Howdy Folks.

I had a heck of a day, in a strange kind of good way. Sort of.

I dinged my car on the way to the show last night. My bad. Low speed, but still. Apols to Tony.

Luckily, the car was driveable and the only thing injured was my pride and I had to scoot up to the central coast, as the now wounded car was filled with bits of PA gear. 

I was a bit more shook up than I realised, so I needed a little bit of help getting stuff together.

Luckily Alan was there to give me a hand.

As we finished the last part of the setup the fold back PA made a 'flerrrrrpppfff' nosie and all bottom end dropped out.

Yay.

Very helpfully, at least three off duty muso's in the crowd cheerfully reported that they had backup gear.

At home.

Far away.

Some days.

During the setup, at least three people came over to ask me various song requests, questions about the equipment, random things. No I wont sing a Meatloaf Song. yes we have a lot of gear. Yes those are a lot of harmonicas. yes I use them all. Yes I think those new desks with the USB output are really good, no we don't have one, yes I wish we did, no our soundo wasn't available tonight so that's why I'm setting up the PA with this old style desk, yes we've played here before, yes we'll go hard mate.

All this whilst I turn dials, flick switches and keep trying to work out which bit of the foldback has gone kerfplooie and find a work around.

The fourth guy to come up asked if he could use the microphone.

Now all you fellow road warriors know that this can be:

A: Happy Birthday (INSERT NAME)

B: I sing a song too

C: 

Nonetheless, it's an Australian custom for the band to provide Public Address for community purposes. Fairly asked, fairly answered. "Ok mate, no worries'

Casey went on to explain he wanted to ask his partner to marry him.

AWWWWWWWWWW

It took me a while to get the PA happening, thanks to Alan for all his help.

Casey was on tenterhooks, waiting, waiting.

He followed me outside where I had to go for a mental health break as it was all getting too much and he patiently waited whilst the Lunatic Sound Engineer (me) got his sh-t together and got the PA sorted. As I practised breathing exercises and wallowed in my own inner turmoil I was reminded this guy was waiting to do something really important.

Note to self

DO NOT F--- THIS UP.

So.

Summon your inner reserves, breathe, and get your mission accomplished.

Now Casey, I'd like to point out that this is not the first hookup/relationship resulting from a Stormcellar encounter. Theo's Niece married the pub manager at one of the venues we played at.

I am also in possession of reliable anecdotes and witness statements about certain other hookups from our shows and even the occasional birth.

That makes me happy and should appear prominently in

Reasons To Hire Stormcellar/Reasons to Go To A Stormcellar Show

1. People hook up

2. People get laid

3. A new generation of Humanity may be spawned, that will save us from our eventual doom (true)

4. You will feel good

but now, a new first for the 'cellar.

5. You might even get married

I was hanging on the result there. Brave dude, in public, OMG. She didn't know what was going on. 

Congratulations to Donna and Casey. A moment of happiness and a new beginning, and a bit of love. Sure does help to refocus on the stuff that's important.

That was a big night for a variety of reasons. Theo worked his butt off despite needing a rest with a gammy arm, working through the pain. Luckily we have some downtime so he can rest up. Bravo sir. 

Also our thanks to Will and Ken from Air Clectik and Alan on mixing. Mentioned in despatches, gentlemen. 

We were very pleased to see so many friends of the band last night. Steve and Bernie, Steve and Karen, Harvs' and his mum! (who was offended when I apologised for playing Louder Stuff later in the night, bring it on was more or less the command) and our South African contingent who drove all the way up from Sydney to see us, and all the other folks who came out to support live music.

Keep going out to your local, keep going out to see live bands.

A night at a local show could be one of the most important of your life :-)