Hello again from London, where the dizzy heights aren't quite as dizzy as the photo may suggest... In fact, this picture was taken in Frankfurt by my good mate Brett Winterford when I made a flying visit to see the first show of his German tour. By all reports, the rest of the his trip was a smashing success!* Shame I didn't get to see the other shows, but most likely I was lost in transit in a tunnel somewhere far below the surface of the earth.
*I just used the word smashing. Is that cool?
Maybe not, but Brett's music certianly is! (Cool, not smashing. Although it's smashing too... if you like to use that word...)
http://soundcloud.com/peregrine-1
Anyway where was I? Ah yes, in a tunnel. Or "on the tube" as the locals like to say... Love it or hate it, the tube is just about impossible to avoid, but you can't deny that it gets you where you need to be in quick time. (Provided there are no engineering works in place...). It's also one of the best places in the world to people watch. I'm always amazed by the array of folks that are busy shuffling themselves around hundreds of feet below the surface of the earth. I wonder what people think of me sometimes, sitting there with my guitar, scoping out the carriage. Maybe they are thinking to themselves - look at that guy, he has a guitar. Or they could be thinking - look at that guitar, he has a guy. Or they could have far more important things to think about. Which is good for them!
FESTIVALS AND STREET CORNERS
Well I've been here a few months now, and I've played all sorts of places - festivals, street corners and everything in between. There are no shortage of venues here in the big smoke. Some big, some small. Some cool, some not so much. Sometimes people clap, sometimes they don't. And sometimes, if I'm lucky, old drunk people shout weird stuff at me. I would say I'd prefer they didn't do this, but then the part of me that finds it amusing would be disappointed... So if you're old and drunk and thinking of coming to a show some time soon, then I encourage you to do what you have to do. Respekt. In any case, you'd have a hard time topping this woman in Sydney a while back:
Woman: "Excuse me love?!"
Renny (whilst in the middle of a song): "Yes?"
W: "Do you take REQUESTS?!"
R: "Ah yeah but I'm in the middle of a song at the moment... what would you like to hear"
W: "Anything but THIS!!!"
R: "Censored"
As for the street corners, I haven't quite managed to save up for a new house but my brief forays into the world of busking in London have been met with moderate approval by onlookers and passers by. And really that's all you can hope for when you set up on a street corner - moderate approval. Anything more is a bonus, and anything less is probably telling you something... Either that or there's a dude juggling fire across the way. And who am I to compete with that!
Anyway - the upcoming shows should be down the bottom here... Along with a link to a new tune if you're interested. Still playing regularly at The Troubadour in Earls Court, and also looking forward to my first gig at the Bedford in early October. Plus more to be added as always. Hopefully see you out there somewhere...
AND... ONE MORE THING...
My brother just got engaged!! No way?! WAY!! Remember my brother Matt? Faithful drummer of many years for the Renny Field band? (And still the drummer when I can afford to fly him over here....). Well hats off and a big congratulations to him and Belinda on the big big news. Belinda, you may or may not know, also happens to be the creative genius behind the artwork for "The Arena". You see it's a family affair...
Bye for now. It's been real. And a bit ridiculous if I'm being honest. But I'm sure you'd reached that conclusion a few paragraphs ago...
Cheers,
Renny
www.rennyfield.com
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UPCOMING TOUR DATES 2011
MON 10TH OCTOBER
THE BEDFORD, BALHAM
Solo show. From 8pm. Free Entry.
www.thebedford.co.uk
THURS 13TH OCTOBER
THE TROUBADOUR, EARLS COURT
Solo show. From 8pm. Entry 6.
www.troubadour.co.uk
MON 24TH OCTOBER
THE HALF MOON, PUTNEY
Solo show. From 8pm. Free Entry.
www.halfmoon.co.uk
WED 26TH OCTOBER
THE REGAL ROOM
Solo show. From 8pm. Free Entry.
www.theregalroom.com
More to be announced...
www.rennyfield.com/gigs.html
NEW DEMO!
For those of you who are interested, I've put another demo up from my recording earlier this year with Kent Eastwood. The final product is still being mixed, but thought it was time for another little sample track... This one is called "If my love returns to me".
www.soundlcoud.com/rennyfield
(Featuring brother Eastwood on the keys and RF on the tambo...)
