My Last Night with ReTrio at Bottisham British Legion

Well the day finally arrived for my final night with ReTrio.  They had recruited Glyn on guitar and so they expected to do the next gig at Burwell with him and Steve. 

5:15pm I ran round to Chris's to meet up with him and Ian sharing a car to the gig.  We made good time to Bottisham arriving about 6pm aiming for an 8pm ish start.  Modern building with a reasonably large concert room with vaulted roof - usually good for vocals.  Right from the off the lady meeting us explained that they didn't expect many to turn out tonight.  We were to set up on the dance floor in front of some curtains which would be good to absorb slap back from the rear wall.  As we set up I tweaked the Bose analogue input levels down half a notch to 5 to de-risk input overload - they had crept up at the last couple of gigs!  Ian had forgotten his mic stand so I lent Chris my spare straight stand and Ian used Chris's boom.  Otherwise set up was without incident and it all checked out well sound wise if a little loud.  I decided to take the volume down a notch on the PA for the performance.  My throat was still a little bunged up several weeks after the onset of my cold and I kept my mic up a bit to give some scope for close mic low volume singing if things got worse.

As we got some beers in a few folks arrived including a character dressed in 1950's 'teddy boy' gear.  I asked him if he was expecting some rock and roll and he revealed he was the local retro DJ specializing in analogue sound based on his massive vinyl collection.  He  reeled off a few numbers he would like to hear and as we did most of them so it seemed we were on the right track for this gig.  There were probably only 10 in the room as show time approached and Chris was all for doing the gig in civvies.  I persuaded them to get changed saying that even if there were only a few we should give them the best show we could.  We compromised by making ties optional!

At 8:15 we struck up with FBI playing to maybe 15 spread round the room and standing at the bar.  The sound was ok but not great with a slight middley harshness (from the hard floor?) - but quite workable.  We got a good round of applause from the few and pressed on with a typical set.  We continued to be well received and a few more arrived so I stepped up the bantering.  They seemed to like this and we got some good audience interaction going and towards the end even a few dancers came up to "Runaround Sue".  Even though we would be a little over time I kept us going through "All Shook Up" to prolong the dancing and try out some audience answerbacks - which they got the idea of towards the end.  We finished to strong applause from the increased crowd of about 20 now!  The ted DJ came over to me and said we were really good and could we fit in "The Wanderer"  - yes I said if you can feed me some words.  He reeled off the first verse and I tried to run that through my head as another chap came up to say the band was great and could we do a Stones number - 'Honky Tonk Women. I said?  'Fantastic' he said! 

As we resumed I was determined to make my last gig go well and resolved to do a strong last walk with "Apache"  The dance floor was ideal for this - slightly slidey!  So I announced I would show the audience how to dance and took to the floor.  I found for the 'guitar up' bits on F,  I could do the walk and then slide towards a table of ladies on my left and then alternatively slide to another table of ladies on my right.  I could see this was getting some traction and I hyped it up (slightly tongue in cheek) right up to the end.  We were rewarded with such big applause from such a small audience that it genuinely surprised and delighted us in the band.
Apache End
I bantered us on through the set fitting in the requests and doing generally dancier material.  I do recall that "Wanderer" went well enough despite lots of mumbled words!  I got some strong sing-a-long going with "Daydream Believer - Sweet Caroline"  And some dance action with frenetic Creedance performances,  e.g:
Proud Mary Solo
We finished the set with "Hot Love into East Anglia Girls"  again to very strong applause.  The word must have got around the venue as we now had about 25 people to play to!

We opened with "Great Balls|" for set 3  Good choice as we got some sing-a-long join in from the teds at the bar.  Somehow I messed up the beginning of "Dance the Night Away"!!  Not that noticeable out front but it put me at odds with the bass line.  I suppose my re-synching gave the dancers a little more time to get up before I started the vocal!  Anyway they loved our long non-stop sequence and we had lots of dancing and singing from our small audience out to enjoy themselves.  As we cruised towards the end Ian asked for one last rendition of "Penny Arcade"  and that also went down well with the sing-a-long crowd.  I opted to do a number from a 'local band made good' next with "Another Brick in the Wall" - this was as close as we got to a ballad on this night! 
Another Brick Extract

Next it was "Mustang Sally" to fill the dance floor again and then. as we approached 11:30pm, I announced "Johnny B Goode" as the final number.  Well they surprised us again with just about everyone out on the floor doing wild dancing.  We did our outro's for the final time with Chris showing off his 'well rounded bottom' and Ian 'rattling his pots and pans' and me getting the timing right on my final guitar solo as we hurtled to the end and a fantastic reception.  For such a small crowd they made a lot of noise so I told 'em they were "Born to be Wild"  and we encored it with gusto.  We were well over time as we finished and had to decline more encores as we left the playing area on a high note. 

