The full set list for the night as actually played is viewable with links to each of the songs on my own wiki, here at :  January 2012 setlist   and any upcoming gigs are on the Main page, such as the one at Loughton on Thursday April 19th, 2012.

Setting off for the venue was a bit traumatic, as an electrical fault had caused a series of cancellations on the main from Liverpool Street Station to Romford, so we went to see what the buses were looking like, just missed one, and saw that the traffic on the main road was choc a block. So we went back to the station and waited for the next train due, which should have been a half hour wait under the abnormal circumstances but then that one was cancelled too. There was nothing for it but to lug the two guitar cases and ourselves onto a busy number 86 bus and just sit it out as we chugged our way up along the occupied bus lanes and through the congested area around Ilford. We would arrive late for the start of the evening perhaps, but not late for my own appearance due around 9 O’clock which in the event we turned up well in time for. So that’s the transport news, then. A bit of a preoccupation with people who live in the London area I’m afraid.

The gig itself went well, I thought, I was reasonably happy with the performances and the guitars stayed mostly in tune. The turn out was good, and people said they enjoyed the music, so that’s a big result, and one of the best things is that Linda’s front row video recording managed to capture the full setlist with no problems, so we have a decent audio and visual of all 21 original tunes. There’s a possibility of bringing that out as a DVD which will become the latest release from me to replace the few copies of the “Sampler” EP I’ve been carrying around for almost three years now!

I think I ‘ll be turning the soundtrack into three episodes for the podcast series, and uploading a few songs to youTube as well, but the first one I’ve got processed is the finale song where I managed to get two violinists up on stage with me, namely John Foxen and Richie Barratt with Pep on Banjo and I think you can just hear Bernie on concertina and Mickie Brown on harmonica as well. Here’s Cajun Music Cajun Food live at Haverfolk

It wasn’t a guest night, just an ordinary sing a long, and often these are the best. I’d hate to start recording a performers list but from memory there were at least the following:

Kriss Pouch
Smolowic
Micky Brown & Richie Barratt
Clive and Linda – Ploughman’s Lunch
Rocking Bob Cash
Helen Islip
Andy Roberts
Margaret Brown
Len Reeder
MickaNora
Pam

I took along my Archtop Guitar and played one of my own songs from The Andy Roberts Tapes:

I Only Came For My Suitcase

followed by my version of Chuck berry’s classic anthem for estranged fathers:

Memphis Tennessee

Thanks to Linda for capturing these videos. On playing them back it’s unfortunate that balance between guitar and vocals isn’t right so either the archtop is just too loud for my voice or I simply wasn’t singing loudly enough myself, I wonder why?

Right at the end I was honoured with the opportunity to wind up with one final song so I performed Bob Marley’s Redemption song but it wasn’t practical to record that one as the general merriment peaked.

Do you need a Google+ invitation? Click here

The Google+ service as a whole is getting a lot of attention even though it only launched to the public this month, and even though the circles metaphor can be a bit cumbersome, there’s a tendency towards fuller conversations and better discovery that makes it interesting for musicians, I think. But all that could change as the new platform develops, we’ll have to see. What intrigues me though, is the way that Google is integrating many of their popular services together, and Google of course is behind youTube. I’ve been waiting for youTube “Live” to open up but for the time being that seems to be open only to a few international TV stations. There is some confusing talk about youTube live being available on Google+ hangouts but thsi always turns out to be about taking the existing youTube live streams and relaying them into a Hangout, rather than using the Hangout to generate a new livestream that can be relayed out into youTube live, and saved as youTube videos in a channel, which the direction I’m probably looking for.

Google+ Hangout

So we planned to try out the ‘Hangout’ feature within Google+, this Sunday afternoon just gone at 3.00pm, and the result has been incorporated into this Andy Roberts podcast episode #47.

Google+ Hanging out

If you wanted to take part in future Google+ events with me, or just listen in as it happens, then you would need to activate a Google+ Profile if you don’t already have one, and add me to a circle. Again, if  you need a Google+ invitation you can get one  here

Sunday Afternoons, 3.00pm

Oh yes, and the other thing that’s changed is that we’ve moved to Sunday afternoons for the regular weekly spot, at 3.00pm UK time, which is currently GMT+1 with daylight saving. That’s 10pm in Beijing. The Sunday afternoon 3.00pm time slot will continue throughout the month of August.

