Miguel

2010-11-26T16:43:00.001-08:00

Welcome back! Or should I say welcome for the first time - as this is the first of many blogs penned by me (Michael).

First up, a lot of you have been asking me when our next Brisbane show is. We are performing every night from December 20-23 with our circus show "Miguel, Lady Torpedo and the Big Swing Brothers" followed by a Miguel set - part of the Christmas Tights program. Details will be posted on facebook and the website real soon!

The next logical question to answer would be - what have we been doing?

Let's take care of the immediate: We're going into the studio next week to record a 7 track EP - a brand new recording for the band featuring new tracks and a new sound! Well... same same but different if you know what I mean. Don't worry, you won't be hearing jazz covers of manky pop tunes! This is an original recording. At the helm of our recording is the bass player/producer Paulie B (Beautiful Girls and george). Can't wait - rhythm section records next week.

Now to the other story of 2010..

After a very busy 2009 full of club dates, festivals and touring, 2010 has been a year of re-grouping in a few ways:

Firstly, Chloe our manager left at the end of 2009 to take up a position of programming manager at Woodford Folk Festival, we wish her well and missed her terribly - so lucky me took over the managing of Miguel... which could possibly explain the first 6 months of 2010 being so quiet!

Managing isn't a job I enjoy, nor am particularly good at.. This period (Jan-June) left me thinking seriously about the future of the band and where Miguel and myself are headed, pretty unique place to be! You see it also coincided with my first year without Doch (my previous band) who disbanded after 10yrs of touring, recording etc.

Cue period of intense introspection! I know this sounds cliched and boring but it's exactly what happened and I think it was kind of necessary.

I'm sure you all know what usually happens in these times so I'll skip the patter of rain, furrowed brow and coffee stained diary entries to the main realisations:

1. I can't live without the trumpet for any period of time (well dah).

2. Not writing music leads to insanity.

3. Pizza shapes are not real food.

Sure there were a couple of others but these are at the top of the list.

And I added a couple of things:

1. Swimming.

2. Playing guitar.

Then in June I met Wendy Avilov - a music manager I had worked with the year before while touring with a classical brass quartet (that was during all my free time in 2009 ha ha!). Wendy had listen to our CD and immediately called me on her way home from our first meeting (she listened to it in the car); said, "I love it, let's get started". BAM!

So this last 6 months (July to now) we've been re-grouping and planning and I've been writing new music which now importantly includes some influences from the 60's and a beautiful guitar sound (wait till you hear it!). And of course - the recording of our new EP due for release in early 2011.

Recently we also played the Caloundra music festival alongside Time Finn, Jimmy Barnes and John Stevens (pictures here). And also played at the Ausfolk Conference up at Woodford by the invitation of Bill Hauritz. Both of these gigs were AMAZING. Pics here.

I especially want to mention a fella I met up at the Ausfolk conference (dodgy footage here) - I spoke on a panel one evening with a bunch of music business bigwigs and afterwards was bailed up by a very well known music agent from Sydney called John.

John came and spoke to me after the panel about a few things, all of which were exactly what I needed to hear. Most of all he said - "This is a marathon, not a sprint. Set your goals, stick to your guns and don't give up." Knocked me for 6, I've thought about those words every week since.

So we're back, I'm back and we're not going anywhere... well there's a national tour but you know what I mean. Thanks for your patience and support - I'm very much looking forward to seeing you all soon.

xx Michael

10 in a maxi- this is how we roll...

2009-09-30T16:57:00.000-07:00

Miguel aims to most things in style, to act in a manner worthy of Holly Golightly or James Bond (depending on who you are in the band, or maybe just your mood)...but sometimes it just ain't possible, sweetheart.

Take, for example, getting the full band + TM from airport to hotel in each city. And while it certainly isn't glamorous to call and request a maxi taxi (just not an elegant word, really), it is definitely worth commenting on the fact that we are actually able to fit the entire band, plus all of our gear in hard cases, plus suitcases, plus Georgia's dresses, AND the double bass in a hard case, into said vehicle.

The picture proves it. (Thanks Tim)

But next time we'd really like to take a Lincoln Convertible. With luggage trailer, of course.

Thanks to the cold and dirty South - looking forward to two sold out Brissie shows

2009-09-29T01:30:00.000-07:00

So, Adelaide was awesome. Not the hotel, it was a crack den with floral bed spreads, limited, okay, no hot water, and some guy singing Khe San outside the window all bloody night/Venga Boys coming in from window, ah, rock and roll. Sacha and Mikael lost some gear in transit and when they had to deliver it to us, Qantas called, confused, saying 'We can only find the Stamford Plaza Hotel on that street'. We told them that they needed to think much lower budget.

