The Alban Arena, St Albans 17th June 2010

Hello everyone!

Having had a 3 weeks off, it was nice to be back on the road although I was supremely bored on the journey up.. There were only 3 of us in our van, Jeff, Chris and Me. Fredi was coming up after her exam with Paul our sound man.

It was about 5 miles away from the venue that it started to feel familiar and then I asked if we had played here before to be told YES! I had really forgotten, isn't that bad? about a year ago apparently.. When i got there it all came back to me. the green room space etc.. the stage door. The very echoey stairs up to the stage - good for practising with some natural reverb!!

I didn't take many pictures actually, how very lazy of me!

The Alban Arena

The most exciting part of the show was that we were to have Ross on saxophones for the first time, well not the first time actually....... This leads me to me trip down memory lane!! ........... (cue wobbly music like they do in rubbish programmes when it's a flash back scene!!)

Now for those who don't know, back in the day in Torbay there was a band called Dr Frank, made up of a group of school boys from the different local schools. The line up was

Vocals - Chris Thomas (Whats he doing again? lol)

Guitar -Barney Dine (Now fronting a band who is supporting Will Young this summer in The Devon Festival)

Saxophone - Ross Purves

Bass Guitar - Jan Tribble (now an architect)

Trumpet and Keyboards - Mikey Taylor (now touring with Joseph)

Drums - Jeff Glover (hands as he's now known!)

Now I remember doing a few pink floyd songs even back then, can't remember which ones

There were a few band changes over the years, I even did a stint as a backing singer but I was pretty unconfident at this point. I remember doing a few pink floyd songs even back then, can't remember which ones. They were extremely popular with all the young people in the area and looking back they really were good! I will try to dig out an old picture!!

After a stint in London they went there separate ways, Jeff and Chris stayed together and eventually formed a new band with.....

Guitar - Steve Loar

Bass -Patrick Forbear.

(sounding familiar?)

These guys were called 'Starskey' and played the circuit for many many years. Functions Weddings and pubs.

Steve went to Spain for a while to live where i'm told he would still play the old set to himself on his guitar just to keep the memory alive! He couldn't stand it and thankfully he came back again and took up where they left off.

A mere 10 years or so on! A few floyd songs came into the set and were going down well. The band then got asked to headline the Brixham Happenin festival in 2007 (?). Feeling they needed some backing vocals, Chris turned to me and asked if I was up for it and did I know anyone else, I called Audra and we did a show in the at the Happenin, with the Brixham people dancing around in the field in the rain, jut like glastonbury! ha cough! I gathered together a choir of kids from my youth theatre to be the brick in the wall kids. We played a mix of songs, originals, covers and finished with a few floyd numbers including comfortably numb!

I disappeared to Egypt for the summer and when I returned the band had decided to go full time with the floyd stuff, Audra was on backing vocals and when the theatres started coming in I joined up again as second BV!... 2 years on and we're going strong, the family atmosphere has got stronger and even though there have been a few changes we've made it through the other side. Which brings me back to Ross paying on saxophones again after oooh about 15 years or so.

He was really genuinely pleased to be playing us, and he did a brilliant job after 1 run through with the band in sound check!!

Here's Ross

Ok so back to the show. It was being filmed this evening by ESL (event sound and light) who also do our lights for the shows. The purpose of the filming is to have some clips for you tube and promote the show so when it's out I will let you know (if you don't find out some other way) and then you can all share it with your friends and get them to come watch us too!!!!

Steve - Restringing his guitar summer shorts style!!

After the show we met two lovely people 'Jayne and Richard', I believe they have written on the website guest book too! They are big floyd fans and we had a good gossip about the show they went to in Welwyn Garden City recently. Jayne told me she reads my blog and said it was a bit like reality television, really good to see what goes on behind the scenes and that she feels like she knows the band from all the stories. My counter said that not many people have visited the blog lately so I was a bit disheartened, I think maybe it is wrong cos a lot of people say they read it. If you do, come and let me know after a show as it keeps me going!! Hence this super long entry!