Podcast 47

Here’s the download and play link etc:

Subscribe to the podcast RSS or get it from iTunes

Download MP3 to save – 39.69 Mb in size, playtime 28 minutes 49 seconds :- 47 Andy Roberts Podcast Episode 47.mp3

Andy Roberts Podcast #47 Shownotes

Show Notes for Podcast 47

1. Mondura Dam
2. Work is Done
3. Shifting Sands
4. Hesitation Blues (trad?)
5. Home – Roy Harper (Part Song)
6. Mozambique – Bob Dylan
7. The Same Old Rock – Roy Harper (Part Song)
8. Narrow Boats

Here’s the download and play link etc:

Subscribe to the podcast RSS or get it from iTunes

Download MP3 to save – 39.26 Mb in size, playtime 28 minutes 32 seconds :-

37 Andy Roberts Podcast Episode 37.mp3

Andy Roberts Podcast #37 Shownotes

25:42 37.1Mb

Show Notes for Podcast 37

1. Clean Living Blues – by Linda Hartley and Andy Roberts
2. Hold On Below -  Andy Roberts as featured on The Lost Folk Tapes
3. Work is Done – Andy Roberts
4. Never was to be – Daryl P Hall Andy Roberts
5. Highway Blues – Roy Harper

Here’s the link and stuff:

Subscribe to the podcast RSS or get it from iTunes

Download MP3 to save – 28.8 Mb in size, playtime 29 minutes 54 seconds :-

34 Andy Roberts Podcast Episode 34.mp3

Shownotes for the Episode 34

1. Standing By – Andy Roberts
2. Come a Long Way – Kate McGarrigle
3. Puddles – Andy Roberts
4. Dreaming – Loudon Wainwright
5. New Paint  – Loudon Wainwright
6. The Dream Is Over – Andy Roberts
7. All Along The Watchtower – Bob Dylan Arranged Andy Roberts

The last time I did a Loudon Wainwright Special was back on Podcast Episode 4

All Along The Watchtower was last covered more recently on Episode 24

There’s a couple of lines missing from The Dream is Over. I need to brush up on the lyrics to that one.

Here’s the web player, download link, tracklist and show notes for Podcast Episode 30:

Subscribe to the podcast RSS feed using the url:

http://andyroberts.me/?feed=podcast

Subscribe in iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/andy-roberts/id378470885

You can also download the MP3 from this link

30 Andy Roberts Podcast Episode 30.mp3

Episode 30 Acoustic Guitar Podcasts

Show Notes

Show notes and information for Andy Roberts Acoustic Guitar Podcasts

Episode 30 broadcast on January 25th 2011, published on January 26th 2011.

1) Wrecked Again

Words and Music by Michael Chapman

2) Postcards From Scarborough

Words and Music by Michael Chapman

3) Waiting – Andy Roberts

Words and Music by Andy Roberts

4) Back In The Field  – Andy Roberts

5) Yellow Boat – Andy Roberts

Links, play, download

Subscribe to the podcast RSS or get it from iTunes

Download MP3 to save – 28.0 Mb in size, playtime 29 minutes 06 seconds :-

28 Andy Roberts Podcast Episode 28.mp3

Episode 28 Shownotes

1. One More Cup Of Coffee – Bob Dylan Song live from Havering Folk Club( >25,500 views)
2. Big Eyed Bean From Venus – Captain Beefheart tribute
3. Grow Fins – Captain Beefheart again
4. The Wreckers Prayer – Andy Roberts Song Live at Walthamstow Folk Club
5. I Hate the White Man – Roy Harper‘s song

YouTube - andyrobertsmusic Channel

Watch the original YouTube Tracks Here:

Inspired by friends’ lists of 15 songwriters tagged and copied in Facebook, I played songs by Neil Diamond, Steve Tilston, Andy Roberts, Loudon Wainwright and a bonus track Roy Harper song at the start of which there’s an unfortunate inbound telephone ringtone but I didn’t let that faze me at all, oh no. If you do happen to be listening on an iphone or in a house then the effect could be unpredictable.

Here’s the stuff:

Subscribe to the podcast RSS or get it from iTunes

Download MP3 to save – 29.2 Mb in size, playtime 30 minutes 20 seconds :-

19 Andy Roberts Podcast Episode 19.mp3

Andy Roberts Podcast Episode 19 Show Notes

1. “I’m a Believer” – by Neil Diamond
2. “One Man Band” – Music and lyrics by Steve Tilston
3. “The Rowan Tree” – Music and lyrics by Andy Roberts
4. “Samson and the Warden” – Music and lyrics by Loudon Wainwright
5. “Migration” – Music and lyrics by Andy Roberts
6. “I’ll See You Again” – Music and lyrics by Roy Harper

acoustic guitar podcasts

I’ll be playing a guest spot myself at the Romford Folk Club in April next year, the 5th I think, but on Tuesday I played one Andy Roberts original song, The Last Nail.

The Romford Folk Club meets on Tuesdays at 8.00pm downstairs at the Sun, London Road, Romford RM7 9QA

The Last Nail Lyrics

Above the stone walled harbour, or down the winding hill
That’s where they built the boatyard, and the structure stands there still.
Not much boat building happens now, just repairs and fitting out
but when the wind rattles the boatmasts, you can hear the old boatbuilders shout:
Will you pass the last nail over and I’ll knock it into place,
Then with four more coats of varnish, she’ll be ready for the race.

