MEET YOURSELF IN THIS MONTH’S NEWSLETTER:
- PAUL ZENON
- JOHN G ROBERTS
- BERTIE AULD
- BERNARD GALLAGHER
- RANGERS AND CELTIC... whoever you might be!
- DOUGLAS AND FIONA (www.entertainersagency.com)
- GORDON GILTRAP
- CHRIS COX
- DAVE ARCARI
- DANA AND DAVE DIXON
- HORSE MCDONALD
- JAMES LASCELLES
- JOE KELLY
Madcap Magician (and Television’s Mr Television – Ha!) Paul Zenon asked me to promote this; and it’s well worth it... but there’s not a lot of time (The gig is Monday 4th September. Eh, today, for most of you!) So, if you live in the London area, here is a gig which MUST NOT be missed. For several reasons.
The gig is at the London Comedy Store on Monday 4th September at 8pm.... But first, the background: "TV trickster Paul Zenon decided to set up The Wonderbus, with the intention of providing older folk with a bit of fun and companionship. Getting the show on the road, The Wonderbus will take live entertainment to older people in homes and sheltered housing, or take them out on trips to see live entertainment, giving them a good old-fashioned day out to remember. Retired performers will be persuaded to get their gladrags out of mothballs and new kids on the block given a chance to gain valuable performing experience. Everyone involved should benefit from an increasingly rare instance of genuine interaction between the generations. The long-term aim is to customise a coach so that the vehicle itself can also be used as a mobile venue."The Wonderbus will have no hidden administration costs and all performers will be donating their services free of charge so that all funds raised can be used directly and tangibly - The Wonderbus will do exactly what it says on the bodywork. The starter's flag will be raised with Paul Zenon's Grey Matter - a Colourful Evening of Comedy at the London Comedy Store on Monday 4th September at 8pm, with special guests including Stewart Lee and Lucy Porter. Tickets are £15, (£12 concessions), from www.ticketmaster.co.uk 0870 060 2340 or the venue www.thecomedystore.co.uk, with proceeds going to The Wonderbus. Enquiries, press, help or donations: admin@paulzenon.com "
SUNDAY POST.
Live in Scotland? Well then you’ll know The Sunday Post. For years this newspaper has had a stranglehold on national circulation, and they have kindly completed a juicy feature / profile piece about my activities which SHOULD be out this coming Sunday (complete with daft photograph, no doubt!). If it’s not in the shops on the 10th, then it’ll be out the following Sunday.
"A over T"
For those of you who have been in my offices, you’ll know that it’s a two-storey affair, with all the toys and fun-stuff downstairs, and the nerve-centre / command room upstairs. So, there I was, in front of the computer, in my big, leather, IVI (I’m Very Important) chair... rubbing a spoon and willing it to bend (Hey, we all have to practice, you know!) I was suddenly aware that my chair felt unstable. Leaning over the arm to take a closer look, yes... it seemed that one of the solid steel and chrome legs was actually bending! I leaned a bit further to get a better view. YES! It was definitely bending... and SNAP! This was followed by a spectacular backward somersault as the whole thing tipped over. I SWEAR I saw the reflection of the soles of my shoes in the monitor as I vanished backwards.
It was only by an amazing turn of fortune that I didn’t actually continue my journey head-over-heels down the stairs! Metal-bending? Enough!
GIGS
I had a cracking gig at York racecourse this month for a multi-national insurance company, and had the pleasure of spending some of my time in the company of a FANTASTIC (white-hatted) caricaturist. His name is John G Roberts, and you can check out his web site (please do) at www.mad-badger.com
Another gig was an after-dinner speech (and after-dinner-astonishment) in Perth for St Johnston FC Business Club. What a lovely bunch of blokes. There were some famous footballers there (knowing nothing aboot fitba’, Ah dinna ken any o’ them!) But I DID know ex-cop and fellow speaker John McKelvie, with whom I have had the pleasure of working before. Funny, funny guy.
Other gigs included (1) a Rangers / Celtic charity golf competition - DIDN’T know who Bertie Auld was – shame on me. (2) Bathgate Golf Club (DID know who Bernie Gallagher was). (3) Aberdeen FC gig – with the players and managers present: didn’t know who ANY of them were.
(4) Aberdeen. Dunkeld Hilton – knew who Douglas and Fiona were (hello, and thanks for the fantastic malt whisky!). (5) Stirling – nobody knew who the Hell I was. (6 and 7) And two fantastic gigs at Pitcastle House near Bonnie Aberfeldy. God’s Own Country. (Oh, and it was a very real pleasure to meet with Joe Kelly, Editor in Chief with Scottish Universal Newspapers.)
You know, thinking about it for a moment: all those places and all those people... this is WORK?!
GUITAR GILTRAP
Okay, now pay attention. Many of you will know that I am a huge fan, and good friend, of top guitarist Gordon Giltrap, ever since I reviewed him at the Edinburgh Festival. Now, Gordon doesn’t stray North of the Border too often, so for all my fellow Scots out there, here is your chance to see a guitar being played like you’ve never seen before, AND meet a genuinely lovely bloke. Gordon is doing 5 nights at The Beinn Inn in Fife (a real Mecca for music fans. Want to see Keith Richard’s guitar? Or me old mucca’ John Martyn’s special seat? That’s where they - and a hundred other slices of music history, resides!) So, DO take a jaunt up the M90 – between Wednesday 20th to Sunday 24th September. (GREAT food, too!) He is also, strangely enough, putting in an appearance at the New Winton Village Hall (just outside Tranent) on the 25th. And for the REAL aficionados, here’s a chance not to be missed... Gordon is doing a workshop every afternoon. Look, if you even just LIKE guitar music... catch Gordon. Couldn’t be clearer really, could it?
EDINBURGH
The Edinburgh Festival was a busy time for me; but for all the wrong reasons. But what a GREAT excuse to meet friends, old and new. Watched Chris Cox's excellent mindreading show, then had a coffee afterwards. DIDN'T get to meet up with Paul Zenon – he was heading North: I was heading South. Also had a wonderful day when I caught a gig with Dave Arcari of the Radiotones (those who celebrated my birthday recently will remember him and his amazing National Steel Guitar.) AND, delightfully, Dana and Dave of the outstanding Dana Dixon Band turned up just for the Hell of it.
All that would have been good enough. But purely by chance, while wandering down Victoria Street, who should I bump into but the amazing James Lascelles. What a delight it was to spend a couple of hours in his company, just chatting and downing cups of coffee. There is SO much I could tell you about this amazing individual – let alone the fact that he plays keyboard and percussion with Cockney Rebel. I mean, in the course of our discussion it emerged that he has played with Frank Zappa! And, believe me, that’s only HALF of the story! James – amazing... or as your boss says: Any Time!
HORSE AND THE USA
Oh, and on the subject of music. Got a nice e-mail from Horse McDonald who, at the time of writing, has a new album out and is signing a deal with a US label. Whooppeeeee! Well done, girl!
NEXT MONTH
...shaping up nicely with, among others:
Amit House. Mount Royal. Dalhousie Castle. Dalmahoy Hotel. James Bond theme night. Kelvingrove Gallery. Oxenford Castle... and filming for Ready, Steady, Cook. God help them!
See you all next month. Till then, remember: any day spent above ground, is a good one!
ENDS
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