Getting the kit set up to record Volkswagen
Another day of recording. Gonna start with an acoustic version of Volkswagen
Billboard advert with a bit of user interaction on Deansgate, Manchester
These are by far the coolest things I own. They also irritate the hell out anyone in a mile radius which is also great :)
[video]
Very excited to be going into the studio tomorrow to record a new song called Fairy Lights In Albert Square. It’s about the Christmas markets that come to Manchester at the end of every year. I’ll post the results online soon, along with some studio footag
August has been a bit of a weird month for the old gigging. With all the travelling for the Olympics I was unable to do about 4-5 gigs I got offered. Usually I would never turn down gigs but The Olympics were booked a long time ago! Big apologies have to go to watfor entertainment as I was meant to be doing at least 2 with them. Consequently August felt a bit bare but Looking back I got 6 acoustic gigs in and a couple of covers gigs and played a wedding with my Carjack Mallone pals. All in all it really wasn’t a bad summer. The Facebook likes are starting to shoot up, along with Youtube views. It’s also only a few days til the Liverpool O2 Academy gig supporting DJ sets from The Coral and Rifles. I think that gig will mark the end of a first phase for the band, and hopefully a start of a second phase. We’ve been rehearsing ‘Knitting Club’ songs and playing them live since we started playing together at the beginning of the year. This gig has always been on the horizon and has been something to work towards for motivation to be as tight as a……well you know the phrase. Now I have a new albums worth of material plus a few extras. We also have Gaz Walker, keyboard extraordinaire as a new recruit. I’ve been busting a few new ones out in acoustic gigs but hopefully you’ll be hearing them with the band in the not too distant future.
As is tradition I’ll talk a little about the last couple of shows. Firstly I was in Worcester a week ago today at the street music festival they have going on there. I was lucky enough to get a nice sunny day to play a half hour set on the main pedestrian street. there were all sorts of stalls and performers. Worcester is also a top little city. I’m gonna go back sometime soon. lots of green and old architecture. There was one particular lady that had no concept of personal space while I was doing my vocal warm ups, but that is a minor gripe.
Here’s a pic from inside the cathedral.
I Don’t know who those people are
Two days later I was at The railway in winchester supporting the fantastic Bears Den. On my way down I came face to face with a tank on a country road in Wiltshire which was a little unexpected. The gig went well and was glad to play Subbutteo and Watching Champions for the first time. I kind of screwed up the mid section of subbutteo though but you can’t have everything. 
Bears Den in a very smeary sound check
As always have a look if there’s any upcoming gigs near you. If you want tickets or info then feel free to send me a message on Facebook or Twitter.
http://www.facebook.com/jacktrainermusic
http://www.twitter.com/j_trainer_1
Also the competition for tickets to the gig on thursday, music and a woolly hat is open for just a few more hours at http://wwwprmte.me/jacktrainer
Good Luck!
….If you like the music please head to my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/jacktrainermusic
Hi. Did everyone enjoy the Olympics? I just thought that I’d post a few Olympic pics up.
Here’s the weird red tower thing
The Olympic Stadium. The old couple at the front can’t seem to find it. It’s behind you!!!
Another weird red thing, made out of doors I think. Don’t know what’s inside cos the queue was way too big.
The Copperbox for the handball. It got busier by the way!
Wembley for the womens football final.
The Aquatics Center for diving…No slash GOOD…splash BAD!…also got busier, I’m just prompt.
This wasn’t at the Olympics but it should have been if you ask me!
The strange thing is that the one at the back is the real dog!
New gigs include Worcester Music festival on 26th August. I’ll be at the Cathedral Plaza Stage at 1.45pm.
Also Oxjam Steel City Takeover in Sheffield on 14th October. More info on that will come nearer the time.
Have a good Friday and weekend. Remember to enter the competition for tickets to Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds aftershow party in Liverpool on 6th September. The night includes a set from me and DJ sets from the Coral and Rifles. Also available in the competition is a copy of ‘Knitting Club Every Monday Night’, an acoustic recording of your choice and a wooly hat!
Enter at http://www.prmte.me/jacktrainer
http://www.facebook.com/jacktrainermusic
Some good and bad news. I’ll start with the good….I’ll be playing at Worcester Music Festival and 26th August. I’m gonna be on the Cathedral Plaza stage at 13.45 pm. Maybe afterwards I’ll do a bit of busking as well. However, unfortunately, Windystock in Macclesfield has had to be cancelled this year due to the wet summer we’ve had. Apparently the aim is not to kill all of us by water getting into the electrics so it’s probably for the best.
