Is a self-explanatory slot on Dermot O’Leary’s Saturday-afternoon show, which I catch if I happen to be in the car at the right time. In this case it was mid-April and I was driving to Birmingham to see Nadine Shah for the second – and by no means last – time.
This is one of those songs that I should know but don’t. It’s from 1996, a time when family – and the raising thereof – was to the fore
I periodically check Nadine Shah’s website for gigs.
Not periodically enough it seems. After a few months of inactivity she says she’s doing a small one-off at the Sebright Arms (London) in January to try out songs for a new album. It sold out quickly but it’s good to see the suggestion of more activity and possible tours next year
This follows earlier posts in which I credited 6-Music with introducing me to Nadine Shah, and described a run up to Doncaster to see her play at The Leopard.
This won’t be everybody’s cup of tea to be sure – but I think it’s pretty fab
She left you hungry
She’s satisfied
She watched you wilting
She watched you cry
She showed no remorse
For your pursuit
She told the others
They followed suit
Aching bones
Aching bones
You were a fine man
To all a king
Your pride was washed up
In suffering
Now she’s the one who’s
Left to regret
You can be happy
She can’t forget
My last post was – yikes – back in August. Admittedly the 31st but still a long time ago. My source material of ideas has not dried up – I’ve been busy, and when I do get a moment or two, other priorities present themselves. The good news is that I’ve maintained my ‘blog mindset’ – writing a blog keeps you on the lookout for events, and to appreciate the everyday in a new light.
When I have revisited this blog there is Nadine Shah – my last post – staring out at me. Fate intervened and I didn’t make it to Northampton Roadmender on Friday. But she was playing in Doncaster the following day. Now that’s an awfully long way to go on a hunch that she’d be good. My calculations were thus: well over 95% of the two lots of 90 miles are dual carriageway; and the venue – The Leopard – is a stone’s throw from the railway station, simplifying navigation, and reducing the likelihood of getting lost in an unfamiliar city.
I had a clear run up the A1, the gods smiled, I reached my intended car park, and found said Leopard straight away. I paid my £6 and found I’d arrived just in time for two half-hour support bands plus Nadine. Malpas is a melodic indie duo, and The Lake Poets is a male singer songwriter.
They were excellent. The evening was strangely memorable – hardly anyone was there. Even in a very small venue, numbers were low. Fewer than ten at the beginning, no more than 25 by the finish. It’s the only gig I’ve been to where the main act – Nadine – joined the audience. This was a little sad, but all performers played their hearts out, and it was certainly ‘intimate’. The audience was small but appreciative. Nadine Shah was brilliant – her style is a little morbid (as she herself joked) but her voice is amazing, and her band’s sound fantastic. Really glad I went.
The great thing about 6-Music is you can switch on, and – if you’re lucky – be introduced to a song, sound, or artist, that utterly sweeps you away. Such was the case last Sunday morning
I found her website, and came across another strong example of her distinctive work
I spotted she’s playing at Northampton Roadmender on 4 October and promptly bought an £8 ticket.
All she has on wikipedia is a stub. It notes a recent appearance on Radio 4’s Loose Ends, on which she was described as ‘a singer so new she doesn’t even have a wikipedia page’.
Peter, his blog 