Modulus were delighted to have played Tom and Jenni's wedding reception at her home in Royston, Hertfordshire on the 21st August 2009. The marquee that we were due to play in had been installed on the tennis court. Arriving just after 2pm, we were greeted with some extremely unpredictable and intemperate weather, which made us wonder if the marquee could cope with such forces of nature!
The soundcheck went smoothly, and we even discovered that using a monitor speaker rendered previous usage of a DI box irrelevant. Because of the absolute requirement for this formal occasion to go without a single hitch, however, nothing could be left to chance - therefore myself and Dee drove took a short break afterward to find some services and stocked up on 9 volt batteries.
By 4:15pm, the band were relaxed and all equipment was ready for later. Our onstage time was scheduled to be 8:15pm, although we asked to do a brief period of level balancing from 8pm. This was due to Emma attending the actual wedding ceremony at the Registry Office, and we had therefore not matched drum levels to the rest of the band.
Between that time and the onstage time, members of the band each went off for a bit. I took the opportunity to get some sleep in before dinner, and Dee went off to finalise her lyrics. I've no idea what the other two got up to! Dinner started from 7pm, with some excellent roast buffet catering in a separate, smaller marquee located just outside the main one. It was hazardous, to say the least, to be around so much wine before having to perform in front of a number of guests.
With the final noise level checks completed, someone faded out the background mix on the decks that had entertained the guests during dinner, and we launched straight into the short sharp opener that was Pretty Woman. I won't duplicate the entire setlist here as that's contained in a previous post, but it will be more than sufficient to say that the band were thoroughly pleased to have been so well received at such an important occasion for both Tom and Jenni. We were also encouraged by the number of guests hitting the dancefloor, particularly in some non-cover songs such as Never Stopped Loving You, and by the very adventurous chap who breakdanced in the final chorus of Summer of '69!
The band would like to take this opportunity to thank all guests for such a fabulous atmosphere, and Steve for being a most generous host. In addition, we wish Tom and Jenni the very best for the future, and thank them deeply for choosing us to perform at their reception over the multitude of alternatives.
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
Saturday, 22 August 2009
Modulus - Jenni & Tom's wedding: set list
MODULUS: THE WEDDING SET
ROYSTON, HERTFORDSHIRE
FRIDAY 21ST AUGUST
SHOWTIME: 20:15
01. PRETTY WOMAN
ROYSTON, HERTFORDSHIRE
FRIDAY 21ST AUGUST
SHOWTIME: 20:15
01. PRETTY WOMAN
02. IF I EVER LOSE MY FAITH
03. & 04. LOVE LIFTS US UP //
YOUR SONG
05. I SAY A LITTLE PRAYERYOUR SONG
06. DANCING QUEEN
07. FIELDS OF GOLD
08. NEVER STOPPED LOVING YOU
09. THE BOYS OF SUMMER
10. YOU REALLY GOT ME
11. MERCY
12. DON'T STOP ME NOW
13. CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'
(INTERVAL)
14. SWAY
15. MOONDANCE
16. A WHITER SHADE OF PALE
17. RESCUE ME
18. STAND BY ME
19. UNINTENDED
20. WHEN I'M SIXTY-FOUR
21. SUMMER OF '69
22. MERCY
23. SON OF A PREACHER MAN
24. BROWN EYED GIRL
25. MR BRIGHTSIDE
26. CAR WASH
27. ENCORE: DANCING QUEEN
Saturday, 15 August 2009
Thursday, 13 August 2009
'Coldwintermoon' - lyrics
I lie in a hard indifferent bed.
A cold winter moon glares down at me.
I think of the lies you said, but it'll
Make no difference now.
And all through the madness
Did you lose your mind?
I twist and turn all night.
You're in a better place, no doubt.
Like chess pieces we always fight
Until one of us drops out.
And all through the madness
Did you lose your mind?
The truth will out one of these days
I'm not going to go away just because you want me to.
(Instrumental)
I get up, since sleep won't come,
A leaden sky comes to the fore,
I want to escape the thrum,
And forget you forevermore.
And all through the madness
Did you lose your mind?
A cold winter moon glares down at me.
I think of the lies you said, but it'll
Make no difference now.