Our grandfathers put up the boatyard, to build the fishing fleet,
more than fifty boats in the harbour, and shops all down the main street
then the steam age brought  in the drifters,
boat builders became engineers
Now the wind blows straight through the boatyard,
there’ll be no more boat building here
Will you pass the last nail over and I’ll knock it into place,
Then with four more coats of varnish, she’ll be ready for the race.

With a keen eye for staying in business, they switched over to build leisure craft
And the weekend yachtsmen snapped them up, no expense spared fore or aft
Then wooden hulls went out of fashion, the order book emptied last year
So the bankers foreclosed on the boatyard,
and there’ll be no more boatbuilding here
Will you pass the last nail over and I’ll knock it into place,
Then with four more coats of varnish, she’ll be ready for the race.

Now the Vikings invented the clinker for both strength and shallow seas
and the herring boats followed the coastline, until the canning ships found the key
There’s a regatta here every August, and the whole village turns out again
But the Sea Queen’s no real competition, and it’s guaranteed to rain
Will you pass the last nail over and I’ll knock it into place,
Then with four more coats of varnish, she’ll be ready for the race.

Above the stone walled harbour, or down the winding hill
that’s where they built the boatyard, and the skeleton stands there still.
No more boat building happens now, not even fitting out
but when the wind rattles the boatmasts, you can still hear the old boys shout:
Will you pass the last nail over, we’ll knock it into place,
Then with four more coats of varnish, she’ll be ready for the race.

Of course without much tangible feedback, there’s no way of telling how many people actually listen, whether multiple listens to one download or some who collect files and never get around to listening at all, it’s all a bit of a mystery so all we have to go on for now are the numbers.

I’ve noticed that youTube are now allowing uploads more than 10 minutes long, which means that the version of The Same Old Rock which is on podcast 12 can be put up there, whereas before it would have been just a little to long to scrape in. So tonight for Episode 13 I think I may do two more longer songs, both my own.

See you on Ustream at 7.00pm  Tuesdays

When an Old Cricketer

Cricket has been in the news recently, not in a good way, with allegations of match fixing but sometimes any association is enough to prompt a vaguely relevant song or song title. Or sometimes just because of one lyric within a song, it doesn’t matter if anybody else gets it or not. Any excuse to break the agony of having to make a decision as to what to play next!

So this is When an Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease written by Roy Harper adapted by Andy Roberts

I do have another version of Old Cricketer online here but that’s played on the six string, I don’t really know which is the best performance from myself, perhaps you would be so kind as to “like”, “favourite” “rate” or whichever is appropriate on any of these videos to give an indication of relative quality, that might then help me choose, thanks.

San Francisco

This song is San Francisco by Maxime le Forestier, Andy Roberts version with his funny English accent.

Other performances of the same song 1) San Francisco

Mazet

Not just because I just got back from France but also having met an old friend from the Mazet last week.

Alternative takes:

1. Mazet
2. Mazet
3. Mazet
4. Mazet

I played my own song “The Last Nail” live at Havering folk club last week on the 12 string guitar. Here’s the video:

The Last Nail is also the name of the next Andy Roberts album

The Last Nail Lyrics

Above the stone walled harbour, or down the winding hill
That’s where they built the boatyard, and the structure stands there still.
Not much boat building happens now, just repairs and fitting out
but when the wind rattles the boatmasts, you can hear the old boatbulders shout:
Will you pass the last nail over and I’ll knock it into place,
Then with four more coats of varnish, she’ll be ready for the race.

Our grandfathers put up the boatyard, to build the fishing fleet,
more than fifty boats in the harbour, and shops all down the main street
then the steam age brought in the drifters,
boat builders became engineers
Now the wind blows straight through the boatyard,
there’ll be no more boat building here
Will you pass the last nail over and I’ll knock it into place,
Then with four more coats of varnish, she’ll be ready for the race.

With a keen eye for staying in business, they switched over to build leisure craft
And the weekend yachtsmen snapped them up, no expense spared fore or aft
Then wooden hulls went out of fashion, the order book emptied last year
So the bankers foreclosed on the boatyard,
and there’ll be no more boatbuilding here
Will you pass the last nail over and I’ll knock it into place,
Then with four more coats of varnish, she’ll be ready for the race.

Now the Vikings invented the clinker for both strength and shallow seas
and the herring boats followed the coastline, until the canning ships found the key
There’s a regatta here every August, and the whole village turns out again
But the Sea Queen’s no real competition, and it’s guaranteed to rain
Will you pass the last nail over and I’ll knock it into place,
Then with four more coats of varnish, she’ll be ready for the race.

