Dave Holmes Music
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Upcoming Shows

2017
Plans for tour in USA, Europe, Jamaica? , Japan?? =)

Past Shows and Blog.

2016
3rd December 2016
​Wolverton Lantern Parade with Nova Guarda
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2nd December 2016
Ware Dickensian Evening with Toque Tambor
27th & 30th Sept 2016
​Gatfest - Gatwick Airport Performances with JP Percussion - Gatwick Airport 
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17th September 2016
Formations Festival, Hitchin - Samba with Toque Tambor
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14th September 2016
Oxford Botanical Gardens - Samba with Toque Tambor and Bossa Nova with Fabricio Azevedo
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8th July 2016
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RAF Wyton - show with Toque Tambor
2nd July 2016
Aylesbury Roald Dahl Parade with Toque Tambor
July 27th 2016 to August 15 2016
Andrea Amorim Tour - UK, Belgium, Holland, Portugal.
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Andrea was on her European Tour for 2 weeks, which took place from 27th July to 14th August.

UK (DUO, TRIO & QUARTET shows)
27th - Cambridge - Street Performing + gig at a venue TBC
28th - London, TBC
29th July - Camp Bestival, Lulworth Castle (QUARTET)

BELGIUM / HOLLAND  (DUO with Dave Holmes)
30th July - Travelling
​31st July - WijnBar EST - Brugge, Belgium
1st August - Aux Chandelles - Liège, Belgium​ (19h30 - 22h30)
2nd August (Day) - Caffe Latte - Liège, Belgium.
3rd August - Westergasterras, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 
4th August - live on Brazilian Blend Radio, ORTS Radio, Holland with Fred Polet, Oosterhout, near Breda, The Netherlands 
5th - Rotterdam, The Netherlands TBC
6th - Leuven, Belgium - Belgaleiro (20:30-21h)
​7th August - L'Archiduc, (Jazz Bar) Brussels, Belgium.
BOSSA TRIO ! 
8th - Travelling
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PORTUGAL - (QUARTET)
​9th - 15 August - For this leg of the tour we will be based at the MdB Audio studio complex. Gig dates TBA.
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September 9th,10th, 11th 2016
Bestival, Isle of Wight UK - with Ziriguidum
End Oct /  Early Nov 2016
Trip to Brazil ! 
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Friday July 16th 2016
Club 85 - Supporting micbsounds, Toque Tambor and FABIO ALLMAN
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Thursday July 15th 2016
No1 Harbourside, Bristol - Performing on 2nd Surdo with Samba group Ziriguidum and FABIO ALLMAN
Friday July 8th 2016
Samba show RAF Wyton - on Second Surdo for Toque Tambor
Thursday July 7th 2016
Bossa Nova Gig in 'Made In Brasil', Camden Town, London. - Vocals and Guitar.
With Fabricio Azevedo on Drums.
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Friday 1st July 2016
Gig at The Canteen - Bristol, UK.
Playing 2nd Surdo as part of Ziriguidum Samba Show Band with Fabio Allman (Du Rio, PLAYBob, Duo Carioca, ex-Monobloco)
Friday 25th June 2016
Officers Mess, Aldershot Garrison
Playing Surdo (Brazilian bass drum) as part of Toque Tambor Samba Band, at a private event.
Friday 17th June 2016
University of Hertfordshire, UK. 
Playing Caixa (Brazilian snare drum) as part of Toque Tambor Samba Band, at a private event.
Sunday 12th June 2016
Stevenage Day, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, UK. 
Playing 2nd Surdo at the town's annual public event as part of Toque Tambor Samba Band
2pm and 3:30 pm Main arena (20 minute shows)
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Thursday 2nd June 2016
Luchapa Lisbon, Portugal
Special ​Bossa Nova Set.
Guitar and Vocals - Dave Holmes
​Bass - Bruce Henri , Manuel Mota 
Drums - Henry Sousa
Electric Piano - Emílio Robalo + special 
guests
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Tuesday May 17th 2016
Club Veeda - Rio Ball - Samba Bateria Show - Playing Surdo
Thursday 22nd April 2016
​Selsdon Hotel and Golf Club, Croydon, London, UK.