And all through the madness
Did you lose your mind?
I twist and turn all night.
You're in a better place, no doubt.
Like chess pieces we always fight
Until one of us drops out.
And all through the madness
Did you lose your mind?
The truth will out one of these days
I'm not going to go away just because you want me to.
(Instrumental)
I get up, since sleep won't come,
A leaden sky comes to the fore,
I want to escape the thrum,
And forget you forevermore.
And all through the madness
Did you lose your mind?
'Cadeau de Lumiere' - lyrics
Ce matin, je vais a la forêt.
Il n’y avais pas de son être entendu,
et alors le soleil a miroité par les arbres
pendant que mon coeur a grossi avec l'espoir.
Un espoir que les choses iraient très bien, finalemente.
Bien que le chemin serait évidemment chargé avec périlleux,
parce que mes professeurs toujours m'ont dit que
votre titres peuvent tout emporter de vous mais votre espoirs.
Il n'est pas grandiose être la persienne?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This morning, I went to the forest
There wasn't a sound to be heard
And then the sun glimmered through the trees
Whilst my heart swelled with hope.
A hope that things would be all right in the end,
Though the path would obviously be fraught with danger
Because my teachers always told me that your enemies
Can take everything away from you but your hopes
Isn't it grand to be blind?
Il n’y avais pas de son être entendu,
et alors le soleil a miroité par les arbres
pendant que mon coeur a grossi avec l'espoir.
Un espoir que les choses iraient très bien, finalemente.
Bien que le chemin serait évidemment chargé avec périlleux,
parce que mes professeurs toujours m'ont dit que
votre titres peuvent tout emporter de vous mais votre espoirs.
Il n'est pas grandiose être la persienne?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This morning, I went to the forest
There wasn't a sound to be heard
And then the sun glimmered through the trees
Whilst my heart swelled with hope.
A hope that things would be all right in the end,
Though the path would obviously be fraught with danger
Because my teachers always told me that your enemies
Can take everything away from you but your hopes
Isn't it grand to be blind?
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
Modulus - Jenni's wedding gig: preparations
Preparations for the gig at Jenni's wedding reception are in full swing. Between now and the 21st, the date of the reception, we have scheduled two final rehearsals, on the 14th and 20th. Power requirements have been given to the handyman via Emma. The band is totally determined to learn from past experiences, and put on an amazing show for our friend on her special day. With 150-170 guests in attendance, it will also be a great opportunity to get some positive exposure for the band, and maybe get repeat bookings.
The band will be using Emma's gigantic 1000W PA system. We anticipate the set to last around 95 minutes after the addition of five or six new songs into the band's repertoire.
At some point in the future we will sit down as a band and talk again about local gigs and shows that we could do. For now, though, everyone is focused on delivering a great show.
The band will be using Emma's gigantic 1000W PA system. We anticipate the set to last around 95 minutes after the addition of five or six new songs into the band's repertoire.
At some point in the future we will sit down as a band and talk again about local gigs and shows that we could do. For now, though, everyone is focused on delivering a great show.
Monday, 10 August 2009
Saturday, 8 August 2009
'Foiled' - techniques
Background
As a challenge to myself, I tried to write a song about a man and woman in a relationship - without hopefully going into cliche or cheese, which as we all know is extremely easy to do with songs of this nature. The focus in this song, Foiled, is really about the extent to which the man depends on the woman for more or less everything in his life. Without her, there is no sense of order or of logic.
Time Signature
For an added bit of interest, I chose to write the piece in 6/8 time, lending the lyrics a lilting quality and simultaneously underlining the desperation that this fictional man feels about his situation. I felt that these two effects would be lost if a 'normal' 4/4 time signature was used.
Harmonic Schemes
The piece begins in C major with a straightforward cycle around chords IV and V. The chorus ("look at me...") starts with a semitone rise on the dominant to Ab major. The harmonic patterns orbit around chords III, IV, VI and V11 before the chorus ends on this new tonic of Ab. The further the song progresses, the more eccentric the harmony becomes. This is intentional - it was my aim to reflect the man's psychological state and delusionary tendencies. Hence, verse 2 opens with a Cb6 chord, with rapid progression passing through Db7 into Ebm. The harmony eventually stabilises on "ticking over", where a previously used chord of Fdim7 is found. Verse 2 ends on a downbeat with the original dominant G7, neatly leading back into the final verse in the original tonic of C major.
