Pete Christie and Alex Roberts Live @ The Dolphin on Wednesday, March 14th 2012 – Bringing UK Roots Movement to Blandford Forum

Pete Christie and Alex Roberts always have a great musical experience when they perform together. They first started performing on occasion together at ‘Sirius’; a much missed and wonderful ‘listening’ music event, at The Tudor Grange, in Bournemouth. Something unexpected and musically inspiring always happens, arising from a relaxed musical respect and a love of traditional hand made musical instruments.

The musical styles of Pete Christie and Alex Roberts compliment each other:

Pete Christie is a powerful acoustic folk and roots & Anglicana singer songwriter, who has an individualistic fingerstyle guitar technique, who plays from the heart and sings from the soul.

Alex Roberts blends genres from baroque to blues, with a warm soulful voice, finger-style guitar, some fine lapsteel playing, mandolin, and a stompbox to boot.

…the audience always get swept up in it.

Some of the live music venues that have shared Pete Christie and Alex Roberts are The Latest Music Bar in Brighton, The Half Moon, Putney and on numerous occasions, Mr Kyps, Poole, such as ‘Pete Christie and Friends’, ’3 Guitarists’: Derrin Nauendorf, Pete Christie, Alex Roberts.

One very special event they performed together was Pete Christie’s music concept ‘Part 3′; a sell out collaborative event: 3 singer songwriters in a ‘songwriters’ circle’, share the stage throughout the event, with equal billing. The musicians play their solo songs and also add additional guitar technique and harmonies to each others songs. Lou Brown being the third musician.

Shortly after the ‘part 3′ event, the BBC aired a similar show; notably the episode with Richard Thompson, Suzanne Vega and Loudon Wainwright held special appeal for Pete Christie; who has incorporated and contemporised Richard Thompson’s ‘Beeswing‘ and Loudon Wainwright’s ‘There’ll be lots of drinking in heaven’ into his live music set.

Pete Christie and Alex Roberts can be heard playing, Pete Christie’s classic song ‘Waiting In The Wings’, on a live recording, done by Sound Engineer, Richard Clarke, at Mr Kyps, Poole, Dorset

In 2011, Pete joined forces with Alex Roberts in his venture to bring like minded musicians together in the UK Roots Movement alongside Wille and the Bandits, Rory Ellis, Andy Grant, The Wishbones, and Hip Route. Artists of integrity who share the true philosophy of the troubadour and offer promoters and proprietors a stable of artists of proven quality and reliability.

The Dolphin   42 East Street    Blandford Forum     DT11 7DR

Part of The Dorset Piddle Brewery

The best place to perform live music in Petersfield is easily ‘The Good Intent’.

The Landlord and owner, Peter Sharman knows his music and supports local musicians by always booking and appreciating accomplished artists and bands on a Sunday evening.

Recent review from Peter at The Good Intent, Petersfield:

Pedro1968 ‎ - 19 Sep 2011

Pete Christie is a sensational solo performer - I have had the pleasure of watching him play live in my pub many times now and Pete generates an amazing atmosphere every time! I would recommend trying to catch him the next time he is playing – you won’t be disapointed!

Pete Christie is playing at The Good Intent on Sunday 22 January 2012 and again on Sunday 11 March 2012

Got a couple of new songs to share with the audience!

The Good Intent

40 – 46 College Street, Petersfield, Hampshire.

GU31 4AF
(01730) 263838

It’s a great place to play;  in a 16th Century coaching inn with Master Cellarman status and lots of good reviews on Tripadvisor for the restaurant and B&B.

Gomstock 2011 Charity Music Festival held at The Compasses Inn in Gomshall, between Dorking and Guildford, Surrey is a lovely music festival to play at. The audience is used to good quality music every Friday, where Fiona, the landlady not only pays a musician fee but she also passes around a helmet to collect a donation from the enthusiastic audience as a contribution to the artist.

The weather stayed sunny all through my set and I enjoyed bending those strings. ‘Waiting in the Wings’ went over well with the audience.

