News and gigs update

A very warm welcome to you from all the team at Relig Oran mansions. Cheers for visiting the website. Please take a while to browse around. We've tried to make the layout and content user friendly. This section of the website is regularly updated, so we can keep you in touch with the hot news as it breaks.

Keep yourself regularly up to date with live gig dates and hot-off-the-press news by joining the emailing list Relig Oran Mailing list

A big thankyou to Mike Cumberbatch for the photos taken at Orange Street Music club, we use a few around the site (nice one of Martyn playing the fiddle on this page). http://www.alamy.com/stock-photography/25A96FC5-1314-4DE3-B40F-54EB71369718/Michael+Cumberbatch.html

The band myspace site is at http://www.myspace.com/religoranband

We have now made the Relig Oran limited edition six track EP available as a free down load. Recorded in 2007, please note this is with the original line up – so no Martyn Kember and no Jem Scott, but with Gordon and Martin Sutcliffe. A big thanks to John Wood for kindly putting it up on his site. Here is the link.

http://woodsmansaxe.blogspot.com/

GIGS... GIGS... GIGS.. 2010.

A few dates coming up.

Jan 8th Coach & Horses, Whitstable. (01227) 264732 9pm. Free - Sorry CANCELLED due to Whitstable vanishing under a pile of snow!!

Jan 30th Orange Street Music Club, Canterbury. With the ‘Pogue Traders’ Pogues tribute band. (Relig's supporting) (01227) 760801 8.00 pm. Tickets £6 advance/£7 on door. http://www.myspace.com/twilightfolkclub

Feb 13th Coffee & Corks Cafe, Palace St, Canterbury, CT1 2DZ. A Music for Change concert. Really fab bohemian little cafe putting on intimate concerts. 8pm. Free

Feb 28th Red Lion, Badlesmere (Nr. Faversham) Kent. ME13 0NX. A free sunday afternoon show (4.30 till 6.30) in wonderful Kent country pub, real fires, great beers, the lot. (01233) 740320

March 7th Music for Change Benefit for Haiti. Duke of Cumberland, Whitstable. Workshops in the afternoon, then concert in the evening. Great gig of world music also featuring Balkan songs from Téa Hodzic and from Africa U’Zambezi. Plus the return of Another Planet world music DJ’s. 8.00pm

March 12th University of Kent. Indie-Folk concert in Woody's Bar. Canterbury. CT2 7NZ Evening. Free.

March 16th Mrs Yarington's Music Club, Battle, East Sussex. £6.50 http://mrsyarringtons.me.uk/

March 17th St. Pat's Night Special. Coach & Horses, Whitstable. CT5 1DB (01227) 264732 9pm. Free. Expect a few things not usually in the Relig cannon :o)

May 8th The Neptune, Whitstable. CT5 1EJ 9pm. Free. THE pub on the beach.

May 12th Man of Kent, Rochester, Kent 9pm. Free. ME1 1YN

May 22nd Mundy Bois, Egerton, Kent. Concert with three folk / acoustic bands in this fab rural venue. Back in Egerton by popular demand :o) With the great songster Martin Ledner and duo Natures Infinite Secrecy £5. TN27 0ST

June 13th Big Wheel of Kent Festival (SPOKES). Dane John Gardens, Canterbury, Kent. From 12.00 onwards. Free.

June 18th Coach & Horses, Whitstable. CT5 1DB (01227) 264732 9pm. Free.

June 27th Leigh on Sea Folk Festival. Leigh on Sea, Essex. (Mountain Riff Stage).

August 10th The Good Intent Folk Club, John Street, Rochester Kent. ME1 1YL Great pub, a hidden treasure of Rochester. Folk club in up stairs room, so nice intimate atmosphere (not in the bar) and free entry. 8.30pm www.myspace.com/goodintentrochester

FEB 2010 NEWS
Very Exciting news for the band is the inclusion of the track ‘Ye Mariners All’ on the nationally released complication ‘John Barleycorn Reborn’. It is on the Cold Spring Label and released in the next few months. The album is a collection of up and coming, on the edge folk and not so folk..
Other News. As we look forward to warmer weather (although I suspect it’s still along way off) we have a few summer festivals confirmed already, Leigh on Sea among others. In April Andy makes a return trip to Galicia for two weeks coming back with a few tunes tucked under his arm (maybe). The new demo is going down well, and we all look forward to a great 2010. See you soon :o)

Andy also has a website up and running that deals with his paintings - with a big thanks to Tereza. Check it out. http://www.andyrenshaw.estranky.cz

2009.

Oct 16th The Neptune, Whitstable. 9pm

Sept 25th Coach & Horses, Whitstable. (01227) 264732 9pm

Sept 23rd Man of Kent, Rochester, Kent. 9pm.

 

FIVE DAYS IN MAY Village Hall’s Tour 2009
Keeping music live in Kent, come and show your support. These are fantastic venues at the heart of our rural communities.

MAY 30th Dymchurch Village Hall. Plus support from the Lykes of Ewe.

