NOT too an early a start…but we still need to get to STV’s studios in Glasgow soon after 11am.
STV is starting to feel a little like a home-from-home. Innes comes to meet us in reception and Murray and Dot are on the studio floor getting everything ready to pre-record my two songs for tonight’s Live at Five.
Given the name of the show, it does seem a little weird that the music isn’t live – but it’s only recently it’s been pre-recorded…the first couple of times I was on it really was live. No problem for me, but a little nerve-wracking that a broken string or some other technical mishap could really fuck things up.
My two new songs – Givers & Takers and 1923 – are both recorded in one take and before we know it we;re packing up, chatting with the crew and then off for some shopping.
There’s some stuff to be dropped off at Betty and Joe’s and we stop for a coffee and a quick chat then head home.
Not only have I to deal with a load of social media stuff around the STV show going out at 5pm and tomorrow’s gig, I need to sort a set list, rehearse, re-string guitars, print ‘forthcoming gig’ postcards and sort all the gear to record (audio and video) tomorrow’s (Thursday) Edinburgh show.
We take a break to watch Live at Five in between times…then it’s suddenly 9pm and I embark on the black pepper tofu for dinner…
Dave Arcari is a full-time touring alternative blues (alt.blues) guitar player
and songwriter based on the eastern shores of Loch Lomond, Scotland
Pre-record of two songs for tonight’s Live at Five show on STV
The fifth and final part of the 2016 USA tour videoblog…click above to watch…
WE land at Heathrow sometime after 6.30am…I only just woke up 🙂
By the time we negotiate umpteen boarding car checks and border control we’re starting to cut things a bit fine to catch the Glasgow flight. When we hit security, I’m amazed how many folks are ill-prepared. You’d think they;d never been on a flight or through airport security as they fanny about with their bags, laptops, shows at the scanning machine. To make things worse, some of them seem to have handbagfuls of liquids that aren’t in the regulation clear plastic bags so getting through takes a while.
The guitars and my effects case go through OK, but Margaret’s duty free – which is still heat sealed in it’s clear plastic bag with the paperwork/receipts staples on – is taken aside and about four ‘for inspection’ bags behind. There’s no real reason for this – it seems they check ’em at random – and when she tells the security official we’re on a tight transfer he shrugs and starts to drag his heels with the bag he’s working on. Jobsworth wanker.
Margaret asks another security guy who’s understanding and helpful and gets us on our way. Just as well, ‘cos we make the flight by the skin of our teeth and would’ve missed it otherwise!
All our bags arrive OK in Glasgow and Jonzip’s there to meet us and give us a ride home. Margaret goes straight to bed, Jonzip and I have a coffee and blether for a while before he heads off home.
I upload the last part of the USA tour videoblog – see it here – and get some other jobs out the way then wake Margaret up – we have to go back into Glasgow for my 3pm emergency appointment at the eye hospital. We’re there for a good few hours then go on to pick up some shopping.
It’s well after 8pm when we get back home, put the shopping away then wander along to Betty and Joe’s to pick up our mail…and have a couple of glasses of red while we catch up on all the local news.
STV come to film a preview of this weekend’s Balmaha’s Braw Weekend festival…
AFTER breakfast and the usual email activity I pack a guitar and head to the Braw Weekend festival site – STV folks are coming to film a preview piece for tomorrow’s (Friday) Live at Five.
It’s been really (really!) windy and wet all night and earlier this morning, so it’s good to see all the marquees and tents still intact and holding their own.
The main marquee/tent for the Saturday night music is huge – and has a whole ‘window’ wall overlooking the loch which is just feet away.
Nice to see Live at Five‘s Jennifer and David – I’ve been on their show (and its predecessor The Riverside Show) quite a few times. We have a chat then they film some interviews with festival organiser Stuart and chocolate maker Melanie who’s doing a daytime demo. They film a little of me playing/messing with the guitar and wee interview and we’re done.
There’s a hell of a lot needing done – not least ‘cos we head for the USA on Monday….leaving about 4am!
I need to put together a quick video for a Facebook ad to promote the entire USA tour so Margaret quickly films me playing and talking to camera and I cut in some live clips and set it to upload over our cranky, snails’-pace broadband.
I’m out of time on so many things, not least some of the regional and local press & PR for the USA tour. We have a telephone chat with a news release distributor and online media directory provider to see if we can find an affordable way to get the tour news release out there. Margaret has a good chat, so fingers crossed we can cut some kind of deal.
My eNewsletter needs to be written and designed, ready to go out first thing on Saturday morning (1st of the month!)….I know I’ll be up to my arse tomorrow and Saturday, so it needs done now, and automatically scheduled to go out on Saturday.
It’s late by this time and I need to close up the office…but the Facebook video is still only half uploaded. I lock up the studio leaving the computer churning away and hope it’ll be uploaded by the morning..
Margaret is in the control room/gallery with Mark while I play some songs for Live at Five.
ANOTHER early trip into Glasgow – my six-monthly appointment at the eye hospital, then on to STV.
We get to the hospital early to minimise the chances of being late for my 11.15am call at STV – I get seen early, but have to hang out a while for the consultant. Still, we manage to get to STV on time and soundman Mark meets us at reception,
After setting up we grab a coffee then record three songs. Seems odd that the music section on Live at Five is pre-recorded, but it’s a lot less stressful than playing live on the show’s previous incarnation, TheRiverside Show, mostly because I was always terrified of breaking a string and having to stop mid-song (the guitars go horribly out of tune when a string breaks)!
It’s another sweltering hot day and I sweat like hell in the studio. By 1pm we’re done, packed up and head off to pick up some shopping on the way home in good time to watch the programme go out live 🙂
You can see it on the STV player – two new songs…one at 29 minutes, 45 seconds, and the other at 40 minutes, 45 seconds!
Lots of midges around when I go outside to light some charcoal for the grill, but they’ve subsided a bit when I start grilling the burgers for dinner.
There’s so much to do in preparation for the Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow shows..and also the Hellbound Train video premiere on Friday morning (11am, via my Facebook page!). Oh, and the EP release on Friday too!
It’s 1am before we even think of shutting shop…and we’re both knackered. There’s a busy few days ahead too…