Black Tie Event.
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Playing Surdo for Taste of Brasil at a Batucada Samba percussion gig. 

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Saturday 9th April 2016
Luton BID Event. - Samba Parade with Toque Tambor in Luton Town centre, playing 2nd Surdo.  VIDEO
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2015
December 10th -17th 2015
Studio recording at MdB Audio, Portugal.

Friday December 11th 2015

Juno Bar, Braga, Portugal. 
Midnight start
Live Bossa Nova with electronic beats by Lukkas
(The Missing Link, Umbra, Friematic Twins)

https://www.facebook.com/juno.cafe.braga/

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Friday 4th December

Ware Dickensian Evening, Ware, UK
Playing Percussion as part of Toque Tambor Brazilian Carnival Band.
www.dickensian.org.uk
www.ToqueTambor.com
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Saturday 21st November 2015
Live stream - Simultaneous broadcast on Meerkat app and Twitch.TV
12:15- 3:15pm
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Thursday 19th November 2015, 8pm
Eastbourne Beerfest, The Dolphin, 14 South Street, Eastbourne, UK

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Monday 16th November - 8pm Perú Time (1am Tuesday 17th Nov GMT)
Interview and live performance on Perú Pop Rock Radio, via skype.

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Sunday 13th September 2015

Ziriguidum Rehearsal, Bristol, UK.

I am really happy to have started rehearsing with Ziriguidum in Bristol. As of today I have joined the band on 2nd Surdo (Surdo de segunda). Apart from one lesson in Toque Tambor on 3rd Surdo I have never played Surdo (Brazilian Samba Bass Drum) in a band before. I did ok, but I have a lot of homework to swot up on, but learning a lot more percussion is the reason I have joined up, so I am really excited about the challenge.


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We drove down early in the morning and had a pretty intense session all day, but took time out to do some socialising afterwards in the fashionable Canteen bar complete with its own original Banksy Mural. 

The place seems like a hive for creative peeps - band stickers and art all over the walls, Folk trio playing, people drinking, dancing, tapping away on laptops, discussing projects, eating free yorkshire puddings, strange smoke smells wafting around and a ping pong table outside. There is tons of colourful graffiti all over the streets too. Interesting area of Bristol !
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Saturday 12th September 2015

This is a short clip of me performing in a cut down version of Samba bateria Toque Tambor. We were playing at the Garden House Hospice's event, the 25th annual Starlight Walk, in Letchworth, UK, on 12th Sept 2015. 

I am in the foreground and was going to play repinique but had to fill in playing Tamborim at the last minute. This was my first show with this group since 2012. We played a 30 minute set to the midnight walkers an hour or so before they were due to head off. 

http://www.ghhospice.co.uk/Fundraising-News/Events-Diary/Starlight-Walk-2015

www.ToqueTambor.com
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Friday 11th September 2015

Clock Tower, St. Albans, UK
Busking. 10:45-14:15hrs

A very sunny and windy day! A second after I arrived another busker turned up. We agreed a time for him to take over, but he let me play on.

It was so windy that at one point the crowd of 20 watching me kindly ran after my sheet music, as it all blew away up the street. Every
one was grabbing it for me.

Later a little girl was smiling a lot when she saw me playing and then dancing a lot. her mum was filming her and joined it. This makes the crappy location worth playing in. I won't go to this spot again though, as it is too noisy. People blaring out music from their convertibles as they wait to pull out on the road in front of me and buses, trucks, lorries passing by. Not ideal for Bossa Nova! But good practice and good fun ..if I wasn't fighting the wind! =)


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Thursday 10th September 2015

St, Mary's Churchyard, Hitchin, UK
10:50-14:50
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Thursday 3rd September 2015

Hertford
, UK

I did a bit of Street Busking in Hertford. I wasn't there long, just 45 minutes, as I was just there to pop into a shop. I think it could work out ok there, so I will go back to play there for a whole day sometime soon...if I can find a parking spot where you can stay for more than 30 minutes!
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Friday 28th August 2015

Open Mic / Jam
Tom Tiddler's Tavern
Stevenage, UK

I played some Bossa and MPB with a bassist and drummer jamming along.

I took this video of some of the jamming and general English pub craziness =) :

Monday 24th August 2015

Aux Chandelles
Rue de Herve 187, Grivegnée, Liege, Belgium
http://www.aux-chandelles.be/

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I played at this candlelight restaurant, located in Liege. It offers French cuisine and refined brasserie. 

In a lounge atmosphere, you can taste meat and fish, carefully selected by the chef for its quality and freshness. 

In good weather, you can enjoy the spacious terrace at the back. The restaurant has a room aside for receptions and family dinners. Top class dining a perfect match for sophisticated Bossa Nova!

Sunday 23rd August 2015
Wijnbar EST
Brugge, Belgium          

I returned to Wijnbar Est in historic Brugge. I first played this wonderful wine bar / restaurant in November 2014 to a great crowd of mostly locals and English tourists / ex-pats. 

This venue has a great atmosphere and is run by a fantastic husband and wife team Noella and Marnix, who is also a guitarist.

It's the second time I have played there and they say I am welcome back next year, possibly as early as Easter.

info: http://www.wijnbarest.be      

See: Facebook event 
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In the show I met Facebook friends Patrick and Nancy for the first time. Patrick is a friend of Ivan Conti the drummer from Azymuth. I though I'd add Ivan as a friend after going to see a gig by one of his fellow musicians, the great Marcos Valle. When I spoke to Ivan online he immediately said he had a friend Patrick living in Belgium. Shortly afterwards Patrick had booked the closest table at my gig. Facebook is nuts!

Also next to him was a guy called Steve Harrington with his wife. Steve is a House FM DJ and was in the audience at the same Marcos Valle gig that I went to at Ronnie Scott's Jazz club in London back in June! Small world !
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So after my show, around midnight, I headed back to the hostel and had some drinks until around 2am, then I met a cool Italian couple Samuel and Erica, we spent the next 45 minutes or so trying to find somewhere open to buy them cigarettes and maybe find somewhere interesting to go out.

Brugge is quite dead on a Sunday night though, and all the night shops had closed and the cigarette machine, in the only open pub that had one, was broken.

Eventually, my new friends gave in and headed back to their hostel and I went to a small bar called Crash near my hostel. They should call it 'Crash and Burn', as I drank strong Belgian beer until around 6am I guess. I just remember the bar man was sleeping in his folded arms at the bar and, at that point, I looked around and there was no one else there. That was the clue that it was time to go home!

A few hours after returning to my bed, at around 10:30,  I was woken up by the hostel to say check out was at 10am. After a couple of pints of water a strong coffee and another couple of hours slumped over a table next to reception, I was ready to get breakfast by the river, go for a short walk and grab a waffle and coffee and head to Liege for the next leg of the adventure! I changed into my smart clothes at the station, got on the right train and just in time to arrive in Liege for my next show!


Saturday 22nd August 2015
Bossa Nova Set
Almost Perfect, Pop-up campsite
Ghent, Belgium


I played this great campsite tucked away in the centre of Ghent. It is so relaxing here that some campers had been there a couple of weeks and not even seen the town yet!

It was a very sunny day and perfect atmosphere for some Bossa Nova.
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Sunday 16th August
Street performance
Hitchin, Hertfordshire, UK.
Approx 12:30pm - 4pm

I did a bit of Bossa Nova busking in Hitchin, to entertain the passers-by while rehearsing a few things for my Belgian tour. 
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Friday 31st July
Tom Tiddlers Tavern
Stevenage, Hertfordshire.