MAY 23rd Wye Village Hall. Plus support from Chris Banks.

MAY 16th Bossingham Village Hall. Plus support from Diane.

MAY 15th Egerton Village Hall. Plus support from Martin Ledner.

MAY 9th Chartham Hatch Village Hall. Support from Phil Martin / Alexi.

All concerts are £7.00, doors open at 7.30pm. Tickets can be reserved in advance, either ring (01227) 361248 or email andy@religoran.co.uk

There is no bar at any of the village halls so feel free to bring your own drinks, food, balloons, baboons (sorry, no chimps)......

June 12th Coach & Horses, Whitstable. (01227) 264732 9pm

April 12th Easter Sunday - The Neptune, Whitstable. CT5 1EY. Yes, it's the pub on the beach. One of the best pubs in Kent and a great venue. (01227) 272262. 5pm till 8pm

April 8th Man of Kent, Rochester, Kent. 9pm.

Feb 11th Orange Street Music Club, Canterbury, Kent. http://www.orangestreetmusic.com Doors open from 7.30pm. Free entry Wednesday.

Feb 2nd Gulbenkian Theatre, University of Kent. Supporting the mighty Sligo band Dervish. We are playing a short slot from 7pm on the bar stage (free). 01227 769075

Jan 30th Support for Robb Johnson, Orange Street Music Club, Canterbury, Kent. http://www.orangestreetmusic.com Doors open from 7.30pm.

It's an uncertain universe! so if you are travelling any distance to a concert, it is always worth giving the venue a quick ring, as changes do happen from time to time.

 

May 2009

Here’s a little spring news up date - and apologies for the length of time since the last one. Things at Goran Towers are full steam ahead with our rural tour project ‘five days in May’. Already generating a deal of media interest, the tour has got a few national mentions – a big thanks to um :o) It seems also that the interest in our first release ‘tracks from the dark side’ continues as several radio stations in Eastern Europe continue to give us air play, as does fab Radio Kent – cheers guys. We hope to have some new recordings under way soon – maybe August (don’t we always say that!!). Andy is hoping to take some time off in July to travel back East, to Bulgaria and Romania by train! To return with tunes and stories aplenty. Andy has also recently started playing with the Kim Thopmsett band as her percussionist, which he is enjoying alot :o)

JAN 2009.

Well, we hope you all had a really great Christmas, not too much over doing it, and that Santa was good to you. As we enter 2009, it feels like a year of change. Maybe a safer world? who knows, we can only pray. As for the band, we have a good feeling.

Tour News. For May this year Andy has put together a tour of Kent village halls (world tour of Kent?) with a working title of 'Five Days in May', on the same lines as the very successful Jacobs Ladder tour (which believe it or not was almost a decade ago - amazing). So why village halls?? This is a long running passion with Andy. It stems from a desire to support music and arts in rural areas, to see village halls used for more live music and not neglected (there is a real danger of the land on which they stand being redeveloped. Once gone these great unique institutions are gone forever). They are great venues at the heart their communities with great facilities. They are ideal as concert venues. In the present climate there are a vast number of venues closing down (30 pubs a week in Kent!); this threatens the whole live music scene. If ever there was a time for putting on and promoting events, this is it. DIY may well be the way forward. The band is also making a point of offering support slots to up and coming duos / groups, doing original stuff and looking for an opportunity to play concerts. We are open to recommendations. Would you like to be involved?? We are looking for volunteers to do a little helping out. Putting up a few posters in your area, door person etc. We can offer in return some unique Relig Oran goodies like hand printed tee shirts and free entry to the other village hall gigs. If you’re interested drop Andy a line at andy@religoran.co.uk.

Andy has now also got a website up and running that deals with his paintings - with a big thanks to Tereza. Check it out. http://www.andyrenshaw.estranky.cz

Hope you like the new band picture. Wishing you all the best and see you at the Robb Johnson gig at Orange Street - Jan 30th.

THE DARK SIDE E.P.

SOLD OUT

Check out our Merchandise page.

£5.99p

Tracks From The Dark Side.

1. Farewell to Chatham / Emily.
2. Ye Mariners All.
3. Urra Moor / Morning Star / Boy in the Gap / Willafjord.
4. Home By Bearna.
5. Billy Boy.
6. The Red Cow / Ryan’s / Egan’s.

.

...

URRA MOOR.

As you will see from the biog, Andy hails from North Yorkshire, and as a young 'un would spend a lot of time walking up on the moors - many a day was spent high on the purple heather. In celebration of one of his favourite places (although there are any) Andy wrote the haunting tune Urra Moor. Here for your pleasure are a few pics of Urra, and the road leading up to it. Take the long moors road up from Helmsley, past the beautiful Norman abbey of Rievaulx, and keep going!

Urra Moor

.....

The beautifully bleak church on the road up to the moor.

.....

Urra Moor from the moors road........................

The Urra face stone,. Urra is the highest point on the moors and this strange stone, age and purpose unknown, stands very near the very top.

