Sunday 14th September - 'Dirty Hippy Fest 3' - Milos - Leeds
We were invited down to this event and were looking forward to playing a gig in one of the coolest little bars in Leeds alongside some old faces in the scene like the Gary Stewart Band and Silverlode. It seems however that the 2 days of hippy fest before had led to the Sunday being a bit of a wash out.
Turning up to a gig and the doors being locked when the festival was supposed to start 2 hours earlier is never a good sign. We were told 4 bands pulled out at the last minute ... i guess they knew something we did not?
Sound man turned up at the end of our set? (errrm) and i guess this one goes down as one of those gigs you have to learn to walk away from when you have a gut feeling things are just not going to happen.
Sometimes you put in so much effort and get little in return from the promoters. You live, you learn and bad gigs like bad guitars just build character.
Roll on the Courthouse gig, will be great :)
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Wednesday 3rd September - Sandinista - Leeds - 8pm
Late night colour at Sandinista is run by the local promoters 'Grain Division' and Rob who runs the night always does wonders with the venue bringing in talent from far and wide. You can always tell when a promoter loves his music and Rob is no exception. This was the first time we had been back at Sandinista without a drummer and it has to be said the bar suits a low key performance.
We really enjoyed the night and the past few weeks bringing in piano to our new sound makes a world difference. Thanks goes out to the crowd who were fantastic on the night. We realised how much practicing together over the last 3 years has paid off. We are good, and always just going to get better.
Quote of the evening:
"Thank you for playing at Late Night Colour Last night! Superb! Until next time"
Rob - Thanks for inviting us.
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Sunday 20th July - Bramley Carnival - Leeds - All day
Hot dogs, classic cars and Dodgy fair rides, and what a blinding day to have a Carnival! The sun was shining and not a cloud in the sky. Plenty of peeps turned up for this community event in July and we played 2 sets out into the fields of Bramley. We couldn't help thinking the tent should have been turned towards the incoming folks instead of them passing behind us, but it is always a fun experience playing a gig outside.
Having recently lost our drummer it was hard however to re-create the energy we have come accustomed to over the last year. An open air stage just begs for some rhythm to excite the crowds. Never the less we played well and even with competing with the likes of a dog show and a burning stunt team (surreal I tell you) it was a gig to remember. Looking forward to playing some more open air gigs in the near future. What can we say at times you can just close your eyes and pretend you are headlining Glastonbury... one day, you just wait and see, just believe in yourself that’s all you have to do.
(Watching a young wannabe band trying to start fight with the sound crew, when we were told time was running short, is also something that we will not forget in a hurry lol, i think they actually thought IT WAS Glastonbury)
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Saturday 12th July - Abbey Inn - Kirkstall - Leeds - 9pm
What more can we say about this cracking little pub down near the Abbey in Leeds. Always a very warm welcome from both the Landlord and the punters. On this occasion it was also the Landlord Martin's birthday and we had been specially invited to play and join in with the festivities. Hey we even got to go to the buffet before everyone else, you see there are perks in being in a band! This was our first outing without 'Will' but also our first outing with Kezia on piano.
Testing new water and rewriting some old songs we still put on a show to remember. At one point we had the crowd singing along and requesting songs. Just a small step forward but always gives you a sense of well being when people know the words. Yup another special gig in Leeds’s most haunted pub. I think we even had the ghosts dancing at one point; either that or the revellers had a little too much spirit in them if you know what i mean. :). Will be back here again soon for sure. Always a pleasure and a venue to keep an eye out for as both the sound and atmosphere are spot on and we also get to play a full 14 song set too.
Quote of the evening:
"That was fantastic, thank you so much. Not better, not worse without a drummer just different"
Martin Lockett - Happy birthday mate.
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Friday 13th June - The New Inn - Clitheroe - 9pm
Clitheroe is one of those towns that have a one way system that seemingly leads to no place, well that is our excuse for getting a little lost. Tardiness aside, we arrived at the New Inn determined to prove that we could still captivate a room without percussion. Let's face it there was hardly room to swing a cat never mind fit in the drum kit so was a good job Will was not with us anyways on this occasion.
Even though the room was small it was also full to bursting with people who were genuinely there to listen to what the acts had to offer. Something unnerving about having the crowd an arms length away from your guitar *smile*. We played exceptionally well and really shined when we needed to.
The room accepted us with huge applause and an encore and we left the gig with a renewed spring in our step and smiles on our faces. Roll on the next chapter in the Redwood Thinkers story. Here’s to a bright future. Thanks once again for everyone who supported us on the night, you make it worth while.
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Wednesday 11th June - The Farmers Glory - Haslingdon - 9pm
Quite a drive out to Haslingdon. One of those pubs that is literally in the middle of no where. Really nice friendly pub mind you, and this gig will go down in the Redwood Thinkers history books as gaining us our oldest fans to date! Our music appeals to more than just one generation.
The night was relatively quiet, but was nice to get out of the city centre to spread our music further a field. Walking back to the cars and watching the moon, and the stars, out in the sticks is a change from what we are used to. This gig also goes down as the last gig with our drummer 'Will' who will be sorely missed. Cheers for everything mate and good luck in London.
Quote of the evening:
' We really enjoyed the gig at the Farmers Glory on Wednesday night. Jean and I would like to thank you, best wishes '
A personal email
left on the site.Encouraging to receive comments like this.
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Saturday 17th May - Abbey Inn - Kirkstall - Leeds
One of our favourite places to play in Leeds and once again the gig was a big success. The venue is situated in the shadow of Kirkstall Abbey and attracts a genuine music loving crowd from the local area every Saturday. We played a mixture of old and new but concentrated mainly on our new full band written tracks which we have been recording of late.
You know when a gig goes well when the whole room ask for an encore (Chasing Chimera being the order of the day).We are back here in July and it is a great place to see our full set.
Darran once lost his hat down at the Abbey and word on the street is that a certain girl found this hat and is holding it to ransom. . . will the hat ever find its true owner? guess only time will tell :)
Quote of the evening:
" You guys get better every time i see you, been to your last four gigs and can't wait for the new album'
A true fan
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Tuesday 13th May - Tap & Spile - Hull
Our first visit to the Tap and Spile and we hope to come back again sometime in the near future as this small pub can teach quite a few of the larger venues a thing or two about showcasing unsigned talent. The compare was inviting and set the scene nicely for a night of Redwood Thinkers tunes. Sound quality was also spot on so no complaints from the musicians.
We played a solid set to an open audience and the warm vibe in the room meant for an expressive gig. An old favourite from our first album 'Spread your self flat' once again was met with grand applause from all in the room. It was just a shame we could not stick around for the open mic afterwards (Damn day jobs!)
Fun gig, nice people... we will be back.
