Final Saturday

I slept in until late morning, when Nicki and Tracy arrived from Milton Keynes. We had an appearance booked on Andy Coupland's radio show on Corby FM so we drove over and arrived in good time. Their photographer Joy was on hand to take some pictures and Tracy shot a few as well. The show was broadcast over the internet and it was a joy to know that Nicki's husband Lee was on-line, chatting with Andy and listening in. Bob Howe messaged Tracy to say he was listening, and Chris recorded the broadcast as well.
All I had to do was remember how to play the songs on guitar....

No problem. The show went really well and we returned to our house to prepare for the final night of the tour. Chris and I set off first because we had to collect Lee from Northampton. Jason was to come along to help us set up but he texted me to say that he'd arrive later as he wanted to watch the bands playing in the Market Place in Kettering.

My throat and glands were still very sore but Chris Lee and I unloaded the van and set everything up. It took longer than normal as we were one man down. Niki arrived and we ran through a few snippets of the set. We would have liked longer but that was all the time we had. Like Lee on the first night of the tour a lifetime ago, he would have to wing it.

Sue showed up with her friend Anita. Chris' girlfriend Heather came along with their friend Annette. Vince and Rachel brought Yana and Anne-Marie. My old bass player Andy and his wife brought a friend as well. Jason turned up with a friend but was a little the worse for wear to contribute to the proceedings.

Chris played really well and overall the show was a little rockier but still hugely enjoyable.

Nicki surprised at least one member of the audience with her performance of AC/DC's "You shook me all night long". This girl can really rock!

After twenty three shows Lee asked for a mike and joined in on some of the songs!

Finally it was over for another year. Nicki had taken on every kind of venue and won them over with her presence, her musicianship and her fabulous voice. She made countless appearances on radio stations up and down the country and even appeared on the Philmack Country Show on satellite TV
http://www.philmackcountry.com/

I had to drive the van after we'd loaded out. We dropped Lee back in Northampton and I just made it back home. I staggered into bed and didn't get up until lunchtime.

The Long haul - Part six

I got to bed at 4.00 on Saturday morning and set the alarm for 8.30. It didn't go off. Luckily I woke up at 9.00 and managed to get washed, dressed and breakfasted in double quick time. I collected Jason and we drove to Northampton to pick up Cozy and Lee and then drove over to Dumbleton, near Evesham. We took the booking on the understanding that we would be first on stage, as we had a second booking that evening. We pulled into the services at Evesham and I had a call from Nicki saying that the timings had changed and we weren't due on stage until 3.00 that afternoon. After all that- we could have had a lie in.
We arrived at the hall as everything was being set up, so we set the drums and amplifiers up and soundchecked before retiring to a gazebo in the field behind the hall, where we drank tea and read the paper. How Rock n Roll is that?

Nicki had chosen a great selection of songs for her hour long spot and the audience were eating out of her hand from the first song. They absolutely adore her here and have already promised to book her next time she tours the UK. I chatted to some of the crowd and they just love how warm and friendly Nicki is. They tell me that no-one else who plays the venue ever goes around and takes time to chat to every single person there.
We loaded up and set off for Corby. After a cool week the weather suddenly became very warm as we drove up the A46 and along the M6.

We were just approaching the junction for the A14 when we heard on the radio that Amy Winehouse had been found dead. This was so spooky, as Nicki and I had been talking about her while we were waiting to play an hour or so beforehand.

The Long haul -part 5

It's Friday so it must be Edlington, an ex-mining village outside Doncaster. Nicki and Tracy had stayed the night at our house and they set off early, travelling via the Doc Shop to buy some Doc Marten boots, and then on to their hotel. I collected Jason and we drove over to Northampton to pick up the others and then started up the M1. We listened to the traffic reports on the radio, and it soon became apparent that we were in for yet another Gridlock Friday. As we neared Leicester the traffic slowed to a crawl, so we left the motorway for the A46 and a little used road that took us to within a few miles of our destination.

Nicki and Tracy were not so lucky. They managed to avoid one snarl up by leaving the M1 near Nottingham, but rejoined about five miles before the biggest jam of the day. It took them 4 1/2 hours to complete a two hour journey.
We were the first to arrive at the venue, which was shut, so we went and bought some chips.The next people to arrive were some fans of Nicki's, who'd driven over from the West Midlands, and had also been caught in the traffic jam. Finally the doors opened and we loaded in, Nicki and Tracy arriving soon after.