In recent years The Compasses has been responsible for organising a mini music festival now known as ‘Gomstock’. The festival is set within the delightful surroundings of The Compasses garden with green lawns rolling down to the gently flowing Tilling Bourne brook., where they hold a fun duck race.

 The event features musicians and other entertainment activities for all age groups hence ‘Gomstock’ has now become a favourite family event which attracts both locals and visitors from much further afield. The proceeds of this charity music event are distributed to charities nominated by Fiona, the Landlady. All musicians invited to perform kindly give their services completely free of charge. The event takes place during the last August Bank Holiday weekend; this year on Sunday 28th .

Check out more Gomstock photos on Facebook

Playing at The Black Swan Inn in Swanage is always a fun event.

The crowd ebbed and flowed throughout the evening but 3 men from Gloucestershire stayed glued to my acoustic roots and folk set and offered a wonderful praise comparing my original anglicana songs, fingerstyle guitar and loopstation technique by saying ‘I was in a league of my own’, as they had originally planned to see award winning Martin Simpson, who has been nominated 23 times in eleven years of BBC Radio 2’s Folk Awards, again. Thanks guys! High praise indeed.

Maybe it is time I played in Gloucestershire again!

You could hear a pin drop when I sang ‘Waiting in the Wings‘ I love how this song touches so many people. It has become one of my classics; ‘Waiting in the Wings’ has on occasion changed the course of people’s lives after taking on the sentiment of the lyrics ‘that life is not a rehearsal and to make the most of it by doing what you want to do, now’.

Swanage Folk Festival, Swanage, Dorset

“A weekend of concerts, dance, sessions, workshops, a ceilidh, a craft fair, children’s entertainments, trade stalls, around 50 traditional dance sides in a grand parade Saturday afternoon through the town and ending on the sea front.” 9th – 11th September 2011

Local pubs hosted a number of informal sessions, with music for all to join in with. According to The Daily Echo, Swanage expected to attract thousands of revellers to the seaside town for the Swanage Folk Festival annual folk festival.

Shot taken at Dancing Ledge, a cliff-top beauty spot on the Isle of Purbeck.

See the Pete Christie Music map to local music events.

“Great songs, great singing and great stories”

Bob Kirkpatrick runs a successful folk club on the music circuit, at Broadmayne Village Hall, Dorchester, that offers a wonderful venue for unplugged acoustics, has grown a lovely loyal audience of music lovers and hosts a charming and welcoming evening for visiting musicians.

Pete Christie I made some new friends at Sunray Folk club and rekindled old acquaintences, who listened intently to my songwriter performane of crafted lyrics. It means a lot to me to know that people can be touched by the words like ‘Waiting in the Wings’, in a venue where every note is heard. The Lowden sounded great and the sustain was awesome.

Kieran Halpin is a true storyteller; with comical anecdotes about travelling with his famiy in a caravan in Australia,among other touching stories, delivered in an engaging Irish brogue. I enjoyed ‘I don’t write love songs any more’; a sentiment I relate to!

Fine gentlemen players.

Sunray Folk Club

We like how Bob always puts on food for his musicians and  audience at Sunray Folk Club events . Nice one Bob!

Minor 7th Review

May & June Short Takes

Pete Christie “Frank,” 2011

Long live the confessional singer-songwriter.

Pete Christie has seen his fair share of fire and rain, which makes for great art, and even greater albums. Akin to such well respected veteran tunesmiths as Graham Parker, Lloyd Cole, and Ray Davies — Christie sings and plays guitar straight from his broken heart and quizzical mind.

His gift for tethering his romantic ruminations to memorable melodies (and instrumental harmonies) is refreshing, and sound as if they draw inspiration from deep well of the best of the Brill Building and British Invasion.

Sure, “Normal Shade of Blue” and Dylan’s “Not Dark Yet” are bona fide tear-jerkers — but Christie’s delivery somehow lifts the spirit, proving once and for all that misery loves company — in pop music anyway!

Kudos must be afforded to Christie’s musical mates, most notably fretless bassist Pete Wallbridge, who excels with simple, sympathetic accompaniment that supports the singer and the song with style and grace.

