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Fife's Top Quality Singer |
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Monday 2nd August 2010 - Pettycur Bay Caravan Park, Kinghorn
After a night off with a heavy cold, I was glad to get back to work at Pettycur. The Waterfront Bar was quite empty at the beginning of the night, and I was told that last Monday was quite quiet. We set up and were prepared for a small audience, only to find that most of the people who had come into the restaurant for dinner decided to stay! They were very friendly, and I had some good applause throughout the night!
These are the nights when you feel best about your work - you're maybe not feeling 100%, and have had a couple of quiet gigs. Then you find a happy bunch of people who enjoy listening to your dodgy banter and stay to sing and dance along with you. I think they were happy with my mix of material, and most of them stayed until the back of 11, when many had to leave with their (very) tired kids.
So thanks Pettycur! You perked me up no end, and made me feel good about my job. As KT Tunstall says - "Suddenly I see - this is what I want to be!". This job has its ups and downs, and this gig was definitely an 'up'!
Saturday 14th November 2009 - Pettycur Bay Caravan Park, Kinghorn
After a few times you get to look forward to this gig. It's nice to play quietly in the corner now and then, and maybe sing songs you wouldn't normally get the chance to do.
I did my usual "3 halfs", and around 10.30 I made sure the diners were finished before getting down to some serious volume. The crowd were very responsive, and appreciated every song - which can make it difficult to decide which genre to choose! So I gave 'em a good mixture of material, and ended on "Sex on Fire" for good measure. Definitely my kinda music.
A big HIYA to my friend Marina, who made the effort to come along and see me. Much appreciated, hunny.
Saturday 6th December 2008 - Pettycur Bay, Kinghorn
The first time I did this venue (in the Waterfront lounge and restaurant) I was a bit shocked to find I was to be background music for the first part of the evening. Needless to say my ego was such at the time that I was "to be heard".
My attitude has changed quite a bit since those early days, and I am now happy to provide whatever the customer requires, beit background music, casino stylee or a bit of good old rock and pop.
I arrived to find that I was not expected, but Catherine, the manager, allowed me to set up and go ahead. I'm glad I did. After my obligatory hour or so of lounge music (jazz, easy listening etc) I was able to move on to some of the more recent additions to my set - a bit of Amy MacDonald and Duffy to name but two.
I had a ripple of polite applause all night, and I think the audience enjoyed my easy approach. There was a Christmas Party going on upstairs, and a live band were belting out all of the greats. Quite a few of the revellers were coming downstairs to use the 'facilities' and stopped to listen and chiil out before going back upstairs.
Thursday 16th August - Pettycur Bay, Kinghorn
I have done this gig a few times now and it is a lovely venue, on this occasion it was a bit on the quiet side. I don't take it personally though, I was warned that because it had come to the end of the season, the club had been a bit slow all week. It was actually a bit easier for me as the restaurant was quiet so I didn't have to keep the sound as low as on other visits. I have known it to be a struggle to make myself heard past the first row of tables because of complaints from the restaurant management.
The audience were a good mixture as they always are in holiday camps.. I watched a few families having to leave because of overly tired youngsters, but all seemed to have enjoyed my entertainment and at the end of the night I was greeted with lots of encouraging comments. Its lovely to think I have contributed to the guests enjoyment of their holiday.
Saturday 31st March 2007 - Pettycur bay Holiday Park
This gig is a gig of many moods for me. It is rather frustrating, to say the least, to be performing in a venue and be told to keep the sound down so as not to annoy the people eating in the restaurant. I ended up having an argument with Al in the first set because the people sitting about 10 yards away couldn't hear me! Not a good start. I have to admit to being a little (lot) cheesed off.
Nobody told me when I could take the sound up a level, as people were eating right through to 10.30, so I basically said "stuff it" (not my actual phrase, you understand) and cranked it up. Waiting all the time for another complaint, I went on to do a dancy set, including Black Horse and the Cherry Tree and Shine by Take That. I then lost all inhibitions and went on to do a wee ABBA set. I even had dancers!
Having said that, I found this crowd to be, on the whole, unresponsive during my performance. This made it difficult to gauge what material to do. So again I said "stuff it" (ahem) and went on to do a wee rocky set to finish.
At the end of the night, I had lots and lots of people come up to me to congratulate me on a good performance, and they all wished I was back soon.
I am beginning to suspect an X-Files style thing happening as soon as you see that sign that says "Welcome to Fife". I think alien beings come down and take away your ability to put your hands together.
So to Fifers and `incomers` alike, I say CLAP FOR GOODNESS SAKE!
Saturday 4th November 2006 - Pettycur Bay Holiday Village, Kinghorn
I was a little(!) nervous about starting back after so much time off, but I needn't have got my knickers in so much of a knot. My voice did me proud, which I put down to the care and attention it received during my month or so off.
I also must admit to warming up for the first time !! I learned so much during my time as a classically trained singer, you'd think I would have the sense to warm up before each performance! But no. The embarrassment of warbling away at scales and arpeggios in a pub loo may have been a factor. I have decided that I now don't give a monkeys, and will warm up well before each gig. I used to use the first section of my gig to warm up my voice. This is fine if I can do my own thing, but not so fine if the audience demand slow songs from the get-go (see my review for the KUSI Club).
So thank you , Kinghorn, for allowing me to sing for you, and use you as guinea pigs. You were very appreciative, and I must admit I had missed the compliments and flattery while I was off. It's bad enough being off, but I felt really guilty for not fulfilling my gigs, letting people down and most of all not earning any money! Self employment is no fun when you're ill!
Saturday 13th November 2005 - Pettycur Bay Holiday Park, Kinghorn
I was sent here at the last minute to cover another act, and was pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful holiday park, complete with a huge function room upstairs, and the lounge/restaurant I performed in was sizeable too!
The first half of my act was pretty much low key, as the restaurant was serving meals until after 10pm. I stuck to my quieter cabaret-type songs until after the break.
I was able to `crank it up` a bit for the second half, and was glad to see that a fair few people who had been dining had stayed to enjoy my singing.
The only downside to this venue was the heat - I was singing just above the location of their sauna, and was understandably as hot as a hot thing by the end. As a result I became quite dehydrated, and this may have had a knock on effect on my performance on Sunday.