MICHAEL MESSER CONCERT > 21 SOUTH STREET, READING

[Michael Messer]

Hi everyone,

Just a note to let you know that our next concert is in Reading at 21 South Street on Thursday 20th April 2006.

This is an intimate venue and tickets will sell quickly...BOOK NOW ;D

We look forward to seeing everyone there!

MICHAEL MESSER & THE SECOND MIND BAND
21 SOUTH STREET
READING >BERKSHIRE
RG1 4QU >Tel: [phone]
Contact Reading Arts and Venues box office

Shine On,
Michael.

[martin w]

Mr M on excellent form here last night, to a packed house.

And how nice to see Euro Blues stalwart Mr L Conrad and his good lady.

M.

[Dave King]

I went and couldnt even get in,,, and I made the guitar :-(

[Michael Messer]

Thanks Martin!

Dave, I am sorry you couldn't get in. The venue security were being very strict on venue capacity rules. I used to run a venue (the Cellar Bar at SHP Bracknell) and we used to sell all the official tickets and then sell unofficial ones on the door! Too may rules these days!!!!

Shine On,
Michael.

[Stewart Webb]

Hi Mike. As I said last night at Reading, I must congratulate you on Lucky Charms. Great album, with a really fresh sound (did you know one review compares it with Alabama 3? It does have that sort of a feel).

Both you and the band were, as ever, superlative at South Street last night. Wonderful evening, it was so good to see so many there as well. As you know I have been to loads of your gigs over the years and seen you in your many different guises, all great never been disappointed.

A tale you may find interesting. I found myself last night sitting next to a young lad and his wife. He was in absolute awe of you after the first half. He said his mate accidentally came across you on the net, heard a track online, fell in love with it , then the following day saw the same advert as me in the local paper. Was convinced it was fate and immediately booked four tickets, for himself his mate (the chap who came) and there partners. But that chaps dad became very ill on Wednesday and could not come, which was sad.

He said you were certainly the best guitarist he had ever seen in his life and couldn’t for the life of him understand why you aren’t filling Wembley. I said both Mike and his fans have been saying the same for years!!

But it was so wonderful to be with someone who was seeing you for the very first time and so moved by your music. Magic moment.

Many thanks again for a great night and for autographing my CD (spelt my name wrong, but I will let you off!).

Keep Smiling and playing the music.

Regards Stewart

[Deleted]

Dave:
Pity you couldn't get in - the guitar was great (the driver was pretty good too!)

Michael:
Great gig!
You asked several times if the sound was OK - it was actually pretty good - far better than you often get in a small venue like that, particularly as there is no volume control on the drum kit (it was many times better than at Wembley Arena for BB King & Gary Moore the other week!!). That little amp of yours is great!
Ed's sounded good as well - what amp is that, I couldn't see from where I was?
Also very impressed with Louie - I think live you realise how clever he is compared to a studio recording when those sounds can get "lost" as production/mixing effects.
Again, a great night - thanks.

Clive.

[Michael Messer]

Hi Stewart,

Hey, great to hear from you and thanks for coming. I reckon you have been coming to my gigs since the late 80s, but you would know better than me! Apologies for spelling your name wrong. It can be pretty confusing after a gig.....trying to spell my own name, let alone everyone else's!

That is a great story about the people sitting next to you. Thanks for telling me. Without the Internet & this forum we would not be able to communicate in this way and I would never have heard that story.

Thanks Stewart, your kind words are much appreciated and it is always a pleasure to see you at gigs.

Best wishes & Shine On,
Michael.

[Michael Messer]

Hi Clive,

Thanks to you and your wife for coming last night. Your kind words are very much appreciated. The good sound was because we didn't mic up either of the guitar amps or the drums. The only things going through the PA system were my voice and the turntable. What you heard is exactly what we heard, rather than a sound-engineer's version of what he/she thinks it should sound like.

My amp is the one made for me by Amp Doctor John in Maidenhead. It is a wonderful little machine and amazingly it is only 6 watts of power. Ed was playing through my late 1950s National Sportsman amp, which has an output of 12 watts.

