Tag Archive for 'touring'

2011, According to Shannon Hope

Published on December 28, 2011 in Uncategorized. 8 Comments Tags: , , , , .

I’ve never been a big fan of New Year. I’ve always found it to be a little anti-climactic, and I guess part of me feels that the concept is all wrong. I don’t like the idea of waiting for a new year to begin so that you can start doing something new with your life. It’s like waiting until Monday to start a new diet or start going to gym. What are you waiting for? People sum up their lives and worth into years that are either good or bad, and we try to convince ourselves that a new year will bring something different, something better… But at the end of the day, it’s another collection of days that I want to count for something. Just like yesterday did… I think it’s important to look back at where you’ve come from though. It puts things into perspective and helps to account for what you’ve achieved (and for what you haven’t) and allows you to give credit to yourself where it’s due. Dividing that account into years makes good bookkeeping sense, so here goes…

I started off the year just like the year (and days) before, with a plan to keep my head down and keep on trucking, and boy, did I truck! Covering almost 35,000km around the country, I played 84 shows, in beautiful spaces to audiences who wanted to listen and in the wrong kinds of spaces for audiences who ended up listening, and some who didn’t; I heard someone cover one of my songs for the first time; I made mistakes that made me stronger; I made mistakes I’m sure I’ll make again; I watched some of my best friends get married and fall in love all over again; I played half a show with an almost full band (and definitely need to do more of that); I missed birthdays but I made it home in time for Christmas; I caught my first sunset from the top of Signal Hill; I met beautiful people whom I now call friends and reconnected with old friends who I’m lucky enough to see on a regular basis; I collaborated with artists from Argentina in an outdoor spectacle that blew my mind; I visited a studio in a township shack which gave me a new respect for artists who believe; I watched Tori Amos and Michelle Shocked live, two artists whose music my sister played non-stop when I was growing up; I discovered new artists who spoke for my heart; I launched my second album and got play listed on radio; I sold out of stock at a show and was spoilt by Kawai with a new stage piano that makes me smile every time I play it; I shot my first music video and experienced my first casting; I celebrated two years fulltime; I worked too many 16 hour days and played too little actual music; I drove beautiful new routes, discovered new places, fell in love with towns I’d never heard of and sold out a show in the middle of nowhere; I got stuck in a herd of sheep; I discovered the Overberg; I discovered Hogsback; I was charged by a seal; I went 4×4ing on dunes and fell in love with a little red Jeep; I challenged my Durbanness in mid-winter in Grahamstown, again, and lost to a chest infection, but won an Ovation Award; I climbed lighthouses and stood at the foot of Africa where the two oceans meet; I felt lonely and hopeless but was reminded that these things always right themselves, and they did; I ticked off dream #1 on the wishlist and played a grand piano onstage; I played in my dream space against the most magnificent backdrop I could imagine and got a standing ovation that has made my heart shine. I cried and laughed and lived a dream…

And I’ll keep doing it all and dreaming bigger. I cannot put into words what it’s like to live a dream. I can only tell you that the moments leading up to it, the moments that build it – every tear, every smile, every encouragement and criticism, every heartbreak, victory and disappointment, and every sacrifice you’ve ever made – are entirely worth it. It’s like finally arriving home to yourself. Thanks for listening and happy New Year, Rockstars. I hope that all your days are full of the things that your dreams are made of.

Winter Tour of Epic Proportions

Published on July 28, 2011 in Uncategorized. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

The last three weeks have gone by ridiculously quickly and I feel like I’m still lost in the Grahamstown time portal, but somehow, in between my five shows, many a “catch up” coffee / milkshake / brandy, and some all-important business meetings, I even managed to catch some theatre and live music!

After Grahamstown, real life becomes a strange, slightly dulled beast and nothing quite measures up for a while. As with every tour, the shows have been good and bad. 5 on Ryneveld in Stellenbosch (very rad place if you haven’t had the pleasure yet) is not a “show” venue but more of a chilled, background music type venue, but I had a cool evening there anyway playing to an attentive audience who bought some albums (a pretty good indication of one’s impact). I’ll definitely play there again because the management is a pleasure to deal with, and as far as background music venues go, this one is definitely one of the best by far. The Alma Café in Rosebank is one of my new favourite spots in Cape Town. Super small and intimate, you can fit a max of about 35 people into the old supply store, which provides the perfect setting for my ramblings about life, touring and the meaning of it all between songs… The sound is fantastic and enveloping and the owners are a dream to work with. The audience come there to listen, and do so in silence because it’s that kind of venue. It’s rad. My set at Barleycorn was also good fun on Monday. Sometimes I’m pleasantly surprised by an unexpected wild card, but for the most part, the impact of my shows really does seem to rely on the type of venue that I’m playing. Despite being a “free show” on my tour, I dig playing the Barleycorn when I’m in Cape Town because of the kind of platform it is. There’s always someone new in the audience who hasn’t heard you and the audience really are there to listen. Despite a disappointing start at Dorpstraat in Stellenbosch 3 weeks back and a weirdly quiet (but thoroughly enjoyable) weekend in Napier, it feels like I’ve accomplished a lot. One more show in St James on Friday and I hit the road again…

