Market Drayton Festival Centre Friday April 6th

As with the “let’s leave in the morning “ plan after Buxton, the “ let’s follow the bus down to Market Drayton “ scheme after South Shields also turned out to be something of a poisoned chalice. On paper it made loads of sense…avoid traffic, save a hotel room cost, keep us all together….but unfortunately we didn’t drive on paper, we drove on tarmac, some of which, especially the Trans-Pennine Way part of the M62, was in the form of long, steep hills. Whilst Nick’s van can negotiate these with barely an increase in revs, the other van is constantly having to be prevented from just lying down and dying by the roadside. It takes a looooooooooong time to nail this bit of the journey, so we ended up arriving at about 5.15am; the only saving grace being that the bus pulled up about ten minutes later, so we jumped aboard. By now I was so tired that I’m totally convinced my left leg hadn’t even left the floor as I was climbing into my bunk before I’d fallen asleep. I’d been out for what seemed like about five minutes when I was awoken by the bus engine roaring into sudden and unexpected life. This was a mystery, as we were already parked outside the venue and John was connected to the power line the venue had left out for us, so there was no need to run her up. Awake far earlier than I wanted or needed to be, I dressed and stumbled down to the galley. Rodders, Tomps and Nick were already there, so I asked them what in the name of Tinky-Winky had been going on. Turns out that in our knackered state last night we’d forgotten the one vital component in the whole “ connect the bus to a power line “ process…..we hadn’t switched the bloody thing on, so the batteries had run almost flat. John had woken up and realised what had happened when he saw how dim the lights were, and had switched the juice on just in time. The engine starting was just to check that all was OK. Thus hoiked from our pits, we decided that we may as well start the load-in early. We take our time over this, with some of the lads breaking away for showers or to grab a cuppa in the venue’s café, but it still goes in and up without any problems. It also gives me a chance to have a chat to Jeff Vernon, the chap who is largely responsible for the venue even being here. He’s an absolutely top bloke, and the Festival Centre is a cracking little place. It’s totally self-funded and run by volunteers, and the way they’ve turned it into the centre of the town’s community life is fantastic. This is our third time here and our third sell – out, and I have to say that there are plenty of so – called professional venues which could learn a lot from the part-time folks here. Their hospitality and friendliness is second to none, as well…they are the only venue on the whole tour to actually feed us, and Jeff unhesitatingly agrees to let the bus and vans stay the extra night to make sure we’ve got access to showers and toilets tomorrow before we set off for Bromsgrove. There is, you may recall from previous tours, another lure for me, and that is Sheila’s cakes. Now, believe it or not, I’m actually doing a semi – diet thing at the moment; it’s less a calorie-counting thing, more a “ not stuffing my face with pies and kebabs at two o’clock in the morning “ thing, and I’ve actually shed about half a stone so far. The cakes, however, are not to be denied, and thus I content myself with a single bowl of cereal until dinnertime.At soundcheck there a couple of little glitsches as Junior and Pug get to grips with the set-up by themselves for the first time, but it’s still all done in no time. Rodders, Nick and I use the free time to do some running repairs on flight cases ( especially the monitor desk case, which for some inexplicable reason had had some of the handles put on upside down. It’s been nipping knuckles and flattening fingers to the accompaniment of much cursing for about eight years, and has been one of those “ when I get round to it “ jobs we all know and love ! ). A couple of the lads go back to their bunks, others nip off for a beer, but having this little bit of time between soundcheck and showtime is a godsend. Note to self : DO THIS EVERY DAY !!! One of the odd things about the audience here is that there are a lot of really quite old people who come along…just this morning in the café I was accosted by a lady who was in her eighties at least, and she told me how much she was looking forward to coming. Fearing for her hearing ( if not her life itself ! ) I nervously pointed out that it could get “ quite loud “ to which her reply was “ Oh, I don’t mind that dear…I come to all the floor shows now and I love the loud ones !” I see her in the front row as the stage lights come up at the start of the show, and sure enough she’s bellowing along to “ I Feel Fine “ and bobbing up and down in her seat, about five feet away from the stage left PA stack. Takes all sorts, I suppose…..! This is DEFINITELY our noisiest crowd of the tour ( the lone YEEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHH merchant in South Shields aside ) and they know just what to expect. The band have got the measure of the place by now as well….it’s a very small stage in a small theatre, so onstage volume has to be controlled more than normal. They’re totally on the case tonight, and I have to say it sounds bloody amazing when they’re rampaging away just a couple of feet away. We COULD have done two or three encores tonight, but not only do we like to stick to the old “ keep them wanting more” premise, we feel that one encore is all the show really needs. We COULD milk it for ages but this is the better way. After the show the lads are virtually mobbed in the reception area, and it’s clear to see how loved we are around here. Now, if we could just have the venue and audience wrapped and brought with us in the vans.... It’s been another total triumph, though, and yet another vindication for what we’re trying to do with the show. You’ll notice I haven’t mentioned the cakes again…..I WAS going to let it slide but I’ve been shamed into coming clean. I did have a piece ( oh, alright, four pieces ) but they WERE quite small, though as delicious as ever ( thanks, Sheila !! ). I’ll just get back on the diet tomorrow, honest…….