Welcome Jake!

Those of you at last night’s Brothers Arm gig will be surprised to have seen a fifth member of Ethryll onstage.

We’d like to welcome into the fold Jake – he’s joined us as an additional guitarist to add some extra depth and flourishes to our set.

We’re Back!

As you are probably already aware, our guitarist Jackie took a tumble near the end of last year which resulted in some injuries (including to her wrist) which have taken some time to heal. During this time we were much indebted to her brother Carl, who manfully stood in so we could honour our bookings. Jackie is now properly on the mend, and we have some upcoming gigs for your calendar.

We are actively booking gigs going forward. If you would like us to come and entertain you, please get in touch.

Panic Room + Ethryll
Saturday 3rd June 2017. Doors 7.30pm
Local Authority @ Corporation, Milton Street, Sheffield
Ethryll will be supporting the superb female fronted five piece Panic Room. www.PanicRoom.org.uk
Tickets £16 in advance from Corporation, Sheffield
14+ only.

Five Rivers Music Festival
The RS Bar – 156 St Mary’s Road, S2 4AX Sheffield
16th-18th June 2017. Ethryll performing on Saturday 17th June.
Kingfisher Blue Music and The Royal Standard present the Five Rivers Music Festival, in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. More than 20 bands and performers over 3 days. Tickets £5 (£3 conc.) per day or weekend tickets £10 (£6 conc.)
ALL proceeds to Macmillam Cancer Support. Tickets will be available from 25th February from The Royal Standard.

Please note that May’s Strangefish Gig has been moved to December 2017.

Ethryll Newsletter – September 2016

Hello Ethryllites Everywhere! My Goodness, September Already!

Ethryll have been having an exciting summer. Between the excitement of some super gigs such as the Sheffield Tramlines Festival and our behind the scenes work on our first album “Murmuration” we have been busy little bees. More on both of these later. Firstly we would like to tell you about some upcoming chances to see us live.

Upcoming Gigs

Saturday 10th September 2016 – Victoria Hall Methodist Church, Norfolk Street, Sheffield.
Maer Atholl Shelter Music Marathon
13.00-21.30 (Ethryll on at around 21.00)
Ethryll will be performing this coming Saturday to help raise funds for the Maer Achol Shelter. This shelter provides help to street children in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and is an extremely worthy cause. We hope you can join us and dig deep to support their fantastic work.

Sunday 11th September 2016Flying Scotsman Tap, Silver Street, Doncaster
7pm until late
This event is an open mic night with a featured headlining band (that’s us this time). Knowing Doncaster’s lively and diverse open mic scene, you are in for a treat. Due to the nature of the event timings are a little fluid. Things kick off from 7pm, and we will be on at around 9-9.30 ish. We look forward to seeing any Doncaster Ethryllites who can make it along.

Tuesday 27th September 2016 – The Folk Train – Second Carriage
7.14pm to Manchester Picadilly from Sheffield Station (Please check platform on the night)
It is with immense excitement that Ethryll will be playing on the Folk Train. For the uninitiated, the Folk Train is the 19.14 to Manchester Picadilly from Sheffield Station on the 4th Tuesday of every month. Each month a featured folk band entertains the passengers between Sheffield and Edale, where everyone decamps to the The Rambler Inn and the entertainment continues until everyone returns on the 21.29 train to Sheffield with the band still playing. Recently the Folk Train has been hugely popular, so much so that there is overspill into the second carriage. September’s main band is the Porch Lizards. Ethryll will be performing in the second carriage to make sure all the folkie passengers are suitably entertained. Please note that Ethryll will not be performing at the Rambler Inn.

Tuesday 4th October 2016Ethryll at West Street Live
West Street Live, West Street, Sheffield
Doors at 7.30pm More information on other artists and timings to follow.

Tuesday 18th October 2016Ethryll supporting “What the Folk” at the RS Bar
The Royal Standard, 156 St Mary’s Road, Sheffield.
Doors from 7.30pm
14231140_1240684102641222_4647203983023719326_o
Summer Fun

This summer as been a fantastic time. One of the highlights has been the Sheffield Tramlines Festival. We were invited to perform on the “Bird Table Stage” in the “Folk Forest” in Endcliffe Park by the excellent Richard Masters of Bell Hagg Orkestar (or you may remember him from Poke if you were a 90’s student). Weather wise, there could not have been a more perfect day. We got to sing “Burning Blue” under an actual burning blue sky as picnic blankets and knotted hankied heads filled the park in front of the stage. The atmosphere was amazing, and it was great to see so many young folk fans enjoying the day. Thanks to everyone who came to support us. Here are a couple of pics from the day.

