THE COUNTDOWN IS ON!

Been a bit quiet on here again recently, so thought I would put fingers to keys to bring you up to date with what's been happening and, perhaps more importantly, what is coming up!

Most holidays are done and dusted - except, of course, for Dave who is currently cruising the Caribbean and not due back for another couple of weeks! Hugh, Chrissie and Paul have all managed to get a bit of sun on their backs over the last few weeks but, of course, the good old British spring has managed to erase most of those memories! There's a few more in the pipeline in the near future, but plenty more fish to fry before then!

 

Gig update - since the last musings on here, we've played 4 gigs - all different in their own way, but all great fun!

• First up was The Old Millstone in Macclesfield; we'd not played there for a while, and it has changed hands recently. Sean has got a good music scene going there now, and it was great to play to a full house - "The most we've had in for one band!" to quote mein host! I'm sure we'll be back there soon!
• The following weekend, we took the tour bus (i.e. the dirty white brewery van), and several cars down to the wilds of Hertfordshire to play at our old friend Tim's 40th birthday party! Tim kindly put the band (and partners) up in a local hotel, and took over his local pub completely for the event, so it was always going to be a good weekend! Picture the scene; 150 people, running buffet and a free bar for the whole evening.........it didn't get too messy, but we all had a fantastic time! Quote of the night was from Tim himself "For my 40th birthday, all I ever wanted was this band in this pub!" Some may say he's easily pleased (or in need of psychiatric care!), but we took it as a compliment, and it was great to see he was standing and reasonably coherent when we went to say goodbye early the next morning.
• The next leg of our national tour took us to Wilmslow! Vicky and Adrian's wedding went off really well, and we wanted to kidnap Steve, the resident DJ at Stanneylands, because he gave us such a great build up and introduction, it felt like we were going on stage at Glastonbury! The only downside of the evening was that the event was in the upstairs suite so lugging all the gear up at the start of the evening and (even worse) down at the end of the evening was a pain - little did we know that this was to become a trend!
 
• And so to last Saturday! We've been putting together our set for the Macc Beer Festival (more of that later), and thought it would be good to "road test" some of it in public beforehand! Dom and John from the newest music venue in Macclesfield - Cabin 5150 were good enough to offer their premises for this, so we duly pencilled in last Saturday for the gig. The Cabin has rapidly developed a reputation for putting on high quality performances from talented performers with their own material, so we weren't too sure how a dreary old covers band would go down; well - we had nothing to worry about!! Once we'd lugged all the gear up yet another 2 sets of stairs (what's wrong with the ground floor?!), and endured a somewhat protracted set up and sound check, we kicked off at 9:30 in front of a full house, who became progressively more animated as the evening went on! Great venue, great crowd and the new songs went down well - all in all, a fantastic night, and many thanks to Dom et al for having us;  I think we proved how good music should be played, and we hope to be back soon!!

Next stop is the Beer Festival - Friday 10 May is the date for your diary (if you don't already have it in). The Great Escape will be kicking things off around 8:15, and we'll be on stage from 10:00 to take things through to a mighty crescendo just before midnight! Further information and tickets can be obtained from the Beer Festival website - all we would say is get them soon, because Friday night tickets sell out notoriously quickly! If you don't want to buy tickets online, there is also a list on the website (and on the poster on the left!) of local hostelries selling tickets.

 



TEN THOUSAND AND COUNTING!!

Well, what do you know? I check the "Hit" counter, and it's gone over 10,000!! Big thanks to everyone who (for whatever reason!) keeps coming  back to read whatever drivel is put on here - hopefully, some of it makes you smile and, even if it doesn't, perhaps it evokes a bit of sympathy for us lot, and at least lets you know where we are playing! If this is the first time you've been here - hopefully, you'll be back!

So, what's happened in the last month? Well, we played a brilliant wedding gig at the Mere Golf & Country Club a couple of weeks ago and, although it was every bit as posh as expected, Rachel & Rob's crowd were amazing and, for the first time in a very long time, there were more people dancing than sitting down - believe me, for a wedding, that is really saying something!! We let the bride and groom have a say in choosing the set list - so maybe that's the secret!

We've also been having a play with some new songs, so that we can hit Macclesfield Beer Festival with a relatively new set in May! For those, who've not clocked it in the Gig List on the right hand side of the blog, we've been invited back to play again - and it will be our SEVENTH appearance!!! We decided to give it a miss last year, because we thought that, after 6 consecutive years, we would be a bit stale (and the crowd would be fed up!). As it happened, we all felt it was probably the worst decision we'd ever made, and we spent most of the night we were there moping about! Amazingly, we also kept getting asked whether we were playing, and even got people saying "Well, if you're not playing, we're not going!!" Now, I know we're good , but giving up a night of ale and music? I don't think so! The format this year, is slightly different, in that the organisers are having a different line up of bands on the Friday & Saturday nights. We are headlining on FRIDAY 10 MAY (supported, I believe, by local band The Great Escape). On the Saturday night, our good friends The Injectors, are making their first appearance supporting Monkey Harris (who are still new boys, cos this is only their 4th time!). So, if you want a good night, book your tickets early for Friday (they always sell out quickly!).

