New Website

Hi Guys - yes! I know it's been ages.

I've been umming and ahhing about getting a new website, blogger is getting old & support for it is gradually disappearing.

I shall keep updating here periodically, but I'm mostly found on Twitter these days, come and find me @saxylizbeth

When I've decided which platform to put my new site on, and then figured out how to build it - I shall redirect you there, in the meantime - enjoy the music, vids & if you can get along to the gigs - come and say hi!

Lx

Two album launches in Two weeks!

Afternoon All

Plenty happening over on the Discography page, with two albums I've recorded brass on being released this month.

First up is Big 10 with 'Smashed it!' - the first live album in a few years, and it's sounding marvellous. With something for everyone, with Specials, Madness, Bad Manners & even Dexys Midnight Runners getting a look in.

Our launch gig is 9th May in Cambridge, at The Med. Some tickets are still available from the pub on 01223 240808

The following Friday is the release of 'To The Moon' by Popes of Chillitown. This is a fantastic London Ska punk band that I was a member of for several years & depped on brass for several more. I was pleased to be asked to return to record this their 2nd album - and it's an absolute powerhouse of sound.

Check out the promo video for the album, featuring the song 'Wisdom Teeth'



The launch gig is in Islington at The Garage - tickets here :)

See you down the front?

Lx

Happy New Year!!

I hope you had a fantastic new year, and are ready to face 2014.

I am.

Probably.

I don't normally go for new year resolutions - but given how often I blogged in 2012 to how often I didn't blog in 2013 - I am determined to post more this year. If I don't you can spam me with a link of this page to remind me of my blogging fail. 

I shall be updating the video and audio pages over the next few days, with new recordings and footage from the last year, and as always keep you updated as to where I'm gigging round and about. 

I'll also be blogging about musical issues that catch my eye, bands I like, bands I don't like, amazing gigs, not amazing gigs and of course the compositional headmasher that is February Album Writing Month

I'm also on twitter @saxylizbeth - which I update far more often than I should, but it's a good way of keeping up with all the news!

Keep in touch and do leave comments, criticisms, recipes, whatever. 

Lets have a good one.

Lx

Busy busy busy

So, as you've probably noticed it's been ages since I've updated my blog.

Sorry.

So, here, in short, is the last 6 weeks. 

BOOMTOWN - Fantastic vibe, great crowd, but shocking organisation. Getting in, gear storage, gear transport, clueless stewards - bloody nightmare. Right from opening the festival on Friday to speaking to the headliners on Sunday - nothing but problems for the bands. I had a great time with the PoC crew, but really, Boomtown. Must. Do. Better. 

BAD MANNERS - It wasn't just a one off. I've been back since. Here's some video from the gig at Reading.

HERTFORDSHIRE - I've gigged there twice in the last month, some good dep gigs. Check out The Iconics & Special Kinda Madness

BIRTHDAY - Yep. Got older. Here's a review of the gig I went to see to celebrate my marching ever onwards into my 30's. 

XMAS - My gig calendar is now booked solid for Xmas, there's a lot of ska coming your way. Keep an eye on the Big 10 Facebook page.

GLASTO HEADLINERS - Are booked, and are people who haven't headlined before. This rules out Mr Bowie. So for the first time in a long time I don't think I'll be heading to Glasto next year. No Bowie - No Showie.

Term has started now so I'll be typing a lot more in general, so expect more updates of ska and music type stuff over the next few weeks 

Laters 

lx

Sorry sorry sorry....

I've just noticed it's been 3 months since I blogged - and such a lot has happened. So many gigs, such a lot of ska, and a sad farewell.

Lets get the sad bit out of the way first. I was called up as Emergency Pope with Popes of Chillitown in May to celebrate Ginglik's 11th Birthday Party. Ginglik as you know is one of the best venues in London, certainly the best in West London. A basement club built in an old public toilet, I've played some great gigs there with PoC, VTQ and Ruth Theodore.

I'm sad to say though, that Ginglik is no more. The club was sold and dropped it's last beats on 15th June, and I shall miss it terribly. Here's PoC first video, shot in that wonderful club a few years back.

Anyhoo...on to happier things.

This month I joined the very small club of 'Ska Birds Who've Performed on stage with Bad Manners'

An honour, a privilege and a workout - is how I can best describe the experience. I know a lot of the Bad Manners set from work with Big 10 & Ska Wars, and it was a great buzz with lots of energy from the band and the crowd. I know as a girl I was probably a last resort - but I'm quite sure I impressed the man himself - fingers crossed for another booking.

Here are some pics from the gig at Clapham Grand - in my PoC tshirt!

I promise I'll update more from now on. Mostly ska, ska, sax and ska. I've got some thoughts on the imminent Glastonbury Festival - I'll post before I'll leave for Pilton next Tuesday.

Skank on.

x

Hey you...

...don't read that. Reeeeeeeead this.

It's time for the first Big 10 gig of the year.

We'll be performing at The Junction Cambridge on 8th February with Subculture and Walkway. It's going to be a special night, as veteran of the Cambridge music scene Colin Hazel is celebrating 70 years of drinking, dancing and general tomfoolery. Of course he wants you all along to celebrate.

Tickets are available from the Junction website, along with details of times and ting.

We love playing the Junction - check out footage of us from last year when we supported Selecter.

See you down the front? Yes? Good.

