In Chaos, In Line, We Tour Online, We Are Raf and O, We Are The Kick Inside, We Are Children Of The Bewlay Brothers
June 24, 2020 § Leave a comment
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No other time that I’ve lived through has ever felt as sobering. We can’t be near … the underlining fear … we’re through … we’re not … in chaos yet in line … the strangest times.
Testing our sanity, a world living with coronavirus had affected everyone’s lives beyond recognition. The world had slowed down.
At Raf and O headquarters, what could have been initially perceived as a quashed creative flow, has in fact reversed its black hole effect. Engaging again, yes challenged by the events, but responding to them in different ways.
Having had to stop our physical engagements just after coming back from a show near Liverpool at West Kirby Arts Centre, a show with a thoroughly warm reception and vibe, was a sudden blow, but the gravity of the global situation was far more harrowing. Like for many other artists and musicians, performances stopped, ongoing workshops were replaced in part by online teaching and the day to day worry dampened our spirits for a while. Have things since eased a bit? Maybe, too early to say. We are though adjusting and within that, finding a renewed sense of creative energy flowing through us, helping to replenish an unattended soul garden.
So, come with us on this journey, yes, countered to this subdued introduction, I would like you to know that we are very excited, we are going on virtual tour!
Announcing:
THE TOUR ONLINE 2020 – 2021
tickets available HERE
A year-long tour, two Saturdays each month, two shows each Saturdays to allow for different time zones, the whole world is invited, we transport ourselves live into wherever you are and perform.
Check dates below, times and tickets will be announced on our social media channels and updates on this website
We are The Kick Inside – The Songs of Kate Bush
Raf and O acoustic take (vocal, piano and double bass) celebrating early Kate Bush. For info, videos and more check THE KICK INSIDE PAGE
now hosted within the Raf and O website
We are Raf and O
Four acclaimed albums to date and currently penning a new one, yes, this is happening too!! Check our releases on
RAF AND O’S BANDCAMP
We are Children Of The Bewlay Brothers
Having released interpretations of David Bowie Songs featured on three Raf and O albums, celebrated the man live on wonderful and prestigious occasions, as documented on several of these blogs and having dedicated an original song to him ‘A BOW TO BOWIE’ on latest album ‘THE SPACE BETWEEN NOTHING AND DESIRE’ , the time has come to widen the circle. Raf and O as Children Of The Bewlay Brothers take on Raf and O interpretations together with extra renditions of the man who ‘sang himself to earth’ exploring his work through a Raf and O approach and beyond! Come and discover. Launching on Saturday 14th November!
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A Special Surprise Every Show
RAF AND O AS THE KICK INSIDE – THE SONGS OF KATE BUSH (TKI)
26 September 2020
24 October 2020
28 November 2020
26 December 2020
23 January 2021
27 February 2021
27 March 2021
24 April 2021
22 May 2021
26 June 2021
24 July 2021
28 August 2021
RAF AND O
10 October 2020
12 December 2020
13 February 2021
10 April 2021
12 June 2021
14 August 2021
RAF AND O AS CHILDREN OF THE BEWLAY BROTHERS (COTBB)
14 November 2020
09 January 2021
13 March 2021
08 May 2021
10 July 2021
12 September 2021
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We made a couple of videos from the performance at Paper Dress Vintage hosted by the wonderful Mally Harpaz, multi-instrumentalist with Anna Calvi, it was a thorough pleasure to be part of that event, which now, after the whole series of events, feels like a lifetime ago! Videos were also sent in from the performances at West Kirby Arts Centre, again it was a great pleasure to join folks up there.
I’m including a couple down here. Thanks again to Mal Robinson and Margaret Stevie Baker for the footage. Enjoy!
We truly can’t wait to re-engage with you all live again and in our world of screen technology, we should all have a splendid time on THE TOUR ONLINE, details coming soon, please come join us on tour and follow us on our social media pages too, spread the word, we really need you right now!!