Before all that happens, we have a busy couple of weeks; this Saturday (23rd) we return to The Old Millstone at Waters Green in Macc. The pub has recently changed hands, but the new landlord is working really hard to promote local music, and we've heard some excellent reports of how things are going so, if you fancy stretching your legs, lungs and vocal chords, toddle on down to The Milly - a splendid time is guaranteed for all!

The following weekend, we're off to Hertfordshire to play at a 40th Birthday party for our old friend Tim. We did his wife's (Fizz) party a year or so ago, and had great time playing in their living room! Whether we caused too much noise/damage, or whether there are more people expected, I'm not sure but, this time, Tim has decided against using his own premises and has booked out the whole of the local pub for his "do", so it sounds like there will be plenty of fun and games again!

After that, a couple of us are off to get some sun on our backs, and then it will be Spring again - about time too, I hear you say - snow is OK for a while, but it's time for some warmth now!

Back soon - keep that counter ticking over in the meantime!!

SNOW? MUST BE TIME FOR THE FIRST POST OF THE YEAR!

  

I've got this feeling of deja vu; it can only be 3 years ago, that I posted this photo, because we'd had a bit of snow and the whole country had ground to a halt (check it out - 5 Jan 2010!), and what happens this week - we have a bit of snow, and the whole country seems to have ground to a halt!! Now, come on Britain, these "once in every 50 years" events seem to be happening a little more frequently, so man up, put your snowshoes on and enjoy it! As I'm typing this, it's snowing again - and it's not even supposed to be; never mind, it'll be raining after the weekend, so we can all slip and break something, and then complain about flooding again!

Now, where was I? Oh yes, can I be the last to wish you a Happy New Year? Sorry it's taken me so long to get round to it, but you know how it is, people to see, places to go etc., etc, and at least my good wishes have not got lost in the pile of others that you will have had over the last few weeks! Hopefully, everyone has recovered from festivities, families, New Year resolutions and the rest, and you are now well into taming 2013. The band has had one practice since Christmas, and I have to say it was extremely enjoyable; it's always good to get back together after a break and, along with brushing some rust off a few songs, we did some reminiscing about mishaps, cock-ups and all round amusing incidents that have happened "on tour"! These ranged from playing to an audience of about 4 people (not the same 4 people for the whole set, I might add!) at The Spinners in Bollington, tent sharing for Matt & Frank in Bristol (I think, coincidentally, that was Frank's last gig!), and dropping Matt in it by getting him to play the bass intro to "Don't Believe A Word" as the first number at his first gig - he'd never heard the tune before, and ended up playing it at about three times the correct speed, as he'd only "practised" it twice!

Speaking of Matt, we are having to take a couple of weeks off, because he is starring in an "Am Dram" production at the Green Room in Wilmslow and, for some reason, feels he has to rehearse beforehand! The part Matt is playing is likely to be a bit of stretch for him - it's Jesus! We've managed to secure some photos, and below you will see "before and after" make-up shots - I'm sure you'll agree, they've done a great job!



Matt - before make-up



                  

                      Matt - after make-up

 



So, we'll be back in harness at the beginning of February - first gig is a wedding at Mere Country Club (very posh!), and we're at the Millstone on 23 February. I'm not going to rake over very old coals, but D&C scholars amongst you will remember that our last scheduled gig there did not end very well - in fact it never happened - check out blog post for September 2009 for all the gory details! I'm sure it will go swimmingly this time - especially if it keeps raining.
Our agents are also in negotiation for further gigs in the next few weeks, with The Wharf and No.4 Park Green being the hot tips amongst showbiz gossip - we'll keep you posted!

THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT - NOT!!

The days, not to mention the weeks, are scurrying past so quickly that the Big Ho Ho Ho will be on us before we know (11 more sleeps, as I type!) but, before that, 2 things are due to happen on Friday 21 December:

1. According to our good friends, the extinct Mayans from South America, the world is going to end!! This is because a 5,125-year cycle known as the Long Count in the Mayan calendar supposedly comes to a close (which, of course, we all remember from 'O' Level History!), resulting in mass destruction of, well the whole world, basically! Not surprisingly, this has sparked consternation in some quarters! According to the New York Times:

• Inmates in a women’s prison in Russia, near the Chinese border, are said to have experienced a “collective mass psychosis” so intense that their wardens summoned a priest to calm them. “Once, when the prisoners were standing in formation, one of them imagined that the earth yawned, and they were all stricken by fear and ran in all directions,” said the priest! 
• In a factory town east of Moscow, panicked citizens stripped shelves of matches, kerosene, sugar and candles
• More common are reports about panicky buying. In Ulan-Ude, the capital of the Buryatiya region, citizens have reportedly been hoarding food and candles to survive a period without light, following instructions from a Tibetan monk called "The Oracle of Shambhala" (made up name, if I ever heard one)!

