Efterklang, Billy Bragg and Beyond

I won't deny, it's been a trying year, as I'm sure ANYONE has experienced, let alone those that are particularly creatively inclined. That's not to say it's been a dull year, far from it. But after having a spell of lacking somewhat in confidence, I've finally realised I'm good at what I do, and I should keep doing it until it no longer excites, frustrates and educates me.

This last week has taught me that I am STILL learning, and that is a great thing.

I am engaged, inspired, captivated...plus I seem to have streamlined my materials and myself that I get pleased with the improved efficiency of my learned approach. It is satisfying to see that I have learned, and modified, and adapted. It is also good to recognise that I've been doing this for 11 years now, more concentrated in the last 6, and that I still lose myself in it.

So I guess I'm doing what I'm meant to be doing.

And then there are the bonuses. Like today, it became official that Thee legendary Billy Bragg bought one of my drawings. This put the icing on the cake of a week of two other collectors also buying my drawing of Robyn at last year's Polar Music Prize, as well as my ATP drawing of the amazing and unforgettable Daniel Johnston, plus a good wholesome smattering of print orders. Not forgetting a HUGE amount of compliments and feedback courtesy of the fans on Billy Bragg's facebook page after he made a post about me and my drawing - 227 likes and 50 comments - not bad :)

Then for the first time in a few soggy cold weeks, the sun shone all day. Moreover - frustrating as it was - there were at least three great gigs on tonight, one of which I attended and created one of my all time favourite drawings - most definitely aided by the top class band performing :)

The three gigs tonight were the SXSW fundraiser at Stereo for Kid Canaveral who's recently been welcomed into the talented and eclectic fold of Fence Records. Sharing the bill with him was the burgeoning greatness of Randolph's Leap and the wonderful Martin John Henry formerly of De Rosa. Then there was Cry Parrot's night at Sleazy's with the crazy assed Vialka, the very splendid Tattie Toes and an improv super group made out of Jer Reid (Dawson, Issho Taiko Drummers), Shane Connolly (Tattie Toes, The One Ensemble), Douglas Marwick(7VWWVW) and Stevie Jones (Arab Strap and many more). At times like these one wishes one had a few spare clones kicking about. But they probably wouldn't draw. They'd just get drunk and dance...and then I would kick them. :)

So the concert I actually attended with pencils in tow was that of the marvellous Efterklang - hailing mostly from Denmark, although scattered about via Nashville, Berlin and Copenhagen. I was very fortunate to be surrounded by some lovely voiced uber fans who sang along to most every song, in a mostly pleasing way - there was a bum note in there somewhere:) Tonight was part of Efterklang's last tour for a while to concentrate on album work and other projects. They've been touring fairly solidly for 3 and a half years so I guess they're allowed a break. They played after the beautiful film screening of An Island - Watch It!! - a collaboration with the infamous film/visual/audio artist Vincent Moon.

Efterklang, Oran Mor, 24022011 featuring Heather on Piano, Peter on Violin, Mads on Laptops, Dan on Guitar (who mysteriously evaded getting drawn...), Caspar on Vocals, Rasmus on Base, Thomas on Drums. Brilliant.

King Creosote, and Admiral Fallow w. guest appearance by Ken McCluskey and Pictish Trail

What a great gig. Beautiful. Nearly had me in tears at least twice. (But I'm a girl, that's allowed...Hah! If I was a guy, I'd be the same!) Kenny Anderson has a voice that melts butter. Admiral Fallow were stoked at their support slot. Every time I see they them they're great, Louis is a brilliant word-smith, singer and musician and they all work well together. Hope to catch them at a headline gig, as the amount of time I had already left me wanting more. Found them particularly hard to pin down tonight, so I drew a bit from memory.

Definitely one of the best gigs I've been to this year.

