Live @ The Constitution, Camden - Saturday 4 Febuary

It's time for our first gig of 2012!!! It's been sooo long since we've last played, we're really looking forward to this one.

The night is being run by our good friends The Standards, who we first met at the London leg of last year's International Pop Overthrow festival. We were actually meant to play this gig back in December, but the gig was cancelled due to The Standards' lead singer being unwell. Also on the bill at a band called Mad Staring Eyes. Haven't heard any of their stuff, but their lineup includes a pedal steel guitar and a flute, so it's going to be a weird and wonderful evening.

The Constitution is situated right alongside the canal and we're playing in the cellar bar, which always seems to give a better atmosphere - plus the door entry is FREE!!! We are headlining this one, which means we'll be on stage at about 10pm. We're planning to debut at least one new song as well which is something we're particularly excited (and nervous!) about. Please come along and join us for an excellent night. More details can be found via our facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/events/243436715723538/

Radio Airplay - and Launch of 286 YouTube

It's been a busy week in 286 land, here's the latest.

Radio Airplay

We've made some great new friends in Hoxton FM, a new radio station based in East London's capital of cool. Spencer 286 caught up with the Hoxton FM crew for an interview on 6 January whilst they were on the road with their Hoxton Live show, in Shoreditch's Electricity Showrooms, as they played 'Hello' from our debut EP 'A Victory For Battalion 286'. Expect to hear more from Hoxton FM in this blog - hopefully we'll be working with them again :)

The radio trail continued last Sunday (15 January) when 'Hello' was played on regional radio station KMFM (formerly Invicta FM) in Kent. DJ Adam Dowling played the track on his Sunday afternoon show just after 2pm which was great exposure for us. Thanks for Adam for doing this, particularly as we are 'borderline' in belonging to Kent. Hopefully we'll be back on the airwaves once we release more material.

286 TV - Youtube Account

We've set up our own YouTube account! Here you'll be able to find all the official 286 videos going forward, plus special guest videos which which we like. To visit the page follow this link:
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheTwoEightSix

Back In The Studio

This weekend we are back in the studio looking to put some string tracks down for new songs. Recording is taking place in in Stepney Green, in the studio of Mile High Music owner, Christy Fry. Looks like it's going to be a long day...

That's it for now, we'll be back in a few days with more information on our next gig at the beginning of February - can't wait!

Interview on Hoxton FM tonight!

Some last minute news for you all! Tonight, Spencer 286 will be interviewed live on internet radion station Hoxton FM (http://hoxton.fm) as they broadcast from Shoreditch's Electricity Showrooms (http://www.electricityshowrooms.com). Hoxton FM will also be playing 'Hello' from our debut EP 'A Victory For Battalion 286'. If you are in the London area and fancy coming down, it's all kicking off between 6pm and 8pm.

For more information check out the following facebook link or check our tweets on http://twitter.com/the286

http://m.facebook.com/event.php?eid=130849743698079&refid=0

Happy New Year

It's a Happy New Year from all of us in The 286! And what a year it was!

2011 - the year that was!



Last year was an amazing year for us. First of all we recorded and released our debut EP 'A Victory For Battalion 286'. We are really pleased with the results and dead chuffed with the promotional video filmed for Hello. If you still haven't bought the album you can buy it directly from Mile High Music for an ridiculously cheap £2.49. Click on this link to hear the songs and buy the EP http://the286.bandcamp.com/



We also set up our own live music night, in partnership with the Bonjour Mosquitos DJs, Terry and Mickey. The aim of the night is to get some great bands together, keep the door entry down to a minimum (at the moment it's FREE ENTRY!) and basically recreate a party atmosphere in a live music scenario. The first night, at The New Cross Inn in SE London went down a storm. Ably supported by The Wild Hunt, The Greater Good and The Fruitful Earth, we put on a great show, which included a snow machine and Christmas decorations!! I've been down to the New Cross Inn quite a few times and I can't remember it being that busy for a long time. Pictures from the night can be found on our facebook page (www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150504403414553.419466.244161049552&type=1)

What's New In 2012?

We're hoping that 2012 has even more to offer than 2011. We'll be posting more information on future gig nights very shortly, plus we'll be back in the studio looking to work on our next release. Expect to see a 286 website on the horizon shortly, plus some new songs at future gigs and some more promotional videos.

For now that's it from us - see you all soon

Alley Cat Club Review and Nathan's Drums

Nathan 286 writes:

Hello and Happy New Year to our followers. All 286 of you. It's me, Nathan writing this. Now some of you have written in complaining that everytime I write a band blog, it always ends up heavily edited or censored. Some of you even claim my blogs aren't even written by me at all. Well this one may get a bit technical and 'drummer geeky' so by the end of it (if you're still reading!) you will be in no doubt.

