Post by DAVE HURRY on Feb 25, 2008 8:43:58 GMT
HI-ON PENZANCE & TAVISTOCK
Friday 22nd February 2008 - 10:00 AM
London Paddington - Starbucks
Well, here I am at Paddington once again waiting to start the journey gigwards. The last time I jaunted from Paddington to a gig was the ill-fated Narberth gig (which we are still trying to rearrange, faithful reader in Wales). I'll be meeting Mr Nicko "I wonder if he fake-tans his wang?" McBrain Jnr in about 3/4 hour - I arrived a fair way early as I always get restless on gig mornings. I have to get going sooner rather than later! I'm currently sitting in Starbucks, typing on my laptop - I must look so deep, meaningful and arty (sarcasm ends here).
Off to Penzance today. I've just had to jump on the station wireless internet jobby as I completely forgot to get directions from Penzance station to venue! Thankfully it's not even a mile, so not far to drag my tired carcass. My gig bag gets heavier every week - this week I bought a case to put all my leads and power cables in (which, conveniently, also has space for my Mac!).
----
Saturday 23rd February - 8:30 AM
A Travelodge somewhere
What they don't tell you about Penzance is that it's very hilly. When you've got a heavy gig bag and a guitar in a hard case, that makes for some exercise. Especially when you get lost! Me and Nicko eventually arrived at the venue and set up. A fair-sized stage, and a dressing room right beside it which is always a bonus. Speed "I didn't get a nickname last week" Harris had met the other two travelers at a service station somewhere and jumped in the van. This saves us on petrol expenses, boys and girls.
Bruce "dirty pants, clean botty" Dugginson was to do something he'd never done before - sing for us without his wig! He had assembled Bruce Dickinson's new stage gear (beanie included) and was going to wear that for the first half of the show, disappearing during the quiet bit of "...Mariner" and then reappear fully syruped. I think this is a wicked idea - it makes for a bit more of a show, plus the looks on the punters faces when he came out a different man were just brilliant! "Tonight Matthew, I'm going to be........" *
Adrian "But if his pants are clean, then..." Swift made noise out of his amp before me yet again. This is a bit of a long-running joke - given the amount of gear Swifty has, there's no way he should be set up before me. Yet last week Speed was late turning up with my amp, and this week they all arrived some time before me. Not really a fair test then...!
We were to go on a bit early, which we don't normally like but needs must. A quick look out to the audience revealed not that many folk and most sitting round the side, so to be honest we didn't hit the stage with the enthusiastic abandon we would a packed house. However, we were blown away by the crowd and our performance. We say this to each other a lot, but this line-up feels so natural it's spooky. This gig in particular was just incredible - I honestly just completely zoned out, it felt so comfortable and easy. What a gig!!! There were three young lads on my side of the stage having a great time (Matthew, Josh and Harry - if you're reading, hello!!) , and we had them up onstage during Heaven Can Wait. All round, it was a spectacular night.
After the gig, we packed down and headed off to our digs. Tavistock tonight, which we're filming. I sincerely hope we can recapture the magic that we had in Penzance, but to be honest if we even play half as well as that we'll be alright.
----
Sunday 24th February 2008 - 9:40 PM
Home!
Well well well, boys and girls. I'm rather tired, but I suspect the drivers in the band are a lot worse off than me! We arrived into Tavistock nice and early, so the van was parked and we headed off in search of a pint. Tavistock is a lovely looking place, and was a most pleasant place to spend an early afternoon. The aforementioned pint was found (myself, Swift and Brucie were supping on St Austell's fabulous "Tribute", fittingly!), while Speed destroyed Nicko Junior on the pool table. There's nothing better than an afternoon spent with pals and a nice beer.
We headed back to the venue and set up. I'd never been here before, and was pleasantly surprised by the size of the stage and the general state of the place, which was lovely. It's weekends like this where we have two or three top notch venues that make me wish we could do them all the time - that being said, sometimes the tiny staged pub gigs can be pretty rocking too.
After a brief argument with the owner over whether or not we were doing two sets (which we absolutely refuse to do, so venues be warned!) we had a bit of grub and buggered off backstage to get ready. This gig was being filmed by Daryl, the nice fella who filmed the boys last time at this venue (he can be located at www.myspace.com/pepper220673), and his missus. Nicko Jnr had brought with him an extra camera (actually used by his old man to film Maiden back in the day), so it was a multi-camera shoot! We'll look into making a DVD to flog to you lot - keep your eyes on the website.
As the night before was so amazing (on a playing level), we were never going to be happy with anything less. I don't think we played as well, but we were still on form and tight as a witch's cleft. I had a couple of Brown Moments, largely due to the lighting rig cancelling out me fret inlays (yeah yeah, excuses excuses) but otherwise was OK. I love playing this stuff, and the rest of the band are just as passionate (if not more so) about it. This oozes from us onstage, and certainly gets across to the audience. A good night all round!
We sat about chatting to the audience (including some younger faces again - the appeal of Maiden seems to know no age limit!) and lazily packed down to head off to our kip. I purchased some extra beer from the venue so we could have a couple back in the hotel room, and someone bought a filthy magazine on the way there - I'd hate to have been the cleaner of that room! A hotel room covered in beer bottles and naughty pictures...how very rock and roll!
A listless morning (largely spent waiting for three mixed grills to arrive at the table) resulted in myself and McBrainy missing our train, despite some heroic driving from Mister Swift. No matter though, there was one an hour later and we were both home at a reasonable hour. I feel shattered, and that only after two gigs - how on Earth am I going to cope with four on the trot in Turkey this week!!!
All eyes to Tuesday when we fly out for our very first jaunt to that part of the world - can't wait!!!
