Why I love Dowsing For Sound

I'm going to be approaching things slightly differently this week; the fringe shows are being put momentarily to the back of my mind (apart from signing contracts for preview dates and occasionally looking at my script in my lunchbreak), I won't be working with my other music-based projects (apart from Eureka Stockade who I am gigging with on Friday, and also sorting out my costume for the filming of the British IBM promo video) and I'll even put aside my rigorous fitness regime. Well, you could argue that has been 'on hold' since January anyway, because I'm clearly just not the type. But the reason why? It's because I need to be focused, focused on all things Dowsing For Sound as this Saturday it is the gig.

I try not to think too much ahead of a gig - it's so easy to over-analyse everything and lose sleep over big shows, at the end of the day typically no matter how big the gig is if you're well prepared, rehearsed and in good shape (ie; eat 2 hours before the gig so that you go into it feeling strong but not bloated, have a cheeky half pint so you're relaxed but not pissed) with well-tuned equipment no situation should be too daunting. But Dowsing For Sound is something else - this project is a complex beast to say the least. Centred around a full choir (I think there's about 55 of them, all of them seem lovely, I might add), I have the pleasure of playing drums/percussion/timpani for the band that backs them - a band that features some of the most talented people I have ever worked with - or even met, I have generally been spending rehearsals in awe of my bandmates. We're all held together by Andrea - our musical director, who is one of the most inspirational people on the planet. This whole thing was her brainwave in the first place, she's created a musical monster but somehow manages to make it work; keeping the band in shape, keeping the choir in their place, playing piano...all simultaneously, it often borders on miraculous.

We did a gig last year and it was up there with the best nights of my life - hence the reason why I was reluctant to come back, because I just wasn't sure if it could be bettered. But somehow, it's gone up a notch or two, I couldn't see how - but it has. Everything feels just that little bit more powerful, it's brighter and bigger than before, if last year we hit top gear, this time around we're hitting overdrive.

We're playing at The Cambridge Corn Exchange this Saturday - two sets, ticket sales going extremely well, press and media all over it. I've told a few people this is the 'biggest gig of my career' - and it is. Not because it will be at the Corn Exchange - I've played there a few times before, not because of the size of the audience - I've played to bigger at festivals. But it's because of the scale of the ambition of this show - it's so adventurous, it's so bloody clever. And quite tricky, but that's what rehearsals are for. I'm not going to say what is in the set just in case anybody reading this is planning to attend, but it's a wild, crazy setlist, joyful yet heartbreaking, simplistic yet at times intensively complicated, all tying in nicely. Basically, it's a bit of a treat.

I can't believe I'm writing this BEFORE the gig, or even before the dress rehearsal - which is tomorrow night. But I've been listening to the set all day at work, cementing the songs in mind - I need to know these tunes like I know my lines for my plays, it needs to be perfect. And yesterday's rehearsal was just wonderful - there was a session we had a few weeks back with the choir and band together and I got all hot and bothered and drummed like a loser. Since then though we've had more rehearsals as a band, and yesterday with the choir (who have been rehearsing for months for this gig) things felt like they were gelling nicely. Just in time. That's a relief. There's a couple songs I'm not needed on, so naturally when I have a spare moment I retreat to my safety zone; aka Facebook mobile. But whilst viewing inane statuses from people moaning about the weather and such, I virtually froze; hearing that choir so pure, so beautiful, I almost felt emotional. But I'm a man, so none of that. But they're so good, so, so good.

So this week my head will be in a Dowsing frame of mind. The gig on Saturday feels very much like a cup final, months of hard work coming to fruition in one big centre piece. There's a lot of people involved with Dowsing For Sound - it's a community, one blessed with a great sense of friendship and support for all involved. I said that you can't think too much about a gig - but this will be more than a gig. Dowsing For Sound isn't just a choir with a band, it's something we think about constantly, the project that keeps our routine-littered existance exciting, it's a way of life.

So anyway, no pressure, then.