Ska Festival - Next Week!

The Dublin Castle, birthplace of ska legends Madness, and as of next week, home of the Dublin Castle Ska Fest!

The month long event sees the DubCastle host The Kubricks, The Mistakes, The Stiff Joints, my beloved Big 10, Tootenskamen and Specials main man Roddy Radiation.

I'll be playing this Saturday 24th November Big 10 will take over the pub, playing two full sets of the best of Jamaican & London Ska. Doors are 8pm.

In the meantime here's a clip of Big 10 performing the Madness classic 'My Girl'

See you there :)

Voodoo Trombone Quartet on Sine FM

So as mentioned in an earlier blog, I had an interview with Jon Kelly of Sine FM this week, for all things VTQ, ska, music and Doncaster :)

If you want to hear more, the show goes out on Friday 3rd August at 10pm, and it will be available from the Sine FM website as a podcast at the weekend.

I'll be picking it up by podcast myself as I'll be kicking it with Big 10 at a gig on Friday, but I'd love to know what you thought.

Apart from 'Isn't she squeaky?'

Friday 10pm. Sine FM. M'kay?

Best Gig Ever!

And it's not even happened yet. It will be tomorrow.
I haven't developed psychic powers, but I know that two of the best ska bands I've ever seen will be appearing on the same bill tomorrow night at the O2 in Islington.

The Slackers - New York ska with a hint of old school Rock 'n' Roll. Amazing brass, amazing songs, and a curiously engaging keys front man.

Here they are with 'I'll Stay Away'

Supporting them are the New Town Kings, from much closer to home...Essex. These guys have been with Big 10 on the bill at The Junction recently, supporting touring ska revivalists The Beat and The Selector. Picking up fans wherever they gig, NTK have very strong songs that you simply have to dance to. You don't get a choice, those beats mean not skanking is not an option.

Here they are with 'Dynamite' from their latest album 'M.O.J.O'

There are still tickets available so don't miss this chance to dance.

lx

More New Stuff...

...you lucky people!

This is it for a while though, until I make a decision about building a shinier cleverer website in wordpress.

I've added a new audio clip to www.skasaxophone.co.uk especially for all you Madness fans. There are a bunch of new shots on the Images page, from my recent shoot with AWE Photograpy. Thank you Kevin, they look splendid.

Enjoy!

x

New Stuff

I'm taking advantage of this extra day in February to get a bucket load of new stuff uploaded. I've added a new clip of 'One Step Beyond' to my video page, and I'll be adding an mp3 of 'My Girl' this week too.

I've also had the photoshoot results through from AWE Photography and they look fab. Live shots and portfolio, I'll upload them on here once I've figured out the best widget way of doing it. I'm thinking Flickr, but if you can think of other (better) ways, do drop me a line on twitter @saxylizbeth.

So, off to the video page with you. Prepare to skank!

Lizbeth

New Saxy Ska Audio Clips

I love half term, it gives me the time to do fun things like adding lots of new audio to my website.

Check out the new clips from my recent gig with Big 10 at The Junction, Cambridge. Our set included lots of Madness and The Specials, but the Bad Manners songs always have an extra energy.

Click on the page Ska Saxophonist available, or via www.skasaxophone.co.uk. I've put a selection on my audio page on the main site too.

Do leave comments if you like them, or even if you don't! You can tweet me on @saxylizbeth too.

Enjoy!

I made 500 people smile on Friday night...

...by doing this.

Enjoy x

Princess Limiter - A Ska Wars Adventure

In my quest to become the most sought after Tenor Sax ska dep in the country, I did my first dep gig with Ska Wars this weekend. A good bunch of mostly Northern lads, the set included such standards as Fatty Fatty, Nightboat to Cairo and Baggy Trousers, as well as the rarer Shame and Scandal. In another life (dressed as the undead) I gigged with their guitarist in the Texas Chainsaw Orchestra, but now it was out with the camp and on with the ska.

The crowd loved it, the venue did not. It seems we'd triggered a rather over zealous limiter before we'd even finished soundchecking, and by the end of 'Little Bitch' something had to give. We finished the gig with no brass mics, kick mic, or even monitors. Amps on 0.11 rather than 11, and only vox and keys through the front. Not ideal, having to hold back like that, but the audience enjoyed it, and no one had a hernia. No harm done.

I'll be depping with them again at The Nook in Holmfirth, on 29th October 2011. This is apparently a legendary Halloween gig, and it looks like I'll be dressed as the undead once again. Funny how things come back around.

Mod It.

Last night I went to a great club night at The Cow in Cambridge, hosted by The Alley Club. Ska'N'B is 6 hours of Jamaican Ska, Blue Beat and Northern Soul floorfillers, and not a duff track played all night. All the tracks played are on original 7 inch vinyl, the whole night is a real labour of love. Its held bi-monthly and only £5 to get in. So I'll see you at the next one, yes?

In gig news, Popes of Chillitown are playing Notting Hill Arts club on Tuesday night. Yes its a school night, but as its a local one for the original Chillitown faithful, we're on at 10.30. New choons!

Finally heres the link for the Voodoo Trombone Quartet Christmas Party. We've started planning costumes and covers, we're determined to top last years gig when we packed the club to bursting. I'll be dropping hints of the songs we'll be covering over the next few weeks...

Saxylizbeth x