Love,
Dave "Manic Barracus" Hurry
*Kenny Twelve-pence!
Friday 22nd February 2008 - 10:00 AM
London Paddington - Starbucks
Well, here I am at Paddington once again waiting to start the journey gigwards. The last time I jaunted from Paddington to a gig was the ill-fated Narberth gig (which we are still trying to rearrange, faithful reader in Wales). I'll be meeting Mr Nicko "I wonder if he fake-tans his wang?" McBrain Jnr in about 3/4 hour - I arrived a fair way early as I always get restless on gig mornings. I have to get going sooner rather than later! I'm currently sitting in Starbucks, typing on my laptop - I must look so deep, meaningful and arty (sarcasm ends here).
Off to Penzance today. I've just had to jump on the station wireless internet jobby as I completely forgot to get directions from Penzance station to venue! Thankfully it's not even a mile, so not far to drag my tired carcass. My gig bag gets heavier every week - this week I bought a case to put all my leads and power cables in (which, conveniently, also has space for my Mac!).
----
Saturday 23rd February - 8:30 AM
A Travelodge somewhere
What they don't tell you about Penzance is that it's very hilly. When you've got a heavy gig bag and a guitar in a hard case, that makes for some exercise. Especially when you get lost! Me and Nicko eventually arrived at the venue and set up. A fair-sized stage, and a dressing room right beside it which is always a bonus. Speed "I didn't get a nickname last week" Harris had met the other two travelers at a service station somewhere and jumped in the van. This saves us on petrol expenses, boys and girls.
Bruce "dirty pants, clean botty" Dugginson was to do something he'd never done before - sing for us without his wig! He had assembled Bruce Dickinson's new stage gear (beanie included) and was going to wear that for the first half of the show, disappearing during the quiet bit of "...Mariner" and then reappear fully syruped. I think this is a wicked idea - it makes for a bit more of a show, plus the looks on the punters faces when he came out a different man were just brilliant! "Tonight Matthew, I'm going to be........" *
Adrian "But if his pants are clean, then..." Swift made noise out of his amp before me yet again. This is a bit of a long-running joke - given the amount of gear Swifty has, there's no way he should be set up before me. Yet last week Speed was late turning up with my amp, and this week they all arrived some time before me. Not really a fair test then...!
We were to go on a bit early, which we don't normally like but needs must. A quick look out to the audience revealed not that many folk and most sitting round the side, so to be honest we didn't hit the stage with the enthusiastic abandon we would a packed house. However, we were blown away by the crowd and our performance. We say this to each other a lot, but this line-up feels so natural it's spooky. This gig in particular was just incredible - I honestly just completely zoned out, it felt so comfortable and easy. What a gig!!! There were three young lads on my side of the stage having a great time (Matthew, Josh and Harry - if you're reading, hello!!) , and we had them up onstage during Heaven Can Wait. All round, it was a spectacular night.
After the gig, we packed down and headed off to our digs. Tavistock tonight, which we're filming. I sincerely hope we can recapture the magic that we had in Penzance, but to be honest if we even play half as well as that we'll be alright.
----
Sunday 24th February 2008 - 9:40 PM
Home!
Well well well, boys and girls. I'm rather tired, but I suspect the drivers in the band are a lot worse off than me! We arrived into Tavistock nice and early, so the van was parked and we headed off in search of a pint. Tavistock is a lovely looking place, and was a most pleasant place to spend an early afternoon. The aforementioned pint was found (myself, Swift and Brucie were supping on St Austell's fabulous "Tribute", fittingly!), while Speed destroyed Nicko Junior on the pool table. There's nothing better than an afternoon spent with pals and a nice beer.
We headed back to the venue and set up. I'd never been here before, and was pleasantly surprised by the size of the stage and the general state of the place, which was lovely. It's weekends like this where we have two or three top notch venues that make me wish we could do them all the time - that being said, sometimes the tiny staged pub gigs can be pretty rocking too.
After a brief argument with the owner over whether or not we were doing two sets (which we absolutely refuse to do, so venues be warned!) we had a bit of grub and buggered off backstage to get ready. This gig was being filmed by Daryl, the nice fella who filmed the boys last time at this venue (he can be located at www.myspace.com/pepper220673), and his missus. Nicko Jnr had brought with him an extra camera (actually used by his old man to film Maiden back in the day), so it was a multi-camera shoot! We'll look into making a DVD to flog to you lot - keep your eyes on the website.
As the night before was so amazing (on a playing level), we were never going to be happy with anything less. I don't think we played as well, but we were still on form and tight as a witch's cleft. I had a couple of Brown Moments, largely due to the lighting rig cancelling out me fret inlays (yeah yeah, excuses excuses) but otherwise was OK. I love playing this stuff, and the rest of the band are just as passionate (if not more so) about it. This oozes from us onstage, and certainly gets across to the audience. A good night all round!
We sat about chatting to the audience (including some younger faces again - the appeal of Maiden seems to know no age limit!) and lazily packed down to head off to our kip. I purchased some extra beer from the venue so we could have a couple back in the hotel room, and someone bought a filthy magazine on the way there - I'd hate to have been the cleaner of that room! A hotel room covered in beer bottles and naughty pictures...how very rock and roll!
A listless morning (largely spent waiting for three mixed grills to arrive at the table) resulted in myself and McBrainy missing our train, despite some heroic driving from Mister Swift. No matter though, there was one an hour later and we were both home at a reasonable hour. I feel shattered, and that only after two gigs - how on Earth am I going to cope with four on the trot in Turkey this week!!!
All eyes to Tuesday when we fly out for our very first jaunt to that part of the world - can't wait!!!
Love,
Dave "Manic Barracus" Hurry
*Kenny Twelve-pence!