Sunnier Climate?

Well, we're off on Thursday to a warmer part of the world. A bit like a spy novel, we can't tell you where we're going, but it's going to be a great event. We have to play on Saturday and Sunday, and our  performances are very short, 30 minute slots. We've produced a set list, which the organisers have approved, and cutting our set list down has been very tricky. The trouble with the Beach Boys catalogue of songs is that they cover a wide time range and are also very different in style. So cutting out a song is quite difficult. That said, we've put together a medley of the surf songs so that should keep everyone happy.

Obviously we can't take everything with us, so we just take guitars and keyboards. As we play live, with no tracks, we don't really have technology issues - so as long as the instruments come off the plane intact, that's pretty well it.

Although we can't say where we're playing, we've got the itinerary and there are some slightly odd things - like the fact our hotel is in a different part of the country, and we have to travel over 100Km each way, each day to get to the venue! We've a great hotel, and the sun is pretty well guaranteed.

So - all planning seems to have come together, and we're on a 9am flight out, on a rather nice airline - so much different from my last long haul flight with United Airlines - which was the worst airline I have ever flown with in 30 years or so of international travel.

So we've got everything sorted for this one, but as soon as we're back we're then getting ready to fly out to Berlin for another show.

We actually had to turn down a request for us to play in Cyprus, which is a great shame - but they wanted us to play Christmas Day, which was just impossible flight wise in the time we have spare. The Christmas period for us is usually the quietest time of the year, so some of us take our break then, as the summer is always so busy.

Hopefully, we'll have some great pictures to put on the website and Facebook when we get back, so everyone can see what we've been up to. Quite a few of our friends and fans know what we're up to - but none of the artistes involved in the event can mention it in advance, so it's all a surprise for the people who attend. It's rather like a scene from 'Allo 'Allo - "Listen carefully, I will say this only once ......."

Right - trying to produce some set lists - 6 thirty minute sets, spread over a couple of days - but it seems probable that it will be a different crowd each time. So, we're stuck. Do we just do the favourites and repeat the set, which isn't good for any real fans who come back for the next set, but equally, missing out the favourites is a bad move for the new people. I suppose the real problem is that the Beach Boys have had so many good songs that people think are the popular ones, that finding the real 'core' stuff is so difficult. Even in the band, we can't decide which is our favourite - four people with four different lists. We've asked people to give us their favourites so we can see if their list is the same as ours.

Next step is to have a rehearsal this week and work on a few new songs. We've decided to have a low key rehearsal and spend time on the vocals with food and tea, we always get more done this way!

More coming soon.