Gerald: A Ukulele Adventure by Jake Smithies and Nicole Ramsden - REVIEW

You will have heard me talk about Jake Smithies before on this blog. One half of Dead Mans Uke, the guy with the impossibly cool outfits and the double bass. Well, did you know he is also an artist and author? I picked up his latest book, Gerald: A Ukulele Adventure from the Grand Northern Ukulele Festival.

In fact Jake and his partner Nicole have prepared a number of books, and this is his second one featuring Gerald, prepared for the Grand Northern Ukulele Festival.

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N'Ukefest 2014 - A Roaring Success

Well another year over and we said goodbye to the third annual N'Ukefest Ukulele gathering in Cheshire UK. Here is a very quick look back.

This year we wanted to to make this one bigger and better than ever, the previous two N'Ukefests being small and ad-hoc affairs, and so the planning for this started in late 2013. A change of venue too this year, moving to the better equipped Cotton Arms in Wrenbury Cheshire.

After the months of work on the devilish details, physical setting up started at the venue on the Thursday before the festival, and we were surprised to note that some eager punters had already arrived on the campsite. After a day decorating and setting up gear and stages, we retired on Thursday to await the onslaught on Friday.

Friday was the informal start of the festival where people could meet for a chat and a drink, and enjoy it they did. After a hard day setting up the stages, the punters arrived in their droves on Friday and much beer was supped into the (very) early hours! The nice thing about uke players is they will always create a jam for others to join in with wherever they are. Top marks go to the guys from Carlisle Uke Club who led a jam and singalong (with some sublime playing) inside the pub on the Friday. But it didn't end there. The Pavilion building for which we were holding the evening concert on the Saturday was soon put to good use by Paul Elcock of the SUSSies who had rigged a projector showing song sheets for a mass play along with yet more players.

Carlisle Uke Club entertaining the pub

Up early on Saturday morning to rig the outdoor stage and the place was soon full. Our raffle tent was quickly set up by Mary Agnes Krell and family and was soon displaying the fantastic prizes that had been donated from around the world.

N'Ukfest Raffle Stall

We then started the open mic performances with a day full of bands, solos and clubs from around the UK taking their turn on the stage, all ably mixed by Chuck from The N'Ukes. We really didn't know what to expect or how we would manage amplifying such a wide variety of acts, but aside from some very minor glitches, we are pleased to report that everything ran on time and nothing broke down! I shouldn't pick favourites really as all acts performed so well and with great gusto, but I particularly enjoyed The Splintered Ukes from Liverpool, Autumn McCann and Joe Grant Mills and Michael Adcocks sublime playing in the style of Roy Smeck (ably joined on stage by Peter Moss).

The highlight of the open mic day for me though was an idea created by Steve in The N'Ukes, in an attempt to make the event more inclusive for new or shy players. So we coined 'Play With A Pro' and offered people to sign up to form three groups of players to go away and work on a song they have never played before and then perform it on stage with one of the evening performers. It was a concept that could have crashed and burned I guess, but when you had pros leading the groups like Phil Doleman, Mike Krabbers and Tim and Jake Smithies, how could it go wrong?. The groups looked nervous, but the group leaders took them through it perfectly and the three performances had some of the best audience receptions of the day!  Oh, and did I say that by the end of the open mic session, two thirds of all of our raffle tickets had sold out?!

The Splintered Ukes

With not much time to spare after finishing the open mic stage, the evening acts were ushered to the Pavilion stage for the quickest of sound checks. Minimal fuss from these artists who have performed many many times around the UK, and we were ready to go at 7pm. Kicking off the show were our pals Ooty And The Cloud from Chester who delivered a suitably dreamy and classy set and soon had the pavilion full.

Dead Mans Uke followed with their fantastic, thrilling sound that really did have the audience amazed - I love their style and attitude and it was so good of them to come.

Dead Mans Uke

Next up, Krabbers and his set of introspective and also funny self penned tunes was a particular highlight and drew a great audience reaction - love that mans voice.

Then on to some sublime technical skill and a guy we love and were so pleased to have along. Phil Dolemans sets are wonderful to watch and always delivered with total professionalism. He certainly went with a bang.

Then a trio of guys we have been friends with for some time who we just knew would get the audience bouncing - Chonkinfeckle. One way or another the guys from Chonkinfeckle have contributed to each N'Ukefest so far, so we were delighted to have them back for the third time and see them perform a really tight set as a full band.

Chonkinfeckle

Closing the night were the N'Ukes - we were rough and ready, and extremely tired, but I think the audience enjoyed it. A highlight for me was some of the other evening acts joining us on stage for the final thrash out of Should I Stay Or Should I Go by the Clash. Note to self - when organising a ukulele festival, don't think you will be fit to play anything at a start time of 10.45pm..... It was a blur really...

