Well, last night I played in possibly the most unusual and beautiful venue yet – the Malt Cross in Nottingham. For those of you unfamiliar with this little gem, it’s a grade 2 listed former Victorian music hall, situated just off of the main square in Nottingham city centre, and it is wonderful. Originally, it was going to be a public house and ice-skating rink, but with the rising popularity of music hall at the time it was built, the owners instead elected to build in a high stage – so the stage is basically a little balcony halfway up the end wall.
The stage set halfway up the wall…
It’s very intimate, while at the same time feeling quite removed from the crowd. A strange place… anyway, if you are anywhere near Nottingham, I strongly recommend calling in, having a drink (they have the most impressive selection of teas you are likely to see anywhere), something to nibble and a gander at the arched glass-and-beam roof (another curious fact, the roof is held together with nothing but glue – but don’t let that put you off!)
Bar area of the Malt Cross
I was there to play at a fundraiser for disabled children’s charity Sky Badger, and it was a cracking night.
mmm tea
First up was Lanre (apologies for the missing accent, I can’t seem to make WordPress behave!) – a gloriously evocative singer-songwriter from London and Nigeria. A compellingly poetic songwriter with a powerful voice. I very much enjoyed her set, even through my own nerves, which is quite an accomplishment!
I was on second, and after a bit of reorganisation was up and running, balanced precariously between The Tuesday Club’s drum kit and the edge of the balcony! The audience were welcoming and seemed to be enjoying it, and I think it went well. We had a comedy moment where my pedal, shifted forward by repeated pressings during “Around and Around” tried to make a break for freedom off the stage, but I managed to catch it.
On stage…
Next up, I was able to relax with a Guinness and watch Rose Redd. She came on with her very tight band, and at only 19 years of age, showed a talent that seemed much older and more developed. Another compelling vocalist, she performed a mixture of covers and originals with flare and precision which were enjoyed by an appreciative crowd.
Ron McElroy followed, and surprised us all by being not just a man with a guitar (I hadn’t heard him before so was expecting an acoustic, reflective sort of style) but by being a man with a guitar who ROCKED. For just one instrument and voice, he did an impressive job creating a very full, punchy sound and was very enjoyable to watch.
Finally, headlining, we had The Tuesday Club – a stonking blend of Madness meets the B52’s meets The Sex Pistols. I can’t really describe these guys (and gal!) to you in any meaningful sense – they are too much fun for this teeny little paragraph, but I recommend you check them out online and get to a gig if you can. I have rarely enjoyed a band as much as these. MOAR COWBELL!!!
The Tuesday Club – all seven of them!
So that was the first ever Rescue Tour for Sky Badger. It was a fantastic night, with an incredible array of artists and I felt immensely privileged to be there. Massive thank you’s go out to Naomi from Sky Badger, Tom Mallow from the Cultural Review (who did more driving than anyone should ever have to do) and Jasmin, Luke and their team for all the hard work they put in. Also, Andy and Matt and the rest of the team at the Malt Cross for making us all so welcome, and for making us all sound awesome!
That’s all for now, I need to go have some breakfast!!!
FALLING IN GREEN 