You are in for a treat

Our next show

Music makes life better! Much better! I have had a strange week. I've been attacked by crocodiles, unfriended by email, had a lurgy and perhaps worst of all, our 15 year old, geriatric doggy is not in good shape. By about 8pm yesterday. I was feeling pretty down, if I am honest. However, I had a rehearsal with The False Dots, as we have a show at Nambucca on Friday (on the Holloway Road, Near Archway and it's free to get in to). I really wasn't feeling like it at all. Yesterday was also one of my designated non drinking days. Generally I don't mind, but if it wouldn't have inconvenienced everyone, I'd have just gone to the pub. But I didn't. With regards to my band, I am anything, if not professional. So I printed out the set lists, printed some updated lyrics and waited for the band to arrive. When I rehearse, I have to get my 'rehearsal head' on. When I play with the band, I step into my band persona. 

When the guys turned up, we had a short listen to some of our recent recordings, before we started. I had made some changes to arrangements and I wanted the boy to be clued up. We all had a cup of tea and a brief chat. As it was a gig rehearsal, it was a short run through of the set. We have different patterns of rehearsals, depending on what we are rehearsing for. When it is a gig rehearsal, we only run through all of the songs once and we time it, to ensure that we don't overrun. We are playing for an hour, so we timed the set. 

There is one new song in the set, called "Moderately priced Hedonism", which is both the slowest and the fastest song in the set. We play the songs in order and I also do intro's. These usually change, but it helps with timings etc. The band has been going for 47 years, we've had many incarnations and some brilliant musicians and vocalists in the band. I do however believe that our current incarnation is one of the best, if not the best in terms of the show we do. We have a really strong set of songs and a very good band dynamic. The set lasted 58 minutes, which is more or less bang on the money. 

When we play live or do a full gig rehearsal, it expends a fair bit of energy, but it also gives you a massive ebergy boost. I left the rehearsal feeling 20 years younger and in a brilliant frame of mind. This is what music does. There is a famous song called "last night a DJ saved my life". I am not going to be so dramatic as to say "The False Dots saved my life last night", but the band certainly helped get my mindset back on the right path. Music doesn't get old or ill, it doesn't cheat or lie. It doesn't demand anything in return. I believe that as a musician, I am just channelling something bigger, more powerful, something good. It is a privilege to play with my fellow False Dots and I will always be eternally grateful to everyone who has ever helped keep the band on the go. That includes not only musicians, but roadies, promoters, bar staff, journalists, radio presenters and prorducers who have helped us to do what we do. Most of all though, thanks to all of the people who come to the shows and listen to the tracks. Without them, we'd be nothing. 

And as to Fridays gig, I beleive The False Dots always play our best when we play live. Nambucca has a brilliant sound system and is a great venue. I believe that if you are coming, you will be in for a treat.