I joined the Village Male Voice Choir last May. As someone who’s life is already full of music it may seem an unusual hobby to take up. But I love it. Choir singing is an abstract art, in the sense that you cannot experience the result of your work any more than a cog...
We’ve booked a young trio of lads in their twenties to open for McShane & Shaw at the town’s Arts Week on March 23. They play fiddle, accordion, vocals, drums and do traditional and original folk songs with a bias towards rural material. One of them even...
If you’re a regular reader you may have been wondering where I’ve been. Thank you for your patience by the way. What can I say? It’s been an unusually busy November and December. After the strangeness of the covid lockdowns things have gone back to the weirdest kind...
While listening to an old BBC interview I heard Muhammed Ali tell David Frost how he started with his boastful, trash talking poetry. Ali’s words led me down a rabbit hole of memories and investigation on the subject of showmanship. Here it is: When I was a...
McShane & Shaw are proud to present…. Dad Dancing a new album of original tracks covering diverse styles such as jazz-swing, classical, comedy, country, disco & reggae all superbly recorded and mixed by Ian Rafferty. It’s an audio variety show evocative...
No matter how you view the life of Queen Elizabeth II you have to admit, she was a good ‘un. Her character, intelligence, sense of duty and ultimately her longevity were admired by millions across the globe. Even the staunchest republican has to admit that, as a...