It’s the wrong time of the year for snowballs but Lee Marchant and Nick Illingsworth seem to have created a giant one which is rolling to St Mary’s stadium this weekend (23rd May).

These two are responsible for Saints Aid, a musical extravaganza which is raising money to help Southampton’s football team.

It started as a one day event but has now spread around the city, rapidly turning into a weekend of gigs and entertainment.

As Lee told me: “The idea started when David Reid from Olympian offered to play a gig to raise a few pounds for the club. Glynn Root from Fingermen also said his band would like to play. I spoke to to Nick Illingsworth about moving the event to St Mary’s and making it an all day affair. After this myself and Nick joked about being Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in red and white stripes, so Saints Aid was born!”

Headlining at St Mary’s on Saturday 23rd will be The Rebs and Dlugokecki. On Bank Holiday Monday The Artful Dodger will be back home at Oceana on the 25th May in a unique performance specially for Saints Aid.

On Friday 22nd Melodee Rockmore will be ending eight hours of music at the King Alfred in Northam Road. And on the same day a heavy rock night at Louisiana Nightclub, Leisure World.

Showcase UK is also taking part and tonight Monday 18th we’re having a preview night at the Soul Cellar, playing tracks by all of the artists taking part in Saints Aid, call it pre-match training if you like but we’ll be raising money for the team and building the anticipation for the weekend to come.

Musicians from around the city, and even beyond, are trying to save the Southampton FC, according to Lee: “It’s part of the feeling in the city of people wanting to do something to help the club but do not quite know what they can. As we have asked for local musicians, the bands have approached us in their droves. ”

“The response has been both overwhelming and quite inspiring. The support for Saints-aid has been fantastic and it has snowballed into something quite enormous, which is why we have had to use over venues and take it all over the city. It just goes to show how much the football club means to the city of Southampton.”

For more details and ticket information visit www.saints-aid.co.uk

The good news: I’ve been invited to see Dlugokeckisupport the Proclaimers at the South by South West music conference in Austin, Texas.

Unfortunately I am not going by plane, boat or courtesy of Rolling Stone magazine: it’s the virtual world of Second Life that’s calling and I’m off to a bar called The Blarney Stone.

If you are unaware of Second Life then think of it as a computer generated world in which you control a character that can interact with all the other inhabitants.

You can buy land, buildings and clothes and it has become established enough for a few small countries to open embassies.

Early this Sunday morning (3am) you can take your character to the Blarney Stone and watch a live feed of Dlugokekci’s gig which, according to the organisers, is a first for South by Southwest.

However live music in Second Life is nothing new and it’s thought a dozen or so similar events happen every day.

But it is an apt reminder that keeping on top of technology is a must for musicians and followers alike.

The virtual world will not replace real, in your face, gigs but you need to find an audience at least Second Lifers are pro-active.

In this case where band and fan part company will be the start time and possible graphic card limitations on the computer.

But it won’t be long before bands will be adding Second Life accounts to their portfolio of Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube.

First published in the Southern Daily Echo Friday March 20th

Dlugokecki will join Chris Difford (Squeeze), James Walsh (Starsailor) and various other artists and Matthew Jay fans to celebrate the life of Matthew Jay, an extraordinarily talented singer/songwriter who died five years ago at the age of 24.

The concert takes place at the Shepherds Bush Empire on Friday 10th October 2008 what would have been Matthew’s 30th birthday! All profits are going to his favourite charities Amnesty International & UNICEF. Tickets are £20.

Mini-Album

Dlugokecki release a new 7 track mini album “Let This Be Right” on Cherrywood/AND Records on November 3rd. It includes all brand new, previously unreleased tracks.

There are also 4 free mp3’s at www.myspace.com/dlugokecki which includes a live version of one of the new songs ‘Save my soul’ that was recorded on a Showcase session and a cover version of a Matthew Jay track.

Live dates – headlining unless stated.

Talking Heads 4th Oct
Shepherds Bush Empire 10th October (Tribute gig)
The Vault (Winchester) 13th Oct
The Winchester (Bournemouth) 23rd Oct
Talking Heads (supporting Nizlopi) 24th Oct
The Boiler Room (Guilford) 29th Oct
The Joiners 3rd Nov
The Railway (supporting Nizlopi) Winchester 11th November

Dlugokecki

Dlugokecki on Showcase UK