Alternative arrangements

Time for the second of two gigs depping on bass with Department S, this one on Friday night at the loftily-named Great British Alternative Music Festival taking place at Butlins in Minehead.I took the (delayed) train from Paddington with Eddie and Sam while Mike and Stuart drove down with the drums and amps - by the time we arrived (after a £50+ cab ride from Taunton, which incredibly was the nearest station to the venue) they'd got our room keys and were making plans for soundchecking. We were the first act on Centre Stage, followed by Hazel O'Connor and Ex-Simple Minds while The Anti-Nowhere League, The U.K. Subs and Sham 69 were playing at Reds. As we got to the venue Hazel O'Connor and band were preparing to play 'Decadent Days', they sounded a bit untogether so maybe it's a new line-up? Our soundcheck went without too much incident, although as we were leaving the stage Mike looked out with the words 'this is a big room - I hope there are a few people in it when we're on'.
He needn't have worried - by the time we went on there were people everywhere. We played a better show than in Belgium earlier in the month, and the inevitable 'Is Vic There?' bought the proverbial house down.It's good when that happens. From my point of view I found it quite tough going - maybe I'm hitting the strings too hard or something, but I my right hand was really suffering by a half an hour or so into the set. If I'm going to play bass more often it's time for some practice to build up some stamina; either that or I've got to calm down a bit! That said I'd do it again any time that they ask as I've really enjoyed playing with the band.
By the time we'd put our gear away and got changed The Anti-Nowhere League had finished their set next door, a shame as I've always found them to be an entertaining bunch (either that or my brother playing their records endlessly when we were younger has brainwashed me!) and so would like to have caught some of their set. I did however manage to see a half hour or so of The U.K. Subs who sounded as reliably punky as ever as well as meeting up with T.V. Smith stalwarts Fleagle & Mrs. Fleagle and Steve The Fish (not their real names sadly!) as well as Fast Tony and the man forever known in Price circles as 'Mark-from-the-football-club' before going back to Centre Stage where Hazel O'Connor sounded much more assured than her soundcheck might have suggested that she would. Ex-Simple Minds sounded good but are not really my kind of thing, while Sham 69 (the 'Tim V' version of the band in case you were wondering) sounded, well, good but are not really my kind of thing. However with both bands it was amazing how many of their songs were recognisable even to the likes of me let alone to their fans. And I'm told that  the event was sold out with over 6,000 people in attendance, which just shows what a market there is for this type of thing these days

And you can click here to see some more photos from the show in Belgium earlier this month - excellent!

Saturday morning began with everyone meeting on the main concourse for some coffee before going up to the dressing room to collect our gear from where we'd left it the night before. As I was ordering my drink I heard exactly the same songs from Marillion and Catatonia playing in the background as had been playing the night before when I braved a veggie wrap from Burger King. It must drive the people who work there crazy, or maybe they just don't notice it after a while?
With the financial terror of another cab ride looming large we decided to catch a bus back to the train station, which proved to be a nerve-racking experience as the journey took over 1 3/4 hours rather than the expected 40 minutes. In the event we made it to our train with just 5 minutes to spare, which was fortuitous to say the least as the next one would have been in a couple of hours time. The lads took the train all the way to good old London town whilst I changed at Castle Cary for the Weymouth train where I met the long-suffering Shirley who had gone down the night before. We'd decided to have a couple of days away in Dorset, partly because we like to go there and partly because Wilko Johnson was playing the last show of his Spring tour at The Electric Palace in Bridport on Sunday night. 
The Electric Palace is, I think, an old cinema; it was certainly an impressive place with seats from about halfway back and a dancefloor in front of the large stage. Maybe the seats go all the way to the stage when they show films or have less dance-orientated bands on? Either way it had an atmosphere that a newer venue will never have, if you know what I mean.
Support came from Virgil and The Accelerators. I've seen a few very excitable reviews of this combo, most of which comment on how young they are and what a great musician Virgil is. Both observations turned out to be correct although he's a bit too much like Stevie Ray Vaughan (yes, be influenced strongly by someone, but draw the line at adopting the same mannerisms) to yet have an original style or sound. Maybe that'll come one day, but until then I'm sure that he and his band will be able to carry on doing what they're doing without too many detractors.
Opening with 'All Through The City' (the fact that it's the title of the very-recently-released Dr. Feelgood box set could be significant!) and 'If You Want Me, You've Got Me' Wilko Johnson was clearly not intimidated by what had gone before - indeed he and the band (the always-astonishing Norman Watt-Roy on bass and new-ish drummer Dylan Howe) seemed to be really enjoying themselves as they roared through their set with an infectious energy that had the up-until-that point seated audience on their feet from the word go. I don't remember the last time that I saw Wilko in a seated venue (if I ever have!) and I also don't remember the last time there were so many people turning up to see him - it seems that after years of slogging around in pubs and clubs he's finally getting through to a bigger audience. This is good news, and thoroughly deserved, as he's still playing with as much energy as ever, and you'll rarely see a better band on any stage, big or small. In a way it's a shame that it'll be unlikely that we see him in the smaller venues again, but when he gives a show as good as this it hardly matters. As a guitarist and a live performer he remains an industry standard - miss him (and his band) at your peril.

