Especially for you…

Today I was meant to see my friend and overdose on chocolate…however I got a text asking me if I could do an interview with Jason Donovan….how could I refuse?!

The Dartford festival is obviously near the Dartford tunnel, just outside of London. It’s actually quite a nice town with a nice park which provided todays venue. The lineup consisted of tribute acts…with Donovan the headliner. I suppose they could have got a tribute act for him as well but it was nice to have the real thing I’m sure!
There wasn’t really an easy way for me to get to Dartford from Maidstone but luckily my mum was going to Bluewater so I tagged along for two hours going from sale to sale and then headed to the park. Jason arrived around five so we waited over half an hour (mum came too!) and then met him. We were joined part way during the interview by a young lady from the local paper, which to be honest, was great because she wanted to know the same stuff as me so I asked my questions and she asked the ones I forgot to ask! I kept the interview pretty low key but did broach the subject of the cancelled soap Donovan starred in, Echo Beach. It’s sister comedy show Moving Wallpaper has been recommissioned but he will not be starring. However, if he was affected by this question he did not show it and was graceful with his answer… he feels its a pity but he’s got his new record deal now etc etc.
He also spoke of the album saying it will consist mostly of 50/60’s covers (ballad style.) He and a friend brought a guitar along to the show with him which made his entrance all the more exciting!
After the interview we went outside in the sun to get a photo, however so many people started taking photos that Jason got a bit flustered and soon ducked back into his tent. My mother on the other hand got excited about the presence of comedian Joe Pasquale who was really rather pleasant and agreed to let her take a photo! He had also said hi to me when he entered the drinks marquee, rare for someone with any sort of celebrity status, (he’s in the Dartford panto at the end of the year.)
So tomorrow I’ll overdose on chocolate! And on Monday its off to BBC Kent to try and blag a position as an unpaid BA (broadcast assistant) as well as my Blast Position. (I’m gonna keep asking…might as well, Blast is only two days a week…I want four!!!)
Until next time
Frank.

Loungin’ on the Farm

So this weekend I popped over to Merton Farm in Canterbury, Kent to cover Lounge on the farm festival for BBC Kent.

The festival is a well kept secret, not marketed widely and an event that largely relies on word of mouth…but after the weekend there I believe that word will spread like wildfire. The festival, now it in it’s third year has clearly defined principles of promoting Kent produce and establishing Kent on the music map. The organisers are also opening a venue in Canterbury called, funnily enough, The Farm to try and pull in
 acts that normally skip Kent and just play London instead.
This was also my first event where I was doing photography so whilst I wait for a new battery (it wasn’t my SLR but my Dads.) I have my fingers crossed about how the pics will turn out…as I ran out of power I had to shoot the last band, The Coral on my 5.0 megapixel digicam!
So basically in comparison to the shambles of Z008 I had an AMAZING time. I got to interview at least 20 different acts, some established, some up and coming. I even managed to catch up with Johnny Foriegner who I’ve wanted to meet for ages and they gave me a beer. It was good times. I think after I met the Coral (they came out when I was 12 and I’m now 19) It kinda sunk in and I had to run away to let it all sink in!!!
On the saturday evening I was due to interview the New York Dolls but things were running a bit late. Tom from BBC Kent Introducing went before me so I managed to blag an interview with Blaine from the Mystery Jets and we had a nice informal chat and as I’d just bought a Ukele he and Will signed it for me…

When I was talking to Blaine I asked how they got Laura Marling involved in the recording of ‘Young Love’ as I’m a huge fan of hers, I also wanted to know how they perform the song live without her. It turns out that either Will sings the song on his own or they get a girl from the audience to do it….
and that is how I blagged my way onto the main stage infront of up to 1,000 people singing ‘Young Love’!!! I got to watch the gig from the side of the stage and push Will on concealed in a gigantic amp case (rock and roll eh?!)
I admit that I was nervous before I went on, would people boo me or, as I hadn’t come from the audience, believe that I was ‘with the band.’
The band had to have two songs cut because of the curfew time the cow shed (yes it was a big barn!) had been given so I was on sooner than I expected. I literally walked on intro-free, stood and waited to sing whilst trying to look as it I fit in and then sang!
I now understand why acts always mention their monitors etc because at first, I couldn’t hear myself at all..infact I couldn’t for most of it but I just tried to keep going as if nothing was wrong. The biggest issue was the height of the microphone being too tall for me, but, not wanting to move it I did the whole thing on tip toes!!!
Other highlights of the weekend included seeing one of my favourite new acoustic acts, Kal Lavelle (and her thanking her family ‘and Frankie’ at the end of her set,) shooting Johnny Foriegner (pictures!), meeting my new photographer friend Lizzie (superstar!) interviewing Los Campesinos and then later them talking to me like I was just a normal person, not an annoying press person, the med-veg kofta pitta thing I ate, Dani Groombridge, a 14-year old superstar in the making who played the ‘School of Rock’ tent and came running up to me mintues before her battle of the bands final asking me how to rescue her voice (So I ran and made her salt water and felt proud of my good deed.) 
I’m going to keep writing about this subject for ages I bet but i’ll pop photos up soon and provide links to other stories about it.
Frank. x

Punch Me

…no not literally!