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Saturday 10th May - The Adelphi - Leeds - Showcase
It was a certain persons birthday, a certain person got engaged, a certain band member was missing and a few band members had a bit too much to drink.Won't forget this date for a while, great music was played and enjoyment was had by all.
Quote of the evening:
"Will you marry me?"
Someone get the tissues. . . one brave Matt
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Tuesday 6th May - Surface Unsigned Festival - Leeds
Surface Unsigned Festival is a national band competition.
This was our first time at Joes Well as a five piece band and it was just a shame we were the first band on during the competition (7.30pm) as many of the punters did not turn up until later on due to the blazing hot sunny day outside (and audience votes counted). On this ocassion we did not get through to the next round but we thank everyone who voted for us and supported us on the night. We had a blast playing some of our new tracks on a larger stage (hats off to the sound engineer too for doing a top job with the limited equiptment he had for an acoustic style band).
As always in this style of competion the louder the band the more chance it has of doing well it seems. This will not stop us from experiencing these types of competition however as you never know who might be watching!
You make your own luck in life ;)
Quote of the evening:
"Local band Redwood Thinkers are a 5 piece outfit, 3 vocals and several changes of guitar. This band have a variety of sounds going on, full of bright melodies and well placed harmonies. A satisfying band."
Surface Unsigned Festival 2008 Review
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Wednesday 2nd April - The Blues Bar - Harrogate
This was one of those gigs that i think will stick in our heads mainly due to a strange reaction from the audience. It seemed like even when we played our hearts out we got no reaction from the people watching? (What were we doing wrong?). . . On occasion we would finish a song to silence from the people in the room. If anything though, this just spurred us on to impress more.
Thankfully we just
did not read the crowd right because after the sets were played we were inundated
with praise and thanks from both the people and the staff. I guess people were
happy to sit back and just listen, maybe it was the rain, maybe it was the atmosphere,
who knows but next time we know not to get disheartened when the room is quiet
as it can be a good sign sometimes :)
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Wednesday 12th March - Korks Wine Bar - Otley Folk Club
This was an unplanned night out by four of the thinkers to a local singer's night in Otley. There is something magic about playing your instrument completely acoustically. No mikes, no amps, just a group of people in a silent room. We had never seen Ruth playing a full size double bass before either Amazing :) Nice to go back in time to the beginning once in a while reminds you why you started playing in the first place.
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Sunday 9th March - The Red Lion - Otley - 9pm
Sometimes we have to fit all five Redwood Thinkers into some very tight spaces. This was definitely one of those occasions but we managed to synchronise the dodging of our instruments pretty well. The flip side to playing in a small room is how intimate the crowd position is. Having someone sitting a few feet away from you watching and listening intently is always something special.
The sound was good and everyone seemed to enjoy the evening. Otley is pretty new territory for us but already we seem to have been made to feel very welcome by the local people. Keep an eye on our live diary as we will be playing in Otley much more in the near future.
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Wednesday 13th February - Tigers Lair - Hull - 8pm
This time around at the Tiger's Lair we decided to do things a little differently. Usually we play fully acoustic at this venue but with many of the new tracks incorporating electric guitar and bass we went the whole hog and brought everything. A diverse set followed with a mixture of old and new and the crowd seemed to appreciate the dynamics.
Just for future reference: Alcohol + Drummer can = some interesting timing :)
You can't blame him for having a few drinks from time to time now can you? The night was a success none the less and as always we thank Darran (the sound engineer) and the people for their support.
Quote of the evening:
"When is your next album coming out?"
The wheels are turning all don't worry
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Sunday 3rd February - Angels Share - Leeds - 9pm
First gig of the New Year and a bit of a change of scenery at the Angels Share this time around. Usually we play upstairs to a seated crowd but this time we were downstairs to a packed hungry bar so a different set was the order of the day. The first band of the night was a band familiar to us on the scene called the Echo. They set the night up and our full band set and new material seemed to go down well.
Cramped spaces and technical issues all add to our live playing experiences. We learn and adapt to our given situation and play the best we can no matter what. Names were added to our mailing list and this is one of the reasons we get out there to show our fans what we have done in the studio out in the real world. Man of the match this time goes to Andrew for his solo work even though he was forced to remove his hat by the bouncer ;)
Quote of the evening:
"Any chance you can play Burnt for my girlfriend?"
People requesting songs can only be a good sign
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Wednesday 19th December - Tigers Lair - Hull - 8pm
It was the 19th of December and all through the house not a creature was stirring....
Apart from the 70's disco next door and the gathering of police vans outside in the street :)
Even though we were competing with the Jackson 5 at points and we did not play till late this gig was a memorable one. The first Christmas as a full band and the last gig of a productive year. The bar was busy, the crowd were inviting and Darran (the sound engineer) even treated us to a new set of monitors! People are always genuine in Hull that's one of the things we like about playing here.
You get out of life what you put in to it and looking back at all of the work we have put in over the year in our rehearsing/writing and performing i think the way we have progressed as a band speaks for itself (that and having to sign copies of our album at the end of a gig... surprising and always a little surreal but a great compliment)
The gig line-up for the New Year looks encouraging already and we cannot wait for the chance to play a full set of new material... It's going to be a great year in 2008 we can feel it. Good luck to us all.
Quote of the evening:
"Easily the best band we have seen play for a long time"
A new impressed fan - we need more people like you!
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Thursday 13th December - Xmas Outdoor Leeds City Gig
Errrrrm ever tried to play an instrument outside in -1 conditions? Put it this way even with 2 pairs of gloves you still cannot feel your fingertips... ahh the wonders of muscle memory.
The lights were gleaming above and the streets were full of all the hustle and bustle of shoppers at Christmas time. We really enjoyed playing on the Leeds Headrow to probably our biggest audience yet! (ok most of them were passing by but still) and we have decided that busking is a great way to get your music out to a wider audience.We will be performing much more in the Streets of Leeds in the new year so keep your eyes and ears out for us.
Thanks to all the people that joined our mailing list from this... will send out some free tracks in the New Year.
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Thursday 22nd November - The Adelphi - Leeds
The Adelphi is not a venue we have played before now and upon arrival the home from home environment (complete with fireplace, lamps and well worn comfy chairs) made for a place perfect for a night of acoustic music.
The night was well run by the promoters and the line up impressive. Although we have so much new material to air we were once again lacking percussion so it was an old style set that took to the stage. One thing that is becoming hard as we continue to write is what songs to play in the short space of time we often get at these gigs.
I guess you can hardly complain about having too many songs but we have such a diverse range of songs that sometimes you just don't get it quite right... We played the songs to the room environment and not to the student crowd that had gathered maybe. Not saying it was a bad gig by any means and if anything we learn from each and every live experience. Hope to play again soon and next time showcase some of our newer songs.