Efterklang with Nancy Elizabeth

F**king brilliant gig. Unfortunately missed a lot of Nancy Elizabeth, but of what I did catch, and hear, and draw, she's top notch stuff and I'll be looking her up and catching her properly next time. Efterklang was one of the best decisions I've made this year. An affable, very talented, cohesive and inspiring outfit, with great audience interaction, the finale of which they clambered gracefully off the stage then ambled through the crowd who were already singing along, until they finally finished at the back of the venue - amazing. Perhaps it could have been a pied piper initiative, but I saw quite a few happy folks in the bar and in the street clasping their newly purchased Efterklang possessions. Lovely to have Tim the new trumpeter from Camera Obscura up on stage in a couple of cameos.

One drawing of Efterklang, and yes, another step-by-step mobile phone sketch of Nancy Elizabeth. I'm enjoying having the simplest one as my mobile phone wallpaper.

I tell y'all should grab yourself a phone that you can draw on - imagine all the cool live drawings you could do!!

One Year Of The Mill: Broken Records, WWPJ, and Some Young Pedro

Top night, but very much missed Sparrow and the Workshop - needed at least one girl!! Get well soon Jill!

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!

Karen Mathieson, Lobey Dosser day, The Toy Orchestra, Who Stole My Sausage and Rain, Rain, Oh and More Rain

Do you think that title's too long? It pssd it down today, but I still managed to get some drawing done. First I did the 3 showings of Who Stole My Sausage, and got some great pics. Even the last performance where it absolutely apple juiced it down - apparently apple juice is what is used as urine in theatrical stage proppage - or so I was informed when the father figure in the performance drank some of Rorey the Dog's jugful. Yum.

After that I drew some jazz at the Tchai-Ovna 'hidden garden' round the corner from Gibson St. Was a lovely setting, met some great people, from old and new, the jazz was good, and I know the yogi chai is definitely good and most welcome on a pssy day like today.

Managed to catch some bangra at the Glasgow Mela in Kelvingrove Park with the Awaz fm DJ's trying to get a roar from the well dressed, made up crowds of the colourful young asian community, though Mum's and Dad's and other relations seemed a bit too cool to join in the yelling back! Didn't fancy one particular slow-eyed young chap choking back his rotweiler. A few people moved out of his slobbery gaze, sorry that's the dog not the youth's. Both seemed to be keeping a keenish eye on the bright yellow flourescent Bobbies at the sides.

Not many 'white' folks in amongst that lot which was dissappointing. Seemed like good fun though the crowd could have done better giving it laldy at the DJ's.

After that I scooted on up for some tres damp drawings of The Winter's Tale by the Globe. Apparently their set got damaged in 'extreme weather conditions' last night which was a shame, but with the stunning and dramatic backdrop of the Glasgow University, and the gonging of it's bell, what more do you need - well I could've maybe done with a fisherman's brolly/tent and a steaming cup of soya hot chocolate, not that I'm particular or anything.

Also to catch up on the past two days I've been drawing Aleksander Kudajcyk's beautiful though poorly attended performance at the Hunterian gallery. It was a year's anniversary since he'd been discovered working as a janitor at the university, so it was a real shame that not more publicity was done for it. His hands are really quite something, fluid and graceful.



Karen Mathieson - Detail - The Venue, Oran Mor, Glasgow, June 2008



Karen Mathieson - The Venue, Oran Mor, Glasgow, June 2008

I also drew Karen Mathieson for the first time though she's from my local village Taynuilt and her sister in law taught me at primary. She's got an amazing voice and a lovely presence and although it's not the sort of music I'd initially go to listen to, she has inspired me to learn some more old Scottish songs, because people, you can't beat a good ceilidh when it arises.

The Fete De La Musique at Brel was jiving though I only managed to catch 3 different bands, and draw 2. I've forgotten their names but will get them soon.

Then there was the Toy Orchestra at the Kibble. It was fun, and I did have a smile on my face throughout, but found the ending left me somewhat uninspired. The lead chap Raymond? seemed a bit like a clown dressed up in an Indie Boy's outfit, and the general feeling of the 'music' was as someone put it, a 'dark lullaby'. However, I didn't find it well structured, it didn't amount to anything, John Cage was doing things like that with impeccable timing and composure DECADES ago, and was more humble about it. I'm keeping an open mind, but if I had had to pay 8 quid to see this groups' experimenting, I don't think I'd have been too impressed. They should have practiced more.

