I\'m A Badass Caption: I can haz links, style or anything that is valid markup :)

Artist News: Iona News - Swiss Tour Report, New Album, More...

Posted on Sunday, November 07 @ 19:00:00 UTC by nightowl

In their November update, Iona write, "Hello and welcome [... .W]e have a report on the recent Switzerland tour, including some great photos from the gigs, news just in of some Iona gigs in The Netherlands in April 2011, plus the latest progress update on the new album recording, along with lots of other interesting Iona and related news items.

"SWITZERLAND TOUR REPORT: These were the band's first gigs in Switzerland for four years and it was great to return to this amazing country of lakes and mountains. The first gig in the beautiful town of Thun was a sell out, and with a view of a 9,000 feet high mountain from the hotel over the lake it was a very relaxed start to the tour. Whilst at the hotel, Dave and Jo were interviewed for a Swiss TV programme Fenster Zum Sonntag. Then at soundcheck we discovered that the power supply board in Dave's nine year old Roland XV5080 sound module had blown up. This is the source for most of Dave's essential live sounds!

"After a ring round gear hire companies in Switzerland it appeared than none had one we could hire. Potential disaster! However, God didn't let us down and it turned out that there was another one sitting in a rack just behind the stage! It belonged to the keyboard player from the church that also used the hall on a Sunday - and he was there helping our sound man Johan to set up! He graciously allowed us to use it for the whole tour - thanks Thomas!

"The next gig in Rapperswil was in a converted factory building which had a great atmosphere and another great audience. Peter Hug did a fantastic job with the video projection - in fact the lighting at all the gigs was outstanding.

"Geneva was next and an old cinema complex the venue. A Spinal Tap few hours followed as we tried to find the entrance to the hall via the lift in the underground car park which seemed only to lead to outside the building or to residential apartments in the block above! The van with our pa system and instruments wouldn't fit into the car park, so two smaller vans were used to ferry the gear bit by bit underground from the busy city centre street and then back up in several trips via a very small lift! However the crew were great and despite a small audience at this gig we had a great time .... until after the gig when our sound man's car was broken into and his suitcase stolen, after which we spent until about 2am at the local police station! The adventures of life on the road!

"NB several amateur videos from the tour can be seen on YouTube.

"ANOTHER REALM ALBUM PROGRESS: Since the Swiss tour much progress has been made on the album. In October (11th-14th), Jo came over to Dave's Open Sky studio and time was spent on finishing writing a few tracks plus lots of vocal recording. Jo and Dave re-wrote the chorus and breakdown sections for the song 'And The Angels Dance,' which is definitely one of the most joyous tracks on the album. Jo was inspired to write some amazing lyrics for the end section of 'An Atmosphere Of Miracles' and managed, through tears to put down an incredible vocal. One of the characteristic sounds we've used on several tracks on this album is the use of layered vocal loops. Dave sets a recording loop going (eg of perhaps 8 or 12 seconds) and, in real time Jo adds a new part as the loop repeats, gradually building up a layer of several parts, either in unison or in counterpoint. We've used this technique on previous albums but it really seemed appropriate to reintroduce it for the material on Another Realm to create the ethereal, otherworldly feel that re-occurs throughout the album. One final vocal session is being planned to complete all the vocal recording on the album.

"A week later Dave was at Frank's studio in The Netherlands as Frank recorded further drums, percussion, violins and violas for the album. A brilliantly groovy new drum track was laid down for 'And The Angels Dance,' plus drums / percussion on several other tracks and some amazing, layered strings. This is a speciality of Frank's which we've not really exploited before on previous Iona recordings. Frank creates string arrangements by layering parts which he plays on several different violins and violas, recorded with different microphones. The end result sounds something like the string section from a really great orchestra! You'll be able to hear this on tracks such as 'Clouds' and 'An Atmosphere Of Miracles' and 'Saviour'.

"Talking of 'firsts,' there are several on the new album. Frank plays some mean lead, fuzz electric violin on the title track (anyone who remembers The Mahavishnu Orchestra will get an idea of how this sounds!) and on 'Let Your Glory Fall.' Jo makes her recorded percussion debut (on a shaker made out of beer bottle tops!). This is Martin's debut recording with Iona. Oh - and this will be the first time that Jo has sung the lyrics 'Oh La La La' on an Iona album!

"IONA TOUR DATES: Netherlands Tour - April 2011

"Thursday 14.4.11, 20h30 Hedon, Zwolle, Netherlands Tel (00) 31 (0)38-452 72 29, www.hedon-zwolle.nl
Friday 15.4.11, 20.00h Ede, Netherlands (joint gig with the band Trinity) Details soon
Saturday 16.4.11 20h30 De Boerderij, Zoetermeer, Netherlands Tel (00) 31 79 3211012 www.cultuurpodiumboerderij.nl (NB - There will be 4 bands on this day as part of the venue's anniversary celebration. Iona to headline.)

MORE 2011 IONA DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON!!

"OTHER DATES OF INTEREST: DEW WORSHIP -- Dave will be joining Frank and his wife Marlou's band Dew Worship for the Passion and Purity tour in The Netherlands in a week's time. For more details go to www.dew-worship.com / www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=162934737055128&ref=ts. Each evening starts at 7.30pm (doors 7pm). Entrance is free - an offering will be taken

"Friday 12 November in Leusden; EGL, Larikslaan 14
Saturday 13 November in Rotterdam; Julianakerk, Zaandijkstraat 5
Sunday 14 November in Kampen; Ichtus College, Jan Ligthartstraat 5

DAVE BAINBRIDGE -- Dave and his wife Debbie (vocals / keys) will be leading an evening of worship music ('Open the Floodgates of Heaven') in Yorkshire in a few weeks time. Entrance is free, all are welcome.

"Saturday 20th November 2010, New life Community Centre, Haw Lane, Yeadon, LS19 7XQ, UK Doors 7pm Start 7.30pm
info: 0113 250 6249 email: peter.j.robinson (at)btinternet.com

"Dave will also be playing with the Fairclough Youell Band (featuring virtuoso bassist Fred T Baker) in Sheffield on 1st December. This is a launch gig for the band's 'debut album Momentarily,' which features Dave on keys / guitars. Also on the bill is amazing multi-instrumentalist Kayla Kavanagh.

"Wednesday 1st December, 7.30pm doors, The Boardwalk, Snig Hill, Sheffield, S3 8NA, UK Tickets &156;8.
see: www.myspace.com/faircloughyouell

"SNIPPETS - IONA possible DVD releases!

"TV producer Tim Finch is currently looking into the feasibility of several Iona DVD projects. The first of these would be an Iona TV concerts DVD featuring footage from several professionally shot concerts which the band played during the early years (1990 - 1995). The search is currently on to find all of the source footage (if it still exists!) and then to look at whether the project would be financially viable. The band has VHS copies and have uncovered some great live performances of some of the most well known Iona tracks plus some that have not been played live for years. Stay tuned.

"Iona - Another Realm album release schedule -- We're looking at completing the recording on the new album before the end of the year, mixing during January / February and releasing the album in April 2011. We hope to begin taking pre-orders for the album in January. As we're funding the album ourselves we'd like to enlist your help to get it out there and will be providing a discount on bulk orders. Further details coming soon.

Bright Silver Dark Wood / Raphael's Journey: Martin excellent acoustic folk album is now available from the Iona store. Joanne's Rafael's Journey album should be added by the time you read this (or VERY soon after)!"

[Visit Iona's site - which is getting a facelift - for more news on the band -ed.]

[Source: Iona newsletter]

Posted in Band News (tours, comings/goings, etc)