The Porch Swing Ramblings
Rambling 1: A Short Intro and an Insight
The Porch Swing Ramblings is a short series of music & travel blogs inspired by being back out on tour. I enjoy nothing more than exploring the world with my double bass. Being on tour with orchestras and ensembles has always been a highlight in my career. It’s such a privilege to travel and explore different countries with colleagues who are also friends and communicate wherever in the world we are with the international language of music. It’s only now being back out and about that I really understand the impact of being confined, not just to the UK, or to Scotland or even to Edinburgh but to my small city centre apartment during lockdown, where I spent the first three months solo at the start of the pandemic! I consider myself very lucky and work hard to be able to live there but the freedom to take off whenever and wherever is priceless. This first transatlantic trip in many years, has inspired and re-energised my love for both music, travel and life!
It’s been a long time since I have toured and boy how I have missed it!
A great deal has happened in the world these past few years, and it’s been several more since my last orchestral tours but 2022 has seen me back on the road! The year started with some mini UK trips with smaller ensembles and groups, which got me out in the Campervan visiting several destinations from London to Orkney and progressed to a 25 day trip across the Big Pond to the USofA with my “Mould” or for this trip, “Mold” family!
I am currently mid tour and am reclined on the quaintest porch swing in Kirkwood, a leafy suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. The sun is out, the leaves are turning from green to the most vibrant shades of red and orange and the pleasant breeze gently rocks the swing. I do have to regularly pinch myself to check that I’m not just dreaming!
So, how did I get here…and what is this “Mould/Mold” family?
Well, back in 2018, I was invited to join the band for a full run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe of a 50 minute musical called, “The Mould That Changed The World". It is a strange title and it’s subject matter of Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin, along with the strong warning of AMR (Antimicrobial Resistance), seems an unlikely topic for a musical you might think. However, with powerful & poignant words, beautiful and uplifting melodies, incredible movement artistry and a community chorus of health workers local to each performance venue, this show delivers on so many levels!
The “Mould” began its journey into showbiz as a schools’ project. Its creator, Robin Hiley, director of Charades Theatre company, and his team then nurtured and developed it into its next stage - a professional one act show with a five-piece band - this is where I joined in!
As we were preparing to make our debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, I felt there was something a bit special about this production. The whole team was so friendly, connected, incredibly hardworking and very passionate about the project. Audiences loved it and very quickly, as the reviews were published, tickets were snapped up, selling out the whole three week run!
Robin and his team continued working and planning behind the scenes and appropriately the “Mould” continued to grow. Plans were abruptly paused with the interruption of Covid, however, the “Mould” mutated and brought us together as a family remotely, for this specially adapted version of one of the fun numbers! Bessy even joined in!
THEN…
Out of the blue, an email came through asking if I would like to play in the band for the “Mould” again! This was a new version - a full length two and a half hour show with West End headliners, Acrobats, bigger projections and the signature community chorus of health workers! The contract was for a 7 show run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, 3 nights in Glasgow and then, a 25 day tour in the US, with performances in Washington DC & Atlanta!
Without a moment of hesitation, I affirmed and confirmed! I was excited to see the new extended version of the show, I couldn’t wait to be reunited with the fantastic band and I was so ready to get back out on tour!
Bessy wasn’t officially participating in this tour…
However she snuck on board and had some adventures of her own!!