I'm delighted to share this free e.p., of recordings that were taken during my performance as Waiting Space, at the Theatre Royal, Waterford, on 17th September 2021. The set was part a series of concerts titled 'Irish Beats Presents: Live at the Royal’ which took place over the month of September, taken in partnership between the Theatre Royal, and Beat 102103 FM - and the night was also part of events taking place nationwide, as part of the festival, 'Culture Night'.

The five live tracks that make up this e.p., are the entire set that I performed on the night - mistakes, warts, and all - from what was the first Waiting Space gig in over two years (having last performed live before the night, in May 2019). The e.p. includes two 'unreleased' songs - 'Winter Sun', and 'The Fall' - as well as being the live audience debut of both 'Winter Sun', and my first instrumental piece ('Cocoon') which was released in 2020.

When I originally formed Waiting Space in 2014, it was a 'bedroom project' - a medium away from my other performing bands, where I could write with sounds and structures that I enjoyed, without the limits of thinking about 'how can these be performed live?' - and especially as a solo act. As a result, to-date I have only performed four times to live crowds as Waiting Space - with the Theatre Royal...  more
credits
released November 4, 2021

Credits:
Written and performed by Waiting Space (Chris Falconer). Artwork additionally by Waiting Space (Chris Falconer).

Recorded at the Theatre Royal Waterford - with post mixing and mastering by Waiting Space (Chris Falconer).

5. Waiting Space - 'All In Good Time' [Live At The Theatre Royal]

4. Waiting Space - 'Cocoon' [Live At The Theatre Royal]

3. Waiting Space - 'The Fall' [Live At The Theatre Royal]

2. Waiting Space - 'Warmer' [Live At The Theatre Royal]

1. Waiting Space - 'Winter Sun' [Live At The Theatre Royal]

Watch the video for 'Borrowed Memories' on YouTube, at: https://youtu.be/OXgBAJQdkac

The term 'Borrowed Memories' (in this context), refers to the quest to find a happy medium between your own experiences of Christmas, and the overblown promises of Christmases on tv, and in film, and literature. The imagined memories that they can offer can definitely feed the celebrations of the season - but it might also be important not to forget the importance of original experience, and the true happenings with those you love around you. Writing a Christmas song also comes with a certain level of freedom, in that you can be forgiven for being a cheesier lyricist than usual...

Lyrics:

Thank God for whoever planted all the evergreens -
When you're not here, I still have them to see.

The site of smiling faces in the streets -
Bring memories of nights with you next me.

Angels and candles, they need a home too.
This time of year, they find it.
But I...
I always found my home with you.

Cold winter nights are made for you next to me -
with nothing but flashing lights for us to see.

There's rain outside, so we'll borrow memories...
of white mornings from films on the TV.

Angels and candles, they need a home too.
This time of year, they find it.
But I...
I always found my home with you.

Those days.
Those nights.
Those winters - by my side.

Red and green floods the streets.
No need to move - being here with you, is all I could need.

And, with that, a simple truth remains.
With all of these, what use have I for borrowed memories?

Angels and candles, they need a home too.
This time of year, they find it.
But I...
I always found my home with you.

Written, performed, recorded, and mixed by Waiting Space (Chris Falconer).

Copyright © 2014 Chris Falconer (Waiting Space).

Borrowed Memories

Watch the Video for 'Unfurl' on YouTube, at: https://youtu.be/-38zPIvR0OM

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The instrumental version of Waiting Space's 'Unfurl'.

Unfurl is the 5th annual (4th original) Waiting Space Christmas release - part of what's become an annual tradition to try and present an 'alternative Christmas song' each year. Last year's 'Breathe' was focused on how December is the last exhale of a tumultuous year, and inhale before leaping headfirst into a new year. This year, with Unfurl, I've turned my attention to trying to the unpack the staple of the Christmas tree. In the company, but far from the level of songs such as 'O Tannenbaum'/'O Christmas Tree', 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' with Unfurl, I've tried to draw inspiration from some of the more poetically-licensed, and cinematic imagery that a tree can humbly conjure...

For full version - see: https://soundcloud.com/chrisfalconer/waiting-space-unfurl

Lyrics:

I come from true north,
Boreal lands, that are furious.

I'm born, I breath, I grow;
I am felled, I am hauled to a home.

A site that's so wonderful,
That I begin to unfurl.
A site that's so wonderful,
That I begin to unfurl.

In this room, I am more than a tree;
Your memories, they hang out of me.

No leaves, but needle hands reaching,
For gentle brush of healing.

A site that's so wonderful,
That I begin to unfurl.
A site that's so wonderful,
That I begin to unfurl.

