The dust has barely settled on Project X at the weekend and Im straight into the promotion of a new event coming up at St Phillips Cathedral Birmingham on Sat May 30th.

I’ve been meeting regularly for some months now with my friends Mick Perrier and Amran Ellahi and this is the fruit of our efforts. Mick and I have a long history – he recruited me to join St Marys Church Choir over thirty years ago and he is still the Organist and Choirmaster there. I’ve now put on a number of concerts at the Chuch (not least one of the venues in the recent Project X event) with his help and cooperation.

Amran is the driving force behind Aashiq Al Rasul – a successful and brilliant Muslim faith group playing either acoustic (rousing vocals and exciting percussion) or sometimes as a full band. I met Amran via a curry with Andrew Dubber of New Music Strategies fame in one of the many synchronous moments that have characterised the Project X experience (we were looking for a Qawwali band to collaborate with myself and a Einstellung (a heavy instrumental guitar band).

I also invited Aashiq to perform at one of my annual Music by Candlelight concerts at St Marys where they were a great hit and the sight of Christian, Muslim and other people all clapping happily along together was inspiring and joyous.

Soon after Amran contacted me and suggested we had a model that was worth progressing. At some point in the meetings we created the name “Musituality” – a compound of the words “music and spirituality” and we decided that Birmingham Cathedral would provide an iconic and beaitful setting.

At one point we also got Padmakumara of the Birmingham Buddhist Centre onboard who suggested we apply for a small grant from the Roger Hooker Memorial Trust and we have also received support from the Prevention of Violent Extremism fund.

and now, some months later, here we are – excited to announce:

Musituality – Music in the Spirit of Harmony – Sat May 30, 7.30pm, Birmingham Cathedral.

Click here for tickets (£8 or £7 concessions or groups).

It should be a beautiful evening – hope you can make it.
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Have a click on the amazing poster below to see it in all its detailed and delightful glory!
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I enjoy visiting the Kitchen Garden Cafe in York Road, Kings Heath – in fact I’m there weekly for meetings with Mick Perrier and Amran Ellahi about our Musituality project.

Many moons ago I also occasionally went to The Retort – a somewhat anarchic cabaret show in Moseley.

Now, the good people behind the Kitchen Garden Cafe have brought the Retort back – somehwat calmer in tone apparently these days, but Im sure no less fun, and they’ve kindly invited me to play at it on Sunday May 3rd.

They bill it as: “The usual eclectic mix of Music, Comedy, Poetry and Cabaret in Suburbia. This month’s show is compered by the fabulous Brian and Krysstal, legends of the London Cabaret scene, who had the audience in stitches in the April show. If you saw them last month I’m sure you’ll be dying to see them again (they have plenty more material so it won’t be a repeat).

More comedy comes from local girl Annette Fagon and newcomer Zane Cohen. We have Poetry, Comedy and Music from former Birmingham Poet Laureate Spoz, music from Emma Black “Emma’s long dark tresses & pretty crystalline voice still doesn’t prepare you for her soothing, hypnotic guitar work, which is fused with a folk outlook.” Manchester Music, plus David Gibb “modern pop-folk that’s bright and infectious…he’s got great commercial possibilities and he’s someone that, given the right help, could easily make this all work” Steve Lamacq BBC Radio 2, and Rich Batsford “Inspired by Philip Glass and Steve Reich, his music displays amazing beauty in repetition and minimalism. Definitely a performer to keep your eyes on.” B’ham Evening Mail Tickets £7 (£5 conc.).

The latest incarnation of Project X Presents is about to bear fruit. I’m pretty much full time on it now and will be for the next two weeks, but its all good fun and shaping up to be a great event.

For this one, the emphasis has shifted somewhat to art exhibition – with displays of art from midday in three main spaces – St Marys Church, Moseley Exchange (at the Post Office building) and Upstairs at the Cross Bar, but theres performance too, with music in the Church (songs from Laura-Louise, Chris Tye and myself) and the Exchange building (classic jazz from the Ralph Allin quartet) and a full Project X style programme in the Cross, not to metion physical theatre on the streets and a few surprises here and there.

Check out these great flyers from Charly Machin and please, spread the word:

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Last year as part of the Project X Presents event Digital Dystopia, a very beautiful dance piece was devised to two new pieces of my music. Excerpts from the second have been edited into this lovely video – please check it out:

For more information on how this all came about check out this blog post on the Project X site which gives a bit more info. Its clever stuff!
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Great gig last night as the Sunflower Lounge – which since opening in 2002 has remained one of the few reasons you’re likely to want to go drinking in Birmingham city centre.

It was opened by Paul Cook – the resident for many years in the small room at Snobs nightclub – the spiritual home of Birminghams Indie community. He played a terrrific selection of 60’s, 70’s Northern Soul, Mod and Indie (often spinning a Beach Boys tune for me when he was me wander in) and the Sunflower Lounge reflects his taste and style.

