Long preamble to this, but bear with us, it (like all good things do) ends in a song. Here’s what happened:
- Some people decided to do a Birmingham Twitter Festival.
- Craig Friends of the Stars offered the band’s services as cover artistes as a raffle prize.
- Nicky Getgood won that prize.
- Nicky is obsessed with all things Irish and Digbeth.
- So she, rather inevitably, chose a traditional Irish song (her favourite, Black Velvet Band) — but being a Brummie, couldn’t let the opportunity to do something special pass.
- She “butchered the lyrics to reflect the recent Noise Abatement Order problems suffered by The Spotted Dog and The Rainbow“. (Can you pop them online somewhere please, so we can sing along?)
- And then Craig et al recorded up a storm. A folky storm.
- And then Nicky put it online and intends to get copies everywhere for the traditional Birmingham green guinness fest in March.
I’m not a Irish music fan normally, but this version isn’t all fiddles and yelping it’s smooth and ragged in just the right places. I suggest you play it loud, with due consideration for others. And go and check out the band’s other stuff too.
Friends of the Stars – Black Velvet Band
Additional Lyrics by Nicky Getgood
Arrangement by Friends of the Stars
Recorded in Birmingham and Glasgow in Feb 2009 by Friends of the Stars
Anna Russell – Vocals
Campbell Docherty – Bass, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals
Craig Hamiltion – Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Piano kindly played by Rich Batsford
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