Ethryll playing the Bird Table Stage at Tramlines Folk Forest in July 2016.
Ethryll playing the Bird Table Stage at Tramlines Folk Forest in July 2016.

13775397_1111062032288824_861143865059976302_n (1)
We also enjoyed a return to West Street Ale House (OMG the beer is sooooo good). Always a great place to play, and it was great to see so many friends there. We were up against the Olympics Opening Ceremony, but were very pleased (and slightly relieved) that we still got plenty of people in.

Recording

The work on Murmuration continues. We are still not yet at a point where we can give a release date, but we are still aiming for it to happen in 2016 if we can. Eel Reel with it’s miriad tempo changes has presented some distinct challenges, but no laptops have been hefted through windows (yet).

Newsletter June 2016

Hello Ethryllites everywhere.

Ethryll have been having a couple of quiet weeks whilst Martin is helping his students through the exam season and Hannah has her annual hayfever explosion. However, there has been a lot going on behind the scenes, so we felt a quick newsletter was in order to tell out all about it.

We have just enjoyed a fantastic run of gigs, which have each been unique and fun.

Well done to the organisers of Roof Raiser for Refugees, the event raised over £800 (some still to come in when I last spoke to them) and has enabled them to continue their work. Thank you to everyone who came along and dug deep.13178754_1735700950009839_274947299526684320_nThe Royal Standard was a great venue, and we can heartily recommend the bar food.

Taste Sessions in Doncaster was a fantastic night. As the guests of Tony Nicholson we were just one part of an awesome night. There was even some extra exuberant partying thanks to a Birthday Boy in one of the bands. We discovered several other fantastic artists we had not met before. The food, as always, is fantastic.
13312790_1079990412062653_6120589927778564085_nThe quirkiest moment has to go to our “gig on a tram” as part of the BBC Music Day “Sheffield Makes Music” events. Turns out that being allowed to ride around the steel city on the rails singing your heart really puts a smile on your face.

Releases

Starlight and StarlingsThe last month say Ethryll’s first proper releases with a demo version of “Starlight and Starlings”.

wtigyhNot even a fortnight later we had the release of our teaser single “Wait ‘til I Get You Home” which will be on the upcoming Murmuration Album.

They are available to stream and download on most platforms including Google Play Music, Amazon, iTunes, Deezer, Spotify, Reverbnation. Just head to your favoured platform and search for Ethryll.

Upcoming Gigs

13062257_813253982139667_3321314534091563056_nSaturday 23rd July 2016 – Tramlines Festival, Sheffield
The Bird Table Stage, The Folk Forrest, Endcliffe Park, Rustlings Road, Sheffield. 1-2pm (times are approximate).

Ethryll are chuffed to bits to have made it in to the 2016 Tramlines Festival. We will be performing on the Bird Table Stage at 1pm on Saturday. This is the free stage in the market area, so you don’t need a wristband to get in. However, there is so much going on that we can highly recommend getting your wristband to enjoy the other artists and activities happening throughout the city. Just remember to make it to the Folk Forrest! We are looking forward to seeing you there. https://www.facebook.com/events/1793069960914104/

Friday 5th August 2016 – West Street Ale House, West Street, Sheffield

In August we return to the excellent West Street Ale House. How could we turn them down. The beer is magnificent! Exact times will be announced a little nearer the day. https://www.facebook.com/Studio54Sheffield/?fref=ts

Sunday 11th September 2016 – The Flying Scotsman Tap, 69 Silver Street, Doncaster DN1 1JL

A new venue for us. In September we will be at the Flying Scotsman Tap in Doncaster. The Sunday night session involves a regular host, a featured artist (that’s us) and some open mic slots. https://www.facebook.com/Flying-Scotsman-Tap-1540022736242558/?fref=ts

Other News

Evening StarlightWe are well on the way with the recording of the first album “Murmuration” and this is occupying a lot of our time and energy just now. Kris is doing an awesome job producing our handiwork as it comes hot off the microphone. We are thrilled to have been granted permission to use the painting “Evening Starlight” by Jane Tomlinson for the album artwork. It has now been incorporated into the design of our refreshed website.

Even as we are recording Murmuration, the Jeanie Johnston suite continues to take shape, with new songs such as “Ten Miles a Day” which tells a remarkable love story that involved some of Jeanie’s passengers. You can look forward to hearing it in our set list later this year.

