Nigel Place’s blog

a happy little ditty

nobody@vox.com(Nigel Place) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:09:11 +0100

Hey I'm Nigel Place,

I'm Singer/Songwiter from Dublin, Ireland and I've just joined some new groups (new to me anyways). So, 'they' say first impressions matter and with that in mind heres a song that seems to make the best first impression.

Its called "Sad Songs" but actually its quite a happy little ditty.

;-)

Nige

Sad Songs - Nigel Place

Nigel Place

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You kinda had to be there

nobody@vox.com(Nigel Place) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:49:52 +0100

This post is not musically related whatsoever just as a word of warning but in case anyone ever checks in here it ight bring a smile to someones face, afterall theres alot to having a laugh at someones else's expense...........in this case mine.

anyways the story goes, me and my younger brother, doing some work for our parents, specifically taking up an old driveway, to make way for a new one. so its all going to plan, 3 hours of hard graft kango-ing up concrete and then the kango hammer packs in so its back to the hire-shop, to get a replacement, I should have known the direction of the day was about to change when I smacked myself in the mouth with the plug from the hammer and then quashed my finger with it as I lifted it in to the car.

So anyways got the new hammer, and about 10 minutes into it I hit the water main!!!!!!!! FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its pissing everywhere, so quick phonecall to Dad who's about 90 miles away by now to see where the water stop cock key is, only to find out theres isn't one, ..........the water is still pissing everywhere............so I go buy one, meanwhile the water is pissing everywhere.

New stop cock key in hand I lift the little flap on the pavement and try to turn the fountain off but hey guess what?!?!? its full of shit. So my brother rings Dad again and Dad says theres a torch in the jeep, so Andrew gets the keys, open the jeep and then manages to lock his phone and the keys of the jeep into the jeep...... HOW? ............Fuck knows!!!!......And we don't even get the torch.....................Still the water is pissing everywhere............had this been a musical we might have been singing in the rain but no this was real life..........but it was turning into full on CARRY ON............LAUREL AND HARDY...............KEYSTONE COPS............SLAPSTICK sketches.

So anyways eventually I get the thing turned off and everything gets back to normal but we still had all the work to do!

You kinda had to be there but it was just one of those days,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

nige

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Another Photo by Stefan Duerr

nobody@vox.com(Nigel Place) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:24:13 +0100

Nigel Place - The Academy - Dublin

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The Academy - Dublin - Photos

nobody@vox.com(Nigel Place) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:47:18 +0100

Just wanted to share a photo of my last gig with you, I think it looks great, it was taken by Stefan Duerr.

There are other which I'll post soon.

Cheers

Nige

Nigel Place - The Academy - Dublin

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I'll take the roundabouts!

nobody@vox.com(Nigel Place) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:27:47 +0100

So last thursday I supported one of Ireland's most popular singer/songwriters Declan O'Rourke in The Academy Dublin and it was great, loved every second of it and couldn't believe 30 minutes could go so quickly. Time flies when your having fun I suppose?!

The day itself was brutal, it rained all day and i'd been up since 7:30 that morning and was on the go all day, so there was no one more pleased than I was when I eventually got to the venue to sound check and settle into the night ahead. I was joined by some friends, Labhaoise my backing singer and Len who produced my EP, he was gonna take some pics and provide some moral support. Also in the venue was another friend Shane Brennan who was filming the night for both myself and Declan. Shane having a production company called Moondance Productions had 3 cameras set up and so when the results are ready I'll put something up here.

But I loved it, it went really well and the crowd gave me a very good welcome and alot of their attention. The venue itself holds 650 people and when I came on it looked quite full from where I was standing, so I said it on the night and I meant it........................ its really nice to actually play to somebody! My previous gig involved playing to 2 people, I kid you not, so if that night was swings I'll take the roundabouts.

Anyways I'll keep you posted anyways on the footage from it.

All the best

Nige

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supporting Declan O'Rourke

nobody@vox.com(Nigel Place) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:39:26 +0100

hey!

not sure if that means alot to anyone but when Paul Weller was asked recently which song in the last 20 years (from another artist) he wished he'd written he said 'Galileo' by Declan O'Rourke.

anyways I get to support Declan next week in Dublin at The Academy on thursday the 26th June, so looking forward to it.

nige

(it'll be a brown trousers night)

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Me Castle Su Castle

nobody@vox.com(Nigel Place) — Thu, 15 May 2008 22:36:41 +0100

so no blogging for ages and here I am 2 in as many days, I'll need a lie down after this.

anyways I mentioned yesterday that I had some gigs coming up and one of those is at a Festival over here in Ireland called Castlepalooza as the name suggest it takes place in a castle (cool or what!??!) called Charleville Castle over 2 days on the August Bank Holiday weekend. So I can't wait, I get to play, then hang out for a weekend watching bands and I may even get to wash it all down with a few scoops while I'm at it, ahh yes you can't say fairer than that.