Open Mic Night  
I played a few Brazilian tracks with support on drums and bass. I ended up playing bass on some blues jams too.

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Saturday 27th June 2015
Private Party Hertfordshire UK
Evening gig , 7pm till late.
Half hour Bossa Nova set 
Supporting Toque Tambor feat. vocalist Fabio Allman (Duo Rio, Duo Carioca, PLAY Bob, Monobloco)


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After my Bossa Nova set at this private birthday party in the summer, I got called up by Fabio Allman  to add some backing to his fine vocals during his performance of Mas que Nada, with the equally fine samba bateria formed of friends from various samba groups.

It wasn't my key (not much is!) and I need to work on my dance moves and live mic technique ... but it was all rather fun! =D

Here's a short clip of Toque Tambor feat. Fabio Allman (Du Rio / PlayBob / Duo Carioca/ ex-Monobloco). The Sound from my phone is not good, but they were excellent, playing a really great 1 and a half hour set. I went on first with a half hour of solo Bossa Nova. I have since rejoined Toque Tambor and joined Bristol group Ziriguidum ...Samba!!

Saturday 27th June 2015

Lapa in London, Bossa Nova Brunch, The Forge, Camden UK

Lapa in London is a day-long event bringing Brazilian culture (music, dance, cinema and food) to London. 

After the morning music workshops, there is a Bossa Nova Jam from 2pm to around 3:30 / 4pm hosted and organised by the singer Valentina CX, I have started to help out where and when I can too.

This month  featured Marta Capponi, a fantastic Italian Bossa Nova singer.

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Monday 22nd June 2015
Busking in Valencia
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Sunday 21st June 2015
Lliber, Valenciana, Spain
Bossa & Blues 


I played a Bossa Nova set at a private ticketed gig, supporting a great Dutch Blues Fusionist guitarist based in Spain called Markus K. 


The event was streamed live at ConcertWindow.com/Markus-K


The Facebook event was here: https://www.facebook.com/events/634515629983779/
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Soundcheck !
The below video is a blues track I wrote in 2007, which we jammed out while busking and played in the concert. my vocals are low on the video but hopefully were ok in the PA. Markus was the perfect person to play this track with, he completely understood where I was coming from with it and played perfect guitar , 'bass' and perc parts.

Sunday 21st June 2015 Morning

Rastro Market, Valenciana, Spain - Blues and Bossa Busking with Markus K

There was a Brazilian lady in the crowd who asked me to play some MPB and bought me a beer =) She said that when I played the Girl From Ipanema it made the hairs on her arm stand on end (in a good way! - she enjoyed it). It was incredibly sunny and windy and our parasols blew over and my sheet music was flying everywhere , so we soon called it a day. This pic was taken after Markus had packed up his kit and parasol.
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Sunday 20th June 2015 Evening

Calp, beach busking, Spain - with Markus K
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Sunday 20th June 2015 Morning

Jalom Market, Valenciana, Spain - with Markus K
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The public appreciated the Bossa Love =)
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Off to Spain for the mini Bossa Nova tour - 19th June 2015 (Video 1)

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Friday 12th June 2015:  
Cambridge, UK
Street Performers Festival 2015
Multiple gigs

I returned to venues I played last year: 





. 



The Six Bells Beer Garden, Covent Garden, Cambridge, 5 - 6.30pm

Corner of Petty Cury/ Sidney St.,  2 - 3pm
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d'Arry's Cookhouse & Wine Shop, 12 noon -1pm
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Wednesday 10th June

FREE online show! on ConcertWindow (https://www.concertwindow.com/daveholmes) - Dave Holmes with Mic B (UK Beatboxer)

45 minutes set of freestyle music jamming and tunes
13:00 - 13:45 hrs (GMT+1) 


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show online, com 'entrada' GRATIS na internet, na ConcertWindow (https://www.concertwindow.com/daveholmes).