We have kickstarted the New Year with a really enjoyable gig at The Alley Cat Club in Soho Sound. Yes, the basement of one of Pop History's most iconic recording studios!


Our great mate Tom H. Wing from the amazing band The Roves organised it and was gracious enought to ask us to play. I snobbily said "only if I use my own kit and no-one else touches it". Well, imagine my astoundment when the middle band Fallen Heroes (absolutely terrific musicians and really nice guys) turned up and their drummer (my new best mate Emil) pulled out a Vintage Ludwig 20" bass drum with a mounted cymbal arm, rivet cymbal, Acrolite Snare, etc etc etc. He even had a high stool like me and a jubilee clip holding his Vintage Premier Hi-Hat stand like mine! It had the black footprint-shaped pedal and everything! The first thing he said to me was "is that a real Hayman?".

I will never forget that for the rest of my life. Yes, I was using my Metallic Blue Hayman with 18" bass drum and 14" floor tom (both rare as hell), also with mounted cymbal arm, Cosmic Beverley 21 snare, 15" Hi Hats, Zyn ride and vintage Premier stool with the red top and white piping. HEAVEN.

Oh yeah, the gig! I forgot sorry, I drifted off for a mo just then. Seeing as this was the last gig I will ever do with a microphone (yes folks, I'm quitting singing to focus on this new double bass drum setup I intend to use in The 286... I tested it at rehearsal but the stage was too small to bring it to the actual gig), I brought along a sound effects box for a laugh and belted Sophie Sands as if it was the last time I will ever sing it...

...which it was. Too bad if you missed it but there is more than enough surviving shaky Youtube footage of this song if you need to see what it was like. You will also see exactly why I NEED to quit singing and drumming at the same time.

Spencer's new song "Walk In The Sky" was a thorough JOY to play and got everyone dancing like MAD. Ash came back and played amazing piano as always. But for "Lisa Part II", he went into the audience and Becky played her original piano part for that number. Emotions.

Special thanks go to Dennis for filling in that night. Special medal goes to Adaq for squeezing behind the piano. And Liv and Alex, well, what is there left to say?

I'm off now to write some instrumentals for the band.

Bye!

Goodbye 2010...Hello 2011 (plus gig this week!)

Spencer 286 writes:

Well we're back from our Christmas fun and ready to kick off the year with a gig! For those of you who live near London we are headlining at the Alley Cat Club in Denmark St, Soho on Thursday night (6 January). There are two reasons that make this gig that little bit more special:

1) We're debuting our brand new song (Take A) Walk In The Sky - Walk In The Sky has already become a firm favourite with those outside the band who have already heard it and Liv tells me that she's pretty pleased with the string arrangement for the song as well.

2) Nathan will be unveiling his full mega kit! - Both bass drums, both floor toms - the lot!! We're not sure how we will all fit on the stage at the moment, but I'm sure we'll get by!

It's a fiver to get in and should be a fantastic night with a line up full of awesome bands. Here are the details:

Date: Thursday 6 January 2011

Venue: The Alley Cat Club
Doors: Open 8pm, on stage 10pm
4 Denmark St, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 8LP
Nearest Tube: Tottenham Court Road

A Christmas Message from The 286

Spencer 286 writes:

Hello 286ers!!!

Just a quick message to all our fans wishing them all an absolutely fantastic Christmas and a happy New Year. Christmas wouldn't be right without presents and we're all looking forward to waking up to see what Santa Claus has bought us. Speaking of the big man, I found this picture of Father Christmas holding a cello and thought I'd include it with this blog entry. He's a bit creepy isn't he? Anyway, despite the fact he's verging on looking like the creepy doll from the Saw movie series (but just with a beard), he's holding a cello, so that's good enough for me to include in the blog!

I've was given an early Christmas present today - a musicians joke book. You will all have heard at least one guitarist or drummer joke in the past - there are millions of them - but this book has a whole chapter on classical musicians! How great is that?! So, in true Christmas cracker style, here are a few violinist jokes for you to savour (sorry Adaq!)

Q: How can you tell if a violin is out of tune?
A: The bow is moving

Q: What does a violin and a lawsuit have in common?
A: Everyone is pleased when the case is closed

Q: What is the difference between a violinist and a dog?
A: A dog knows when to stop scratching

...and I couldn't let our cellists get away scot free could I?

Q: Why was the cellist staring at the orange juice bottle?
A: Because the label said concentrate

Q: How do you get a cello to sound beautiful
A: Sell it and buy a violin

So that's it from us for 2010! For those of you who live near London our first gig of the year is on Thursday 6 January in the basement bar of 4 Denmark St in the West End (the Alley Cat Club). More details can be found on our band page tab on our Facebook profile. It'll be great to see some of you there.