How was your gig last night?

[StingRayBoy42]

SUNDAY!
There was a thing in the daytime first, I'll shout when I get to actual Last Night.

The first outing was a Morris do (Morris haters (ie: anyone with any sense) close your eyes for a bit now, I'll tell you when you can open your eyes again).

We (Beorma Morris (the answer to a question that nobody has ever asked)) had been invited to dance with the Witchmen (who are very well respected in the Morris world (and rightly ridiculed everywhere else)) along with five (?) other sides outside a pub (!) in Isham near Kettering (pronounced "Ket'rin").

Picked up Selly Oak's finest Japanese Trombonist, drove to Ket'rin in glorious sunshine, arrived to freezing cold, grey (gray?) skies and rain, stood round (outside, in the freezing cold and rain) watched idiots dance around, shout and clout sticks together for a bit, did a few dances (I didn't dance, I played Sousaphone but it was SOFJT's first ever public dance (she they dance as well as playing Trombone (and fiddle) but not at the same time)), questioned my sanity and life choices and complained about how cold it was.

Quite a few people there, they enjoyed it, we were good (I found this out later, I can't tell), the rain eased off eventually and a good time was had by all (apart from the cold).

Played the Sousaphone, wore New Rocks (Reactor 55s I think) and a kilt.

All done, packed up, back to the car, heating on full, saw a garden with a full sized sleigh and two ghastly fibreglass Reindeer (I love a hideous christmas tableau), head off to Stratford (-upon-Avon) for the final gig of the weekend and year.

Morris haters, open your eyes, we have finally reached actual last night.

LAST NIGHT!

The Sax Pistols at The Stratford Alehouse, Stratford (-upon-Avon)!

Eight piece brass band (Two tenor saxes, alto sax, bari sax, trombone (SOFJT), drums, Sousaphone (me), BL alternates between trumpet and alto sax).
Fantastic tiny little micropub, packed to the rafters when we got there, stage about the size of an EHX nano pedal so I had to stand in front of the door (!).
I was still wearing my Morris hat and kilt when we arrived, it turns out (some of) the band have a (sort of) steampunk vibe anyway, so I just went with it.
Very quick setup (I had to clear the stage to make enough room to get the Sousaphone out), pint of Stout (on the house!), all acoustic so no soundcheck or anything and then we were off.

Opened with 'I wanna dance with somebody' and the full house absolutely loved it - it is a pretty impressive sound.
We did a few carols in between the usual stuff, the BL was getting the audience involved ("Sing it for the baby Jesus!" sort of thing, hilarious), the drummer was brilliant (first time I've played with him), the BL is a fantastic player and proper lovely bloke, and the Trombone player (SOFJT) is just *superb* and really shines in that sort of lineup (funky pop tunes, do your own thing), harmonies, solos, countermelodies, joining me on Basslines... they're *such* a good musician, a real joy to play with.
Went down a storm, I think most of the audience were friends of the band TBH but it was great to play a packed (if tiny) venue, and have a laugh with the audience between songs. (The place was so small and full, there was nowhere for me to park my pint, so I had to ask a woman right in front of me to loook after it and pass it over between songs. Hilarity ensued.)

Played Sousy, wore animal print Converse. And a kilt.

Highlights were the Trombone in 'Just a closer walk with thee' (Old New Orleans style hymn), the audience singing 'Sir Duke', the breakdown in 'Uptown Funk' and going for a walk into the audience in the last song - turned around to see the BL had joined me.

Fantastic night and a really lovely last gig of the year.

[grapefruitmoon]

20 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Any pics just fire them up. Its all good fun for us.

Many thanks for coming along and so glad you enjoyed it. Dreadnought at Xmas is always a good night.

We were back in there again this afternoon at a private party which turned out really good fun too. Slightly different set list to accommodate the more mature audience members which all worked really well.

Hopefully i'll be able to catch you guys at The Dreadnought next year. 

Dave

 

Few of the pics - we'll get the rest on your band FB page when we can.

 

 

[StingRayBoy42]

1 minute ago, grapefruitmoon said:

 

Few of the pics - we'll get the rest on your band FB page when we can.

 

 

Glamtastic!

[Boodang]

3 hours ago, Greg Edwards69 said:

Then apparently during our break the actual boss turned up and went apeshit wanting to know why the band wasn't in the usual, better sport, and allegedly read the riot act to whichever member of staff it was that reserved the tables 😆🤣. As nice as it was that he was on our side, it was too late to do anything about it (time-wise and the pub was bursting at the seams by this point), and he should have been on top of the situation and never let it happen in the first place.

 

The second set went down amazingly well judging by the people we could see and hear - the whole place joining in for Fairytale of New York was a particular highlight. Liam, one of our singers was encouraging everyone to be as loud as possible and annoy the neighbours (this was our last time playing here as the pub is closing for good in the new year - sold to developers to build flats).

 

"Let's upset the neighbours!" he said. "What are they going to do, shut the pub down?"

 

So it was bittersweet in the end. We've always had a good gig there, and this was a good gig too, just marred by poor logistics!

 

Oh well, roll on next weekend for the Cow & Telescope, one of our favourite venues.

I worked in a shop once where the boss would make decisions for financial reasons knowing it would royally p!ss off some customers. To soften the blow he would give a fake telling off to a member of staff in front of said upset customer, the member of staff would be under instructions to be suitably chastised. 
Now I’m not saying the boss wasn’t genuinely upset, I guess I’m just cynical (although it is a standard trick of the trade). And it is Xmas, so bah humbug! 

Edited 1 hour ago by Boodang

[dmccombe7]

6 hours ago, Mickeyboro said:

How dare you bring Bananarama into this?😈

Now that made me laugh a lot. 

Dave 

[dmccombe7]

2 hours ago, grapefruitmoon said:

 

Few of the pics - we'll get the rest on your band FB page when we can.

 

 

Many many thanks for sharing the pics. Some great ones there. Great when you have a fellow BC'er in the audience cause they take pics of the bass player. 

Cheers @grapefruitmoon

Dave