Foxwood Steel play for Moortown M and S 25th anniversary

We know it is going to be tricky for many players getting up to Moortown after work in time to play. And, to be honest, despite all the plans, the notebooks, the message groups and the texts, I have long since forgotten who is playing and who isn't. And before I set off to Moortown, Rick, Vicky and I have half-loaded the white van for London.

   
This, as it is to turn out, is mine, Bex, Vicky's and Amy's second of four gigs inside six, three in Leeds and one in London [!]. It is for M and S Moortown, Gazza's place of work.

So first-up it's obviously Gary, then me and Vicky, then Charlotte walks in and Bex and Amy drive in - separately. We are contemplating who's likely to be our drummer when Sheeks drives past, apparently oblivious to our presence. We stand back.



We are just wondering how to tell Varshika that she is our main drummer when Number One Drummer walks. Yay! Natalie! Well, now that Sophie is here as well, we have turned into a creditable nine-piece. So good. And I was wondering who would make it this late Monday teatime!



Emma is also here from Cherry Bee; she films a wonderful version of Is Heat, which, although it is nearer to soprano pans and kit, still gives the essence of how well we play this wonderful tune, arranged for us initially by our friend Xanthe some decade or so ago, and generally added to over the years as people discover more bits of interest.

Thanks to Emma W for some/most/all of the pictures above.

Foxwood Steel wave the Barges off to Liverpool

It was a coldish day when the barges set off from Leeds to Liverpool. Would Foxwood Steel like to play Leeds Waterfront to see them off? Oh yes certainly, we love a Waterfront gig!





So here we are, seeing the barges off. They went, so did all of those who had come to watch them go. We played to the three people in the Canal Trust gazebo, and a couple who obligingly sat on the seat next to us. We think we also woke up a few of the residents of the waterside flats.





In a band of eight potential drummers, three were teaching music centres, one was unavoidably detained on business, one was at uni in another town, one - well, one was saving lives on the Hospital Front, but we at least we had Jermaine, newly car-owner.

Alas when Jermaine rang to say he was near the station, our collective hearts sank. You would have to be a map-reading genius or a light aeroplane to get from the station to the waterfront in less than a day.

We abandoned him to his tour of Hunslet, and that left Eight and Nine. Bex did a great job on Dead or Alive. And Charlotte played some rhythms.

We were me [Victoria], Bex, Vicky, Charlotte, Amy, Sophie, Holly, Georgia, Katie and Gary.

After a while frost bite set in, the Canal Trust unfurled their gazebo, we packed up ready for the next gig - in two days time at Marks and Sparks, from 6pm to 7pm. Now who would be able to make that one, after work, in the dark, on a Monday night?