Will Black

December 5th, 2008 - If you fancy your raucous Saturday night antics in Bermuda being immortalized in a music video then Hog Penny's the bar for you this weekend.
Canadian rock musician Will Black will be performing and filming for this latest video Dancing With The Dead - but the fans are the stars of the show.
Freelance camerawoman Rachael Smith will be on stage with the band filming the crowd dancing. She'll also be roaming around the bar, camera on shoulder, hunting out wild and debaucherous behavior to capture on film.
Mr. Black said: "Dancing With The Dead is an upbeat rock song; it's about going out and having a good time in Vancouver which where I wrote it.
"The song itself is a narrative about the late night scene and it could in any city or anywhere and Bermuda's such a great place to do it. Bermuda has its own scene - as small as it is these days it's still there. There will be shots of Front Street at night and we will also be shooting at different locations around the island over the next few weeks."
Mr. Black will be performing at the bar from 11pm on Saturday night and filming will continue until 1am.
At the end of the night ten people will be selected to dance in front of the camera so think rock star outfit when sifting through your wardrobe.
"We'll try to select ten or so people who basically don't look too out of it and look kinda cool," said Ms. Smith. "I also want a scene of people lined up outside with the poster in the background and maybe have Will signing some autographs and a scene where he's signing a woman's chest.
"Then we might do a bonfire on the beach with the guitar and some people sitting around."
Any camera shy revellers need not fear as there is an off limits area where no filming will take place.
The video will be shown in January on Facebook, through Will Black's own website www.willblack.com and on Rachael Smith's upcoming website www.360visualsvp.com. - The Bermuda Sun

December 16, 2009 - Musician Will Black is preparing to say goodbye to the "gig that changed his life."

The Canadian rock singer is leaving Bermuda after nearly five years of performing to locals and tourists at the Hog Penny.

His "top 40 rock" has always attracted a large expatriate crowd, especially the ladies.

With a repertoire of about 450 songs, Will got everyone on the dance floor and if he didn't know a particular request there's "a good chance he'd learn it."

The singer will continue to perform at weekends before "going out with a bang" with his final show on New Year's Eve.

Will said he has loved the intimate environment of the "neighbourhood pub with a friendly atmosphere."

He said: "It's been great, I've loved my time in Bermuda, it's been a life-changing experience. I'll really miss it.

"Hog Penny is a rare thing when it comes to a good night out, it's a really solid gig.

"The expatriate crowd used to come in for the niche of music that they were missing. I gave them something they weren't going to get anywhere else."

Will has been performing on the island since April 2005, working five nights a week from Tuesday to Saturday for nine months of the year.

His hours were reduced to Friday and Saturday nights last month and the Hog Penny cannot afford to keep him on for the 2010 season.

Will said: "I have to leave with things being the way they are, the island is really feeling the crunch.

HURTING ECONOMY

"It's all to do with the economy, Front Street has been hurt, the revenue for entertainers just isn't there any more.

"The entertainment scene has changed, the work's just not there any more, it's very sad."

Will said he would miss the regulars, most of whom have become his friends, and the way he invited fellow musicians to join him for a few songs.

He sees this as the ideal time to "change the focus" of his career.

He plans to move to Toronto to work on new material as an independent recording artist.

He said: "I'm not bitter at all, there's no hard feelings, I'm leaving Bermuda but it's been a real stepping stone for my career.

"This is going to give me a chance to move from covers to more original music.

"I'm going to have a lot more creative control over my music."

Will hopes a lot of his friends will turn up for his last show on New Year's Eve, saying: "I want everyone to come out and have a good time."

Will, who is married to Genie, started his self-taught musical career by busking in the street where he "learned how to get a thick skin."

He was working on the cruise ships when he docked in Bermuda and heard about the Hog Penny job.

He has previously released two singles called Dancing With The Dead and Senorita Ballerina from his first album, Dancing With The Dead.

His new album titled The Blinding Heights will be released at the end of January and he will digitally release a new single every month.

Will writes and produces his own material describing his sound as "classic rock, a cross between Aerosmith and Bon Jovi."

Will said his future ambition was simply to "continue making a full-time career out of music."

Phil Barnett, president of the Island Restaurant Group which includes the Hog Penny, said the fact that Will had his contract renewed for five years in a row "spoke for itself."

He said they would be sorry to see him go but stressed "the marketplace has changed."

Mr. Barnett said: "He's got a unique style that really seemed to work.

"He was a very good choice, his rock-pop had a good following and diversified the island's musical offering.

"As a much-loved solo act, Will's got energy that's hard to beat."