Vai ser 45 minutos da música ao vivo, 13:00-13:45 horário ingles, Dave Holmes com o beatbox Mic B


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Sunday 7th June

Howard Park, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire.
Letchworth Rotary Club's 'The Big Lunch'.
12 noon - 3pm

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I moved around the crowd, performing Bossa Nova to those who were picnicking at this community event. The music went down really well. During my first private show I was still getting the sound of my amp and guitar right so I was worried about the performance, at which point one of the people said "Can you play The Girl From Ipanema?"  which of course I can and I did!  The next person, a man with his two little girls asked me "Can you play any Gal Costa? We were actually listening to the Sinatra and Jobim CD this morning."  That took me by surprise! and I continued to play him 'Wave' and other tunes.  

I entertained many more groups and families, mostly with 'Mas que Nada' and 'The Girl from Ipanema' so it was more familiar to them, but also played around another 12 or so songs, mixing it up. By the end of the event I had a small crescent of picnickers listening and applauding, a proper little show going on and lots of people said how much they liked the sounds, even stopping me to talk when I was walking off, so I gave out quite a few business cards with the links to my free albums, hopefully they will download and enjoy the sounds! 
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Saturday May 30th 2015
Lapa in London, The Forge, Camden UK


Lapa in London is a day-long event bringing Brazilian culture (music, dance, cinema and food) to London.

After the morning music workshops, there is a Bossa Nova Jam from 2pm to around 3:30 / 4pm hosted by the singer Valentina CX. 

I played a few tracks at the Bossa nova Jam joined by my Bossa friends on percussion, and we also heard music from Gaio de Lima with the evening's guest musician Yure Romão.

I then played Tamborim  ( the smallest and loudest drum in Samba) in the Choro Roda from 7pm to after Midnight. Yure Romão is an excellent 7 string guitar player/singer. Check us playing in the video clip.


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Click here for another video of the night.

Monday 25th May (UK Bank Holiday)


Welwyn Garden City
Near Nero Caffe.
1pm - 5pm

Saturday May 23rd

Cambridge, UK

Outside Trinity College, Trinity Street
3:30pm - 6pm
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Saturday May 23rd

Cambridge, UK

Outside Great St Mary's Church 10am - 2:40pm
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Saturday May 16th

Letchworth Food Festival
Letchworth, Hertfordshire

I played outside Ciao Café from 10am to 4pm, non-stop !

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Thursday 14th May 2015




Thursday 7th May 2015
Online Concert
Broadcasting from the UK.on ConcertWindow.com
/daveholmes 


I decided at the last minute to do an online show, playing from midday for almost 3 hours.


According to the stats, 17 different people tuned in from all over the world for the course of the show, with 3 or 4 logged in staying for most of the show. 

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Bank Holiday Monday 4th May 2015
Hitchin

Street Busking

I had a good time in Hitchin this day, playing 6 hours of Bossa Nova in town.

I had a lot of people say they like the music and take my flyers, which helps spread the word.

It was also great to see a couple of local Toque Tambor friends , Bob and Tim. Always good vibes when I play there. Cheers Hitchin!

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Saturday 25th April 2015
Lapa in London, The Forge, Camden, London, UK.


In the afternoon I played a few tracks at a Bossa Nova Jam, along with percussionists and the host, singer Valentina CX,

Later I stayed on to join the Choro Roda on Tamborim, playing until well past midnight, . GREAT night ! This is a regular event, once a month , I will be attending as often as possible from now on.
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Friday 24th April 2015

FREE online show!
1 hour of Bossa Nova music
12:00 - 13:00 hrs (GMT+1)

(Friday 24 April 2015, 07:00:00 EDT UTC-4 hours New York time)
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O meu proximo show online, com 'entrada' GRATIS na internet, vai ser uma hora da música Bossa Nova, ao vivo, 12:00-13:00 horário ingles, 

(Sexta-feira, 24 Abril 2015, 08:00:00 BRT UTC-3 hours em Rio de Janeiro)

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Facebook event link for this show.


