signed guitar up for grabs

We're not really in the habit of plugging new album releases. Actually, we don't ever plug new album releases. Not even stuff by JLS. But we're happy to tell you that two very talented musicians have a new album out. It's called Area 52 by Rodrigo y Gabriela. If you've not listened to them, you should. They make nice music. And we're big fans.

To celebrate their new album they've given us a signed Yamaha guitar to give away. The guitar's worth £500, and looks a bit like the one here, only signed (Rodrigo y Gabriela are currently touring in Mexico but will sign it when they get back to the UK next month).

The winner will get the signed guitar and a pair of tickets to one of Rodrigo y Gabriela's February UK shows (city of your choosing). Ten runners up will get a CD of the new album posted to them.

To enter, just let us know what your favourite song of all time is* (leaving it as a comment to this post). Deadline for entries is 6pm Sunday 29th January. We'll pick a winner and ten runners up at random next week. The lucky winner will find themselves a signed guitar and a pair of gig tickets richer, ten runners up will be one very good album better off and, if nothing else, we'll all have some jolly good song suggestions to make a monster playlist from.

WINNERS UPDATE - congratulations to Laura Quinton for winning the signed guitar and gig tickets, and also our runners up Helena Marie, Steve K, Dan Brown, Myranda Love, Ian, Karl, Sarah Harman, Leo Sayer, Ali Smith, Shane Simpson, Laura Jeffs.

* Please note - the song you choose will not in any way affect your chances of winning, no matter how bad it is.

the musical highlight of our summer

We might have mentioned a few weeks ago that our very own innocent band were going to perform at the Empire. No, not the titular music store from Empire Records, but London's O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire, which is just as impressive (if not more so, as it's not fictional). For those of you who were unable to make it down, we thought you might enjoy this little video of them kicking it out.

gig of the year

Forget Fruitstock, get over Glastonbury and don’t even bother with that festival that you have to dress up like a fish for.

For there is only one gig to be at this summer and it’s happening at the 02 Shepherds Bush Empire on Friday 29th July.

Yes, that’s right. Precisely three years after their last public performance at the Village Fete ‘08, the innocent band are back for one night only. And it is going to rock.

If you missed the innocent band the last time round, now is your chance to come and see the people who make your smoothies by day, rock out by night.

Here they are, taking five during a rehearsal to sup on their OJ rider. 

Next Friday, this is where they're going to be

They’re on stage at 7:15pm sharp (meaning you can come along and watch and still make it home for Newsnight after) and tickets are on sale right now.

So if you fancy rocking out next Friday, buy yourself a ticket right here.

 

N.B Imogen Heap won't be playing. We thought we should say that just in case you saw that picture at the top, got all excited, bought a ticket and then turned up to be nothing but bitterly disappointed. It's never a way to start a w/e.

jamiroquai, the jazz cafe and the big knit

Spot our Big Knit hat as sported by the original 'Cat in the Hat' Jamiroquai at the Jazz Cafe last week.

A pretty hot contender for best the celebrity with hat in our hat tag competition. Thanks to @mistletter for the photos.

peace on your computer screen

Next Tuesday 21st September is Peace One Day. To mark the occasion you could do a few things for peace. You could watch the webcast of the Peace One Day 2010 Celebration from 8pm GMT including an exclusive high quality stream of the Peace One Day concert from Paris and live presentations. You could join the innocent and Peace One Day wall of peace and encourage as many of your friends as possible to do the same. Or you could find a limited edition innocent and Peace One Day smoothie in the shops and wear your free badge with pride for the whole day.

Or you could do all three, watch the concert, join the wall, get the smoothie and badge. 

hairy fruititioners

When we're not working making smoothies, looking for elephants, or building vegetable gardens, we also enjoy running around fields in Pilton (care of Michael Eavis) dancing along to Shakira*, playing with Germanic ladyboys underneath tube-carriage wrecks**, and wearing amusing things on our heads***

Ruth won the competition with her sly blonde tash

 

Though Charlie and Olly's double-team meant that he was mistaken for ZZ Top (who weren't actually on the bill, which led to further confusion)

Caroline and Joe went for a cowby-come-bandito look whilst rocking it out to Muse (what else would you wear to thrashing electro-guitar?)

Tom was mistaken for a disguised Michael Bolton

Joe channelled the hippy love and got lost between Paul Mcartney and the Beach Boys

And then Lady Gaga made a surprise appearance (or so Oli would like to believe)

Of course, it wasn't all just hairplay and braiding, and we tried to ensure that everyone made it to their five-a-day. Don't you think that Florence's guitarist is enjoying himself a pineapple, bananas and coconuts smoothie here?

*cannot confirm that all of us enjoy this said past time

** same again

***totally confirmed

ukulele idol

Do you recognise this man?

Well for those of you who came along to our fete last summer, you might recall this handsome chap as Mr. Rod Thomas, who was strumming his ukulele at about 2 o'clock on the Sunday on The Acoustic Bandstand stage.

As well as working the sports casual look rather well, he's also just won Best Ukulele Video of the Year award , which features another rather fetching jumper and some very friendly socks.

You can listen to more of Rod's ear candy here or simply just kick back and watch his award winning video (and jumper) below:

win a thing

Small competition...

I bought two copies by mistake, so someone else can have the spare. Best reason posted before 9am on Monday wins it.

one, two, three, four

This feels like something everyone should watch just before the weekend. Especially if you're learning to count.

some video highlights from the weekend

Youtube is a truly wonderful thing for stuff like this.

James Taylor Quartet on Saturday night:

nabbed from darrenwool

The wonderful Angus and Julia Stone playing their Mango Tree song on Sunday afternoon in the Hay Barn:

filmed quite badly by ourselves on a little digital camera that does movie clips

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain play a unique cover of Smells Like Teen Spirit. (Watch the far left strummer for some great ukulele head banging).

same camera, same shakie hip shot style

And last, but definitely not least, our very own innocent band in the Village Disco on Sunday evening: