Today contemporary folk multi-instrumentalist Rachael Dadd releases two live albums. Rachel is sharing the proceeds with Music Venue Trust and Cow and Mouse (who do important work in Japan), and the family of Naoki Iijima “who sadly died this year and who was the one who introduced my music to Japan and took me under his wing”. She will also celebrate small venues as part of the Super Cool Drawing Machine touring art exhibition project. The albums, ‘Live From Ramsgate Music Hall‘ and ‘Live from The Planetarium in Ehime, Japan‘ follow last year’s ‘Flux’ album (read her track-by-track feature), which was released on Memphis Industries to much acclaim and which she was touring when the pandemic struck.
Rachael has been touring Japan each year for a while now and she celebrated her tenth anniversary tour of Japan in 2018 when she wrote a special feature for Folk Radio UK:
Recently a friend in Bristol asked me if I am still fascinated by Japan. My reply was, I am fascinated by the enthusiasm and joy of the people. Without fail where ever we travel we find it. Culturally it seems that people do not feel the need to play it cool, but show keenness openly, with an eagerness to make others feel safe and happy. Somehow, despite a great sadness that swept over Japan after the disaster, people have this knack and ability to have a good time together.
Read the full feature here: 10 Years in Japan
Super Cool Drawing Machine art exhibition
As mentioned above, Rachael is also celebrating small venues as part of the Super Cool Drawing Machine touring art exhibition project. Below, she describes the Super Cool Drawing Machine and what venues mean to her:
“A month before lockdown I was living my dream, touring with my band at sold out shows around the UK after the release of Flux on Memphis Industries. It was a bit of a pinnacle moment for me. The level of connection I experienced with the audience and my band was life affirming and helped me gain courage and clarity to move on with some tricky personal stuff. During lockdown those experiences I`d had totally helped me through. I owe so much to our venues, not least the Ramsgate Music Hall (voted by NME as best small live venue in the UK) where our live album was recorded and where the joy and connection was captured in this photo.”
“As my own personal ode to our venues I am making machine embroideries of these pivotal times. I’m currently stitching onto the actual clothing I was wearing at the Ramsgate show! They are a bit like love letters to these venues and their teams and the audiences I’ve met along the way and who like me and my bandmates are playing this nerve racking waiting game.”
“You can see my embroidery alongside creations by This Is The Kit, Rozi Plain, Shabaka Hutchings, Cate Le Bon and many other musicians. Super Cool Drawing Machine is a touring exhibition allowing some of our beloved venues to open their doors while simultaneously giving us musicians a way to connect with our audiences. It is kicking off in York in November and then coming to London and Bristol and many more destinations.” http://www.yuppiesmusic.com/super-cool-drawing-machine/
Pre-Order: Live from the Ramsgate Music Hall
Pre-Order: Live from The Planetarium in Ehime, Japan
Photo Credit: Dik Ng