Accordingly, straight to bed for me after the gig, but I know that the fun and games carried on in the campsite until the early hours. ( I shall keep the stories to myself....)

Up and at them for day two and things kicked off with the guys from Carlisle again and I had been dying to see them on stage. They have a really tight thing going on and were a joy to watch.

Special mention to Wirral Uke Orchestra, and a couple of their spin off bands such as The Mighty Flea for their very tight and well arranged sets. With an 'Orchestra' it's not straightforward to play so many ukes with such variety, but they nailed it I thought.

Wirral Ukulele Orchestra

Early afternoon we had sold out of raffle tickets, and Mary Agnes Krell joined us on stage to announce the prize winners (at all times being put off by the blowing wind and her billowing skirt!). The generosity of those who donated still staggers me. And the raffle was not all, we also had a cake stall set up by locals Eileen and Rosie Mason with all proceeds going to the charity too.

And I said I wouldn't pick favourites, but who am I kidding... later in the afternoon we had an act that we just knew would blow the festival away. Nervously taking the stage was Zahra Lowzley from Edinburgh who burst into one of the most impressive ukulele performances I have EVER seen. Quite incredible and everything from classical to flamenco, dub step to bluegrass. Staggeringly good. I say this as no exaggeration - some people in the audience were in tears at the emotional playing and she received the only (and well deserved) standing ovation of the weekend.

Zahra Lowzley

And soon it was over. The feedback from attendees has been amazing and we are so glad it went off well. And what of the reason for it all? Well, the event was put on to raise money for two very worthy charities, Macmillan Cancer Support and The Wingate Centre in Wrenbury, a disabled children's charity located close to the N'Ukefest venue. And the total? £3,731.58!!! We are totally thrilled with that sum and it smashes the target we had in mind by some distance.

Thanks on behalf of The N'Ukes go to all who attended, took part or contributed in any way at all. If I start listing names, I will miss somebody and don't want to offend, so, thanks to all - you know who you are!!

FINAL Word has to go to this performance from Zahra!

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Dead Mans Uke - Flaming Formby Hot Sauce - REVIEW

I can honestly say that when I started blogging about the ukulele, I never once thought I would find myself writing about food. Until that is UK act Dead Mans Uke came along with a gem of a merchandise idea. Flaming Formby Habenero Hot Sauce!

Tim and Jake Smithies of Dead Mans Uke came up with the novel idea recently, and via the culinary skills of the Cambridge Chili Sauce Co, presented me with this bottle of Dead Mans Uke brand sauce at the last N'Ukefest.

It's made from Habanero peppers and boy, can you feel the heat. This is a HOT sauce and quite refreshing for it. I find a lot of the supermarket shelves are filled with sauces that claim they are hot, but are actually anything but. This one though has a fiery kick that will satisfy the most avid chili fan. Even the label reads,

"Dead Mans Uke cannot be held responsible for any damage or pain caused..."

Love it!

It's not all heat heat heat though, and has a fruity and slightly sweet taste too. I've had it with cheese and it goes down a treat, as it did on grilled chicken, and my wife mixed it with mayo to create a chili dip!

But on to that name and the label.  The packaging was designed by Jake Smithies of the band and features a gurning George Formby on fire..... For readers from around the globe, Mr Formby was a master of a certain style of cheeky chappie banjolele uke from some years ago, and still revered by some people over here in the UK. Readers of this site may also remember that I am not, personally, the biggest fan of the Formby style. As such, a bottle of sauce that features the burning head of said Mr F was naturally going to appeal to me in a perverse way.  And as Tim Smithies said 'Turned out hot again!'

You can pick up your bottles via the Dead Mans Uke website at http://www.deadmansuke.com/flaming-formby/ and be sure to check the band out too. They absolutely rocked the crowd at N'Ukefest 2014!

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N'Ukefest Ukulele Gathering Line Ups Are Finalised!

Well, not quite a Got A Ukulele post, but news that the ukulele gathering being hosted by our band The N'Ukes is now booked up for performances! N'Ukefest is GO!

N'Ukefest is a charitable ukulele get together on 16-18 May, that is free to attend and now in its third year. This year though we thought we would go a bit bigger, providing two full days of ukulele open mic performances and a special evening programme of some of the UK's biggest uke performers on an indoor stage. Let's take a look at the evening programme first. We are delighted with these acts!!

Phil Doleman

We are well and truly delighted to get this act to N’Ukefest. Phil Doleman is extremely well known in the uke world and one of the highest regarded performers on the circuit.

