There and Back Again...and then back there again. - weekend gig report
Howdy Folks, my right foot is sore after a big weekend of driving back and forth. I know how the truckers must feel. 2am on the way back from Newcastle last night...I mean this morning..rain, trucks, poor visibility, yikes. It's enough to make you want to start taking the train to gigs :-P
We started on Friday at the Lakes Hotel, shout outs to Jerry, Paul, Steve and Bernie. The weather had been closing in all weekend and Friday night was hot, humid and sticky but inside the air conditioning was doing a proper job. However, on the load out, we had to go from the crisp cool environs of the pub back to the Swamp Humidity, sweat dripping from us as we DIY roadie'd our gear back and forth from the van.
What we need is a very large external air conditioner (winter!).. or Roadies (Carl S, come back, we miss you!)
On Saturday we trekked up to Katoomba for a first stop with One for The Team, with Mortimer Selassi and Buster Chais on 89.1 RBFM.
Jo F dropped in so we could do some acoustic live stuff in the studio in between the comedy bits and a good time was had by all. Cheers to Morty and Buster.
Our next stop was the Katoomba RSL, but as we were leaving the studio and I looked at the carpet and saw a strangely familiar design..
At the Katoomba RSL, we settled in and did our gear setup, leaving me free to wander off in search of Coffee.
When it seemed the that the automated Coffee making Dalek had exterminated my cup, one of the helpful chaps from the RSL went all McGyver on it.
I find this photo appealing and somehow deeply disturbing at the same time, however, coffee was forthcoming, crisis averted. Still, that big spigot pipe is a worry.
Ah yes, we tried out a new desk for the gigs this weekend, we were lucky enough to get an Allen & Heath Mix Wizard as recommended by our mate John McC...verdict?
Brilliant. Most straight forward, logical, well thought out, well kitted out mixers I've used. John, you were spot on. 4 aux sends (what, individual fold back?? Surely you jest...)
And once again I might have gone slightly overboard on lights :-) Still testing different setups
After the gig, Rosie and I dropped in to the the Jam at the Family Hotel in Katoomba where Jo finally sang lead vocals! YAY! Jamming was great but it meant a late finish. Yikes. Talk about night owl time.
On Sunday night we drove through a rain squall to get the to the Kent Hotel for our final gig of the weekend
Did I mention the rain?
I remain amazed by the Novocastrians who can still be out dancing on a Sunday night at 11:30 pm :-)
Cheers to everyone at the Kent.
After that weekend, I am thoroughly exhausted and looking forward to a brea...Sorry, what was that? We're off to Tamworth next week for a run of shows?
Oh.
Right, well I guess I'd better ice my driving foot down, we're off again!