27th March 2015  1pm-2pm GMT
Online Gig (my first!) I broadcast a 1 hour Bossa Nova show live over the internet on Concert Window.com. With viewers in Belgium, Spain and other countries. more online gigs to come!
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2014
Wednesday 12th November
Liége, Belgium
Caffé Latte - 2.30 - 5.30pm
                                          

I played this gig for the launch of a new photo installation by Emile Froidbise.

Facebook event 

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Wednesday 12th November

Liége, Belgium        

Moment Restaurant - 8 - 11.30pm, 
http://www.moment-liege.be/  

I really enjoyed this gig and made some cool contacts!
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Thursday 13th November    

Oosterhout, Holland - Brazilian Blend live recording, ORTS radio
http://www.brazilianblend.nl/

I talked a little about my music and played a few tracks.
The show was broadcast on Sunday 16th and a link to the show will be up soon.
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Sunday 16th November

Brugge, Belgium                  

Wijn Bar Est.
I played this wonderful wine bar to a great crowd of mostly English tourists and ex-pats, playing from 20:30 until around 23:30 hrs. Everyone was singing along to some of the tracks. it was a great atmosphere and the owners of the venue are really cool.                      
More info: http://www.wijnbarest.be                
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Wednesday 27th August

London, UK        
                
Born To Bossa Volume II Studio session
at Area 18 Studios. 
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Saturday 23rd August

Ghent, Belgium                    
de Croone Café/Bar (in Vrijdagsmarkt). 
9pm - midnight  http://www.decroonegent.com/#!our_story/c18bc
                                           
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Friday 22nd August

Liége, Belgium

Caffé Latte - 3.30-6.00pm



Friday 22nd August

Liége, Belgium                  

Café Brasil (2nd night)
9pm - Midnight
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Thursday 21st August

Liége, Belgium                    

Café Brasil (1st night)
9pm - Midnight
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Thursday 21st August

Liége, Belgium
Winenote
6.30-8.30pm
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Wednesday 20th August

Liége, Belgium                    Encontro Brasileiro  (evening gig) CANCELLED / 
VENUE CLOSED

Cambridge, UK                   Street Performers festival 2014 - multiple gigs

Friday 15th August 2014: 
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12.00 - 13.00hrs : Christ’s Pieces, Cambridge
 (http://en.wiki...pedia.org/wiki/Christ's_Pieces)



14.00 - 15.00hrs : 
Quayside, Cambridge 

(https://map.cam.ac.uk/Quayside) 

WITH INTERVIEW AND LIVE PERFORMANCE FOR CAMBRIDGE 105 Radio.
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15:15 - 16:30 
Sidney Street, Cambridge - opposite Jesus Lane


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20.30 - 22.00hrs 
The Six Bells, Covent Garden, Cambridge (http://sixbellspub.co.uk/)



Saturday 16th August 2014:

11:00-12:00 outside Great St Mary's Church (CANCELLED - pitch was double booked)  


13.00hrs - 14.00hrs : D'Arry's Wine Shop, Cambridge  with Alistair Watson or percussion.(Bar/restaurant: http://www.darrys.co.uk/) http://www.facebook.com/pages/dArrys-Cookhouse-and-Wine-Shop/369281585464)



14.30 - 15:30hrs : Quayside, Cambridge , with Alistair Watson or percussion.

3rd August 2014


Hitchin, Hertfordshire

I busked for over 5 hours on this corner. 

I really had a good day and people seemed to enjoy the sounds! 

I even got some free drinks from the local café who complimented me on the performance. A lot of their customers stayed on longer at the outside table area to listen to my set.
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27th July 2014

Hitchin, Hertfordshire
Busking


7th June 2014
Love Letchworth StreetFest
Letchworth, Hertfordshire
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Below, coverage of the event: 'Love Letchworth TV EP 3'. I appear at 0m13s and 0m36s.

