Ruby Boy and the Rio

Justin Currie does not want any of his songs to be jokingly likened to Robbie Williams 'Angels'.

Also, he's a 'Posh Boy' from the West End and dreads doing Glasgow Gigs because Glaswegians aren't afraid to tell it how it is.

Justin Currie is a tall handsome chap, a Scottish music icon, in his forties, and commands the stage, letting the audience be 'the setlist', and remind him of lyrics he's 'forgotten' in songs from the past. He gives the crowd their pleasers, and even though it's a sit down gig a few of the fans are up for singing along and dancing, and aren't afraid to stand up if they want to applaud their hero. They like his new stuff too.

I very much enjoyed the gig; Justin has a fine voice and has some great songs. I really liked 'No, Surrender' from his new stuff of which I wrote down 'just surrender' since those were the ending lyrics. 'Last to Know', an old Del Amitri classic, sounds like quite a beautiful song - I must listen to it again., plus 'What is Love for? Really liked the drawings I did. Think I'm beginning to get the picture of what I'm currently trying to do. I guess I'm trying to capture a portrait of performing artists moved by the emotion, energy and spiritual experience of their own music/creations. Artists who are utterly immersed in their passion.

Do I want to draw every single musician I come across? The hazard is that I don't really know I don't like the music until I've started drawing it. I think I can draw a good picture from every musician if they put their heart and soul into the songs they're singing. I also think there's potential for me not to draw well when I find a band/musician I do particularly like/know because I'm so taken up with their music. I think that's it. So I should contact them later and say Hey, we must work together and get some great drawings?! The next project will be to draw pictures from musicians music before I see them perform it live, then during, then after from memory. There's SO many places I could take this...

Gerrard Love and Stephen Pastel were dj-ing tonight at the Cafe Rio. Some great tunes being played. Wish I could have stayed longer but bombed it for the bus. I've lost 2 brollies in the past week, but managed to run back and fetch the brightly coloured battered one that nearly became number 3. Got abuse for it by some bus drivers who reckon I must have nicked it because there's 'no way I would have consciously chosen it'. They all apologised to me when they left the bus, telling me they were only joking and it was 'a very nice brolly'. However I wasn't even offended in the slightest, I thought they'd been hilarious!

I just want to say, I've been listening to the cd that Gerry from Babygod gave me, and I really like it. I've been playing it a couple of times now, and it's really growing on me. Haven't quite figured out the words yet, but I will. Hope he's enjoying his holiday/tour. If you get a chance you should check him out. His cd music is great, though live by himself he's quite an entity. Definitely a good support for Mouse Eat Mouse's gig at Brel last weekend.

Tomorrow is the last day of the West End Fest, and I'm really looking forward to drawing at the Indie festival around the Goat tomorrow - Found are playing and they're brilliant. However, it all clashes quite unfortunately with 'Hey You Get Off My Pavement' which has got some splendid acts - Foxface, Camera Obscura, and a whole host of musicians that I don't know yet, but sound mightily intriguing, including Jacob Yates and the Pearly Gate Lockpickers (Well Jake I know from his possessed performances with Uncle John and Whitelock and THEY were brilliant. Don't know what his new venture is like.) Will just have to chase them up individually.

Have a good one people whatever you choose to do, and may it be dry, warm, sunny and laced with good music!