Calling in the Band of the Royal British Legion Christchurch to back him on the cinematic “Waiting in the Wings” is the off-the-wall stuff of Brian Wilson and Sir Paul as produced by Sir George Martin.

And Katy Perry should consider covering Christie’s classic rockin’ “Easy Come, Easy Go” (though I would have preferred Petula Clark or Nancy Sinatra back in the day…). Only question is – who is Frank?

© Tom Semioli

What’s on Tom’s iPod this month? Richard Thompson – Dream Attic, Robbie Robertson – How To Become Clairvoyant, Paul Simon – So Beautiful or So What

Reviewing the best in non-mainstream acoustic guitar music

Minor 7th (Wikipedia) is an online magazine that reviews non-mainstream acoustic guitar music. It was founded in November 1999 by Alan Fark, who claims to have created the magazine with the goal of “enabling independent or under-recognized acoustic guitarists to receive more wide-spread publicity.”

The website is best known for its reviews of newly-released CDs, but also features its own podcast and free bimonthly CD giveaways.

Minor 7th on Facebook

Note from the editor: Alan Fark

What’s the story behind the name Minor 7th

I settled on Minor 7th because that chord really seems to embody the music I prefer — jazz and fingerstyle.

Making Waves (above) is a fine example of why we recommend that you check out more of Pete Christie’s finely crafted vocals and simplistic finger picking style guitar tunes.  Christie’s latest album is called “Frank” and Pete’s myspace page gives some background to the album and namely why it was written as a tribute to his late mother who suffered from Dementia and called him “Frank”.  The album also features Waiting in the Wings which has become one of the Christie live standard requests.

Pete has guested with Dave Pegg of Fairport Convention – as part of the Peggy and PJ Wright tour-de-force , Nick Harper, Jeff Lang, Glenn Tillbrook, Ezio, Ruby Turner, Derrin Nauendorf, Hugh Cornwell, Bob Brozman, Martin Harley, Ben Montague and performs on occasion with Alex Roberts. In September last year was a special guest of Canadian, Americana acoustic blues and roots sensation Matt Andersen.  Check out the album it’s a great listen. Artist Weblink:  http://www.petechristie.co.uk/

Review Weblink: http://folking.wordpress.com/2011/01/22/pete-christies-latest-album-frank/

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Tinderbox and Pete Christie share each other’s sets at The Christchurch Festival 2010.

Monique Houraghan, of Tinderbox, sang ‘Waiting In The Wings’ on Pete’s set.

Monique was a guest singer on Pete Christie’s latest album ‘ Frank’ and they often perform this song as a duo.
There is some YouTube footage from 2008, of them at Centre Stage.

Dan Tucker, of Tinderbox, invited Pete Christie to perform ‘The Journey’, an instrumental from Tinderbox’s latest album ‘The State Of Play’
Acoustic Magazine called their album “Lovely…Hooky…Mellow”

Album ‘Frank’ 2009

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Track List

1)   Open Your Heart

2)   Normal Shade Of Blue

3)   Not Dark Yet*

4)   Shattered

5)   Waiting in the Wings

6)   Easy Come, Easy Go

7)   Monday Morning

8)   Making Waves

9)   Just A Song

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All songs by Pete Christie except *Not Dark Yet – Bob Dylan

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Recorded at Active Music Studios, Poole 2009

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Pete Christie                              Guitars, Vocals, Keyboards on “Monday Morning”

Pete Wallbridge                        Bass Guitar, Drums on “Monday Morning”

Ted Wallbridge                         Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals

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Frankie Milner Keyboards, Backing Vocals

Aimee Newsome-Stone Backing Vocals

Monique Houraghan Backing Vocals

The Band of the Royal British Legion, Christchurch on Waiting in the Wings

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Produced by               Pete Christie and Martin Condon

Engineered by            Martin Condon

Photography               Bob Whetton Photographer

Design                            Bob Hall Graphic Artist

Robert Whetton Photographer image of Pete Christie album 'Frank'

from the Robert Whetton Photographer blog

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Pete Christie’s guitars:

Gurian C Series

Lowden O10

David Oddy

Avalon A100

Yamaha SG1000

Yamaha APX10 Classical

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