Friday 27 June 2014

Thing I Like ... Leicester

matt henshaw leicester clock tower

First of all, straight off the bat, I'd just like to say a big "thank you" from the bottom of my heart to all the people and the city of Leicester ! I've been through Leicester a lot in my short life through work and study, and only being from Nottingham, it's just down the road, although some people in Nottingham and Derby talk about the place like it's a million miles away. It's a great city, and I've been massively humbled and overwhelmed by how warm and welcoming it has been, and how supportive certain quarters have been, over the last year, as we're coming up to just under one year since I decided to go out with my acoustic guitar and make a living making music.

matt henshaw leicester music scene

So, in July of last year I had recently left my job at the University of Leicester, great place as it is feeling trapped in an office as a Computer Science Sustainability Research Assistant just didn't feel like the life for me, music had always been something in the back of my mind that I might return to, why not just go for it, still 5 years away from 30, step out into Leicester, Lesta, Les-tah, Leicestershire and embrace the music scene, or whatever scene it is that you might find out there.

I had already been in Leicester as a student, but never really ventured too much into town, staying in the student bubble out in Oadby, south of the city, or only ambling in in anonymity to get bits of fruit off the market, quiet, much quieter, and only too happy for no-one to know my name, why I was here or what on earth I was doing !

matt henshaw leicester market gary lineker

Now Leicester Market is one of my favourite places in the world, and I'll champion it until the day I die, and that's not forgetting the great little greengrocers up on Queens Road in the Clarendon Park area, and all the little independent shops in that area, and all the boutiques and great places to explore in the Lanes, Silver Arcade and St Martins Square side of town too. I love this way of life, existing and shopping(!?) so much so that I've quite vocally joined the campaign 'Tesco Queens Road Say No' to stop large supermarkets and retailers crushing the independent spirit of the city, and will quite happily sport an I heart CP badge in support of the people's charity 'Friends of Clarendon Park'.

Leicester has enabled, and even accelerated, my penchant for clean and healthy living, whilst Clarendon Park may seem the last bastion of Little Britain, the city has more diversity than you will ever willingly wish to shake a stick at ! The Caribbean, Asian, African, European and Latin flavours you encounter on a daily basis sends the positive energies and vibrations soaring, and everyone seems to be living so harmoniously. Not the only one, but a great example of metropolitan, cosmopolitan diversity, of which we should all be proud.

matt henshaw leicester the cookie high street

And on the music front, there is a lot going on, you might have to peer under a few rocks and make the right connections to find out where, but Leicester has a lot of talent on show and residing here. I won't mention any names, I think do enough to Spread The Love through my 'Matt Henshaw Recommends ...' blog, the Tea & Toast podcasts and inviting guests to play at my nights at the Cookie. And what a place full of, and run by wonderful people The Cookie is. I felt honoured and flattered that I was asked back in January that they asked me to put on a regular night there, I never intended to settle there, like Leicester itself, but I've found myself hosting some electric parties, with positive vibrations running through the whole building, from the basement to the top floor.

I'm throwing a birthday party this year, Saturday 20th September at The Cookie ! Be there, more info will follow shortly ...

Some of the other venues in Leicester I've enjoyed playing and meeting the people who run them, such great people at The Donkey and The Shed, you know why the likes of Tom and Serge of Kasabian hold a special place in their heart for these little places, and they might bring back memories of playing what are described as "toilet venues" up and down the country, but that's where the best memories are made, and they've had some great acts, and some great people through their doors. When I was last at the Donkey we ended up drinking with The Damned !! Small venues, big reputations ...

matt henshaw the exchange leicester philip vernon music scene

And the places I played in my first week out of the squares closet, I went down to open mic nights, I tried to do every night of the week. The first, on the Monday night, fittingly enough was the City Acoustic Club at The Musician, what fabulous people were there, and every week if it's on, the hosts, comperes, acts, atmosphere, I've met some really interesting, wonderful and talented people on these nights, and the same goes for The Soundhouse on a Tuesday night, I went there in my first week, and I've been back many times and ended up singing Kinks songs in the midnight hour.

I also ended up playing at The Marquis Wellington, The Exchange and The Barley Mow for a Wildfire Session. Then moved onto the Cradock, and my had I met some fantastic, fabulous and fantabulous people, all within the space of a couple of weeks or so, people I've worked with, done shows with, sang with, written songs with and recorded with, and greatest of all, to me, I've met a selection of families, whole families that feel now like part of my own, truly some of the best people, the kind of people that you only need think of and it brightens your day.

