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Rotterdam Songcrafters (incl Irene) Showcase – 7 June

Irene joined this active group of (mostly young) Rotterdam songwriters who meet monthly to share songs written in response to a group assignment. Styles vary considerably. But it’s good to have a regular opportunity to share our interest in songcraft and to challenge and be challenged to extend our boundaries.

Come to our Showcase at RAAF on Saturday, 7 June, starting at 8pm, and get a taste of the fruit of our labour. 7 of the 8 regular members of the group will be there to entertain us.

Irene will be singing with Koos on a song that they worked on together: “No regrets”. And Margriet will join Irene on some new songs (“This for you” on ukelele, “All that matters”, and “Giants”, written for a retirement do of a long-term friend of Margriet’s), and perhaps an old “Two Doors Down” favourite.

Come early for a tasty (low budget) meal.

Two Doors Down – one outlet amongst many

It’s true. I am prolific as a songwriter, thanks to my various outlets.

Margriet and I regularly spend time writing “Crème Brûlée” lyrics. (This is our dutch act, for nursing home audiences – recidents, staff and family members – drawing on Margriet’s experience as a nursing home doctor. We’ve just finished the lyrics for a song called “Rollator Blues”, and we’re now in middle of writing one called “Relatie”). And I have loads of Two Doors Down and ‘Crème Brûlée lyrics waiting for a tune. (I can write lyrics anywhere, but melodies require time in the company of an instrument and a recording device.)

There is more to songwriting, though, than merely writing songs. To perform them live, they need to be arranged. To record an album is a collaborative process that requires a whole other skill set.

The “Send us a friend” project gave me a wonderful opportunity to get valuable Producer experience, and we have a CD to be proud of, that is also helping to raise much-needed funds to enable underprivileged children in the slums of Addis Abeba to go to school.

For more information about this project, see http://www.facebook.com/sendusuafriend

To listen to the songs and purchase them as a digital download, go to http://sendusafriend.bandcamp.com

 

Our first festival: THISSFEST 2013 : 27-30 June : The Hague

Two Doors Down is on the programme for this 4-day, 6-venue International Singer-Songwriter Festival to be held in The Hague from 27 to 30 June.

For more information and regular updates on the festival, see http://thissfest.org/

We’ll keep you posted re: when and where you can see us live.

Irene & Margriet tied up with other projects

Margriet and I have been busy with all kinds of other projects. In January 2013 we had our first live gig in a nursing home with our other act, crème brûlée. And since October 2012 have been tied up with a CD Project called “Send us a friend”, performed by “Friends & neighbours”, the name we opted for to reflect the cameraderie of everyone involved.

The CD is in aid of a charity working amongst poor children in Addis Abeba, the Ethio-Berhan Foundation. (www.ethioberhan.nl)

The CD contains twelve Christian songs on relevant themes and features a children’s choir, an adult choir, and assorted instruments – bass guitar, lead guitar, saxophone, clarinet, violin and percussion – as well as Margriet on drum, soprano recorder, melodica, glockenspiel, shakers.

The CD has been mixed and mastered, and we are currently finalizing the CD booklet before pressing. As soon as we know the launch date (with concert), we’ll let you know.