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Saturday 10th November - The Owl - Rodley - Leeds
It is not often we play a gig these days where we have the chance to set up the sound exactly as we like it but this venue down in Rodley gave us such an opportunity and we managed to make the most of it. The room was full and we played everything we had over an intense 2 hours.
You get times when you are in a band where you feel yourselves moving up a notch or reaching a level previously unachieved. I think it is fair to say that we all felt this feeling together on this milestone evening in November.
The songs were fluid and the flair natural with musical embellishments from all sides just adding that certain special something to the now established Redwood Thinkers set.
This is why we
rehearse so hard. This is why we try and play so often. We are somewhere slowly
but surely and no matter what happens in the future we are proud of ourselves
thus far.
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Tuesday 23rd October - Trash - Leeds (formerly known as the Mixing Tin)
A last minute gig with only 3 Thinkers, a short 5 song set and an intimate crowd. Strange playing only as a 3 piece but with only a few days notice it is hard to plan for things like this. It was a blast from the past to the early days as a band and it was also very hard to choose which songs to play without the whole Redwood family.
We decided on an old school Redwood Thinkers set with a new song thrown in for good measure.
We found the sound to be great, the people in the room very friendly and we enjoyed the small set. Also nice to have time to sit back and listen to the other acts for once and as this was a charity night in association with the Black History month it was worth sticking around.
A Blues genius by the name of Tom Attah is well worth a mention (go see him live as the recordings really do not do him justice).The kind of guy that just ouzes soul. He is someone to watch out for as you will not see blues played like it is meant to be played very often. Incredible.
As for us, the confidence is growing and the gigs keep on coming. Thanks for the support ;)
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Wednesday 3rd October - Carpe Diem - Leeds
Another night organised by the guys at No Title magazine and this time they have a new sound engineer (Cheers Dean) After a few games of pool we took to the stage and even though we once again had no rhythm section (Get well soon Will) we really did enjoy ourselves.
"I must remember to drink lots of water and i do not think that BBQ flavour Monster Munch are very good for your singing voice because i lost it by the end of the night... ah well you learn" .... Darran
We think that this was one of the better gigs we have played down at Carpe and it's nice to have a run of gigs in a row as you really notice the difference. Shame we now have a gap in the run of gigs but we think its time to do some more recording maybe ... who knows.
Quote of the evening:
"Great set guys"
Dean ... a sound guy
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Saturday 22nd September - Abbey Inn - Kirkstall - Leeds
We had been looking forward to playing at the Abbey for a while now and we have to say that we were not at all disappointed.
The night started off a little hectic with a bag of lost symbols sending Darran and Will driving around frantically to find them but after this little hiccup was resolved we settled down to play 2 full sets of our finest. We started off slowly but by the end of the evening we played songs to a room full of people that really did appreciate our songs and our performance.
We ended the second set with an energy packed rendition of Cure which was received with a barrage of applause and much to our surprise an encore demanded and the night was ended with the old favourite Chasing Chimera.
I think we have to say that this was our best gig to date. The people down at the Abbey Inn are so genuine and friendly. We hope that you all enjoy the many albums sold on the evening and we thank you all for listening and making us feel so welcome.
We are booked in to play the venue 3 more times already! We can't wait.
Quote of the evening:
"You guys are amazing .... You manage to put across soo much soul and energy through your music"
A guy who actually danced :)
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Wednesday 19th September - Sandinista - Leeds
Our 4th time playing at Sandinista this year and we had been told that a Leeds music reviewer was going to be listening so we were out to impress. This was a 4 piece set due to Will (Our Drummer) feeling under the weather but we feel we played a set worth listing too (fingers crossed) and indeed the support acts; Hannah Wilson (beautiful piano led songs) and Odi (with a enchanting voice you could listen to any day of the week) set a high standard.
The room was almost full and a welcome table of local fans helped cheer us along (Was nice to hear some also singing along to the older songs :)
Hopefully we made a good impression and we look forward to reading the review (watch this space)
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Thurdays 13th Sept - Milan's - Harrogate
We had been looking forward to finding a second venue in Harrogate to perform at as we always go down so well at our regular favourite The Blues Bar. We could not have asked for a better welcome if fantastic cakes and great coffee was on our minds but sweet delights aside it was a shame that Milan's was so quiet on this September evening in Harrogate.
Having had some time out as a full band this was none the less a chance to polish off the thin layer of dust we had collected and pick up where we had left off. An hours set followed and we played many of our favourites.
We did notice however a familiar face from one of our previous gigs sit down half way through (omg a fan..thanks for coming :) and the room picked up a little toward the end of the night.
Although not quite what we expected the venue was great, sound was good and we will hopefully be playing here again somewhere in the near future.
Quote of the evening:
"Are you guys signed up?"
Does he know something we dont?... We hope so...
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Wednesday 5th Sept - Tigers Lair - Hull
Yup even musicians need holidays and August/September seem to be as a good a time as ever to take a well deserved break. Never the less this does not mean we are all away at once and even though Will was on his hols we still put together another set for our favourite venue in Hull.
Having no drummer meant a more chilled set was in order and kezia's exceptional voice paved the way with tracks such as 'no one looks happy in cars' and the brand new 'familiar seam' going down really well, along with a 'lunatic in a dressing gown' encore.
Indeed it was a long day for us but the line up was worth waiting around for and we had an enjoyable evening. We see some familiar faces on the gig circuit and it's nice to be recognized. Thanks for coming all.
Quote of the day:
"Great set tonight guys ... as always, such a pleasure to engineer your sound"
Darran - Tigers lair's fantastic resident sound guy.
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Sunday 5th August - Angels share - Leeds - 9pm
Seems like the sun was shining on us for second visit to the Angels Share in Chapel Allerton Leeds. It was indeed a very hot evening in more ways than one. The bar was full, all seats were taken inside and out and the support act didn't turn up so we had the liberty of playing a somewhat sweltering 10 song set (plus encore :) to a wicked crowd.
It seems that all the hard work and practicing we have been doing has paid off. We were tighter, confident and felt at home with the audience. Thanks for the support and all the encouraging comments we recieved (glad you enjoyed it). We sold out of the albums we brought and it was a fun night.... nearly fainted in the August heat .... but yup a very enjoyable night.
Quote of the evening:
"Can i have 2 copies of your album please you guys are fantastic"
I think we have a new fan :)
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Wednesday 1st August - Sandinista - Leeds - 8pm
We are becoming quite the regulars down at this great little Leeds bar and although we often find it a challenge with a shortage of monitors we once again played as well as we could and made the most of the warm atmosphere in the room. The support acts were top notch and set the scene for a high level lineup of talent. Sometimes when you are on stage at a gig you can look out right at the back of the bar and sometimes (just sometimes) you see someone straining to hear every word you sing and every note you play. You realise that even though they are so far away they are truly listening to what you have to offer and enjoying the music. Makes us feel good about what we are doing. I guess that this is just part of the passion but thanks none the less.