This is obviously a disturbing state of affairs because...

2. Dazed and Confused are due to play their last gig of the year at The Windmill in Whiteley Green!!

Now, I've done my research, and the actual time of Armageddon is due to be 11:11am UTC (Universal Time Co-ordinates); for those who don't know, UTC is the same as GMT so, by my reckoning, we're going to have to take a rain check on the gig, if this is for real, because it's more than likely that the pub won't be there, at 9:00pm when we're due to kick off (come to think of it, neither will we!)!.

So, what to do? Well, I think we should travel optimistically and trust that the Mayans were slightly adrift in their calculations; therefore, I can assure you that the gig is still ON, and we would encourage everyone to book their places early cos this is always a very popular gig AND as it is the last working day before Christmas for many, it is a brilliant excuse to "let your hair down" (as we hippies used to say!) and bring in the Festive Season in style! Of course, if we get any updates on the end of the world, we will post them here, so be sure to come back often y'all!

A footnote to all this Mayan nonsense - I'm putting off buying any presents until the 22nd - just in case!

Finally, a word of apology for those intending to travel into Bollington for the scheduled gig tomorrow night (Saturday 15th) at The Poachers. Unfortunately, Rob & Helen have cancelled the gig (we think due to space constraints), so we won't be appearing. We're really sorry if you were planning to be there, and a specially big "Soz" to Stella & Andy who were planning to trek across from Doncaster - we'll see you on Sunday anyway! x

CHRISTMAS IS COMING - AGAIN??

 

Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I'm finding it very difficult to believe that in 2 weeks, we will be in the last month of 2012, and preparations for the "festive" season will be in full spate (if they're not already)! Obviously, all my Christmas shopping is complete, and everything is ready for the big day (oh yeah!), so attention can be focused well and truly on other things - like 4 gigs between now and the end of the year!

We kick off this pre-Yule splurge next Friday, when we welcome back the "SAD Dads" to the Brewery! The masquerade that normally occurs at these events, is that a group of 50 or so gentlemen (and some ladies) of a certain age gather together, ostensibly to educate themselve in the finer points of Storm Brewing Ale. In reality, it is an excuse for them to have a good time, and let what's left of their hair down! When we first encountered this group (who are all actually attached to the Parents' Association of a local school!), they happened to be on a tour on our practice night, and we just carried on as if they weren't there! They enjoyed it so much that, on the their next visit, they specifically asked for us to play, taxis were cancelled at the end of the night, and we finished the evening about 12:45! This time, they have even changed the evening to Friday, so nobody has to get up in the morning - so God knows what will happen!

The following Friday (30th), we're off to Bollington for the first leg of a pre-Christmas mini tour of Happy Valley! We're starting at the top of the hill, and heading into the Cock and Pheasant where, no doubt, Charles and Ann will lay on their usual warm welcome - and, hopefully, move the big round table off the "dance floor"! It's the first time in a while, that we've played for the "public", so we're all really looking forward to it - and there are a couple more new songs to go in (if we can polish them at rehearsal next week!).

The rest of our mini-tour of Bolly and its environs takes us to The Poacher's Arms in the heart of the town on Saturday 15 December, and then we're back at The Windmill for a big Christmas party on Friday 21 December - as that's the last working day before the Big Ho Ho Ho, for lots of people, it promises to be a mad (and long!) night - so book it in your diaries now, as space will probably be at a premium!

If you check out the Gig Guide on the right, you'll see that we've already got quite few gigs booked in for 2013 - and even one for October 2014! I can see the life support system will have to move up the Christmas present list, if we're to make all them!

Finally - the ticker is just shy of 9000 visitors to this online gem - long may it continue, and hope to see lots of you in person, over the next few weeks!

 

NO WE'RE NOT DEAD YET!!

First up, a thousand apologies for leaving this literary masterpiece alone for the thick end of two and a half months! It's not been down to anything sinister - just a combination of holidays, lack of time (yes, really!) and general indolence!  Of course, what it means is that there is quite a bit to relate - only problem is knowing where to start and wondering if the old grey matter is working sufficiently well to enable me to recall even half of it!