All in all though, I've found the West End Fest to be full of fantastic little events, and I've been pretty pleased with the drawings I've done too. Prints will be for sale of any pictures you fancy, just email me at info@jennysoep.com Price is 35 poonds, though if you're in the picture, you get a lovely discount.

Night night for now.

Sidetracked

It's 2.32 in the morning. I've been hoodging it up on the internet, catching up with emails and spending way too much time on those of no importance; especially at this time of night!


Day went like this; went to bed at 3. Was supposed to be opening up Tchai Ovna, the great little tea house I work at partish timish, but ended up pulling a sickie because of THE most amazing migraine in the world. I was quite impressed. My brain was like clammy jelly, however still managed to forward a couple of illustrations to Scot Campus for their next edition which they seem to like. It's an enjoyable freebie I do, because I get to excercise the stupid cartoony side of me, and I love it. Puh Mouse may even make an appearance. If you're a student, grab a hold of the edition and see if you can find my two little cartoons.

Anyway, after extra kippage time and a shot of painkillers I felt ready to cycle into town. However, en route to Tchai Ovna, at the busy junction beside Gorbals Parish Church, my back wheel decided to become unhinged MID GREEN LIGHT no less!! Thought I was a goner, but I managed to crab it back to the pavement for some befuddled 'Can't believe this' gesticulations of helplessness and 'my work is never going to believe this one!'. Thankfully it was all good, they didn't boot me out the door when I eventually arrived exactly 2 1/2 hours later than planned.

Work was frantic as normal - mostly getting back into the flow of things after a few days off and a heed like a pack o' mince. Managed to get some warm up drawing done before the gig tonight, and was really glad I did actually because I'm mighty chuffed with the drawings and the fact that I 'experienced' these particular bands.


Dananananakroyd.

The absolutely insane 'jump up and down, crawl/hang off the ceiling and any stage appendages ' Dananananakroyd (is that too many an an an's?) and the almighty 'screech wail stop and thrash ' of the kooky Japanese band 'Melt Banana' were the bands in question. I had been reccommended to see them by Foxface drummer D.John Ferguson who regaled me with the story that M.B.'s drummer apparently walks around with holing weights all day so that when he comes to play his hands are flying all over the place. Which intrigued me to draw and I'm so glad I did - I got some of the best stuff I've done. See attached.



Melt Banana

I also managed to get the whole band to sign my drawing which was really cool. They seemed to like it too!


I later got a taxi home collecting my poor little abandoned bike en route. Now it's time for a kip yes? Got a 9am meeting to get to. Really looking forward to a good normal sleep one day.

West End Festival Officially Opens!

Wilcommen, Bien Venue, Welcome...

The Fantastical Orkestra Del Sol

I can't stand it. I've moved from the wilds of Oban, to the sprawling metropolis of Glasgow, and there's just too many things to draw.

Like last night, for the official opening of the West End Festival there was at least two prominent choices of what you could do - Quadlibet - Strictly Mozart at the Kibble Palace (What a Setting!) or Orkestra Del Sol in the quirky dark depths of Oran Mor. What to do, what to do...Well, I chose a band I'd already drawn before, the Balkan/Euro/Afro-Caribbean stylee Big Band theatro lunico of Orkestra Del Sol.

Hopefully attached illustration can give a hint at the buzz, energy, madness, and downright conga pogo-ing fun, although it might not suggest how slick and finely practiced these maverick musickos are. Because they are. Calypso Collapso has to be one of my favourites, but it's up there with all of them. Since they're closed policy to any new hopefuls, their group are a much more in tune with movement, thinking and dynamics than the 2 years I drew them before. The audience had mosied in with the direct impish notion that some feverish dancing and fun was to be had, and tonight, it was.

