The students must be back or something, because Edinburgh’s starting to explode with artistic and creative activity. You all know i’m about to launch into a list of events for you to go to, so let’s get started. First thing is the Hidden Door Festival which is on from this Friday to Sunday at the Roxy Art House, just have a look at the performers, there’s dozens, and the ones i’ve heard of are very good indeed (in some cases exceptional, including Lipsync For A Lullaby and Iona Marshall), so do consider going to that.

Before that though, a band you may have heard at Out of the Bedroom, Divide and Rule will be performing on Thursday 21st October at 9:30pm in Sofi’s Bar at 65 Henderson Street in Leith. Show your support, and have a great night out.

Also on Thursday 21st October, at Henry’s, 8a Morrison Street, it’s TV21 Acoustic, a night which features Iain Shaw, Sam Barber And The Outcasts, and Shock & Awe. It’s £5 on the door.

Did you know it’s currently the Edinburgh World Justice Festival by the way? And there are a lot of free events you can attend. Here are a few of them, they’re not musical, but you know there’s a history of musicians being politically active, so why don’t i tell you anyway? You can skip to the paragraph after if you really aren’t interested in justice.

Okay, these are all free and unticketed by the way, tonight (Tue 19 Oct) in the Quaker Meeting House (up the steps off Victoria Street) at 7pm, it’s a debate entitled “Private Gain, Public Pain: Campaign Against the Arms Trade“. Then tomorrow (Wed 20 Oct) in the Augustine United Church it’s a discussion called “For Our Honour: Scotland’s Role in Tackling Honour Based Violence” at 7pm. On Thursday 21st at 7:30pm it’s “Afghanistan: 30 Years of War and Poverty” at the Augustine United Church again. And on Saturday at St Columba’s by the Castle (at 14 Johnston Terrace) it’s “Cuba and Health“, a film and then a debate, that’s at 2:45, and then it’s followed at 4:45 by “Son Cubano y Salsa“, a celebration of music and Cuban culture. Not bad for free, i suspect i’ll be there all afternoon.

Now, it’s actually just over a week away, but i thought i’d just mention the next Lot Acoustic Showcase on Wednesday 27th October (which is next Wednesday), featuring The Last Of Barrett’s Privateers, Quickbeam, the captivating Hailey Beavis and Kat McKenzie. It’s 7pm-10.30pm as usual at The Lot in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket it’s a 14+ gig and it’s £4 adv/£5 on the door.

There are some more good things on the horizon, like a special Hallowe’en evening at Medina featuring Matt Norris and the Moon, Dry The River and Lorraine McCauley, and also Norman Lamont’s tribute evening to Leonard Cohen on 30 Oct at Captain’s Bar. I’ll give you all the details next week, but do search for these yourself on the ‘net (either google for the venues or for the bands, it’s how i get quite a lot of the information for this newsletter, and why should you wait on the newsletter when you can find out the info for yourself?)

I got an email from Paper Truth this week telling me about his new EP, “Tame” that he’s just released. So go and check that out, Paper Truth is excellent, for those of you that remember him at OOTB (well, he’s just as good for those of you who don’t, i suppose!).

Quite a few people have been asking how the search for a new OOTB venue is going, and it is proceeding apace. well, when i say “apace”, i mean quite a slow pace. However, the OOTB inner circle have been wheeling and dealing with key people in all the right places, and we’re not prepared to put up with OOTB being out of action for too much longer, so hopefully i’ll be able to give you an announcement in the next couple of weeks at longest about where and when you can get your OOTB fix again. And thanks to all the people who’ve told me how useful the OOTB mailouts are in the meantime, it makes it all worthwhile! 🙂

On the other hand, it’s nice to see that our “sister” nights at the Blue Blazer/Listening Room (Sundays 8pm) and the McEwan’s Ale House (9pm Fridays) are being so enthusiastically attended in OOTB’s absence, McEwan’s Ale House was stuffed with people last week, and the Listening Room’s been very well attended too.

