkney, now based in Edinburgh. He writes an enchanting blend of acoustic pop and plays solo gigs as well as gigs with his band, The Mixed Reactions.

He’s played throughout Scotland and England, and even a few times in Australia, as well as three past appearances on the Wickerman Festival Acoustic Village main stage. He’s also on the committee of Edinburgh’s longest running open mic night, Out Of The Bedroom, and he’s in two other bands, Neoviolet and The Ferny Brackens.

Calum has a solo CD out called Honesty And Thorns, and another called “Another Side of Calum Carlyle”. Both are reasonably priced and can be listened to on his website.

WEBSITE | MYSPACE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

Sunday 2nd October: Rosie Nimmo (Hosted by Peter Michael Rowan)

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 09:00:00 +0100

Rosie Nimmo is an Edinburgh based musician who has recently recorded two albums almost back to back with Marc Pilley of Hobotalk as the producer. Marc plays on both albums as does Ali Petrie, also of Hobotalk and various other marvellous musicians including Mairi Campbell, Stuart Allardyce and Emma Turley. Rosie has recently performed at the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, the Wickerman Festival and several other high profile events/festivals. She and her band were the support act for Eric Bibb when he played the Queen’s Hall in May 2010.

Reviews of ‘Home’
‘…angelic..’ Peter Asher
‘….like it a lot. Great voice’ Ian Rankin
‘Utterly enchanting…’ Blues Matters
‘Pure of voice and flexible enough to shift her overall tone from a high silky almost hypnotic lull (think Alison Krauss) to a deeper textured raunchier vocal (think Patti Smith). Nimmo’s songs blend…country, folk, jazz and blues beautifully ……A delicious collection of songs’. Miss James, Fatea
‘.. blue velvet of her voice..’ Sunday Herald
‘..an exquisite disc’ NetRhythms

Reviews of ‘Lazy and Mellow’
‘A haunting collection of spare, subtle songs meditating on the magic and trials of life.’ (List ****),
’ … a jazzy, rootsy, laidback concoction. ‘(Sunday Herald). ‘
‘…deeply moving’. Piers Ford
‘Hugely enjoyable.’ Iain Anderson, BBC Scotland

MYSPACE

SUNDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER: THE WRIGHT BROTHERS (HOSTED BY TOM...

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 09:00:00 +0100

SUNDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER: THE WRIGHT BROTHERS (HOSTED BY TOM WATTON)

Who are The Wright Brothers? Are they really brothers? Is their surname really “Wright”? Like … both of them? One thing’s for sure, when not pioneering modern aviation or helping run The Listening Room (they’ve both separately been spotted hosting the night on many occasions) these boys just love to write great songs and play them to appreciative audiences. If “mellow and quirky” sounds like it could be your kind of Sunday evening, you could do worse than catch these talented gents.

In their own words:

“Two faintly camp over forty-somethings playing miserabilist acoustic pop. C’mon, what’s not to like?”

MYSPACE