No8 Cafe

Drew Nelson played at No8 Cafe Launceston

first gig of his UK Tour 2010

Drew Nelson singer songwriter at No8 Cafe
Drew Nelson performing at it No8 Cafe Launceston

Colin Hill sent me an email to tell me about the next musician he had lined up at No8 Cafe  and he seemed really excited. Now I know why. Drew played on Independence Day last year at no8 and he was very well received and still remembered by many.

Drew mentioned at one point that he felt that playing again at No8, was like coming back to a place where he knew he was amongst friends. That's nice.

Drew Nelson grew up in MIchigan and later joined the Navy and travelled the world. Returning from his travels around the globe he saw the old familiar small town communities through a different pair of eyes.

Drew's songs are inspired by ordinary everyday events, hometown, travelling the road, friends and family. politics, economics and eavesdropping. Whilst talking with Drew he said that some songs come to him in a flash, whilst other songs may sit around for years before going out to the public. Sometimes he felt inspired by catching snippets of conversation. I can almost imagine Drew sitting in a cafe listening to the chatter around him and thinking to himself "can you talk a little louder please, I am trying to write a song"!

Drew proved he could come up with a spontaneous song when he opened the window and the sound of workmen sawing timber and  local girls laughing and talking as they walked  by on the pavement below, entered the room .  Drew closed the window and started to sing. If he ever produces a song called "Jigsaws and Cornish Girls"  you know where it came from!

Drew Nelson on tour in UK 2010
Drew Nelson live at No8 Launceston Cornwall

  Drew places his songs in two categories. Happy and sad. We were privaleged to to find out that some songs he  sang for us tonight were sung for the first time ever and in fact one song was only two days old! Drew introduced  each song by telling us about the source of inspiration,  which always make the song understandable and gives meaning to the lyrics.

Drew Nelson on UK tour at No8 Cafe
Drew Nelson singer/songwriter in Launceston Cornwall

Some times when listening to a person sing you can say oh he sounds like......and come up with name, sometimes when listening to a song you may think of a style and draw comparisons, well all I can say is that Drew Nelson sounds like......Drew Nelson, and his style of music is very much like that of... Drew Nelson. He is funny, pleasant, friendly, approachable and very entertaining. He is a brilliant musician, singer and songwriter.

Graham Sleeman who provided all the equipment and monitored the sound,said people like Drew were easy to do the sound for because the instrument and the voice were so good, that once the sound desk was set up there was very little to do except enjoy the music. 

Drew makes his own instruments and he said as he tuned the guitar that it thought it was still a tree, meaning it still had life in it. It was certainly alive in Drews hands. His guitar sounded lovely and I thought a couple of times is the man playing the guitar or the guitar playing the man?  Perfect partners.

Drew Nelson Poster for No8
Drew Nelson signed poster.

 After Drew had played his encore, he was busy signing the CD's which he had for sale, along with sweatshirts, the proceeds of which go directly to a very worthy cause.... the Mortgage! I took a poster off the wall which Drew kindly autographed for me. Thank you very much Drew.

No8 Cafe and coffee shop is found in Westgate Street Launceston opposite the post office.

Telephone number -01566 777369

Special Thanks to

Colin Hill for another wonderful night of great entertainment

Adrian Harvey for the lovely venue

All the very friendly staff  for being very friendly staff

Graham Sleeman for the fantastic sound

Drew Nelson for sharing your passion

Drew Nelson has a deep spiritual conection with the planet Earth and the people who live on it and call it home. When I think of home I think of it as "Here On Mother Earth" I am sure Drew would agree. Native American Indian influences come across very strongly in the song "Grand Mother Moon" and "Raindance." Drew has seen first hand the damage and destruction caused by large companies seeking only profit, caring little about the environment or the displacement of  local people who watch their lands disappear.

Please visit Drew Nelsons website where you can download free music and learn more about his desire to help the people who are defending sacred territory called Eagle Rock from a mining company.

