Almost There Blog » General

mornflake

joesimpson — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:38:22 +0000

Here’s a video Matt Trinder and I made as part of a competition, please watch it! If you like it maybe share it about?

the aftermath

joesimpson — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:03:52 +0000

The concert was a great night, thanks to all the acts that played and to everyone that came! Here’s a video and some photos from the evening:

this is for you

joesimpson — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:21:49 +0000

Are you coming to the concert tomorrow? I hope so.

Just in case you need reminding, it’s at the Waterside Art Centre, Sale - 7.30pm. It could be the best thing you do tomorrow.

the warm up

joesimpson — Thu, 14 May 2009 09:16:58 +0000

Here’s some footage from a special warm up concert in preperation for the June 6th show.
Tickets now on sale for the show. At http://www.quaytickets.com or from the Box Office: 0161 912 5616.

start spreading the news

joesimpson — Wed, 13 May 2009 09:19:08 +0000

This is the first finished painting from the New York series for P&O. 185 x 145 cm - Oil on Canvas.
More to come soon…

sitting with the exhibition

joesimpson — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:33:11 +0000

The exhibition has been on for seven days now, just the weekend left for the London exhibition. I’ve been sat invigilating the whole time and it’s been a strange experience. Really positive on the whole - lots of people have given amazing feedback, and seemed to have enjoyed the show. A fair number of people have stayed for quite a while and done the whole experience – listening to all the songs and viewing all the paintings – which is lovely and much more than I expected.

It seems people are quite nervous about coming into smaller art exhibitions, it’s on a first floor gallery with loud wooden stairs leading up to the entrance – so I always know when people are approaching. Quite a few people have walked half way up the stairs and then turned back, or popped their head through the door and left again. A few people come in and ask if I mind them looking round.

Just a minute ago I had to pause writing, as an elderly man stopped for a chat. He was asking if he could get a series of paintings and songs about his life made - I didn’t reveal that I was the artist to avoid more embarrassment - but he was getting really excited about it. He told me he had lots of ideas, and that there was key moments in his life that would make great images, and a range of cultural locations that could provide many musical genres and points of inspiration. I’m not saying that this couldn’t work; I think it’s a really lovely and true idea that every life is a journey and could be given the same treatment. But I don’t think he quite understood the enormity of work that went into making a body of work like this. He told me that he was retired and didn’t have much money, but would be willing to spend a couple of hundred pounds for the work– but it was important that the artist and musicians spent a lot of time hearing his stories and ideas. It was both a sweet and awkward conversation.

Another memorable exchange came from a lady who came in and viewed the work, she chatted to me for a while about how her mother had recently died and that she found the work very healing. She could see her brother in the paintings and identified with the way he coped with loss through the character in the images. It was very touching that she was genuinely moved by my work – I was moved.

Thanks to everyone who has come, please tell friends about the final weekend…

only a few days now

joesimpson — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:13:31 +0000

I’ve been neglecting this a little bit, but the exhibition opens this Saturday - and there’s been a lot to do. The major stress leading up to the show has been the album, whether or not it will be ready in time for the launch night. At time of writing it’s looking really promising. I’ve listened to a finished mastered mix and it sounds fantastic, I’m so pleased. When I have a finished packaged version in my hand it will be all the better - so fingers crossed. I think it might literally arrive on the day of the launch.

I’ve been trekking the streets of London putting up posters and flyers in bars, cafes and on the odd occasion kebab shops (maybe art lovers are also kebab lovers?!). Five days left and hopefully everything will magically fall into place.

All I can say is… please come! It officially opens this Saturday (Feb 21st), it will be open 11am - 8pm everyday until March 1st. It’s free to come and view, and the result of about 18 months of work. It’s at the Candid Arts Trust, Islington (nearest tube Angel).

I’ll be sure to post lots of photos and tales once the show is up and running, but for now - you’ll have to excuse me - I need to get my suit dry cleaned.

BBC Manchester

joesimpson — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:25:52 +0000

I will be talking about ‘Almost There’ on the Sam Walker show on BBC Manchester this Sunday (Jan 25th). I’ll also be playing one or two songs from the soundtrack. Tune in at 11pm to listen. You will be able to listen online, and then again for one week after the show.

dotted line

joesimpson — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:07:44 +0000

Songs for the ‘Almost There’ soundtrack are nearly all done and dusted. I’ve got 10 of the 12 finished tracks and they’re sounding great. I received a finished cut of Ric Neale’s track ‘Dotted Line’ today, which is for the painting above. He also attached an assortment of demos, live sessions and images. You can download a live version of the song from the BBC Raw Talent radio show below:

Ric Neale - Dotted Line (Live)

Here’s a few pictures of Ric and chums recording and rehearsing the track.

post on posters

joesimpson — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:07:36 +0000

It’s promotion mania in the ‘Almost There’ camp (that’s me in my bedroom by the way). I think I’ve settled on a design for the posters, check it out:

Also, a few nice people have mentioned the project on their blogs - check out lovely words and download a free track from the soundtrack, Matt Cameron - ‘River Cafe’. Have a look at:

Captain Obvious

The Devil Has the Best Tuna

Mainstream Isn’t So Bad…Is It?

I had a trip down to London at the weekend to visit the Candid Arts Trust where the exhibition will be held. It looks awesome. It got me very excited for the show.