Tag Archives: pubs

Gig Log

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

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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

Gig Log

19-05-2014 – Think Words

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Hello sailor!

Well, summer’s here, and the time is right… for drinking heavily in Swindon pubs it would seem. A jolly evening in the Royal Oak, Lou and I rolled up with our shiny (okay, then, shabby) PA all nice and repaired, and were greeted by a worried-looking Ben. “I’ve lost Stuart”, he says. “He went to park the car about twenty minutes ago, I’ve set all his kit up for him, and he’s still not back yet. You how he gets lost driving around Swindon…”

Just as he is saying this, we see Stuart drive majestically past; and so, giggling helplessly, we unload the van; when we’ve finished, just as I hop back in to park it, Stuart comes driving past  for another lap. He follows me, as we drive 30 seconds round the corner to the large clearly-marked car park, and we stroll back to the pub to finish setting up. READ MORE

Gig Log

12-05-2014 – Sleep Deprivation Weekend

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Yo peeps

Slightly disoriented after a week off, and mostly knackered (me ‘cos I’m old, Ben due to a draconian work shift pattern, Stuart because the previous night was the album launch party for the Real Kings Of Spain, Lou because – well, because she’s always running around like a loony), we all trundled up to the Parson’s Nose in Melksham, and tried to remember how to set up the kit. It seems that knocking your Strat off its stand is not the most helpful part of this process, but then again nor is finding your spare batteries have shorted themselves out and melted together into an ungainly heap. Still, we finally got everything working, except for my brain (which fast forwarded in one song leaving me 2 verses ahead, and wondering why it was the rest of ‘em were all screwing it up together, and managing to do it in perfect sync…) READ MORE

Gig Log

06-05-2014 – Gurlie rawk

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Hey gang

Another weekend off for the mighty Angel Up Front rawk machine, although a busy week in the “other projects” world; Dem and I trundled down to the dear ol’ Bierkeller to catch the debut gig from Lou’s up-and-coming gurlie rawk originals outfit Stripped – and mighty fine they were, too. Ladies, we salute you!

And, this Thursday, is the album launch party bash for Stuart’s alt-art-politico-agit-prop (I don’t actually know what that last one means, but is kinda sounds good) urban neo-prog activists, The Real Kings Of Spain. Ben spent the weekend at the Temples metal-fest down in town. Me? I cut the grass… READ MORE

Gig Log

22-04-2014 – Wiggly Girl

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Hello, my little Easter bunnies!

Well, after a rather nice weekend off, with absolutely nothing of interest to report (if I can’t remember it, then either I’ve had an absolutely brilliant time, or nothing happened – and since I appear to be in possession of both my eyebrows, and what appear to be my own clothes, I must assume the latter), let’s get straight on with the coming weekend’s gigs –

Saturday 26th – Queen Vic, Stroud
Well, just the one, then, this weekend, but it’s a doozy. We usually manage to enjoy ourselves at this place – rather a lot, as it happens. Although, come to think of it, it’s been a while since the locals pulled off any particularly impressive feats of amusement – apart from the regular attractions, of course. Stu and Ben are probably even now keenly anticipating their next viewing appointment with the sensuous writhing limbs of Wiggly Girl. I keep telling them, eventually, they’ll go blind… READ MORE

Gig Log

14-04-2014 – Bunny up special

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Yo ho ahoy!

Well, yet another busy weekend, back in Bristol again on Friday (anyone would think we lived here or something) and a jolly time was had by all at the Red Lion in Staple Hill; we even had a Special Guest between sets, as young Hannah, one of Lou’s music students, got up and sang a few numbers playing Lou’s keyboard (yes, we’ve gone all multi-instrumental-when-we-remember-to-bring-it-along now, folks), and beautiful stuff it was too. I was rather touched to hear one of the barmaids saying “Oh, she’s so sweet, I wants to take ‘er ‘ome with me…”; and no little surprise when her colleague elbowed her sharply in the ribs and hissed, “You can’t do that, not after last time…” READ MORE

Gig Log

07-04-2014 – Jumping around wacked wireless

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Mornin!

Well, back to Fishyponds again this week. This time to the dear ol’ Railway Tav, and it was lovely to see some ol’ mates again, as well as some newer ones again (yo, Tiff!).

We had a bit of an iffy start, as three songs in, my “jumping around like a twat” behaviour caused me to accidentally punch my wireless transmitter, which resulted in it (not entirely surprisingly) refusing to co-operate any more. Unfortunately, the bag with all the spare leads in was safely stashed outside in the van (ironically, to make room for said jumping around like a twat), so to get operational again I had to steal the lead out of Lou’s keyboard. Still, she will get to play it again soon… READ MORE

Gig Log

31-03-2014 – Not a clue what e’s on about special

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Yowsa!

Well, that almost felt like a weekend off, only the one gig, and it was even in Bristol, so we didn’t get home too late… except of course, that they shifted the clocks, so that in effect we got back too late anyway. Poor Lou was a very tired little bunny by the end of the night; still, the “playing with keyboards” experiment went rather well, apart from being a little bit of faffy rearranging of the stage in the middle of a set. Not to worry, I’m sure we’ll get the hang of things eventually. READ MORE

Gig Log

24-03-2014 – You can never have too many wings, hats and jelly edition

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Oy!

(actually, that was supposed to be a “Yo!”, but I mistyped it. Never mind.)

So, Friday night at the Trout in Keynsham; a bit quieter than usual; possibly the rain hammering down put off some of the more lightweight lager drinkers.

Still, the place was jumping quite nicely by the end. Lou had brought a few of her pals along, which was good to see, and had also decided to spring a little surprise on Ben and myself, in the shape of one enormous and ornate sombrero (which was plonked on me whilst playing), and one teeny-tiny one which was deposited onto Ben’s bonce at the same time. READ MORE

Gig Log

17-03-2014 – Touching special

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Hey gang

Yet another busy weekend in the world of rawk’n’roll… frankly, I don’t think I’m gonna be able to keep up much longer…

Friday night at Queen Amy’s Railway Tav, and another fine gig from diva (that’s pronounced “divver”, by the way) daughter, and most of the Wessex chapter of Dem’s family came along to watch. Lil really is getting the hang of this rock’n’roll thing, to the point of looking out for where the chip shops are on the way in to the gig, so you don’t have to wander around looking for them afterwards. READ MORE