This summer has been a whirlwind of festivals, amazing dresses and exciting press. If I started writing about everything I would carry on till the morning and seeing as it is already 1.39am on my ONLY night off until September I'm just going to show you a run down in pictures instead....
Above is Stephen and I doing an acoustic set at Latitude - you will notice that if there is no Jen to do my makeup then I will probably be wearing sunglasses!! Also it was really bright - I'm not doing it to be cool - honest! Clothes- models own (I've always wanted to say that!!)
Then we went and performed a headline slot at our first international festival - De Affaire in Nijmegen to about 3000 screaming dutch!!! It was amazing and I still don't fully believe it was real!
I was lucky enough to wear a one off by INBAR SPECTOR who has to be my new favourite designer- as you will see from the next 2 dresses- I'm a bit addicted!
My favourite moment of my career (so far) is this:
Captured by Thijmen Sietsma
Before this momentous gig we did a lovely unplugged session in a chapel where I was wearing another beautiful Inbar Spector creation:
Gabby Young and other animals from Marcus Moonen on Vimeo.
Then we drove all the way to Wiltshire (where I've lived all my life) to play at WOMAD -which is a HUGE honour for me and another big success....
The two days I was there were full of interviews and sessions and on the second day I wore a gorgeous dress from my other new favourite designer- Kumiko Tani
We have since had 2 brilliant reviews in national papers for our performance at Womad -
Guardian = "The most original British contribution came from the new Charlie Gillett stage (an excellent touch), where the flamboyant Gabby Young mixed brass and banjo with impressive ragtime vocals." Robin Denselow
Financial Times = "Gabby Young (as local as they come, having been born in neighbouring Malmesbury) was more distinctive. Clad in a white dress, red hair teased into what looked from a distance like a giant geranium, with a tracery like Victorian gothic ironwork over her right eye, she delivered what she termed “circus swing”. Her band, Other Animals, provided the swing, pumping trombone and wheezing accordion and the blocky beats of a Balkan wedding. Young was the circus, twirling a Bridget Riley umbrella and coaxing the audience to sing along." David Honigmann
and we were on the BBC news - Points West on Friday and Saturday - not bad for a weekend's work!
I couldn't have done this without our lovely festival publicity agent - Lauren Roth De Wolf who is a saint!!
Of course the unstoppable force that is Jennifer Nash was with us all the way and for our last day of this mental tour for Secret Garden Party we decided to get the wigs out and create this little masterpiece with me adorned in more Kumiko Tani . I had practically lost my voice by this show but the audience sang along with me the whole way - THANKYOU GUYS!!
Amelia's magazine did a lovely review of this with a couple of mindblowing illustrations like this one below by Michelle Urvall Nyrén who I am now obsessed with - thanks to Ameila and Co. for the mention and introducing me to so many talented artists through the years.
So what's next after my epic sleep... STANDON CALLING
Not only are we playing the main stage on Sunday (2.30pm) but I'm judging the fancy dress on Saturday (!), playing and signing a special set in the Rough Trade tent AND I'll have a Gabberdashery shop there ALL WEEKEND! We have so many amazing artists, crafts people and designers contributing to our shop I will find it hard not to buy everything myself AND I will be selling all my own second hand clothes from my massive clear out - (it's all good stuff just doesn't all fit in my wardrobe) so come and say hello if you're at Standon this weekend...
http://www.standon-calling.com/2010/07/19/dressing-up-dancing-and-shopping/
Oops I still ended up writing more then I was meant to...
So it's beddypies for me - yey!
Good nightings
Xox GabZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
PS- I can't believe I forgot to show you our new music video so here it is:
The second 'candy coloured' dress is by Lee Klabin who is not only a lovely woman but an amazing designer about to break through big time. And the headpiece is by the wonderful Rosa Bloom. I also was honoured to work with the stylist Jakob Brondum on this video and am very thankful to his team and especially to Jonny Levene and Aaron West for putting this together.
now I'm really going to bed! Xox