Tomorrow (at 9am no less) I’m interviewing Ammo of Punch records so I’m currently doing research…or at least I will once I’ve finished fiddling with clothes/my room/music.
I’m meant to be going out tonight but that means I need to pack for Kent (Lounge on the farm festival this weekend for BBC Kent) asap so I can just get up in the morn and get to Gibb street with all my stuff so I can get the train from New street to Maidstone straight after…its hectic being me you know…just as its probably hectic being you (whoever you may be.)
Yesterday I continued my run of 444Club gigs at The Rainbow when I met up with Simon Harris to ‘sort his life out.’ He basically has a solo project, a gypsy/folk band called ‘the brightsize gypsies’ and a band that plays events like weddings. The problem is he’s not sure how to get things off the ground so I’m going to help him with things such as mailing lists etc…He does lots of stuff in Brum but some of it is quite removed from the rest and he’s finding it difficult to keep up with it all I think. I just hope I can help!
Frank.

I got a golden ticket….

Ahhhhhh!

So excited!
I won the Oxfam 4Talent glaso comp where you had to send a reply to Oxfam 4Talent’s twitter ‘What gets your knickers in a twist’…
I said ‘Interviewers asking artists who they’re doing, not what they’re doing.’
And it worked!!! I officially love twitter now! (mine is http://www.twitter.com/frankieloves)
So my prize is to head of to Bestival in September and do an interview for a podcast which I’m really excited about, I just hope I can make a lasting impression!
Next week I’m off to Lounge on the Farm to do some interviews with more bands, I’m really really hoping to get Art Brut, I met them before and they were absolutely lovely. I also know that my friend Ben is playing in a band called Wheeler Street so it will be great to check them out and get them to give us a few words for the BBC.
At the moment i’m looking round the bombshell that is my new room and wondering what the best way to sort it would be. I still have a few things to move from my flat and interviews a plenty to transcribe, however tonight I’m not going out and it feels odd. Someone help me out please?!
Frank.

Supersonic

At the moment I’m in the Custard Factory Kitchen with Sebastian Hau-Walker discussing ideas for distribution for Supersonic Festival on the 11th. We’re looking for places to put leaflets/give them out/stick up posters

If you’ve got any ideas or want to help then please drop Sebastian a line at
sebastianhau-walker@hotmail.co.uk!
Frankie.

whoops…

Aurora Plastic Monster are Norweigian! Whoops sorry about that.

but they’re cool
I had a kinda ‘rock n roll’ evening and discovered I still like heavier styles! (not because the high society’s guitarist was beautiful…oh no I’m a pro!) but because it was just a fun evening. I will let you know when the review is up…
ah its the wee minutes of tuesday morning.
Better go to bed then!
Frank.

continued from below

So I thought of something to say!….and then I forgot!

The brumlive photographer I’m working with tonight is the lovely-seeming (I’m making assumptions having never come face to face with her, but her myspace is cool and she sent me a nice message) Kate Snape.
I must say I’m also quite jealous because she’s my age (19) and she’s photographed loads of really cool bands so I’m looking forward to have a natter between acts. Also she taught herself and developed her own style of photography only a year ago so it gives me hope that I, one day, will actually be able to operate an SRL camera….or is that SLR…I think it’s SLR!!!
(Ask me what you like about mics, recordings, gaming, music, sound etc but I’m awful with camera knowledge.)
Tonight the first support act is Birmingham based Kate Finch who has got an acoustic-punk feel to her music. I’m looking forward to seeing her live because I think that she’ll sound fresher on record…would be interesting to see if she ever plays with a band when she’s live too.
Also playing are two full bands with punk-rock stylings, The Kamikazes and The High Society.
I’m having a listen to The Kamikazes right now and I’m getting really excited…It’s gonna be a high octane gig I think…I’d get out my skinnies if I had them!
Unfortunately I haven’t…(I’m the girl who bought skinny jeans 2 sizes too big to avoid muffin top…and therefore lost the skinny effect) So its another dress I think! (with some customisation of course!)
So if you’re there tonight please say hi, Ill probably have a button headband on my person. It’s my current signature
Frank. x