Other Techniques
I picture this fictional man as having several thoughts rapidly enter his head while he's contemplating his relationship. For this reason I have deliberately set quite a lot of syllables of the lyrics per bar of the song, in order to reflect his thoughts constantly jarring his 'reality'. I have also paid attention to the rate of harmonic change within the song and structure; that is, in the beginning there is hardly any harmonic shift while he begins his introspection, but by the time we learn of his full thoughts, there is rapid harmonic acceleration. It was my aim to have the harmony 'not know where it is', reflecting the man's viewpoint.
As a challenge to myself, I tried to write a song about a man and woman in a relationship - without hopefully going into cliche or cheese, which as we all know is extremely easy to do with songs of this nature. The focus in this song, Foiled, is really about the extent to which the man depends on the woman for more or less everything in his life. Without her, there is no sense of order or of logic.
Time Signature
For an added bit of interest, I chose to write the piece in 6/8 time, lending the lyrics a lilting quality and simultaneously underlining the desperation that this fictional man feels about his situation. I felt that these two effects would be lost if a 'normal' 4/4 time signature was used.
Harmonic Schemes
The piece begins in C major with a straightforward cycle around chords IV and V. The chorus ("look at me...") starts with a semitone rise on the dominant to Ab major. The harmonic patterns orbit around chords III, IV, VI and V11 before the chorus ends on this new tonic of Ab. The further the song progresses, the more eccentric the harmony becomes. This is intentional - it was my aim to reflect the man's psychological state and delusionary tendencies. Hence, verse 2 opens with a Cb6 chord, with rapid progression passing through Db7 into Ebm. The harmony eventually stabilises on "ticking over", where a previously used chord of Fdim7 is found. Verse 2 ends on a downbeat with the original dominant G7, neatly leading back into the final verse in the original tonic of C major.
Other Techniques
I picture this fictional man as having several thoughts rapidly enter his head while he's contemplating his relationship. For this reason I have deliberately set quite a lot of syllables of the lyrics per bar of the song, in order to reflect his thoughts constantly jarring his 'reality'. I have also paid attention to the rate of harmonic change within the song and structure; that is, in the beginning there is hardly any harmonic shift while he begins his introspection, but by the time we learn of his full thoughts, there is rapid harmonic acceleration. It was my aim to have the harmony 'not know where it is', reflecting the man's viewpoint.
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
'Foiled' - lyrics
This'd be funny if it wasn't depressing,
I'm sitting here in the kitchen.
Realising now that I need you more than ever, than ever.
And your eyes never lied, though you tried so hard to hide it.
Look at me - I'm such a mess.
Waiting for you 'cause I'm in distress.
You were always there for me.
And finally I've come undone,
Like a romantic fool, I've been foiled.
Lately, every knock at the door's you.
Allow me this fantasy, it can hurt only me.
But I don't think you'll return.
So I'll just have to keep ticking over.
And forever hold onto that picture.
This'd be funny if it wasn't depressing,
I'm sitting here in the kitchen.
Realising now that I need you more than ever, than ever.
And your eyes never lied, though you tried so hard to hide it.
But I don't think you'll return.
So I'll just have to keep ticking over.
And forever hold onto that picture.
I'm sitting here in the kitchen.
Realising now that I need you more than ever, than ever.
And your eyes never lied, though you tried so hard to hide it.
Look at me - I'm such a mess.
Waiting for you 'cause I'm in distress.
You were always there for me.
And finally I've come undone,
Like a romantic fool, I've been foiled.
Lately, every knock at the door's you.
Allow me this fantasy, it can hurt only me.
But I don't think you'll return.
So I'll just have to keep ticking over.
And forever hold onto that picture.
This'd be funny if it wasn't depressing,
I'm sitting here in the kitchen.
Realising now that I need you more than ever, than ever.
And your eyes never lied, though you tried so hard to hide it.
But I don't think you'll return.
So I'll just have to keep ticking over.
And forever hold onto that picture.
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