Pete Christie performing at Fiveways Folk Club

Fiveways is a new Folk club in Charminster, Bournemouth run by Mo, Ed & Karen to showcase popular local performers and for those who enjoy good music.

13th Feb is a club night I may take the Gurian guitar for this unplugged night.

You can expect to hear a wide range music from traditional and contemporary folk, to celtic and singer/songwriter artists.

The Folk Club is in an upstairs function room and well away from the busy pub, with its own bar.

The Folk Club runs on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. Doors open 7.30, Music starts at 8pm.

I was lucky enough to one of the musicians invited to the opening night at Fiveways Folk Club on 24 October 2012

“…Pete Christie, performing songs & melodies in his own unique style…”

Check out the Fiveways Folk Club Facebook for more details

Fiveways Folk

“…Pete Christie did a great set on our opening night. You can see him again combining styles from rock & folk ballards to blues He’s a unique fingerstyle guitarist & I’m looking forward to an amazing evening!…”

What a fantastic live music night at Finedon Community Centre

A former Methodist Church in Northampton, with amazing acoustics and a great sound desk / engineer Geoff Bland - perfect for musicians!! Compere and Master of Ceremonies was Kevin Buxton courtesy of Kontra Roots and Finedon Sessions.

The whole concept of  the Westcountry Songwriters’ Circle Special was very well received by the audience and we have been invited back for a repeat performance at Joules Yard in Market Harborough on 21st September 2013.

Westcountry Songwriters’ Circle Special with

Phil Jinder Dewhurst Facebook
http://www.jinder.co.uk/

Nicky Swann Facebook
http://www.nickyswann.com/

Acoustic Spectrum is a new MULTI radio and television station creating valuable exposure for musicians seeking additional exposure using both forms of media.

3 Radio stations, 1 TV station

Acoustic spectrum radio is specifically designed to cater to unsigned or signed artists with small labels to showcase and promote their particular style of music. Artists will be given opportunities for free publicity across Acoustic Spectrum’s listeners and of course Fatea Magazines supporters

Follow Acoustic spectrum on twitter @acousticspectru and @Fatea_magazine and Acoustic Spectrum on Facebook

Acoustic Spectrum TV is great exposure for all the newest indie and alternative featured videos streamed 24/7.

I recorded the song ‘Ballad of an Ordinary Man’ for the Fatea Showcase Session Download Spring 12 – ‘Walking’ which went live on February 1st 2012.

Our good friend and fellow music-lover, Neil King is one of the creators of Acoustic Spectrum, has been involved in the Indie music scene for over 20 years, bringing the first published music magazine for the indie market and 20 years on still producing the magazine and showcasing new artists from all over the world!

Check out FATEA Magazine for reviews, releases, Live and much more.

I’ve had some very well written reviews from FATEA; they really listen!!

• Fatea review – Master of Anglicana – Pete Christie album ‘Frank’

• FATEA review by Neil King | Pete Christie @ The Bricklayers Arms, Poole | nostalgia for a listening audience.

• Pete Christie – Black, White, and 50 Shades of Grey – Review by FATEA at Purbeck Folk Festival.

by Pete Christie

Derrin Nauendorf Album launch ’Distant

Empires’ with special guest

Pete Christie 

Derrin’s first studio release in four years – The album ‘Distant Empires’ is a personal journey; artistically and musically.

A great night of singer songwriter material and amazing acoustic guitar performances.

Admission £8.00

Derrin Nauendorf and Pete Christie have shared the stage many times over the years:

Mr Kyps in Poole, Dorset

‘In the Round’ at Mr Kyps event with Derrin Nauendorf, Pete Christie and Alex Roberts

Quotes about Derrin Nauendorf‘s music

“Excellent!”

Bob Harris, BBC Radio 2.

“Sheer Musical Genius”

Forte Magazine, Australia

“Blistering Guitar Skills”

Yamaha Europe

“Derrin deserves to be a major player in the music industry”

Maverick Magazine

Derrin Nauendorf blends blends blues, folk and country.