13315516_10154919028202782_1630344012723599504_nWe have also been considering our on stage look (and how to make sure people can spell Ethryll to google it). Thanks to a bit of painting and sewing and some salvaged curtain fabric we now have a shiny new backdrop banner.

That’s all for now. We look forward to seeing you all and folking your world in July.

Lyrics Insights 4 – Starlight and Starlings

Hello Ethryllites everywhere. This Sunday we have an insight into the lyrics of Starlight and Starlings, which is now available to buy for download and to stream from Google Play Music. You can find it by following this link Google Play – Starlight and Starlings. 

You can hear us perform Starlight and Starlings along with other songs from our album in progress “Murmuration” at our upcoming gigs;

Thursday 26th May 2016, 20.00 – Taste Eatery, 36 Kingsgate, DoncasterDN1 3JU.
Friday 3rd June 2016, 11.00-12.00 – Sheffield Supertram (Details on routes TBC).
Friday 5th August 2016, 20.00 – West Street Ale House, West Street,Sheffield.

Starlight and StarlingsStarlight and Starlings

Starlight and Starlings is about genius not recognised, appreciated or duly celebrated within the lifetime of the discoverer. It uses the metaphor of the apparent drabness of a starling until they fly in “Murmuration. The first verse refers to artists and performers and the second to scientists and engineers. It tries to convey hope to any artist or scientist that someday their contribution may be recognised and their name remembered, even if they don’t live to see it. The title of the song was inspired by a birdwatching and astronomy event held jointly by the RSPB and Mexborough and Swinton Astronomical Society at RSPB Old Moor

In the first verse an artist character sings in the first person, plaintively of the fear of being unrecognised*. The second verse is in the third person and names several scientists. Ignaz Semmelweis was the father of infection control and medical hygiene. He was hounded during his lifetime for daring to suggest that, through their practices, physicians were in fact spreading disease., Alfred Wegener, who first suggested the theory of plate tectonics and continental drift, had his theory laughed at until it was accepted as late as the 1960s. Alan Turing, due to the highly secret nature of his work during WW2 and anti homosexual discrimination, was recognised in his field, but did not become a household name until well after his death. Ludwig Boltzmann was a 19th century physicist who determined how we could predict the properties of matter from the atoms which form it. Although he received academic recognition, and a chair at the University of Munich. Boltzmann was forced to defend his work from (sometimes vicious) peer criticism, until he took his own life in 1906 aged 63.

We were incredibly lucky to come across the brilliant artist Jane Tomlinson www.janetomlinson.com who is kindly letting us use the beautiful image “Evening Starlight” for our album artwork. When I first was the picture I thought “If I saw that on an album it would make me want to listen to you music”. It also beautifully captures the mood of the developing album. The glorious greens and purples are perfect for Ethryll too. We highly recommend having a look at her other work. Her Map of the Plays of Shakespeare is a beautiful and witty must have for any English teacher’s classroom wall.

Evening Starlight

Much of the recording of this track was done during the Easter holidays 2015. We were very grateful to be allowed to use the facilities at Sheffield High School as, at the time, the recording equipment we owned was becoming somewhat antiquated. Our PC hardware and software to mix and master the track was likewise ancient and not up to the job. In 2016 we have finally been able to upgrade to using the excellent and simple Audio Evolution for Android for recording, and SONAR for the mixing and mastering. The real gem has been having Kris Hudson-Lee’s producers ears and technical know how in the band. We finally feel we have the means to produce a recording to a standard we feel happy to put out there. We hope you enjoy listening as much as we have enjoyed the journey bringing it to you.

(*Tip for any artist who feels unappreciated: Make an edible cake sculpture. Everyone loves cake, and your art will sell, especially if it’s chocolate flavoured).

Starlight and Starlings

I’ll try to sing a song for you, But I can only squark,
I try to strut upon the stage, When I can merely walk,
You’ll never see my colours, Until you catch me in a ray,
Of golden light, as I spread my wings,
At the close of day.

 

But then there’s
Starlight and starlings in the evening sky,
A million wings around Venus
And the watcher wonders why,
Each silhouette against the setting sun,
Is a transient work of art,
The flock so much greater than
The sum of every part.     

They tried to explain the world for you, You thought they only squarked,
Semmelweis, Wegener, Boltzmann, Turing and folk,
You never saw their colours  ‘ til you caught them in a ray,
Of golden insight, as they spread their wings,
At the close of day.

 

Chorus x 2

The flock so much greater than
The sum——— of every part.

