Tag Archives: Christmas

Gig Log

27-07-2015 – Rain

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Ahoy there shipmates!

And, after what I like to think was a well-earned week’s jollidays, it was back into rainy Bristol for a Friday night at the Blue Lagoon. After a quiet start (thanks probably to the deluge bombarding the area), the place soon busied up, and it was quite a nice surprise to find that even after a week without touching a guitar, I could actually almost remember how to play the songs… remarkable, particularly considering that I couldn’t before.

Better still, my insanely complicated guitar rewiring job (installing a four-pole five-way switch plus two double-pole double-throw ones, since you ask) actually worked a treat, so now I can slap several pickups on at the same time – even more loudness than before! 🙂 READ MORE

Gig Log

13-07-2015 – In The Court of Queen Amie

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Yo homeys!

Well, what can I say? Although we’ve had a lot of fun at various wedding and party gigs lately, it was luvverly to get back to the dear ol’ Railway Tav, court of Her Imperial Majesty Queen Amy of Fishponds, for a bit of pubby rock. In fact, Her Majesty was a little put out that we hadn’t played her favourite song (Alanis Morissette’s Bitch), and when Lou protested that she didn’t know it, she was met with a straightforward “Well, if you ain’t playin’ it, I ain’t payin’ you then.” READ MORE

Gig Log

06-07-2015 – Classy Duck

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Why, hello there, stranger…

Firstly, apologies for not having pushed one of these tatty little things into your Inbox for the past couple of weeks; but although we were out gigging the past two weekends, it was all rather posh swanky weddings, to which you grubby lot weren’t invited, and as I was pushed for time by a lot of other things I had to get done, I’m afraid that the email fell of the bottom of my list of things to do.

That said, I did actually only receive one complaint from somebody who’d missed receiving his weekly dose of drivel; and seeing as I usually receive significantly more complaints from folks after reading this stuff, I think that, on balance, missing them out has probably contributed in some small way to increasing the sum total of happiness in the world. READ MORE

Gig Log

15-06-2015 – The Great (Mediocre Actually) Escape

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Wassup!

Well, that was a fun night down at the Green Dragon in Marlborough; the place was much busier than usual, and we were having so much fun that it came as a nasty shock to find out that it was suddenly half-eleven and time to stop for their strict noise curfew. So, we only played a few more after that, before discreetly stopping in case they suddenly decided not to pay us…

As we all had busy Sundays lined up, we packed up very quickly and efficie ntly; only to find that there were so many revellers milling about that it was impossible to actually get the kit out through the door and across the pavement to the van – I tried to get the first case out, and it took me a full 5 minutes (and was offered two fights) before I made it across the 10 yards to the van, and peeled various drunks off the back door so I could open it and put the thing in. READ MORE

Gig Log

01-06-2015 – Near Fire Escape Heart Attack

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And, on this fine sunny day, may I wish a warm welcome to all our readers.

And for our non-readers: – Well, unfortunately, you won’t be able to read, that, will you?

So – I know – here’s a nice “warm welcome-y” picture, just for you…

Welcome

Right, that’s that out of the way, then…

Friday night, and the “Rum Bar” in Chepstow. After several laps of the one-way system. We finally found it, and were faced with two disappointments.

Disappointment One: It turned out to be a tropical-type-cocktail-bar. Nothing wrong with that, but I’d been kinda hoping that everybody in there would be pirates… READ MORE

Gig Log

01-06-2015 – Kebab & Inflatables

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Are you sitting comfortably?

Then I’ll begin.

It seems that lots of people took my advice last Saturday, and left the car at home… Molloy’s was once again filled with people who were – depending on your point of view – either absolutely rubbish at drinking, or very good indeed. There was a definite air of unsteadiness about a large proportion of the crowd, evidenced by the fact that our lighting rig, following a good stumbling-into from one of the punters, majestically took a topple floor wards towards the end of the first set. It was saved from disaster by our eagle-eyed lovely pal Sue, who spotted its downward trajectory, and leaping into action, managed to actually catch it before it smashed full-on into the floorboards. READ MORE

Gig Log

26-05-2015 – Roadie

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Right then, quiet at the back, there… …If you’re all sitting comfortably, then I’ll begin…

Friday night’s expedition to Mangotsfield turned out to be – well, let’s call it a moral victory. At least we know that every single person in the audience thoroughly enjoyed our little game of “jukebox”, whereby they shout out songs, and we see if we can play them. We know that every single person enjoyed it, because we know their names – so, to Tony, Neil, and Donna – it was our pleasure, guys! READ MORE

Gig Log

18-05-2015 – Our Latest Video, 3 Gig’s, New Guitar, ROR and Bleep, Bleep, Bleep

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Good morning campers!

I’m your Uncle Ernie and I welcome you to… oh never mind.

[Editor’s note: We have a shiny new show reel video, yer tis …]

Good grief, that was knackering. After a relatively quiet gig on Friday at the Trident, Saturday’s outing to the ‘Cullis in Fishponds was enlivened by the new landlady there, Helen – who turned out to be as mad as a box of frogs, as mad as seven badgers in a handbag, as mad as a Walnut Whip on a rollercoaster – and actually has at least as many silly toys as we do. So, during the course of the set we were treated to “the pom-poms”, “the loudhailer”, “the corset”, “the hat”, “the vuvuzela”, and, of course, “the Miss Piggy wig” – which was immediately plonked onto Stuart, who rather to my terror, looked completely at home in it. READ MORE

Gig Log

11-05-2015 – Guitar Madness 2 With Added Politics

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Yoho Ahoy!

[editor’s note: this one really started last week, see Guitar Madness]

All right, I’ll say this only once.

Which one of you lot thought it would be funny to vote the greedy thieving fascists back in for another five years, then?

Well, we know for a fact it wasn’t anyone from down in sophisticated Westbury; that’s because, based on the straw poll of drunk women who came marching up to Ben and I on Saturday night at our Charlie’s Bar gig, to loudly announce, unasked, who they voted for, it seems everyone there voted for UKIP. READ MORE

Gig Log

05-05-2015 – Guitar Madness

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May the Fourth Be With You.

No, no, I’m not a day late, I’m just really early for next year, okay?

Right, well we hope you enjoyed your sunny Blank Holiday weekend; mine was quite chilled, actually, thanks for asking – with Dem away down at Land’s End with the two most maniacal offspring, I managed to get a cheeky half hour in the guitar shop playing away on the lovely items hanging on their wall…

Unfortunately the upshot of all this is that I now need another guitar… If anybody has any suggestions as to how I can justify this to the Internal Finance Committee, I’d be glad of some assistance. READ MORE