'If we drink we will die, and if we don't drink we will die...' (a.k.a. 'Lost In the Supermarket')

Four gigs in four days is always a good thing in my little world...

Thursday night saw a swift return to Sunningdale for Big Al Reed and The Blistering Buicks following our debut show at The Sunningdale Lounge a mere two weeks ago. I don't mind admitting that I wondered if this was all a bit too soon and therefore there wouldn't be too many people in attendance but I'm pleased to say that despite the rain there were plenty of people there. When I'm gigging elsewhere my good friend Pete Kerr deps for me, and we generally do shows together when we are both available - however he was working away so I found myself in the relatively-rare-these-days situation of being the 'only' guitarist (Al plays guitar on some numbers, but you know what I mean I think) which took me a few songs to get used to; still with Al on top form thing went well until 'Shakin' All Over' which went a bit wrong when Al managed to get his top E string caught under the pickup on his Gretsch causing him to go to the wrong part of the song. Still we recovered well, and a real one-off moment occurred when a young lady requested 'Brown Eyed Girl' - Al couldn't remember the words so said something like 'do you know this one Steve?' It turned out that Steve Brookes did indeed know it (albeit in the key of E rather than the more usual G) and sang it very well - I really must ask him about The Jam next time I see him... 

The next evening we found ourselves in the perhaps-unlikely setting of The Battle Of Britain Club in Uxbridge. The club is on what used to be The R.A.F. Camp (it's currently being redeveloped as a housing estate) which is also the site of The Battle Of Britain Bunker which I'm told is a very interesting place to visit. It's usually members only but when bands and / or events are on that rule is relaxed, and we played three 40 minute sets to an appreciative if somewhat small audience. With beer at well under £3 a pint I'm amazed that there weren't more people there - I'm considering joining myself!

On Saturday night The Upper Cut returned to The Halfway House in Rickmansworth for the first time since September 2011. That night my amplifier blew up (!) but this time I managed to get through the show without any problems aside from the guv'nor telling us to turn it down several times throughout the evening. We did our best but it's difficult to play the sort of music that we play at a low volume. Well, that's my excuse anyway... mind you that could be why my amp exploded! In the meantime bizarre displays of Cossack dancing took place only a couple of yards in front of us (cue 'I'll have a pint of what they've had' gags) so there were definitely a few lads that enjoyed what we did. Well, I guess they enjoyed it - perhaps it's time for a chorus or two of 'The Cossack Drinking Song'?

And yesterday The Upper Cut made a 5pm appearance in Colnbrook at Ye Olde George Inn. It being a Bank Holiday Weekend we were part of the 'Family Fun Day', and with live music also happening out in the garden we wondered whether we would be better playing outdoors rather than in the bar. Eventually it was decided that indoors was best, and our two sets were witnessed by a cheery assortment of locals (with the odd ex-girlfriend thrown in) amid much drinking, dancing and merriment. I suppose that's why they call it a fun day? This is a venue where they, as the old saying goes, 'pass the hat round' (in this case, my hat) as the band is finishing - I got the job of counting the coppers and was amused to find a supermarket trolley token among them - you know, those things you can use instead of a pound coin. What can this mean? Answers on a postcard please, usual address...

And today I've got 'White Men In Hammersmith Odeon' by The Clash playing in the background as I type this (The Clash really were brilliant weren't they? And this show is extraordinary, as this clip of 'Armagideon Time' shows) and with Ruts D.C. playing in Serbia this coming Friday there are strings to change and stuff to sort out for then. I've also got songs to learn for the next night when I'm playing at The 12 Bar Club (alongside Chris Pope and The Legendary Groovymen) with the astonishingly-named London Sewage Company - more news on that as and when I have it... oh, and Big Al and the band are in Colnbrook on Sunday afternoon, so it's another busy weekend in prospect. Good!