Tag: music

Live Music Memories: Exeter Pubs, Local Legends and Folk Heroes

I wanted to expand on the previous post which I loved creating about musicians that I had heard play in my magical local the North Bridge Inn or NBI. https://huwspace.com/2026/10/27/remembering-exeters-north-bridge-inn-and-its-live-music-legacy/

There is an awesome musician that I also follow on Facebook who I saw live at the North Bridge Inn his name is Derrin Nuendorf he’s such a talented musician.

Derrin Nauendorf universe demands

Derrin Nauendorf is an Australian acoustic blues, roots, and folk musician who was famously endorsed and sponsored by Yamaha Guitars for many years. Known for his powerful vocal delivery and intricate, high-energy acoustic guitar work, he used Yamaha instruments as his primary “road workhorses” while playing over 1,000 self-managed gigs across the UK, Europe, and Australia.

When the North Bridge Inn closed and I moved back to Exeter there was another bar I started to go to to listen to music which was called the Angel another place that eventually closed but also had some great musical moments inside.

Samantics – Beautiful Day

Samantics (Samuel Walker) is an independent, livewire UK rap-poet, multi-instrumentalist, and loop-station artist based in Exeter, Devon. Known for his raw honesty and immense energy, his music occupies a distinct space between spoken word slam poetry, alternative hip-hop, and energetic folk-punk.

Sam would sometimes run the open mic night at The Angel. As did Emily Howard another wonderful human and musician.

Emily Howard – Looking out for Number One

Emily Howard – Folk Singer-Songwriter (Exeter/Devon) is an award-winning singer-songwriter and folk musician based in the South West of England.

Next up is Rosie Eade who I have seen sung in a few bars in Exeter such as the Bowling Green. The Bowling Green is a highly rated, independent neighborhood pub located on Blackboy Road in Exeter. Celebrated for its community vibe, the pub mixes traditional charm with lively modern features like a “hidden secret garden” and Italian hand-stretched pizzas.

Rosie Eade – TheFire

Rosie Eade, widely known by her stage name “Folk Pixie”, is an English folk-rock singer-songwriter. Splitting her time between Exeter, Devon and Colchester, Essex, she blends acoustic storytelling with a energetic rock attitude, often driven by her distinctive nylon-strung guitar style.

The next Musicians i heard in a bar called Old Timers at a charity concert they were awesome wonderful spirts and a great night was had by all. It turns out to that Hannah one of the musicians is married to Samantics singer – Samual Walker.

In This Time – Sound of the Sirens

The final singer I saw at the Exeter Phoenix which is central Exeter’s premier multi-artform venue and cultural hub, hosting a vibrant calendar of live music, independent cinema, contemporary art, theatre, comedy, and workshop tucked away on Gandy Street.

Set the Tigers Free – Villagers

Villagers is an Irish indie folk band formed in Dún Laoghaire, Dublin, in 2008. The band is the primary musical project and creative vehicle for singer-songwriter Conor J. O’Brien, who serves as the sole long-term member, driving force, and principal songwriter.

So there we have it a walk down memory lane in Exeter with a little bit of my life and musical taste flashing before my eyes.

Remembering Exeter’s North Bridge Inn and Its Live Music Legacy

Back in my 20s in the 2000s there was a bar I used to drink in that I remember to have excellent live music within its walls with open mic nights and guest musicians from all over the world – best bar in town at that time and would be very hard to beat today to. Located at 11 St. David’s Hill, Exeter, EX4 3RG. I happened to live and work on the same road at the time and so much chaotic merriment was had in said pub. I have tried to cram a lot of songs into one post today but there were just so many good musicians I wanted to honour them all in one place.

Me drinking a pint of Guinness at the NBI

History and Timeline

  • Early History: Originally operating under names like the New Ship Inn and the North Bridge Inn, the site has 19th-century origins with various historical owners and licensees (such as Samuel Gubb, John Chalk, and the Beer family).
  • Free House Era & Music: By the 2000s, it operated as a popular free house known for cask ales, darts/euchre teams, and a vibrant live music and DJ scene (frequently partnering with Phonic FM). [1, 2, 3]
  • Closure & Later Names:
    • The pub officially closed at the end of December 2012 / January 2013.

Some of the musicians that I saw ands heard play there are some of the finest musicians I have ever heard play and I will try and put some songs up here to reflect what they sang and show just how great they are.

Nuala Honan – All is not Lost

Nuala lived in Exeter for a time in the 2000s and so we would sometimes be treated to her singing songs on the open mic night or with her in her band Nuala & the Alchemy Quartet.