Even though it was late we were inundated with well wishers who were making kind remarks about the professionalism and sound of the band.  Chris issued some cards to prospects and the ted DJ thanked us for a great song selection.  I was amazed at all this and put it down to the thought that they must be used to having downbeat old country acts at this gig.  Eventually we were able to get away and get changed and set about pack up.  We got all the gear in the cars and then I found Chris and Ian at the bar negotiating a return gig.  I had to be driving to Bristol the next morning so I organised a little round of handshakes we wished each other well and I left them to it.  Strange feelings of relief mixed with nostalgia driving home - thinking of the many bands I had been in over the last 50 years and how they had usually ended amicably.  The vids were rougher than I expected but give a flavour!

Chris texted the next day to say I would be a 'hard act to follow' and hoping we can remain buddies - which was just the ending I wanted!  But 'no rest for the wicked' as,  in the morning, I had to unload the band gear and load up some back line and guitars for my niece's wedding band practice in Bristol. 

Vid of Checkmates doing Cadillac Car at the Borderline

I received a video today of The Checkmates performance at the Borderline in February.

One number we don't do regularly was this:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ9dcChchk0&feature=em-upload_owner#action=share
 

ReTrio and Steve at Seacroft Harlequinn Ballroom Hemsby

Good job Chris reminded me about this gig 'cos I had completely forgotten it was coming up and on a Monday I usually have a long day at work.  I was able to cut work short and got home at 1:30pm to find Jacqui was out lunching with the sewing ladies.  But she had kindly left me a shepherds pie dinner so I could have my main meal at lunch and the pack up bag of sandwiches in the fridge was for later for on the road.   She was back in time to say goodbye!  I set off at 4:58 to try and avoid the traffic that builds up at 5pm.  I made the tactical decision to head out on the A143 to take the Garboldisham route to the A11 rather than the usual run through Thetford.  This was a good decision as Chris later reported traffic was bad in Thetford and he had to take the Nun's bridges rat run through to the A11. After Norwich I found I was running well on time on a cool but sunny evening and I eased up for the last 9 miles to Hemsby.  Arrived at the gig and found the Harlequinn ballroom down near reception.  Some young ladies from entertainments directed me back through the car park to the back for load in.  I had just got back to the car when Chris and Ian arrived with Bridget and Sharon in tow. We did a bit of carobatics to turn round and head back to the car park.  Then left at the 'deliveries only' sign and run all the way down to the back entrance to the ballroom.  Chris undid a safety barrier that prevents people falling down the big step onto the dance floor and then we were able to make a short load in and on to the stage.  Quite a large stage but I had to shift the bingo table to develop enough room to fit my stuff in.  It is quite a long hall - the audience sits at the far end and dances on the big floor in front of the band. Similar to the previous gig we set one Bose up out front to project into the audience.  This set up is now our preferred method.  Can't think why we didn't try it in the past - my natural conservatism I suppose? We were set up with a few minutes left to check things were working before the bingo started. 

Whilst we were having a beer Steve arrived with his stuff. Chris and I discussed with him how we would set him up.  In the end we agreed he should concentrate on vocals and we would set his Tanglewood acoustic up through the PA on low volume so he could play along or not as he felt it.  We got changed ready for a quick start after the bingo.   Then I simply plugged Steve's guitar into the spare MP3 input and boosted the pre-amp a few dB 'till we got a reasonable level.  I had already set up the spare OM6 mic for him so it we were all ready to rock!