But the gig! - the 1000 strong audience, the amazing crew down there (thanks Sarah, Steph, Tom, Cameron and Nathan) the lovely vibe after Vince and Co's beautiful show - well, it was really something. And chatting to the crowd, including our mates Daniella and Naizy, afterward in the foyer is also pretty damn hip, it's so good that seeing a show can bring people up like that. Actually that's probably the best part. Apart from the band playing.

Sydney was very cool too - Chris M at The Basement, thank you thank you thank you for taking care of us, and Chris R, thanks for having us. We also caught up briefly with our new mate Si, who we met during the La La Loco season up here, as well as some Brissie crew who were in Sydney for a few days, and the lovely Chelsea Sinnott who did our postering because not only does she manage The Beards, book and arrange awesome things for Adelaide, she's also a down home girl who helps out a mate.

And really, sincere thanks must go to Vince, Ben, Brett, Matt, Simon - and certainly, certainly to Mash, for doing this run with us. Thank you, so much.

One down, a few to go

2009-09-25T23:08:00.001-07:00

So, hot on the high heels of last week's La La Loco extravaganza, we've just spent our first night with Vince Jones.
If you want to know what fear looks like, it looks like Michael sound-checking voice and trumpet in front of Vince after a day where half the band missed the flight in the morning ....nerves? Nah.
Canberra, at the Southern Cross Club (yes, Club of the Year 2009) where the people were hospitable, the weather awful, the coffee pretty good and the Vince Jones set, magical. This is a good life.

Tickets are still available for Sunday night at the Adelaide Festival Centre, and Monday night at The Basement. Hope to see you there.

La La Loco rehearsals

2009-08-30T20:11:00.001-07:00

So, we started rehearsals for La La Loco yesterday, which meant the boys dragging themselves (avec hangovers post Supper Club) into AIR 149, the new space run by Allie Wilde from Wilde Applause, to meet up with four showgirls who were feeling pretty Sunday morning, themselves.

Did we let the residue of a few bottles of Tequila hold us down? No!

Michael's been frantically writing and arranging for this show and the results are pretty freaking impressive - even more so in a massive boomy space that makes the band sound like an orchestra. And the girls...well, to tell you too much about what they're doing while they're dancing around might spoil the surprise, but I think it's fair to say that if you're expecting human cocktails, you're not far off. It's going to be a really great show, and as Miguel's first collaboration, we're looking forward to the next few weeks of rehearsal and then getting it into the stage in the Carnival's Edge.

What else? Watched Swingers again on Friday night. If you've ever wondered what being away from home with Miguel is like, watch Swingers, and then substitute the word 'money' for 'hip' and you've pretty much got it. Seriously.

The Supper Club - August, and Miguel on the move

2009-08-04T21:05:00.000-07:00

There are some places that simply can't be reached by polished wooden speedboat, Aston Martin or Lincoln convertible, and as the hovercraft is out of commission, we find ourselves booking first class flights for nine to Adelaide, Canberra and Sydney, before returning home. In aid of what, you might ask...well, we think that we have quite a good answer. A tour, with Vince Jones.
This is pretty great for us - he's a musical hero for most of the band, and the chance to check him out every night is pretty goddamn excellent.
However, it's not cheap to move nine people around unless you're using rollerskates or a shopping trolley, and as such, this next Supper Club, our last at Dockside, will be a fundraiser for the dates in late September.
So, if all winter, you've been thinking 'I must go to the Supper Club' - now's your chance, as we won't be resurrecting until December, when we'll move to our new home. We're still in negotiation about the move, but it's looking great, and the party is going to be much bigger, and much more visible.

So, if you've got friends in Canberra (Sept 25), Adelaide (Sept 27) or Sydney (Sept 28) then back home in Brisbane for September 30 and Oct 1, please let them know that we're taking Miguel on the road with Vince Jones and his band, and we'd love them to come along.

Martini time. Ciao.

About to announce

2009-07-06T19:02:00.000-07:00

We have so much news we're about to bust. That's a pretty unpleasant image so I'll just move right along. Michael's back from his infidelity with Buzz in Darwin, Josh is still in New York, but things have been pretty busy nonetheless - photo shoots, planning for album number two, tour meetings for some new shows in development....etc ....etc....and all the usual cocktails, shopping for new Astin Martins, planning weekends in the Hamptons etc.

Actually, speaking of photo shoots, we spent a lovely afternoon with Chris and Susan over in Carina on Sunday for one particular show. Everyone in Brisbane knows them - they publish Brisbane Modern Magazine and can make or break a theatre show with the strength of their recommendation, but they also have a fantastic 50s style home and Susan is a killer baker (in a polka dot apron). It's an amazing place for a shoot, though I think we all wished that there was gin in the martini glasses and not just water (it was a long shoot, we don't have enough stamina to drink and pose).

