The Basschat Bands thread!

[Al Krow]

1 hour ago, Mickeyboro said:

Otis Jay Blues Band head into their fifth year with a new lead singer - if we can keep hold of Cecilia, we have a bright future (hopefully). Vocals/keys, guitar, drums, bass/vocals and harmonica. 

 

Trying to diversify into original material - a slow process - so maybe we can get bookings in blues clubs and festivals.

 

As far as it goes, we play anywhere on the (Deep) South coast adjacent to Bournemouth. 
 

 

Nice pic Mickey! Do you have any video clips of this 5 piece in action?

[Ben Jamin]

This is an ace thread! 

I'm in an originals band called Fred The Fool - it's folk(ish) pop/rock. 

The name's from a silly old Lincolnshire folk story - our frontman's an archaeologist and a lot of the songs draw from local history around Lincoln.

The line-up is: lead vocals/acoustic guitar, piano/accordian, mandolin/acoustic guitar, drums/percussion, bass/upright (me!)

We've spent the last year and half forming and recording about 12 songs, which are in various stages of production now. Some of them feature cool musicians - Graham Rorie from Gnoss plays some really nice fiddle on a few of our tracks - amazing how many folk are just an Instagram DM away! 

Currently working on our live set for an album launch gig in February 2026. The plan's to record/film that too, circulate it with some promoters we know and see what happens?

We did our first little gig the other week and it went pretty well - we've really just been focused on recording and producing the songs, so it was a fun challenge to try them out live!

Snazzy website: https://www.fredthefool.com

 

 

Edited 19 hours ago by Ben Jamin

[LawrenceH]

10 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Could you share a bit more about your bands (I think Rexel has provided quite a bit of this already) in terms of:

- band line up (e.g. 4 piece, instrumentation etc), when you guys formed, and whereabouts you're based?

- plans for 2026 in terms of gigs & material?

Sure! Bright Giants was another post-Covid project, has ebbed and flowed with arrival of kids etc but great people to work with and IMO strong songwriting with the playing focus on supporting that. Based around Bristol and Somerset, currently a 4 piece (vox, guitar, bass, drums) but exploring the possibility of expanding to allow our guitarist, who is also an excellent classically-trained pianist, a little more freedom. Also working on adding more 3-part harmony live where it'll support the melody.

 

Aim for this year is being a bit more regular and ideally building on that to take what we think is a solid set of originals to festivals. Be nice to connect with other bands who might crossover potential audience-wise, sometimes feel we're probably a bit poppy for the punk/metalheads and a bit guitar-y for the pop kids! 

 

Cheers!

Edited 12 hours ago by LawrenceH

[Mickeyboro]

16 hours ago, Al Krow said:

 

Nice pic Mickey! Do you have any video clips of this 5 piece in action?

  

 

[Rosie C]

Ooh, tricky, I play in several bands - but the main one I suppose is the one I'm most invested in which is our Renaissance-Folk band 'Minstrels Guild'. We play a mix of authentic renaissance ballads and dance music, as well as Blackmore's Night covers, and ballads written ourselves in the style of renaissance music. Sadly, we have our last UK gig on the 19th December and quite what the future holds musically is unknown as we're moving to the Republic of Ireland next year. It might be that we keep going via a YouTube channel and Bandcamp. Or we might hook up with local musicians and go in a new direction.