So - where did we leave off? Ah yes, it was early July, with a post entitled "It might as well rain until September!" - and, guess what?? Here I sit on 21 September (the Autumnal Equinox, I believe), and it's STILL pi**ing down! Now I know there have been a few days when the sun has poked its shiny little face out from behind the clouds (and some of us/you have, no doubt, seen a bit more on hols), but they have been precious few and far between - roll on Summer, I say (I believe it's scheduled for 23 & 24 November this year)!!

Anyway, notwithstanding that, a number of us have managed to squeeze in some R&R over the last couple of months (some of us more than others!), so we're back refreshed, and raring to plough a musical furrow through the months up until Christmas and beyond (more of that later)!

Since we last wrote, we've even done a couple of gigs; Dave Hasler's birthday party, back in July, was a monster of an event! For those who don't know Dave, he and his wife Jill, are stalwarts of the local CAMRA branch, so when you put that together with a party in a brewery, a guest list that comprises most of the CAMRA membership of Macclesfield (as well as Matt Rose from the mighty VirginMarys, sporting his D&C T-shirt!), and includes music played loud and long into the night, you can imagine the carnage that ensued! In fact, to see Dave still standing at the end of the evening/beginning of the morning was one of the most remarkable sights of this, or any other, year!



We returned to The Old Ship on Beech Lane, at the beginning of September and, despite the fact that the gig clashed with the Loominus festival of live music in Macclesfield (which, due to an oversight, they neglected to invite us to!), which had several of the pubs in Macc showcasing 3 or 4 bands each, we were delighted to see the venue almost as full as usual - I'm sure the fact that I posted OUR gig on the Loominus Facebook page had something to do with it!. It was also as hot as usual because, even though neither of the famous fires were lit (must be a first!), the normal furnace-like environment prevailed! No matter, a brilliant night was had, as ever, and we gave a first airing to "Gold on the Ceiling", which is an excellent (if little known) song by The Black Keys, and which is rapidly accelerating up our list of favourite songs! As a side note to this, it actually took a bit of time for me to find the song on YouTube, because Andy had told me it was called "Ghost on the Floor" - well, I suppose it was close (no, it wasn't really!)!

In anticipation of our future gigs, we also had a "board meeting", in the summer, to stir fry some ideas in the strategy wok with regard to new songs! We actually came up with a list of 19 tunes that we want to work on - inevitably some will die a death (for some it will be a long and lingering one, no doubt!) but we hope to be drip feeding some of them in over the next few weeks - starting tomorrow night!

On which note, let me bring you up to date with future plans;  the gig list on the right hand side, should now be pretty much accurate (there have been some comings and goings of late), although there are a couple of "tbcs", which I don't envisage changing. As ever, there are a mix of private and public gigs, but if you fancy popping along to Bollington or Whiteley Green before Christmas, we would be as delighted as ever to see you!



Tomorrow evening sees us trekking out to the edge of Delamere Forest for the Annual Beer Festival, which is being held at Kingsley Cricket Club. I believe this is the second year for this event, and we don't really know what to expect - so what we are going to do is put our Macc Beer Fest "hats" on and just go for it! Pretty sure it will work, so if you fancy a balmy Autumn evening's entertainment, why not join us?!



So that pretty much brings us up to date - I will try not to leave it too long until the next time but, as Northern Spain beckons at the end of the month............

IT MIGHT AS WELL RAIN UNTIL SEPTEMBER!

As I sit here typing this, the rain is hurtling down, and they are promising a month's worth in one day - welcome to Summer! but are we downhearted? No we are not! Reason being that, after 2 great gigs last weekend, we are doing the same again this weekend - only this time it's private functions, rather than public ones (sorry about that!). This evening sees us returning to Sandhole Farm to pay at Daniel and Holly's wedding (we really hope the rain stops for them); we've not been there for nearly 3 years, but it's a great venue, and we just hope that the sound detection system is not so sensitive that it cuts out every few seconds, otherwise it's going to be a very fragmented performance!

Tomorrow night has us playing a private party in Macclesfield, which promises to be not only good fun, but also a very late night - as I'm off to the Lake District on Sunday (which, let's face it, could be anywhere in the country at the moment!), this is a bit of a worry!

Last weekend's frivolities saw us at The Windmill on Friday night - a really cracking gig, even if there were not quite as many punters as normal - look out for photos on the Facebook wall, once Paparazzi Pete gets them sorted. Saturday was Midnight Walk night, and our hour of "warm up" seemed to go down extremely well - over 600 people champing at the bit to get out onto the streets of Macclesfield, and the rain held off! A fantastic night all round and northwards of £60,000 raised for the Hospice!

Photos of the night Macclesfield turned yellow, and D&C through a fish-eye lens!!

Next gigs after that to be sorted - maybe we will be able to insert a pub date in the next few weeks - we'll keep you posted! Meanwhile this blog is only 13 hits away from 8000 - incredible! We've added visitors from the Isle of Man and China to the list but, as yet, no enquiries to play in either place!