Monday 30th January 2012 - Welcome to 2012!
Hello Floe friends!
Erm...is it too late for us to wish you all a Happy New Year?!
Apologies for not having been in touch for a while but as always its certainly not due to lack of activity here at Floe HQ...quite the opposite in fact!
We've been mostly hibernating in a studio in Maida Vale with James Earp - an incredibly talented writer/producer signed to Warner. We're collaborating with James on a currently untitled track and Oh Boy! are we excited at how it's sounding!
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...we've been recording another little treat for you all! As a follow up to our well received Simple Pleasures Tour in October we've been busily recording a few stripped back beauties to be self released in early Spring.
No doubt we'll be looking to get out on the road again to bring the music to your doorsteps so watch this space for news on both the projects mentioned above and some headline gigs coming to a venue near you!
Finally, we've just confirmed our first live date of 2012 - a support for the legendary Michael Chapman at AcoustiCity in Colchester. Details can be found on the Gigs page.
Thank you as always for your invaluable patience and support and here's to a promising year ahead!
Welcome to 2012!
Sarah & Liz.
Friday 30th September 2011 - Launch of 'Simple Pleasures' Month!
Buttered Toast....
A Seaside Ice Cream...
A Sunday Lie In...
....what's your simple pleasure?!
Here at The Floe HQ we agree that things don't have to be flashy, loud, complicated or expensive to be special.
We'd even go so far as to say sometimes less is most definitely more!
That's why we've decided to declare this October our 'Simple Pleasures' month!
We'll be heading out on the road later in the month to play a series of small but perfectly formed gigs. Just the two of us. No vast stages, blinding light shows, expensive ticket prices, rowdy crowds, bells or whistles. Just intimate, heartfelt performances in fuss-free venues where you can sit back, relax and enjoy the show. See gigs page dates and locations (hopefully more to follow!)
We'll also be uploading a selection of videos to our You Tube channel and Twitter & Facebook pages throughout October. These will be fly-on-the-wall style acoustic performances of our tracks, some old and familiar, some new and unreleased, played in the comfort of Floe HQ and with minimal fiddling - no stylists, editing or autotune here! We've already uploaded the first one (even though we know technically we're still in September!) - click here to watch 'Pearshaped' - what better anthem for appreciating the simple things in life. There'll be more to follow over the coming weeks so keep an eye out!
And finally, we'll be sharing some of our favourite simple pleasures with you all - links to some of our favourite acoustic performances by other artists, personal recommendations for a good read or a great coffee shop....and we'd like you to do likewise! Even better, we'd love to share some simple pleasures with you guys - if you'd like to meet up for a cuppa with us, share a Sunday Brunch, walk the dog with The Floe, bake a cake with The Floe, have a catch up with us on the phone/Skype, request a special song....you name it....post your simple pleasure on our Twitter &/or Facebook page or email us at info@thefloe.com and we'll see what we can do!
Here's to a wonderful October. Sarah will be donning her fluffy slippers and digging into a bowl of her Mum's apple crumble and custard, Liz will be snuggling under the duvet till it's time for her Sunday Roast. What will you be doing?! ;-) x
Simply pleasurable wishes,
Sarah, Liz & team.
Tuesday 19th July 2011 - Thank yous & next event!
Hi all!
Firstly, MASSIVE thanks to all of you who joined us at High Barn for another brilliant evening last Friday! We were thrilled with the turn out and the warmth of enthusiasm we've been receiving about the new sound, line up and songs so thank you for your support and for being part of such a memorable evening.
Secondly, good news on the Race For Life front! We completed the 5K cross-country course on Sunday morning in around 36 minutes which considering the crowds wasn't 'arf bad. We've already raised nearly £400 for Cancer Research UK but its still not too late to sponsor us if you so wish....donations can be made online at http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/sarahfromthefloe & http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/lizfromthefloe
Finally, we've just received confirmation that we'll be opening the Desperately Seeking 80s festival at Maldon's Promenade Park (Essex) this Saturday! We'll be onstage from 1.30pm - 2.15pm, warming things up ahead of a host of top quality 80s tribute acts and headliners Alexander O'Neal & Nik Kershaw (the real ones!). If you fancy a trip down memory lane then pack up your picnic boxes, bundle up those blankets, wash down those wellies and get over to Maldon! Details can be found on the gigs page.
After the DS80s performance we'll be spending the summer recording and producing the new material ahead of hopefully touring the UK later in the year. We'll keep you posted as things become more definite.
Meanwhile, we wish you all a wonderful summer hols and hope to see some of you at the weekend!
Sarah, Liz & team @ The Floe HQ.