Quote of the evening:
"Impressive stuff guys, that bass player is incredible"
Sometimes (just sometimes) we think that Ruth should start her own fan club he he
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Saturday 21st July - Hull Mela - Pearson Park
I know that some people say that you shouldn't blame the weather but we have to admit that the current English Monsoon weather with over 30 severe flood warnings all over the country did not help the turnout one bit at this open air 'summer' festival. Even the stage for our tent was stuck on the M1 somewhere and we had our doubts to whether the festival was actually going to take place.
Against all odds however the day turned out to be a success. The people that did brave the elements in the morning found the afternoon clear and inviting. The Tigers Lair tent's banner was finally erected (even if it was during our second song) and a small group of curious listeners began forming inside the tent..We actually really enjoyed playing outdoors. With a fantastic sound engineer (cheers Darren) and a growing crowd we played our set confidently and even impressed ourselves at points. Thanks to all for coming along and enjoying the day. We even got asked to sign some of our CDs for people. Let's hope this is a sign of bigger things to come. May our festival experience continue.
Quote of the day:
"You guys will be famous soon"
One optimistic autograph hunter
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Wednesday 4th July - Carpe Diem - Leeds
Such a comparison to the last gig we played just the night before. We understand that organising 4 bands to play on one evening may not be the easiest task in the world but sometimes we find it hard to grasp that simple points such as stage time and equipment needed are not better addressed. Turning up at 6.30pm to find out you have no sound check and are not playing till 10.45pm for 30 minutes can never be a good situation for a gigging band...and its hard work lugging a full kit around when you do not actually need it (ah the frustrations of playing live ... but we love it really ;)
We always try to make the best of a given situation and even though it was late we played as well as we could to a slowly emptying bar. We say to ourselves as long as at least one person new enjoys what we have to offer then the gig was worth it. I am sure this was the case. Take the rough with the smooth... but we were sorely ready for bed after the 7hours that was the gig on Wednesday the 4th of July.
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Tuesday 3rd July - Blues Bar Café - Harrogate
Played at this great little venue now a number of times and is rapidly becoming our favourite place to play with its intimate nature ... thoughful listeners and fantastic atmosphere. This gig was no different from many although i do not think we have ever had so much praise in one evening from so many new listeners! (Big thanks). Many albums were sold and the 12 song/ 1 Hour set we played was arguably our best yet!
One of the most important things we need as a live band is to be able to hear each other and feed off the energy we create as individuals to form the true Redwood Thinkers sound. You will be amazed how many gigs we play where this is just not the case. The acoustics and the people at the Blues Bar never fail to impress and for these reasons we love playing here.
We hopefully will be playing here on a more regular basis so come watch us here as we feel its the best place so far to see us play live.
Quote of the evening :
"I know you probably hear comments like this alot and don't believe them but seriously you are one of the best bands i have seen in a long time .... whatever you do DONT give up and keep going you will make it"
Comment from a local sound engineer (wow)
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Friday 29th June - Cavern Club - Liverpool
We don't know why exactly, maybe the history? ... maybe the vast number of famous bands and performers that have played in the cavern over the years? or maybe the fact that Lennon himself is leaning outside watching the entrance with his new statuesque glare? ... But it felt like we had reached a small milestone on our musical travels thus far as the Redwood Thinkers.
The actual gig was not a let down as such more of an insight into the way the world has changed when it comes to live original music. Even a place such as the Cavern Club finds it hard to draw the general public away from the 'Covers band' playing in the front bar (Who were in their defence fantastic) into the paying area of the unsigned on the main stage. Shame really as the mix of bands playing had so much to offer.
I think we managed to impress none the less ... even if our final track was half the speed as normal to begin with (new tracks evolve all the time hehe) the final crescendo of our own brand of acoustic samba medicine in the brand new track 'Cure' went down a treat. We definitely learnt lots from this gig on a main stage.
Quote of the evening :
"I basically love you all :) I would pay to see you again. You're an awesome band"
Dan Casanova - New Fan - (Cheers for helping us carry our gear mate)
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Thursday 21st June - Virgin Megastore - Leeds
Late night shopping at the Leeds Virgin Megastore with the Redwood Thinkers as your live in house entertainment cannot be a bad thing. Only problem being it seems is that not that many people buy CDs at 7 in the evening but hopefully the presence of some of the areas fine unsigned acts will help change this trend in the near future.
The playing area was set out like a living room and the intimate gathering made the night a joy to play. Really felt at home in the store to be honest and it was a welcome change of scenery to the regular type of venue we play. The set we played was a selection of old and new and was recieved well. The gig was also was also filmed by the in house promotor Andy and we hope to get a copy of the gig soon (watch this space)
With over a hundred Cds given out in the weeks before and after the gig we are happy that more and more people are listening and hopefully enjoying what we have to offer. Look forward to playing here again soon.
Quote of the evening :
"Add their considerable musical virtues to an on-stage charisma that makes you want to get up and join in and an obvious friendship and easy humour reminiscent of The Bare naked Ladies and you have an outfit well worth watching out for"
Chris Thomas - Phonographic Ramblings
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Sunday 3rd June - Under the Board Walk – Sheffield
Our second trip down the M1 to Sheffield and once again the sun was blinding outside when we had a gig in the basement. Although the wonderful evening outside kept the majority of people away we still made the most of the night and play tested a brand new set list. The set consisted of nearly all new tracks as we have been busy Thinkers this month and the song writing train has been in overdrive. Tracks such as 'Cure' and 'Closer to the Storm' were showcased with new instrument additions such as Kezia's Melodica, Andrews electric guitar and Ruth's fretless electric bass and we think the number of CDs bought afterwards was a testament to how much the people in the room liked them. Once again thanks to the sound guys (fantastic setup) and also to WagonWheel Media for organising the night. Hopefully the venue will start to grow more popular on the Sheffield music scene in the near future.
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Saturday 5th May - Ashley Hay Festival – Derbyshire - 3 day outdoor music festival celebrating the start of summer
It was a Redwood Thinkers field trip out into the Derbyshire countryside. Armed with a pleathra of randomly shaped tents and enough food and beer to feed 100 we were ready for our first outdoor event. This locally organised festival was complete with live music, culture and fundraising and it always feels great to promote good causes such as Oxfam and Greenpeace. We were on the stage at 9pm. It was a shame however that a barrage of feedback and technical issues cut down our performance time to the point that we could not end our set at the peak we wanted to (3 vocalists and sensitive acoustic guitars can cause problems sometimes).