Nobel Square, Cape Town Waterfront

Besides the shows, I’ve been busy doing all sorts of other things while I’ve been in town. Two of my Argentine friends (from Machitún) were in Cape Town for a week and I spent some time showing them around Cape Town (as much as a Durbanite can anyway). I managed to fit in 2 days away in Noordhoek with a friend, which is something I try to do whenever I’m here – the idea being to take a forced weekend off, although this time I did much more work than I intended. I snuck in a compulsory trip to the Old Biscuit Mill this past weekend as well, something that should be done as often as possible. It’s a vibe. Origin coffee, honey liqueur shots in chocolate cups, breakfast panini’s, and pink bubbles make Saturday mornings that much more exciting!

I’ve also caught some great shows while I’ve been here. Karen Zoid kicked off her 10 year anniversary tour at The Fugard Theatre (dreamy theatre) last weekend. I was supposed to catch a show of hers at the National Arts Festival last year but missed it because of a radio interview so was quite stoked to get another chance, particularly in this space. It was rock ‘n roll, with a side of goosebumps I didn’t really expect… Bed On Bricks, my favourite band of hooligans, played at Silvertree (Kirstenbosch) the following night and rocked it, as always. I don’t often pass up an opportunity to see these boys live. They never disappoint. I also managed to catch a production that I was hoping to see in Grahamstown this year but never got to, Shakespeare’s R&J at The Fugard Theatre. As an ex-drama student, you can imagine how many adaptations of Romeo & Juliet I’ve been subjected to. This one is really worth seeing, with a ridiculously talented cast in an absolutely beautiful space. Loved it!

Shakespeare's R&J

It’s strange trying to sum up tours into paraphrased episodes, but that’s the gist of it so far. It’s been a great tour overall and I’m very excited about some super cool prospects that have surfaced… Two more shows and I’ll be back in Durban for all of 3 days, and then I jet off to Oppikoppi 17!! After an evening out at the Gibson Guitar SA Launch Party last night (very cool to catch up with some of the coolest kids in the CT industry and discover the radness that is Cape Town band The Rescu), I’m now back in bed and trying desperately to will myself better. The festival sickness that took over four weeks ago is still lingering and, besides today, I don’t see much chance in the next 10 days for any kind of rest. Such is life on the road.

Report From The Road

Published on July 17, 2011 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Grahamstown withdrawal is no laughing matter. Aside from the festival sickness I managed to contract, I’m left with an empty space in my artist heart that misses the intensity and energy. Thankfully, the remainder of the Winter Tour of Epic Proportions and the album admin I’m busy with is distracting enough.

The 10 hour drive from Grahamstown to Cape Town on Monday was easy enough, despite the crazy late night of celebrations and farewells the night before. It doesn’t really feel like I’ve been in Cape Town for a whole week already though. I stayed in bed for 3 days straight, catching up on admin and trying desperately to recover before the next spell of gigs kicked off. I had a great acoustic session on MFM 92.6 in Stellenbosch on Thursday (save some technical glitches) before a rather disappointing show at Dorpstraat Teater. The intensity of the National Arts Festival and the support system I had there is a hard act to follow, but playing to 4 people is soul destroying. I take some comfort in the fact that it’s ‘varsity holidays at the moment and most gigs in Stellies are quiet as a result (bad planning on my part). Hopefully next week will prove that theory correct as students head back, and my second show in the student town will be better supported…

I heart Napier. A chance discovery on my last Western Cape tour, this ridiculously small town in the Overberg (total population 4000), has become my favourite stop on my touring route. A weekend of shows there this past weekend was exactly what I needed. The Suntouched Inn is a pleasure to perform at, so much so, that it doesn’t matter how big the audience is, so a quieter weekend than my sold out show there a few months ago, didn’t bother me in the least. It’s just a rad weekend and makes this feel more like a holiday. The owners are a pleasure to work with and make my job seamless, the staff are loads of fun, the vibe is chilled, the pizza is ridiculously good, and the audience is perfectly attentive. This venue could teach most venues around the country a thing or two about hosting live music; about mutually beneficial relationships; about respect. I heart Napier. I now have a badge that says so.

