Well, it has started...

As you all know, as we tell you at every available opportunity, the album launch is up coming on the 12th June and we have just started the build up. It started last night actually, when we supported the outstanding Rory Ellis. I know artists always say people they played with are the best thing since sliced bread, but in this case it may actually be true. He is a supremely talented man, and if you see his name pop up on a local gig listing then get down there. Tell them we sent you. It may get you a present.

Aside from an awkward string snap in the middle of the set (we suspected it may occur, and the collective groan\cringe was highly audible) we played well. We were tight, Gethin made a strong debut multi tasking by playing the violin and singing and aside from the string snapping fiasco, there were no major mistakes. It's going to be a good summer, and we put a great foot forward last night.

What is mildly hilarious, however, is the state of some of us at the moment. Adrian could get an extras role on Day of the Dead without needing to go through make up. Phil is living in fear of his wife, who if she reads this he loves very much and every day with her makes him grateful for life itself, and I'm (that is to say, Ben is) working for some Americans meaning my standard operating hours at the moment are about 1pm till 6am. Which just isn't fun. You should be a fly on the wall at rehearsal, all we have done is eat cake.

But its gigs like the one last night that make you redouble your efforts. Silly as it sounds, the fact that the string broke and even though we had to stand there while Emma and Gethin valiantly filled the gap where music was supposed to be, we coped well and it gives you that little buzz. It makes it stand out. Silly as it sounds, sometimes a gig is just another gig. I think that it was a good thing Adrian broke a string, as it may show us that we have to work harder and make each gig stand out like that., although more for positive performance than disaster overcoming We won't tell him that, of course, we will continue the company line of calling him a bleeding idiot, but you fair reader will know the truth.

London here we come!

This Thursday sees us play what is probably our biggest gig to date. We’re playing main support to the staggering Australian singer/songwriter Rory Ellis at the famous Half Moon in Putney.

Rory is a guy I (Phil) have known for a while through my folk connections, and met up with him on his first ever tour over here about 6 years ago – where he played a 30 minute set in-between two acts from a local acoustic guy at the back of a tiny pub in Newbury. Suffice to say the local talent got absolutely blown off the stage by Rory’s sheer power and emotive songwriting – I can’t imagine he was invited back!

He’s since gone on to gain quite a reputation for himself in this country, generally heading over here for the summer months and playing all over the place. He’s a guy who needs to be heard. Without a doubt the finest talent I’ve ever had the pleasure of ‘discovering’ through a CD sent to my house for review. Not only that, an absolutely brilliant bloke, full of stories.

This gig then is big for us in two ways. It is the first of a couple of main artist support slots we’ve got in the next few weeks (the other being nu-folk songstress Lisa Knapp on June 14th), which is a position we were looking to get in to around the time of the album coming out – which is great. The second reason is because of the venue. The Half Moon marks a step up in class for us. A venue synonymous with top quality intimate acoustic performances from the very best artists on the scene, both from the UK and from across the world. Acts like Billy Bragg, Eddi Reader, Show of Hands, Nick Cave, Paul Brady and KT Tunstall have all played there in the last few years – so it’s a bit special to be joining that calibre of act to play on that stage.

These are the sort of venues where we absolutely have to make a good impression on both the promoter (for re-bookings and recommendations) and also the paying punters who will visit here expecting the standard of act to be very high. This is the sort of venue where a band like us, who have been playing everywhere we possibly can over the last year or so need to aspire to headlining one day and its up to us on Thursday to put in a performance worthy of the venue. Hopefully a good reception to that and the album might go some way in making a headline appearance happen somewhere down the line!

So – for anyone wishing to see this momentous occasion, tickets are available by visiting the Half Moon website.

A bit of a news update

A quick one to keep you up to date with what we're doing in the near future - we've just been confirmed as playing at the Halfmoon Putney's Unplugged night on 20th July, and in the next few weeks we're playing Susie Clarke's "Living Room Players" night at The Star, Godalming on 14th May, supporting Rory Ellis, again at the Halfmoon Putney on 21st May, Gostrey Meadow Charity Fair in Farnham on the 6th June and supporting Lisa Knapp at The Wilde Theatre, Bracknell on 14th June.

Not forgetting, of course, our Album Launch on the 12th June at Jagz, Ascot, tickets are on sale now, and are flying off the shelves (as it were), so be sure to get yours soon - either from any of us or through our website or Myspace. Tickets are £6, or you can grab yourself a bargain by pre-ordering an album at the same time for just £10 for the two.

Plug Plug Plug

OK, I know it's Tuesday - it's a slackness we need to get out of our systems. Three posts in a row that are late is not good, although there is reason for this one being a day later than usually scheduled. We have the following good news:

Last night we finished the album (well, Gethin did along with our engineer Al Heslop)!

All mixing has now been done, so all that is left to do is approve the packaging (when the CD proof copy finally arrives in the post) and then send it off for final duplication and hosting on iTunes etc. Its been a long time coming but we're nearly there.

With that in mind we should really plug the album launch again. We're looking forward to this gig immensely and it would be fantastic if as many of you as possible could make it. I'll list the details in list form so as not to waffle too much.

Date: Friday June 12th
Venue: Jagz Club, Station Hill, Ascot (right next to the train station)
Time: 8pm
Cost: £6 for entry (to the gig and also the club downstairs afterwards) or £10 for entry plus a copy of the new album - which we will be selling for £6 on the night for anyone who hasn't bought the joint ticket.

We will have a full supporting cast for the gig, with the hugely talented Naama Hillman already confirmed (www.naamahillman.com). You can purchase tickets for the night from any of us in person or if you won't be seeing us before the event, online through our official site www.allthingsconsidered.org.uk

While we're in shameless plugging mood, for our London audience we're opening for the superb Aussie singer/songwriter Rory Ellis at The Half Moon in Putney on Thursday May 21st. Tickets for this are only a fiver, which for anyone who has seen this artist will concur is a real bargain.

Tickets for this will probably be available on the door, however for any London event its always worth booking in advance if you can, which can be done here:

www.ticketweb.co.uk/user/?region=gb_london&query=detail&event=317279&interface=halfmoon

We promise we won't bug you all about these gigs for at least another week.

Big news to follow...

We have a big announcement coming regarding the album on Monday (well, we hope we’re not jumping the gun there – if not Monday, definitely Thursday!) so this will be just a short entry to update you about a few gigs.

Tickets are now on sale for our show at The Half Moon in Putney, where we are opening for the fantastic Aussie singer/songwriter Rory Ellis.

It would be great to see you at this legendary London venue, and you can do so for the bargain sum of £5. Tickets for the event can be bought on the door, or to avoid disappointment in advance here.

Also, we’re going to be playing at Bracknell’s free festival day, The Big Day Out on Saturday June 27th, and have also confirmed a date at The Icarus Club in Lewisham on Thursday July 9th.

More news on gigs and festivals as they become available. Remember to check to website and Myspace pages for full details.