Pete Christie combines styles from Anglicana Rock and Folk, Ballads and Roots to Blues

Centre Stage

14 Queens Road Bournemouth BH2 6BE 01202 540065

by Pete Christie

Some great local music

This week’s show including a session archive track from Pete Christie.
 
Recorded in 2007 by Tony Warren (devoted to the local music) on Wired – ForestFM 92.3 – 8pm Friday 19th October 2012 via Mixcloud

Waiting In The Wings (Wired Session – 2007)
By Pete Christie Track 9

You can read the story behind this English song.

“Wired” is ForestFM’s programme devoted to the local music scene in and around Verwood in Dorset, broadly covering Bournemouth, Poole, Southampton, Salisbury and West Dorset. After an almost 3 year gap Tony Warren returned to present Wired on 5 October 2012.The show features both signed and unsigned artists and studio, session and live recordings. Each week there will be featured artists and archive tracks from Wired sessions and live recordings.More information at www.forestfm.co.uk

Pete Christie Music on Reverbnation

Acoustic fingerstyle guitar technique

1. rue de treguier 3:49

Some years ago I toured around Brittany, in France, playing at various bars in the evenings, being well fed by the bar owners, cycling in the day and putting up posters for the gigs and enjoying song writing in between. This song is evocative of those happy days and nights. I am still a professional musician and still enjoying performing an acoustic fingerstyle guitar technique set and playing my original English songs throughout the UK.

2. Ballad of An Ordinary Man 5:38

British singer songwriter acoustic guitarist Pete Christie performs ‘Ballad Of An Ordinary Man‘, a song which protests about the erosion of the principles of life that were once described as ‘rights’, only to be conveniently re-defined as merely temporary privileges by the changing of political horizons.

3. Normal Shade of Blue 5:29

‘Normal Shade Of Blue’ has been with me for a few years now and for a while it was my opening song to give the fingers a good warm up. I’ve recently added a new intro that I’m very happy with. ‘Normal Shade Of Blue’ was written on the handmade acoustic Lowden O10 guitar.
There are a number of versions of ’Normal Shade Of Blue’ out there;

 
4. Waiting In The Wings (with Alex Roberts – live version, at Mr Kyps, Poole) 5:13

This song was written after a conversation with a guy in a wheelchair, who is afflicted with terrible disabilities… His undying optimism and sense of humour made me realise that life was for living, and you only get one shot at it. The song was written in about 20 mins from start to finish – and I swear it was flying around my room and just landed on me… It’s not my song. I was just lucky enough to be there at the time with a guitar… I’ve had lots of positive feedback from all kinds of people who tell me how the song has changed their lives, and that’s really humbling. If I never write another song, I won’t mind.

‘Normal Shade Of Blue’ and ‘Waiting In The Wings’ are both on the album Frank.

 
 
Frank’ is a whole other story!!!

Performing ‘Normal Shade Of Blue’ acc. by Bournemouth musician Francesca Milner on keyboard and vocals @ Solid Air

Performed on the handmade Lowden O10; the acoustic guitar ‘Normal Shade Of Blue’ was written on, @ Solid Air run by Conrad Barr at The Cellar Bar, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK

‘Normal Shade Of Blue’ has been with me for a few years now and for a while it was my opening song to give the fingers a good warm up. I’ve recently added a new intro that I’m very happy with.

There are a number of versions of ’Normal Shade Of Blue’ out there;

Audiences often request this song and I recently did a real time transatlantic version of ‘Normal Shade Of Blue‘ at a gig for a lady in Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada, which inspired me to the add the lyics to this website for her.