Back to Cape Town I go… and I hear my Argentinian friends are coming to town this week =)

What Comes Next

Published on May 27, 2011 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

I’ve just received the latest mix of Fight A New Day from T-Time Studio. I wish you could see the ear-to-ear grin on my face. It’s too rad and I am too stoked.

So now what?

Over the past few months, while the album’s been in the mixing phase, aside from the crazy tour and tour planning, I’ve been analysing what comes next. It’s my two year “fulltime” anniversary next week, and I want to take things to the next level, not purely because it would be nice to have some kind of stability in my life (financially anyway), but because the music deserves it.

So with a new album on the way and a “thinking bigger” attitude, my head is filled with pending decisions… Solo vs Band… Record Company vs Sticking it out Independently… South Africa vs Bigger Ponds…

I’d love to be touring with a band and I think the music deserves it but I want to be able to pay the guys properly and right now I need every cent to make ends meet. And finding the right band is a daunting task I can’t even begin to contemplate right now. I love performing solo but it limits me to a certain degree and I’d rather my solo shows were more exclusive.

As idealistic (and maybe a little bit stubborn) as I am in sticking it out independently, the backing of a label would surely help to reach the wider audience that I believe this music deserves. But with the so-called downfall of the record industry, do I want to be looking for a record deal? Perhaps I just need better management (okay, actual management). Maybe all I need is a PR company, which I’ll pay for… how? If you look at the more successful artists is this country, for the most part, they’re signed to record companies. Sure, I’ve managed to source my own distribution, but just having my album available isn’t going to sell it. If giving up a share of album revenue is going to result in selling more units, creating more album revenue, isn’t it worth it?

I’d love to tour overseas but with a new record coming out and one too many loans to pay off from all the local touring and my two albums, is international touring and even bigger debts really the best idea right now? I’d love to head off for a new adventure in a foreign land, perhaps with a more permanent move in mind, but would that really solve my problem? Who knows?

So now what?

Now, I’m sending the new album out into the music world to see what happens, to see what the industry gurus think. I’m not releasing it just yet. I’m holding off for a month or so to finalise my plan. Truth be told, I can’t manage this beast on my own anymore. I need to find the right person / company / knight in shining armour to help me forge ahead.

In the meantime, I’m going to celebrate my two years of fulltimeness (sic!) with a bottle of champagne, listening to an album made from the story of two years of believing, two years of fighting, two years of driving and dreaming and planning. An album that makes me smile proudly and reminds me why I do this in the first place.

The Winding Road

Published on May 10, 2011 in Uncategorized. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .
 
Roadtrip!

I freaking love my job. I get in my car, drive across the country, stop over in these ridiculously cool places, meet cool people and play music. What’s not to love…? Okay, that’s a loaded question, so let’s say, “for the most part, what’s not to love…?”  

The tour I’ve just completed included 14 shows, covering a total of 5,600km from Durban to Cape Town and back, with a few out-of-the-way stops in between. I’m always sure to book at least 2 weeks in Cape Town itself because… well, you don’t really need an excuse, it’s Cape Town. The route there and back though is always pretty intense and generally involves driving almost every day and playing almost every night, which is not exactly the brightest idea, but despite promising not to do it to myself again, I keep doing it. Over and over and over and over again.             

"The Pipes" - Cango Caves

The tour kicked off with a show in East London which, as always, was loads of fun despite following directly after a 10 hour drive that should have only taken 7! Another 7 hour drive to Knysna the following day and an early show overlooking the bay that evening meant that I slept through most of day #3 (as expected) but did manage to enjoy a milkshake at the Heads before hitting Oudtshoorn for the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees for 2 days. I was so excited about being included on the KKNK lineup but unfortunately my set was booked in… an Afrikaans beer garden. Picture it: the (very) English pianist singing honest heartfelt songs in an Afrikaans beer garden sans backing track. Ja. Need I say more? In fact, the first thing the sound guy asked me was “where’s your backing track?” I kid you not. I did manage to get a note out in the first chamber of the Cango Caves though, so it’s all good (talk about taking the music underground), although I was very bummed to hear that they don’t host concerts there anymore… that would’ve been ridiculously cool.                 