The long and winding road

So - 'Christmas is years away' as the Mega City Four once sang, and it's back to 'normal', whatever that is...

The year at Balcony Shirts has started fairly quietly - somewhat inevitably it's not as busy as it was before Christmas, so it's time for some new t-shirt designs, and indeed a new website devoted to custom t-shirts. I've been spending a fair bit of time writing copy for that and indeed the 'standard' website which I must say I really enjoy, not least because it's interesting to try to write 100-150 words on subjects as diverse as ukuleles, psychology and bread, all of which feature on new Balcony shirts. And talking of writing Dave from the shop has started a blog about... well, have a look here and you'll find out!

Friday night and (pausing only to see if there was anything on television worth staying in for) it was off to The Bull and Gate in Kentish Town for afore-mentioned Peart promotion. It was originally due to feature 3 bands, but The Meow Meows pulled out as their drummer has broken his foot (ouch!) meaning that Dirty Revolution headlined with support coming from Colour Me Wednesday. Ex-Ruts bassist Segs was D.J.-ing when I arrived (Andy had asked him to, he hadn't just barged his way into position!) and was playing 'Fever' by Junior Murvin when I went over to say hello; there was time for a few words before Colour Me Wednesday took to the stage - or rather 3 of them took to the stage, as singer Jennifer was nowhere to be seen. She eventually ambled up to the microphone, took off her glasses which she placed (rather riskily I thought) at the base of the mic stand and the show began. They've improved immeasurably since I last saw them, and their punky pop sounded good to me although it's still a bit hit and miss in places - a false start here, a botched ending there - and Jennifer the singer looks at the floor a bit too much to really draw the audience in, although maybe that's just me that thinks that? And let's face it, any band that has a song called 'Purge Your Inner Tory' must have rather a lot going for them.

Coming on stage to the strains of 'Bankrobber' by The Clash isn't something that most bands would relish (nice one Segs!?!) but Dirty Revolution seemed to take it in their stride, roaring through a breathlessly efficient set of ska-crossed-with-punk that went down well with the assembled multitude. Two guitars clashed over a thunderously tight drums and bass, while an almost cheerily melodic vocal floated over the top tying everything together. Good stuff, and although I'm never going to be the biggest ska fan in the World I'll be keeping an ear out to see what they do next.

Afterwards Fast Tony took over the job of the D.J. and there was time for a chat with Segs (remind me to tell you his hilarious 'Rat Scabies at Paul Fox's funeral' story one day!) to bring a highly enjoyable evening to a close. And it was great to be back at The Bull and Gate - always a classic indie venue, it's still a stage for original bands to perform on which is sadly something of a rarity these days.

First gig of the year for your humble narrator on Saturday, with The Chicago Blues Brothers at Butlins in Skegness. We did the same show at the same time last year - it's a brass band weekend! - and once again it was a great gig. Myself, Richard (sax) and Graham (depping with us for the first time on trumpet) made the epic journey without too many problems, although as always the last 20-or-so miles seemed to take forever - the road winds it's way through The Fens and some very picturesque countryside but time seems to stand still when your on it. I'm always half-expecting to see Doctor Who somewhere along the way... we arrived about 7 p.m. which was just in time for Richard and Graham to do their soundcheck with The British Philharmonic Big Band (modestly named don't you think?!?) who they were playing 2 sets with in Reds (the smaller of the two venues) before joining us for our show at The Main Stage at 11 o'clock. I watched a bit of their soundcheck, made some phone calls and generally hung around - the rest of our band we're due to arrive for quite a while yet - then went to get something to eat. I saw a couple of numbers by the band (very good they were too) before going across to The Main Stage to see if any of the band had arrived yet - they hadn't but The Central Ohio Brass Band were on stage for the first of their 2 sets, a young man played a euphonium at mind-boggling speed as the man next to me said 'very difficult that' to nobody in particular. Back at Reds The BPBB are still going strong when my phone rang - it was Mike to tell me that I should join them all in the main building for a free pizza. Oh well... I had a pint of lager instead!

