Hi everyone,

Tonight there’s a free gig at Oddest, Chorlton, featuring John Herring, Kamal Arafa and John Lowndes. The night starts at 8.30 and it’s being put on by With A Little Help, to raise money for the Nordoff-Robins music therapy charity. It’s a completely free gig, but donations are welcome.

On Monday, we have the usual open mic night at Trof in the Northern Quarter, starting from 8pm – just turn up around then if you’d like to play.

And on Tuesday, it’s the brand new open mic at the Bay Horse, beginning 8.30pm — that’s in the downstairs bar.

Tom

Really excited to announce a new open mic every Tuesday at the Bay Horse, Northern Qt, Manchester.

The night will begin at 8.30pm… Three slots each. Just turn up and sign your name up to play. It’s in the area downstairs.

The Bay Horse is an excellent venue for gigs and open mics, so I’m really looking forward to seeing how this night turns out. Hopefully see you there later on this evening!

Really enjoyed doing the radio show on All FM last night with Danny. We managed to fit a lot of tracks in, and we had Manchester legends I Am Kloot playing live in the studio. We chatted to them about touring, their forthcoming album, and, well, lots of other random stuff.

For anybody who’s in the Bristol area tomorrow night, go down to the Prom on Wednesday. NYC-based Lisa Redford has returned to the UK and is doing a mini-tour. She’s on around 9.30pm.

Manchester band Anna Kashfi will be launching their new album, Survival
, at Fuel Cafe Bar in Withington tonight.

It’s a free show, and doors open 7.30/8pm. I’m really looking forward to the gig – it’s been a while since I’ve seen Anna Kashfi playing live, and it will be good to hear tracks from the new album.

The album is available to buy from Amazon.co.uk, or you can listen to and download the album as an MP3.

I enjoyed playing at Art Rumble earlier today. It’s a really nice event at Contact Theatre, Manchester, on the last Saturday of every month – and is worth checking out for Manchester Art and Craft, and live music performances.

Talking of live music — tonight, also at Contact, is the launch of Kirsty McGee & the Hobopop Collective’s new album “Number 5″. The event is completely sold out, but we’ve got tickets and I’ll do a blog post about it after the event.

And another album launch for you this weekend. This time it’s the fantastic Anna Kashfi, launching their album Survival. It’s a free gig (donations welcome), and will take place at Fuel Cafe Bar in Withington tomorrow (Sunday). I’ll be there helping to run things and doing the sound engineering. Come down if you can.

Just a quick one – I’m playing at Contact Theatre, Manchester, 2pm today – as part of their Art Rumble event. It’s a free gig and there are art and craft stalls there too..

Loads more gigs to tell you about – will post another update later today….

Martin Joiner’s been in touch via the blog, to promote a new open mic finder that he’s put together, using info from more regional blogs like mine. It looks pretty good, and allows you to track down open mics in a range of cities. You can also add / suggest new open mics.

Currently it includes open mics in Bristol, Bath, Newquay, Taunton, Leeds, Manchester and loads of others — there’s a bias towards South West towns at the moment but I think it’ll expand more nationally. Useful for bands who are on tour and have a few evenings free!

You can check out his open mic finder here.

Hi everyone

I’m running the Trof Northern Quarter open mic night tonight… sign up is from 8pm, and the whole thing kicks off at 8.30….

Tom

There’s a free charity gig tonight in Altrincham (donations welcome). It features some really good Manchester musicians, and I’ll be playing a few songs there too. Here’s the blurb from the Facebook event page:

Welcome to the free community gig marking 6 months of the Energy Academy, a locally run initiative to help residents in South Trafford live more sustainably and save money to boot!

For your entertainment on this cold and potentially snow-capped night we have secured some of the finest acoustic acts the North-West has to offer. Notably:

Black Jack Barnet
Dan Gallagher
John Condy
Tom Kerswill
Vanessa Lewis
Dan Melrose
The Dandelion Clocks

Plus there will be guerilla conjouring from Mark the Magician to keep you entertained during the breaks.

Not only that, local company SponsorTrees.com will be planting a tree for everyone who attends the event and Energy Academy volunteers will be on-hand to give practical advice on how you can save energy in the home and beyond.

So if you live in the area and want to be entertained for free then get yourself down for some foot-stompin’, toe-tapping and thought-provoking music.

Just heard from Ian and Phil of the Huers, about an open mic that is happening on Sunday 31st January, from 8.30pm, near Up Holland, the other side of Wigan from Manchester. It’s a little bit far from Manchester, but could be a good night out from the city. Here’s the address and contact details:

The Fox Inn
24 Roby Mill
Skelmersdale, WN8 0QF
01695 622 449

You can also vist the Fox Inn website for more info.

