The Grey Lady Music Lounge, Sunday 16th November 2014
This is a past event.
Headline Act: Dan Clews
Currently in the middle of recording his 3rd studio album, 2015 has seen Dan debut new material from his forthcoming album at one of Holland’s biggest festivals “Concert At Sea” alongside the likes of Lenny Kravits, Counting Crows and Dutch legends BLØF. His own events “Folking In The Strawberries” selling out fast with up to 1000 attendees attending 5 weekly events at his residency at a Kent Strawberry farm.
Dan’s previous album campaign saw him play a support to a sold out Albert Hall gain support from Radio 2 and an extended session for Bob Harris. He also gained support from Tim Minchin who invited Dan to accompany him as a special guest on numerous stages and TV/Radio appearances. Additionally Dan’s recent appearance to a full to capacity stage at Glastonbury sits well with an ever-growing tick list for Dan.
With new material in the pipeline be sure to catch him live with a brand new set of songs already gaining attention and recognition as his best material to date.
Rebecca Stoneham
Rebecca is a 23-year-old singer-songwriter and composer from Tunbridge Wells. She started performing at The Grey Lady in 2008 having won a competition at her school, and continued to perform there in a regular slot for two years, whilst enjoying a high level of involvement in the general local music scene.
For the past four years Rebecca has lived in Oxford, studying her undergraduate degree in Music at Oxford Brookes University and is now completing her masters in Composition and Musicology. During this time, she has been in a band, ‘The Lanterns’, performed in several musicals, an opera, and in numerous choirs. This year, she ran a show choir called The Fortune Cookies and was Assistant MD for the Brookes production of Spring Awakening.
As a singer-songwriter, Rebecca is currently working on her debut EP ‘Wolves’ and is enjoying experimenting with new styles and sounds, drawing inspiration from her very eclectic taste in music and artists such as Brandi Carlile and Emma Stevens.
Simon Scardanelli
Simon Scardanelli releases an EP, Three Dances With Sam, in July 2014, and a full album Florence Road, will follow late September 2014.
Singer and guitarist Simon Scardanelli enjoyed chart success in the late eighties with Anglo-Canadian duo Big Bam Boo, scoring a top 40 hit in the USA & Canada in March 1989 with Shooting From My Heart, prompting the duo to relocate to New York from London. Following the demise of Big Bam Boo in 1991 Scardanelli remained in New York, turned his back on the popular music scene and scraped a living in the underbelly of New York’s Lower East Side - including a stint working as a liquor runner at the infamous Save The Robots after-hours club. His darkly challenging solo album Death Row Tales (1994) bears testament to the dark & dangerous lifestyle he was living on 4th St & Ave D.
Death Row Tales has since become a cult album after it was discovered that the CGI programmers of The Matrix films were caning it during long rendering sessions.
Returning to the UK in 1995 Scardanelli stopped performing to become a mature student, completing a BA in 20th Century Music at Sussex University in 1998, and a PhD in Composition (awarded 2010) at Birmingham University.
A mini-album, Bed of Nails, came in 2002 and the album Hobohemia followed in 2005, coinciding with his return to live performances after an eleven year absence. That Dangerous Sparkle was released in 2007 and firmly established Simon’s reputation as an innovative and inventive songwriter.
In 2011 Scardanelli formed DR SCARDO, a 4 piece alt rock band. The debut album Dark Dog Days was released on Resonator Records in June 2013. Further releases are planned for 2015 – the band being a “side project” for Scardanelli's other writing styles.
A charismatic and engaging solo performer, Simon's shows are peppered with wry anecdotes and dry, self-deprecating humour – he is able to look back on a long and varied career with an ironic appreciation of its highs and lows. But it is the quality of songwriting and singing that will ring in your ears after a Scardanelli gig – as Sound on Sound wrote – “Simon's greatest asset is a fantastic singing voice...his performance on tracks such as They Dance bear comparison to the likes of Scott Walker.”
Simon Scardanelli’s solo albums, the DR SCARDO album, and two Big Bam Boo albums, are all available on iTunes, as well as from his website. Check out live solo performances on youtube.
“You never know what is lurking around That Dangerous Sparkle’s dark corner, but whatever it is will always shock and surprise. Scardanelli is always prepared to take a risk, and we should all hope that it is this experimentation that is the future of British singer/songwriters.” -- Evan Parker - Base.Ad
“A spine-tingling listen” -- Maverick Magazine
"Inspiring, entertaining, creative, attention grabbing, unforgettable, a true professional musician, songwriter, performer, vocalist and all round good egg.
Played our small venue as intimately as it is possible to do, but equally as rewarding in a theatre or arena arena. Digitally he is amazing, live he is mind blowing." -- Rob Henry, Real Music Club, Willingdon, Derbyshire.
Elle Roberts
Elle Roberts is a singer/songwriter from Platt in Kent.
Her songs are described as acoustic melodic storytelling with folk, blues and country influences; they are inspired by relationships, love, memories and the everyday questions of life.
She has found inspiration from an eclectic mix of artists, ranging from the great story-telling of Bruce Springsteen, Frank Turner & Gaz Brookfield to the passionate melodies of Alanis Morissette, Lissie, and The Pierces.
Elle will be recording her EP by the end of the year and will continue to perform throughout the local area and London.
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