Tag Archives: covers

11-08-2014 – Gazeboid Bubble Experience

Hello, my little damp squibs!

Anybody else been on the receiving end of Hurricane Bertha this weekend?

Well, things started off ordinarily enough for us – despite a “road closed” issue that stopped me just 200 yards from the gig, and led to a four-mile detour, I arrived just in time at the Live and Let Live in Frampton Cotterell’s Summer Fun Pub Day to catch the last number from the band playing under a tenty gazeboid thing in the garden. After making a few enquiries as to arrangements for using PAs, playing times, etc., it became apparent that nobody knew quite what was going on. So, once the incumbent band had packed up and cleared out, we hauled our kit in under the gazeboid, and set about setting up. Since we were quite close to home, and my youngest Jimi had been nagging for another gig (despite, apparently “still not having found a proper guitarist yet”), Dem brought the whole mob along so they could have a crack at it if there was time. READ MORE

04-08-2014 – Imposters Special

Ahoy there shipmates!

As previously announced in these pages, your favourite rawk’n’roll band is taking a well-earned rest for most of the month of August, at least in part because it’s too damned hot to be humping heavy amplifiers around.

However, a couple of last minute bookings have turned up, and so it was that last Saturday, we found ourselves up in Dursley, at the Kingshill Inn; which turns out to be a rather fine venue, with a nice little stage area, and even a special Flying V hung over the bar, which every visiting band is required to use for at least one number. The place (although apparently usually rammed full) was half empty – and this time it wasn’t our fault, because nobody knew we were coming! – but the folks that were there were pleasantly jolly and bonkers. Although not without a sinister side; within minutes of meeting us, the very nice-seeming young lady who served me at the bar (despite, it turned out, not working there) had cheerfully confessed to electrocuting hamsters for a pastime… Well, this is Dursley, after all, you never quite know what to expect. READ MORE

28-07-2014 – The Kids Are All Right Edition

Well, as the song goes; Summer’s here, and the time is right, for drinking in the streets…

After a very Scorchio week away in touristy wallet-molesting London, we were back in time on Friday to take diva daughter Lil over to the Rolly in Swindon for a jolly evening’s acoustic fun, before slinking away off to bed, in order to get up early so I could go and set up for the next day’s wedding gig. And a mighty fine wedding gig it was as well; the groom and his chums actually played as a band (the wonderfully-named Astral Toasters, if I heard correctly); thus after our first set they hopped up and played a few numbers, which got the dance floor packed. After that it was easy for us, and we just kept the ball rolling, while the merry crowd danced, jumped, caroused, leaped, and in some cases just drunk, the night away. Alas, there were no small children doing the compulsory wedding “sliding along the dance floor on your knees” routine; but happily there were some drunken alleged adults, who filled in for them nicely. READ MORE

21-07-2014 – Gina & Lil Inspired

As Alan is away this week, this is a recorded message…

No band action this weekend, but the diva Lily was out twice; Friday, we rolled up at the Messenger in Swindon, a busy estate pub (that’s like a normal pub, but with a bigger boot), and were delighted to see our buddies Gina and Lucy roll up. Once a few lager-fuelled undesirables had been snarled away by the landlady, we were all settled in for a nice cosy fun night, and had to decide at the end whether to upset the punters, who noisily demanded more, or the landlady, who quietly asked to stop for the sake of her licence. We decided in the end to go with the landlady, because she was paying us. Rawk’n’roll sellout I know, but we live to gig another day! READ MORE

14-07-2014 – Potentially Embarrassing Social Faux Pas Special

Good morning campers!

Well, it was another busy week in rawk’n’roll; young Lily’s first gig for ages on Thursday, over at what turned out to be a very friendly pub in Ludgershall; they helped carry the kit in, they danced and sang in all the right places, they bought some of her CDs, and they even paid us more than the agreed amount. We’ll be back!

Friday and another outing for Lil, this time to our beloved Queen Amy’s to fill in for a late cancellation; not being sure of a crowd, we brought our own, including about half of Da Family and some good ol’ mates as well. Very nice night indeed. READ MORE

07-07-2014 – All On Ice

Ahoy there!

Well, a mighty fine summer weekend’s entertainment there…

When we arrived at Stanshawe’s Court on Friday, it turned out to be an enormous old mansion-turned-into-family-pub affair. Hence, among the usual pub crowd, there were several families just finishing eating as we started to set up.

One little girl pointed at Ben and I, and whispered something into her dad’s ear.

“She wants to know if you play ‘Frozen’”, he grinned at us.

“What, that song from the Disney film?” asks Ben. READ MORE

30-06-2014 – Just 2 Gigs

Yo peeps!

Right, pay attention at the back there, I’ll keep this nice and one short… partly ‘cos we didn’t play this weekend, so there’s nothing to report, and partly ‘cos I’m just lazy.

On the assumption that Stuart returns safely from Glasters intact, and hasn’t run off to join the “Rainbow Village Universal Trucking Company”, or similar, then this weekend we have a double-header treat for Bristol residents: –

Friday 4th July – Stanshawe’s Court Inn, Yate
Never played this one before. But we have played Yate before; although we’re kinda hoping we’ll be pleasantly surprised this time. You never know. Sometimes they have mad people pogo-ing for twenty minutes, then going for a little lie-down under the table to recover… and then jumping back up to do it all over again. READ MORE

23-06-2014 – Whooping and dancing

Aloha!

Oh, the madness continues. After two weeks off, a jet lagged Stuart is just back from Cuba, Lou is barely able to stand up having blistered her feet into oblivion by foolishly going running (it’s not like she doesn’t have a car), and Ben and I are both knackered sideways from working…  and we have a Harley Owner’s Group rally to play.

Actually, I think we held it all together rather well. For the first set, and most of the second, it all went swimmingly, with much singing along, dancing, whooping, and general silliness; then, suddenly, most of the merry bikers disappeared off the dance floor, not to be seen again. READ MORE

02-06-2014 – Ride Of Respect

Yo homeys!

Well, that was a rip-roaring entertaining weekend!

Firstly, a massive thanks to our pal Anne for inviting us to play at this year’s Ride Of Respect in Abingdon; having worked for months to organise the whole event, we think she deserves a rest now, but is unlikely to get one…

We’d arranged to play the Saturday night gig (for all the riders, stewards, and various other ne’er-do-wells who camped over the night before), and camp over ourselves, too – meaning no tiresome staying-sober-enough-to-drive-home was needed. So, with malice aforethought, Ben and I stashed as much beer and cider as we could shoehorn into the vehicles in between amplifiers, carefully trying to avoid remembering we would have to be up and setting up equipment again at 7:30 the next morning. READ MORE

27-05-2014 – Ride Of Respect & Death Nutter

Ahoy there shipmates!

Well, a busy and interesting Bank Holiday weekend, I think – Ben is still riding high after his recent Eurovision Song Contest victory, but nonetheless still put in a spirited performance for us on the bass…

Saturday night, we rolled up at the Woodlands Edge in sunny Swindon, to be asked to “wait until the footie has finished before you start”. Hokay, no problem; although the game (between two Spanish teams, it seems, the Swindon connections for which are still a little unclear to me) – as inevitably happens on such occasions – went into injury time (“Mummy, I’ve banged my knee!”), followed by extra time (“Awww, do we have to come home yet, Mum?”), so Lou and I amused ourselves in the meantime by seeing which of us was worse at juggling. <<Please insert your own “dropped balls” pun here. Thank you>> READ MORE