Phil has been at the forefront of the ukulele revival for over ten years and is hugely in demand as a performer and workshop teacher. He plays beautiful instrumental uke, some standards, some self penned and has performed at more festivals than we can shake a stick at. Ken Middleton of Ohana Ukuleles called him ‘one of the most talented players in the UK’ and we would fully agree. Fresh from the Ukulele Festival Of Great Britain AND the Grand Northern Ukulele Festival we are delighted to have him with us.

This is a real treat! Did we also say that he is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet as well? He is!

Chonkinfeckle

Chonkinfeckle are a Wigan trio made up of Les Hilton, Tim Cooke and Peter Byrom and we are absolutely thrilled they are playing for us.

They are extremely well known on the ukulele circuit, having performed at both the Ukulele Festival of Great Britain and this years Grand Northern Ukulele Festival in Pontefract. They perform unique self penned tunes on ukulele, gob iron, percussion and keyboards that stay true to their Lancashire roots. They tell tales of everyday life, work, local characters and often including the local dialect. Beltin!


Krabbers

Krabbers hails from Surrey, and is a well known face on the ukulele circuit and was most recently seen running the ‘open no mic’ and the ‘Unplugthewood’ sessions at the Grand Northern Ukulele Festival.

He is the founder and host of the ‘unplugthewood' open mics and jams and has performed ukulele all over the world including the Ukulele Festival Of Great Britain. He is with us at N’Ukefest as a solo act, performing a range of his self penned material. A fabulous performer with a real songwriting skill and we are so pleased he has agreed to play!


Dead Mans Uke

 Another addition to the N’Ukefest line up is a duo we were not sure we could get, but it all worked out good in the end!

Tim and Jake Smithies have been playing together for a while now, and are a father and son duo who play in the mighty Anything Goes Orchestra. Dead Mans Uke is a stripped down, simple and stomping ukulele and bass combo that plays blues, Americana and anything else they darn well please on reso uke and double bass. Having played most of the pubs and clubs in their native Yorkshire Dales, including the odd festival (including the Ukulele Festival Of Great Britain) they are now heading further afield, stomping all the way. You have been warned!

The N'Ukes

That'll be our band then! The N'Ukes are hosting the event and performing their high octane set on the Saturday night.

The N’Ukes play an eclectic mix of rock, soul, blues, folk and country in their own style, accompanied by keyboards, drums and bass. Never ones to lean on lamp posts or tiptoe through tulips, they prefer to rock things up a little. We will look to throw some surprises into the mix on the night and of course you will get to know us as we will be rushing around during the day to make sure the event goes well!


Ooty And The Cloud

Ooty And The Cloud are a Chester based three piece making their return to N’Ukefest! Ooty comprise Stephen Fowler (vocals, uke, bouzouki), Rekha Fowler (Melodica, whistles) and Sally Gallagher (vocals, uke) and make some lovely music, much of it self penned with some inspired covers thrown in. Guaranteed to give us a dreamy set. Did we add they are also lovely people too?

And, that is just the evening programme. All day on Saturday and Sunday we are delighted that the following performers, bands, clubs have agreed to perform for the crowds on the outdoor open mic stage.

SATURDAY

11.00 The N’Ukes - introdcution, welcome and song

11.20 Jan Hough - Wigan
11.40 Bridgnorth Ukulele Band
12.00 Marc Gallagher - Nantwich
12.20 Congleton and Biddulph Ukulele Clubs
12.30 Ray Welch - Reading
12.40 The Splintered Ukes - Liverpool
13.00 Bluddy Hell - Wigan
13.20 Clarice Wokes - Leeds 
13.40 Stockport Ukulele Players
14.00 Surprise Event announcement!
14.10 Ukulele Club Liverpool
14.30 Bolton Uke Group
14.50 Rob Collins - Hebden Bridge
15.10 Aldridge Uke Group
15.30 Beer Of The Infantry - The Wirral
15.50 Macclesfield Uke Group
16.10 Pete Shurmer - Chester
16.30 Surprise Event and book on the day slots
17.20 Michael Adcock - Tenbury

SUNDAY
11.10 Carlisle Uke Club
11.40 Blue and Beyond - South Wales
12.00 Dylan Kennerall-Walters - Stone, Staffordshire
12.30 4ukesake - Skipton 
13.00 Stuart ‘Pockets’ Crout - Edinburgh
13.20 Wirral Uke Orchestra
13.40 The N’Ukefest raffle draw - hosted by Mary Agnes Krell
14.20 Mighty Flea - Wirral
14.40 Peter Moss - Alsager
15.00 Acoustic Milkfloat - Wirral
15.20 Zahra Lowzley - Edinburgh
15.40 Ukulele Union - Halesowen

What a ton of music for you! And don't worry if you are not booked in - keep sending us applications through the website as we will be keeping a reserve list for the open mic, and having some slots available for day visitors.

All details are on www.nukefest.com. We do hope you can come along.

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