Joanie's Home Page

Hi!  I'm Joanie, a singer from Fife.  This website should give you all the info on my job as a singer.  This includes gig dates, past gig reviews and a "wartz & all" account of the ups and downs of the job.

Please use the link below to find when and where you can come and see me.

My Calendar

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My Latest Gig...

After every gig I write a short review of how it went, the latest few are below. You can follow the link above to all the others....

Why not try clicking on Past Gigs to browse through the venues I've played over my years of singing in pubs and clubs. You can also use the search bar at the top of the page to search for your local.

Saturday 30th January 2010 - Wee Jimmies, Cowdenbeath

So this is where everyone in Cowdenbeath goes for a drink!  My goodness it's been a while since I saw a pub so full of people!  If you don't know anyone here at Wee Jimmies, you soon will after squeezing past them to get to the bar/toilet/lounge.  There was karaoke on in the big lounge, and a bar full of blokes and couples for me to entertain.  After negotiating a space at the window, Al worked hard to get the best sound possible, using our new (very heavy) speaker stands to raise the speakers up above the crowd.  We're still waiting for delivery of our angled tops for the stands, which will direct the sound downwards a bit. Watch this space..

I thought maybe the pub would get quieter as the night went on, but as people left their seats were quickly filled - you have to be fast in there!

The lounge area filled up very quickly too, and the lively sounds of Karaoke greeted me every time I went past.  This pub certainly has something for everyone!

The only thing lacking for most of the night was applause.  I saw the crowd smiling, singing along and tapping hands/feet and dancing about, but at the end of the songs - not a lot.  That's that Fife thing again.......

I hope to be asked back to Wee Jimmies, and look forward to meeting Gary and the rest of the staff again - they were very helpful and welcoming.  I'd recommend this pub to anyone looking for a lively, friendly atmosphere.

Friday 29th January 2010 - Partners, Cowdenbeath

Another typical night in Partners. A fair few folk in, but not much applause as per usual.  They're a friendly bunch though, so I never take it personally.

Saturday 23rd January 2010 - Kelty Club, Kelty, Fife

Yet again I found myself looking back at previous review to find that it's been nearly 5 years since I last visited Kelty Club.  I shouldn't have read my previous review, as I must admit to fully expecting the same this time - not much clapping and a looong night ahead.

The first half of my night was taken up with providing sound for the bingo, and I went on to do many of my older songs, including a bit of Carpenters, a bit of jazzy material and a wee bit of 1960s. I was amazed to see some dancing during this first half, as I have had many gigs in the past where I receive no attention for the first set.  Here at Kelty Club I found a polite, appreciative audience who were happy to give a wee bit of applause after each song. 

The sets here are a little longer than I am used to - 2 x 1hr 15m - but the time flew by, and soon it was time for the half time raffle and a well earned break for me.  During that time I had a bit of a change of audience, with a good few people leaving to go home, and a new influx of folk out to have a good time. 

I went on to do a more modern set for the second half, and had many requests for really up to date songs - which I am always happy to do.  My selection included songs from The Noisettes, Duffy, Kings of Leon, Snow Patrol and more. I was tempted to keep going with my favourite rock tunes, but after a wee glance at the time on my laptop I settled for a bit of Dirty Dancing (THE FILM!) before doing a bit of Meatloaf for my encore.

I must apologise to Kelty Club for my expectations on hearing that I was going to play there, and urge all you singers out there to do a Saturday Night!  A brilliant night!

Thursday 31st December 2009 - The George Hotel, Montrose

I seem to have had a lot of new venues in 2009, and this was one of them.  New venues are a double edged sword though - you are new, so they don't know what to expect, but you also don't know the venue or the people, and don't know what to expect. 

I'm not sure if it's an Arbroath/Montrose thing, but the crowd at the George were very much like the previous crowds in the area - a bit reserved, but they seemed to enjoy themselves. I didn't get much applause, and the silence between songs was a bit off putting...