What we CAN announce today is that the fabulous Belladiva are going to be part of the Christmas in July Supper Club. Half of the band are still walking around furiously snapping their fingers and giving orders (you'd understand this if you were at The Supper Club watching half the audience driving imaginary cars) thanks to Mark Anthony, but this time we're hoping for a bit of Santa Baby action and appropriate outfits from the girls....okay, okay, that's not okay....but it was a suggestion from the husband of Belladiva's leader so we reckon it's okay to recount.

If you've got a jumper with a reindeer stitched into it, or anything bearing a snowflake motif, please get it out for the Supper Club. I beg you.

Dave's Wedding

2009-04-05T20:51:00.001-07:00

If anyone has been at any Miguel gig for say, oh, the last two years, they'd have heard Michael spanking Dave from the microphone regarding his up-coming nuptials. Yep, somehow Michael made it sound even more like a disease than most people who use that phrase. He was particularly fond of ominously intoning 'til death do you part....' at just about any point in the evening...actually, I just made a typo and that sentence read 'til death do you party', which seems much more accurate for Dave and Renee.

Anyway, after months of ribbing and a buck's night which had Dave whipped, tied up, waxed, beaten, etc etc, we all made the trek (in separate cars - no tour bus this time, which given the state of the driveway on the way out was a bloody good thing) out to the Scott's Farm to see Dave and Renee get married in the pecan grove. Last week in Brisbane we enjoyed a curious bout of London weather, and the fact that the sunshine came out for the time it took Renee's family to deliver her to the altar (accompanied by a madman wielding a shotgun, no kidding - yeah, it was her brother, so what) and for she and Dave to tie the knot really seemed to underline all those things we want for weddings - romance, magical times, the feeling that this is time out of time where anything can happen....yep, there was all that in spades.

There was also rain, champagne, mud, champion dancing - especially from Mikael and Josh who were on a hell-bound soul-train, a seriously gorgeous bride and groom, a snake under the bridal table (no, that's not a joke), an amazing hand-crafted bar, and an overflow of well-wishing for the lovely couple.

And, while Georgia stood at the back of the crowd with her arms pinned to her sides for the bouquet toss, Michael simply reached up and plucked the garter out of the air during the ruck and maul known as the garter toss. I split the zip on my dress and had to change my ivory satin shoes for gum boots halfway through the night. Mikael had to work the next morning. It was Tom's 29th birthday. Tim drove Josh home - or at least to the Rumpus Room. Renee's grandma told a bawdy joke, blushing like a school girl but remarkably audible in her delivery. The power went out once, the dancing went on forever.

Happy honeymoon Dave and Renee!

Casanova's Birthday at Zuri

2009-04-01T03:35:00.001-07:00

Well, it's Casanova's birthday tomorrow and we're celebrating at Zuri, which has to be the most decadent venue in Brisbane. Everyone appreciates the grandeur in a different way, and I feel that thought it might lower the tone of Miguel's classy blog somewhat, I need to report back on a conversation overheard in the ladies room there....

Lady (debatable) One: This is the kind of toilet I want to have sex in.
Lady (also debatable) Two: Hmmm

Well, at least Casanova would have been happy about that. I may even break the one martini on a school night rule...

Just had a chat to Kellie Vella, she'd popped her head into the venue to find out where she and her hands would be performing tomorrow night's magic. She was very excited. And if that piques your curiosity, good. Photos after the fact.

I think I've lost my trumpet

2009-03-04T15:02:00.000-08:00

These conversations with Michael this morning...

Conversation 1:

Gee, I hope I find the other trumpet.

You what?

I hope I find the other trumpet. I think I left it at X (venue not to be named).

Um, yes, I hope you find it too. And I am sure that Carolyn also hopes you find it. (Carolyn is our contact at Yamaha ...the woman responsible for hooking him up with the lovely instrument you see on stage.) Good luck with that.

Conversation 2:

So, I found the trumpet. Well, more I remembered where I put it. This after imagining that I left it in the car park and someone drove over it....(this story continues for some time with Michael recounting everything that he imagined about the possibilities for where the trumpet is)...I put it under a blanket at home in a dream-state so that it wouldn't be stolen.

Moral of the story: Don't hide your light under a bushel, or your trumpet under a blanket.

Weddings...everywhere

2009-02-28T17:34:00.001-08:00

We're going to a wedding today at the Gold Coast...we like weddings, or at least, some of us do. For example, Dave and Sacha, both of whom are getting married this year - but you'd know that if you've been to any Miguel gig lately as Michael seems to be incredibly fond of ominously delivering 'Til Death Do You Part.... it's hard to guess that he's a romantic, sometimes.