Much, much love from Raf and O X
Back to RAF AND O’S BLOG/ NEWS PAGE
Raf and O – Your Gazing Stare Live at Paper Dress Vintage
Raf and O as The Kick Inside – The Songs Of Kate Bush – The Man With The Child In His Eyes Live at West Kirby Arts Centre
“Haunting And Compelling” Raf And O Review & Interview on Pennyblackmusic + London Live Show with Mally Harpaz and with TKI At West Kirby Arts Centre
September 18, 2019 § Leave a comment
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Raf and O Live t The Union Chapel, photo by Angelique Le Marchand at 3-Song Rule
Greetings! We have some exciting live news to announce and the latest from planet Raf and O!
Aside or probably more accurately orbiting around all current madness we’re seeking refuge in our music havens!
Raf and O are delighted to join Mally Harpaz on Tuesday September 24, an event presented by Blind Dog Studio at Paper Dress Vintage in London with Echo Wants Her Voice Back. There will also be some special guests.
Mally, multi instrumentalist with Anna Calvi, will be performing songs from her new album, Raf and O will perform songs from the new album ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ and on the bill also singer songwriter Echo. Looking forward to this very special concert! Not to be missed!
Get your TICKETS HERE!
FB EVENT
On Friday, November 8, we are heading to the northwest, precisely to West Kirby Arts Centre, where we’ll be presenting both a long set by The Kick Inside with lots of beautiful early songs by Kate Bush and a specially selected Raf and O set.
TICKETS on sale now!
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Raf and O Live at The Union Chapel, photo by Angelique Le Marchand at 3-Song Rule
The Kick Inside – The Songs of Kate Bush at The Penny Theatre, photo by Phill Morgan
Since the release of our new album ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ which garnered some fantastic reviews, (see our previous blog) we were reviewed and interviewed in Pennyblackmusic Magazine, where both O and I talked to John Clarkson about our new album, the influence of David Bowie, The Kick Inside and Kate Bush, Scott Walker, Raf and O live, where are we from? And a few other things.
Read the whole interview here
“Raf and O are a defiantly original act, one which one can listen to time over and still find something new, and with ‘The Space Between Nothing and Desire’ they have created an album that is as daring as it is compelling”
PENNYBLACKMUSIC
This year marks 50 years of the Moon landing, 50 years of Space Oddity and 50 years since David Bowie performed at the Growth Beckenham Free Festival on the bandstand that has just received its Grade II Listing, the same bandstand appearing on the cover of our second album Time Machine and where we recorded ‘Echoes’ live (featuring on our ‘Portal’ album) at MOAFF in 2014. Proud to have played this festival three times since the remake back in 2013 and of course we celebrated in our own way, by releasing ‘A Bow To Bowie’ our song dedicated to David featuring on the new album and receiving wonderful support from the likes of Electronic Sound, God Is In The TV Zine, Joe Muggs, Monolith Cocktail, Pennyblackmusic and Adrian Specs, a big thank you! And thanks to the Soap Company for inclusion on their best albums.
Don’t miss the upcoming concerts!
Spread the news!
With love
Raf and O X
Back to RAF AND O’S BLOG/ NEWS PAGE
“From the poignant to the provocative to the playful” Electronic Sound and More Reviews for Raf and O’s New Album ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ Out Now! ‘A Bow To Bowie’ Official Video + Live Video from the Launch
June 5, 2019 § Leave a comment
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Raf and O’s New Album ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ (CD/Digital) is out now!! Watch ‘A Bow To Bowie’ Official Video above, which was premiered on God Is In The TV Zine and a Live Video from the Launch! Reviews keep coming and are just incredible, a big thank you to all, excited to let the album out into the world! Spread the word and get it here!
The two covers are included on our CD, iTunes and other digital stores.