We played three shortish sets and the audience absolutely adored Nicki. She received the biggest ovation heard there in a very long time. We surprised one regular by performing "Over the rainbow" especially for him (it involved a very quiet rehearsal backstage while the bingo was on)

We loaded the van and drove into Doncaster to find some diesel, then drove back home. I was very tired and it was to be an early start the next day.

The long haul- part four

This was a relatively easy day. Nicki had to visit three radio stations along the way, but it was a short drive for us down to the White Horse,Stony Stratford. So far on the tour we'd played country music clubs and this was a music pub, so we were looking forward to playing a different selection of songs.

It was a great show, the crowd got into the spirit of the evening and sang along. They loved Tracy and Jason's line dancing.....(I will draw a veil over that)

Because it was just a short drive home we were able to stay a while and chat, and still get home nice and early (for us)

The North East- part one

We had three shows this week, with two in the North East, The first was in Washington, at the North Biddick WMC.
We set off in good time as we were booked into a B&B in Middlesbrough and had to collect the keys. On arrival in Middlesbrough, I remarked on the number of Personal Injury Law Firms lining the street. Looking for someone to blame is big business here, which is sad as the town was built on iron and steel and heavy engineering. Later when we returned it was noticeable that the recession was biting deeply. All the pubs were shut and there was only one take-away open, when there were several last year.

But before all that we had a show to perform. We found the venue easily and loaded in via a circuitous trek around the rear of the building. At least there were no steps to negotiate. Although we weren't due to play until 8.30, people started coming into the room while we were setting up, so we weren't able to rehearse in private.

It was a strange show. 99% of the people loved it, but a couple of individuals made life unpleasant for Nicki. One even continued her rant the next day by email!

I have made a pledge not to enter into any discussions as to what constitutes country music with adults who insist on dressing up as cowboys.

The Sandboy Inn at Bawsey, Kings Lynn

I didn't know what to expect about this gig. When we arrived and saw the size of the room and spoke to some of the people I expected the worst. The room was the smallest we'd played in to date and being a four piece band took up more room than the organisers were used to. I really thought we'd bomb here.

I was wrong. Within a couple of songs Nicki had won the audience over and a great night was had by all. The room was packed to capacity, the dancefloor was full, the people sang along at the top of their voices and they gave Nicki the loudest standing ovation of the tour so far.

Appearances can be deceptive

Gloucester- Friday

It was Friday. The A43 was closed due to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone and we were playing in Gloucester. There was no choice but to drive from Northampton to Coventry via the M45/A45, take the A46 to Tewkesbury and on to the M5 for the last few miles to Gloucester, and hope that the traffic would behave itself. They don't called it Gridlock Friday for nothing.
As it happened, the traffic behaved itself and we arrived at the club in very good time. We had time to set up and sort the lights out (see the pictures), but still didn't have time to run through songs in an empty room. People started coming in from 7.00, and we weren't due on stage until 8.30. It was a big room with a huge dance floor that Nicki kept full all evening, but the downside is that the audience seemed very far away and didn't seem to want to engage with Nicki. It was hard work, hot and hard work.

I'm going to have a bit of a moan and ask why is it that clubs insist on the artists playing until 11.30 when most of the audience leave just after 11.00? Would the audience leave halfway through a play or a film? Nicki doesn't just play a few songs- she performs a show, with a beginning, a middle and an end, so why leave before the end?

Trish and her husband, plus several people from Dumbleton and Notgrove turned out to see her and they made all the difference. I'd better shut up because I'm finding it difficult to say anything positive. Vicky, the Club Secretary was very helpful and friendly, as were most of the audience, but a few grumpy old gits spoiled it for me.

We were originally due to play the Americana Festival this weekend, but Nicki was an unfortunate casualty of the current economic crisis when the organisers took her off the bill. Ah well, a night off.

Notgrove City Limit.....

The phone woke me up....at 10 in the morning. I'd only got to bed at five. I missed the call. In fact I missed the call three times during the day before I finally found out who it was. It was a busy day. I had to take posters and flyers over to Raunds, drop the studio computer off to be repaired and then drive to Bourton on the Water with the band to meet Nicki & Tracy. She was looking forward to a cream tea but traffic hold ups meant that we arrived as all the tea shops were closing.

