22/5/06 From idle to Idol

Late rise (7.00) and plodding day at work. Went for a walk at lunchtime and saw a very large bird of prey in one of the fields. I thought it was a large dog until it took off, on massive light brown wings.

I was in two minds whether to go to the Acoustic Idols awards night at the Jam House, or keep up the slow home recording effort. In the end I went, and came away – much to my surprise – with two awards: Best Acoustic Act for the Innocents, and Best CD for Romantic Fiction 1.  Following superb performances by some people I really admire – including Lee Patterson, Nobody Jones and Graeme Mearns – Lynsey, Nelson and I took to the stage for three songs, powered by one guitar played and one guitar percussed upon. Pete Rowan had asked me when I came in if we could play ‘if called upon’, which I took to mean, to fill up time while some voting was going on. Mentally I keep rehearsing all the reasons why I shouldn’t have these awards and it was all a mistake, but hey – I’m not gonna listen!  Part of the prize was a day’s studio time, which I think we’ll use for Nicole.

I was particularly pleased that not only did Out of the Bedroom win the overall Acoustic Idol award, but almost all the winners and many runners-up were OOTB performers, which says a lot for the way it’s developed over the years as an opportunity for new performers, and the successful handover from Jim and Nelson to the committee. It felt good last night to be a part of OOTB, and to see so many people in the Edinburgh acoustic/songwriter community in one place. (And to hear tracks from the Houdini Box CD come up on the sound system!)

Thanks on behalf of Lynsey, Mary, Karen and Nelson (who’s been invited to rejoin to share the champagne!) to everyone who put in a vote for us. I won’t forget you when I’m a rich, famous, spoilt, decadent, surgically-youthful, politically influential, suicidal megastar.