Hi! I’m off to Liverpool today, but thought I’d recommend an event that’s happening today at the Dance House theatre in Manchester.

It starts at 4pm, and features some fantasic music acts, as well as a lot of theatre, poetry and other art performances. It takes place across two stages. Including the Dance House’s lovely auditorium. Promises to be a really good event.

Also happening in Manchester tonight are a charity gig at Jam Street – “Little Green”, and a performance by Denis Jones at the Band on the Wall. For other concerts happening, check out Seatwave to get concert tickets online.

Really enjoyed doing the Unsigned Show on Monday. We had some great live sessions from Kristyna Myles and April Maybe May. Here’s the full track listing:

1. Richard Barry – Strolling Along
2. Clare Mooney – Stop the War
3. Caulbearers – Small Spaces
4. Robin Mukherjee – Morning Chorus
5. Hannah Atkins – My Heart is Like a Flower
6. Kristyna Myles – Fooling
7. Kristyna Myles – Just Three Little Words
8. Kristyna Myles – Someone
9. Shimeon – Will in Chains
10. Alexis McLean – Let You Be
11. Aidan Smith – Pockets
12. Kate Sloan – A Romance Unfolding
13. Lorelei Loveridge – Oh, India
14. April Maybe May – Seasalt
15. April Maybe May – White Horses
16. April Maybe May – Fold

Hope everyone’s enjoying the show!

I helped present Danny McTague’s show on All Fm last night. It was great fun (though not qute so fun cycling there in the snow!)… Here’s the playlist. I’m back on air 11pm-1am next Monday (allfm.org):

# April Maybe May – An open book
# Jesca Hoop – Hunting my dress
# Charlotte Martin – Stromata
# Nancy Elizabeth – Corriander
# Robin Mukherjee – Morning Chorus
# Diamond Knights – Destination Diamonds (Once we were diamonds EP)
# Explosions in the Sky – The Birth and Death of the Day
# Nic Chapman – Vasal Song
# Emma Burgess – Massachusetts
# Explosions in the Sky – Jesu Mix (14)
# The Huers – In My Dream
# Neko Case – Star Witness
# Jesca Hoop – Murder of Birds
# Alexis McClean – Ride On (Christie Moore)
# Alexis McClean – Make it Snow
# Alexis McClean – Summer rain
# Alexis McClean – Only You (Yazu)
# Delta Wade – Any way I want to
# Denis Jones – Paper
# Delta Maid – Any way I want to

Really enjoyed beinig a guest on Vicky Richardson’s Night Moves show last Tuesday. It was great fun playing on the show, and also hearing all the other tracks she played.

You can catch Vicky’s show every Tuesay night (Wednesday morning) 1am-3am. Here is the playlist:

STEVE FORBERT
Romeos Tune(1979)
JUKEBOX EXPLOSION LP
RONCO 1979

INXS
Elegantly Wasted(1997)
NUMBER 1 DRIVE ALBUM CD
POLYGRAM 1997

THE KINKS
I Wish I Could Fly Like Superman
JUKEBOX EXPLOSION LP
RONCO 1979

TOM KERSWILL LIVE IN SESSION
Wash Away
LIVE SESSION TRACK
ALL FM 2009

TOM KERSWILL LIVE IN SESSION
Flowers Fevers And Dreams
LIVE SESSION TRACK
ALL FM 2009

TOM KERSWILL LIVE IN SESSION
Sometimes These Words
LIVE SESSION TRACK
ALL FM 2009

BEN FOLDS
Landed
YOUTUBE TRACK
YOUTUBE 2007

SERGIO MENDES AND BRASIL 66
*(HERES 1 I MADE EARLIER)
Scarborough Fair(1969)
NAUGHTY BUT NICE CD
FAMILY 2005

SIMON AND GARFUNKEL (HERES ! I MADE EARLIER)
Scarborough Fair/Canticle(1966)
SIMON AND GARFUNKEL COLLECTION
CBS 1980