One other thing i was going to mention is the Hog The Stage competition. Bands and performers from all round Scotland are entering this competition to play as part of Edinburgh’s famous Hogmanay celebrations, and many of them will be known to you from Edinburgh’s music scene and from Out of the Bedroom. You can enter your own band, and you can listen to, and then “like”, other bands who have already entered. Obviously, i’d be really happy if you would “like” my song, but i’m honour bound to tell you that you’ll find songs by Aaron Wright, Joe Viterbo, Augustalia, Banana Sessions and many more on the Hog The Stage website. So go and have a listen and click the ones you like.

I kind of feel like i’ve missed something out. If you sent me an email about a gig and i’ve not mentioned it, then sorry about that. I don’t think i have though, it’s just a feeling. Anyway, all the more reason for you to go and fire up google and find out who’s playing where near you and when for yourself! 🙂 And remember to “like” all the bands you enjoy on facebook, and friend them up on myspace, oh and buy their CDs too! You may be surprised how much of a boost it is when bands sell some of their CDs, and you get a permanent record of what one of your favourite bands sounds like. In my experience you don’t get a lot of opportunities to buy a band’s CD either, they either sell them all or split up, so buy the CDs now while you can, i say. Remember you can get beer any time, but music will fade away without constant financial nurturing! Okay, sermon over, see you all here next week, same time, same channel.

Calum Carlyle
Out of the Bedroom

Hi everybody, well, there’s a lot of snow about. It’s possible you’ve noticed. Anyway, if you’re snowed in then you’re not going to be at any of the events i’m about to tell you about, but if you can make it, i think lots of them will be well worth it, but then i always say that (and that’s because i go to a lot of these gigs and usually enjoy them thoroughly).

By the way, we’re still working on getting a new venue for the Out of the Bedroom open mic night, as soon as we fix a location for the long awaited OOTB 407, i’ll let you know, so watch this space. Okay, on to this week:

Tonight (30 Nov) you can catch Hannah O’Reilly (with Augustalia i think) and also Matt Midgley at Bannerman’s, on the Cowgate at the bottom of Niddry Street, though i don’t know the details (they’re not on hannahoreilly.com so i suggest you try Hannah’s Facebook to find out the particulars).

Tomorrow there are about six hundred things on that i have to tell you about.

Supermarionation are launching their EP at The Electric Circus tomorrow (Wed 1 Dec) from 7-10pm, with Lee Paterson and Otaku playing support. Its £4 in advance/£6 on the door and tickets can be had from http://goo.gl/H9aR plus, everyone buying a ticket will receive a full retail copy of the EP on CD. Also, i am told that drinks are £1.50 which means that if you were planning to go somewhere else and have a few drinks, then you have made your money back by the third drink if you come to Electric Circus instead!

Also tomorrow (1st Dec) Lorraine McCauley and the Borderlands are launching their excellent EP “Haunt Me” at Coda Music Shop on the Mound at 6pm. They’ll be playing live, and providing mince pies and mulled wine, then at 7pm, it’s drinks next door at the Deacon Brodie.

But wait, there’s more, also on Wednesday 1 Dec, it’s Secret CDs at the Voodoo Rooms, it’s £3 entry and you get a quid off your first CD purchase, and it starts at 8pm, and this month the bands are Hannah O’Reilly/Augustalia, Invisible Helpers, Karen Edward, and Fraser Drummond. You know i was going to give you all the myspace links, but i’d have to do it for every act i mention in this email. Honestly, just fire up google and have a listen to their myspaces if you don’t already know who all these people are. You really need to be googling and listening to local bands on a regular basis anyway, to be honest, if you’re interested in music at all, in my opinion. But remember, there’s no substitute for real live music.

Jump Press A are playing a very rare acoustic gig on Wednesday 1 Dec too, by the way, at a World AIDS Day benefit at Teviot Underground with doors opening at 7pm. Not sure who else is on, but they’re a very special act, i have a feeling this’ll be a unique wee happening. It’s £4/£3 to get in, with the money clearly going to charity.

