Live/Wire - Diary - A Whale of a Weekend
Jan 25th......... Monmouth Savoy Theatre......... Jan 26th......... Pontardawe Arts Centre
Although the official start of the tour was a week away these two dates were added last October and served as a statement of intent for 2008.
It was Shakey's turn to ride with the General, arriving an hour early to prise him away from his Mansfield retreat and on the road to the valleys.
We loaded the sundries into Thunderbird one, including a large bag (Blended Bourbon whiskey, various tins of curry, mince, tyne brand irish stew for Lorne, ravioli, chilli, bread, and some rather nice orange chocolate snap thingy's) which was the booty from a reconnaissance mission to Morrisons early that day and placed in the trolley whilst Slaptinkerbell (T&S) wasn't looking.
After parking the car in the Generals drive and climbing over to the passenger seat I dropped my phone and left it there all weekend.
As we pull out of the drive the general goes in the wrong direction to what was anticipated.......................
Now it's his turn as we throttle into Mansfield Tesco's for his take on provisions for punishing the liver (Tesco Siberian Vodka, TSV for short) and Tins of whatever for a session of early hour cooking on the camping stove. Whilst passing the alcohol aisle we espy a large quantity of neatly stacked Newcastle Brown bottles............................Tink's favourite, so I reach for a couple but upon lifting them the full impact of carrying them becomes apparent and I go into a line of " naah, f*ck him he can have some whiskey instead"....................more on that later.
The journey down was fairly nondescript, however I'd come armed with the video camera to take some film of the flooding around Tewkesbury and the M50/M5 corridor, but a mixture of the area returning to a normal water table and the fact that it was dark by this time thwarted me !!.
Sat Nav got us into Monmouth, a lovely border town of limestone, full of interesting features...................But the Theatre ?
The street disappears into pedestrianisation, and as I leave the van and walk to where I'm told to go the load in becomes considerably more impractical with every step.
I stroll into the Savoy (the oldest Theatre in Wales) and ask for the doors to load the band's gear in. I'm led backstage of this beautifully maintained theatre and shown a back alley leading backwards for some 60 feet on to the main (and narrow) road we came down when entering the town. "that's it ....yep that's it" says the floor manager.
Tink arrives and we visit one of three dressing rooms laden with tea coffee and my favourite biscuit ...........custard creams !!
It's at about this time that I look at the clock in the dressing room............6.25pm AAWWHHHHHHHH !!!!
Having made a pact with Daz to not unload the van until everyone arrived I became tetchy about the time and getting the gear in.
Next to arrive was Lorne with 'Brian for the weekend' Pete Shelley standing in for Grant who was in Germany at a Bosch power tools seminar !!
The two of them arrived and showed to my disgust absolutely no signs of attempting to load in, and poured a nice cuppa each.
I bit my tongue, and soon Jonbon arrived complaining he'd been driving round for ages looking for the place (yawn yawn normal speel !!).
I prepared to forcefully motivate everyone to get up and get the gear in........when I noticed something.
The Clock still said 6.25pm..........................."daz, what time is it ?"......................
5.22pm exactly he says AAWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !! ........................WHAT A TW*A*T.
All hands go to the pump as a long load in similar to the Berlin airlift in numbers and effort finally assembles the AC/DC show on the stage.
The PA, plentiful and loud delivers a pleasing bass drum thud at soundcheck.....it's gonna be a good night.
After more CC's and Tea the band take to the stage in the seated venue, and the audience are begged and coerced out of there seats by Jonbon, with lots of success. Pete takes his Welsh bow to an enthusiastic and loud crowd who became more vocal and engaging as the night goes on. A successful evening in Monmouth;
After lots of handshaking, a chat and a whiskey or three with our Welsh Promoter I suddenly realize that the desire to get to the Travelodge has led to certain members of the band taking on a superhuman approach to loading out and the gear has jumped into the alley ready for reloading.
Knowing that Monmouth Travelodge is a strange wrongside access we still travel fourteen miles in the wrong direction past it to come back !!
Upon arrival and settling into the room A knock on the generals door finds Pete, Roadie Brad, Tink and Jonbon forcing their way in with various whiskeys (southern comfort, JD, Asda own brand and a curious whiskey from Tink that could have been the substance used by Malcolm Young to paintstrip his red gretsch Firebird in 1975.
The conversation flows and the food is plentiful. The whiskey..............lovely
I refuse to try the Tink firewater as it didn't smell like anything I'd come across, not even the sulphurous gas bubbling from an underground volcano carries that aroma.
After a couple of hours the conversation reached 'sad level' when a considerable amount of thought and time was given to the Hexidecimal number system, leading to a swift migration to bed.
Lorne continued with his synopsis slowly sending a w*nkered General and Shakey into much needed subconsciousness.
Two nights in the same Travelodge is considered a Live/Wire luxury. This was one of those weekends.
Extra time in the room for sleep, or to find your lost phone or in Pete and Tinks case to visit the 'Little Thief' restaurant across the carpark for a £10 bacon butty !! LOL
When we all met outside at One o'clock something was wrong with Tink..............HE WAS GREEN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That Whiskey had taken it's toll and his condition was critical....................No Iris movement, weak pulse, but.................
HE WAS STILL BLOODY SMILING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dinner was served at Bridgend, plenty of people out considering !! and then onto Pontardawe Arts Centre, a nice place between Swansea and Neath.
We set up, but are asked to turn down as the venue PA has gone for repair and all that's installed is the 'My first PA-Fender Passport-Fischer Price' variety that says F*ck Off to valve amps and bass drums.
Even so a 'nice mix' is squeezed out of the desk and system by the apologetic Engineer.
After Jons opening Pete settles down to nail some Brian numbers in the second half of the show and we don't receive many complaints about the sound, just a request for it to be "much f*ckin louder".
Back across wales we go and a more direct route to the Travelodge to sample the delights of Pete's carbohydrate food bag...........
Pies, pasties, biscuits, marshmellows, wagonwheels, sausage rolls.......................................how many days are you staying for ?
Another Spirited display of bollox talking ensued during which every joke known to the band was shared...........five minutes worth.
The following morning the guys said their thanks to Pete for helping out the band...........Top Geezer !!! And Brad the roadie.................It's great to see the Exuberance of youth............especially when it can load and unload a van as quickly !!
Til next time............Shakey
Posted by Shakey on Tue 5th February 2008
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- THE DIARIES - Posted by tracy fulford
- Wales - Posted by pete van hooligan