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Lincoln, Engine Shed

11th April 2008 | Jim

Drove on bus Derby to Lincoln. Lay in bunk reading. Drop bag at hotel then I’m first to gig to do a couple of interviews. A quick bite to eat and then soundcheck. Soundcheck goes well, always a worry. Hang around in venue to watch My Federation. Very impressed. Buy their cd; too shy to ask them to sign it. We shuffle setlist around and put in Honest Joe.

Early on in gig I make some silly mistakes that really annoy me but the enthusiasm of the crowd is overwhelming and I get swept along and we all come off stage beaming. Thank you Lincoln.

Can’t get to sleep and sit in bed watching crap telly ’til the wee hours.

Lincoln, Engine Shed

11th April 2008 | Larry

Derby, Assembly Rooms

10th April 2008 | Jim

Derby Assembly Rooms. Spend day doing business and trying to sort out guestlist numbers for the rest of the tour. Leave at 3pm, just me and Andy on the bus. Andy’s bought a new frock from a charity shop. Soundcheck okay, catering excellent. I go for sea bass with asparagus, chicory, new potatoes, and pesto.

Gig goes well. I feel a little detached from things for the first few songs but get pulled in as gig progresses. Play Johnny Yen for the first time in ages.

Afterwards another quiet night. Feel knackered so leave early and walk back to hotel.

Derby, Assembly Rooms

10th April 2008 | Larry

Day off – Derby

9th April 2008 | Jim

Day off. Drive to Derby, do a little shopping in Westfield shopping centre. Buy a copy of Hey Ma as I’ve given all mine away. Go to gym with Saul. Have a lazy evening in hotel room snacking and watching TV.

Bradford, St. George’s Hall

8th April 2008 | Jim

The start of the tour, eek! So-called warm up show at the very lovely St. George’s Hall, Bradford. Due to promotional duties, we miss our pre-production, so spend the whole day running through songs for ourselves, lighting director, and out front sound man. Also playing with a few new fancy production ideas that I wont go into as I don’t want to spoil the surprise for the rest of the tour (unless Larry shows stuff on his photo blog), but I’ll just say that fire is involved! Time is short and tempers a little frayed; eventually we stop to let My Federation soundcheck.

Set includes lots of the songs off Hey Ma, and some oldies including an outing of P.S., but it’s the new songs that really challenge us and require an extra level of effort and concentration to really take people’s heads off, competing with songs they’ve known and loved for many years. We’ve a few hiccups but no major problems, and the verdict is success!

Sweaty and buzzing, we talk through the gig backstage over a beer. I don’t stay long and head back to the hotel; some don’t, and appear the next day in reception, bleary-eyed, worse for wear, and glad it’s a day off.