Well, hello there!
It’s been a while since we put one of these out, what with one thing and another, but after a peaceful few weeks, we’re back out gigging merrily away. And the good news is that it seems we haven’t entirely forgotten how to do it…
Friday at the Blue Lagoon started out unusually quiet, but just as we started the second set, it suddenly became rammed with jolly folk, and by the end of the night, you couldn’t move for dancing lunatics.
Saturday at the Poacher in Portishead was even more fun. Quite a few familiar faces, and several folks who hadn’t seen us before but had come down on the strength of our reputation from previous visits.
Big In Portishead, whatever next?
I was approached by a chap shortly before we started who buttonholed me and asked directly,
“Are the drums going to be really loud?”
Oh dear, he’s not going to be one of those people who complain about noise levels, is he? I hesitate momentarily, trying to think of an amenable-sounding but not blatantly untrue answer, but am cut off by,
“’…’Cause I really like it when the drums are loud”
I reassure him that if that’s the case, I’m confident he won’t be disappointed. His lady companion whispers to me as he walks off, “But not too loud, hey?”.
You really can’t please all the people all the time….
Some old pals are in, and they tell us that our dear friend Paige will be along later once she’s finished work. This is excellent news, as she’s usually amenable to coming and guesting on a few tunes.
We first met her a few years ago at another Portishead gig, when she was a mere nervous teen, and after being told that she “sang a bit”, we offered to let her sit in for a couple of songs. Since then, she’s been singing with a band on her own account, and I like to think we helped encourage her in the direction of good-natured rock and roll mischief.
The second set is off to a good start, the place is already bouncing around merrily, and having started a bit early, we are debating what extra songs we might be able to remember; when partway through the second set, in strolls Paige. She does a good job of looking surprised when I beckon her up to join us, but she’s grinning all over her little chops…
“Can you remember Holiday by Green Day?, she asks me.
I look across to Steve, who shrugs non-committally.
“Maybe… I don’t think we’ve played it since the last time we saw you in December.”
“Well, I haven’t sung it since the last time I saw you lot.”
“Right, then, game on. We’ll all go down together…”
As it turns out, muscle memory kicks in, and it’s all fine.
A couple more with Paige, and then our Abby comes back to finish off the night with a few encores. Somebody has requested some Sabbath, so it’s back once again into the dusty cupboards of memory; a quick game of “guess the key” with Steve, and we’re off.
Finally, we run out of songs, just as we run out of time, so there’s nothing for it but to pack up, have a quick unwind beer, and head for home. Abs is keen to get away, though, she’s up early in the morning.
And why is she planning to rise at such an early hour on the Sabbath?
“I’m going to Portugal to get pissed for a few days”.
Well, that sounds utterly fair enough.
But fear not, she has promised to return in time for our next batch of outings: –
Friday 6th – The King Billy, Staple Hill
The “King William IV” to give it its official title, which nobody uses. Quite a lively affair in here usually, and quite often a few pals drop by.
Saturday 7th – Clevedon Cricket Club
It’s one of their annual bashes, as I recall this is the one that gets not just insanely busy, but also busily insane. A fine bunch of folks, but – considering that I always imagined cricket to be a leisurely and gentlemanly sport – it has to be said, they’re a bunch of animals….
Monday 9th – Private function
This is an odd gig we picked from somebody who saw us at the Lagoon a few months ago, and requested for us to play their student’s end of year bash. Apparently, they’re all students training to be pre-school and primary school teachers, but I have no idea what to do with this piece of information.
Suggestions on a postcard to the usual address.
Square on
A