Posted: 01 December 2008 at 9:15am | IP Logged

Nothing wrong with my splling. I'm from the txting gnrtion wtevr that mns :)

Posted: 01 December 2008 at 9:19am | IP Logged

I forgot to mention the drum sound-check. Stunning! Well done Helen and thanks for all the tea!

Posted: 02 December 2008 at 1:05pm | IP Logged

mike_1stgear wrote: well what can you say??? they are back big time great show great sound and hats off to the stickster what a drummer and the best sounding drum kit i have heard in ages i even had to shake his hand in the break( yes i was the ugly bloke by the door) only down side was you could not hear pete's drums in wild west show and worst of all no JOY or STARFLIGHT hang your head in shame boys

Thanks Mike, The Fivers' in the post.    Sorry about Pete's Drums.  We had a slight technical hitch which meant they were not coming through somehow.  Should be sorted for the Cambridge gig, as long as I remember to bring everything, which thus far has not been the case.  Starflight made an appearance at Beckenham and as for Joy who knows but it is certainly a Joy to be part of the ATF experience. 

Hope to meet you again soon.

Posted: 08 December 2008 at 10:05am | IP Logged

Robs ATF tour Diary 4 - the last installement!
Current mood: satisfied
Category: Music

Bit of a busy weekend this one!

It started on Friday on my way to the Man on the Moon in Cambridge. I'd just got onto the M6 and met a queue of traffic getting onto the A14. Just stopped when there was an almighty bang behind me and a bumper went sailing past my window.  I pulled off and it turned out that an old boy had ploughed into the car behind me and pushed him into the path of someone else. Big mess. Just missed me. 

The old boy's wife was pretty shaken so I put her in the van and waited for the ambulance. The couple in the second car were on their way to Cambridge so after hanging about for the Police to let us go I gave them a lift and got to the gig in time to eat the little triangle sarnies that were on offer.

Great venue. Sticky floor, tiny stage and sweaty dressing/store room. But what an atmosphere. Great gig! Deafening at the end in starflight – Tim later suggested I didn't use the big cymbal as a crash. :0)

The spontaneous Pilgrim was a bonus!

Back to Mr Banks's pad for the night and a fantastic slap up breakfast the next day. Touring is all about food you know.

Off to Hemel and it's dreaded roundabout. Big ole Victorian church – big sound. I get nervous when I know the audience is going to be sat in pews – is it going to kill the atmosphere and that kind of thing.

Set up and then went to be fed with a fantastic chicken stew and mash followed by mince pie and cream. Touring is all about the food you know.

Another great gig and the pews didn't stop the dancing. Fantastic crowd and great to have Zoe doing her thang on Der Komissar. I must say that little charlotte stole the show with her dancing. Absolutely fantastic.

Back to Banks's  again.

Next morning I had to record a guide track for a tune that's going on the next CD. No voice left which made it harder.

Off to Earles Colne for the final gig of the tour. I have to say the thought of playing a show in an afternoon in a pewed church didn't flick my switch.

But hey, I was wrong. It rocked! My guitar strap broke in the first set so I had to move carefully so as not to drop it but it was sorted for the second set. Great to have the three stooges(! :0)) on stage with us for Der Kom. I loved the bit where Pete started playing the cow bell and a pair of Tims Sock fell out.

Had to apologise to Tim for introducing him as Tim Taylor. Don't know where that came from.