What a Year!! What a Year!!

Its been a great year for me, my music and shagpile.org but now its nearly over….

Its Christmas Eve tomorrow and theres only one Gig left to to play this year at the Three Wheat Heads in Thropton and this is on New Years Eve, so what better way to start next year than downing a load of drink and jamming with the Acoustic Magic team until it hits 2009….

This year has definately been a great one for me and my music…. and heres a little list of the achievments which ive managed to get through .. with a little help of course  …

* First of all .. joining up with Derek & Hairy along side the Acoustic Magic team… all the gigs they’ve gave me the chance to play, the people ive met and played along side and all the venues I would have never have had the chance to Play at. Big thanks to you two nuttas thats helped make the past year what it was…

* My first album “Finding Yourself” completed and released for sale at gigs, Shagpile.org, CDbaby, iTunes, efolk, Payplay and Secondlife and too all of  you who purchased the album and supported my music.. Big Thanx and Hugz from shaggy!!

* Sharing the stage and meeting with some great artists/musicians… including Clear Blue Skies, Steve Daggett(Lindisfarne), Miles Hunt (Wonderstuff) and Erika Nockalls, Hague, Adam Bomb,  Daryl Burns, Snatchbag, Micky Oliver, Simon Todd and one of my personal favourites…. Paul Liddell. Thanks again to the Acoustic Magic lads for making  most of these possible..

* Recording and Artwork ready for the second album “Easy To Read” which is going to be ready for the beginning of 2009..  which features a bonus live track with lyrics which were written by Fiona Dunn… It wont be long I promise!!

* Not really music related but has definately been the biggest thing of the year for me!!!.. little baby Olivia Vare….born 9th October 2008.. the new addition to the household…. and im sure she’s gona give me plenty songs to write about in the future!!

So to everyone ive met this year, played alongside, had a pint with, shook a rattle at, danced with, fell over, borrowed there car, had a lift home, borrowed some cash, took a photo of……. and anything else you can think of..

HAVE A SHAGGY CHRISTMAS AND A GREAT NEW YEAR!!!!!

…and il catch you all after the new year!!!!

Rainbow Trust Charity Gig

“Music for presents” was an idea thought up by Acoustic Magic and Clear Blue Skies Main man .. Derek.. and involved getting together a group of acoustic artist/musicians which perform across the North East as part of the Acoustic Magic show and dropping them in Alnwick Marketplace at 12:15pm on a Sunday morning.. to play some live music as people brought presents for the charity … Rainbow Trust…

The list of players involved was Clear Blue Skies, Hague, Shagpile (that would be meee!!), Daryl Burns, Garry featherstone and Micky Oliver.

The marquee was put up and the PA provided by hague and he kickstarted the day off with a few tunes.. by his fourth song you could tell this was gona be harder than we thought.. as shaking from the cold, blue fingers and chattering teeth dont usually go well when your trying to sing and play a guitar..hahhaha.. so we decided that 4 songs each on a rotation was going to be enough..

We had a great day as the artists took there turns.. and plenty people brought presents for the little kiddy winkles.. so a big thanks to all who played, listened, brought presents and also to hague for the posters and flyers and PA , santy and her little leaflet giving elves… also thanks to louies bistro for donating coffee for all the players..

We also had a special appearence by a little gal singing for us.. from the audience.. unfortunately i didnt catch her name and i would ask hague but he got it wrong at least 7 times…but heres a photo of her and hague doing a duet of “Summer Holiday”

Unfortunately there wasnt much help from the charity with anything and they didnt even list it on there website events.. ??? so no thanks to the Rainbow trust!!

All in all though it was a great day and we managed to collect heaps of toys which were dropped off for the charity.. Good work all who turned up on this frosty day of live music!!

You can find loads more photos from the event HERE!!!!!!!!!

Until the next BLOG!! shaggy is signing out!!