Charlie Smith
Bio
I'm new to this but hey I'm giving it ago. I sing and play guitar. I'm here to share a few bits of info I learn along my journey
https://linktr.ee/CharlieSmithMusic
Stories (39/0)
River Studios Open mic 23rd of February
A new venture for me over the last couple of months has been to run a monthly open mic at River Studios. A local studio to me with a performance space. I thought it would be a great idea to do a little write-up of these events and also share the photos that are taken from the evening. I've also recently created a Facebook group for the event, so feel free to check that out if you are interested. Before I go any further I'd also like to thank all the artists that have played so far in the first couple of events. It has taken me a while to get everything set up how I'd like it. Of course, when you do something new, it will always take a while to build it up into what you want it to be. Hopefully, in the next few months, we will see some great open mic nights at River Studios to add to the huge list of open mics in Southampton.
By Charlie Smith6 days ago in Beat
The CD pickup of 2022
I must start by wishing you all a happy new year! I hope that father Christmas delivered everything you wanted. Whether that was a brand new guitar, drum set or some socks. Hopefully, you were all good in 2022. I was certainly very good in 2022 or rather I wasn't as bad as I could have been which is something.
By Charlie Smith3 months ago in Beat
A recap 'No more demos' live at the arthouse
It's the time of the year for reflection and indulgence. We eat too much and we drink even more. It's time to end the year in style. For me, it's always a humbling experience when things go wrong and are challenging. I'm one for always learning and it's good to find out what you don't know, preferably this is done before the event happens, but that's life though it doesn't always happen how you expect. You have to expect the unexpected. So from a medical emergency at the start to a successful gig. Here is a little breakdown of how the evening went down on Saturday the 10th of December.
By Charlie Smith3 months ago in Beat
A look back at Charlie Smith + friends live at the arthouse
Hello, it's only me again. You know that man who does gigs sometimes and spends the rest of the time watching old horror movies and eating pizza. Not the most interesting life I can assure you, but we are not here to talk about that today. We have some far more exciting news for you. I want to talk about a Gig I hosted at the arthouse on the 9th of September. Some familiar faces returned to make a lovely night of music. I was for the second time a very unintimidating doorman, but I must self-congratulate myself and say that I am improving. Maybe I have got to hit the gym, but hey at least I am pleasant meet and greater. In this article, we are going to take a look back on the evening and also take a look at a brand new musical partnership that seems to have developed.
By Charlie Smith6 months ago in Beat
A look back: live lounge at the Angel on the 13th of August
It feels like only the other day I was writing about the showcase at river studios, but it has surprisingly almost been a month since I published that article. Time does fly, but the gigs don't stop. In this article I want to take a look back at the live lounge gig I organised on Friday the 13th of August. Before I do, however, I would very much like to thank all the acts that took part. Some familiar faces as we will later in this article and some new ones. Thanks also to Angel Inn for allowing me to put on this event and supporting it. Finally, thanks to everyone who brought a ticket and came along to the event. You are fabulous and doing a great job in supporting live music.
By Charlie Smith7 months ago in Beat
River Studio's acoustic night, Friday 8th July
I want to start this article off by thanking all the performers who played at this event. I hadn't actually met them before the event, as in some cases I actually found their music online. I have to say though, that everyone lived up to any expectation I had and the performances while all very different, were of high quality. Apart from me of course, but in all fairness, I barely got any sleep the night before and I hadn't eaten any dinner. Plus I had to worry about timing and making sure everyone turned up and if you don't know me I am a worrier especially when it comes to these sorts of things.
By Charlie Smith8 months ago in Beat
New music in May. My top picks
I've wanted to write an article for a while now, but I just haven't found the right motivation too. Of course, I've got some pretty serious subject matters I should have covered, but it seems time has passed me by. However, I just couldn't let the last month pass me by without commenting about some of the music I have heard in the last month. So here I am 10 pm on a Tuesday, after eating a meal out with family and drinking two beers, trying to put together an article that does all the music that was released this month justice.
By Charlie Smith10 months ago in Beat
The INDIEPENDENT playlist
Hey, It's only me! Charlie Smith you might remember me from such articles such as Glacer FM is a big fat scam! and Beneath the crust of 'Bread Records'. Today I'm going to tell you about a fantastic new music playlist! Yes I know, I have written about that before as well. This one however is going to be my largest and best one yet! I promise. Stuffed full of the best and most creative music I could possibly lend my ear to. I promise you this one is worth listening to.
By Charlie Smith12 months ago in Beat
Getting creative with CDs
Getting creative with CDs You may have heard about the revival of vinyl sales, the hip and trendy new-old way to listen to music. Or how about cassette tapes? I recorded my EP last year onto tape. Analogue is all the rage! Or so it seems. What about the humble compact disc? Unfortunately, it seems that in today day and age actually, funnily enough, they are on the decrease. Although it must be said that there is a certain market for them and as musicians, it's still a great format to get our work out there. As the title of this article suggests there is an opportunity to get creative with the format.
By Charlie Smithabout a year ago in Beat
Charlie Smith and friends playlist
As you may know, I've had a go at building my first ever Spotify playlist Ultimate Alternative. I even wrote a full-length article about it. So, now I'm back at it again. This time I'm not focusing on a specific sound like I did before. This time around I am building a more diverse mix of songs. The main purpose of this playlist is to say thank you to artists and highlight their music. You will hear a wide range of music styles and different genres. From a listeners point of view, I don't think that this is a bad thing. Even though this playlist could be considered a homage and ultimately some sort of thank you note in playlist form. It should still primarily capture the listener's attention and flow well. I hope you discover some new music from this list and every musician song's that are featured; you've helped me a lot. I know for a fact that you have helped others too. So, thank you.
By Charlie Smithabout a year ago in Beat
Illness in the trenches
The illness took its time to set in. At first, it started as a cough. It wasn't until mid-afternoon it turned into a fever. James tried to hide it, but this was no place to be sick. Exposed and open to the elements the trench offered little respite. Not sure what he should do he couldn't help but shiver and shake uncontrollably. It wasn't long before a Lance Corporal noticed. A tall man with ginger hair. He was compassionate and expressed great concern. The Lance Corporal whisked James off down the trench. Away from his PALs. The duo weaved in and out of trench lines past soldiers. Board soldiers. Waiting, soldiers. Not sure of their fates, but sick of waiting to meet it all the same. A growing sense of anxiety that no amount of tobacco could fix. It was too late now to head back out of the trench and to seek medical attention...
By Charlie Smithabout a year ago in Fiction
NFTs are on fire right now but are they helpful to indie musicians?
You may have heard of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) you may have not. Either way, they are creating a lot of buzz and interest around the globe. In music circles, we are seeing established artists selling NFTs for a whole lot of money. Rightly so, indie artists are wanting to dip their toes into the water. With Streaming royalties being so low it's no wonder then that artists are looking for a way to make more money. Unfortunately, there is some bad news. While NFTs are hot property right now there are a lot of considerations you have to make before you decide to sell your music as an NFT. Almost all the articles or youtube videos I watch right now are only highlighting the positives and aren't talking about the realities. They are marketing it as a get rich quick scheme to indie musicians and it just isn't true. I only want to write this article with a more conserved view, but it is worth mentioning that yes I am indeed an indie musician and also an adopter of cryptocurrency. This article is not written on the basis of discouraging NFT sales: In fact, the opposite. To understand the reality of making one you can make informed decisions.
By Charlie Smithabout a year ago in The Chain
