The Wild Eyed Summer....

Ping! "When are you writing the next blog?" Scary Jane texts me. "It's been a while!"

You don't tell Scary Jane you have been too busy. So the rain trickles down my kitchen window, and brain cogs grind until I decide to what to write about. It is the supporters of live original music that keeps coming to mind, people that allows bands like Wild Eyed to exsist.

Being a band whose set consists mostly of songs dreamed up and arranged by various members of a band, rather than well tested covers, makes finding gigs more like climbing the Eiger. If you get past that first question......

'What covers do you do?'

'Mostly originals' you reply.

'Oh,'........if they haven't disappeared to find the squirrel, the next questions are always, 'what sort of music is it, will people come to watch it?

Fair questions, venues, pubs, and festivals want to know they will sell tickets, and beer. Music costs, and creativity is not sponsored much these days.

'We need something the punters will know,' says the average landlord.

'But they will only get to know the songs if we can play them,' says Mr. Crow.

Thankfully there are adventurous souls who will take a risk...and it is these individuals who are the silent heros, for they enable bands like Wild Eyed to get their songs out there, to begin to connect with audiences. Mr. Crow may not say so as he has that persona to maintain, but he is always very grateful to those willing to give him a stage to sing about his lady with pink hair, and the audiences that come, as are all of us. These amazing souls are keeping many musicians writing songs and being able to perform them live. We are not all entrenched in that digital, social media musical universe.

I can assure you that bands like Wild Eyed are best seen live, interacting with audiences, encouraging them to escape this stressful world for a while, to dance and sing along. They want you to have a good time.

Having sat around the kitchen table with this eccentric bunch, drinking tea, munching soggy digestives, and discussing which songs to work on, I can tell you their focus is audience enjoyment. They want you to be happy, to laugh, and sing without a care, and they know that without you supporting these events, relishing, encouraging live music of all kinds, they could not exsist. If you didn't drag your friends away from the social media, and streaming channels; to experience something real and raw, there would be nowhere to play. That you buying tickets in advance tells the festival organizers they can book more bands, that you will support them, and that you stand with them....

You turning up for a night out in a pub, buying the beer and wine, is really appreciated as it is keeping the bands writing and playing, and venues alive and open.

I have promised Scary Jane I will write more posts on the events themselves over the coming weeks to tempt you more, and I know I better do it... but here is a taster of what is coming in case you feel tempted to go...and if you do go know in advance we are all very grateful, and love seeing you there.

Original Music Club, Pontardawe Wellbeing Centre

Pontadawe. Friday 25th April.

This is a new venture by Jim Rees, the first half is an open mic, the second supports bands.