sax day

oliver_bentley · Oct 26, 2006

As some of you prob already know, the royal northern college in Manchester hold a sax day on sunday 12th Nov, and its fantastic - massed sax choirs, tutorials, masterclasses, trade stands >:)

concert in the evening, etc. Think its the biggest thing of its kind in the country. (other than the summer classes/week long workshops that cost a bomb)

Only 20 squid of so, and well worth a look
http://www.rncm.ac.uk/?_id=1110

Any one goin already/interested? Be good to meet a face or two behind the forum.

I'm off to Leeds tomorra for my audition next tues, so might not be around for a few days. Oli

suethesax · Oct 26, 2006

Hope the audition goes well - blow them away.

Not going to RNCM this year but as you say it is a fantastic day/evening and to top it off Tim Garland is performing in the evening so worth going just for that!

Any who does go will have a great time.

Dylan · Oct 26, 2006

Best of luck Oli

Let us know how you get on.

Bobby G · Oct 26, 2006

Aye, break a leg and all that.

Have a good one Oli.

Cheers, Bob

Lisa · Oct 27, 2006

This sounds excellent but I don't think I'm good enough yet... Am I just being wimpy?

:S

suethesax · Oct 27, 2006

Lisa - there are normally 100's of players of all abilities from beginner to pro. If you are nearby I would recommend you go along for the experience. In the mass blow you will be covered by loads of other players so will not be exposed. Even if you go and don't take your sax you will have a great day out. It's a really friendly atmosphere. Anyway if you decide to go have ball 🙂

Bobby G · Oct 27, 2006

The idea of a mass blow sounds wonderful, is it literally 100's of people? I wish I could go, but I'm too far away and I have a prior commitment. Maybe next year when I can read a bit - it would be something to aim for, like training for the marathon.

Lisa, don't worry about being a wimp, do it and enjoy it if you can, either at sax day or some other place with other players. Most groups of players are quite encouraging towards newer players. The only thing is, once you start you won't want to stop 😉

Cheers, Bob

Pete Thomas · Oct 28, 2006

I agree, go for it. And then you can come back and tell us all about it.

Lisa · Oct 29, 2006

You got me,

I think I'll go along and take Bryan, seeing as I'll be in Sheffield that weekend so can just jump on a train. It does sound very exciting to think of hundreads of sax players in one place.

If I go all day and stay-on for the evening show is there anywhere secure I can leave my sax, or do I just have to keep it with me the whole time? (Sorry to be so boring and practical!)

L

oliver_bentley · Oct 29, 2006

just a quick visit (there be too many posts to read!) Thanks for the good luck's, hopefully should go well :S As for the sax day - yeh its literally hundreds - one helll of an out of tune racket but great fun. and yeh you'd just keep you sax with you, but its not a prob, everyone's got one, and the concerts in the same building as everything else.

Speak to you all soon, Oli

oliver_bentley · Oct 31, 2006

well audition over with - after an hours written theory paper inc essay (didnt tell us about that bit did they) and the half an hour in playin with a live band (which was quite fun actually - untill they start asking you to jump through lots of previously unseen hoops, some with fire n lions at the other side) But went OK, we'll see in three weeks...

Also while I was away saw Polar Bear live in halifax. I went more to acompany an old friend, expecting to be put off by the wierdness of it all. I'm a great Acoustic Ladyland fan (as I've said before. more than once 😛) but wasnt really into PB. But hearing them live was a totally different kettle of seafood. There was live sampelling going on by Leafcutter John, n while it was a bit bizare at times (he was playing a balloon at one stage, which was one of the less wierd parts) it added to it really well. Mostly it was just really intense music, that if you got into, was incredibly powerfull, and moving at times, and firey n rocky at others. With truely amazing drumming from the afro-ed Seb Roachford. It also made me think very differenly about the stuff I'm writting for a new band (meby) atm. All in was well worth it, and show how its impossible to judge a band on their recordings.

Bobby G · Oct 31, 2006

Playing a balloon, eh!? These sound like the sort of musicians to be checked out. Polar Bear, you say? Tell me more. Oh, and fingers crossed Oli. You'll be ok, it's their loss if they don't take you. Did you wear the hat? That could have swung it one way or the other, y'know....

Looks like the Northern sax day has competition from Andy Sheppard's Dalston Massive on the same day. Maybe someone could put them both together at a midway point, get a few hundred other interested saxers in and do it for Children in Need, or something. Just an idea.

Cheers, Bob

oliver_bentley · Oct 31, 2006

Bob Green wrote:
Playing a balloon, eh!? These sound like the sort of musicians to be checked out. Polar Bear, you say? Tell me more.

Oh, and fingers crossed Oli. You'll be ok, it's their loss if they don't take you. Did you wear the hat? That could have swung it one way or the other, y'know....

Polar Bear were nominated for mercury music prize a couple of years back - "held on the finger tips of giants" - Pete Wareham n Mark Lockheart ts, Seb Roachford (leader/main composer) d, Leafcutter John, live sampling, n gadgets, n things electronic, Tom Herbert b (v good b infact)

Tom, Pete n Seb are part of Acoustic Ladyland (there I go agen) and they're all part of the F-ire Collective. New album being recorded soon (A Ladylands new ones out Nov 24/26th ish) n thats about all I know...They've got a site with some tracks on if you have a search on Google.

Oooo and people like Ingird Laubrook, Jonny Philips n Joe Bently(now it says Bently on cover, but I'm BentlEy, n never some across spellin without an E (apart from on cards from illiterate mates. hmmm) have played on 1/2 tracks on the recordings (ok i got that bit off the sleeve)

Hope thats enough :S Oli

Ps: nah didnt wear hat I'm affraid, I'm doomed clearly. Cheers anyway though.
🙂