emmoworld

Well it's nice to know someone reads this blog. No sooner had I posted my last one I got an email saying the Panama Kings single release date is now 4th August - oh, and that the folk at BBC 6 are loving it.

So the place to be is Greenbelt, The Performance Cafe, Sunday 24th August at 7pm to see and hear Justine Berry. With Sunday night mainstage looking like it will be mainly dance theme I suspect her backing band will be wanting to make a shift exit to watch - after all they are all part of the collective known as Atomic Hooligan - winners of Best Live Act at the International Breakbeat Awards this year.

My only big regret (so far!) is that Greenbelt hasn't picked up on my constant suggestion to invite the Panama Kings (not like I asked for money!), especially after the band approached me to ask if they could play Greenbelt. With their debut single officially out on 14 July, support gigs with Jape, The Futureheads and Cut Copy and a string of summer festivals booked in Northern Ireland things are looking good. If you have so far resisted the urge, nip over to here and take a listen - especially the B Side of the single "I don't want to die". It's very catchy and no wonder that the band gets such praise on Radio 1. My personal copy is in the post. Let me know what you think.

It's not all fun and games working for the BBC. This is part of series of articles my brother has been producing over the last few days in Ethiopia.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7444998.stm

Just in case you were thinking of a visit to New York instead of Greenbelt, then don't despair too much. As long as you plan your trip mid August you can get a slice of the very best of Greenbelt. Michael McDermott and Susan Enan are playing a series of gigs together around the New York area. Must have taken a genious to come up with that idea!

Very busy at moment so no time to blog. Thought I had better update my last blog though. No sooner had I posted then an email arrived asking if Justine Berry would play the festival. So that's one off my list! Would love to see the Panama Kings invited as I think they would really set the place alight. And today I got an email telling me Michael will be over on 24th August - in Italy - as he starts a new tour with Eileen Rose. So if Greenbelt fancies having him for the Friday or Saturday for a nominal fee, you know how to get hold of me!

And if you're in London tomorrow night, go to the Luminaire to see Panama Kings support Malcolm Middleton.

Looking at the Greenbelt website it is clear that the invites to play have been sent out as the music line up is now being populated. As I've heard nothing back (and normally it's mid May when they respond) it looks like I have been unsuccessful this year in getting any artists on the line-up - I just wish they would notify everyone at the same time instead of waiting to complete the line-up. So it's going to be a very quiet time for me at the festival unless someone asks me to do something.

On the plus side, a minor spat I was having with the festival has been resolved following a sudden u-turn so I might still turn up for my 30th Greenbelt.