A great little venue for a gig too – we sat watching the first acts from raised area at the back with a great view onto the bar below, the musicians in front of the big windows and the street behind. The night is called the Sunflower Sessions and is ably run by the lovely Tom.

We missed the Humdrum Express as we’d gone out to grab some dinner, but Ive reviewed him on this blog before. Ian was very kind in shouting out a request for Jobbery before I’d even started and he later confessed to shedding a tear to it. Interesting cos its more of an angry song than a sad one, but the feeling of what he referred to as “those wasted lives” obviously strikes a chord with him.

The rest of the evening was a showcase for Frizz records – a friendly label East London label with a great ethos and several talented musicians. Each chipped in at some point, playing on one anothers songs, so sometimes there was clarinet, percussion and some great backing vocals. In particular Joy Joseph’s voice was a stand out.

I then played – a bit groggy from a heavy weekend partywise, and feeling the nerves a bit shortly beforehand, but quickly settling in. Im getting the hang of confidently and clearly addressing the audience from the start which really helps. The set is definitely the best its been yet in terms of quality and structure. Theres just one more song I want to add to it which has had the music and an idea for a chorus written for along time, but needs finishing as I’ll want to put it on my first album of songs. Overall the set went down well – even getting a small standing ovation.

Finally David Garside began – a little tentatively at first, but soon hitting his stride. He’s a good gutarist as evidenced from some soloing in the earlier group set and I thought he was probably strongest when playing guitar with a colleague backing well on piano – a good full sounds and some great harmonies as well. The last couple of big numbers had a terrific warm, summery feel to round off a really enjoyable night.

Marc Reeves, editor of the Birmingham Post was in the audience which was great (and testament to the delights of Twitter). The local music is scene is going to need all the support it can get from the local papers following the unfortunate news that listings magazine Whats On recently ceased to exist.
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I’ve been twittering (or micro-blogging as you could call it) for a few months now, which may explain the slight drop off in regularity of posts on here.

My twitter page is http://twitter.com/RichBatsford – so if you fancy keeping in touch via the medium of 140 character updates, you know where to find me. At some point I’ll get it together to integrate my tweets into this site somewhere. Alternatively, you could hit me up on facebook where my tweets are converted into my facebook status updates anyway.

In the meantime, heres a cute little mosaic picture of the interesting peeps Im following on Twitter at the moment – check em out:

Get your twitter mosaic here.

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I played again last night for the lovely Dale and Sam of Acoustic Brew – two more hardworking, friendly and enthusiastic promoters of live music you’ll go a long way to meet!

Ive been dead busy lately with comedy bookings and also a bout of the ubiquitous man flu so I wasnt massively looking forward to the show, but really enjoyed it in the end.

The Island Bar is a great venue in a good central location, both for music and general drinking and particularly if you like good cocktails (their speciality).

First up tonight was Marina del Ray – a personable bunch of gents from Worcestershire playing, as their name implies, with a heavy Americana influence. Nice to see a stand up bass, and small scale drum kit, sensitively played to accompany the strong vocals and acoustic guitar.

My personal highlight of the bill was the next act, Alex Moir – a local performer who is still only 18 but has been performing for three years already. Really strong songs, with great lyrics and and a strong, gruff voice all – at the risk of sounding patronising, sounding way beyond his tender years. Maybe he’s channeling Bob Dylan or something (no wait, he’s not dead yet).

Finally, Lee Carroll performed another good set of songs ably assisted by Neil Roberts providing an added dimension with some flute melodies and some really tight two part vocal harmonies.

Finally I croaked my way through a well received set. I’ve been unhappy with the start of my set for a while and have written music (but as yet no words beyond a possible title “Hold Your Fire”) which I think will make a new opener. Until I get the headspace to finish the lyrics tho, Im stuck with the three openers I use, but this time I tried them in a new order and I think its the best option yet – opening with Listen In (a nice gentle start with a bit of a stronger finish and a nice mood balance), then For Ali (short and sweet) before Easier for Her (a little darker).

Im also keeping with the recently established tradition of thumping Completion instrumental to close.

As soon as I get this bit of comedy work done (and my tax) I hope to crack on and get more bookings in the wider Midlands (and a demo of my songs and a new website).
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I’m looking forward to playing in this gig at the Yardbird – just outside the none-too-appropriately named Paradise Forum in Birmingham city centre – at the city end of Broad Street.

Its a venue Ive been meaning to visit more often since spending some enjoyable hours in a jazz bar in Edinburgh in the Summer.

Its exciting to be on a bill for the first time with Chris Tye – one of the best and most well established acoustic artists in Birmingham – check his myspace here – great songs, beautifully sung. Also on the bill is Jayne Powell another gifted vocalist who Ive seen a couple of times at Bohemian Jukebox and always enjoyed.

Also on the bill is a young singer songwriter from Coventry, Emma McGann with some warm songs and sweet vocals.

It should be a great night – its Free entry and he doors open at 7pm with the music getting underway sometime after 8pm.

Hope you can make it.
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