To find out what Will Black is up to visit www.willblack.com and sign up for his newsletter.

- Sirkka Huish - The Bermuda Sun

December 16, 2009 - Musician Will Black is preparing to say goodbye to the "gig that changed his life."

The Canadian rock singer is leaving Bermuda after nearly five years of performing to locals and tourists at the Hog Penny.

His "top 40 rock" has always attracted a large expatriate crowd, especially the ladies.

With a repertoire of about 450 songs, Will got everyone on the dance floor and if he didn't know a particular request there's "a good chance he'd learn it."

The singer will continue to perform at weekends before "going out with a bang" with his final show on New Year's Eve.

Will said he has loved the intimate environment of the "neighbourhood pub with a friendly atmosphere."

He said: "It's been great, I've loved my time in Bermuda, it's been a life-changing experience. I'll really miss it.

"Hog Penny is a rare thing when it comes to a good night out, it's a really solid gig.

"The expatriate crowd used to come in for the niche of music that they were missing. I gave them something they weren't going to get anywhere else."

Will has been performing on the island since April 2005, working five nights a week from Tuesday to Saturday for nine months of the year.

His hours were reduced to Friday and Saturday nights last month and the Hog Penny cannot afford to keep him on for the 2010 season.

Will said: "I have to leave with things being the way they are, the island is really feeling the crunch.

HURTING ECONOMY

"It's all to do with the economy, Front Street has been hurt, the revenue for entertainers just isn't there any more.

"The entertainment scene has changed, the work's just not there any more, it's very sad."

Will said he would miss the regulars, most of whom have become his friends, and the way he invited fellow musicians to join him for a few songs.

He sees this as the ideal time to "change the focus" of his career.

He plans to move to Toronto to work on new material as an independent recording artist.

He said: "I'm not bitter at all, there's no hard feelings, I'm leaving Bermuda but it's been a real stepping stone for my career.

"This is going to give me a chance to move from covers to more original music.

"I'm going to have a lot more creative control over my music."

Will hopes a lot of his friends will turn up for his last show on New Year's Eve, saying: "I want everyone to come out and have a good time."

Will, who is married to Genie, started his self-taught musical career by busking in the street where he "learned how to get a thick skin."

He was working on the cruise ships when he docked in Bermuda and heard about the Hog Penny job.

He has previously released two singles called Dancing With The Dead and Senorita Ballerina from his first album, Dancing With The Dead.

His new album titled The Blinding Heights will be released at the end of January and he will digitally release a new single every month.

Will writes and produces his own material describing his sound as "classic rock, a cross between Aerosmith and Bon Jovi."

Will said his future ambition was simply to "continue making a full-time career out of music."

Phil Barnett, president of the Island Restaurant Group which includes the Hog Penny, said the fact that Will had his contract renewed for five years in a row "spoke for itself."

He said they would be sorry to see him go but stressed "the marketplace has changed."

Mr. Barnett said: "He's got a unique style that really seemed to work.

"He was a very good choice, his rock-pop had a good following and diversified the island's musical offering.

"As a much-loved solo act, Will's got energy that's hard to beat."

To find out what Will Black is up to visit www.willblack.com and sign up for his newsletter.

- Sirkka Huish - The Bermuda Sun

December 16, 2009 - It's only a matter of time before Bermuda "disappears into boredom."

This is the view from industry veterans who fear the demise of live entertainment will "finish us off."

The island's hotels have long come under fire for scrapping their nightly schedule of live performances.

Now pubs and bars are following their lead by ditching their live music saying "there's just not the demand."

Some of the island's well-known and best-loved singers have not had their contracts renewed for the 2010 season.

The Swizzle Inn's Ray Pasnen was the first to leave after 15 years. And The Bermuda Sun has learned that next year James Bootle will no longer be performing at Henry VIII and Will Black will be leaving the Hog Penny.

It is believed the Pickled Onion will be the only bar in Bermuda to continue with its live music most nights. This is "a million miles away" from Bermuda's musical hey-day where "there was live music at every hotel, bar and restaurant."

Phil Barnett, president of the Island Restaurant Group which includes the Hog Penny and Pickled Onion, said: "The bottom line is that the marketplace has changed due to the recession.

"We just don't have the late-night clientele anymore, it's hard to get the crowds in even on a Friday.

"There are no cruise ship passengers or crews and with the drop in the U.S. dollar, the expatriate community doesn't even seem to want to party.

"Our sales have diminished, it's impossible to make live entertainment profitable.

