Greetings to one and all, and a big belated HAPPY NEW YEAR from the south coast of Ireland. "Where exactly?" I hear you ask.... Well, that is for me to know and you to find out my friends. BUT - you could get a pretty decent idea by clicking on this link:
http://www.carbery-cottage-guest-lodge.net/
Carbery Cottage
Durrus
Cork
Ireland
That is in fact my address. Notice there are no numbers? The Irish are great the way they simplify things for everyone. And let's face it, round these parts nobody even has HOUSE numbers, so they're not exactly going to be bothered about post codes too much. As far as I am aware, I think the only "post codes" in Ireland are in Dublin. And they are Dublin 1 and Dublin 2. Incredibly detailed wouldn't you say, compared to perhaps my last address in London - SW17 8UE. I suppose it's one thing to wonder how they condense 1 million people in Dublin into 2 postcodes, but at the other end of the spectrum you have to wonder how anyone came up with "SW17 8UE". Give me 4 numbers a la Australia and I'm a happy man.
Anyway I digress of course, but I've become extremely good at doing just that down here in Durrus. Digressing. What with all the spare time on my hands, I can't help but digress. I digress in the morning, think about doing something at lunch, digress all afternoon, then have dinner and digress myself to sleep. In between the digressing I occasionally sit in front of a supermarket with my guitar on the off chance the kind people of West Cork would like to contribute to my weekly rental payments, and very occasionally I also get booked to play INDOORS. This is most exciting - this indoor performance business... Sitting outside in minus 4 degrees just before Christmas, I'd almost forgotten what it was like to play a gig where you could get through more than two songs without feeling the rapid onset of frostbite. A big thanks to Paul at McCarthy's bar in Kenmare for helping me rediscover the whole indoor performance phenomenon (this after I had been told to leave the supermarket car park because apparently an acoustic guitarist from Australia was far too terrifying for the average Kenmarian to handle).
That's Kenmare by the way. No postcode.
http://maps.google.ie/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=kenmare&aq=&sll=53.401034,-8.307638&sspn=6.565867,19.753418&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Kenmare,+County+Kerry&ll=51.875537,-9.56686&spn=0.053095,0.154324&z=13
Of course, it's all part of the experience my friends, and I'd be lying if I told you it wasn't all strangely exciting as well (in a "f... I'm freezing" kind of way). And in between the digressing and the busking I've actually been putting my spare time to good use - trying to come up with a few new tunes for my next album. Carbery Cottage, as it turns out, has a small self contained cottage ("Swallow's Roost") which I was able to rent for a few months, not to mention a hand-built timber studio on the same block of land. Lucky for me, both these buildings are pretty perfect for whiling away your days strumming on an acoustic guitar and trying to ensure the song you're writing doesn't sound anything like Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison. But in all honesty, I feel really blessed to have found my way here, and you might say I have well and truly scratched the "Cottage in the Hills" itch... In case you're interested, I've actually created a channel on youtube where I've been posting a whole bunch of these new songs. You could watch them all from the start on a rainy day, or you might like to simply check out a couple and wonder why I always seem to be wearing the same trousers. Well folks, I just ain't made enough bones for a new pair yet, although I'm getting close!
www.youtube.com/rennyfield
Please drop us a line if there are any in particular that take your fancy - feedback always welcome! Perhaps you could tell me which ones you'd like to hear when I make it to Australia.... Ah yes, I'll be heading back home for a visit very shortly, and I can't wait! And as luck would have it, most of my gigs appear to be indoors. Which is, as they'd say over here, SAVAGE!
Anyway I might leave you there, and hand over to... erm.... myself.... to type out the upcoming gigs.
Feel free to send a reply if you've got a spare minute or two. Anything to limit the daily digressathon here in Durrus! Would love to hear the news from your part of the world, wherever that might be.....
Thanks for the support, hope to see you all soon.
Cheers,
Renny
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TOUR DATES:
Here we go, starting with a few in Ireland before I go. (OK they are indoors too.... but I wasn't lying about the frostbite before Christmas!)
IRELAND:
Wed 2nd Feb
Fireside Sessions, Bradley's Bar, Cork
Free Entry, from 9pm.
With guest Polly Barrett
Sundays from 7-9pm till 5th Feb
Cosy Cabin, Bantry
Free Entry.
AUSTRALIAN TOUR, 2011
All dates solo unless stated:
Sun 20th Feb
Raval Sydney
Round robin with Sam Buckingham, Kent Eastwood and Sarah Humphreys.
Tix at www.raval.com.au
Advanced bookings recommended.
Wed 23rd Feb
Lizottes, Newcastle
Live'n'Local
http://www.newcastle.lizottes.com.au/live/
Thurs 24th Feb
High Tea, Sydney
Great warehouse space in Surry Hills.
You must join the Facebook group for tickets:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=236831155074
Fri 25th Feb
The Manly Fig
Round Robin with Sam Buckingham, Kent Eastwood and Sarah Humphreys.
Info: http://www.themanlyfig.org/
Sun 27th Feb
Brisbane Powerhouse (yep still on, it survived the floods)
Round Robin with Sam Buckingham and Kent Eastwood
Free Entry from 3pm.
http://www.brisbanepowerhouse.org/
Mon 28th Feb
The Cavern, Nobby's Beach
Entry by donation, from 7pm.
http://www.myspace.com/_the_cavern
Thurs 3rd March
Port Macquarie Hotel
Free Entry, from 8pm.
Fri 4th March
Port Macquarie Hotel
Free Entry, from 9pm
Sun 6th March
Tacking Point Tavern, Port Macquarie
Free Entry, 3pm
Tues 8th March
Sin e, Cafe Lounge, Surry Hills
Free entry, from 8pm
A few more to be added, then it's back to Europe to do it all again....
But more on that later...
Wanna keep track?
www.rennyfield.com
www.myspace.com/rennyfield
www.youtube.com/rennyfield
www.twitter.com/rennyfield
http://rennyfield.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/areallyannoyinglonglinkwhycan'ttheyjustgivemerennyfieldinonewordbutyou'llfinditifyoudoasearchcheers