There is a live event version of ’Normal Shade Of Blue’ performed at Mr Kyps played on my David Oddy sunburst dreadnought in 2006

A 2010 studio version from the album ‘Frank’ on Soundcloud

Somewhere, lurking in a file, is a video of James Harrison playing piano and singing ’Normal Shade Of Blue’ whilst I stood in a Frank Sinatra style pose, accompanied and did harmonies, at a lovely venue called Cafe Fleur in Canford Cliffs, where the pair of us shared a monthly residency.

I rather like the filming that Dan Bridge did at BBC Introducing: The South Live session in Brighton with Phil Jackson a couple of years ago. Dan uploaded the video to Vimeo

On the homepage of this website is a version filmed at conversion live (clive #7) garden party 2011; I’m very happy with the sound quality of that live recording

And of course I play ‘Normal Shade Of Blue’ on Radio shows like Russell Hill’s Country Music Show on 93.7 Express FM

Reviewers often make mention to  ’Normal Shade Of Blue’:

BBC Radio South Live’s Phil Jackson – Pete Christie on BBC Phil Jackson South Live Demo Panel on BBC Introducing reviewed ‘Normal Shade Of Blue’ 11_04_2010 as part of their South: Live showcases unsigned musicians. Quoted about the song and their perception of my approach to music :

- Al Scott, Metway Studio, Brighton I thought he was extremely accomplished. The whole package just sounds like he really knows what he’s doing. It was a nice song, an interesting lyric. He plays very well. He bought an interesting edge to it. The band were understated but right where they wanted to be.Very Good.

- Nick Coquet, The Brighton Source Nice sparse arrangement, a simplicity emphasises the story-telling aspect. There’s a melancholic maturity in what he’s talking about and I think that matches the maturity of the man. Uncluttered – Let’s the flow of his words come out. ”

- Chris Taylor, The Greys, Brighton The one thing I look for in a good songwriter is where a performer paints good pictures and this man does that. If you close your eyes when you listen to his lyrics, you can see those pictures – They’re there. They’re real and that’s the essence of good storytelling with a song. There’s a lot more going on behind the voice than you immediately gather. His south of the river, not Americanised, voice works very well. ”

“FRANK” – Pete Christie – Review
by Beca Fludgate

“Normal Shade of Blue” is a story type song and finds Pete drinking “coffee flavoured water in a service station” – this illustrates the humour that flavours the whole album which although quite intense and dark also lifts the listener with moments of irony and bittersweet analogies.

Tom Semioli in Minor 7th

“…Normal Shade of Blue” is a bona fide tear-jerker…”

The FATEA review of the album Frank plays ‘Normal Shade Of Blue’ on their site.

Karl Hayman review at Mr Kyps supporting Jackie Leven in December 2010

Pete Christie is the archetypal singer songwriter, opening his set with a wistful and dreamy number called ‘Normal Shade of Blue’, an ode to unrequited love. His story of distance and missed opportunity is paired with interesting chord voicing and well used vibrato during instrumental sections. His playing style is further defined with his second song, using a loop pedal to create a rhythm track as a basis for his emotive lead playing.

‘Frank’ – Review by Fiona Heyes – formerly with Live Wire

“…a mini masterpiece, Normal Shade of Blue. The addition of other musicians on this track reduces the impact of the awesome loneliness of Pete’s solo guitar version, a welcome relief for those not readily given to tears…”

“…Performed at The Square and Compass in Worth Matravers on 10th November. Ron Trueman-Border is joined here by another excellent singer songwriter- Pete Christie…”

Great to catch up with Ron Trueman-Border again!! A great British singer songwriter.
Another great night of live music on the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset UK.

British singer songwriter acoustic guitarist Pete Christie performs ‘Ballad Of An Ordinary Man’ on YouTube

A song which protests about the erosion of the principles of life that were once described as ‘rights’, only to be conveniently re-defined as merely temporary privileges by the changing of political horizons.

Live Music Event performed at The Dolphin Pub, Blandford Forum, Dorset, UK

You can read more about the guitars Pete Christie uses, his guitar technique and how it is all about the quality of the music

Watch other Pete Christie videos on YouTube