Au revoir! xx

Chesham and Weston Super Mare

The Elgiva Theatre, Chesham 27th May 2010

When putting in postcode to sat nav we found a road name in Chesham called bottom lane and so we went on a magical mystery tour with the sat nav to find it. It was down many wind roads. Eventually we found it and here is the photo result. Look away if easily offended!!

The venue from outside today

During the show, lots of people came in after we had started and as the seats were mainly taken they had to stand on the outside edges..

There were a lot of younguns there this evening. Saw a girl (maybe 11yr?) in a sparky bolero like me, swaying, in a similar style to me, I secretly hoped she was copying me. Her face lit up when we played Brick in the wall. Parents must be huge floyd fans!

Everyone seemed very relaxed on stage, couple band members were throwing some shapes, seeing if they could get in some muscle poses when they weren't lit to amuse each other. Apparently they did it through my Great Gig, I had no idea as I go off to my own little world anyway..

Lots of nice comments afterwards and very friendly people!

The Playhouse Weston Super Mare 28th May 2010

The pier was shut! - boo!

Tonights gig was mostly about the T SHIRT for me! Gary and Anna our old blog friends, were there. Gary had had a T shirt made up with the words 'I follow Pollys blog on it' HOW COOL IS THAT!!

Here it is after the show!

100% Effort!

Craig (from Torbay) and his mates were there also, so had a picture with them. Here me with them

Here's Fredi's folks who dropped her off for the show.

2 nice kids came and asked for our signatures. Megan and Alistair, here they are by the merchandising stand after the show.

Some high 5'ing on the move was practised during sound check!

During wish you were here Jon on lights threw a muscle pose at us from the back, wasn't expecting it so had to try not to laugh.

Fareham, Worthing, Welwyn Garden City, Tring

Thursday 20th May 2010

Started off the journey with some smoke coming out of the wheels coming down Telegraph hill. Paul was under that van in a flash. We decided to carry on anyway (not with Paul under it mind you) and blame it on the braking down the hill and heavy load.


First stop off was in Fareham, Farenham Hall.

There was a huge green room upstairs with lots of dressing rooms off it. There was much toasted sandwich making. There was a load of nonsense with the projector AGAIN!

The one good thing to come out of it is that I have learnt what key stoning means. Jon took the camera and took some mighty fine pictures. I shall let him loose again!

Also the devil plectrum I mentioned in previous post was out during sound check..

Few shots from the show that night, courtesy of Jon.

Friday 21st May
The next day we took a stop off in Arundel which was nearby. Lovely castle, we wanted to look around but didn't have any time, chatted to the tour guide at the front gate. Funnily enough someone later at gig said to chris that he had seen us at the castle and knew we were 'in the flesh'. Better look a bit more decent in the mornings from now on!

We had a walk around the outside of castle and there was a stream, and lots of ducks. Here is one I managed to get close to.

Got to Worthing, the stage had two tiers to it so me and Patch went on top level. Jeff went centre stage with the other two either side, bit different!

Ticket sales had practically doubled in the last week which was a bonus. Good show, (nice high 10 from Jeff and Patch at the end)

Jeff insisted this head band (made of bits cut off the arm of one of the band t shirts was cool! hmmm)

Saturday 22nd May 2010

Stayed near gatwick airport overnight, the next morning chris was late to the van so we stood and watched planes taking off. Sounds pretty dull but my word there were men camped out with flasks of coffee with massive cameras there too!

Paul came out with his boots on the wrong way round - the numpty, he'd had a bit of a crazy night the night before.

Pig was feeling the heat.

Drove to third venue, this was Welwyn Garden city. I asked if the 'Garden' bit meant it was very green to be told no i don't think so, but it darn well was! full of trees and very beautiful After the third show it was all starting to blend into one. The set up the tea and coffee making etc blah blah blah, manager Glenn was there which was different however and we all had breakfast in what I thought was a wetherspoons but turned out to not be. It was super dooper sunny so I made a little blanket and cushion arrangement outside the stage door! Had to keep coming inside to cool off!
note to self, strange eery silence during show.

Campus West, Welwyn Garden City from stage

Steves Jimi Hendrix Tattoo

Last of the 4 shows was Tring

Pretty pretty town,

There was much sun bathing and chasing fish around a pond, thats all I have to say on the matter.