For heavens’ sake! Nuala Kennedy and Cammy Robson are playing at the Captain’s Bar on South College Street on Wednesday 1 Dec at 8pm as well! I happen to know they’re both excellent and you’d often have to fork out tons of dosh to hear them live. I gather this is a new traditional music session they will be running every week.

It’s all getting out of hand! On Thursday 2 Dec, it’s the Captain’s Bar again, Roberta Pia and Calum Wood are running an acoustic session. If you go along, remember to mention Out of the Bedroom, it’s nice to stay connected. 🙂 Also, there’s an open mic night every Thursday from 8pm at the Parlour Bar in Duke Street hosted by Cat (Packets) O’Shea and everyone that plays gets a free drink (which i actually thought had been made illegal, but it’s Leith after all…)

Also on Thursday 2 Dec, you can hear Rose Nimmo (with band!) at the Grassmarket Black Bull from 10pm. Also, if you heard Underclass at The Listening Room on Sunday just past (or even if you didn’t) then you might want to come along to The Caves on Thursday 2 Dec, they’re playing a full size electric gig there with drummer and everything. A load of other good indie bands will also be on, such as The OK Social Club, Nature Boys, Cancel the Astronauts and Maydays. So you get your money’s worth. And i think it’s £5 or £6 to get in. Let them know on the door that you heard about it from OOTB as well please. We like our name to get around. 🙂

On Friday (3 Dec), Three Long Words are launching their EP with a gig at Calton Studios on Calton Road at 7pm. Tickets are £6 in advance, as far as i can see, you need to buy them from one of the band members, though their EP is available online.

Also on Friday 3 Dec, the highly characteristic Matt Midgley is playing a gig at Maggie’s Chamber on the Cowgate, with support, starting at 7pm.

On Friday there’s also, of course, the McEwan’s Ale House open mic night, a relaxed open mic in a relaxed pub. 9:30pm i think, and it’s on Clerk Street opposite the old Odeon.

On Saturday 4 Dec The Captain’s Bar is having Lynsey Hutchinson on at 8pm, and if you get there earlier, after 4pm, there’s an acoustic folk session there too. Or, if you’re at the Tollcross end of the town, Rose Nimmo is playing with band again in The Auld Toll at 8:30pm.

On Sunday 5 Dec, at The Listening Room, in the Blue Blazer on Bread Street, at 8pm till 10pm, there’s the usual open mic night, and then TBC are the featured act, according to their myspace! This should be interesting, for sure…

Also on Sunday 5 Dec, Lost Telegrams play their first ever gig, supported by Very Well and Hannah Werdmuller (who has an awesome voice and very quirky songs). It’s at the Wee Red Bar at 7pm. I have a feeling it’ll be 3 or 4 quid entry, not sure. Click the link and it may tell you. 🙂

On Mondays, there’s the new Captain’s Bar open mic night of course, from 7pm, as i’ve mentioned for a couple of weeks now. It’s not got a PA, but it does have one mic for vocals and a piano.

Also on Mondays, a fairly new jam session evening called Homemade jam, hosted by Andy Lang every Monday from 8pm. Everyone that turns up gets a pint or glass of wine, and it’s at The Parlour Bar in Duke Street in Leith (well spotted to Ian Sclater who noticed my “deliberate” mistake last week in not mentioning the venue!)

There’s another Regent Showcase happening a week today (Tue 7 Dec) too, at the top of Easter Road and Abbeymount, at 8:30pm for free, so do go along to that. I’ll be playing a few solo songs, in advance of my “Mixed Reactions” gig at Frankensteins next Thursday (9 Dec) at 7:30pm at Frankenstein’s. Sorry, totally digressed there! So, Cameron Phair will be running it and performing, and other luminaries of Edinburgh’s acoustic scene will be playing too.

