As we have mentioned previously in this blog, we are currently working very hard to get ourselves better known outside our home area. As such, the night following our full set at The Maltings Arts Theatre in St Albans, we were on the road to the excellent Cellar Upstairs club, just to the north of Euston Station in central London. Our aim was to play a couple of numbers as part of the floorsingers round to support Robb Johnson, who was headlining that night.
Robb is a hugely popular performer and has a big following in the London area. Hence, it was not surprising that the venue filled up very quickly. The club organisers really had their work cut out keeping everyone happy, as lots of floorsingers quickly put their name down to play.
It was nice to wander in and meet Robb again. We have been at a number of venues with him in the last six months and he now has a copy of our CD, The Bite. Very satisfying then that he should immediately recognise us as we walked in, and to then say how much he had enjoyed The Bite. Nice words from a nice man!
By the time the evening got underway, the club was packed. The club organisers and residents got the evening off to a great start. We were able to do one number in the first half and felt that the song, The Bite, would be a rousing one to do. Having just done the St Albans gig, Rob and I were fully rehearsed up and, if I say so myself, we did one of the strongest performances of The Bite that we have done to date. Following some further and excellent floorsinger spots, Robb Johnson then came on for his first set. He performed it with his characteristic energy and punchiness, and the audience loved it.
We had a number of people approach us during the comfort (=more beer) break to ask about The Bite - with one young woman buying a CD purely on the strength of that song.
It was a great honour, given the pressure on her that evening, for the club organiser to ask us to do a second song in the second round of floorsingers, after the break. To show our quiet and melodic side, we naturally chose Only For Three Months and, with a superb listening audience of the type that visits The Cellar Upstairs, this too appeared to be very well received indeed.
Robb then took over for his second set and, as always, had the place rocking before closing time, and was cheered to the rafters.
After the show, we had more conversations with members of the audience about our two songs, and sold a further CD which, we were told, was going to be a present for someone in Australia – now that would be getting beyond our usual area.
The Cellar Upstairs is a busy and quality folk club and we would love to get an invite to return there are show their members the fullest range of what we do. Our fingers very much remain crossed!