Drew Nelson played at No8 Cafe Launceston
first gig of his UK Tour 2010
Colin Hill sent me an email to tell me about the next musician he had lined up at No8 Cafe and he seemed really excited. Now I know why. Drew played on Independence Day last year at no8 and he was very well received and still remembered by many.
Drew mentioned at one point that he felt that playing again at No8, was like coming back to a place where he knew he was amongst friends. That's nice.
Drew Nelson grew up in MIchigan and later joined the Navy and travelled the world. Returning from his travels around the globe he saw the old familiar small town communities through a different pair of eyes.
Drew's songs are inspired by ordinary everyday events, hometown, travelling the road, friends and family. politics, economics and eavesdropping. Whilst talking with Drew he said that some songs come to him in a flash, whilst other songs may sit around for years before going out to the public. Sometimes he felt inspired by catching snippets of conversation. I can almost imagine Drew sitting in a cafe listening to the chatter around him and thinking to himself "can you talk a little louder please, I am trying to write a song"!
Drew proved he could come up with a spontaneous song when he opened the window and the sound of workmen sawing timber and local girls laughing and talking as they walked by on the pavement below, entered the room . Drew closed the window and started to sing. If he ever produces a song called "Jigsaws and Cornish Girls" you know where it came from!
Drew places his songs in two categories. Happy and sad. We were privaleged to to find out that some songs he sang for us tonight were sung for the first time ever and in fact one song was only two days old! Drew introduced each song by telling us about the source of inspiration, which always make the song understandable and gives meaning to the lyrics.
Some times when listening to a person sing you can say oh he sounds like......and come up with name, sometimes when listening to a song you may think of a style and draw comparisons, well all I can say is that Drew Nelson sounds like......Drew Nelson, and his style of music is very much like that of... Drew Nelson. He is funny, pleasant, friendly, approachable and very entertaining. He is a brilliant musician, singer and songwriter.
Graham Sleeman who provided all the equipment and monitored the sound,said people like Drew were easy to do the sound for because the instrument and the voice were so good, that once the sound desk was set up there was very little to do except enjoy the music.
Drew makes his own instruments and he said as he tuned the guitar that it thought it was still a tree, meaning it still had life in it. It was certainly alive in Drews hands. His guitar sounded lovely and I thought a couple of times is the man playing the guitar or the guitar playing the man? Perfect partners.
After Drew had played his encore, he was busy signing the CD's which he had for sale, along with sweatshirts, the proceeds of which go directly to a very worthy cause.... the Mortgage! I took a poster off the wall which Drew kindly autographed for me. Thank you very much Drew.
No8 Cafe and coffee shop is found in Westgate Street Launceston opposite the post office.
Telephone number -01566 777369
Special Thanks to
Colin Hill for another wonderful night of great entertainment
Adrian Harvey for the lovely venue
All the very friendly staff for being very friendly staff
Graham Sleeman for the fantastic sound
Drew Nelson for sharing your passion
Drew Nelson has a deep spiritual conection with the planet Earth and the people who live on it and call it home. When I think of home I think of it as "Here On Mother Earth" I am sure Drew would agree. Native American Indian influences come across very strongly in the song "Grand Mother Moon" and "Raindance." Drew has seen first hand the damage and destruction caused by large companies seeking only profit, caring little about the environment or the displacement of local people who watch their lands disappear.
Please visit Drew Nelsons website where you can download free music and learn more about his desire to help the people who are defending sacred territory called Eagle Rock from a mining company.