"It is very sad but if we're not careful Bermuda is going to disappear into boredom. It may be a lovely place with pink sand but it's going to become a boring place."

Entertainer Will Black, who will be performing at the Hog Penny for the last time on New Year's Eve, blamed the "downward slide" in tourism in recent years.

He said: "Front Street is dead, there's no longer a solid tourism industry to support live entertainment.

"Front Street used to be busy, but it's declined due to circumstances out of our control. Next year is going to see much of the same.

"It's a sign of the times, Bermuda is going through a serious slump. Something needs to be done to turn things around."

There are now calls from long-time Bermudian musicians for the government to step in to save the island's music industry before it is too late.

SLOW DEATH

Gene Steede, who is one of Bermuda's musical heroes, said: "It's quite evident what's happening to the music industry in Bermuda; it is being left to die a slow death.

"The hotels were the first to get rid of live music, now the smaller places are doing the same.

"Government could certainly help but no-one is interested in spending any money on entertainment, but the money, time and effort has to be put in.

"At the moment there is nowhere for people to go to see live entertainment. There is nothing to brag about when it comes to our entertainment industry."

Concert organizer and professional drummer Howard Rego said "someone has to do something different."

He said: "The usual type of entertainment has run its course, people have got bored of seeing the same things.

"Instead of subsidizing the music at the airport, the government should give X amount to local entertainment. Tourists aren't interested in hearing music at the airport, they just want to get through customs and get to their hotel as quickly as they can.

"We've got to get live music going again but we need that element of surprise.

"We need a spectacular venue with rotating local and overseas acts giving us something completely different, something we've never seen before."

- Sirkka Huish - The Bermuda Sun

December 16, 2009 - It's only a matter of time before Bermuda "disappears into boredom."

This is the view from industry veterans who fear the demise of live entertainment will "finish us off."

The island's hotels have long come under fire for scrapping their nightly schedule of live performances.

Now pubs and bars are following their lead by ditching their live music saying "there's just not the demand."

Some of the island's well-known and best-loved singers have not had their contracts renewed for the 2010 season.

The Swizzle Inn's Ray Pasnen was the first to leave after 15 years. And The Bermuda Sun has learned that next year James Bootle will no longer be performing at Henry VIII and Will Black will be leaving the Hog Penny.

It is believed the Pickled Onion will be the only bar in Bermuda to continue with its live music most nights. This is "a million miles away" from Bermuda's musical hey-day where "there was live music at every hotel, bar and restaurant."

Phil Barnett, president of the Island Restaurant Group which includes the Hog Penny and Pickled Onion, said: "The bottom line is that the marketplace has changed due to the recession.

"We just don't have the late-night clientele anymore, it's hard to get the crowds in even on a Friday.

"There are no cruise ship passengers or crews and with the drop in the U.S. dollar, the expatriate community doesn't even seem to want to party.

"Our sales have diminished, it's impossible to make live entertainment profitable.

"It is very sad but if we're not careful Bermuda is going to disappear into boredom. It may be a lovely place with pink sand but it's going to become a boring place."

Entertainer Will Black, who will be performing at the Hog Penny for the last time on New Year's Eve, blamed the "downward slide" in tourism in recent years.

He said: "Front Street is dead, there's no longer a solid tourism industry to support live entertainment.

"Front Street used to be busy, but it's declined due to circumstances out of our control. Next year is going to see much of the same.

"It's a sign of the times, Bermuda is going through a serious slump. Something needs to be done to turn things around."

There are now calls from long-time Bermudian musicians for the government to step in to save the island's music industry before it is too late.

SLOW DEATH

Gene Steede, who is one of Bermuda's musical heroes, said: "It's quite evident what's happening to the music industry in Bermuda; it is being left to die a slow death.

"The hotels were the first to get rid of live music, now the smaller places are doing the same.

"Government could certainly help but no-one is interested in spending any money on entertainment, but the money, time and effort has to be put in.

"At the moment there is nowhere for people to go to see live entertainment. There is nothing to brag about when it comes to our entertainment industry."

Concert organizer and professional drummer Howard Rego said "someone has to do something different."

He said: "The usual type of entertainment has run its course, people have got bored of seeing the same things.

"Instead of subsidizing the music at the airport, the government should give X amount to local entertainment. Tourists aren't interested in hearing music at the airport, they just want to get through customs and get to their hotel as quickly as they can.

"We've got to get live music going again but we need that element of surprise.

"We need a spectacular venue with rotating local and overseas acts giving us something completely different, something we've never seen before."

- Sirkka Huish - The Bermuda Sun