Post by DAVE HURRY on Mar 15, 2008 22:03:47 GMT
HI-ON ABERDEEN
Well, it's like this gig didn't want to happen! I've been plagued by delays this morning - first a heart-attack victim on my train into London caused a 20-minute delay, then a suicidal nutter on the track just north of Stevenage, and then dodgy signalling. As I type I'm not sure what time I'll get into Aberdeen, but that's not all! Poor Quicko McBrain had a vehicle malfunction in France yesterday and couldn't make it back in time to play with us. Thankfully Mister Dave Shaw was free and has saved our bacon (again).
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My journey continued with a track-side fire just outside Kirkcaldy. Marvellous! Upon arrival in Aberdeen, my map was about as useful as a chocolate fireguard. The roads were so small that they couldn't fit the names on the map, and it seems that they were also so small as to not warrant having road signs either! In the end I gave up and jumped in a taxi where a heroic fellow dropped me at the venue for the princely sum of £2.50. To my surprise (and slight horror), the rest of the band hadn't arrived! This was particularly odd as I'd spoken to Adrian "I miss the parsnip" Swift on the phone at around 3pm to find he and Andy "bend for a friend!" The Bruce were at Aberdeen airport waiting for the other two. A quick phone call revealed that they were as lost as I had been, though sadly they couldn't just jump in a taxi!
It got worse - Speed "wigless" Harris had arrived at Aberdeen to find his bag had gone missing. This was particularly problematic as the bag contained all his stage gear (worth around £260), his sat nav, and various other items that would have been swipeable. Needless to say, Speed wasn't happy. Dave "and now a word from our sponsors" Shaw got busy setting up absent Nicko's kit, while Swifty and I exchanged riffs and solos (working out bits of songs for the upcoming Somewig On Tour set...this should have been happening by now but the other sad f*ckers in the band won't do it without first securing a certain item of clothing for Mister Dugginson!).
Cafe Drummonds is normally a great gig, packed to the rafters with a great crowd. This time however, it wasn't. When we hit the stage (after waiting a bit), there were very few people around! People had been refusing to dig in their pocket for the £4 entry. The gig did liven up after the first few songs, but there was sod-all we could do. Mr Harris was onstage in his normal everyday clothing with no wig, which was very weird. He wasn't happy - I've never seen him so static onstage. None of us really wanted to be onstage, but we all put in a workmanlike performance. The people who were there were raving about it afterwards, so we did a good enough job. We all feel a bit dejected though - with all the problems getting here, and all the problems before we got here, it just Didn't Want To Happen. We should have recognised this and cancelled it, but cancelling gigs is very much not a cool thing to do. We made a few people very happy, made no money (but didn't lose any!) and I had an adventure getting here. No doubt the homeward leg will be just as mental!
HUGE thanks go out to Dave Shaw and Andy The Bruce for helping us out at short notice. Both did a cracking job and it wouldn't have happened without them.
Roll on Southampton - hopefully a much less traumatic time!
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Epilogue
Well, like I expected something to go fucking right! Our journey back from Aberdeen to Leeds was fine, almost pleasant, but now I'm fucked again. I got on a train at Leeds which would have got me back into London at about 20 past 11, plenty of time to get my last train home. A door at the back of the train has opened and won't secure. We're sat outside Doncaster with no hope of getting into Kings X in time for me to get home tonight. I need a plan B!
At least the train has free wi-fi (excellent) so I can look for solutions. Bugger this!
CAN SOMETHING GO RIGHT?!
Well, it's like this gig didn't want to happen! I've been plagued by delays this morning - first a heart-attack victim on my train into London caused a 20-minute delay, then a suicidal nutter on the track just north of Stevenage, and then dodgy signalling. As I type I'm not sure what time I'll get into Aberdeen, but that's not all! Poor Quicko McBrain had a vehicle malfunction in France yesterday and couldn't make it back in time to play with us. Thankfully Mister Dave Shaw was free and has saved our bacon (again).
------
My journey continued with a track-side fire just outside Kirkcaldy. Marvellous! Upon arrival in Aberdeen, my map was about as useful as a chocolate fireguard. The roads were so small that they couldn't fit the names on the map, and it seems that they were also so small as to not warrant having road signs either! In the end I gave up and jumped in a taxi where a heroic fellow dropped me at the venue for the princely sum of £2.50. To my surprise (and slight horror), the rest of the band hadn't arrived! This was particularly odd as I'd spoken to Adrian "I miss the parsnip" Swift on the phone at around 3pm to find he and Andy "bend for a friend!" The Bruce were at Aberdeen airport waiting for the other two. A quick phone call revealed that they were as lost as I had been, though sadly they couldn't just jump in a taxi!
It got worse - Speed "wigless" Harris had arrived at Aberdeen to find his bag had gone missing. This was particularly problematic as the bag contained all his stage gear (worth around £260), his sat nav, and various other items that would have been swipeable. Needless to say, Speed wasn't happy. Dave "and now a word from our sponsors" Shaw got busy setting up absent Nicko's kit, while Swifty and I exchanged riffs and solos (working out bits of songs for the upcoming Somewig On Tour set...this should have been happening by now but the other sad f*ckers in the band won't do it without first securing a certain item of clothing for Mister Dugginson!).
Cafe Drummonds is normally a great gig, packed to the rafters with a great crowd. This time however, it wasn't. When we hit the stage (after waiting a bit), there were very few people around! People had been refusing to dig in their pocket for the £4 entry. The gig did liven up after the first few songs, but there was sod-all we could do. Mr Harris was onstage in his normal everyday clothing with no wig, which was very weird. He wasn't happy - I've never seen him so static onstage. None of us really wanted to be onstage, but we all put in a workmanlike performance. The people who were there were raving about it afterwards, so we did a good enough job. We all feel a bit dejected though - with all the problems getting here, and all the problems before we got here, it just Didn't Want To Happen. We should have recognised this and cancelled it, but cancelling gigs is very much not a cool thing to do. We made a few people very happy, made no money (but didn't lose any!) and I had an adventure getting here. No doubt the homeward leg will be just as mental!
HUGE thanks go out to Dave Shaw and Andy The Bruce for helping us out at short notice. Both did a cracking job and it wouldn't have happened without them.
Roll on Southampton - hopefully a much less traumatic time!
----
Epilogue
Well, like I expected something to go fucking right! Our journey back from Aberdeen to Leeds was fine, almost pleasant, but now I'm fucked again. I got on a train at Leeds which would have got me back into London at about 20 past 11, plenty of time to get my last train home. A door at the back of the train has opened and won't secure. We're sat outside Doncaster with no hope of getting into Kings X in time for me to get home tonight. I need a plan B!
At least the train has free wi-fi (excellent) so I can look for solutions. Bugger this!
CAN SOMETHING GO RIGHT?!
You rock!