2016 coming to a close

Been a busy, and lovely music-filled year, on the road and releasing music. I’ve had great gigs, and lovely times in Bakewell, Balver Höhle (DE), Brighton, Deutzen (DE), London, Lleida (ESP), Newby Bridge, Rome (IT), Sheffield, Vienna (AT), Whitby, Wroclaw (PL) and York. My gig lists back to back are always quite strange. I’m not sure Newby Bridge, Rome and Vienna make it to most gig lists together, nor even in the same sentence! I wouldn’t have it any other way. Along the way, these incorporated a new festival, Hillsfest, and an established one in Whitby’s Musicport, that I had the pleasure of playing for the first time. Playing support for Vieux Farka Toure in Lleida was also a definite highlight. BBC Music Day in my hometown, Sheffield, too. And 7JK concerts in Germany and Poland, with all new material.

In 2016 I’ve released the latest Sieben album The Old Magic, and sister album The Other Side Of the River, along with a second 7JK album Ride The Solar Tide, all of which I’m very happy with. Not sure when the next Redroom release may be, but possibly not 2017, at least for a Redroom physical release. If you haven’t any of the above, feel free to visit my shop and purchase them, I could do with the space, and I like them being out there, being heard 🙂 Those ordering from Europe still have a couple of weeks to ensure getting it before Christmas, if its a gift; those further afield only a couple of days. I’ll be including extras with orders, too, to keep the gods of Santa and Commercialism appeased. And because I appreciate people who are still buying music 🙂

I’m currently laying the floorboards for the latest incarnation of my Redroom studio, its sixth place of residence. And I have vague plans, as my next Redroom release is release number 20: A Sieben album where I free myself from the shackles of ‘having to be able to play it live’. I may write some songs with ‘true’ verses and choruses, where the chords change (steady on, now!); I may do a couple with a band; possibly even some written on piano or from chords; hanging upside down suspended by elastic, if it sounds good. Not even sure yet, nor allowing myself to think hard about it. Until the sound-proofing is down, those floorboards are laid…

Thanks to all for the support with music; coming out to concerts, engaging in the music, booking the artists, buying the music, sharing the music, sorting the venues, making the posters, running the festivals, sharing the events and releases. For caring and loving. For the positivity we can make and emit, in a scary world.

Matt Howden – 29 November 2016

ps: one more Sieben gig to go this year. A local one, for me. Regather, Sheffield, 21 Dec. supporting good friend Andy and his Silver Darlings. We’ll be out and about in the UK in 2017, with plans for London, Croyden, Brighton, and hopefully Edinburgh, Newcastle and Stirling. I’ll also be on the road in Europe, with concerts in Poland and Germany already pencilled in 🙂