NOVEMEBER 2008.

Hi, Andy here welcoming you to an Autumn Relig Oran update. It’s been
fair while since the last 'info-shot' and we’re happy to say it’s been a
productive time. You may have noticed that the band website has lain
fallow for the summer. This was due to me not having Internet / me
concentrating on painting / me managing to get myself exhausted - these
now solved the site is now being given it's makeover, with
details of the new band and, given time, forth coming gigs.

In the last update I outlined the new band line-up that would form over
the summer and I’m pleased to say that this has come to fruition, and
jolly good it’s sounding as well. Jem Scott – Vocals, Guitar and
Bouzouki. Martyn Kember – Fiddle. Me – Kalimba, Percussion and Bob the
bass Pedals. The band already has a far more fluid dynamic and what’s
more, it’s fun (ah’ I remember that). Jem and Martyn are a joy to work
with. The new material includes a much bigger percentage of our home
ground material, this includes songs as well as tunes. A few old
favourites from last year are still in the fold. As for when the band
returns to the studio, that we’ll have to wait and see :o)

Other plans in the pipe line now internet is at hand are a myspace for the band
(which actually exists, just needs up date, and us telling you about it) a
face book network and a site dedicated to my paintings.

OLD NEWS.

Summer 2007.

With the six track EP (Tracks from the dark side) finally recorded, mastered and released, as a limited edition, we have our debut album (all be it a small one!). With tracks for download, and the whole CD available through this website. Also we have a selection of great new photos taken by our good friend Dylan Woolf, cheers Dylan. We also hope to have a selection of photos of our recent gig at the Tudor Barn folk club in Eltham, a great night and a sell-out concert. Photos up soon. Good news from Priddy festival in the west country, we have a booking for the 2008 festival and also at the Leigh on Sea festival in Essex. Other news… Tee shirts now available, check out the Merchandise page.

Autumn 2006

Well, tiny Bishopsbourne was rocking! Relig Oran's debut gig, with support from Amanes, had Bishopsbourne village hall shaking.

The evening was put on and promoted by Relig's own Andy whilst wearing his Positive Arts’ hat. Always a big fan of the mighty village hall, he will always champion them as they are such great venues, often with a good stage and lighting. In addition, they can be used to bring live music and arts out into rural areas. They are the unsung treasures of Britian (one of).
The Religs opened the night to a packed hall in the beautiful, tiny village some three miles or so from Canterbury in Kent (one fine pub and no street lights) on a blustery Autumn night. With an hour’s set covering self-penned and traditional stuff, The Religs burst forth into the world – and all was very well received. A big thankyou to all the folks who turned out to support the bands. As ever the Kent based Arabic/Balkan band Amanes were cracking, Fair play to the lads.

On the recording front, the band has been busy recording material with the super Mr Marchant. They have a three-track demo available, and look to have more tracks recorded for an album soon. The demo tracks are two English songs, Billy Boy and Ye Mariners All, and an Irish song, Home by Bearna. Traditional songs but with a twist, using Kalimba, Balinese slit drum, bass pedals, Melodeon, lots of percussion and mandola. Home by Bearna is pure percussion and vocals.

We have a new sound man ... Hooray. All at Relig Oran Towers welcome Iain Spink as our new sound engineer for live shows as from the Relig's tea Party 21/01/07. Tall, handsome and, well, a nice guy.

Please note the Wrotham Arms gig (15th March) has been moved to the summer.

Autumn 2007 / Spring 2008 Change of line up as Gordon and Martin are replaced by Jem Scott and Martyn ' lighting' Kember - hello and goodbye.......

GIGS... GIGS... GIGS..

Jan 15th The Bear, Faversham, Kent.

Feb 8th The Ship, Herne Bay, Kent.

June 14th Horsebrige Arts Centre, Whitstable.

June 29th Leith on Sea folk festival, Essex.

July 2nd Man of Kent, Rochester, Kent.

July 12th Priddy Folk Festival, Somerset.

July 13th / 14th / 15th Lounge On The Farm Festival. Arabesque Tent (Friday) http://www.loungeonthefarm.co.uk

August 24th - Horsebridge Arts Centre, Whitstable, Kent. Plus support from the magnificent Patrick McKernan (Brighton based singer/songwriter).

August 25th Folkestone amphitheatre.

Sept 1st / 2nd Faversham Hop Festival.

Sept 20th Orange's Music Bar, Ashford, Kent. (01233) 621004. A very friendly bar famed for good music and good hospitality.

Dec 7th The Neptune, Whitstable, Kent. Yes, the pub on the beach.... (01227)272262

Dec 14th The Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury, Kent. .

Dec 19th Orange Street Music Club, Canterbury, Kent. (01227) 760801. Possibly the world's funkiest cool music club. Need we say more? www.orangestreetmusicclub.com

Web design & maintenance by Andy Renshaw. Thanks to the following for their help. Neil Acres for the many services rendered. Dylan Woolf for the photos & Simon Marchant.