Well not quite. But it was a Spring Bank Holiday, in May and a lovely one, when the weather was extraordinarily kind. Actually we experienced no emergencies,just two thoroughly enjoyable outdoor gigs in very contrasting circumstances, in 24 hours. Both put a smile on all our faces and a song in our hearts.It's always nice to be wanted, whenever and wherever Nunc and chums are.
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| L to R:Paul Moore,JK,Flossy,John Harris,Moi and Jon H. |
Back in the depths of winter, we had been offered a couple of gigs on consecutive days towards the start of May. As the blizzards raged and the Permafrost gripped the lawns it seemed a good idea to say yes at the time to both. It also seemed a good idea to beef up the personnel beforehand a little by drafting in Paul Moore and Jon Harrington,our old friends from Blues Monkey. Somehow,as The Beast from the East attacked further,things snowballed (if you'll forgive the pun!) and we added Dragonhead's John Harris to the mix. We'd all jammed together at John's Anker Blues Sessions at the Anker Inn on Tuesdays, and we had enjoyed lots of fun times there.
I was then inconveniently ill throughout most of April. There were holidays house purchases and job interviews and all kinds of other obstacles in the way of getting together and rehearsing much. But it's always these spontaneous decisions that turn out to be the best sometimes.And so it was to be as we rolled up at The Angel Inn in The Square,Atherstone, on Sunday 6th May.
A fine pub.much loved by CAMRA, we'd been asked to provide the afternoon background to a Beer Festival which Shane and Carol were organising there. We played Stonefest there last year,in the pub garden.There were a few logistical conundrums leading up to it this time,but by 3.15pm on Sunday we had cobbled a sound system together and were under way,crammed into the shelter at the end of the pub garden. Two 45 minute sets followed,punctuated by a comfort. break. it was hot:very hot-but mercifully, we were under under cover whilst the audience sweltered out at the picnic tables.
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| So who forgot a mike stand? |
I have to say that despite being a CAMRA member myself, I ignored the festival fare and kept only to the magnificent Oakham Citra and Salopian Oracle which is regularly available in the bar. It is so well kept it would have been rude not to. Below you can see that Flossy kept a pint of Oakhan within reach throughout the gig. And occasionally I dropped off whilst clinging onto a hand mike.
Twenty four hours later we were at Earlsdon Festival in Coventry. A prestigious gig for us and a bit special as both Flossy and Jon are currently Earlsdon residents. Indeed,Flossy was broiling away on an allotments stall well before most of us even got there. I suspect a few people may be thinking wtf? So I'll just leave a panoramic view of the street we were playing in here. There were a few people there.
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| Niece and Uncle. (NUNC) |
As we arrived a full marching band were doing their stuff up and down the apron-the street being fully closed off and barriers erected around the stage. Some people felt this was a security measure to keep excited spectators from rushing the stage. But we knew it was to stop us escaping once were under way.
We made a very sweaty rendezvous in an absolutely rammed City Arms. Where a couple of Punk IPAs helped stiffen the resolve and calm the nerves. Alchemista were both compering and providing the sound system through the day. They were also on before us. They have been good friends to Nunc-and we knew we would be in good hands with them. Having done all the sound ourselves the day before it was a real luxury to have the reassurance of everything being laid on for us. (So Big Love to Colin and Caroline. Here they are).
Although the noise level inside Wetherspoons was near life-threatening,we could hear Mark Nisbet's bass guitar shaking the beer glasses and pumping out the chords to "Nights in White Satin," way out yonder in the High Street. Alchemista were under way so we fought our way out to catch their act and to lean over the barriers shouting friendly abuse at them as they finished up.
Once set up and under way,in all modesty we absolutely tore the street up by opening with a very punchy version of "When Love Comes To Town." This got people running down the street. (Towards us rather than away-always a good sign). We drew in a decent crowd around the barriers including quite a few of The Earlsdon Massive that I recognised. Let's hear it for Nigel Ward,Paul Monks,Peter Reutt and Sammie Snailbucket. So photogenic was Sam's parasol that this snap appears on the Festival website!
And a shout out also to Marion,Martin, Kim,John Wright and Hilary Wilson. It was good to see ex-Pennyroyal Linda Dickson again. Linda,with her copper-coloured hair big guitar and beautiful voice was once a very popular performer on the Midlands Folk circuit. A cruel illness struck her down and she is no longer well enough to perform. She still lives just round the corner. Although very poorly of late, she was there, bopping around in her wheelchair throughout the set.
Got to say that, despite the heat,playing the main stage at Earlsdon Festival was an absolute honour and a total blast. I would like to thank Colin and the Gang for driving the P.A. and mixing the sound,and to my fellow DruncMonkeys,John H, John K,Jon H,Flossy and Paul for enhancing the Nunc experience. Above is a shot of us without Jon Harrington in it. He was there but was so far over to the left-he is out of shot. Conveniently this was nearest to the Wetherspoons Pub garden. However, rumours that he kept nipping over the low hedge are untrue. Here he is in full cry and demonstrating the Javid akimbo stance. Aficionados of the Nunc dress code will note that it was so hot, even the daft beach shirt had to be discarded. And yes,that is a Twisted Barrel Brewery t-shirt I'm wearing. And finally, we'd all done risk assessments and all wore hats. Some decidedly dodgier than others.
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| Jon demonstrates power harp. |
Finishing with "Knocking on Heaven's Door," we then handed the stage over to Whizzy as swiftly as we could. A few of us went back to Wetherspoons for a swift top-up. The guys on the door stopped us as we went back in and I feared the worst.. But they told us they loved our set and asked us where we were on next. I thought they were joking but straight up,they are coming to see us at MotoFest in June. No pressure then. Although if anything kicks off, with them in the audience, we'll be safe.