Dan Donnelly – Love will save the day

Dan Donnelly (known by his handle or project name Sonovagun / @dansonovagun) is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and session/touring musician.

niall connally seagull

Niall Connolly is an acclaimed Irish indie-folk singer-songwriter and storyteller. Born in Cork, Ireland, in 1977, he moved to New York City in 2006 and is currently based in Rockaway, Queens.

Rory Ellis – Road of No Return

An acclaimed Australian singer-songwriter and troubadour known for his deep, gravelly baritone voice. Operating primarily in the Americana, alt-country, folk, and blues genres, he has been performing globally for over 30 years.

David Rovics – How Far Is It From Here To Nuremburg

David Rovics is an American indie folk punk singer-songwriter, podcaster, and political activist based in Portland, Oregon. Described as a “professional flat-picking rabble-rouser,” his music acts as a vehicle for sharp social commentary, heavily focusing on labor history, anti-globalization, anti-war advocacy, and social justice.

3 Daft Monkeys – Astral Eyes

3 Daft Monkeys is a world-music-influenced acoustic band from Cornwall, UK, known for their upbeat festival performances and genre-defying sound.

The Levellers – One Way

Though I did not see the Levellers play at the North Bridge Inn I did have a good chat and drink one evening with Mark Chadwick the lead singer of the Levellers when he popped in one night for a pint while in Exeter for the Beautiful Days festival the The Levellers ran.

It’s been a while

So tonight or this morning it is 3am and I am back at home after a night out at a karaoke bar in Plymouth I have not written a post for nearly a month but all is well I have my health and I am doing ok.

So why am I up so late or early well I have just got back from a bar called the Walkabout in Plymouth and I am still feeling wide awake after the night out it normally takes my friend an hour or so to drive back from Plymouth and drop me off at a place that I then walk back home from.

Tonight was our last ever visit to the walkabout pub as it is closing down which is a shame but as they don’t seem to get as many people in to the pub anymore I guess its struggled to pay its way in the world or in Plymouth anyway.

As soon as I arrived tonight there I was told that there was no Guinness which is normally my tipple of choice so I had a pint of lager and then after a second lager they they then ran out of lager. The pub does a quiz first before the karaoke so its along night from about 7.30 to 1am and by the time the karaoke started I was drinking lemonade.

We were asked to try and sing an Australian song or two so I had chosen two songs that I hoped to sing. My First choice called Follow the Sun by Xavier Rudd is a great uplifting tune and my second choice was called sweet disposition by the temper trap. Chris the karaoke DJ who I think I have known from as long a time as when he worked in a Crediton Weatherspoon’s as a manager was the DJ tonight he’s a great guy and also a bit of a practical joker too. He also runs a quiz and karaoke night in Exeter and I tend to see him more in Exeter than Plymouth.

Tonight I did get up and sing two songs the sweet disposition one and also chasing cars by snow patrol. I look so serious in the picture below for many reasons I was nervous and had not sung the song before and also drinking lemonade is not as relaxing as drinking a Guinness but I gave it my best shot and it all went well I like to think.

Below is the song I was hoping to sing there is a Karaoke version but Chris does not have it – great song though.

Xavier Rudd – Follow the sun

Well its now 3:30am and hopefully time for me to go to bed – sweet dreams.

Unique Red Dragon T-Shirt Inspired by Fantasy Art

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/4515994213/red-dragon-reading-at-typewriter-t-shirt?sr_prefetch=1&pf_from=shop_home&ref=shop_home_active_1&logging_key=c3707b5926850bb6c0a4638b76a506df8267a0eb%3A4515994213

So I had been thinking about printing a T-shirt for myself with one of the images that I have created for my website and have designed a T-shirt with the following T-shirt design.

They are made and shipped out from the USA and I have been experimenting with other possible designs to maybe do to. I have ordered one for myself so I can see what the qulaity is like and how long it takes to get from the US to the UK.

I love the red dragon not just because I am a Welshman and the dragon is on our national flag but I have always loved mythical creatures and fantasy art.

If all goes well here are a few other ideas I have too. Or again I mght just make one up for myself.

I love the designs and think its so clever that computer designs can put into picture ideas that you have in your mind.

Queen – Dragon Attack (Official Lyric Video)

Karaoke Nights: Finding Connection Through Music

Clocks went back by an hour over the weekend so its now gone 10pm instead off 11pm on Monday night. It feels more like a Sunday night as I had the day off today. I went out to a city called Plymouth to a bar called Walkabout to sing Karaoke with some friends on Sunday. I hope we all had a good night and got up and sang our little hearts out.

Some of my favourite songs that I sing relate to a connection between my head and heart in the songs concerning such unspoken matters such as unrequited love, past lovers no longer with us and love lost as well as other other things that are also important to me such as the loss of my father and brother or what will happen to us all on this planet in the future (all good deep and meaningful issues on my mind of coure).