New Demo – Starlight and Starlings

Hello Ethryllites everywhere!

We are happy to bring you our brand new demo song today, “Starlight and Starlings”. You can listen to it on sound-cloud now by following this link https://soundcloud.com/ethryll/starlight-starlings

The song will be available for download from Google Play in the near future. Then it can be yours to keep. I will post and let you know as soon as it is available.

A huge thank you to Jane Tomlinson who is allowing us to use her beautiful artwork. You can check out her work here http://janetomlinson.com/ It is truly unique and beautiful.

Ethryll have a busy week coming up with two upcoming gigs;
12th May 2016 19.00 – The RS Bar, Sheffield (with The Blewes, Lily Gaskell, Art Neilsen)
14th May 2016 19.00 – RoofRaiser for Refugees at Shakespear’s (with Kingfisher Blue and Bell Hagg Orkestar)
We hope we can see you there!

Lyrics Insights 3 – The Eel Reel

Lyrics Insights 3 – The Eel Reel

Good afternoon Ethryllites. I hope you have all been enjoying the first sunny days of spring. This week’s song insight is into  “The Eel Reel” a jolly sounding song with a dark story behind it. Before we begin, a quick update for you.

News Update

New Gig – Thursday 12th May 2016 – The RS Bar, The Royal Standard

On 12th May 2016 Ethryll will be appearing with two other groups / artists (which are still to be confirmed) at The RS Bar at the Royal Standard , 156 St. Mary’s Road, Sheffield S2 4AX. We will let you know as soon as we have more details on the other artists. Hope we can see you there.

Don’t forget the RoofRaiser for Refugees on Saturday 14th May 2016, at Shakespeares in Sheffield. This is for a fantastic cause, we hope you can make it down to lend your support.

 

The Eel Reel

You may be surprised to learn that the Eel Reel is a cautionary tale for children about tsunamis. Tsunamis are caused by massive seismic events (earthquakes and volcanic eruptions). They can cause devastation hundreds and even thousands of miles away from the epicentre. People affected by a tsunami may not feel any other effects of the earthquake.

The tsunami caused by the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883 was recorded to be as high as 46m when they destroyed the town of Merak. They travelled far enough to rock ships off the coast of South Africa and fluctuations in sea level were even detected in the English Channel. Since the cataclysmic Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004 an improved networks of sensors in the Pacific ocean can give the people living along the Pacific Rim a life saving warning. Nature does, however, give it’s own short warning of a Tsunami about to strike. The sea rapidly and eerily retreats, often far further than a normal low tide. Minutes before the Boxing Day tsunami hit, people were going down to the beach to photograph the retreating sea and stranded marine life. However, this few minutes warning, could have given more people time to reach a safer place. 

The Eel Reel begins with a young child waking their parents early to come and look at the beach. The sea has run away, and the sands are covered with fish flapping and dancing desperately about. It moves into a chorus where the child fantasises about dancing and playing with the fish. The odd pun in the lyrics, and the quirky similes convey the child’s joy and wonder at the phenomenon.

The reel section really tests the nimble fingers of the band as each repeat through the reel is faster and faster and more embellished. As the song ends, it tells how the child’s parents know the significance of the sea running away. They rush the child, who is innocent of the danger, to the best haven they can reach in time. The highest room of a strong building. Hopefully, in future, more people will know the meaning of a rapidly retreating sea. 

Here you can watch an early video clip of the Eel Reel at Acoustic Edge.

The Eel Reel

Wake up! Mummy! Daddy!
I know it’s still the break of day,
Don’t be angry, I have to show you,
The sea has run away.
Now all you can see,
Are miles of rock and sand,
Why did the sea run away?
Is it scared of the land?

(Spoken ) 1,2,3,4

Chorus x2
I am off to dance with the fishes on the sand,
We will probably do a cod reel,
Waltzing fin in hand,
They wear moustaches and sequin suits,
They leap and sparkle ‘round my boots,
I’m off to the beach, come on and bring the band!

Reel Section

(Spoken)  5,6,7,8

Chorus x2
I am off to dance with the fishes on the sand,
We will probably do a cod reel,
Waltzing fin in hand,
They wear moustaches and sequin suits,
They leap and sparkle ‘round my boots,
I’m off to the beach, come on and bring the band!

Verse 2
Quickly my parents pulled me,
To the highest room,
My Dad said “Hurry, the building’s strong,
The sea will be back soon.”
But I just sat and cried,
For the lost opportunity,
To spend my morning dancing,
With my new friends from the sea.