Another wedding season draws to a close and I have to say this has been one of the most fun years we’ve had as a band.
The Band
Sean Randle, our drummer who joined us in 2016 is all bedded in. He’s just so tight, so accomplished and creates great energy in our performances with his excellent, faultless drumming. He’s also the nicest guy you’ll ever meet, and sports a fantastic salt n pepper beard, and keeps alpacas which is important to give mention to.
Paul continues to grow as a front man and his performance energy really helps get people on the dance floor. His interaction with the crowd and his accessibility create a really fun, friendly atmosphere.
Grant continues to forget most things, but at least he remembers his equipment and usually the song he’s playing, so can’t ask for much more really. Grant is just about the most gregarious guy you’ll meet, and his presence in the band has a really positive effect on everyone around him.
And me? Yeah I’ve still got far too much to do, but I’m really enjoying it. At the last count it was: the website, the bookings, the rehearsals, the sound, the guitar, the vocals, the procurement of equipment, the digital marketing and SEO. Phew. One of the things about my slightly obsessive nature that works in our clients’ favour is my pursuit of ever-improving-ness. I love finding the latest gear that makes us sound as good as possible, I love learning about the art of mixing and live sound, I love getting the best out of my guitars and pedals, making sure the website is as useful as it can be. All that fun stuff. I can’t believe we get paid to do this sometimes. It’s so much fun!
The Gear
On the subject of gear, 2019 is going to bring an improved show as we invest in new stage lighting, subs for the low end, new top speakers and new video and audio recording gear to capture and upload our performances to the web. We’re excited to keep making Halflight the best it can be so our couples and clients can have the best parties possible.
The Gigs
I think everyone can agree it’s been an unusual year, weather-wise. We started the season playing one of the coldest events we’ve ever done inside a building, at Woodchester Mansion. Never played a gig with my coat on before! Ffffrrreeeezin’! Awesome place to have a gig though!
Then there was that ridiculous summer heat. That soon taught me to bring my industrial-strength fan to every gig.
There’s been reunion parties with old friends, festival-style corporate parties at Bristol Zoo, halloween themed birthdays with the Halflight Trio, acoustic duo sets, and of course the full complement of wedding parties. We’ve hugely enjoyed every single one. A massive thank you to all our couples and clients. We love being part of your celebrations. Right – now we’re off into the Christmas party-land. We’ll see you at a party soon!
