The Other Place: A Vox-Popera (Live)

So here's a thing... After working on and off with Billy Bottle & The Multiple as producer / mixer / contributor (and perhaps more importantly connecting with the core members on a personal level) I was invited to join a new 5-piece configuration of the band earlier this year with the intention of putting together a new show. Having consciously abandoned live performance *many* years ago in favour of studio work my inclination was to give a swift "thanks, but no thanks", yet the lure of working with good friends on something that would drag me out of my all-too-comfortable comfort zone was strong... So, without a good enough excuse to decline I quickly found myself attending band meetings and rehearsals as we worked-up new material in readiness for a series of summer and winter gigs.


'The Other Place: A Vox-Popera' is a suite of songs based on a journey to Westminster taken by Bill and Martine during the last seven days of the 2015 general election: Seven towns were visited per day, culminating in a milk float drive through London and the symbolic delivery of a bottle of milk in Parliament Square. These songs were essentially 'written' in real-time by the ordinary (and extraordinary) people they encountered along the way. Their views, stories and actual words formed the nucleus - As a band we merely filled in the colours... Jazz vocalist and painter Kate Westbrook describes the show as "A diary in four dimensions".

My musical role is primarily contributing electronics (synths / keys / soundscapes / beats), though I do bang on a few bits of wood and metal along the way ;-) It's entirely possible that I may (or may not) add Touch Guitar to my arsenal for the 2nd-wave winter shows, depending on how the material develops... The full band line-up is as follows:

Billy Bottle: Vocals, Keyboard, Guitar
Martine Waltier: Vocals, Violin, Guitar, Percussion
Vivien Goodwin-Darke: Flute, Vocals, Percussion
Roz Harding: Alto Sax, Recorder, Percussion
Lee Fletcher: Synths, Soundscapes, Percussion

(Incidentally three of my bandmates appear on recordings that will eventually form a future LF solo album...)

Band photos by Ed Harbottle (edited by LF)

Following a low-key but very well received preview show back in April we're taking 'The Other Place' to Exeter, Bristol, Southampton, Penzance, Falmouth and Brighton, with further stops (most likely including Plymouth, Canterbury, Whitstable and London) in the pipeline... Please check my Gig Page for details, including additions as and when they're confirmed. Incidentally, we aim to play further afield next year so if you have any location requests / suggestions don't be shy in coming forward.

We'd love to see you at these shows :-) Please try to come along, and if you do make sure you say "hi".

Lee