Wishing you a very warm – if rather snowy – welcome to 2010! Whilst things may have been a bit quiet since before Christmas, there’s been lots of beavering away behind the scenes to bring you some new bits ‘n bobs…

Tour pix

Nathan’s Winter Wanderings tour of the UK was a big success – with lots of friendly faces (new and old) coming out to hear him play. Thanks to all of you who came down and made for a very special first ever tour. We’ve put a few photos of the gigs up on the gallery page at www.nathanball.com/gallery/winter-wanderings

Christmas in the studio & New You Tube video

After a couple of months on the road, Nathan travelled over to Ireland and spent much of Christmas in the studio recording as many songs as possible! By 1 Jan 2010, he’d recorded over 30 songs to help him decide on the final few that will appear on his debut album, to be released in the Spring.

To give you a taste of what’ll be on the album, some good friends have made a first attempt at a music video of one of Nathan’s most recent – and most relevant – songs ‘Stand Up’. You can view the video at: www.nathanball.com/gallery or on youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWUCgQb2QY4

Nathan adapted the lyrics for ‘Stand Up’ from a Winston Churchill speech – both the song lyrics and the text of the original speech can be found on the lyrics page at: http://www.nathanball.com/stand-up

Nathan Ball on Spotify

With so many people listening to their favorite artists on spotify, we figured it was about time we made Nathan’s Footprints EP available there too. Check out www.spotify.com if you haven’t already and please let your spotify-loving friends know they can now hear Nathan there for free!

Debut album

Come February, Nathan’ll be back over to Ireland to record his debut album with the rest of the band. He’ll be helped along by record producers Tom Newman (Tubular Bells/Virgin Records) and Steve Fearnley. Check the website and watch this space for sneak previews of recordings and the latest news from the studio…

Until then… stay warm!

Nathan Ball & friends

When the situation, was more manageable all action, was neglected
Now that it has so assiduously eluded our grip
We apply to late the remedies to lessen our allure
Towards such deeply set benightedness, and the chances of a cure

Stand up, eyes open, ears down too the ground
There is nothing in this story that is new for us to find
It boasts an age that is comparable to the books of sybillines
Stand up, eyes open, ears down too the ground

It does fall into that long and dismal, catalogue of fruitlessness
In the confirmed unteachability of mankind through experience
Want of foresight and no care to act when action would be simple
Lack of clear affective thinking by a confused council until

Emergency inevitably summons up its song
Until self preservation rises up to strike it’s jarring gong
These are the features that do constitute, our endless repetition
throughout his…. story

Stand up, eyes open, ears down to the ground
Stand up, eyes open, ears down to the ground

Their power lies in our obedience
So we must disobey
Instead of settling for convenience
To then look, the other way

Stand up, eyes open, ears down to the ground
Stand up, eyes open, ears down to the ground
Stand up.

Words of a Winston Churchill speech (adapted for ‘Stand Up’)

“When the situation was manageable, it was neglected. And now that it is thoroughly out of hand, we apply to late the remedies which then might have effected a cure. There is nothing new in the story, it is as old as the sibylline books. It falls into that long dismal catalogue of the fruitlessness of experience and confirmed unteachability of mankind. Want of foresight, unwillingness to act when action would be simple and effective, lack of clear thinking, confusion of counsel until emergency comes, until self preservation strikes its jarring gong…
-These are the features which constitute the endless repetition of history.”
Winston Churchill, 1935

@ The Green Note, 106 Parkway, Camden, London, NW1 7AN.
Nearest tube: Camden Town
Doors open 7.30pm
£7 advance tickets available from: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/68049

Nathan is now just over half way through his Winter Wanderings tour of the UK. Thanks to all of you who have come to hear him play over the past few weeks and a warm winter welcome to those of you who signed the mailing list at one of the tour gigs.

The journey so far…
It’s been an amazing month travelling the country playing some beautiful gigs – from the jam-packed opening night in London town to the home-from-home that is the Penzance Arts Club… along the way selling out in Brighton, enchanting audiences in Stroud, Norwich and Nathan’s home town of Bracknell and a very special gig on a boat in Bristol with Martha Tilston… it’s been an incredible journey!

Welsh Wanderings

Next stop on the road is Bangor in North Wales where Nathan will be playing TOMORROW night (Sat 28th Nov) at The Greek, supported by quirky, experimental folk artist Stacey Cohen and her Wild Mountain Giants.

New Manchester dates

After that it’s over to Manchester (yes finally some Manchester dates!) for the first of 2 showcase gigs at the For Folk’s Sake Yuletide Special at The Bay Horse on Wednesday 2 December. The second will take place at the Green Room on Friday 11 December.

South Westerly collaborations

Following the first Manchester date, Nathan will be return to the South West for a series of dates with the inspiringly talented Tobias Ben Jacob of Roots Union…

3 December: EXMOUTH @ The Beachcomber 4 December: TOTNES @ The Barrelhouse

5 December: HEREFORD @ Café Green (Note the change from the previously publicised Glastonbury gig)

6 December: HAY-ON-WYE @ The Globe

And finally…

The tour will draw to a close with a final Northern date at the Sela Bar in Leeds on Sunday 13th December with the lovely people from Stone Soup.

After a busy couple of month’s touring, Nathan will head over to Northern Ireland for Christmas and although there are no Irish tour dates booked in, the traditional festive sessions will no doubt provide ample opportunity for even more musical winter wanderings…

Nathan Ball & friends

He will be joined on stage by Adiranne Wininsky on cello and Helen Temperley on viola.
Music starts 6.30pm
Tickets: £4 on the door (£2 concessions)

Tel: 0161 661 1041

@ The Green Room, 54-56 Whitworth Street West, Manchester, M1 5WW

FREE ENTRY

I’ll be leaving London on Monday but before I get on the road I wanted to let you know about some just-booked tour dates, the time change for THIS SUNDAY’s Norwich gig with Brooke Sharkey, and my next moves…

NORWICH:
So - this Sunday (1st Nov) I will be playing the second date of my tour at The Cider Shed in Norwich. It had previously been advertised as taking place from 7.30pm on Sunday evening but it is actually an afternoon gig from 2.30pm, finishing around 5/6ish. Full details of the gig are available at here

NEW TOUR DATES:
Following an invitation to join up with the wonderfully talented Tobias Ben Jacob of popular folk band The Roots Union, I have now added a further 4 dates to my tour as follows:

3 December
EXMOUTH (venue TBC)

4 December
TOTNES @ The Barrelhouse

5 December
GLASTONBURY @ King Arthur

6 December
HAY-ON-WYE @ The Globe

If you’re based in the South West or on the Welsh borders – or know people who are – please forward the new dates on to them.

NEXT MOVES:
After Norwich, I’ll be in Stroud (Tues 3rd Nov) with local band Hot Feet and the following day (Wed 4th Nov) I’ll be supporting Martha Tilston at the Bristol Thekla.  If you haven’t encountered Martha already, she’s certainly worth a trip to Bristol – but book ASAP as tickets are likely to sell out. You can also book advance tickets for the Bracknell gig on Sat 7th Nov and the Brighton gig on Wed 11th Nov – so please get booking if you’re planning to come!

I will write against once I’m on the road…

Nathan x