Under the conditions we had we performed the best we could and all said we definitely managed to make an lasting impact on the crowd with cheers of ENCORE! ...and MORE!...going against the lack of time. We left the stage with mixed feelings about the day but the feedback we got from the organisers afterwards was very encouraging and we were asked back to play a longer set next year. Maybe we are too hard on ourselves sometimes? ... we are our worst critics :).
We think the festival will continue to grow in the coming years and hope to stay on the Ashley Hay bandwagon in the years to come.
Quote of the evening :
ENCORE! ... MORE!
(The Crowd. What better a quote is there? ...)
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Tuesday 24th April - Blues Bar Café - Harrogate - 9pm
Has to go down as one of our best gigs yet. The set was a fine example of how far we have come as a band so far and this view was also shared by local record company 'Stray Town Records' who are interested in promoting the new single 'Falling Down'. At the same time our new band photographer Sue Meadows was around to start the Redwood portfoilio.Love how fate plays its part in life sometimes ... studio time booked and interest in promotion already. Let's hope this leads us on to bigger and better things in the near future. Thanks once again to the Blues Bar for such a great welcome and respectful audience.
Sue Meadows Photography © 2007
Quote of the evening :
"I have been around the Harrogate music scene for a number of years and you guys definitly have something special"
(Stray Town Records)
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Wednesday 18th April - Sandinista - Kezia's Birthday Extravaganza! Leeds - 8pm
This was a night for our Kezia and we played a blinding set to celebrate the occasion. The night run by 'No Title' promotions was a success with talented acoustic artists once again showing the public what leeds has to offer. We aired one of our new songs for the first time (endearingly titled the Happy Song for the time being) and it went down really well with the late always friendly and slightly intoxicated crowd. Seems like the nights at Sandinista are getting better and better.
Quote of the evening :
'What an incredible sound you guys have... fantastic stuff'
(The sound guy)
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Sunday 8th April - "Start" @ Mixing Tin - Leeds Leeds City Centre.. all day event 2 - 11pm
Bands and acts had travelled from as far away as Cardiff to play at this Mixing Tin all day Easter Sunday event. The day started with Poets and Artists showing and sharing their material and ended with a mix of fine musical talent. It is always hard to get people into an underground bar when outside the Sunshine has made one of its first appearances this year. Needless to say the day was a success and the music went on till late. A little too late maybe as once again by the time we played (10.30pm) people were a little worse for wear in the audience. This was helped by the sound in the room though as it was one of the 'loudest' gigs we have played. We did play tight and managed to put across a great deal of energy in our music to the crowd. Not bad considering we have only been together as a 5 piece for 16 weeks!... Thanks to all for coming down to watch us. We appreciate the support as always.
Quote of the evening :
"nice set ya played on Sunday...sorry i had to leave before the end...and nice music"
(Donna Marie a fellow performer)
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Tuesday 20th March - 'Acoustic Amp' - Bar Amp - Sale - Manchester - 8.30pm
Driving down the M62 not knowing what to expect... although we were playing with the likes of 'Circus Envy' and 'The Nocturnal Flowers' once again so the night would at least be full of talent. The Venue had a raised stage and the room was buzzing.We were head lining the evening so on late but really enjoyed listening to the other performers. Tonight was going to be a little different ... the absence of our drummer Will due to an attack of the evil dentist mean't we had to instantly re-think our style of playing. Our rendition of 'Worship the world' was particularly memorable as we ad-libbed with enthusiastic strumming and even a Tambourine solo (hehe nice one Kezia). We had so much fun at this gig. More of an extended jam session and we surprised ourselves. It seemed that the crowd enjoyed our antics too with much praise in the aftermath. We are working more and more as a natural shining unit and the band is coming on leaps and bounds. Don't worry Will we did actually miss ya mate.
Quote of the evening :
"I have been in and around the circuit for a while, don't get me wrong you are all brilliant but i have not seen anyone with as much natural stage presence as you..." (*gives Darran a Hug*)
(I think someone has a new groupy... even if she was just a little tipsy)
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Sunday 10th March - 'Sandinista' - Leeds -
This time at Sandinista we had a much more suitable chilled out support act that complimented us nicely on this mellow Sunday evening in March. None other than the Head Bar tender himself played a great little solo acoustic set (fantastic voice!) to open up the crowd just nicely. We decided not to play such an epic set as we did the last time we were here as we nearly died, especially as Darran was pretty much delirious with Cold (it's amazing what adrenalin can do ;). We had strangers dancing and people drumming along on tables when we played (it's amazing what alcohol can do) and all in all we had a really enjoyable night. New Band photos were taken too so keep an eye out for new images.
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Wednesday 7th March - 'Tigers Lair' - Hull - 8pm
Back once again in the Tigers Lair and even though we were in for a long wait to play (4 other bands playing before us... not on till 10.30pm) we had another enjoyable gig. A showcase of even more brand new material. We like to use the stage here to test out our new songs as the sound is always good and the audience always receptive. A Little tired after waiting 4 hours to play we still managed to perform and the set (and new song 'No one looks happy in cars') went down well. We were also offered a place at another local festival in the Summer. Always something to look forward to. Roll on the Summer.
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Thurs 8th February - The Old Police Station - Chapel Allerton - Leeds
Our second outing at the Old Police Station but this time we were playing a different style of night, more of an underground open mike than a true gig.... and cold in the basement it was. We played a stripped down 40min acoustic set late in the evening to a living room vibe. Was a nice intimate gathering. This night hopefully will become more and more popular... and at least one new fan was found.
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Sunday 4th February - Angels share - Chapel Allerton - Leeds -
Our second gig in Chapel Allerton was a nice follow up to the first. The top floor of Angels Share is a perfect little venue for live music. The room was pretty much full to the brim with people who genuinely wanted to listen. We played 2 x 30mins sets consisting of the best of our original material. This was a gig where we were able to play some of our quieter songs and they were received by a silent room of listeners and generous applause. Once again albums were sold and we left the gig with a smile on our faces. We will be back at Angels Share hopefully very soon.
Quote of the evening :
"I just have to say that you are the most promising band we have seen in years, you all have so much talent and each individual brings something different to the whole. You just need to be at the right place at the right time and a little luck and you will make it .... you deserve it"
(wow ... a comment by a couple who stayed the entire evening, lets hope they are right ... and they enjoy the album they bought just as much)
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Sunday 14th January - The Old Police Station - Chapel Allerton - Leeds
What a fantastic night the promoters at 'No-Title' magazine had created. So much talent in the line up and a full bar set the evening up to be a memorable one. Back together as a full five piece and rehearsed to the hilt we played a blinding set to a captivated audience. These are the gigs we look forward to and make everything worth while. Such a great Vibe in the room. A huge thank you to everyone. More gigs like these please.