LEDDRA CHAPMAN(MYSPACE SPOTLIGHT)
Story
TELLING TALES CD
MYSPACE 2009

WALTER EGAN
Magnet And Steel(1979)
STARTIME LP
RONCO 1979

TOM PETTY
Free Falling(1989)
THROUGH THE YEARS – ANTHOLOGY CD
MCA 2000

THE LEVELLERS
Pour
GREEN BLADE RISING CD
HAG 2002

TOM KERSWILL LIVE IN SESSION
Gravity
LIVE STUDIO TRACK
ALL FM 2009

NANCY ELIZABETH
Coriander
BATTLE AND VICTORY CD
THE LEAF LABEL 2007

TOM KERSWILL LIVE IN SESSION
My Minds Eye
LIVE SESSION TRACK
ALL FM 2009

GIGOLO AUNTS
Where I Find My Heaven(1995)
NUMBER 1 DRIVE ALBUM CD
POLYGRAM 1997

GIN BLOSSOMS
Hey Jealousy(1993)
NUMBER 1 DRIVE ALBUM CD
POLYGRAM 1997

AMERICA
Ventura Highway(1972)
NAUGHTY BUT NICE CD
FAMILY 2005

PETER SKELLERN
You’re A Lady(1972)
NUMBER 1 DRIVE ALBUM CD
POLYGRAM 1997

Just heard from Carl Stephens, who runs acoustic Sundays at Nexus Art Cafe, Dale Street, Manchester.

Acoustic Sundays are taking a break for Christmas, but will be back on Sunday, 10th January 2010. The music starts at 2.30pm.

The sessions are open to any musicians who want to play – and to get a slot, you just have to get in touch with him and book one:

http://envirosonic.blogspot.com
http://myspace.com/acousticsundaysatnexus

Carl says: “Thanks to everyone who has played Acoustic Sundays this past year. It has been geat to hear so many fantastic acts every month and I hope this will continue throughout the new year.”

I’m on Vicki Richardson’s Night Moves show from 1am-3am this morning. I’ll be playing a few of my tracks, chatting, and hopefully playing live, although I managed to drop a PA system on my finger the other day, so not 100% sure about that.

So, yup – on air in 10 minutes’ time. You can listen online at allfm.org…. or on 96.9 FM near Manchester, UK!

Tom

Tony and the guys at the Urmston open mic / jam night, have mailed to say that the next open mic will take the form of a special “Recording Guitars” workshop — that’s at their next meeting on 15th December 09.

The organisers say:

We will bring both hardware and computer based recording systems, and give a tutorial covering the basics of multi-tracking with particular emphasis (of course) on recording acoustic guitars followed by a Q&A session. Let me know in advance if you have specific questions

I also hope to invite the local Roland/Boss Hi-Tec demonstrator Mark Hassall to bring some demo kit along (an hopefully do a feature spot with his current band “John The Dancer”) to illustrate what is available to suit a range of budgets (or that last minute Christmas present request?).

Anybody who wants to go along, can get in contact with them via their website.

I’ve not been to the night myself yet, but I’ve heard it’s pretty good..

I’m currently waiting in a van, helping my brother move house… so just time for a very quick blog update. First thanks to everyone who came to Kro on Friday – it was a really good night, with excellent sets by Jon Gomm, I Am Three, Laienda, The Woe Betides and Lisa-Marie Glover. Was good to be involved with promoting a night again.

It’s the Bar One open mic tonight. As always, pints are two quid all night. Ollie will be running things this time. It runs from 8.30pm till late every Sunday.

Note (20th Jan 2010) Bar One has now closed down, sadly — check elsewhere on the site for other Manchester open mic nights

And I’ll be running the open mic at Trof Northern Quarter tomorrow night (Monday)…

See you soon,

Tom

Thanks to everyone who came to the Acoustic Eclectic gig in Stalybridge last night. Had a really, really good time. It’s a lovely atmosphere there, and a good place to play.

There was also an open mic session beforehand – players included Robin Mukherjee, Ed Turner, Jon Orpheus and Tony Ward.

On the subject of open mics in Lancashire, the Greater Manchester area, and further afield, I’ve just spotted an open mic in Todmorden, on Thursdays. It’s at a venue called Jack’s House. They’ve messaged me to say they’ve got new equipment, and will now record your performance for free. Slots are 15-20 minutes long. Might be worth checking out. Their next is tonight (Thursday 26th), from 8.30pm till 12am.

And, closer to Manchester, I’m now running an open mic at Bar One in Withington each Sunday. Last week’s was especially good, with a big turn out and a set from Nic Chapman (Hebden Bridge)…

And of course there’s the Trof NQ open mic in Manchester city centre each Monday.

Finally – don’t forget that Jon Gomm is playing this Friday, 27th November at Kro Bar. Also on the bill are Laienda (Bristol) and the Woe Betides (London / Birmingham). £4 in. It’s going to be a great night – can’t wait.

Acoustic Eclectic with Tom Kerswill - Wed 25th Nov

Acoustic Eclectic is a lovely acoustic night at the Q-Inn in Stalybridge. I’m playing there tomorrow evening (Wednesday, 25th November). It’s a free night (donations welcomed). There’s an open mic beforehand, and I’d really recommend it as a place to play. Lovely friendly, audience, nice beers – a good night!

You can add yourself to the Facebook event or head over to the acoustic eclectic myspace page.