Matt 'n' Mike are Jake 'n' Elwood, Ian's on keyboards, Squirrel's on bass and Marc's on drums for a show that started a bit strangely from my point of view - my guitar sounded out of tune but was fine when I checked it on the tuner, then sounded bad again in with the band, then three or four songs in it suddenly sounded good. Nobody else said there was a problem so maybe it was just me? And we went down excellently well with the audience, with much dancing and merriment more-or-less from the first number so I really should stop moaning. There - I've stopped moaning. For the moment at least...

The long drive home is enlivened by Whispering Bob on the radio - we got back to Richard's at 4 a.m. to find the long-suffering Shirley waiting to take me home. That's why I call her long-suffering...

Nothing much happened on Sunday. Well, it probably did, but I slept through it... a day in the shop yesterday was followed by an Upper Cut rehearsal in the evening - as I say, back to 'normal, whatever that is...

Wipe the windscreen, wipe your nose...

As your humble narrator stumbled his world-weary way through the white double doors that led to the backstage area of Centre Stage at Butlins in Skegness while carrying 2 guitars and a case of leads (why do the bloody things always open outwards?) his bleary eyes focused on the above sign - some things just have to be reproduced in these hallowed pages and this, my friends, was definitely one of them...

A show at a brass band weekend might seem an unlikely first gig of 2010 for The Chicago Blues Brothers but it turned out to be a highly enjoyable start to this year's (and indeed this decade's) campaign. A 'mostly-A-Team' line-up (Squirrel on bass, Marc on drums, Richard on Saxophone and myself) was joined by Steve on trumpet (he books the entertainment at the camp) and Steve (hope this isn't getting too confusing!) on keyboards (he's the resident keyboardist) with Pete making yet another comeback to show business as Jake next to Mike as Elwood; sad to say I didn't see much of Boobs And Brass but they sounded very good to me (then again my knowledge of all-female brass bands is limited to say the least!) although they did have the obligatory 'big-bloke-dressed-as-a-woman' (you just KNEW that they would didn't you?!?) who terrified everyone backstage before terrifying everyone in the audience. 'Tits And Trumpets' are on next' said Mike as their show drew to a close. Sadly he was wrong!

With the curtains drawn and the stage clear it's our turn to set up- amplifiers were provided by the venue and for Squirrel and myself it was our first chance to hear how they sound. His Ashdown bass gear sounded excellent, my Marshall MG50 combo sounded a bit 'rock' for what we do but not too bad all the same. Marc had been befriended by Louis who'd been working backstage and was now playing tambourine and bongoes with us (strange but true!) and the stage crew worked hard to give us what we wanted in our monitors. After our first number there were already quite a few people on the dancefloor (I spotted one guy in a 'Sex Panther' t-shirt- hope he got it from Balcony Shirts!) and the stage invasion during 'Mustang Sally' was enough to send the security staff into a health-and-safety-powered frenzy. A good start to our year.

And it was a good night on Friday when myself and Price bassman Huggy went to The 100 Club to see Eddie And The Hot Rods supported by The Radio Stars. Huggy decided to drive us up there, a somewhat controversial plan (have you ever tried to park in the Oxford Street area?!?) which was almost immediately thwarted when the windscreen wipers on his van stopped working, preferring instead to make a worrying vibrating noise. 'This is a new one on me' said Huggy as he considered the situation; he carefully selected a spanner which he proceeded to hit the offending items with, an action which incredibly did nothing to solve the problem. Plan B was hatched almost immediately- get a tube train instead. An eventful drive to West Ruislip Station followed with your humble narrator having to get out ever couple of hundred yards or so to manually move the wipers across the windscreen. (I'm not making this up honest! I'm not sure that I could make this up!!)

We spent most of the (thankfully uneventful) train journey into town discussing ideas for upcoming '25 years of The Price' celebrations (official announcement coming shortly- watch this space!) before arriving at The 100 Club just as The Radio Stars took to the stage. They were good if a little loose in places- I don't think they were exactly over-rehearsed- but 'Nervous Wreck' sounded as good as I remember it sounding and they went down well with the rapidly arriving audience. Just as their last song ended I developed a nosebleed which was no reflection of their performance but was suitably punky if you think about it.

Opening with 'I Might Be Lying' (I remember buying the single when it came out- fantastic!) The Hot Rods delivered a blistering set which caused a near riot more-or-less from the word go. Highlights were many but I must mention a wondrous version of 'The Power And The Glory' alongside the inevitable 'Do Anything You Wanna Do', and the encores of 'Gloria' and 'Get Out Of Denver' sounded every bit as energetic as the recordings from the 'Live At The Marquee' EP (I bought that when it came out too!) A brilliant gig which sent myself and Huggy on our way back to the Central Line in such a state of euphoric inspiration that we all but forgot about the windscreen wiper problem that awaited us...