If you’d like to find out more about Worcester Music Festival then you can at http://www.worcestermusicfestival.co.uk
http://www.facebook.com/jacktrainermusic
http://www.prmte.me/jacktrainer
It’s been a great couple of weeks for the country with Team GBs continuing successes. I was lucky enough to go watch the olympic handball last week. I’m also tagging along with my sister to the womens’ football final and with my girlfriend to the diving (built men in tight pants, I can see where her enthusiasm came from). Amazingly London was easier to get around than normal and there was a great atmosphere around the place as so many people are wearing their countries colours and in general high spirits.
The music has almost felt like it’s taken a back seat as I’m turning on the TV first thing when I get a chance and travelling to and from London. However I’ve had 3 gigs since the olympics started in Edinburgh, Winchester and Congleton. Its almost a bit of a blur, however they were 3 top nights. I’m starting to integrate more new songs into the set. However I only do this with the longer sets like at Whistlebinkies in Edinburgh. Captain Planet and Fairy Lights In Albert Square got great reactions. Even had a couple of people singing along to Captain Planet by the last chorus which was great to see. As usual Edinburgh supplied a good night as I met a guy called Cecil who talked about the old music scene in Manchester and a group of German students who talked footie. Apparently kagawara is a top signing. Better than Hazard hahaha (slightly evil laugh).
In Congleton I once again played with the fantastic Robin Pierce band http://www.facebook.com/therpb . I threw in a couple of covers as it was a fund raising do Jessie J and GAGA (the indie gods must hate me!). There was alcohol galore and the olympics on next door…..that wasn’t meant to rhyme.
And last but not least I played at The Railway in Winchester a couple of days ago. I got the gig through a bloke on twitter so I really didn’t know what to expect. It turned out to be a cool venue with a really chilled acoustic stage with a great atmosphere. I also took the opportunity to see stone henge while I was down there. Me and Sarah stayed with a friend of my mums who couldn’t believe that we paid 7 quid to see a load of stones haha. I thought it was good though, especially when you think about how they were brought from wales at a time when fire was about the hight of technology. I saw one tourist that wasn’t impressed though. She was sat with her back to the stones playing piano on her iphone haha.
Thanks to all the audiences of the past week or so, the venues for having me and to andy for making us a cooked breakfast :).
Remember to enter in the competition at http://www.prmte.me/jacktrainer and please share this and the facebookpage with your friends http://www.facebook.com/jacktrainermusic
Me in Winchester …… where I seem to have my own radio station…
The copperbox at the Olympic park
Hey Guys,
I am launching a brand new competition today to win a copy of my album, a woolly hat, 2 tickets to the Noel Gallagher & His High Flying Birds aftershow party in Liverpool and a special acoustic version of any album track of your choice. All you have to do to enter is click here:
http://www.prmte.me/jacktrainer
or go to
http://www.facebook.com/jacktrainermusic and click on the competition tab.
Good Luck!
My Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/jacktrainermusic
Please remember to like it and share it with your friends.
It’s been a couple of weeks since my last post. Been trying to find the time to post about what I’ve been up to but other things kept on getting in the way. By other things I’m mainly talking about the mini school tour I’ve been doing recently courtesy of London Calling Management who got me some gigs/workshops at some great schools round the country. The idea was to do a little trial run before booking a bigger one next school year and I now can’t wait for the next one. It was great to work and play music with the kids. I don’t envy the teachers though, I was seriously tired by the end of each day!
What was fantastic was seeing some of the talents the kids had. I was inviting kids to play some songs that they might know or even play some of their own (not being lazy myself or anything but I did coincide it with when I wanted a break haha). I even got a kid, that looked a bit like a younger brother of one direction, asking if I could play Plan B while he rapped over the top (Luckily I remembered the chords from when plan B did the adverts at the cinemas). It was a great performance and really unexpected. If I could remember all the names of the kids that were brave enough to get involved I would, but my memory falls woefully short.
Other gigs of note have been the support slot for Sam Forrest at The Castle Hotel, Manchester. That was a really top night. Sometimes you’re in the zone for a gig, and I was for that one haha. I managed to find enough banter to fill all the irritating moments when my guitar was going out of tune (I snapped a couple of strings in soundcheck and practice). The band before me were a good bunch of lads called The Robin Pierce band. I’m going to be playing with them in Congleton next week as well. You can check them out here http://www.facebook.com/therpb
As always there’s more gigs listed in the live page of the site but here’s a few coming up
Whistle Binkies, Edinburgh - 26th July
Congleton Cricket Club - 3rd August
Railway Live, Winchester - 5th August
Windystock, Macclesfield - 1st September
O2 Academy, Liverpool (Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds Aftershow Party) - 6th September
Tootopia Festival, Tooting, London - 8th September
The Lomax, Liverpool - 6th October
Now here’s me looking smeared…..
Now here’s me looking EVIL!….
Free Reykjavik download available at http://jacktrainer.bandcamp.com/