Edwyn Collins, A thieving Varmint, and the Cut Off Your Hands

Edwyn Collins and his Troupe, Oran Mor, 22 April 2008


Cut Off Your Hands (You Theiving Varmints!) Oran Mor, 22 April 2008

Wow, what a night. Was hoping Edwyn's gig would be upstairs in Oran Mor so that I could finally check out Alasdair Grey's mural/ceiling paintings, so was greatly pleased and impressed!! Apparently they're 20 years away from getting finished and Alasdair reckon's he'll never see the day. I met a lass called Joni the other night in the Rio Cafe who know's Alasdair and told me how he got a bunch of art students to do a lot of it - 'well, he's an old chappie, and climbing up that scaffolding with his asthma!!'

Anyhoo, Ben (my bro) was doing a very good job PR ing for EMI and got some free tickets for Edwyn's gig. I will admit, I was very excited to know that Edwyn was playing and felt he's one of the Scottish heroes of contemporary music that I should definitely draw. I love the music of his that I've heard, and I once heard an interview about him a wee while ago, stating how their music was so raw and unslick and that was the beauty of it. And tonight was no exception. He might have some paralysis down one side, but he's a damn fine trouper and got into it with the best of them. Some jiving tunes and Roddy Frame of Aztec Camera fame on the base was pure dead braw. The keyboardist Sean was a jolly nice chap who I found plays with other bands too like the Manics and Beth Orton (Woohoo! She's a star!) Anyway, straying from the story here.

The lighting was great; a lovely clash of electric blue and 'district' Red, though don't know which was the building itself or the lighting engineers magic. Great atmosphere though. It's 2.54 in the morning just now, and I've just cycled back from Partick after walking there from the Oran Mor. But again, that's another story.

Most adrenalin induced part of the night thought - people kept asking if I was selling my pictures, and I said I'd sell prints. Then some guy actually stole one of my pics, went away with it, sort of shuffled back to see what else he could take and shuffled away again - I'd made some friends in the audience and one of them came up to me to see if I knew what he'd done, and I claimed I'd no idea what he was thinking by taking it and buggering off. He clearly had no intention of returning it so the nice girl went off to try and get it back, me following.

He wasn't giving it back. 'Please give me my drawing back' 'Haw, Ayyyyyeee.' 'No really, please, give me my drawing' 'Naw way, ther's a hole bunch on the stage go and get yer ain''But their my drawings! Please, give it back!' I'm shaking at this point and have stopped trying to get my drawing out of his sweaty grip as it's just going to rip (cue Edwyn's song 'Rip it Up and Start Again....)- Ben goes to get security who manage (I don't know how) to get the picture off him. I say I'll give him a print - ah, that's how I got it from him! and he reluctantly loosens his grip, but then get's angry again and says 'Aye, I don't believe you'.


At this point the security shuffle him out claiming he's had too much to drink. The man was about 50/60 odd, a little overweight, sweaty, and well, desperate to have my drawing! But it was my best one and if I'm not keeping it, (I actually want to keep it for exhibition purposes) then I was flipping well going to sell it - I need to support myself somehow!!! I really was shaking like a leaf afterwards, more from the fact I thought my picture was going to end up in tatters - thankfully, gessoed Saunders Waterford paper is hardy stuff!!

I've had one of my pictures nicked before - one of my favourite one's from the Dunstaffnage Music Festival - the Vivians. Ben thinks he knows who took it. I'll find her eventually! You'd think, if there's people out there willing to steal my pictures, then they must be good huh? There must be people out there who'd pay appropriate coinage for them? I guess my unwillingness to sell things on the night might kind of scupper the ease of sales...Roll on Triptych!!

Incidentally, I met a lot of lovely people tonight, but one of them Bobby Bluebell, I kept getting his name wrong and called him Blueberry. Ah well.

Going to be drawing the dress rehearsal of Liz Lochhead's 'Educating Agnes' at the Citz tomorrow (later today). Looking forward to that.