Down to Devon. Two shows, one inland a bit and the other on the
South Coast. Sat nav says five and a half hours. So we leave home at Lowestoft
(the most Easterly town in the UK) and head off. Eleven hours later we arrive!
Somebody had sold bucket loads of motor homes to little old ladies with blue
rinses ! It's scary to find one far enough into its own lane that overtaking is
possible, and then you can't see a driver - you see two hands on the wheel and
the top of their head just peeping over the wheel. The white lines on the M25
are for straddling like a scalextric! The PA at the theatre has been put in by
an old mate - Bobby G from Bucks Fizz and it was rather nice. Nearly new QSC
wedges so good things expected. For this show we didn't have the extra time and
hassle factor of taking our own PA. For many bands hearing what you do isn't
hugely important, but for the Beach Boys it’s vital. Everyone sings, so
harmonies are very important. We all need to hear certain (and different)
things. I personally don't want to hear the melody. I need to hear the two
other harmony vocals and the keyboards - the only instrument that won't be out
of tune unless Ian plays the wrong song! Dacre the drummer (who does most of
the high falsetto parts) and I use in-ear monitors, like many people today, so
our ears are bunged up with lug plugs which mean we don't have to be deafened. Ian
and Ben the guitarist prefer real loudspeakers. It depends on what you are
comfy with, really. We're on stage ready to soundcheck quite late because of
the journey time and then get the shock. Four nice, good quality monitors, all
powered up and tested the day before, but they don't make any noise! The venue
is quite nice, and is a ‘community’ theatre. This magic word is often used to
denote a crafty way our education system gets extra dosh! A school or college
open up their premises to the public in return for money from local, national
and European sources. So a revamped theatre, library or sports stadium is
affordable. This theatre holds probably 300 or so and has pull out tiered
seating, often called ‘bleachers’. After our PA was set up they had the final school
assembly, with the seating pulled out. The little darlings had pinched every
cable from the equipment the tiered seats let them lean over and grab. Bearing
in mind our average age is er, not that young, experience says there's little
chance of a quick fix and most importantly, no point panicking. The best we can
do us connect the monitors together and hear what the audience hear. That's
what we did. It's very odd hearing the things you didn't know even happened!
"What's that twiddly bit you did in Help Me Rhonda?" Mystified me
because I've always played it but they don't have my bass in their monitor
normally. I remember hearing the melody for the first time in another song and
thinking - so that's how it goes! It was actually a fun gig, despite the
problems I really enjoyed it. All the people we met were really friendly and
efficient, which is always great. The funniest thing any of us had seen was
when just as we were coming on stage, we realized the house tabs were worked by
a big handle in the wings, and with the confusion over the sound system, nobody
was there to work them! So we did the usual intro – Ladies and Gentlemen, plase
welcome the UK Beach Boys – and then Ian wound the handle like mad, and then
ran on stage to play the first note! The odd thing was that despite the
technical problems, we all really enjoyed the show, which was unexpected.
Usually technical problems tend to make us cross – but this time, it didn’t
seem to, and everyone had a good time.
After the gig we drove just a few miles to the next gig on Paignton
organised by Palm FM the local radio station. A stage on the sea front and the
start of a week long event. A really lovely bunch of people from the big boss
to the volunteers. Plenty of set up time and then the heavens opened. Wow Devon
can be wet! About an hour before show time the sun came out and by kick-off the
crowd had dried off. On stage we go and half way through California Girls I get
a strange feeling on my back. I am standing under a hole leaking water from the
stage roof. The DJ set before us should have given me a clue. I thought it was
sweat! Nope. The rain had pooled on the roof and was now escaping. I can't move
because I'm glued to the mic stand. Then I see Ian wondering where the water on
his keyboard is coming from. The next song has him playing with one hand,
wiping with the other until at the end of the song he can move everything. PA guys
smiling because they are under a tent thing and totally dry! One of the radio
station ladies who is rather pregnant was standing on our side of the crowd
barrier and noticed a bubble machine getting wet so she unplugged it. Bad move.
Outside stages have lots of electrical protection devices that didn't like this
so cut all the power off! After a few minutes all fixed and on with the show!
Another good show with interesting moments!
A few days off then we left for Northampton. A private function at
a park next to a lake. One of those places where people live in huge extended
mobile homes that have never been mobile ever. There's a big clubhouse next to
the lake and we were the entertainment for a party. Again, very nice people and
a decent restaurant. Two very late spots 9.30 to 10.30 and then 11 to 12. We
did the usual false ending then finished with Barbara Ann. Then they kept
asking for more so we gave them the chance to pick one song. Good Vibrations
won it! Talking about winning, we got
asked to judge the costume competition. That wasn't fun because although some
had put in the same effort as my students when I was a teacher (as in no effort
at all) others had really gone to town. We did get slightly worried when we
spotted a chap removing his trousers in the audience, but were assured he often
does this and wasn’t anything to worry about? After the show it was a short
drive to Kettering, where we’d booked a hotel. All fine and we spelt well, but
in the morning I managed to get myself locked out of the hotel room as the others
wouldn’t wake up to let me back in, but eventually we all do breakfast then off
to the next gig in Grimsby!
This was interesting – a big theatre style space with a balcony,
but a huge stage space that would be ideal for orchestras and choirs, and has
acoustics to match. It was originally a Methodist chapel, and now is an arts
venue and the design allows for seated audiences and a decent size dance floor,
in front of the stage. A the soundcheck, Ian tells Mike our soundman that the
reverb sounds great, Mike says “what reverb?” I’ve not switched it on yet!
We’re really lucky to visit venues who have nice staff. The
Grimsby Central Hall people are all so helpful, and didn’t even get rattled
when they lost their keys and couldn’t lock up!
Nowadays, it’s very difficult for theatres in particular to make
money, so places like this rely so heavily on being supported by the locals. We
always spend time after a show talking to people, and many told us they heard
the radio advert. To win a CD they had to answer a simple question.
What was the famous Beach Boys song.
1.
Cleethorpes Girls
2.
Grimsby Girls
3.
California Girls
I wonder if anyone got it wrong?
So we left around midnight to head back to Norfolk and Suffolk
where we live – 160 miles says the Sat Nav. Lincolnshire, like Norfolk and
Suffolk have not yet discovered motorways so that’s a long journey on twisty
and turny A roads – but in true UK Beach Boys style, we passed a 24 Hour
McDonalds, so stopped for food – only to find the other half of the band in
their vehicle had the same idea!
Next stop Newcastle!
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