History
Since 2008
Started to do conference events including presentations.
I am currently doing a lot more of these and have built up a quality AV system to compliment my PA.
Also most years I have done a rural tour with the Italian band Spaghetti Swing. Fun music and theatricals, including cooking live on stage!
From 2009
Provided PA for announcements (The actual music is acoustic) and pre concert talks for the prestigious Bath Mozart Festival.
April 2008 to June 2016
I regularly worked for an established PA company, Intasound, as ‘system tech’ for Elkie Brooks. This involved loading the PA near Worcester, taking it to the venue, setting up as the band specifically required and ensuring everything worked smoothly during the show. I was then responsible for packing up and returning the equipment. I did about 146 concerts in all
Around 2005
I worked at several concerts for d+b Audio UK, based in Nailsworth including Nailstock (Nailsworth’s own festival) a one-off concert for the legendary Brazilian percussionist Airto Moriera and the Anniversary of Real World (Peter Gabriel’s studio & where WOMAD is based).
From 2005
I am a sound engineer for the Bath Literature Festival. I am also involved in doing some events for the Bath International Music Festival and the Mozart Festival. This involves both engineering and supplying equipment and working in acoustically challenging environments.
April 2004 – 2012
I was the sound engineer for Seckou Keita SKQ, an international quintet playing music based on Senegalese Mbalax style music. We toured the UK a number of times and played in Spain, Australia, NZ, Japan, South Korea, Europe, Singapore, Senegal, Gambia, Tanzania, Zanzibar and the US among others. Tours have included several WOMAD festivals. I made a 3 minute video from footage shot on tour which was featured on Yahoo’s homepage
April 2004 – 2012
I was the sound engineer for Seckou Keita SKQ, an international quintet playing music based on Senegalese Mbalax style music. We toured the UK a number of times and played in Spain, Australia, NZ, Japan, South Korea, Europe, Singapore, Senegal, Gambia, Tanzania, Zanzibar and the US among others. Tours have included several WOMAD festivals. I made a 3 minute video from footage shot on tour which was featured on Yahoo’s homepage
May 2003
Did my first tour (in the UK) as a sound engineer with Jalikunda, a 12 piece band from Senegal. I liased with venues and promotors as the band were technically demanding. I supplied equipment for rehearsals and any extras needed in order to ensure a professional standard throughout.
2002 – 2004
I supplied & operated the PA for a small stage for the Frome Festival, The Festival Club. This involved 10 consecutive days of varied acoustic / world music.
Jun 1999 - Dec 2000
I played bass guitar (and supplied the PA) for a successful 7 – 8 piece Soul / Party band called Mister Blue. We played various venues in the UK for corporate events and weddings mostly. I recorded a demo CD with my own equipment.
Sept 1998
I completed my first overseas sound engineering job. I went to Sao Paulo, Brazil for 6 days with Baka Beyond, an international 8 piece Afro-Celt band. I have since toured with them a number of times, mostly in the UK, including gigs at the Jazz Café in London. In April and May 2006, 7 of the Baka tribe from the SE Cameroon rain forest played with Baka Beyond on a tour for which I was the sound engineer. It was the first time they had been outside the rain forest and was an amazing experience to be with them. I still work with Baka Beyond today.
Nov 1997 - Aug 2003
I started up a 7 piece 70s disco funk covers band called Studio 54, in which I played Bass guitar, arranged rehearsals and organised gigs. We dressed up in outrageous glittery costumes and did classic disco funk songs such as Disco Inferno, We are Family and September. Gigs included The University of Westminster Christmas Ball, weddings and local festivals. I recorded 2 demo CDs with my own equipment and made a video, which was filmed during 3 gigs. I used the skills I had learnt during my video production course at college when I was 17 to produce and edit this piece using Adobe Premier 6 on the PC I had built myself specifically for video and sound editing.
Jun 1997 - Aug 1999
I provided a complete disco for kids, including sound system and lights with myself as a DJ. This started after I did a disco for my niece’s 13th birthday and some parents asked me to DJ for their children’s party. It was a good sideline but towards the end I was getting more sound engineering work so I stopped the kids disco.
April 1996
I started trading as Livewire and began working freelance at the Gloucester Guildhall regularly again for all their band nights. In 1997 I was hired as a consultant to upgrade their PA after a £20k lottery grant. I started to build my own PA system again.
April 1991 – today
I have been the in-house sound engineer for a highly regarded regional venue, the Gloucester Guildhall responsible for hundreds of gigs and working with a wide variety of bands including Supergrass, Roger Taylor from Queen, Muse, The Blockheads and Catatonia. I have also worked at several International Blues Festivals held at the Guildhall featuring top Blues acts from places like Chicago and New Orleans..
Jan 1990 - August 1992
I bought my first PA system and started trading as The Bath PA Company, working with several bands on a regular basis across the South West. I continued to upgrade my equipment.