A couple of minutes later we were underway with FBI.  It was good to see Steve doing a few Shads moves to it as he strummed along and we finished to good applause from the over 60's audience.  Good on stage sound if quite loud.  After "Heartbeat" we carried on with Steve doing most of the vocal duties on a set he and Chris had drawn up.  Early on we came across their choice of ballad: "Nights in White Satin".  We did OK just losing the way a little in the flute solo which we 'da da da-ad'  We recovered from that to do the repeat verse (like the record) and a real big ending courtesy of Ian.  It did get a good reception.  Couple of newbies in there that I coped well enough with e.g.  "Stand By Me" - fortunately in the same key we do it in the Checkmates so I was able to rattle my usual solo out to it.   We did get a few dancers up most of the time and the audience clapped every number.  Steve did a good job singing many of the numbers I had been doing - but he introduced a few minor arrangement differences which we just played along with.  A high pitched feedback developed a few numbers in and I had to reduce the PA volume - it was quite loud!  Later when I was able to look at it properly I realised I had set Steve's mic too loud compared to the rest.  He has a powerful voice anyway so it would have been no bad thing to sort this at the beginning. But,  hey ho, these are the things you learn as you begin to work with a new member.  We finished with "Brown Eyed Girl" in the original key of G rather than the F I was more used to.  But apart from a fluff on the guitar intro it went very well and we finished to a strong reception as the Entertainments manager outroduced us.  

Then there was a long break for us (about an hour) while the entertainments staff put on their singing and dance show.  Really very good !  We could see they had put a lot of work into it.  There were 3 chaps and 3 young ladies;  they all got to sing and dance in a continuous show with lots of costume changes. 

We resumed about 10:30pm.  I plugged in a long lead so I could go out front for a Shads walk. I was able to go a long way out and strut my stuff.  The band balance was very good and not too loud.  I got as far as halfway down the hall and it was a perfect level.  The guitar sound was good and dominant, but not quite as 'shiny' as on stage.  This could be down to the panning of guitar away from the front of house projection Bose on Chris's side which I had set up for when they were both behind us.  It was very well received with lots of warm applause (as it has been recently at most gigs).  We played on through a Steve and Chris's choice for the set. Steve's choice of "Save the Last Dance" came early in the set and I was able to busk that happily in E - I added some harmoniser backing vocals which filled it out nicely. I came to grief shortly after in "Hippy Shakes" which I was singing.  Somehow I brushed the off switch on the long guitar lead.  I had done this several months previously at a Bury gig so should have remembered quicker,  but it took most of a verse for me to find the switch whilst singing and get it back on just in time for the solo!  We played on.  Another newbie was "Lets Work Together" an old Canned Heat 12 bar with Steve playing quite a decent mouth organ solo on. Ian got a tight beat going at the right pace and it went very well.  As we approached the end of the set Chris called for "Hi Ho Silver Lining". It was written in key of A in the set list.  This is the key I had been doing it in but, as we got underway,  Steve sang it in another key.  There followed a period of complete confusion with Chris dropping to G while I searched around C and D for Steve's key.  I eventually worked out he was in D but couldn't get Chris to move from G.  Ian wisely brought it to an end and we moved on quickly to "Alright Now" with me singing.  That went well and then (well over time) Chris announced Johnny B Goode as our last number.  A good choice - we did really well with it!  With Steve singing I was able to concentrate on guitar and Ian set a cracking pace.  Steve did all 3 verses before I was able to lead the band through shorter outroductions than normal.  I now outro Chris by saying.  "Ladies and gents he's been showing off his big round bottom all night (bass sound I mean)  big hand for Chris on bass!"  Then for Ian  "He's been rattling his pots and pans for you all evening - its Ian on drums"  Then I did a big hand for Steve on vocals and harp.  He then outro'd me and we went straight into the J B Goode intro solo followed by one round of chorus and Ian's massively big finish to this which adds at least 30 secs to the piece.  Finally, the entertainments manager outroduced the whole band as we waved to the audience.  He wisely suppressed any call for an encore and we were done.  All very professional I thought.  Overall I would say we weren't as slick as on Saturday and the sound was a little rougher - but we had had a good time with a kind of end of term atmos emerging.  Chris showed me some complimentary email remarks from the agent on our performance at Hunstanton on the Saturday which was good to see confirming my perception that we connected really well with the audience that night.

Pack and load was hard going with it being so soon after the Saturday gig.  Steve is a most helpful chap and insisted on bringing my gear out.  He thanked me (genuinely) for my big effort to make it all work on the night and asked again why I was leaving.  I stuck to my line about it all getting too much but I did mention I wouldn't give up completely e.g. continuing with the Checkmates a few gigs a year.  Good run home getting in about 1:30 am - really tired the next day though.   Looking forward to what I think will be my last gig with ReTrio on Saturday at Bottisham.  Steve is pre-committed so we are back to a trio for that I suppose.

ReTrio Back at Searles Hunstanton

We had got back from a successful but exhausting family trip to Belgium on the Sunday and I was back to work on Monday.  Chris popped round mid week to check I would be OK for the return trip to gig at Searles on the Saturday.  The new singer Steve was pre-committed so we would be doing it as a trio.  My voice was a lot better but I still suffering the back end of a minor chest infection - I thought I'd be fine by Saturday. 