By the way, The Forest Cafe is now not going to be imminently turned into yuppie flats, which is nice, however i gather the building is still being sold, theoretically. Still, small mercies and all that…

Here’s something else for you, it’s the second EP of the year from Paper Truth. He’s good. I’m going to be putting him on the bill (along with Lorraine McCauley and the Borderlands, and Hannah Werdmuller) for the first ever Edinburgh Unplugged, a new monthly night i’m going to be running in the Royal Oak starting in January, so again watch this space for more details.

Calum Carlyle
Out of the Bedroom

It’s Nyk Stoddart giving us the featured set this week at OOTB 398, in the Tron on Thursday (I’ve had a lot of people emailing me recently asking where and when OOTB is, check out our info page if you’re at all unsure of our particulars. So, Nyk Stoddart’s going to be playing songs from his next CD, some of which you may have heard, some not. He’ll also be accompanied by a mysterious and enigmatic cypher on the bass guitar so get yourself down there and check out the uniqueness.

Also, i wanted to mention to you something you might find very useful if you’re a songwriter, it’s The Ten Tips For Songwriters e-book, now available for FREE online. It features ten tips each from 18 songwriters (so 180 tips in total!), and it’s quite an enjoyable read too.

Out of the Bedroom 400 is nearly upon us (it’s on the 8th July) and it’s our first (and only?) covers night of 2010. Learn some covers, especially covers of someone else you’ve heard at OOTB, and come along. There should be cakes too. Not only that but there should be the return of the Out of the Bedroom reviews!!!!!!! Yes, you read correctly, OOTB 400 to 403 will be being reviewed, or that’s the plan anyway, by the good people at Visual-Opinions.com. So if you want to be reviewed, come along during the month of July, and if you would like to write a review, then get in touch with Visual-Opinions.com here.

Here’s something you may like, it’s a song being performed live by Thorn’s Musical Journey, in Colorado last month.

There are bound to be some other events on this week, obviously, there’s The Listening Room at The Blue Blazer on Spittal Street/Bread Street, it’s on Sunday, get there before 8pm if you want to play in the opn mic section of the evening. This Friday too, there’s the McEwan’s Ale House open mic night, starting at 9pm on South Clerk Street, across the road from what used to be the Odeon. There are a lot more gigs than that though going on. This week, i’m going to let you all figure them out for yourselves. Read posters! Go and see bands you like and listen to the other bands’ sets too! it’s all good clean fun. And then see you at OOTB on Thursday.

Calum Carlyle
Out of the Bedroom

Who’d have thought the snow’d last this long, eh? Well, this week people seem to be just going out regardless (after a slight spate of staying in last week), which is quite odd considering the conditions for going out are probably worse this week, but anyway, we’ve all got things to do i suppose. Well, this week i’ve got some events to tell you about and also a few other wee updates as well, so here we go.

Tonight (Tuesday 7 Dec) it’s the Regent Showcase at the Regent Bar at the top of Easter Road, it starts at 8:30pm and it’s free, and it’s a showcase of Edinburgh’s acoustic performers, run by Cameron Phair. This time it’s a Christmas special, so i’ll be along there doing at least one festive classic. Also tonight (7 Dec), it’s Acoustic Edinburgh of course, free, at Medina on Lothian Street. Their headline act this week is a supergroup consisting of Ziggy Campbell from Found, and incredible folk musicians Nuala Kennedy and AJ Roach. Supporting will be Ken Barrett from Floozie Soo, Keith Paton from Hoochie Fig and Paul Gilbody from Gecko (among many many others!).

Oh wait a minute, just need to tell you you only have a few days to enter this competition. Audio Technica are running a competition for you to write a christmas tune, as far as i can see you need to upload your entry to youtube and then email then telling them the link. Go for it…

Now, also tonight (7 Dec) Paul Gladwell is launching his EP “Save Yourself” tonight at Henry’s Cellar Bar, just off Lothian Road at 8pm. He’s an incisive songwriter and performer, a bit edgy. Good entertainment.