Above the stone walled harbour, or down the winding hill
that’s where they built the boatyard, and the skeleton stands there still.
No more boat building happens now, not even fitting out
but when the wind rattles the boatmasts, you can still hear the old boys shout:
Will you pass the last nail over, we’ll knock it into place,
Then with four more coats of varnish, she’ll be ready for the race.

Wrecked Again

The second song is Michael Chapman‘s “Wrecked Again”

Andy Roberts Bambuser

I went along to Havering Folk Club last Wednesday after a week away on holiday and tried to do a version of one of the new songs I haven’t finished yet. I know It didn’t work out very well, partly because I don’t have the lyrics memorised yet and I tried reading from a crib sheet on the music stand, which has never worked out for me in past and probably never will. I can sing and play at the same time, sometimes I can sing, play and read at the same time, but not it seems in front of an audience, standing up and without reading glasses. So I’ve uploaded the podcast versions of the unfinished songs to youTube instead. The one called “Untitled 1″ in the episode 3 shownotes is provisionally called “Trevellas” now, and unfinished 2 is called “Summerhouse” but I also have a plan for combining the two songs into one single work that would be longer and more complex. We’ll have to see.

Sitting On The Bank

To recompose my composure, finding myself with a capo on fret 4 I decided on the spur of the moment to sing “Sitting on the Bank” which is a simple song I wrote when I was about 15 or 16 and thinking about leaving home soon. While uploading I noticed that the melody is developing slightly even now, I’m not sure it’s correct to call it a revival though, as it’s never really been out of the repertoire.

The Mighty Quinn

After the break and with the list of floor singers completed there was a little time left and Pep kindly asked me to do another, so after 3 pints I decided to do a singalong that everybody knows though it turned out not everybody at Havering Folk Club knows that the Mighty Quinn was a Bob Dylan song. The Manfred Mann cover version was better known in the UK in 1960s and afterwards.

Subscribe in iTunes to the podcast feed using the url

http://andyroberts.me/?feed=podcast

Here’s the podcast player for listening online to my Andy Roberts podcast prototype number 2:

You can also download the MP3 audio file which is around 26Mb in size and just under 30 minutes in duration from this link

AndyRobertsPodcastprototype2.mp3

The full video file of the show is available over at Ustream.tv where the live podcasting event takes place on Tuesdays at 7.00pm UK time

Podcast Prototype No 2 Video

Podcast Prototype 2 Show Notes

Show notes and information for prototype 2 broadcast and recorded on June 15th 2010.

There were five songs performed during this show, including one instrumental, all using the 12 string guitar.

Waiting

Title: “Waiting”
Music and Lyrics by Andy Roberts, first released on The Andy Roberts Tapes

The Nutmeg Tree

Title: “The Nutmeg Tree”
Music and Lyrics by Andy Roberts, first released on Album 1

Mazet

Title: “Mazet”
Music and Lyrics by Andy Roberts, first released on The Andy Roberts Tapes

Instrumental

Title: “Intrumental”
Music by Andy Roberts, first released on The Andy Roberts Tapes

I Shall Be Released

Title: “I Shall Be Released”

Song and Lyrics by Bob Dylan 1967

Interpretation Andy Roberts

I had an idea about turning the Weekly Ustream.tv show into a podcast and started putting it into practice.

So last Tuesday instead of just recording some of the individual songs during the webcast for uploading to youTube, I recorded the whole half an hour or so of the show, songs and talking, and saved it using the ustream record system. I was fairly happy with the way that went from a performance point of view, it worked better for me than premeditated songs and faffing about with song tit;es description and tags in the middle of a broadcast. The experiment was to see what I could do with the resulting file. I downloaded it to my Mac – ustream provides a file in .flv format (Flash) and when I clicked on the downloaded file it opened an application I’d never seen before! Mpeg-streamclip was able to export in various formats including quicktime, Mpeg4, and audio only. So far so good. The quicktime version allowed me to quickly edit out the five songs from within the video and save them individually as .mov , all ready for uploading to youtube.

So this meant that with a small amount of effort I can use ustream for the live streaming show, record it all in one go, and still have the songs available in youtube for embedding elsewhere and so on.

But what about the podcast?

Ah, well I went away for a few days, so now I’m getting around to it.

The audio podcast is here:

http://andyroberts.me/wp-content/podcast/Podcast-prototype-1.mp3

with an RSS feed here:

http://andyroberts.me/?feed=podcast

and the video podcast is is still hosted on ustream at

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/7526414

also embedded below

But this still doesn’t count as a podcast yet until I have it set up as a series you can subscribe to in iTunes or the audio player of your choice. Fortunately I still the rest of the month of June to get that boxed off, since this is still the prototyping period, and I’ve set the goal of getting started for real in July.

Here we go again:

Songs in this podcast:

The Wreckers Prayer

People Are Strange

Cormorants underneath London Bridge

Here Comes The Sun