2nd June 2014
Cecilia Delgado Recording Session
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Wednesday 12th February 2014
Area 18 Studios, London 
Born To Bossa Volume I session



2013


Thursday 10th October 2013

Charity event at the Thomas Alleyne Academy, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, UK - 
7-9pm.

A two hour set of Bossa Nova with Tim Burt and Alistair Watson on percussion, 

20 July 2013
Welwyn Garden City
Street Performance

I like playing here and people seem to enjoy the sounds. One Portuguese guy even asked if I was Brazilian!


14 July 2013

Near St. Mary Churchyard, Hitchin

Street Performance - Bossa Set

I had just recently started playing Bossa Nova sets as a solo artist, going by the name 'The Bossa Renovator', and I was trying out street performing (busking). So I went to play here in Hitchin and there just happened to be a Rhythms of the World weekend festival on in town. 

What's more, my friends JP Courtney from Toque Tambor and Fabio Allman of Rio supergroup Monobloco, just happened to be passing by and joined me for an impromptu jam!

This was probably the first video of me playing a song from my Brazilian music set. What a great video to have as the first, performing with one of Brazil's top artists!
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6 July 2013 am
Hitchin market 
Street Performance

Playing Bossa Nova to the folk passing by.

29 June 2013 
Welwyn Garden City (Near Cafe Nero) 
Street Performance

My Bossa Set went down well on a sunny, slightly windy, early morning in the Garden City.
I got a couple of people dancing, one guy telling me to play even louder, and another chap stopping to chat with me as he is into the same music. 

Saturday 15th June 2013

La Concha Beach Party
Letchworth, Herts, UK 

Performing as 'The Bossa Renovator' , I was joined by percussionist Alistair Watson, playing two 45 minute sets of Brazilian Bossa Nova at this great little Spanish themed pub as part of their Beach Party themed day, with people watching the show in relaxing outdoor seating areas as we played on a bed of sand.

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2012 - Gigs with full Bossa Nova band 'CopaBacana'

The White Horse, Baldock, Hertfordshire


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Bar Ab Hitchin

Samba Encontro, UK Centre for Carnival Arts, UK
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Club 85, Hitchin
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Gigs with Toque Tambor Samba Percussion Group 2007 / 2008 / 2012

http://toquetambor.com/

Since 2007, I have been a member, off and on, of Toque Tambor Samba percussion group (Samba Bloco in Portuguese), as a Caixa and Tamborim player. (The caixa is a snare drum and the tamborim is a small, but very loud!, hand held drum which provides the 'rhythmic melody of the samba' , which translates well to the Bossa Nova chord rhythms).

The group has been around since 2002 and always contains around 30-50 people at any time, and was setup and is run by a very talented Irish guy, JP Courtney, who has a lot of experience teaching Brazilian and Cuban music in UK and the rest of the world and who regularly performs with top artists from Brazil.

Playing samba in this group was a major driving force for helping me build confidence to perform Bossa Nova and gave me extra rhythmic vocabulary needed to pull it off authentically. I recommend anyone take the annual classes and join the group, or another Samba group closer to you. (There are many around the world, especially in the UK)

In Toque Tambor 
I played at many major UK festivals, Brazilian Music events, local fetes and carnivals around the UK and Ireland, often alongside professional Brazilian musicians such as Monobloco and Duo Carioca from Rio De Janeiro. I hope to continue Samba drumming in the near future!

Below are some of the shows I took part in: 

2012

Saturday 7th July 2012
Town Parade and static show with Duo Carioca (Fabio Allman of Monobloco and Pepe Barcellos of PLAYBob)
Hitchin, UK

I'm at the right of the picture (blue trousers) playing Tamborim.
Picture
Picture

24th September 2008

Lord Mayor's Thames Festival
Parade from Embankment, 
London

Sunday 27th July 2008

WOMAD Festival
Malmesbury, Wiltshire


1st December 2012
Brazilian Carnival Party
Club 85, Hitchin

Bookings
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