Notgrove is only a couple of miles from Bourton, deep in the Cotswold country. The venue is a tiny village hall . One of the first people to arrive was Trish Bishop and her husband, who'd come to see us a couple of times last year. It was nice to see them again. The hall soon filled to capacity and Nicki once again played a great set. I know Nicki was really taken with the village and posted about it on her blog (nickigillis.co.uk). Once again it was a late night but we drove back to Oxford, got some diesel, and then continued back to Northampton. We managed to get on to the A43 just as it being closed off for the British Grand Prix weekend. I think we were the last vehicle to travel the full length before the race.

Several people who came to see us at Notgrove will also be coming to see us in Gloucester the following night

Catching up

Since my last post we've played three shows, recorded some acoustic songs for a radio show to be broadcast this coming weekend and made a surprise appearance in a local village pub.
So, first of all we travelled up to the Wirral for a show at the Whitby Sports & Social Club in Ellesmere Port. Two years ago Nicki made her first ever UK appearance on this stage, an event that will live on in everyone's memory because the screen they use to show big sporting events decided to lower itself during the second number, and resisted all efforts to retract. In the end it was tied up out of the way, with much hilarity all round. There was a big turnout for Nicki's show and she went down a storm.

Once again Nicki got the audience involved and singing along. During the second set the club allows dancing, and the floor was full for the rest of the show.

It was a late finish but thankfully almost all the audience stayed to the end. By the time we'd packed the kit, said our goodbyes, drove into town to find some food, it was way past 1.00 and it was a long way home. We'd also agreed to meet in Bourton on the Water that afternoon and I didn't get to bed until after 5.00.

Immingham Tuesday

After a well-earned rest day it was back on the road for the next run of shows. We have a new driver cum roadie in the person of Jason, who will be with us for the next three weeks or so. I collected him from his house in Kettering and we set off for Northampton. Before we'd travelled to the end of the street I noticed that the fuel warning light was on, so I put £10 of diesel in to get us to Northampton. Three years ago when I toured with Jerry Arhelger I thought the price of diesel was scandalous when it rose to £1.09, now it's £1.39 or so, and shows no sign of coming down.
The trouble is that the amount the clubs can pay has stayed the same, and with an aging club membership and few new members coming through, the outlook isn't good for touring musicians in the UK. Each pound that goes in fuel is a pound out of the musician's pocket, and we now earn less than we did ten or even fifteen years ago, when fuel was half the price it is now.

We called into Northampton, collected Cozy and Lee, put another £60 of diesel in the tank, and with Jason in the driving seat, set off for Immingham, near Grimsby. It's one of those strange quirks of the UK road network in that the quickest way to the North Lincolnshire coast is to head north up the M1 to near Sheffield, then take the M18 and the M180 eastbound. We drove up the motorway in the inside lane at a stately 60mph trying to save fuel, and arrived at the venue in good time. Chris' job today took him to within an hour of the venue so he called by to check that everything was well, stayed to catch the first set before heading back home to bed.

It was a small club, but began to fill even as we were setting up. We really could do with an empty roon for an hour or so in order to tidy up a few songs and rehearse a few new ones, but it was not to be this time. Word had got out that Nicki was in town, and soon they had to put out extra tables and chairs for the capacity crowd.

Like Dumbleton on Saturday, this was a listening club, with a good humoured crowd who'd turned up in Australian regalia with corks dangling from hats etc. Nicki soon had them singing and clapping along as we played three top quality sets. Once again Nicki brought the house down when she sang "Nutbush" and danced the routine with two of the guys from the club. Priceless.
We closed the show with "Waltzing Matilda" and it brought the audience to their feet. Even the die hards who only like "pure" country music (whatever that is) were won over. Everyone commented on a great show.
The organisers from two other local clubs in Grimsby and Scunthorpe were there. Now- if the three clubs could work together and put on a show in a bigger venue, we might get three times the people along, get three times the fee for the show, and not have to worry whether we'd run out of diesel on the way back. As it happens, we got back OK, but will have to fill up again before we head off to the Wirral for our next date.