You'd have already met Dave's promised at the Zuri gigs, if not earlier - she's the one who actually knows how to swing dance - and you'll have a chance to meet Sacha's bride-to-be at the final night of our NEXT residency at Zuri.

That's right, we're heading back in, starting April, but we're on Thursdays now. We got kind of hooked on the idea of special guests after Gypsy and you should be on the look out for a month of occasions. Using the modern convenience of the internet we've actually managed to find something to celebrate every Thursday of April and we're currently working out exactly how to celebrate it.

In the meantime, we're getting ready for our special gig at the Jazz Club on Saturday 14th March - if you want to come you'll need to book ahead because it sold out last time. Guaranteed to be a fantastic night, the band might even put their suits in for dry-cleaning before the big day. That's how special it is - not quite a wedding, but pretty special, all the same.

I don't know where you're headed Wednesday, but can you call and cancel?

2009-02-20T20:01:00.000-08:00

Okay, we're paraphrasing Ned Ryerson (sp?) from Groundhog Day, but the sentiment is still kinda the same. It's Miguel's last night at the beautiful Zuri this Wednesday 25th February and to celebrate we thought we'd compile a list of things we've learned or just points of interest from our time there:
1. It is definitely, definitely a good idea to have a burlesque dancer and pin-up queen at your album launch. For many, many reasons
2. It's a good idea to carry a flashlight at all times.
3. Disabled toilets can be like the tardis from Doctor Who. The one at Zuri houses, in no particular order, the band, the staff in their black and red can-can outfits - and sometimes just the outfits, our gear, our guest dancer, our manager, our stuff, about seven million rolls of carpet, cleaning products, a huge antique mirror and oh, so much more.
4. Zuri know exactly how much to put on Miguel's bar tab to make sure that the band make it back on stage for the second set. We are grateful for this. And for the bar tab.
5. Gramophones and hat boxes make excellent merch kits.
6. There are far, far too many versions of the martini to make your way through in just one residency. But still really only one martini.
7. Our sound engineer, Mark Smith, is excellent at navigating his way around a huge heart made of balloons. This could come in handy when touring Germany.
8. People need at least three drinks in them to start dancing.
9. Michael's 'edit' hand gesture usually indicates he's not editing what he's saying at all.
10. It can be difficult to get a bar full of people to sing along, but they're very happy to act like pirates.

Come on down for our final night!

The Opener is....well, it's open for business

2009-02-04T13:43:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much to everyone who came along to the launch at Zuri last night - the album The Opener is now officially for sale....and we can confirm that Zuri do indeed make a fantastic martini....gin with a twist, none of that dirty stuff on a Wednesday night! If you were there you would have seen Gypsy Wood's gorgeous routine - how hot was that red dress? Sadly we lose her back to Melbourne this morning, but you know, getting an international party girl along for your own party is quite a coup...

As we mentioned, last night also launched Miguel’s February residency at Zuri. We believe that we're on our way to ushering in a new golden age in Brisbane’s mid-week social scene - a mecca to music-lovers who have long dreamed of the return of the cocktail hour - or actually, of having champagne spilled all over themselves. There were at least three femme-fatalities last night with a bit of champagne down the satin-covered cleavage, but I guess if you slap the word 'burlesque' on it it all makes sense...

RSVPs aren't required for the rest of the residency - but please make sure that you check out the Zuri website and dress code....we'd HATE for you to be turned around at the door and they're quite serious about maintaining a level of chi-chi chic.

What else, what else...photos coming on the website soon, join our mailing list, check out the album....and

Come along to Zuri to help us turn February's warm nights into hot ones!

Miguel CD Launch

2009-01-24T18:54:00.000-08:00

Thanks for dropping by the Miguel website! Having swung out of an amazing week at Woodford we are absolutely ready to unleash into 2009. If you were with us at Woodford – especially at the gig with the blackout in the middle of the huge storm – we think you’d agree with us that Woodford is truly one of the best places to see in the New Year.

The biggest thing on the Miguel calendar for February is definitely the album launch. We’ve been waiting to release The Opener since mid-December, though we did sneak a few advance copies out for Woodford, but we wanted to throw a huge Miguel style party and we’ve managed to find the perfect venue – Zuri, in Fortitude Valley. What’s more, we’ll be joined by the gorgeous Gypsy Wood, who you may have seen in Feasting on Flesh last year – she was the girl in the spaghetti…you can visit Gypsy at www.gypsywood.net and then you can come see her for yourself on February 4 at the launch.

The Opener is a limited edition album, and so it will only be for sale on the night, and via the website, for this first run.

We really hope to see you there, and on any Wednesday night during February while Miguel’s in residence at Zuri.