"The Redwood Thinkers were tighter, louder, better. Their soulful and satisfying vocals were a perfect dose of Sunday recovery"
(No-Title Magazine Feb 07)
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Friday 12th January - Under the boardwalk - Sheffield (YTC)
A gig with plenty of potential... great sound engineer and a spacious stage area it is just a shame that the night was not the best promoted ever. This has to go down as the emptiest venue we have ever played! Such a contrast from our last gig in Manchester. Although we had pretty much no people to play to apart from the bar tenders and a few others we treated the gig as a live rehearsal (minus Kezia as she was away) and played as well as we could. Our 'support' act was also one of the loudest bands we have ever heard (anyone for metal>?) You have to take the rough with the smooth when you play live around the country and sometimes you don't know what to expect. There is a silver lining mind as the sound guys really liked our music and asked us back to the venue for a better promoted and more suitable night for us in June. We just keeping up the hard work :)
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Sunday 17th December - 'M19 Bar' - Manchester - 8pm
-
Acoustic festival night in association with 
Manchester.
What an incredible line-up of some very talented acoustic musicians! We were impressed by all the acts we saw, Laura James especially who will go far mark these words with her amazing natural talent and heart melting voice, keep on writing the songs everyone. Such a breath of fresh air and a round of applause to the promoters too. It was a slight shame that the audience turn out was mostly the musicians themselves (very near to xmas as this event is usually very popular and rightly so too!) but at least the room was full of people who definitely appreciated what was on offer that evening and a special night was had by all.
We also played well and managed to impress the right people in the room it seems. We found praise of the Manchester Radio Dj in the room who was touched by our music and we are happy to say that she invited us to play live on national radio sometime in the near future! Things are heading in the right direction for us and we are looking forward to every gig and every performance we have in the new year. Roll on 2007.
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Wednesday 6th December - 'Tigers Lair' - Hull
This was a night with us supporting 'Circus Envy' a group of talented musicians which compliment us well. We indeed did shine once again on this winters evening in Hull to a barrage of praise and recognition. What can we say? You get out what you put into life in everything you do. We have been rehearsing very hard together as the new full band Redwood Thinkers and it is showing with each and every new week. With brand new songs being constantly written now as a five piece our sets our becoming even more diverse with much more space and energy than ever before.
We played both of our new creations 'Falling Down' and 'Fade so simple' and they went down a storm (they get us excited too!) Nice to get feedback and thank you all for listening intently. With Cd's sold to strangers and a re-booking in March what more can we ask for. Keep up the unsigned showcases Tigers Lair. The world of live music bars could learn a thing or two from this fantastic little bar in Hull.
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Sunday 26th November - Sandinista - Leeds City Centre
Yet another Extremely busy venue for the Redwood Thinkers! This was a gig of epic proportions for us. With a 14 original song setlist and a lack of adequate vocal monitoring by the end of the evening we were all feeling the strain... (Darran was kind of liking his new husky voice although losing it a little).
Hard work apart it was still a cracking gig. The bar is a favourite of ours and the homely atmosphere of the place (plus the free beer! thanks guys) helped things along nicely. We will be playing here again soon i am sure and have learnt from our experiences. The band that played before us were great but kind of put the crowd in a friday night frenzy instead of the chilled Sunday evening vibe the night was designed to be. Next time we monitor our own vocals, have an acoustic support slot and a listening policy in front of the band. It will be fantastic.
Quote of the evening :
'Thats the best bass player i have ever seen .... EVER!'
(A guy called Andy in awe of our new addition that is Ruth... Don't worry mate so are we ;)
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Tuesday
31st October
- Carpe
Diem - Leeds City Centre -
Redwood Thinkers Halloween special! 
Dressed to impress with blood, make-up and scariness in abundance this was the 'Night of the Living Deadwood Thinkers!' ( A 'Darran' the half Zombie, 'Kezia' the Devil, 'Andrew' the Ghost, 'Will' the Bloody Surgeon and 'Ruth' the Vampiress)
This was also the first outing of the all new Redwood Thinkers as a full band after an intense month of solid rehearsing together. We have never seen Carpe Diem this busy ever! The place was full to bursting and so many people had made the effort to make this all Hallows Eve a night to remember. Although we only had time to play a relatively short 7 song set and with sound problems throughout the night we still all managed to come into our own by the end of the night with a crowd pleasing rendition of 'Worship the world' that went down a storm. We want to thank all the fans that came down to listen and we are all glad that the new band is making you guys smile as much as it does ourselves.
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Wednesday 11th October - 'Tigers Lair' - Hull
So this was the home-coming gig of our one and only Kezia. We have to admit we did have reservations about playing in the home bar of the local football team but with friends and family in abundance, a superb little stage setup and a sterling lineup for the evening we were all set to have another great gig. Not only was it the first time we had played in Hull it was also the first outing of our new double bass player 'Ruth' alongside us (Big round of applause for Ruth!)
Having only had 2 rehearsals together unfortunately she was only able to accompany us on the final two tracks (which we have to say is a something special really all things considered) but the final two songs in our set were amazing even by our own high standards! :)
You can tell when a crowd likes you when they are silent when you play and on this night in the East riding they were surly capivated. Look forward to playing here again. Thankyou to all the people for all the wonderful compliments.
Quote of the evening :
'I really enjoyed one band in particular "The Redwood Thinkers" nice to see such talent and stage presence'
(A local promoter who is organising the headline acts at the 'Ecofest Folk Festival 2007' ;)
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Wednesday 13th September - 'Joseph's Well' - Chorley lane Leeds
One this particular evening at Joes Well we believe that the promoters had finally outdone themselves with the acts that they had chosen to play together. Not only one but two tremendous piano player/singers led the evening then unknownly we were put down as headliners as one band did not show.
Must admit we had not had that sort of preferential treatment before at this particular venue and we could not believe the difference it made in the quality of the soundcheck and indeed the sound out front that followed (talk about preferential treatment ;) We played a full set with gusto and confidence due to the new found foldback quality and we managed to shine and turn a few heads. This will be the last gig as a 3 piece if all things go well and we think that we said goodbye to this part of the bands life the best way we could. Can't wait for the future.
Quote of the evening :
'Wish i could have stayed longer but what i heard i enjoyed'
(A potential new bass player who came to watch us without us knowing)
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Monday 31st July - 'Dry Dock' Leeds - A gig on a boat me hearties hehe Click here for details
So this was the first outing since the long awaited release of our first self written, self produced, self designed and indeed self titled debut album and it was not a disappointment. We played everything we have ever written together in an epic 80 min gig (epic for us anyways) with adlibbed solos and token crowd pleasing covers thrown in for good measure. Have to say it feels great to finally hear people singing along to our music! :) This may seem like such a little detail but makes us realise how far we have come and makes us feel good too. With audience participation in 'Chasing chimera' and 'Don't blame the weather' it made it a gig that i will not forgot in a long while. A big thank you goes out to everyone who has supported us the last few years and indeed to everyone that has bought one of our albums and taken the time out to listen and learn what we have to say.