It's been a long old slog getting myself to when I want to be, in terms of being a professional, living, working, breathing musician and singer/songwriter, but we're getting there, even though there's a long way left to go, I'm so pleased considering that at Christmas I only had one show booked for the new year, and was anticipating a small article in a local magazine, by the end of January, following the OBSunplugged nights, which are a great showcase for new and up and coming acoustic acts in the city, and what turned out to be a double page spread with some excellent photographs in one of the most widely distributed editions of The Monograph magazine, gave me a great, great platform to go forth and spread the good gospel of Peace, Love & Tea through the rest of the year !

matt henshaw leicester city football kasabian music scene

It would be a crime not to touch on some of the other massive things happening in the city right now, the City of Champions indeed ! I take full vicariously responsibility for Leicester City winning the Championship by the way, since my arrival, my blue and white scarf and love of big Nigel Pearson at the helm has been enough to spur them on to be crowned champions.

And then there's the snooker, basketball, TV talent shows and bloomin' King Dick III knocking about in a car park, fancy old King Richard, the King of York, buried under Greyfriars for hundreds of years. It pains me to say that, with my personal love of cricket, Leicester CCC are what can only be described as languishing in all competitions this season ... I'm still waiting for the phone call to get down there and give them a team talk !

Anyway, that's probably enough rambling from me, and what probably seems to read like "An Open Love Letter to a City", but it's all true and from the bottom of my heart, I love Leicester, the city and the people, and I'm happy to call it my home now, and for some time, in the hope it continues to be good to me and good for me.

The plan was, if there ever was one, to make myself self-sufficient in year, and get on at all the great little festivals in an round the city the following summer, and here we are, one year on, I'm playing at loads of great festivals including Strawberry Fields on the Friday and Simon Says in the great De Montfort Hall on the Sunday, so, if you've got tickets see you there, and you never know, I might pop up at some of the great open mic nights I went to last summer and have already mentioned, but I hope I'll see all of you at The Cookie for my birthday party on Saturday 20th September, it's gonna be great !!

And you might have seen some of the pictures in this blog from my travels around Leicester city with top cameraman, the Digital Mechanic, definitely hairier than a couple of the other lovely chaps I see around at a lot of gigs, amazing photographers in this city too, and all so wonderful and approachable. The venues give the artists somewhere to perform, the photographers give them an image and the memories, promoters work hard at spreading the word and the people, well, the people are just beautiful.


Goodnight Leicester, Peace, Love & Tea, MHx


PS. You may have noticed I haven't mentioned any names in this blog, but if you know who you are then you know who you are, you're great and I hope you stay that way !!

matt henshaw leicester

Some more Things I Like ...
Fire
Gardening
Film
Yorkshire Tea
LEGO
Tippy The Cat
Khan Academy
Apple Cider Vinegar
McVitie'sBiscuits
Cricket
Linked in

---===DOWNLOAD LINKS===---
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep/id814589358
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aint-Easy-My-Life-EP/dp/B00I8ZDJZC/
https://play.spotify.com/album/733AAcf7c2KcZ75SUFlpi3
http://matthenshaw.bandcamp.com/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep
http://www.emusic.com/album/matt-henshaw/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep/14753983/
http://www.7digital.com/artist/matt-henshaw/release/it-aint-easy-my-life
http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/matt-henshaw/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep
http://www.napster.co.uk/artist/matt-henshaw/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep

Tuesday 17 June 2014

Matt Henshaw Recommends ... Siobhan Mazzei

Ever-present in Leicester City, Siobhan Mazzei - pronounced "Matt Say" as "Matt says she's pretty good" - has garnered a reputation as one of the very best. The first guest we invited on to Tea and Toast with Matt Henshaw & Stu Crown, she was described by our third guest, photographer Rob Gurney, as "spell-binding", and he isn't far wrong, you'll be drawn in, be mellowed out and have your melon twisted all at once.

I find it most important when recommending other artists you should go out and listen to, that they should care about what they do. And if you're lucky enough to meet Siobhan, or affectionately "Shed" to her friends, you'll find this instantly, she's a passionate, talented and wonderful young lady. And if you hold her debut album 'Waiting Awake' in your hand you can feel the bundles and bags of effort that has gone into every aspect of it's production.

