21. New Offices for Bowes Industries

On Sunday after Me & Dad got back from the Activator gig, Mum proposed something that had not occurred to me in the many months I have been "at home".

Between 1985 and 2001 Dad ran a business, from home and the room he ran it from has ever been "the office". Since K of E has had some initial successes, and since I am now a "freelance artist", she proposed to turn the office over to my purposes and today, it was done.

We spent the morning moving bits of furniture in and out, down and up the stairs. Surely, there were arguments over what goes where (Mum is an expert space-saver), but not so many arguments that we fell out. I am no longer just a 28-year old man who lives with his parents. I am a 28-year old man who lives with his parents and has an office. It is a modest improvement, but an important one.

The office, hereafter "Bowes Industries", overlooks the back garden, a field, and a hill; a view which, in this late Autumn, early Winter light, looks quite remarkable. Today I feel like a lucky man rather than a cornered one.

20. A Good Weekend

Well, it's over, and I am having a day off (sort of, except for this post).

This was probably K of E's busiest weekend so far in terms of gigs, but we got through it, a showing at GreenRoom and a showing at the Bluecoat (for NWN's Activator programme).

The GreenRoom gig was slightly off-tone, I was rather stressed, home crowd, couple of knobheads in the audience but overall, pretty good.
By contrast, the little safe-space artistic-community showing at the Bluecoat was really relaxed, and an absolute pleasure to perform. At both gigs we got great feedback to help us tighten things up and think about contexts for future showings. And, of course, Dad did well, both times.

Squiffy after drinking wine in the show, and the excellent Sunday Lunch (I has Salmon, Dad had Chicken) provided by the Bluecoat, Dad and I went down the Royal to celebrate a couple of modest victories. Then back at home, Salmon for a second time (!), cooked (quite remarkably) by a Wife & Mother who had just walked 17 miles for a British Heart Foundation walk. So the Boweses had a pretty good weekend, all things considered.





It is too early to write a proper report but it seems there might be a couple of opportunities coming our way as a result of the last few months' hard work, so, for now... Now on to Pilot Night at Custard Factory, Birmingham, December 18th.

19. Tonight's the Night

Well, we have been rehearsing, I have managed to learn all my lines, Mum & Dad spent all yesterday constructing a bicycle and arguing about it, and now there's just a few hours before our homecoming gig at Manchester's GreenRoom. Highlights this week have been seeing Mum beaming when she saw Dad rehearsing his Great Big Dance, and Me & Dad's field trip to the local accountants to learn how we can recoup the deductable from this fun, but loss-making, enterprise.

The butterflies just flew in and it could be some time before they fly out again, but it has been a good week and I'm looking forward to the showings.

I'll post up a few documents from the process, and tonight's show, when I have the time.

x

18. Rehearsals for Green Room 21st and Bluecoat 23rd November

Today we had a first proper rehearsal for the Manchester (Greenroom, this Friday) & Liverpool (Bluecoat, New Work Network Activator Sunday Lunch Programme this Sunday*) versions of Where We Live & What We Live For. And it went alright. Mum sat in and laughed herself silly when Dad busted out with the Big Dancing in the third section of "I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free", which is a good sign. And we still have Wednesday, Thursday and Friday Morning. As I write this, mum is downstairs making cardboard objects for the show (thanks, Mum). The Manchester gig is one I'm particularly looking forward to, home crowd for the last ever Volume night, hosted by my good Friends at Sometimes...

Hopefully we will be as tight at we were at the BAC and You and Your Work. But for now, down the local to learn my lines over pint. x X x

*Not open to the public.

17. Kings of England Accepted to Pilot Night, 18th December, Custard Factory, Birmingham

Good News!

Kings of England have been accepted to Pilot Night, a evening of scratches, at The Custard Factory, Birmingham. The night is curated by Coventy-based company Talking Birds. We will do a 15-minute cut of "Where We Live & What We Live For".

Also on the bill are Stan's Cafe, Peter Fletcher, Millions and Pliers, untied artists and Instant Opera Company.

A good line up, and we're proud to be on.