What a Wonderful Week - We had the Time of Our Lives!
I'm going to start off with Bank Holiday Weekend and the delicious event that is the Steam Up at Drusilla's Inn at Horton near Verwood. This charity-event raising money for Wimborne hospital sees the picturesque thatched pub, Drusilla's Inn, become the traditional stopping off point for dozens of vintage Steam Engines and classic vehicles on their way to The Great Dorset Steam Fair. For the second year, we were invited to play. This year, as well as a short afternoon slot, we played a full two hour set from about 9.15pm. And what a gig! We fairly blew the marquee away! There must have been a couple of hundred people crowded into the tent and we had such a great time. There's no feeling quite like it when you get a brilliant response to one of your own songs. All our stuff had been going down a storm but when we came to play Jump To It! there was a big group of young people who jumped up in sync with the lyrics. It was like having our very own mosh pit! And the encores and stamps and whoops at the end were just so exhilarating. We loved playing. Thanks Drusilla's for inviting us - hope to see you again next year.
Then the Most Magical Monday. We played on the roof of Highcliffe Sailing Club at Mudeford Quay to launch our brand new mini-album 'Livin' it, Lovin' it! officially released on Tuesday 1st September. This was such a special gig for us. On our album is a song style 'Mudeford Mood' about our love for this beautiful part of Dorset where we have the great good fortune to live. The title of the album is taken from a line in that song but it also sums up how we, as a band, feel about writing and playing our music. So to play on Mudeford Quay itself was really poignant. The views from the rooftop of Highcliffe Sailing Club were stunning; the weather blazed down, hot, bright, and dazzling; the press turned up and perched precariously on the roof with us to get their photos; BBC Radio Solent interviewed us live on site and then played Mudeford Mood off the album; most importantly, the response from the Bank Holiday crowds was fantastic. We played three times during the course of the afternoon and each time, the crowd grew bigger and the response became warmer. It was also terrific that so many State of Undress stalwarts managed to make it down to the Quay as well - many like Ronni and Chris and Laura - travelling from a real distance to be there. Thanks guys!
Then throughout the week 'Livin it, Lovin' it!' was Album of the Week on BBC Radio Somerset. The lovely Emma Britton played a track a day on her morning show. She would have loved to play 'The Love Detective' written by our rather wonderful but very eccentric bass player Malcolm Windett. However, it was deemed slightly too naughty! We are hoping to have it officially banned on the BBC - would that be a first for a folk rock band? - and then it'll probably be a huge hit!
But that wasn't all that happened in radio land for us this week. Because on Friday evening 4th September, we arrived at The Great Dorset Steam Fair where we played live on Steam Fair FM: a brilliant and quirky radio station that broadcasts across the ground and to all those camping at the Fair. We have a song 'At The Fair Tonight' written by our great friend Skipper. The song is all about the joys of the Steam Fair - the sights, the sounds, the sideshows and, above all, the people - who must be the most colourful and friendliest people to be found anywhere. Steam Fair FM had been playing it as part of the playlist all week so it was great to be in the studio and play it live. And then, of course, we'd be playing it live when we played the following day in the Folk Tent. We love The Steam Fairs and, it seems, they love us. We played 3 sets in the Folk Tent on Saturday, and then, by popular demand, we were asked to play an extra session on Sunday. Well, being the musical tarts that we are, we didn't need to be asked twice. At all the gigs, we had a brilliant response from the audience; we sold loads of CDS. We'd also done a limited edition single of 'At The Fair Tonight' which we gave away free with every CD purchased. We had people up and dancing, singing along and ,of course, shaking their eggs. Well, it wouldn't be a proper State of Undress gig without them! We're back now ...and missing it already. There's a line in 'At The Fair Tonight' in the last verse 'What a wonderful week, we had the time of our lives ...' We most certainly did! Keep on steamin', everyone!
Charlie
State of Undress
www.stateofundress.com
www.myspace.com/stateofundress
Then the Most Magical Monday. We played on the roof of Highcliffe Sailing Club at Mudeford Quay to launch our brand new mini-album 'Livin' it, Lovin' it! officially released on Tuesday 1st September. This was such a special gig for us. On our album is a song style 'Mudeford Mood' about our love for this beautiful part of Dorset where we have the great good fortune to live. The title of the album is taken from a line in that song but it also sums up how we, as a band, feel about writing and playing our music. So to play on Mudeford Quay itself was really poignant. The views from the rooftop of Highcliffe Sailing Club were stunning; the weather blazed down, hot, bright, and dazzling; the press turned up and perched precariously on the roof with us to get their photos; BBC Radio Solent interviewed us live on site and then played Mudeford Mood off the album; most importantly, the response from the Bank Holiday crowds was fantastic. We played three times during the course of the afternoon and each time, the crowd grew bigger and the response became warmer. It was also terrific that so many State of Undress stalwarts managed to make it down to the Quay as well - many like Ronni and Chris and Laura - travelling from a real distance to be there. Thanks guys!
Then throughout the week 'Livin it, Lovin' it!' was Album of the Week on BBC Radio Somerset. The lovely Emma Britton played a track a day on her morning show. She would have loved to play 'The Love Detective' written by our rather wonderful but very eccentric bass player Malcolm Windett. However, it was deemed slightly too naughty! We are hoping to have it officially banned on the BBC - would that be a first for a folk rock band? - and then it'll probably be a huge hit!
But that wasn't all that happened in radio land for us this week. Because on Friday evening 4th September, we arrived at The Great Dorset Steam Fair where we played live on Steam Fair FM: a brilliant and quirky radio station that broadcasts across the ground and to all those camping at the Fair. We have a song 'At The Fair Tonight' written by our great friend Skipper. The song is all about the joys of the Steam Fair - the sights, the sounds, the sideshows and, above all, the people - who must be the most colourful and friendliest people to be found anywhere. Steam Fair FM had been playing it as part of the playlist all week so it was great to be in the studio and play it live. And then, of course, we'd be playing it live when we played the following day in the Folk Tent. We love The Steam Fairs and, it seems, they love us. We played 3 sets in the Folk Tent on Saturday, and then, by popular demand, we were asked to play an extra session on Sunday. Well, being the musical tarts that we are, we didn't need to be asked twice. At all the gigs, we had a brilliant response from the audience; we sold loads of CDS. We'd also done a limited edition single of 'At The Fair Tonight' which we gave away free with every CD purchased. We had people up and dancing, singing along and ,of course, shaking their eggs. Well, it wouldn't be a proper State of Undress gig without them! We're back now ...and missing it already. There's a line in 'At The Fair Tonight' in the last verse 'What a wonderful week, we had the time of our lives ...' We most certainly did! Keep on steamin', everyone!
Charlie
State of Undress
www.stateofundress.com
www.myspace.com/stateofundress
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