Monday 4th July 2011 - WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!
Goooooooooood Morning Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls!
And yes, even though it's a Monday we believe it can still be a very 'good' morning!
Today is the launch of National Transplant Week and as a band with the combined total of 3 kidneys (Sarah donated one to her partner Paul in 2008 - all still going miraculously well!) this is definitely a campaign close to our hearts...or vital organs of various varieties! In 2009 we even launched a campaign of our own with the single 'I Hope You Know' to raise awareness of how important it is to get yourselves signed up to the NHS Organ Donor Register.
This year's Transplant Week is focussing on the question "What are you waiting for?"...
There are currently over 7,500 people in the UK waiting for a transplant.
96% of us would take an organ if we needed one but only 29%of the population are on the Organ Donor Register. What are you waiting for?
http://www.transplantweek.co.uk
You could make a life saving decision right this minute, whilst waiting for your bus, or waiting on the train, or waiting in the queue for your coffee...or for the kettle to boil....or for your children to get ready! Go on...get your week off to a heroic start by signing up to the organ donor register today or by chatting to friends and family about it if you've already done so.
Thank you x
On other matters....whilst on the subject of waiting and/or getting things done....have you got those High Barn tickets yet? Our next headline is only a couple of weekends away now so time to get a move on! (Full details on the Gigs page)
We promise it'll be worth the wait! ;-)
Have a great week everyone!
Sarah, Liz & team @ The Floe HQ.
http://www.facebook.com/thefloe
http://twitter.com/thefloemusic
Tuesday 7th June 2011 - Progress Report!
Hello friends! How's things?!
We thought it was long overdue that we dropped you a line to say hi and keep you all informed of progress here at The Floe HQ.
It's been a while huh! June?! JUNE?!!! How can it possibly be June already!?!!! *sigh*!
Apologies for not being in touch quite as frequently recently but rest assured it is because we're busily beavering away back here getting prepared for our next live outing at High Barn on 15th July! There's much to do, loads of new material to get ship-shape and a zillion ideas floating round our heads that we're trying to pin down and make reality! There's even some new 'friends' to rehearse with! (nudge nudge wink wink!) The Cramphorn Theatre gig back in February is going to be a tough act to follow but we're as determined as ever to keep pushing and bettering ourselves. We think you're in for a treat in July! Have you booked your tickets yet? Don't leave it to the last minute...tick it off your To Do List today! (See gigs page for booking details)
In other news...
Our song 'I Hope You Know' received an Honourable Mention in the Adult Contemporary category of the 2010 International Songwriting Competition. A massive achievement considering the quality and quantity of entrants. See the full list of winners here... http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners
We're putting the wheels in motion for our next release! We've been meeting with producers, selecting possible singles from the ever-growing collection of new songs, discussing what direction to take it all in. There's so much to consider and very little set in stone so far but certainly a case of 'watch this space'!
Keep an ear out next time you're out and about on the High Street, at the hotel or restaurant, in the supermarket....our music is now getting regular plays across the UK on in-store compilations thanks to our friends at Image Sound. We've had feedback from Holiday Inn, Superdrug, McDonalds...it's definitely out there so do make a point of checking whether it's us you're tapping your foot too as a you queue for the tills!
And last but certainly not least we've somehow found time to train for this year's Race For Life! We'll be running 5k at Hylands Park in Chelmsford on July 17th. Lets just say our talents definitely lie on the stage not on the sports field but with such a great charity to support and very personal reasons for participating it's not so hard to find the motivation! We'd welcome your sponsorship...
http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/sarahfromthefloe
http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/lizfromthefloe
Thanks for your continued support and encouragement everyone. Do keep an eye on our social networking sites (links below) for news, photos and all the gossip 'as it happens' and we look forward to catching up with you all at High Barn!
All the best,
Sarah, Liz & team @ The Floe HQ.
Sunday 27th March 2011 - The Floe's very own Census!
Hi everyone!
It's hard to believe this is the first time we've been in touch since our Cramphorn Theatre headline last month! To be honest, it's taken this long to come back down to earth! Wow, what a spectacular evening! Thank you to all who came, especially those who used words such as 'spellbound' and 'mesmerised' to describe the atmosphere...it felt pretty magical to us too so we're thrilled at the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the 'new us' and can't wait for the next show!
Now...it hasn't escaped our notice that all of us will be filling in our Census forms at the moment! This really made us think about the experiences that we offer you and how much we could learn and improve what we do by asking you just a few simple questions. So, we've created our own census questionnaire! If you could find a few minutes to complete it then we promise to use your responses to make a difference.