I got to sing three songs last night – the first was ‘the Blowers Daughter’ by Damien Rice. The next song I sung I was ‘Fields of Gold’ by Sting and finally I sang a song by the killers called ‘All the things I have done’. I bit of drunken crowd participation took place too which was aq lot of fun and also late night out as the bar shut about 1:30am and I got home just after 2:30am so lucky to have the day off really as  a means of recovering from such a late night.

It’s a big venue with a big stage but does not really get that full so feels quite intimate to sing there and there are lots of other really good singers that also get up and give it their best. Since lock down back at the beginning of the 2020’s I have met so many good and new friends due to singing at Karaoke bars and it really has brought so many great opportunities too and a new lease of life for me.

I really do enjoy meeting new people and getting to know who they are and what makes them tick. I don’t know if this is a natural curious state of mind or brought on even more due to having lost people through them passing away and so searching for ways to meet other new and lovely people as a means to try and compensate for those that have been lost. This will be my first Christmas without my Dad which is strange and even though it’s still nearly 2 months away it is nonetheless a though on my mind.     

The Blower’s Daughter · Damien Rice

Singing in a bar called The Ship again

Well me and a couple of friends headed out last Friday to a bar called the Ship in Exeter and they had their Friday karaoke tunes being played and sung to. My friend Michelle was the first person to get up and sing and sung ‘Take My Breath Away’ by Berlin and really did such a powerful and yet emotionally beautiful version of the song it really was amazing to listen to, she did herself, the audience listening and the song proud.

I then put in a request for a song and got up and sung it, I was very nervous and sung a song called ‘all the things that I’ve done’ by the Killers. I was a little shy and not sung this song in a bar in many a year and found the words racing ahead on the screen where I would be then trying to catch-up and sing along to what was coming up. I managed to get through the whole song and people were very kind and clapping and cheered at the end of the song when I had finished which was great, I look forward to going back there and having a go another time.

I would like to try and sing the following song if I had a little more confidence and if the DJ had the song top sing which is by the cranberries and called ‘no need to argue’. I don’t think it would be suitable for the ship as that is more power ballads and rock and pop anthems where drunken crowds join in, but I might be able to get away with trying to sing it at the Arcade see if Damien has it as a selection.

The Cranberries – No need to argue

The album this song is on is also called ‘no need to argue’ and it came out when I was 18. It was beautifully sung and gently expressive song on an album that I found really helped me bring about calmness in my mind at a time in my life when I was a hugely sensitive and emotional person. All happy, hippy go lucky one minute, in love the next and then heartbroken after that! Listening to the song still to this day and it reminds me so much of when and what I have found and had, loved and lost and thankfully recovered and then been able to move on and prepare for the whole lot of madness and shenanigans again.

Little Singing Soul

There are many things that fascinate me about what it means to be alive and the one that I will touch on today is our love of and ability to interpret life and be interpreted by an expression of singing and the sounds we make when we sing a song.

I nearly always try to put a video of a song on my blog posts when I type one and one of the reasons I do this is sometimes because there is a particular song rattling around in my head that inspires a post or at other times a particular post I write inspires a song or both the post and song just somehow seem to fit.

When in my teens I used to love creative writing although I never have had an ability or gift to write songs. But I have always loved the appreciation of a good song and liked to tap my feet, when younger I used to dance too but now as I get older I have over the last few years got into singing in bars on karaoke nights.

I really do love doing this it’s such a great way to express yourself and have fun and show people that you have a life and a voice! I also love to listen to other people sing live and depending on my mood or where I am sometimes much prefer to listen to others sing than get up and sing myself. I do get nervous before I sing and in my local bar there are normally only about a dozen people listening of which half of them I might know and so I can manage my nerves easier in those situations rationalising to myself that as its a small group I’ll be ok and not judges if I make a mistake or sing badly. More often than not the people I sing in front of are very supportive and kind to me often complementing my singing which I really do appreciate. I’m no great singer but I am not bad too.

So last week some friends went out to a different bar which also runs a karaoke night and i decided to put a song in and get up and sing. I slowed down on my drinking as I did not want to get up there drunk and still wanted to give it my best shot. So an ahour and a half went by and I checked with the DJ if he had called my name out and he said that he thought my name was “You” not “Huw” and thought I had already left. So I was then the next one up on to sing. So sing my little heart out I did to a song by a band called Fun called “We Are Young” it went really well the crowd loved it, joining in too and I remembered the words too, so long as I kept my eyes on the screen and I seemed to hit the notes and sing at the right times and a good night was had by all.

The pub had a much bigger audience than I was used to singing in front of, but it was such a good experience I do hope to go back there again to try and sing my little heart out once more.

