First I want to wish my big brother, Arthur Miller, a very happy birthday! I wish I could be with him and his family in Milwaukee to help him celebrate, but since I can't I wanted to give him a honorable mention in GME Weekly!
Due to technical difficulties with the newsletter program last week, I was unable to get the 11 July edition out to you, so I'm combining two weeks of happenings so let's get started ...
All of last week was putting the finishing touches on Foodies Festival Bristol. What a way to spend my first visit to Bristol ... the location for the Festival was absolutely fabulous and where the stage was set up couldn't have been better. There are a few pictures below in the 'Photos' section ... do check them out. The event was 11-13 of July and the Friday went so smoothly with everyone turning up on time if not early, and more important, each act sounded amazing. We had quite the good crowd for a Friday and by early evening, the place was heaving.
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| The Funkinsteins |
Then Saturday rolled around and everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong, from bands being stuck in traffic, to performers not turning up with all their gear to me having to do an emergency set to cover for a cancellation. Even with the issues, the day turned out to be fabulous and ended with an absolute bang with Brighton's Half Crown completely electrifying the place and local Bristol band The Funkinsteins who sizzled with their brand of Rock-laced Funk! By the end of the day I was dancing with the rest of the crowd and had completely forgotten about my earlier troubles! The beauty of good music ...
The perfect end to the three days was on Sunday when we went back to operating like a well oiled machine, with everyone arriving on time and giving amazing performances. Supremely, Diana Ross made an appearance mid-afternoon and got everyone up dancing. And then the deliciously Bluesy Cherry White closed the festival with some great original and cover tunes, and even some classic Rock & Roll to get the crowd moving. Bristol was amamamamazing!! The next Foodies event is at Battersea Park in London on 15-17 August.
This week Monday, I took a much needed day off and hung out with the hubs doing normal stuff. On Tuesday, it was back to work finalizing a few bookings including confirming Mayfield to perform at The Southsea Show on Sunday, 3rd August. Also booked on this weekend event is Supremely, Diana Ross on Friday, 1st August and Move On Up on Saturday, 2nd August. Geoff Priestley, one of the organizers suggested I camp out for the three days ... if only I could ... LOL!
On Wednesday, I attended a workshop on Business & Personal Development that was hosted by the Portsmouth Venus Awards, which was immediately followed by the VA Finalist Announcement Tea where I was named a Finalist in the New Business Category! When I was driving to the Langstone Hotel that morning, I didn't really think I was that bothered about being a finalist. However, once I was in the room and they started naming names, the fact that my heart was literally pounding out of my chest was a little giveaway that I really wanted my name to be called. When it was, in good ole American style, I let out a yelp before I could stop myself *giggle*! I feel very proud of this accomplishment and look forward to attending the awards ceremony in October. Click here to see the full list of finalists!
Thursday, I met with a new client in Gosport and will be announcing some great shows at this new venue in the coming weeks. And finally, tonight I'm performing solo at Shepherd's Crook in Portsmouth and on Saturday night I will be with Move On Up at The Jolly Sailor in Southsea. Both shows are Supremely, Diana Ross followed by a party set. Can't wait ...
That's it for this edition, have a fantastic weekend!
Although my current home is in the United Kingdom, I'd like to wish my fellow Americans a very happy Independence Day. The reason we celebrate this day is encapsulated by this famous quote ... “We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with
certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit
of Happiness.” - Thomas Jefferson, June 1776.
It has been a busy week and I have a lot to tell you, so let's dig in!
On Monday after spending half a day working in the office, Neal and I headed up to Leeds for a meeting on Tuesday morning. Given the distance from Portsmouth to Leeds (about 5 hours drive), we decided to have a leisurely drive up on the Monday. I met with a lovely lady who has created a Motown show that pays tribute to such legends as Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Gladys Knight and more. I am happy to announce that I will be one of the performers in this fantastic show with a few bookings for 2014 already. Learning the music will be easy because I already perform many of the songs in the show. It's the choreography that will be the challenge, especially since I'm turning 48 on Sunday. We learned a few routines on Tuesday, and I was definitely reminded of my age by the end of the session :)! I will make a more formal announcement including the name of the show and performance dates once all the arrangements are finalized.
Wednesday was spent putting the final bits and pieces together for Foodies Festival, Bristol which is happening next weekend. I am still looking for a couple 4 to 5-piece bands who perform covers and originals for this event. Please email me at gloria@gloriamillermusic.com if you are in the Bristol area and available 11, 12 or 13 July.
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| Pictured w/John Leete. |
On Thursday, I had a meeting with John Leete of Home Front History to discuss my new wartime show, 'I'll Be Seeing You' and the possibility of booking this show along with a few of my acts on some very exciting events in 2015. You may recall that I first performed my wartime show earlier in the year around Easter time, so the show is still in the development phase. Next week I'll be putting forth a couple proposals for these events and will definitely keep you posted as things develop.
Another show that I have developed this year is 'Totally, Tina Turner' Tribute Show which is debuting tonight at The Exchange in Bournemouth. I'm doing a double tribute ... Diana Ross vs. Tina Turner and every spare moment this week has been on fine-tuning this show! I'm quite nervous about tonight, but I will give it my all and hope for the best! I'll post some pics next week. I've got a three-gig weekend and will be performing Supremely, Diana Ross at the Carisbrooke Arms in Gosport on Saturday, and a Motown/Soul Night at Kingsley's Entertainment Bar in Southsea on my birthday this Sunday!
Just a reminder that GME represents some of the best entertainers across the UK and they are getting snapped up for Christmas and New Year's Eve shows. If you haven't yet booked your Holiday entertainment, call me today at +44 (0)7504 611 173 or complete this form to receive a free quote. If you book your Christmas or New Year's Eve entertainment before the 30th of August, you'll receive a 10% discount off the negotiated price.
Well, that's it for this week. Have a fabulous weekend!!