On Thursday 9th December, come along to Frankenstein’s on George IV Bridge. Five acts for a fiver, and they are: Your First Mistake, Kid Fire, Michael Dodds, Miasma, and Calum Carlyle and the Mixed Reactions. This will be your last chance to hear Calum Carlyle and the Mixed Reactions in 2011, so if you missed our debut performance at The Lot (or if you came along and enjoyed it!) then do make a point of coming along. The evening starts at 8:30pm, and you can get discounted tickets in advance right here. I might just mention that these details are all correct. It’s nice to get correct gig details, even if only at the last minute…

Do you remember a chap called Mark Roper? Used to come along to OOTB regularly, performing his songs either with a keyboard or with laptop based backing tracks. Well he emigrated to Canada in the summer, but he’s just brought out his album “Album of a Nobody” by Enough About You. You can listen to it online and buy it from all the usual places, iTunes, Amazon et cetera, and Mark’s taken the unusual choice (for our little scene anyway) of getting session musicians in to record his songs, and the result is a very polished little project. See if you can guess who the lead vocalist is by the way. 🙂

Another thing i’ll just mention in passing is that we think we’re looking at a January restart for Out of the Bedroom’s regular weekly nights. Watch this space, just need to confirm all the details with the OOTB committee…

Now, if you went to Calton Studios for Three Long Words’ EP launch last week, you’d have been disappointed, as they had to cancel due to a shortage of band members. But, never fear, you can go to a free consolation gig at Costa Coffee in Stockbridge instead. It’s on Friday 10 Dec at 7pm, and it’s an acoustic event featuring The Koves, The Brief Encounters and Three Long Words. It definitely sounds tempting to me.

I need to maybe start some sort of separate section which just lists the regular stuff that happens every week. Here are a few things that happen every week anyway: On Fridays at McEwans Ale House on Clerk Street from 9:30pm it’s the McEwans open mic night, a really good one. On Sundays it’s the Listening Room at The Blue Blazer on Bread and Spittal Streets, open mic (though there’s no PA and no mic!) from 8-9pm and a featured act from 9pm till 10pm. Then afterwards, also on Sundays, go along to Espionage at the top of Victoria Street for an open mic night beginning at 10pm run by Jason Kyrone. I’m assured it’s welcoming, endearing and ambient, so do go along. On Mondays, at the Captain’s Bar on South College Street, they have an open mic night (no PA, just one mic and an optional piano), starting at 7pm.

What else? Jason Kyrone runs a weekly showcase at Espionage on Mondays (also at 10pm i believe, so perfect for going to after the Captain’s Bar). Also on Mondays, at the Parlour Bar in Leith on Duke Street at 8pm there’s an acoustic jam session, and in the same place on Thursdays theres an open mic at 8pm as well, with a free drink for every performer. On Tuesdays, the Captain’s Bar has the Mike Bennett and Kirsty Jacqueline Lingard Music Open Session, and they have folk sessions on Fridays at 8pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays at 4pm. Be aware there are a lot of other regular nights on. There are all the various Unpeeled/Miyagi/Dr Ruby’s/Secret CDs/Tigertown gigs too, but they tend to be monthly or sporadic, so i’ll continue to give you them on an ad hoc basis.

Okay, i think that’s it, though i always worry i have missed something out. Sorry if you had something you wanted included, and i haven’t mentioned it. I usually find out about something half way through the week that nobody told me about too. Apparently Augustalia were playing at the Wee Red Bar last week for instance, and i forgot to plug my own gig at the Forest last week too. Okay, that’s it, come to all the gigs i just mentioned and i’ll see you there! 🙂

Calum Carlyle
Out of the Bedroom

Sorry to announce that there will be no more Out Of The Bedroom events until further notice due to unforeseen circumstances. We will update on the situation as soon as possible…

OOTB  🙁