Buy Digital Album on iTunes
Buy CD Album on Bandcamp
“From the poignant to the provocative to the playful ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ is wonderfully theatrical and, unless you’re made of stone, quite irresistible .. It begins with ‘A Bow To Bowie’ an enthralling tribute to one of Raf & O’s main inspirations .. The intensity is off the scale”
ELECTRONIC SOUND
“Stark and otherworldly, a haunting ode, subtle swelling bricolage of ghostly synths, tumbling acoustic notes and a bass drum that thuds like a heartbeat throughout. While Raf’s almost otherworldly almost jazz-like vocals spiral across the upper register with echoes of Kate Bush at her most avant-garde”
GOD IS IN THE TV ZINE
“This is a strange and luscious album”
JOE MUGGS
“Sublime in execution, subtle but with a real depth and levity, TSBNAD is an astonishing piece of new romantic, avant-theater pop and electronica that dares to unlock the mind and fathom emotion, a masterclass of pulchritude magnificence. Imbued by both the musicality and spirit of David Bowie, Scott Walker, David Sylvian (both as a solo artist and with the fey romantics Japan), Kate Bush and in their most avant-garde mode, Bjork, the South London based duo of Raf (Raf Mantelli) and O (Richard Smith) occupy the perimeters of alternative art-rock and experimental electronica as the true inheritors of those cerebral inspirations”
MONOLITH COCKTAIL
An audio voyage that seems to bridge the gap between cosmos and earth as the record develops. ’A Bow to Bowie’ gazes explicitly heavenward, combining respectful, open sincerity with sheer intelligence and wit, absorbing musical and lyrical references to the song’s subject into a structure all their own. The title track is almost a battery-operated torch song, Raf’s sensual, almost swinging vocal conjuring up a kind of electronic chanson.”
ADRIAN SPECS
Thank you to Joe Muggs for featuring us on his radio show “The Wonderful Raf and O”! Thank you to Dexter Bentley for continued support, thank you to Bowie Wonderworld and thank you to all who made the Launch at Servant Jazz Quarters, it felt like an intimate and very special party. Hosted by dear friend Klarita from Kaparte Promotions, the event was filmed by Mal Robinson (watch the live video above) and photographed by Junko Rathmell (featured photo below) capturing the spirit of the night! Meanwhile The Kick Inside, our side project as interpretations of early Kate Bush, went down a storm in Birmingham, you can read about it on social media, keep in touch with the latest live appearances on The Kick Inside FB page and of course Raf and O ‘s page! We’re also on Instagram, twitter, youtube, you name it!
The space between nothing and desire is already evolving … lots of new ideas are flourishing but for now, we are so proud to unleash into the world…
The new album!
Come and get it we truly value your support!
More images below.
Love
Raf and O X
Back to RAF AND O’S BLOG/ NEWS PAGE
Raf and O ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ Album Launch. Photo © Junko Rathmell
Still from the Album Launch live footage by Mal Robinson.
Review of Raf and O’s New Album ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ in Electronic Sound
‘A Bow To Bowie’ Is Here and ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ Launches 26052019 + More Live Outings
April 2, 2019 § Leave a comment
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Raf and O – A Bow To Bowie
He sang himself to Earth…
A Bow To Bowie Is here!
Truly excited to share this with you!
‘A Bow To Bowie’ and ‘A Mechanical Ride’ are available now together with pre-orders of The Space Between Nothing And Desire on Telephone Records.
Pre-Order Digital Album on iTunes
Pre-Order CD Album on Bandcamp
The Album Launch will be on Sunday 26th May in the intimate and elegant space of SJQ, Servant Jazz Quarters, London, promoted by long time dear friend Klarita from Kaparte Promotions. We’re incredibly excited to be able to bring ’The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ live to you!
Tickets are on sale now!
Facebook Event
Over the years Raf and O have expressed their affinity with Bowie and took on the task to reinterpret some of his songs, including ‘The London Boys’ which is part of the new album.
September saw the announcement of ABTB and on January 8th it was revealed to be ‘A Bow To Bowie’, written in December 2016.
“I really wanted to write a song for David after his passing, but it took me a few months before I felt I could tackle it” Raf Mantelli
With ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ Raf and O go in search of a new quest: where, or, what is the space between nothing and desire? The primal concept that makes the world go round, desire, is abstract and yet so tangible, juxtaposed to nothing, equally as baffling, as to truly imagine it, it is impossible. With these parameters forming their chart, the latest album captures the duo navigating a journey into the senses, into the longing and the belonging.
Below the album tracklist:
1. A Bow To Bowie
2. The Space Between Nothing And Desire
3. Underwater Blue
4. Anger
5. Your Gazing Stare
6. A Mechanical Ride
7. Such A Small Love
8. With Fatzer
9. The Windmill
10. The London Boys
11. Haunted
‘Such A Small Love’ is a cover of Scott Walker recorded in September 2016.