I am glad you enjoyed watching Louie play with the band. On a recording the fact that he does it all without a computer or a net, doesn't come across. But seeing him do it live is a different thing. He is a very skilled musician and playing the turntable is as skilled as playing a proper musical instrument. In fact I believe the Royal Academy of Music now agree and accept that a turntable is a real musical instrument. I think what suprizes people when they hear us (especially people of our generation), is that they don't think they are going to like what Louie does, but in fact they love it. Most times when we hear turntables it is in rap and hip-hop music, which is not really our thing. In addition to that I will say that it is not just the instrument, it is Louie and his musical skill and understanding of blues and our music.

Thanks Clive,

Shine On,
Michael

[Deleted]

Hi All - newcomer to site, so struggling with whole paging issue. Dontcha love technology. Anyway, could be a long post so here goes.

First off - what a forum. I get referred to as a lad. Now without giving away too much, Dennis the peasant in Monty Python and the Holy Grail is the same age as me, so that made my day - or would have if that hadn't already been done by a TERRIFIC gig the night before.

All sorts of things going right and wrong - fixing a babysitter at the last moment, first time out with wife for ages, the couple coming with us having to drop out, selling one of the spares to a guy at the entrance, and the management gladly taking the other - with the result that we missed being able to help Dave King to whom, as a currently ex gearhead, I would gladly have GIVEN the spare - then inside and a great atmosphere and a compliment from Mr Messer himself on my shirt and hey - all the things you'd NEVER get at some sixty quid a pop gig at Wembley.

And then the performance itself. Top rate. Ecstatic to witness such musicianship from eight feet away.

Great band - many plaudits already posted are for Louie the DJ (who was great) but hats off to everyone up there - particularly the fine improv on rythm when the string went, but everyone sounded great.

Michael himself was terrific. I can't judge his performance against his usual style: it was my first time - but I gotta say, I thought it was electric. Slide guitar doesn't really feature much in English Rock/R&B/HM, and it isn't really a folk sound either, so how astounding to hear it - as (insert deity here) intended - as a BLUES instrument, both driving and underpinning a genuine, bona fide Blues sound. Fabulous technique, genuine virtuosity - but those things don't mean anything if they don't work next to soul/mojo/ call it what you will.

Truly - an exceptional gig. And defintiely I'll be back. Two- and-a-half yr old kids don't mix with seeing bands, but any time MM plays this way again I'm going to bust a gut to see the show. The night before last really was THAT good.

Thanks for a great evening

Dave

PS I said it'd be a long post. I'd just like to comment on the sound generally, and the amp in particular. Fascinating to read Michael saying that the excellent sound was partly due to the two main amps not being DI'd through the sound system. Yo'd normally associate that sort of freedom with Marshall stacks, not a little 6 watter! And what an amp. Honestly. During Robert Johnson 's Wake (hope that's the right title) it seemed to hit that sweetest of sweet spots where a driven amp just touches break-up, then stays there. Astounding. I'm gonna have to sell my Boogie and get on the line to Maidenhead ....

[Michael Messer]

Hi Dave,

Welcome to our forum. Did I meet you on Thursday at South Street?

Shine On,
Michael.

[harry]

hey michael, i was dragged along thursday with my dad but turned out i had a great time and your gig was brilliant. i took some snaps for my photography course... hope you dont mind haha . Its a project titled 'text and image' and just wondered if i could include any of your favourite lyrics in my pictures?
many thanks, x

[Michael Messer]

Hi Harry,

Thanks! I am glad you enjoyed the band. Your Dad was right to bring you along! You are welcome to use lyrics from the songs as captions for your photos. I am honoured to be included in your photography course...thank you. Wherever you use a lyric I would like you to credit the writer of that lyric please. How do you want to do this....do you know the lyrics of the songs, or do you need my help? If so.....put the photos (as 72dpi 400 pixel width) on this forum and we can work out which song and a good line to fit the photo.

My brother, Alan Messer, was also photographing us at the gig in Reading. He was the one who joined in on the bass drum in Robert Johnson's Wake. Alan lives in the USA and has been a professional music-biz photographer/film-maker/designer for 35 years. You should check his work out at... www.alanmesser.com - I am sure he too would be interested to se your shots from the Reading gig.

I look forward to seeing your photos.

Keep in touch,
Shine On,
Michael.