It not often you can cool off after a show by paddling in the sea, but Saturdays gig at the highly enjoyable Melfest, offered just such an opportunity.* Beautifully situated on the Sheep’s Head peninsular, it was an all day charity event featuring among other guests, The Calvinists, Karma Parking… and yes you guessed it, W!LD.

Ben was down to play with us which was fun, his steady presence, combined with pleasantly spacious stage meant we were able to dance around a bit more then we have done recently.

Mind you dancing’s still not really my strong point, especially if I have to do so while simultaneously hitting all the right notes! I’m probably improving though?… I’d better be, because if W!LD ever start playing larger venues, my theory is the bigger the stage, the more elaborately you have to leap about!

The rest of last week disappeared over the horizon in a in a cloud of dust, before I’d even really noticed it was there… which is another way of saying it was busy, but mostly forgettable.

…..And help we’re already nearly half way through this week as well, I’d better go make some more news!

Louis.

songcenturyproject.com

*The consequence of my paddle was that when i put by shoes back on, the residue of salty water caused their ink run and I ended up with bright blue feet!

We were on the radio yesterday! My apologies for not telling you about it before the event, but we didn't find out what time we were going on till about an hour before hand!

We had fun though, particularly trying to get there on time... 

The studio is situated in the middle of a shopping center in Douglas, (that’s just outside Cork city for those of you who aren't locals,) and it’s unusual location presented us with a unique problem. Having entered the shopping center, we found we could see the studio, (in fact we were almost close enough to touch it,) but due to a huge set of shutters right in the middle of an aisle, we couldn't get to it!

It seems the shutters go down every evening to separate the shops which close after 6pm, from Tesco, which is obviously open later.

We tried to ring our contact in the studio to ask how to get in, but couldn't get through, so presuming there was going to be another entrance, me and Perry then proceeded to drag our instruments and accessories, the entire way round the sizable exterior of the complex, only to end up back where we started again, inside the shopping center but at the wrong side of the giant shutters.

We then tried going upstairs but all that was up there was a giant car park, hmmm??

We were getting a little agitated, knowing we were supposed to be on live radio in about 15 minutes, so I left Perry to look after our instruments, and jogged off down a fire escape in hope of finding a way round.

Round and round a labyrinth of corridors I went, then just as i thought I was getting somewhere, to my great annoyance I again came out just the wrong side of those great white shutters! 

I couldn't think of anything else to do, so I started jumping up and down beside the shutter hoping someone might look out of the studio window and notice me. Then I had a go at lifting up the shutters to see if I could squeeze under them, and it was at this point I noticed a security guard briskly heading in my direction.

Trying to look innocent, I gave him my best puppy dog eyes, and luckily he bought it! Then with an aggrieved look that suggested W!LD weren't the first radio guests to get stuck, told me he’d lift the shutters so we could go though.   

So we made it and just in the nick of time! We had ten minutes to set up our gear and do a very mini sound check, then after two other guests had talked on the first part of the show, we were on!

Surprisingly that part of the evening was pretty straightforward; we did a short interview followed by three songs, and that was that. Oddly it was much less nerve racking than when we did a pre recorded radio show? Maybe it’s just practice.

On the way out we were shown the way we should have come in, and we really would never have found it. Especially well hidden was the bit where you had to climb over some advertising boards, at the back of a car park!  

We'll know for next time though.

Bye for now,

Louis

songcenturyproject.com

Apologies for my 11 day blogger absence, I’ve been a bit busy. 
I've got a bit of time to spare now though, so here’s what’s been happening with W!LD in recent weeks...
 
Firstly, we’ve played a few gigs, one in the Roundy and then two in Cyprus Avenue. 
It’s been a while since we’ve headlined a show in the city, so we were fairly pumped for the first Cyprus one. We took to the stage even more eccentrically dressed the usual, and in my case, full of butterflies. 
With the butterflies causing havoc, it probably wasn’t the most polished W!LD performance that’s ever been, but it was one of those gigs that gives you a good buzz; That pleasing feeling of being not just alive but... 'extra' alive!
In contrast, the second gig in Cyprus Avenue was really chilled, right down to the band we were supporting who were a pleasingly harmonious, Simon and Garfunkel Esq duo called Winter Mountain.
In fact we’ve played with a few talented performers in recent weeks; Thomas McCarthy was our special guest for the first Cyprus gig and his set was hugely enjoyable, full of tuneful songs that jumped from falsetto high notes, to Thomas’ trademark guttural growl. He even played one song where he used a lit lighter to play slide guitar.    
Before then there was Thursdays gig in the Roundy, where we played with a band called Emerson, who sounded a little like Oasis but with more interesting arrangements, (a few less thrashing guitars for one thing).  
Much as I enjoyed watching those three bands though, my favorite moment from the week had to be during our first Cyprus gig, when the audience stared singing along to Wont Say a Word. 
Also memorable was Perry getting 'happier then normal' while drinking beers through a straw. As well as another sing-along the same night as the last, this time during First Failed Escape, plus all kinds of rhythmic extras to make up for our missing drummer.  
Speaking of whom...
 
The weekend following the first Cyprus gig we made the long journey up to Co. Meath to spend 4 delightful days rehearsing with Ben.
Circling Vultures, Boots, (Enduring) Summer Showers, and Wont Say a Word were all added to our electric set, and of course all the old favorites were given a much needed run through.
I would have written some blog posts during our numerous tea breaks, but sadly Bens Internet was down, so we went and played football in a quarry instead, (a quarry being the flattest bit of ground we could find,) sorry about that.        

Another bit of news, is that Perry’s moved into the city, so W!LD HQ now has a slightly less remote outpost from which to spread the music! yeah!
And...
That its for now, few. Glad to get all that of my chest. The next one will be shorter I promise. 

Louis

songcenturyproject.com