Since my return to London there's been a slight transitional period where things that needed to be addressed have finally came to a head, as is the case when you try to brush things under the carpet, instead of tackling them head on. What my time on the road has taught me is that I am a solo artists for a reason and my independence is a strength, not a weakness. I've had to deal with a lot of obstacles in my time and I've learnt that to every problem there's a solution. Even if facing up to what needs to be done can be unpleasant sometimes, it needs to be done never the less, and the longer you put it off the harder it gets. If this all sounds a bit vague then let me give it some context. Unfortunately I now longer am working with a backing band for various reasons but I wish them all the best with future projects and rest assured there are no hard feelings on my part.
This all came to a head off the back of my gig at this years Ravens Ait beer festival. There was a lot of unnecessary hassle and drama, none due to how the event was organised, which ultimately tarnished what started out as a great day hanging out with friends. When I did get to play the audience really enjoyed the set although the circumstances were far from ideal, but in retrospect the event was a success, although it didn't seem so at the time.
In the run up to the festival my first gig back in London was at Shack 68 in twickenham. And to be honest is was a very humbling experience. Although I was paid for the show, for various reasons the place was deserted and I spent most of the night playing to an empty room. Which quite frankly no one wants. But if anything, it was just another hard lesson in life that reinforces something I have come to understand from my experience as an independent artist. Popularity is not a reflection of ability or talent, and as I'm sure we can agree, there are many examples of artists and acts who are extremely popular at the moment but who demonstrate very little of these qualities. For a more frank and confessional insight into the months events, check out my vlog on the subject.
The rest of the month has been spent rehearsing a with new drummer, which has been going very well and has given a much needed lease of life to the backing band which is now still very much a work in progress while I'm still looking to complete the line up. In the mean time I'm developing my solo show and continue playing live as a one man band. Something which I've had great success with on my tour of Europe and other solo performances. I also recently played a solo show at Leytonstone Street Fest, Leytonstone being my local area at the moment, where it felt good to share some of my music with the local community.
But the big news for September is my return to Lisbon, and playing at this years MuDanca Festival. Last years event had a turnout of between 5000 to 8000 people so I'm rising to the challenge of playing to such a large crowd and the apprehensions that come with it. No doubt I will be vlogging the hole experience but in the mean time you can keep up to date with this weeks vlog instead.