I must say a big Hi to two special people, who kept the audience entertained - Rab Crozier, who played the spoons (a very rare talent), and a very talented young lady called Gillian (hope I spelled your name right) who enthralled the crowd with an a cappella version of "Songbird". Her beautiful young voice shows a lot of promise, and I hope she has a good vocal coach. I'd like to hear her when her voice has matured. I wish her all the best - remember me when you're famous...

I had a good app on my phone to give me a countdown (after missing last year's countdown!), and played some Scottish country dance music until about 15 seconds to go.  Afterwards I played a few more Scottish dances, and then went on to do my newly-learned rendition of "Loch Lomond", which seemed to go down well.

The manager, Tracy, seemed very happy with the night, and told me that everyone was raving about my act on the way out, so that reassured me no end.  It can be a bit of an ego-basher when you don't get any obvious feedback from a crowd, and choosing the right genres to suit can be a challenge when you don't know what they like. Even "Big Fish, Little Fish" failed to rally the troops to begin with.  I must say thank you to the few young lassies who got up and saved me. 

I'd be interested to see if the next crowd in this neck of the woods is as reserved as the last few. I find that in different areas of the country, audiences react differently. Maybe I should do a study.....hmm.

Oh and it turns out I did 47 songs that night - value for money or what?  I rarely do more than 30 on a normal night.

UPDATE - I'm booked back at The George Hotel next Hogmanay so I must have done something right!!!

Sunday 27th December 2009 - Chapel Tavern, Kirkcaldy

I was a bit worried when I arrived at this venue to hear the sound of singing from the bar.  I haven't had a double booking for a looong time, but I must admit to considering the possibility. 

The voice I heard was the owner, Joe, who has a good strong voice, and a great personality.  Apparently he likes to do a bit of singing before the act comes on on a Sunday evening.  I reckon he does well enough himself, but hey - I'm happy to take the work..

The crowd were happy to sing along with Joe, and I must admit to wondering if they'd prefer him to my act. I needn't have got myself in a stooshie though, as I seemed to go down well enough.  They were a bit unsure at first, but soon started singing along and clapping.  Braw.

Saturday 26th December 2009 - Agenda, Leven

This was my first gig at Agenda, but I had been in for a meal before, so there were no big surprises re the set up.  We took one of the bass bins with us to give a bit of oomph. 

Agenda is another venue with a beam in the ceiling, which reflected quite a bit of the sound back to me, which meant I had to crank it up a bit so the people at the other end of the bar could hear me clearly.  Unfortunately this meant a bit of a muddled sound for me, and I was thankful for my in ear monitors.

I must say Hi to Zombie, the excellent chef, and Colin, who paid me (always a good thing). I also had a good few members of my family there, which was nice.  It's good to have your own fan club..

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I've been told that there are a good few other acts having a look at my site to see what I have said about some venues.  I'd like to say HI! and welcome to my site.  Just remember that the reviews I write are my opinion only and should not be used by you as a guide on which gigs to take or not take.  We all have good gigs and bad gigs, and we all change our acts and attitude as we go along to suit the venue/time of year/ourselves. If you're not sure about a gig, do it anyway - you'll still get paid!  Sometimes it is all about the money, and sometimes you'll just be background music.  Them's the breaks, and sometimes you may be pleasantly surprised!

If you'd like to give your opinion on a gig, then by all means do. You will find a Comments link at the top of the page. If you'd like a link from my site to yours, drop me an email. or ask me via the form.

My Guarantee..

I am always straightforward, and will always turn up at a venue unless I am genuinely ill, in which case I will let you know as soon as possible and try to get you another act for that night (I cannot guarantee that I will definitely find someone, but I can put you on to a few agents if need be).  I can also guarantee that I will never cancel a booking at short notice for a more lucrative one elsewhere.

Important information for venues

If I recommend someone it's always face to face with the manager/owner venue in question. If you are approached by anyone who claims I have sent them or recommended them, or are ever unsure, give me a call/text or email me.

To any of you who may have missed my annual Christmas message, you can view the 2008 one here