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My gig at Newcastle Metro Radio Arena - updated with pics, and video etc...


wateroftyne

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OK... before I fall asleep, here's the crack. Sorry if I ramble.

I was asked to do the gig about three months ago. At that point, no-one really knew what was going to be in the set. Over the following weeks, I was drip-fed some possible tunes, so I just started to do my homework as much as I could. Bear in mind at this point I also had no idea who would be singing any of them, either.

I'd heard Ralph McTell was coming along to do 'Streets of London' with a choir, which is a song I love. He rarely - if ever - plays with a band, so I was surprised and pleased when he asked for a bass accompaniment. I guess it might have been because it's a big hall, and wanted something for the choir to lock into.

Video Killed the Radio Star was an interesting one...

I bloody love the tune. The bass part is mint. So when I heard Trevor was going to be singing it, I immediately prepared myself for the possibility that he'll play bass on it, like he always does live.

Sure enough, I got the call to say he'd be playing bass on it.

We don't get a chance to rehearse with the stars until the day before the show, so I had to learn the part anyway for band rehearsals the previous week. I was slightly gutted, but I saw it coming.

Fast-forward to first day of band rehearsals, and I walked in, cases in hand, and said 'morning!' to our MD. Before I'd even put my cases down, his phone rang... it was Trevor, saying it would be simpler for him if I played the bass. Happy? Hell aye.

The band is me, drums,  2 x keys (one being our MD, the other being Alan Clark from Dire Straits.. about to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!), guitar, 4-piece brass and 3 lovely backing vocalists.

Rehearsals were hard work, but fun. If we were flagging by the end of the week, we were kicked up a gear when we shifted to the Arena on Friday night.

I'm lucky enough to have been involved in some big productions before, but this was another level. Four flown arrays, three massive LCD panels, 22(!) cameras, scores of crew... just a logistical head-scratcher. All the cues and camera positions had to be worked out and rehearsed - the show also features comedy sketches, etc. - so nothing could be missed.

We ran though the tunes a few times on Friday night, and all day Saturday (a 12-hour shift). Sunday morning was dedicated to sketch rehearsals (the Auf Wiedersehen Pet cast traditionally reunite for this show, and there were other great artists in there too, including Johnny Vegas, Jason Cook, Vera off the telly, and that). We got a quick line check, and no time to get adjust to the room. We were going in cold!

We kicked the show off with (Reach Out) I'll Be There, which sounded massive... and it all went like a dream from there.

Along with Trevor and Ralph, we had Jill Halfpenny singing 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now', A great up-tempo blues with local legend Ray Stubbs, Tim Healy sang a great Alan Clark song, Ryan Molloy (Jersey Boys) did 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You', and was then joined by Joe McElderry for an incredible duet on 'Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me', which took the roof off.

We closed the show with a couple of Lindisfarne tunes, 'Clear White Light' and the Tyneside national anthem, 'Run for Home'.

Then... we had to kick around for an hour or so, and muster the energy to do it all again! The second show was looser, as you'd probably expect. The evening crowd were a bit more raucous, too. It was fab.

So proud to have been a part of this - the show is massive, and so many people have worked incredibly hard on it. It's worth it - it's going to raise thousands and thousands of pounds to help young creative talent on Tyneside.

GEARCHAT..

I kept it simple, 'cos that's all I know.

  • A pick (for Video Killed the Radio Star)
  • Fingers (for everything else)
  • LR Baggs Venue DI (used for in-line tuning only)
  • Maruzczyk Jake w/rounds > House DI
  • Limelight '67 Precision w/flats > House DI
  • Handbox WB-100 head (Thread here), and absolute dream of a head I have on loan. I'm considering selling a kidney to buy it. Big, rich and LOUD. My R-400 was under the stage in case I felt like switching to it, but I didn't.
  • TKS S212 cab (best cab ever) > Mic'd

...and that's it. It sounded marvellous.

DVD's out in April!

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