Hiya!  It's now been a couple of years since I started this blog, and I'd like to say HI!  I am now 38, and still singing around the pubs and clubs of Scotland.  I'm still singing solo, but also rehearsing as part of Gary Collins' Elvis tribute band - the "Viva Showband".  Watch this space for info as soon as we are up and gigging.  I'm also learning to play guitar (ouch my fingers hurt!),and working with a guitarist on some acoustic covers as well as original material.  I'm pretty much up for anything I can do with my voice, including backing vocals and session work (I haven't done any session work as yet but I have a helluva voice and sing in a wide range of styles).  i can also providearound an hour of Bond themes/Shirley Bassey if you need me for any casino nights.
Anything considered. All you need to do is ask. Just email me at mail@joanie.co.uk. 

Cheers

Joanie (a little older and a whole lot wiser....)

OMFG!  What a night!  This is quite a 'bijou' hotel, and the bar area is quite small- but they fairly pack em in!  The local agricultural show had been on that day, and a fair few punters had had a good 'swally'.  They were stocking up on Anne's gorgeous pub grub before the evening's entertainment.  The very smell of the food in this place makes your mouth water - I must get along for a meal sometime.

Anyhoo...The bar has had a wee bit of a facelift - a wee lick of paint - which made it look very classy indeed. There was a PA already set up when we arrived - nothing to worry about however - the pub now has its own PA for karaokes etc.  Al soon moved it to the back of the oche (bit for darts), and set ours up.  We just bring our basic set up - 2 x srm450s and led lights - to this gig, so it doesn't take up too much room.  For bigger venues we have two bass bins and a bigger set of lights. 

As most of the locals either know me well or had been out all day, they were understandably eager for me to get on with singing their favourite tunes, so I put aside all my usual first set material and got on with the job at hand.  Time fairly flew by, and before I knew it it was time for my first break.  (NB I take two smaller breaks instead of the usual one big break).  Then another two sets of pop and rock to finish were the order of the day. The joint was jumping, as they say, and during "Sex on Fire" I asked them to sing along, and the volume of their singing made me wish I'd kept my earphones in!  Wow!  They are always up for a good night at the Beggars, and I hope I'm back soon.

I had just one problem during the night - during my rendition of "Bad Romance"  by Lady Gaga, the mic gain knob on my mixer mysteriously turned itself up full, and I had to stop the song due to screeching feedback.  Al reckons I caught the knob with my sleeve, but I swear i was nowhere near it.  Could it be the famous ghost of the Jolly Beggars?  Maybe he doesn't like Lady Gaga....

Well I hope things go smoothly next time, and promise to leave out the "Bad Romance", Mr Ghostie. 

After a wee phone call from Katy Hart, a good friend of mine on Facebook, I was booked for Saturday at Arthurlie.  Thank goodness, said I, as I was available, and could have done with a job coming in.  Thanks to Katy!

I had no idea of what to expect from the venue, so once again I consulted my buddies on Facebook, and was told the layout of the place re loading and unloading, as well as the average age of the crowd and what to expect re sets and material.  a big thanks to Jackie Clarke.  It's always nice to have friends who help you out, and I like to have all the facts before going to a venue. I even look at the street view on Google Maps!

Anyway, back to the review. 

Billy, the boss, made me very welcome from the word go, and was grateful to have filled the empty spot he found he had on a Saturday night.  I realise it must've been a bit nerve wracking for him to book a singer he'd never heard of or met, but again we both have Katy to thank for that one. Billy tells me he toured with a few bands around the circuit so he was a mine of information, and had a fair few stories to tell!

It was an 8.30pm start, but I was advised to hang off till the place got a bit busier, so I started at 8.45pm and did my first set til 10pm, when there was (of course!) a bit of bingo. then my second set went from 10.40 til 12, with cries of "more".  Excellent. The sets were slightly longer than I would normally do, but I paced myself well and did a fair bit of blethering in between.  I will have to remember to slow down a bit so the crowd can understand my accent - mind you my jokes are reeeeally bad, so maybe it's not a bad thing if I talk a bit fast.  It was commented on that I am a bit of a character - you'll have to make up your own mind on that one....

My two sets mostly consisted of older material, due to the crowd enjoying the genre, so I didn't get much of my newer material or rock in until near the end, when the crowd demanded "Human" by the Killers.  Cool.  Suits me! My "Fire with Fire" by the Scissor Sisters is going down well too.

After the gig, Billy was straight over with his diary, and I secured another two bookings for the year, with promises of more bookings next year if he's still in charge of entertainment. Many of the crowd came across on their way out to tell me how impressed they were with me.  It's a wonder I could fit my big head in the car to go home! 

After a night off with a heavy cold, I was glad to get back to work at Pettycur.  The Waterfront Bar was quite empty at the beginning of the night, and I was told that last Monday was quite quiet.  We set up and were prepared for a small audience, only to find that most of the people who had come into the restaurant for dinner decided to stay!  They were very friendly, and I had some good applause throughout the night!