Quote of the evening :
'Bru .... that was awesome ... bru!'
(Aide... a South African guy with some kind words ..thanks bru :)
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Wednesday 31st May - The Vine - Leeds - playing alongside the 'Crane Builders'
A last minute gig we didn't get chance to advertise for so not many people turned up from our camp but the Vine was still buzzing on this evening in spring. First of all we would like to comment on the way that the night was run. It was a very organised gig we have to say. The sound engineer was spot on, the promoter very friendly and we like the new layout of the place. Nice one guys!. Even the line-up was nice with 2 acoustic and 2 full bands it made for an entertaining evening. We had a good gig. Even though the people wern't really there to see us hats off to you all for listening and giving us your applause. Our set is getting tighter and tighter. Next time we will aim to bring along more of our own crowd to help promote the music in Leeds.
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Wednesday 25th May - Blues Bar Harrogate - Playing alongside the Echo one of Leeds most upcoming bands.
What a great audience! The locals in Harrogate are some of the friendliest people we meet on our travels in the band and we once again thank you all dearly for the support. We did our first 'Redwood thinkers' song poll where the crowd got to vote on which song we put on the single due to be released soon alongside the album. Drum roll please dum dum dum dum dum
the winner was
Spread yourself flat!
and we hope to continue the poll at our next gigs too.
We played from our hearts and really put across our feelings at this one. Roll on the next gig.
Quote of the evening :
'Your music is soul food, thats what it is' *smiles*
(Thankyou to the kind fan that praised us this evening one of the nicest comments ever)
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Thursday 20th April - Cloth Cat open mike - The Primrose, Meanwood Road Leeds
Every time we play here we always enjoy ourselves and indeed this time was no different. A nice little crowd had gathered to watch and with quite a bit of banter and freedom we ran through our set perfectly. It is always appreciated by us when you guys listen and truely enjoy what we have to offer. The Cloth Cat open mike sessions are doing great things for the local music scene in leeds... Keep up the good work! :)
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Friday 17th March - M19 Bar Acoustic Fest - Manchester -
Part of the Manchester Irish music festival . We are playing alongside Dublin born Singer songwriter Ray Heffernan, best known for writing the Award winning ‘Angels’ for Robbie Williams and many more talented artists.
What do you get when you give at least 4 pints of Ireland's finest Guiness to each and every person in the crowd? You get a loud and talkative bunch thats what you get ;). Although it was hard for our vein of acoustic harmony to gain a mark on the people there on this fine evening there were (as always) the chosen few that made that extra effort to appreciate the live music that was on offer.It is for these people that we enjoy playing to soo much.
We learn from every experience. Was nice to play outside our normal circuit even if we did get lost on our way home (I blame Andy hehe). Hope to play Manchester again soon.
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Sunday 5th March - 'HMV Acoustic Songwriters Showcase' - Joseph's Well Leeds
Although the evening was full of talent and some great song-writers we were a little disappointed at the absence of any form of compare or organiser this time around at the showcase (But credit to him he did turn up in time for us headlining - wasn't his fault they just 'forgot' to tell him about it)
Maybe it was the fact that we had a photographer taking photos, maybe it was the energy in the room or maybe it was the *ahem* few pints we had (come on we were waiting 4 hours to play ;) but we relished every moment in the stage that evening. We played well and from the heart and that is what is important. We have come on leaps and bounds together since we last played this showcase and i truly believe it shows.
Quote of the evening :
'What an amazing set!!'
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Sunday 12th February - @ 'The Vine' - Eastgate - Leeds
Our first gig of the year was a rewarding one for us. This time the crowd in the Vine were perfect for the occasion and indeed for the talented selection of performers that were lined up for the evenings entertainment. This time it was Andrew's 21st (*cough cough 30th*) birthday and he wouldn't want to be anyway else than onstage with the Thinkers. Maybe that was the alcohol talking but who can tell (hehe).
Darran had come back from the Bulgarian mountains refreshed and eager to sing and play once again and we all played with professionalism and more importantly we are loving telling our stories to listeners more than ever these days.
What a great start to the year and with our exciting new material we hope to go from strength to strength in 2006 :)
Quote of the evening :
'Wondered if you guys would be interested in management sometime in the near future? If you need anything just let me know... that was great'
(Not confirmed as yet but maybe ... just maybe we might have a manager sometime in the future [Fingers crossed x] Watch this space)
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Wednesday 21st December - 'The Blues Bar ' - Harrogate -
www.bluesbar.org.uk (click here)
Sporting festive hats and fairy light mike stands we played our full 16 song setlist to a packed room of people that recieved us with intense listening, raucous applause and friendly heckling that all added to the enjoyment of the evening. A showcase of some of our new material was recieved well with highlight of the evening being a Andrew 'ad-lib' solo spot to be proud of :) (*round of applause please* :D)
We loved the intimacy of the venue and this was definitely a fitting end to the 'Redwood Thinkers' Live performances of 2005. Cds were sold, praise was the order of the evening and we have been invited back to play again in the new year which is wonderful. We would like to thank the fans that travelled from Leeds to see us and the crowd for being so welcoming towards us. Was an amazing turn out. All the best for the new year! x
Quote of the evening :
'Darran you were on fire tonight... keep shining you will go far'
(A guy who is known for his constructive critisism ... this means alot :)
[P.s 'I couldn't have asked for a better 25th Birthday present. Thankyou all' - Darran]
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Friday 9th December - 'Royal Park Cellars' - Leeds
I guess this gig can go down as one of the Redwood Thinkers 'moments in gig history' :). The outcome of being filmed and indeed watching ourselves on film (we actually quite enjoyed it ! Shock horror :P) was that we decided to stand up during some of our more upbeat songs. Up untill now sitting down was our preference but it felt good in the 'Cellar' bar as we struted our stuff on stage..(lol) It's our first gig ever to do this ;) .It was Darran's attempted 'Pink Floyd' solo moment that made Kezia and Andrew chuckle.
We did enjoy the set this evening although 6/7 songs never seems enough as we only just get into the flow of things. The lack of interest from the bemused students above our heads is never a good sign for the live music scene in Leeds but we are looking forward to promoting a 'live' music venue ourselves.
We think we can do it better. ' Watch this space' :D.x
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Monday 14th November - ' The Mixing Tin '- Leeds Centre
Back on form the Redwood Thinkers are. Hard work and extra rehersals pay off as we put on a show to remember. The lack of a sound engineer did put a downer at the start of the evening but we all pulled our resources and came through for each other. Chris from local Leeds Band 'Johnny's in the Basement' kindly took control of the desk and the night was a success. 'Shawn T Hunter' gave an opening set with a great sense of style and indeed professionalism with his polished songs and warm friendly stage manner.