Raf and O paid tribute to Walker last week as the news broke of his departure. Read here
Lovingly mastered at Trace. Big thanks to Mark Beazley.
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Raf and O live, Pennyblackmusic 20th anniversary at The Water Rats. Photo © Peter Tainsh
In February we were celebrating the latest live achievements which saw Raf and O in the latter part of 2018 alongside our other selves The Kick Inside, performing selective shows along the East Coast of England and surroundings including Manor House and theatre shows, as well as live appearances at the Klinker, Bethnal Green Working Mens Club and at the mighty PennyblackMusic 20th Anniversary held in the Water Rats quarters; the latter was John Clarkson’ s favourite show of 2018 whilst Raf and O as The Kick Inside – The Songs Of Kate Bush is in Adrian Ainsworth round-up of favourite live music of 2018.
“…An entrancing set of slanted, left-field songs that work their hazy magic on a drunken summer day. Comparisons to Broadcast, Stereolab, and even – yes – Kate Bush might help, but in reality Raf and O exist in their own, idiosyncratic universe, with a deeply unique sound that everyone should fall into for a while” Dominic Simpson, Pennyblackmusic.
UPCOMING
7th April – Birmingham, Fletchers Bar – TICKETS
18th May – West Kirby, The Wirral, West Kirby Arts Centre – TICKETS
26th May – London, Servant Jazz Quarters – TICKETS
Live performances will also bring us to Birmingham on 7th April at Fletchers Bar with TKI and at West Kirby Arts Centre where we will perform both as TKI and Raf and O on Saturday 18th May. More info and events on Raf and O and The Kick Inside FB pages.
Join us for the launch, it will be a very special night in London!
‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’… don’t miss!
Love
Raf and O xx
Back to RAF AND O’S BLOG/ NEWS PAGE
Gazing Ahead to The Space Between Nothing And Desire + Celebrating Kate Bush with The Kick Inside Launch and a Live Session on the DeXter Bentley Show
February 11, 2018 § Leave a comment
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It’s 2018 and we’re kicking off with live activities again!
Kate Bush has given music lovers something to treasure: a great musician and producer, a brilliant composer and an amazing most unique voice. This year and month marks the 40th anniversary of Kate and her debut album. Adopting their name from this album,TKI or The Kick Inside, a tribute to Kate Bush by Raf and O (see previous blog), perform tracks from her early albums fully live, elegantly and stylishly capturing the energy, excitement and fragility of Kate’s music on vocals, piano and double bass. Celebrating Kate, The Kick Inside Launch, promoted by the always excellent Kaparte, is in London at Bar & Co, the club on a boat, Temple Pier, on Sunday 25th February. It is also O Richard’s birthday and Raf, will keep celebration on hold till then.
‘We’ll be playing a full show of Kate’s beautiful songs from the early part of her career. Triple celebration. Come!’
The launch is also featured on Kate Bush News and TKI has been described as:
’Strikingly individual’ Kate Bush News
And to kick start it all off, The Kick Inside will be playing live in session on the mighty deXter Bentley Show on London’s Resonance 104.4 FM, Saturday 17th February, 12pm which is the date marking Kate’s debut album 40 years ago!
We’re now gazing ahead to … and we’re very excited to introduce ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’. That is the title of Raf and O’s new album and it’s set to be released later this year!
A slice from the album was aired yesterday for the very first time on the deXter Bentley Show: an edit preview of a brand new Raf and O song, ‘Your Gazing Stare’. The album will also include our version of David Bowie’s ’The London Boys’. We can’t say too much more at this stage, but keep your ears and eyes peeled, social media is always the quicker way to get fresh news!
Last November we even got to say thank you in person for the support Mike Garson had given to our version of Bowie’s Lady Grinning Soul back in 2013 after he played a magical show at the Camden Underworld!
Raf and O are now on Instagram too and we have unveiled a new logo, a moon-light reworking from our previous. Come and follow our new Instagram page here and here
See you down at THE KICK INSIDE LAUNCH. Come!
Raf and O Xx
Back to RAF AND O’S BLOG/ NEWS PAGE
Raf and O 
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