So if you're in Ireland that weekend 2nd & 3rd of August you could do much worse than go to this festival.

And seeing as I posted a song yesterday I'll stick with tradition, no clever link to it this time though, that part of the brain is obviously not on right now, so here its is "Mislaid Not Lost", quite different from yesterdays tune but hey its still me. And yeah thats me in the photo, aged 4 and with the whole world ahead of me!

later

nige

Mislaid Not Lost - Nigel Place

Nigel Place

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I'm a centipede!

nobody@vox.com(Nigel Place) — Wed, 14 May 2008 23:12:16 +0100

as a songwriter and singer and guitar player for me its all about writing a great song and singing and playing it well BUT is that gonna get you where you want to go? No is probably the answer. Because aswell as working on your craft, its about 100 times as important (worked out by random algorithm, finger in the air and standing on one foot) to graft, thats how you get your gigs, radio slots and whatever else it is that help build your profile and get your name out there. Its always about the songs for me as the artist but no one is gonna knock on your door until they know you have a door that can be knocked on.

I've always thought I have great songs and something different to offer even if you want to fit me in the singer/songwriter box. but its only in recent years I've copped on to the grafting factor, theres no room for modesty, if you don't ask you won't get. of course if you have people they can do the graft but as a solo act doing all the PR and other jobs that a manager would do, I have to do the asking.

So this year I've lined you some great gigs, playing my first festival and a great support slot coming up. Its all baby steps but 1 small step and all that........

Another thing I might say to fellow voxers who are putting up material and prefacing it with something like "this is only ruff but....." ...............the news is that once thats said no one is gonna listen. I'm no sage but if I were you and you are serious about what you do .........don't put anything up here or anywhere unless you are totally happy with it, unless you think its the best you can sound. there is so much music out there why would anyone listen to something that is half arsed or badly recorded? Its a cliche but .................put your best foot forward!

And heres one of my best feet, good job I'm a centipede

Nige ;-)

Sad Songs - Nigel Place

Nigel Place

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Big Screen Kiss - recent radio interview

nobody@vox.com(Nigel Place) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:35:23 +0100

So I've just hit 10,000 plays on myspace and as a celebration I've got the rice krispie cakes and lemonade ready to go but seeing as its a bit hard to share them over the interweb, I've got this video of my recent interview on 98FM with Louise Heraghty on her show The Lowdown.

Nigel Place 98FM

I've been getting a bit of slagging as a result of it, seeing as I admitted to being inspired by a 'chick flick' and Matthew McConaughey ..........well sort of but I'd say it was more Kate Hudson!

Anyways here it is, have a look & listen & lets know what you think. The song is called 'Big Screen Kiss' and big thanks to Len for lashing this video together for me and Louise for having me on the show.

Cheers

Nige

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Brass Monkeys & Radio & deleted comments

nobody@vox.com(Nigel Place) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 22:13:21 +0000

Well I played my gig lastnight which went well, but its hard to get the punters out when its just after a bank holiday weekend especially when its still brass monkeys out there but hey the show must go on, and go on it did with three acts doing a 40 minute set each. In my case that meant playing 10 songs, seeing as I've gotten into the habit of writing everything to fit into the 3 minute (or so) structure.

Anyways today I went in and did a pre-record for a radio show which will be going out on Sunday morning after 11 on 98FM if you're around Dublin but if you're outside of that and can listen online go to www.98fm.ie and find the "Listen Live" link. Theres a few minutes chat and then I play a song called "Big Screen Kiss". The show is called "The Lowdown" and is hosted by Louise Heraghty and big thanks to her for having me in.

I asked my friend Len (Len Arran producer of all the tracks I have up here) to come along and film it which he very kindly did, so as soon as we get the good quality audio from the station we'll knock it together with the video and we'll lash something up here or on my myspace.

Also just wanted to say that in case anyone thought I deleted their comments recently, I didn't, well not intentionally. What happened was that I reposted my songs so that they had artwork associated and not just the pink speaker icon thing and in that process they were lost.

Anyways hope you're all well and that you'll listen in on sunday

Nige

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