Boxing Day Gala Dinner Maids Head Hotel Norwich

I researched the location on Google maps using street view to ascertain there is a lane leading to the back of the hotel into the car park. We had to be set up early so I left at 4:40pm arriving at the hotel after a good run at 5:40pm. I found my way into reception to find that our contact Lindsay wasn't on duty. But they soon sorted me out and we had just got the fire escape door open when Nige and Martin arrived. So it was a heavy load up the fire escape stairs and into the Minstrel room to set up for a gala Boxing Night dinner coach party. Set up was little tricky because people were coming through the load in door to take their tables for dinner. We ended up routing the power over the door and I moved closer to Martin pushing Nige a bit more into the far corner to leave a clear path through to the door. The on-stage sound was very bassy and we took loads of bass off on the T1's. Martin and Nige decided a beer was needed and they came back with 3 pints of Stella – they must have thought it was a serious sound problem! Eventually we were content (but not happy) and left the room as the meal started up. We were not due on 'til 9pm and we whiled the time away in the bar downstairs watching a girly duo called Venus – very easy on the eyes as we enjoyed a second pint (of Carling). We had been allocated a room for changing and I made sure we were up and dressed in good time. Nevertheless as we arrived in the Minstrel room 10 minutes early it was clear that the dinner had gone very smoothly and they were ready for us. In fact one of the hotel staff asked to get going as soon as possible. So we started to take our positions, but a test of the vocal mics revealed a bassy boom from Nigel's corner. We had to faff around for a few minutes to try and deal. In the end Nige disconnected the Bose link up system and we decided to press on regardless. Actually “Foot Tapper” was very well received, so I took the opportunity to introduce the boys in the band and mention that we take requests. On we went with a sort of cabaret, bantery Foot Tappers show. We did a wide variety throwing in easy listening jazzy specials like “Around The World”, “Phoenix” and “Lady is a Tramp” amongst the usual openers and going down quite well. The “Blue Suede” rock'n'roll sequence got several up and dancing so we kept it going with a key change into “All Right Mama”. At this point a lady came up with a request dedication for Ernie; could we play “Your My Best Friend”. Luckily Nigel knows the words so off we went and it went down real well so, after another couple of numbers, we quickly followed up with some more country - courtesy of Nige. We finished the hour spot at just before 10pm with “Three Times A Lady”. I was a bit out of touch with this but we got through OK and I think it was the right song choice. It was clear there was going to be an exodus as our well fed audience took to their beds[ so we had a very short break and resumed with “Under the Sun”. By this time there were only about 20 left but they were very attentive. A couple of numbers in Nigel received a message from Rob the manager, for us to wrap up at 10:30pm (about 40 minutes earlier than we expected) and we timed our big ending with “Walk Alone accordingly. This got such a good reception with shouts for 'more' that it was a shame I had to explain that 'the hotel has run out of electricity!'; still it got a laugh and the small crowd started to disperse good naturedly. We had carried the gig off well and several people came up at the end so say they had enjoyed it. Then it was the long pack and load down the fire escape. I found that heavy going with a twingy knee exacerbated by the awkward pitch of the stairs, but Nige and Martin 'pitched in' and we were soon ready to go. Luckily Nige spotted one of the staff exiting the car park and got the code for the barrier (1432). Then I remembered we still had the key to the room, so Nige went off to reception to hand it in – apparently it was deserted so it was a good job he got the code when he did; he left the key on the desk. Smooth ride home getting in about 12:20am Jacqui was surprised and asked if I'd “Got the sack?” Overnight Nige and I both started ruminating on the boomy bass problem because this has happened a couple of times now. And before the next gig we had formulated some plans – see the next nights exciting instalment!