Liked this sign in the cafe we had brekkie in.

Narberth, 14th May 2010

Rainy day up to Narberth, which was a long way plus windy roads, not my favourite type of journey! When we got there the venue was quite a lot smaller than we had imagined and there was a lot of trying to sort out where everything would go. Here is a shot of Jase and Pete (lighting boys) filling up half of the room with their empty boxes!

Witnessed a very minor strop from Jase as a light went ping, and he stomped up the ladder and blew his floppy fringe out the way too with exasperation!! (made the last bit up)

He was still focusing lights when we were sound checking, so it all took a lot longer than usual!

Chris bought along a George 'Formby' (yes I know thats wrong!) lean mean grilling machine that Wendys dad Pete bought, so had to mention that. It did four toasted sarnies at once! Here is the factory line! Fredi's a whizz on buttering bread!

Narberth is a pretty town so had to do a few pics! The sun had come out by this point making even prettier!

This is the venue from the front.

Shot from my position during sound check.

The lady (Lynne) told us to expect a walk up and she was right loads of people turned up on the door! We had it as a standing venue with seats around the outside, so the atmosphere picked up as it went along and people were dancing. Extraordinary amount of filming on phones going on! The quality must be shocking but I suppose if it gives them a chance to relive it then we will stay in their memories!

Show went really well, and I really enjoyed the more intimate crowd, all the other band members were a bit close for my liking though. The instruments were so loud because they were near!

After the show we met some super people, but two people stood out. A young man called Matthew Bird who was a budding guitarist and asked for a plectrum (well his aunty did). Chris gave him one and in return he gave back a red 'devil' shaped plectrum that Chris promised to play with! I will take pics Matt to prove it!

We met a most amusing lady called Katie Honka-Tonka Williams. She told us she was quite drunk but to me she was just great and funny! She was very enthusiastic and complimentary about everyone, she called Patrick 'Colin Farrell' as there is a resemblance ( if you squint!) ..Oh and in the line up Chris called him the 'mildly attractive Patches O' Houlahan' which is my favourite Patch intro yet. She asked us to find her on facebook, which I have tried but nothing came up, so Katie your task is to find us from the band facebook page.

A long drive home, but all in all a thoroughly enjoyable gig!

Adieu (From now on I will try to sign off in different languages) xx

Lincoln, Sunday 2nd May 2010

Well it was a long ole Trek to Lincoln, but the Theatre was so cute, it was worth it.

Nice boxes for the rich folks back in the day.

The usual shots of stage and auditorium from my spot. (this is so I can look back and remember the places we've played in)

The best Green room too. A nice chilling/hanging out space.

Not much really happened to report, the same old really, clutching at straws with this gig to make a story.. Fredi tried out brown hair to see what she'd look like..

She'd look good with any colour I think!

We checked out the pictures in foyer, This 1911 poster caught my eye as I'm directing Midsummer Nights dream at the moment!

There was an incident with someone filming me demonstrating and doing the running man in the interval, but we won't say too much about that and hopefully the video will be kept locked away until I feel less embarrassed about being such a fool and not realising it would happen when people have these all singing and dancing iphones!

Such a great Crowd!!!

This a sneaky shot I took as everyone was leaving!!

After the show we met Gary and Anna, read previous post!! Here they are in their T shirts!

This is Lesley who was selling the merchandising.

Chris was very happy with his display today...

So that concludes my entry, sorry it wasn't very exciting, but Patch said he never reads the words anyway just look at the pics!

My apology to Gary and Anna

Ahhh, realised on the bus on way home last night that I called Gary and Anna.... Tommy and Sue! They didn't say anything either bless them!! It was because Tommy and Sue wrote on the Website that they were coming to a gig soon and then when Gary and Anna popped up last night I remembered the names from the recent web comment! EEK So sorry guys! I'm usually so good with names.

They are becoming like old friends, it's nice when you see the same faces coming back, cos we know we're doing something right!

I will get the names right next time, which is at Weston Super Mare!

Maybe they didn't hear me call them the wrong names and this is all for nothing but hey why not write about them anyway!!