 

To find a gig near you visit Drew Nelsons Show Schedule

Albums by Drew Nelson

Dusty Road to Beulah Land          Immigrant Son


Rita Hosking on UK Tour

Visits no8 Cafe in Launceston

Rita Hosking, a powerful singer/song writer and her talented  husband Sean, performed to another packed house at No8 cafe in Launceston on Thursday 22nd July.

Rita Hosking and Sean Feder performing at No8 in Launceston
Rita Hosking on Guitar and vocals, Sean Feder on banjo and backing vocals

Rita and Sean from Davis in North California share a passion for playing Americana, folk, country and bluegrass music. Rita Hosking's first taste of singing began as a child at the local church and her first musical instrument was a good old fashioned washboard.

A lot has happened since then and three years ago Rita gave up her job as school teacher to take up her musical career full time. She has won several awards and her albums are continually receiving much attention. I think you made a good choice Rita.

Rita has played at many festivals and concerts in America and is currently on tour in the UK.

This was Rita's first visit to the UK and it was a special time for her down here in Cornwall because Rita's great grandfather was a Cornish miner who travelled to America along with many others a long time ago to try out their mining skills in California. These Cornish immigrants to America became known as Cousin Jacks. Cousin Jack is also the name given to Rita's support band.

Rita Hosking performing at No8 cafe Launceston
Rita Hosking plays guitar and sings for a full house in Launceston

Rita told a brief story before beginning each song which gave meaning and understanding to the lyrics. These consisted of the memories of her childhood days and the simple rural life as it was for her, growing up in Montgomery Creek in the mountains of Shasta County in North California. Inhabitants of Montgomery Creek were known as "Monkey Crickers" She told us.

Her albums are like a diary of events telling a tale of forest fires, the loss of family, friends, the struggle for survival, a near death experience, pain and fear, all turned into song, and sung with such passion and feeling that I could almost see a tear  in her eyes as she sang.

Sean Feder performs with Rita Hosking at No8 cafe Launceston
Sean Feder banjo player with Rita Hosking

One of her songs "Cool Black Water" reflects on the fear of bad news when having a loved one working deep underground in the coal mines doing a very dangerous job to provide for the needs of the family.

"Are You Ready" came to her as a question of choice; Live or Die? In her mind, as she lay in a coma, her answer was no.

The song "Kitchen Table and Chairs" was born of discussion about  what should be saved in the event of the potentially devastating  forest fires which occurred in the area, encroaching on the family home.

For Rita all the feelings and emotions she has experienced throughout  her life carry the seeds of song which she is then able to develop and share in her own special way with people from all over the world.

Rita's influences are many but perhaps the greatest were the traditional songs sang by her grandparents to the family at christmas time, and inspired by the ordinary everyday lessons of life in a small town rural community.

Sean Feder plays dobro at No8 cafe in Launceston
Sean Feder on dobro

Rita's husband Sean Feder accompanied her with backing vocals, banjo and dobro. Sean also plays percussion and bass guitar, and is a member of the group "Country Jack". Sean kindly explained to me a little about the dobro which he played.A fascinating instrument with a wonderful sound in the hands of  someone like Sean.

Rita Hosking and Sean Feder on tour in the UK

Thank you To Rita Hosking and Sean Feder for sharing your time, your stories, your talent and your love of homegrown country music.

I wish you all the very best as you continue on your musical journeys through life.

Special thanks again to

Colin Hill who certainly knows how to pick a crowd pulling act,

Adrian Harvey for providing the venue,

Graham Sleeman who did a great job again on the mixing desk

and all the people who gave me permission to photograph and do a write up about another great night of music at No8 Cafe in Launceston, Cornwall.

Well done and thanks for another great night out.

No8 Cafe and coffee shop is found in Westgate Street Launceston opposite the post office.

Telephone number -01566 777369

Read about Drew Nelson who also played at No8 Cafe

Selwyn.