With lights, you bind me;
Eyes and ears attuned;

With a star, you crown me,
as I heal a year's wounds.

A site that's so wonderful,
That I begin to unfurl.
A site that's so wonderful,
That I begin to unfurl [...]

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Stream / Download on:

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/1CLXaPvDanMxq5RgGXqxOS

Apple Music:
https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/unfurl-single/1318852624

iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/unfurl-single/1318852624

GooglePlay:
https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Waiting_Space_Unfurl?id=Behdo7khom23g5y7k2q4gp33dci&hl=en

Soundcloud (Single Version):
https://soundcloud.com/chrisfalconer/waiting-space-unfurl

Soundcloud (Instrumental Version):
https://soundcloud.com/chrisfalconer/waiting-space-unfurl-instrumental-version

Everywhere else: just search...

Waiting Space - 'Unfurl'

Waiting Space - 'Unfurl' [Instrumental Version]

Waiting Space - Unfurl [Instrumental Version]

Old idea I never finished, I recently stumbled upon again...must finish it!

Okpo

My laptop decided to go and fail on me the other day, and my programming software, and files, with it - so here's a collection of unfinished, far from polished, and in some cases, lovely and out of key, songs that will now probably only exist it these rough versions which I had on my mp3 player (originally put there with the hope of seeing what was needed to finish them)...

Waiting Space

'Luan' (Released Friday 02/10/2020) is the new single from 'Waiting Space' (the audio & visual project, and alias, of musician and creator, Chris Falconer, from Waterford, Ireland).

'Luan' was initially commissioned by the Luan Gallery, in Athlone, Ireland - as a musical accompaniment to a ‘virtual walkthrough’ video of the gallery's spaces, which was hosted online for Culture Night 2020 - in order to allow audiences to 'visit' the gallery from a distance, during a time when COVID-19 restrictions continued to limit movements.

While the original 'gallery walkthrough' video by Louise King, can be seen on YouTube at https://youtu.be/-k53o_xCPcM - Waiting Space has also created a new 'visualiser' (at https://youtu.be/QusWQUNU1No) to accompany the piece. In the video, the letters that make up the song's title, drift in and out of focus in an imaginary space - inspired by the rotations of a 'hanging mobile' which sits above Waiting Space's studio desk. Each letter bears a distinct, strong colour - which are based on the colours of Ireland's Culture Night festival - and as the song progresses, focus continues to blur, and the colours begin to bleed into each, and the screen is overtaken by iridescent motions.

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Listen/Stream/Download on:
YouTube @: https://youtu.be/QusWQUNU1No
Spotify @: https://open.spotify.com/album/1lXXMPfr984xp6aIFcTVpY
AppleMusic @: https://music.apple.com/ie/album/luan-single/1531083025
Bandcamp @: https://waitingspacemusic.bandcamp.com/album/luan
SoundCloud @: https://soundcloud.com/chrisfalconer/waiting-space-luan

For merch, including the 'Luan' signed print:
https://waitingspacemusic.bandcamp.com/merch/

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Get In-Touch/ Listen / Watch @:
Official Website: www.waiting.space
Email: info@waiting.space

Social Media:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/WaitingSpace
Facebook: www.facebook.com/WaitingSpace
Twitter: www.twitter.com/WaitingSpaceIRL

Everywhere else: just search...

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Credits:
Written, performed, recorded, produced, and mixed by Waiting Space (Chris Falconer). Artwork, footage, and video composition and editing, additionally by Waiting Space (Chris Falconer).

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Select equipment used:
Shure SM58, Shure SM7b; Novation Impulse Midi-Keyboard; FocusRite Scarlett 18i20 Audio-Interface; Sonor Drums; Sabian Cymbals; Macbook Pro w/ Logic X; Adobe Premiere.

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All music copyright © 2020 Chris Falconer (Waiting Space).

Luan

‘All In Good Time’ - the winter/Christmas release 2020, from Waterford, Ireland-based artist, 'Waiting Space'.

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Links / Downloads / Streaming:
•	YouTube: https://youtu.be/QwmF3531R9o
•	Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/6CyRJ9oKrvQOIanVStWK6w?si=Aj9Zz4p2SwqEgp86NoBZIA
•	AppleMusic/iTunes:  https://music.apple.com/ie/album/all-in-good-time-single/1542740453
•	Bandcamp: https://waitingspacemusic.bandcamp.com/track/all-in-good-time
•	Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/chrisfalconer/waiting-space-all-in-good-time
--

About the Song:

Christmas has always played a role in ‘Waiting Space’ - the solo project of producer and musician, Chris Falconer, from Waterford, Ireland. Waiting Space began in 2014 with a cover of a Christmas song - and for a time after this (4 consecutive years) the project annually released a winter/Christmas original piece - before a break for 2018/2019, when other projects got in the way. This year, however, Falconer felt it was the right time to renew the tradition, with new piece: ‘All In Good Time’.