We followed with what i had to say was one of our best performances to date. Maybe it was the fact we were being filmed? .. maybe it was that the crowd were so inviting?.. who can tell? but we are shining more than ever and it feels good to work so well together. We continue to evolve as a group and we can't wait to see how far we can go :)
The 'Gary stewart band' followed with a blinding set as usual and Shawns closing set also included an 'Ad-lib' collaboration between all three bands and indeed Chris from 'Johnny's in the basement'. A moment which i think will always put a smile on my face for years to come =D (Darran)
Quote of the evening :
'wow you were so good!! i thought you were going to be 's**t !!'
(A converted fan lol [Melena])
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Friday 11th November - ' CJ's Music Bar '- Kirkstall Lites Leeds
A brand new venue for us and we didnt know what to expect at all. But with some great sound guys and a relaxed atmosphere we played to a room of people that were more than happy to listen to everything we had to say. Was our first showcase of 'Bruise' a new song by Kezia and it was a shame a dud battery meant that one of our guitars was out of action during the song. I think we put a smile on a few faces none the less and praise was the order of the day. Im sure we will play here again sometime soon. All good experience as always.
Quote of the evening :
'Your songs are really well crafted ... i was impressed'
(Someone who listened very closely indeed)
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Saturday 22nd October - ' KFields Festival ' - Leeds
The whole night was organised by ourselves right from the sound to the selection of music. Being a friend's birthday with an audience ranging from 2 to 72 it was an interesting crowd to please. We played for over two hours with a few well chosen covers thrown in for good measure. Being dressed up as 'Action man' (Darran)- 'A Pirate' (Kezia) and 'Asterix' (Andrew) [was a fancy dress 'Hero's and Villans party honest =P] made the night soo much fun for us. All in all was a fantastic gig and a pleasure to play.
Quote of the evening :
“The feeling you lot gave me is worth millions, to have you play for me was unreal! Thanks so much”
(One emotional birthday boy - We loved playing mate TY ;)
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Monday 10th October - ' Josephs Well' - Chorley Lane Leeds Supporting Teddy Thompson on his UK Tour - www.teddythompson.com
What can we say i think this is going to have to be the first
gig we have done so far that seemed to be a bit of a disappointment. You can
blame it on many things but the fact that the sound was so badly engineered
(im afraid to say) really spoilt our flow.
We know we shouldn't put the blame on someone else, maybe we shouldn't be so complacent, maybe we have learnt now to be more picky at soundcheck and indeed continue playing to the best of our ability no matter what we hear in the monitors? It is dis-heartening but things happen for a reason. Time to take our professionalism to the next level maybe. Watch this space. ;)
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Sunday 25th September - The 'Mixing Tin' - Leeds
The scene was set, candles on tables, wonderful host , some great acts alongside us and a friendly vibe in the room tonight. The order of play was pulled 'out of a hat' or indeed a 'mixing tin' (:P) and we were on stage 2nd to last. Even when in the first song Darran snapped a string (fate has its ways ;) we still pulled together and performed to the best of our ability. Songs like 'Burnt' and our new song just out of its box 'Go this way' grabbed the attention and the applause they deserved. Another gig was given by an avid listener and the night was a success.
(Thanks to Brandon [the compare] for changing the string so quickly ... perfect timing. You should have seen Darran run back on to the stage lol)
Quote of the evening :
' Your voice is amazing... really stood out... I loved your set '
(An admirer of Kezia :)
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Thursday 22nd September - The 'Blob Shop' - Huddersfield
This is a gig where we are playing 2 full sets.
This was a good opportunity for us to showcase and indeed 'play - test' much of our new material over an hours worth of live music. Given the fact that we engineered our own sound we were all pleasantly surprised at how much we could indeed hear ourselves and for once really get into the 'feel' of the songs. This gig has helped us realize which songs should be played live and which songs just aren't 'clicking' at this moment in time... also how capable we are of promoting our own night ...;)
The Redwood Thinkers 'sound' is evolving alongside our new material and it feels good. Thanks to the crowd once again for listening and helping us along the way.
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Saturday 17th September - 'The Vine' - The Headrow - Leeds
Playing alongside Jinzena.
Back once again at ' The Vine ' and i think it was the busiest we have seen the place in a long time. Kind of a double edged sword for an acoustic trio billed alongside some 5 or 6 piece full bands.
We found it hard to compete with a saturday night crowd hungry for full on stimulation and fun as we are more akin to a more chilled and responsive set of people. We kinda felt like background music ... but at least we played damn good background music :)
Don't get me wrong as always there were a select few that really enjoyed our set just was a shame more didn't take the time to actually stop for a second and listen. Look forward to another 'acoustic' showcase in the near future.
Quote of the evening :
'OOOOoooh brand spanking new REDWOOD THINKERS merchandise'
(The badges have arrived ..its the little things :)
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Sunday 4th September - 'The Primrose' - Meanwood Road - Leeds
Playing alongside Johnny Poindexter...
We are back together once again as a three piece and it does feel great :)
Our set seemed to flow naturally with our confidence and we do like playing this intimate little venue. Its a shame that the Primrose was so quiet this evening although the crowd (which mainly consisted of the other bands =P) listened intently which was much appreciated. We did notice sat outside waiting for soundcheck however that the Uni had started building hundreds of brand spanking new student flats just across the road from us. This is going to do wonders for the venue and we cant wait to come back and play in the near future.
Roll on mid-september we say when 40 000 or so students once again bring back the life into both the city and indeed the local live music scene :)
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Tuesday 30th August - 'Josephs Well' - Chorley Lane - Leeds
Playing with some great local bands: Mahoney, The SmokeMen. We are on at 8pm
Kezia was hit by some random stomach bug on her bank holiday camping trip (get well soon) so once again it was Andy and Darran who had the job of holding the stage. To be honest we had a wickedly fun gig. The way we play together live is constantly evolving. Free styling extra chorus's and changing songs as we play all adds to the experience. We were glowing at the end of this one and the crowds reaction said it all. If Kezia was there we would have shone like never before.
Quote of the evening :
' Encore !!!... Encore !!!... Encore !!!... '
(I think this was our first encore to date :)
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Sunday 28th August - ' Independent Music Festival ' - Hartlepool
Line-up
3pm
Mr Roger Hildreth
4pm Joey Castrol
5pm Brian Stevenson of Billingham Forehead
6 pm Working Men's Club
7 pm Cheeky Thief http://www.cheekythief.com/
8pm
The Redwood Thinkers
9 pm Fran Rodgers http://www.franrodgers.co.uk/
10 pm Ben Wetherill http://www.benjaminwetherill.co.uk/
10:45pm Moses http://www.mosesband.com/