These are the nights when you feel best about your work - you're maybe not feeling 100%, and have had a couple of quiet gigs.  Then you find a happy bunch of people who enjoy listening to your dodgy banter and stay to sing and dance along with you.  I think they were happy with my mix of material, and most of them stayed until the back of 11, when many had to leave with their (very) tired kids.

So thanks Pettycur!  You perked me up no end, and made me feel good about my job.  As KT Tunstall says - "Suddenly I see - this is what I want to be!".  This job has its ups and downs, and this gig was definitely an 'up'!

Well another strange night in the Red Lion Park.  I am told that the locals have told the management that they want the downstairs bar to be open with entertainment available, but I'm wondering where they are?!

I had a grand total of 10 people in and out all evening, and while they were lovely people and were very appreciative, I could have done with a few more.  It didn't help that they had the amazing Linton Osborne upstairs, doing his Elvis tribute and a good mixture of swing, pop and rock material.  I went up during my break to find a packed house upstairs, full of people with their kids who aren't allowed in the downstairs lounge.

I had one very nice group left at midnight, who were obviously enjoying what they were hearing, so I must say thanks to them for keeping me company. 

Oh and a big HI! to Craig behind the bar, who tells me that most acts in the downstairs bar have a quiet night.

Another new venue for me, but not one I haven't been in before.  After my experience at the Bayview Bar the last time I was a bit apprehensive about appearing on a Sunday afternoon before the karaoke. I find that your regular karaoke crowd are getting ready to sing themselves, and are not keen to see a singer beforehand.  Having said that, I am happy to be working, so there you go.

The first two sets were quite difficult for me, as the crowd were small and hadn't warmed to me yet - it happens everywhere. I don't know what people expect when they see me for the first time, but as a rule as soon as I've been at a venue once, they are asking when I'll be back.  I'm not your stereotypical spangly singer who does ballads all night - in fact I'm never happier than when I'm doing a bit of Deep Purple, Bon Jovi and Kings of Leon.

I must also say hello to the fabulous Steph, who does the job herself and was having a well earned night off.  If you get the chance to see her at your local, I'd recommend going along.

A new venue for me, and after two weeks off sick I was pretty nervous I can tell you! This club has an older crowd, who eyed me up pretty thoroughly when I went in. 

My first set in a new venue is always a testing ground for material for the rest of the night, so I went on to do a selection of songs and styles for the first half hour, and found out that they liked older material.  When I switched to that type of music for the second half they fairly got into it, and I had great applause after every song. Despite my newly healed voice I decided to risk it and give 'em "Cabaret" at the end of the first half, which went down a storm.  Ahh I was in!

For the second set I moved on to dancier material, but had to remember to keep it older - from the 20th century...

There were cries of "She'll be back", so I take that as a good sign.  Must brush up on my oldies (the songs, that is...).

Oh and one last thing - I was billed as "Joanie Free" on the club's posters.  I am called Joanie.  Just Joanie.  And I am very rarely free.....

This was the second night of a difficult weekend.

We arrived early as requested at the venue to get our equipment in before the Christmas dinner started, and were pleased to see that the venue had had a thorough makeover since our last visit. Unfortunately the way the main hall is laid out is a soundman's nightmare. Two rooms have been knocked into one, and the passageway between made into the main stage. Facing a wall. The two ends of the room create a sort of "dumbell" shape, which we cound not fill with sound from our 2 Mackie srm450 tops and 2 Mackie bass bins. No matter how hard we tried.

As if this wasn't difficult enough, the crowd were less than expected, and so they all sat at one end of the room. We weren't to know this, so we ended up turning both 450s round to face them. This didn't work really, and we still had a muddy sound. I have spoken to many acts since, and they all say the same. I'd urge the venue to rethink the staging area, and allow us to set up at one end next time. There is more than enough room.

Most of the people dining and taking part in the Christmas night celebrations were farmers and their families, some of whom were due to be up early to harvest sprouts. As you can imagine, alcohol and harvesting do not go well together, and as a result many people left after the meal to go home. The remainder didn't seem to be impressed with the sound quality (see above), and were complaining that they couldn't hear. Whilst sitting twenty feet away. With two huge beams in the ceiling between me and them. I suggested (as you would) that they move closer, which they did.

I was finding the night very difficult altogether, and must admit to not being a happy camper. The remaining crowd did not put their hands together, and I had a good few tumbleweed moments. They did, however, like my dj-ing in between sets, and got up to dance at every opportunity. They also made suggestions to me as to what they wanted to hear.

I'd suggest that the venue look into putting on a simple disco for this crowd next year, and allow the DJ to set up in the far corner, where the stage used to be.

Here's hoping my next gig here will be more enjoyable, for both me and the crowd