I think I will try and sing the song that I have placed below, when I can in the next busy karaoke bar I go to.

The Killers – All These Things That I’ve Done

The system only dreams in total darkness

Woke up at 1:30am after having a dream that I was in my lounge in the house we used to live in, in Liverpool, in the dream I was half asleep and half awake just about to nod off in front of the TV. Then from the window I see an explosion of a mushroom cloud of a nuclear detonation going off in the background. Back in the real world I wake up and open my eyes just to make sure it is not really happening and so now its 2:30am and I am sitting in front of my PC/TV typing away about what I just saw in said dream.

Dreams and nightmares are very intrusive at times I can rationalise or come to terms with my waking thoughts but dreams can sometimes catch you off guard and inflict ideas and visions onto you that you perhaps would rather not think about or comprehend.

So then I went to twitter for some inspiration and that then led me to  Pintrest where I saw this little iced gem of inspiration.

Speaking of icicles my heating stopped working yesterday and I have had no hot water or heating on since yesterday morning I was out most of the day so did not find out until getting home at 10pm and phoned the emergency number and reported it. They said they should be out in 24 hours or so and I am guessing they don’t work weekends so probably catch up with an enginner on Monday now.

I hope it stays like this as my home feels warm to me and I am wrapped up warm too with a hoody on my top and a blanket on my legs. Its about -3 oC outside and still about 15 oC in my flat so not to cold.

Song The System only dreams in total darkness by The National

Happy New Year 2023

Well we made it, another year turns to dust as a new one rises from its ashes.

I hope I’m right in writing that it is 2023! I feel like in some ways in the early hours of this morning I have woken up as a time traveler. Wanting to ask just one simple question which is ‘what year is it?’ hoping that the first random person I see will answer that it’s 2023.

As mum had to go into hospital a week before Christmas it kind of put us all out of kilt. We cancelled Christmas Dinner and dad’s partner had the flue so dad cancelled opening his presents this year, his are still under the darn Christmas tree. My dad has never really been excited about Christmas present opening though so having an excuse or reason not to open his presents in 2022 was something that he took all in his stride.

In his defence he does want to hopefully open his presents with his partner when he sees him when he is feeling better, which is fare enough but there was no way I could have the will power to keep my gifts unwrapped this long. We finally got around to cooking a Christmas lunch on new year’s eve and I am pleased to say I did most of the cooking and the food was lush even if I do say so myself.

The image above is of particular significance to me relating to many, many people I know love and respect in my life. And I wish them all a positive, prosperous and happy new year in 2023.

Friends, family, fellow bloggers and people I work with too. Sometimes I see simple random acts of kindness, courage and love from others that just show an insight into the depth of goodness in their souls that makes me happy to know that I know them and have them in some way in my life.

No one can no what tomorrow brings but built on the acts deeds and ideas of yesterday today can be another good day.

The Phoenix Foundation – Buffalo

To sing, to see and support

Went out to a local bar to sing karaoke last Thursday and met and sang a few songs with some friends There was also a lovely girl sitting on our table called Leanne and she was out with a friend of hers who was visiting from the states, he got up and sang some songs extremely well, you could say he had a certain X factor about him.

I feel that this should come with a disclaimer along the lines of if your offended by being termed weird then your not weird your just beautifully differernt

On the night Leanne did say to us that he was a great musician that was the lead singer in a band and had sung with many other musicians too. His name is Luke Spiller and he is in a band called The Struts’ I looked them up on spotify the next day and could not believe it that they have nearly 2 million downloads of his bands songs every month on the site and one of his last singles was with Robbie Williams too. It turns out he was over here to sing at a concert at the O2 Arena in Birmingham which is a massive venue in the UK. This was so cool too that him and Leanne just happened to rock up in our little bar and he sat on our table had a chat got drunk and sang songs just like the rest of us, but the difference being he could actually.

The following night I had an emotional reunion with a women called Kristie who is the daughter to the woman that was my brothers fiancé prior to when my brother took his own life, so had Andy not committed suicide she would have been a daughter in law. She was one of the people with my brother desperately trying to stop him from taking his life right in the horrible night that he took his own life, and it was such a horrendous experience for a lovely young woman to go through. I have not seen her in nearly seven years and so we had a good catch up hugged and exchanged memories and emotions about Andy and offered each other support and I got this photo of us to when we caught up.  

kristy and me catchup

I also do something which I dont normally do and made an implusive purchase on website from https://www.vkease.com/

I purchased 4 wooden carved animals with lights on them I hope to display them on my window sill one is a wolf and one is an eagle as pictured below I hope they look as good when they arrive.

New Radicals – You get what you give