The questions are below. Please send us your answers via email to: info@thefloe.com
Thanks in advance for your time and attention! You guys rock! ;-)
All the best,
Sarah, Liz & team.
THE FLOE 2011 CENSUS!
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS. WE'RE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL. PLEASE ANSWER HONESTLY (GOOD BAD OR UGLY!) WE PROMISE TO KEEP YOUR RESPONSES CONFIDENTIAL AND WILL ONLY USE THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE GIVEN US TO ENRICH YOUR FLOE EXPERIENCE IN THE FUTURE!
ABOUT OUR FANS...
1. WHAT IS YOUR LOCATION (TOWN/CITY)?
2. WHAT GENDER ARE YOU?
3. : WHICH OF THESE AGE RANGES DESCRIBE YOU:
0 -19 YRS OLD? / 20 – 39 YRS OLD? / 40 – 59 YRS OLD? / 60 OR OVER
4. HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN ABOUT/FOLLOWED THE FLOE? (or previous incarnations of us!)
ABOUT OUR GIGS...
5. HOW OFTEN DO YOU GO OUT TO SEE LIVE MUSIC? (Any artist/band/genre)
(e.g. Weekly? Monthly? Yearly? Other...)
6. ROUGHLY HOW FAR ARE YOU WILLING TO TRAVEL TO SEE THE FLOE PERFORM?
(e.g Only within your town/city? Within your county? Up to 50 miles? Anywhere in the UK? Other....etc)
7. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS A REASONABLE TICKET PRICE FOR A FLOE HEADLINE GIG?
8. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE/MOST MEMORABLE FLOE PERFORMANCE AND WHY?
9. ARE THERE ANY VENUES/EVENTS YOU'D LIKE TO SEE US PLAY THAT WE'VE NOT YET VISITED?
(Please give us the name/location of the venue or event and why you think we should perform there!)
ABOUT OUR RELEASES /MERCHANDISE...
10. WHAT IS YOUR PREFERRED METHOD OF LISTENING TO MUSIC?
(e.g. Radio? CD? Paid downloads onto MP3 player? Free online streaming – You Tube/Spotify etc? Other...)
11. WHERE/HOW DO YOU BUY THE MAJORITY OF YOUR MUSIC?
(Please name the site/store if possible)
(e.g. Shop/Supermarket? Online Mail-order Store (Amazon etc)? Online Digital Store? (iTunes etc), Other....)
12. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE FLOE PRODUCE NEXT?
(e.g. Full studio album CD? Live CD? DVD? Digital Single/EP? Free demos/downloadable tracks online?....)
13. ARE YOU INTERESTED IN OTHER BRANDED MERCHANDISE, SUCH AS T-SHIRTS, BAGS ETC AND IF SO, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE US TO OFFER?
ABOUT OUR WEBSITES...
14. HAVE YOU EVER VISITED THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES/PAGES & IF SO, HOW OFTEN?
(For each one please answer NEVER, OCCASIONALLY OR REGULARLY)
OUR WWW.FLOE.COM WEBSITE
OUR FACEBOOK PAGE
OUR YOU TUBE PAGE
OUR MYSPACE PAGE
OUR TWITTER PAGE
OTHER....?
15. WHAT IS YOUR MAIN REASON FOR VISITING OUR WEB PAGES, AND/OR THOSE OF OTHER ARTISTS?
(e.g. To get gig info? To buy CDs/merchandise/gig tickets? To stream/listen to music online? To get news updates? To interact with the band on social networks etc?...)
16. WHAT NEW/DIFFERENT ONLINE EXPERIENCES WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN?
(e.g. Regular video uploads? Live streaming of gigs/web chats with the band? Mobile Phone Apps? Podcasts? Free MP3s? Exclusive access to demos/previously unseen content? More regular interaction on social networks? Other...)
ABOUT OUR COMMUNICATION...
17. HOW/WHERE DID YOU FIRST HEAR ABOUT THE FLOE?
18. HOW DO YOU USUALLY FIND OUT ABOUT NEW ARTISTS AND MUSIC NEWS ETC?
(e.g. Newspapers/Magazines? TV ads? Online? Friends & Family? Please name the source where possible)
19. ARE YOU SIGNED UP TO OUR MAILING LIST? IF SO, WHAT PERCENTAGE (ISH!) OF OUR MAIL OUTS DO YOU OPEN & IF APPLICABLE WHAT IS YOUR REASON FOR NOT READING/DELETING THEM?
(e.g. Don't have time to read? Don't open properly/formatting issues? Content is not interesting/not relevant to your location etc?...)
20. HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN PART IN/ARE YOU INTERESTED IN EXCLUSIVE OFFERS/REWARDS/FREEBIES/COMPETITIONS AND OTHER FAN INCENTIVES OFFERED BY THE FLOE?
(If you've taken part before, please let us know which e.g. 1st Birthday Giveaway, Live @ AloneMe HQ etc...)
THE END!
IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER FEEDBACK, CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM, SUGGESTIONS, REQUESTS ETC THIS IS YOUR BIG MOMENT! FEEL FREE TO LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS AND WE'LL TAKE ALL YOUR COMMENTS ON BOARD.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME!
PLEASE EMAIL YOUR ANSWERS TO INFO@THEFLOE.COM
Thursday 20th January 2011 - New Year, New Start!
Happy New Year everyone!
So here we are in 2011 then! How did we get here?!! The Floe (or variations on the theme!) have now officially been around for over a decade! Woah...the oldest new band ever perhaps?! We prefer mature and experienced! ;-)
So...kicking off the new year is our headline at the Cramphorn on Feb 12th. Two great supports confirmed, a killer set in preparation and an opportunity for our local fans to hear the 'new' us! We're working so hard behind the scenes to rediscover ourselves and fully embrace what 2 girls, 2 pianos, 2 voices and a laptop are truly capable of! Huge possibilities. We'd like to think of it as an evolution rather than a departure, so never fear all you Floe traditionalists out there! We're stupidly excited about playing the new material for you. All will be revealed in February - see gigs page for full details.
If you're not signed up to our Facebook group (http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Floe/116053147869) or Twitter feed (www.twitter.com/thefloemusic) yet may we recommend those as the best ways to hear the latest Floe news 'as it happens' in the year ahead and where to gain access to behind the scenes photos, running commentary and inane chitter-chatter with the band!
There's so much to look forward to this year as once again we step into the unknown. It's great to have you coming along for the ride.
We'll sign off now and let you get on with booking tickets for The Cramphorn! ;-)
All the best,
Sarah, Liz & team x
Friday 15th October 2010 - The Floe on BBC Three
Missed the big moment when The Floe's track 'I Hope You Know' featured on BBC Three's 'Don't Tell The Bride'??! (Series 4, Episode 8 - Dan & Mark (civil partnership). Nervermind - the links to the programme may have expired but you can still hear Sarah talking about it on BBC Essex Introducing...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p001d7q9
&/or read the article...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/essex/hi/people_and_places/music/newsid_9084000/9084782.stm
Thursday 12th August 2010 - Line Up Announcement
Hi all,
It is with the fondest of farewells that we announce today that David Booth and Simon Edgoose will both be leaving The Floe this month to move on to pastures new. All the team here at The Floe HQ wish them the very best for the future and thank them wholeheartedly for their involvement in bringing the band to where it is today.
Sarah and Liz will be continuing to perform, write and record as The Floe and are as determined and passionate as ever to maintain, and even exceed the quality of work and reputation the band have achieved to date. We know that you'll continue to join us on this exciting next step of the journey!
Tomorrow's sold out gig, 'Live @ The Institute' in Kelvedon, will be Sarah, Liz, Simon and Andy presenting all The Floe classics with a new twist! It should be a unique experience for those of you lucky enough to get tickets. We'll see you there!
Regarding the '1st Birthday Giveaway' Prize Draw - these limited edition gift packages are already under construction and have been signed by all 4 original band members (Sarah, David, Simon and Liz) so we hope that the 12 lucky winners will appreciate the increased rarity value of what they're about to receive! These special packages are due for delivery next week so keep an eye out for the postman from the 17th August if you entered the draw!
Many thanks for your continued support and commitment to the band and we look forward to seeing you all again soon to start writing the history for The Floe - Year Two!
Very best wishes,
Sarah, Liz, David, Simon and team @ The Floe HQ.
Monday 26th July 2010 - Thanks Bob! Floe's first play on Radio 2!
This news story has been a long time coming but as Moloko would say - the time is now!
Legendary radio presenter Bob Harris played 'I Hope You Know' on his Radio 2 show in the early hours of Sunday morning. Thanks Bob!
If it was past your bedtime or you were busy partying elsewhere then you can 'listen again' online at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006wqtf
(We're on towards the end of the show, after the Beach Boys track, so fast forward to about 2.35 on the iPlayer if you're short on time!)
Those of you who have followed the band for a while now will know that airplay on Radio 2 is the Holy Grail for the likes of us and something which has eluded us until now.
The wait is over people!!!!
Let's all keep our fingers crossed that this will be the start of a beautiful relationship! ;-)
So log on, listen and enjoy!