The song goes live on Tuesday 01/12/2020 on Bandcamp, and YouTube – with SoundCloud / Spotify / AppleMusic, and other ‘premium’ streaming services, following on Saturday 12/12/2020. The reason for an initial Bandcamp-only release, is due to all earnings made from sales on Bandcamp going to ALONE Ireland, who are a charity supporting older people in Ireland.

About the song, Falconer says:
'‘All In Good Time’ is inspired by the long wait to see each other again, made all the more apparent by the distance imposed for the majority of the year by COVID-19 – and particularly applied to the Irish consciousness with a Second Lockdown, that came coupled with the promise of potentially reuniting with loved-ones in December. To reflect this, it starts out as a piano and voice ballad, and continues to build in orchestration, before breaking out into a ‘full band’ type jam at the end, as a pay-off for the slow-build.

The song is probably my most ‘on-the-nose’ / ‘cheesy’ Christmas-focused release, with very literal lyrics describing idealised Christmas scenarios, with ‘garland trailing the stairs’ railing’ – set against aspirational hopes which keep us going, but which have some uncertainties in them – particularly in the main refrain of ‘all in good time’, and also in the hopeful line of ‘kids listen out for sounds on the ceiling’.

In particular when I was writing this, I was thinking of my Granny, and how difficult it was to keep my distance from her.  The song is full of nostalgia, and, given that I normally make quite serious music…I really just made something that I thought my Granny would enjoy listening to.

The song is also accompanied by a video I made using footage I had taken during Storm Emma / the snow blizzard that shutdown Ireland in 2018 (itself a first taster of a 'lockdown' in this recent generation). The idea of ‘nostalgia’ is further added by VHS-references added, and which create some visual dynamics to the already interesting sights created by the real-life snowfalls.'

Charity Element:

As mentioned above, all earnings made from sales on my Bandcamp are going to ALONE Ireland (www.alone.ie), who are a charity supporting older people in Ireland – and I thought could particular do with support this year. I am also selling charity Christmas cards in aid of ALONE at the moment too (based on the winter-scape digital-painting artwork I created for my 2017 Christmas release, 'Unfurl', which can be found here: https://waitingspacemusic.bandcamp.com/merch/waiting-space-charity-christmas-card-featuring-unfurl-artwork-lyrics).

All In Good Time [Single]

All In Good Time

www.waiting.space

ABOUT:

'Waiting Space' is an audio & visual project - and alias of Waterford-based, musician and artist, Chris Falconer.

Through a D.I.Y. process that is enabled by contemporary technologies, as 'Waiting Space', he creates self-recorded/self-produced songs - characterised by dynamic vocals and cinematic instrumentals, typically blending programming, electronics, and live-instrumentation. Each piece of musical-output is 'complemented' by visuals which Falconer independently creates in response - including artwork, animations, and short films.

'Waiting Space' began in 2013 as a side project - initially a platform for musical ideas that 'did not fit' his existing bands’ catalogues. As other projects subsequently went on extended hiatuses, and Falconer found himself with an increasingly irregular schedule in which to create music (as his artistic-output was forced to compete with his full-time work within the architecture-industry), embracing Waiting Space as a solo/D.I.Y. project, and recording in domestic settings, made increasing sense.

The process also acted as a catalyst for Falconer to learn more about the technical aspects of music-making, including recording, mixing, & producing, and developing new skills in animation and video-production, in order to create the 'appropriate' visuals to match his sounds & words.

Radioplay has included RTÉ Lyric FM, RTÉ 2FM, Beat 102-103, a number of regional stations, and occasional international radioplay. Uniquely, given the project's visual aspect, Waiting Space has also crossed over into the gallery world: the Waiting Space piece 'Cocoon' (accompanied by a drone video filmed by Falconer of an empty Waterford City during COVID-19 ‘lockdown'), featured in the exhibition 'Stories From Lismore & Beyond' in Lismore Castle Arts Gallery; and Waiting Space has also been commissioned by the Luan Gallery Athlone, to create a number of musical-scores for ‘virtual walkthrough’ videos of the gallery’s exhibitions, a number of times during 2020 and 2021. Most recently, a Waiting Space audio/visual piece called ‘Unseen Happenings’, was commissioned by Garter Lane Arts Centre in Waterford, with the installation being viewable on-site in March 2022.

Waiting Space

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