Author: mister ebby

Silly Stories, part 6: A Story For Someone: Fiachra The Snake

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these silly stories. In case you’re newish to the blog, they’re just nonsense that I do to amuse myself and started to put up online after a friend asked me to write him a story, so I wrote him the first of this set, and then keep adding to them when something suitably ridiculous comes into my head.

They make me laugh, and that’s why I do them. This one was inspired by a sliver of cheese that looked like a snake, so we called it Fiachra. Obviously you’ll be totally jealous of my awesome rhyming skills. I’m a poet.

____________

Fiachra the snake,
really wanted to bake,
so he could whip up the tastiest food,

Recipes in his head,
for cakes and for bread,
and desserts that seemed so good.

but Fiachra would never get further,
than getting ingredients together,
as he had no arms.

Part 6 of an irregular series.

I’ve a bunch of gigs in July

mister ebby performing at the programme launch of the 1st Galway Fringe

I’ve a few shows coming up here in Galway in the next month if you find yourself in this part of the world.

If you’re here for the Volvo Ocean race, I’m playing a gig on the 6th of July in the live venue upstairs in Kelly’s with some other acts, as a part of the Colours festival which is running at the same time as the Ocean Race festival. I’m looking forward to sharing a stage with Willow Sea, Matteo Priante, and Michael O’Connor.

The Galway Fringe festival had its inaugural programme launch last Friday, which I was very pleased to have been asked to perform at. The festival itself runs alongside the Galway Arts festival from the 12th to the 30th of July. I have a solo show in the Fringe programme, which has been moved to Saturday the 21st of July in Rouge at 3pm, instead of the 22nd as I’d previously posted. There’s a small discrepancy between the printed programme and the programme on the website at the moment, but that’ll be sorted pretty soon.

Unfortunately, the date change means some of the string players I’d hoped to use are no longer available, but I will work something out, and the show will go ahead as planned regardless. I’m quite looking forward to playing the grand piano in Rouge, to be honest. So often I’m playing my live gigs standing behind my trusty Roland stage piano, but this gig will be a lot different from my usual gigs as I get to really be much more expressive with a proper acoustic piano. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s free! Come along. [facebook event]

The wonderful Off Beaten Path dancers have their own show running for three days from the 25th of July also as part of the Fringe festival. They’re presenting two dance pieces, one of which uses my song Codail Sámh, and I will be doing some additional music as part of their show too, but the main focus are their two dance pieces. I’m quite excited to see their work, as I was lucky enough to sit in one some of their rehearsals, and it looks like it’ll be a really beautiful piece. Their other piece is using a track by The Chromatics, which will be a great contrast to the piece using my music. Definitely a show to try and catch, and their show is free too!

If you’re not going to be in Galway during July (honestly though, where else would you be but here for this month? Galway is amazing in July) then keep an eye out for other gigs around the country later in the year. If you don’t catch the dance show, we will be shooting a video of the dance piece itself, so you’ll be able to see their work in a slightly different format, but it will be even more thrilling to see in person.

Willow Sea

Matteo

Gigs: Flirt Loves:Live Music & Fringe Festival Launch

Flirt FM - Love:Live Music

I’m on FlirtFM radio here in about 2 and a half hours (17:30 Irish time) as part of the Love:Live Music day here in Ireland.

You can listen in live online if you like: FlirtFM Listen Live.

Then tomorrow at 6pm in Kelly’s Bar, Bridge st is the launch of the Galway Fringe festival, and I’ll one of the many acts doing a little performace at it, showcasing some of the events that’ll be taking place over the course of the Fringe here in Galway next month. They’re also running a Fundit campaign to help cover some of the organising costs in putting on the Fringe, which is worth taking a look at.

Cds being sent out to funders.


(photo by Jenny of her copy of the album)

A big batch of the CDs were sent earlier this week, so hopefully those of you who pledged for a reward that included a copy of the physical album who have also sent me your addresses, will start to find the album in your post boxes!

If you’ve not already sent me your address, you’ll probably find an email from me detailing how to send it to me, but just in case, you can email me at ebby@misterebby.com with your postal address if you’re one of the few who’ve not gotten around to it yet. But don’t worry – I’ll probably contact you directly about it if I’m down to just a handful of people left still needing their copy to be sent out.

In case you missed it, you can see a little behind the scenes video about how the covers for the funders handmade edition were screen printed.

Things have been much slower than anticipated, but hopefully the final result will be worth it in the end. Do let me know when you get your copy by leaving a message on the facebook page, or tweet me, or posting a reply on this post. I like knowing that the cds arrived safe and sound. I’ve grown quite attached to the handmade versions after all the time and work that went into them.

88 is a magic number

88 folded and waiting.

88 handmade covers specially for the fundit funders finally finished tonight. In the morning they’ll be double checked for flaws or disasters, then editioned and signed and I’ll start putting together the packages to be posted out to funders very soon. There’s a bunch of you who’ve not contacted me with an email address. You’ll be getting an email reminder, and you’ll be getting yours later than everyone else because I can’t post it to you if I don’t have an address to post it to. It would make me sad if the cd didn’t get to its home.

I have a paper cut – of course it was just with the last handful that I managed to get a bad paper cut on my index finger. Damnit. I’m having a glass of wine to celebrate.

I’ve a bunch of shows coming up this summer, but the first two confirmed so far are for two different fringe festivals here in Galway. (apparently we’ve gone from no Fringes to two! Excellent stuff.)

So, July 6th I’ll be playing on the bill with three other male solo performers for an event called “Solitary Men” for the Colours Fringe. I’m very tempted to learn Loudon Wainwright’s “One Man Guy” for that gig, as that would make me chuckle. That will be in the gorgeous upstairs venue in Kelly’s on Bridge St and so far I know that Willow Sea is headlining and Matteo is also performing. I’ve not found out who the last performer is, but I’ll be sure to edit this post when I do. Seems like it’ll be a diverse evening of music, and I’m really looking forward to it. There is a door charge of €3, and it is in a licensed venue, so it’s over 18’s unfortunately.

I’m doing a full solo show for the Galway Fringe on the 22nd at 3pm in Rouge restaurant. They have a grand piano there. I’m pretty darn excited about that fact. It’s also a nice afternoon show that’s open to all ages, and it’s free! They do have pretty delicious wine there too, just saying. It’s the day of the Macnas parade for the Galway Arts Festival, so you should really be in Galway that weekend to experience the height of the summer festival season here.

I’m looking at having some singers with me as well as some string players, and I’m open to people who want to come and play with me on a song or two at that performance. Just get in touch. I’m going to be asking some of my fellow string orchestra members as well as some of the singers I had for the launch. I quite like a crowdsourced bunch of talented folk making the musical experience even richer.

Off Beaten Path producions is the dance company set up by Genevieve Ryan and Katarzyna Voetter, and they’ll be doing three dance shows as part of the Fringe festival too. One of the two pieces they’ll be presenting will be the dance they’ve choreographed to my song Codail Sámh. I’m so excited to see this being performed live, as what I’ve seen of it in workshop form has been so beautiful. We’re looking at incorporating some live music into their show too, but I’ll fill you in on exactly what’s happening closer to the time.

There’s a few other live gigs being organised at the moment too, and as soon as details are confirmed I’ll update on all those plans. As ever, I’m completely open to doing a house concert anywhere there’s a piano or where one can be set up. So, if you’ve ever fancied having an evening of live music in your home for yourself and whoever else you like, then get in touch by email or on twitter, and ask me about it.

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