It’s also a busy time for musicians and bands leading up to the Christmas period. Such was the case for us as we have been busy most days of the week especially weekends.
Our Fridays and Saturdays had been taken up by the Woolpack in Burscough and the Common Room in Warrington, both very different venues that have been actively promoting live music. We’ve also been busy at a indoor shopping centre, that was nice as we had been warm and dry with all this constant rain.
Suzie Blyth who owns and manages the Cafe/Bar was promoting the Woolpack over the Christmas period, it is a lovely venue and very homely. It has a relaxed atmosphere and even has glass boots to drink out of, much to the amusement of us when people get down to the last bit and the beer jumps out the glass. We had been booked hear on Fridays and had played two parties as well as to the regulars just before Christmas. All the nights had been great to play and the staff had looked after us well even getting us drinks before we had realised we needed one. That’s service for you.
It had been quite humorous playing at the common Room nightclub, as soon as you arrive people are already dancing and being a late gig you are in instant party song mode. Offices parties have been a common occurrence before Christmas with punters unable to get a taxi home and a wait time of four hours. A group had said to us as we left the venue “We will give you £40 if you take us 3 miles down the road”.
We also have had a boxing day gig at a football club in Wallasey. This had been a tribute gig for a member of the team who had died at the young age of 21, his team ates and best friend had arranged a footy match and a party as a remembrance to his life. Sadly the biblical rains that day had flooded the pitch and they had to post phone the match. On a good note though they had quite a party and had enjoyed the live music and DJ finished the night off with some a great selection of music, the end of the night was finished off with a circle of people to celebrate their comrades favourite song.
Our next adventure for the end of the year was getting into Cumbria without the need for paddles and a boat. This was easy as we found out that all but one major road was open and getting to Cumbria was a doddle. You could see the water line as we drove through to Ambleside. It must of been quite devastating, a great job by the community and armed forces for getting those vital main roads open after a catastrophe like this.
Reaching our destination in Hawkshead we had thought it was a night in the van after the gig though we had been told that a room was available and as it had given frost this was welcomed news. This being the biggest gig of the year meant it was a longer set than usual and meant playing up till midnight. At midnight everybody goes outside for the big countdown and complimentary fireworks. This year the fireworks had been a bit of a damp squib as the fireworks had been flooded out with all the rain in the area. As the fireworks went up in a strange median rhythm you never knew whether or not they had finished. As the fireworks and new year celebrations came to an end we headed back inside to play some more music. At the end of the night a giddy drunk lady had wanted to sing along to the final few songs, letting her in we soon realised that she couldn’t sing that well. This one song event had been repeated again on the bext tune as she said ” Aww can I sing again”. Once she was allowed in there HD been no stopping her eventually we had her screaming out the Proclaimers and the night was finished.
The morning after new year is always a little hazy waking up with having not much sleep and a hangover means one thing. A English breakfast is needed and that’s exactly what we had. See you next year Hawkshead thank you for having us and it was a pleasure to play for the folks holidaying over the festive period.
As the last blog on here was regarding the radio station interview in Mawdesley with BBC Lancashire, it occurred to us that we should give out an update…..