And luckily Miss. Siobhan Mazzei will be performing with me on Friday night, opening up my Rhythm & Gospel Cavalcade at The Cookie, as we launch and toast the 'Always in the Way' EP into the world. It's gonna be one cracking little night. Myself, Siobhan, Abandon Her, Georgie Rose, and special guest doing a bit of compering and what he does, Mr Motormouf too !

Get yourself down !! Peace, Love & Tea, MHx

Georgie Rose
Tapestry
The De Montfort University Gospel Choir
By The Rivers
Martin Luke Brown
Joy Mumford
Three Girl Rhumba
MotorMouf
Samuel Idwal
Abandon Her
Stef Baker
Emily Carr
Becky Edwards
Mahalia
Mia & The Moon
Rosa-Leigh
AJA
Kate Rendell
Esther Van Leuven
East Midlands Girls
Ones to Watch for 2014
The Bobcats
Savanna Bones
Mattayoux
Matt Zara
The Simpletones
Charlotte Carpenter
Leah Sinead
Matt Henshaw Recommends ...

---===DOWNLOAD LINKS===---
DOWNLOAD & STREAM 'ALWAYS IN THE WAY' NOW !!
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/always-in-the-way-ep/id875188981
http://matthenshaw.bandcamp.com/album/always-in-the-way-ep
https://play.spotify.com/user/ilsonowl/playlist/2tHGjyz7EpEZpvgc8HpuRm
DEBUT 'IT AIN'T EASY/MY LIFE - EP' !!!
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep/id814589358
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aint-Easy-My-Life-EP/dp/B00I8ZDJZC/
https://play.spotify.com/album/733AAcf7c2KcZ75SUFlpi3
http://matthenshaw.bandcamp.com/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep
http://www.emusic.com/album/matt-henshaw/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep/14753983/
http://www.7digital.com/artist/matt-henshaw/release/it-aint-easy-my-life
http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/matt-henshaw/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep
http://www.napster.co.uk/artist/matt-henshaw/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep

Monday 16 June 2014

'Always in the Way' EP OUT NOW !!!



http://www.MattHenshaw.com
http://www.facebook.com/matthenshaw

DOWNLOAD & STREAM 'ALWAYS IN THE WAY ' NOW !!
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/always-in-the-way-ep/id875188981
http://matthenshaw.bandcamp.com/album/always-in-the-way-ep
https://play.spotify.com/user/ilsonowl/playlist/2tHGjyz7EpEZpvgc8HpuRm

You said you'd been here before
But they path you take you're never sure
And you say you want it more and more

Well, my door is always open
If you need a helping hand
Some words just to guide you
There's always something, Always In The Way
There's always something, Always In The Way

You sailed off to a distant shore
To find an ocean clear and pure
And you say you're loving more and more

Well, my door is always open
If you need a helping hand
Some words just to guide you
There's always something, Always In The Way
There's always something, Always In The Way

Try and you try and you still fail
Cry and you cry I hear a wail

Well, my door is always open
If you need a helping hand
Some words just to guide you
There's always something, Always In The Way
There's always something, Always In The Way

You said you'd been there and seen it all and done it all before
But they path you took you're still not sure
And you say you loving and you're needing and you're wanting more and more

Well, my door is always open
If you need a helping hand
Some words just to guide you
There's always something, Always In The Way
There's always something, Always In The Way
There's always something, Always In The Way
There's always something, Always In The Way
There's always something, Always In The Way
There's always something, Always In The Way
There's always something, Always In The Way
There's always something, Always In The Way
There's always something, Always In The Way
There's always something, Always In The Way


Written & Performed by Matt Henshaw

Recorded and Mixed by Little & Large Productions
Simon Lubowski and Nik Robinson

Monday 9 June 2014

Matt Henshaw Recommends ... GEORGIE

I love this girl. She's a Queen, she's a star and she has a presence that soars and shines beyond your average girl with a guitar. Talk to her on any night of the week and without saying very much, in fact saying very little, you'll know she's passionate, driven and has a wealth of musical knowledge and talent that far surpasses your average songstress.

Without drawing too many parallels to myself I like it that you can go to shows in Nottingham and Georgie will be there, checking out who's hot and who's not, and making recommendations of who you should see next, unless of course, like myself in Leicester, we're busy elsewhere Spreading The Love !

I mentioned on this week's Tea and Toast with Matt Henshaw & Stu Crown podcast that Georgie reminds of a female composite of Elvis Presley in his majestic prime and Bob Dylan at Isle Of Wight. And that's no lie. I know she's a big Elvis fan, and we share a love of the old school classics, good songwriting and delivery are in her second nature.