V&A Amphitheatre (Pic by Jean Pierre Maritz)

You can diss the Capetonians as much as you like for their obsession with that rock, but there is something entirely satisfying when she comes into view after a crazy week on the road. After 4 shows, 1,980km and 5 days of intensity, Cape Town was, as always, a very welcome sight. I got some much-needed time in at T-Time Studio wrapping up mixes for the new album and the shows were pretty cool for the most part, with the highlight being a late afternoon performance at the V&A Amphitheatre at the Waterfront. A perfect Cape Town day and a rocking rad audience. At one of my Cape Town shows I chatted to a couple who’d had their first date at one of my shows last year and are now engaged. That made me smile.         

It took me 7 shows, 2,600km and 10 days to get back to Durban because the road back was a winding one, through places I’d never even heard of, let alone been to – one of the reasons I freaking love my job! Napier was first on that mystery list and my show at Suntouched Inn wins the credit as best show of the tour – the raddest hosts, the coolest audience and the best pizza! This town is so small that if there wasn’t a stop street on the main road, you would probably miss it entirely, but do yourself a favour. Seriously. It’s hard to beat an unexpected sold out show in the middle of nowhere and I have to admit that the rest of the tour just didn’t quite live up to that awesomeness, but the show in Greyton was nice enough and the town is beautiful and also definitely worth a visit. The Overberg is a crazy cool area full of interesting places and I can’t wait to discover more of it. The coolest thing about this tour was that I got to visit quite a few new places and I managed to get in at least one day of touristy sightseeing in Cape Agulhas. I climbed the L’Agulhas Lighthouse and stood at the most southern tip of Africa where the two oceans meet. I took a photo of the rock. Riveting stuff.        

Where the two oceans meet...

I also had a late booking for a show in Hogsback. Whenever I mentioned that I was going to Hogsback, people responded with this sparkle in their eye, like I was visiting the most magical place on earth and I have to say it comes pretty damn close so I’m not surprised that it’s credited as the landscape inspiration for Lord of the Rings. It feels as though you’ve stepped into another world entirely and is honestly one of the most surprising places I’ve ever been to. Aside from the beauty, I also didn’t expect it to be 6°C and will leave the resulting expletives to your imagination. Incredibly beautiful place you absolutely have to visit, preferably not alone like I did and preferably not for just one night. Take your hiking boots, and don’t forget your winter warmers!                 

Northern Drakensburg

The tour ended with 2 performances at the Smoking Dragon Festival in the Northern Drakensburg alongside an incredible line-up of South African female artists. A great concept that has limitless potential and I’m looking forward to seeing this new festival grow. As a Durban girl, I don’t need much convincing to visit this part of the country and it was fitting to end the tour in such a grand landscape.                 

And another tour comes to an end. A huge thank you to everyone who had a hand in making it a successful one, my hosts for their kindness and to the various audiences, big and small, thank you for listening. As with life of the road, I learnt a lot on this one although I’ve come home with more questions than answers, but as I settle back into Durbs-by-the-Sea for a few weeks and reflect over the past month, for the most part, the good makes up for the bad and there is always something that makes it all worthwhile. I drove new roads and visited new places. I (finally) caught my first Cape Town sunset from the top of Signal Hill. I became part of the story of how two lovers met. I dodged a cold that could’ve ruined it all. I ate too much pizza. I stayed in the smallest town I’ve ever stayed in. I sold out a show in the middle of nowhere and fell in love with a town I’d never heard of. I got stuck in a flock of sheep for what seemed like forever after sleeping through my alarm and hitting the road later than I should have. I discovered new artists that are becoming all-time favourites. I stood at the foot of Africa between the two oceans just to say that I’d done it. I met beautiful new people that I now call friends and I saw old friends that I’m lucky enough to see on a regular basis. Because I have the best job in the world. For the most part.

Going nowhere slowly...

The Hard Tack

Published on August 21, 2010 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

The past month on the road has certainly provided its fair share of entertainment (refer “Tantrum Dance”). Last night I played in Durbanville, hosting my oldest audience member yet, a sprightly young soul boasting 80+ years of life experience, who threw out the most unexpected, classic chirp yet.

At my shows, I carry a silver hipflask by my side. It tends to get a snigger from audiences when I take a swig, and I won’t deny finding it rather amusing how badly everyone wants to know what’s in it. And no, I’m not telling you just yet… Half way through my set last night, I took a good swig from my trusty secret stash, only to hear the lady yell “oh dear, she’s on the hard tack again”, which had me in stitches for a good few minutes before I could carry on. It’s not often that the audience catch me off guard, but when they do, it makes a show that much more memorable.

I’ll be sharing some of my hard tack with audiences around the country over the next month, so keep your eyes peeled for some freebies!