I had had in mind the idea of making our living room available to aspiring and recently established musicians to play to an invited audience of friends for a while. An invitation by Liz Lawrence to host a date on her 'Bedroom Hero' tour of living rooms and bedrooms in January 2013 saw me put ourselves forward. And so it was that we hosted the first date on Liz's inaugural Bedroom Hero Living Room
tour in January 2013. We provided a comfortable and intimate venue at no cost to her or our friends so that she could put here existence about. At Liz's suggestion donations in her glass jar and sales of CDs and downloads to some of the audience and others interested made it, hopefully, worth her while. At this point the feedback had been so positive about the whole idea that I ploughed ahead booking events 2 and 3. Although the donations arrangement worked OK, I was never very comfortable with that way of funding the performance, so now we pay a fee for the 'main' act and also to any 'support' act. We provide food and drink in addition, and there is accommodation available overnight if needed. Double bed [plus plenty of additional floorspace], en suite shower room, heat and light. Everyone who comes sells CDs and other merchandise and you would take all the proceeds, along with any tips that the audience invariably give. Get in touch if you are interested in playing and want to know more. So far we have had visits from:
#1 - January 11, 2013 - Liz Lawrence
#2 - March 1, 2013 - Sarah R-K
#3 - March 22, 2013 - Chris Simmons
#4 - May 3, 2013 - Rhiannon Mair
#5 - June 14, 2013: Jess Morgan
#6 - August 3, 2013: Paper Aeroplanes
#7 - October 20, 2013: Adam Barnes
#8 - November 22, 2013: Al Lewis / Romani Beau
#9 - December 20, 2013: Chris Simmons & Ben Trigg
#10 - January 31, 2014: Pip Mountjoy / Elliot Porter
#11 - March 7, 2014: Joel Baker / Martha Paton
#12 - May 3, 2014 - Jess Morgan / Jack Wallen
#13 - June 6, 2014 - Emma Stevens / Kelly Oliver
#14 - July 11, 2014 - Hattie Briggs / Martha Paton
#15 - October 3, 2014 - Henry Priestman
#16 - October 31, 2014 - 'an evening with' Winter Springs and Natalie Holmes
#17 - December 19, 2014 - Paper Aeroplanes / Al Lewis and Alva Leigh aka Lewis & Leigh
#18 - February 27, 2015 - Swallow & The Wolf / Lucas & King
#19 - March 21, 2015 - Emma Stevens & Sam Whiting (Holly's 9th Birthday Party)
#20 - April 17, 2015 - Natalie Holmes / The Harbour
#21 - June 5, 2015 - In The Round: Rhiannon Mair / Josh Savage / Ed Jeffery
#22 - July 10, 2015 - Hattie Briggs / Joe Waller
#23 - September 18, 2015 - In The Round: Jess Morgan / Chris Simmons / Roxanne de Bastion
#24 - November 6, 2015 - The King's Parade / The Black Feathers
#25 - December 18, 2015 - Henry Priestman / Emma Stevens
#26 - March 18, 2016 - Foreign Affairs / Luke J Prosser
#27 - April 29, 2016 - Danni Nicholls / Speak, Brother
#28 - June 10, 2016 - Tom Speight / Minnie Birch
#29 - July 15, 2016 - Elliot Porter & band / Ed Jeffery Trio
#30 - September 16, 2016 - Anna Pancaldi / Temples of Youth
#31 - October 14, 2016 - Jess Morgan & the light band / Joe Waller
#32 - November 18, 2016 - Paradisia / Jack Cookson
#33 - December 16, 2016 - Henry Priestman & friends / Martha Paton
#34 - January 20, 2017 - Hattie Briggs & band / Bee Bakare
#35 - March 17, 2017 - Tom Speight & band / Chris Cleverley
#36 - May 12, 2017 - Temples of Youth / Natalie Holmes (with Jack Cookson and band)