By all accounts and all reports I've heard back, Georgie Rose was the standout act of this year's Dot To Dot Festival, and I'm not surprised.

Hence why I'm so excited that she is playing as my first non-Leicestershire artist at Matt Henshaw's Rhythm & Gospel Cavalcade at The Cookie this month ! Not far to travel but it's funny how East Midlanders seem to believe there's a whole world of difference between the 4 major cities and handful of of beautiful larger towns we have in this area.

I hope there becomes more of a cross-contamination of music around these parts and everyone gets behind one another, I've been around and believe me, there are some gems lurking around the corner in Notts, Derbyshire, Leicester, Lincoln, Northampton, etc. you only need to peek outside and you'll find something you like.

Peace, Love & Tea, MHx

PS. she's bringing this lot with her, gonna make some beautiful noise ! I, for one, can't wait !!

Tapestry
The De Montfort University Gospel Choir
By The Rivers
Martin Luke Brown
Joy Mumford
Three Girl Rhumba
MotorMouf
Samuel Idwal
Abandon Her
Stef Baker
Emily Carr
Becky Edwards
Mahalia
Mia & The Moon
Rosa-Leigh
AJA
Kate Rendell
Esther Van Leuven
East Midlands Girls
Ones to Watch for 2014
The Bobcats
Savanna Bones
Mattayoux
Matt Zara
The Simpletones
Charlotte Carpenter
Leah Sinead
Matt Henshaw Recommends ...

---===DOWNLOAD LINKS===---
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep/id814589358
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aint-Easy-My-Life-EP/dp/B00I8ZDJZC/
https://play.spotify.com/album/733AAcf7c2KcZ75SUFlpi3
http://matthenshaw.bandcamp.com/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep
http://www.emusic.com/album/matt-henshaw/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep/14753983/
http://www.7digital.com/artist/matt-henshaw/release/it-aint-easy-my-life
http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/matt-henshaw/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep
http://www.napster.co.uk/artist/matt-henshaw/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep

Tuesday 3 June 2014

Things I Like ... LinkedIn


Good evening folks !

You may have seen this, or heard me talking about it on my podcast - Tea and Toast with Matt Henshaw & Stu Crown. I've become a bit of a rockin' poster child for the professional social networking site, LinkedIn.

As part of the company's drive to promote their ability to turn "passion into a profession" I was chosen from the thousands of users on there who play, produce and promote music to represent the sector and tell my story (above) through a Slide Share presentation.



And I am user, click the image to check out my profile, it was quite nice when I updated it all after quitting my job at the University of Leicester, it told me I was an "all-star", even though it's just binary code and digits, it was still uplifting. Then when opportunities started surfacing through using the website I was even happier.

The website got me in touch with a lot of people from my past, who luckily enough were willing to say such nice things about me in professional public forum, and has connected me with loads of potential aids in my "career" - I'm still not keen on that word but I suppose that's what I have embarked on doing this music lark.



I don't want to sit here and type that Linked in is the saviour of all things work related and professional, and I'm sure they'd agree, but particularly in this music game it can be used as an integral way to network online, every different social network in cyber space has it's different uses, and Linked in, unlike say, Facebook, is a great way of expanding your online network beyond your friends and finding people who work specifically in your area.

And it's also nice that this Slide Share by Linked in is aiding me to accomplish my mission of making all my pets, past and present more famous than me, you've already met Tippy The Cat, now let me introduce the star of the slide show ... Bessie the Fancy Goldfish !



Some more Things I Like ...
Fire
Gardening
Film
Yorkshire Tea
LEGO
Tippy The Cat
Khan Academy
Apple Cider Vinegar
McVitie'sBiscuits
Cricket
Linked in

---===DOWNLOAD LINKS===---
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep/id814589358
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aint-Easy-My-Life-EP/dp/B00I8ZDJZC/
https://play.spotify.com/album/733AAcf7c2KcZ75SUFlpi3
http://matthenshaw.bandcamp.com/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep
http://www.emusic.com/album/matt-henshaw/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep/14753983/
http://www.7digital.com/artist/matt-henshaw/release/it-aint-easy-my-life
http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/matt-henshaw/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep
http://www.napster.co.uk/artist/matt-henshaw/album/it-aint-easy-my-life-ep