On the day I was about 95% match fit and set off at 5:30pm in the rain - a cool evening after the thundery warmth the previous day.  With a good run over I arrived just after Chris who was getting the trolley organised.  We shifted the gear in in the rain. Ian / Sharon arrived while we were finishing so the trolley was immediately available. 

We are well used to setting up here and the only incident was Ian needing to do a Meccano style repair on his snare drum where something had worked loose.  Setting the PA up,  I gave a bit more volume to my mic than the previous visit to allow me some scope for easing back on my first long singing night in a while.  With everything working we had best part of an hour to while away to show time at 9pm.  I got a round in - the young chap serving was from med school in Cardiff where he was training to be an Army medic.  What a good fellow - I bought him a drink!  The room gradually filled up, it was about 80 % full by the time we went to get changed.  We returned to start and we opened with "FBI".  I introduced the band;  Chris had forgotten his hat so I made a joke of that as I put mine on to "hide the lack of hair" and we got underway with "Heartbeat" to commence a typical set 1.  The audience were appreciative and growing as we played through an "ever so slightly nervy" set.  The sound was good and there was plenty of headroom on my mic so I didn't have to push hard vocally.  My banter was on good form.  No dancing as such but lots of warm applause and bits of laughter e.g. for the Beatles wigs (I even gave Ian one this night). And really good audience sing-a-long as we got to final few numbers.  They did most of the 'All Shook Up's and, as we finished with "Wonder of You",  they joined in enthusiastically which was helpful 'cos my voice was struggling on the harder projection numbers.  As we took our break and a chap came over to request "Penny Arcade" for Maureen which I said I'd be delighted to do. 

We made a bigger build up of the Shadows walk than usual and it was only as we got underway that I realised I hadn't set the 'Shads' sound on the FX.  So I had to nimbly step back from the dance floor and then resume my posture for the dance.  But once underway I posed,  strutted and walked and we got a huge round of applause at the end.  Chris did the right thing in taking up the announcement to credit me which gave me time to get back and reset for "Move It".  We got underway with this a bit haphazardly - Ian and I got at cross purposes rhythm wise and it was only when I started singing that we got into onto the same beat.  We proceeded on through the planned set until I did the request for "Penny Arcade".  The audience were tapping along to the 2 beat sections and gave a good round of applause.  Ian made a remark about us turning up in Lederhosen to do more of the oom pah beat next time which went down well.  We did both the Creedance Clearwater songs but I found myself varying the arrangements on both - fortunately the guys followed me just fine!  I think it is the absence of dancers that increases edginess on the faster numbers when you haven't got time to think about what's coming up.  I tried a ballad in the form of "Rainin in My Heart".  I found this hard going vocally because I needed a big cough and had to suppress because I couldn't fit it in until the solo.   One couple came up to dance which was good and so we in the band applauded them at the end.  We finished the set with "Hot Love - East Anglia Girls".  This time it went as well as I could hope.  The band got the key transition to East Anglian Girls.  I got my "Florida -Hawaii- East Anglia?" tag line in well (and without echo)  and then we got underway with the song proper in good form. Chris lost his way on the bass on the first line and towards the end,  but not that noticeable and,  hooray,  Chris and Ian both joined on the chorus.  Ian treated us to a tight end as we finished with an extended  'girls-----'  And we got a great response from the crowd who had clearly got the joke!

The audience thinned out a little as we took our break.  It was a few minutes after 11pm  as we resumed to my favoured Searles announcement about Ian leading a conga into the Wash when we finish at 2 am!   And off we went with our usual set 3.  We finally got some dance action with "Dance the Night Away"  and at the end of the long sequence to "Another Brick In the Wall" (where I did a good take on the solo for a change), one of the dancers requested a 'Quo' song.  Off we went straight into "Caroline".  Wisely, Ian set the beat a little slower than the record and folks were able to do the Quo dance to it.  We improvised the ending,  I do know the Quo end,  but 'cos we hadn't done it for a while I wasn't confident and had to slur the notes to the tight finish.  But it worked and dancers and listeners were happy.  We kept them dancing with an extended 'all the ladies sing'  "Mustang Sally".  Again we got into a confusion on beat at the start and it was only when I started singing that we tightened up.  But once underway it went well.  We did get the ladies in the audience singing the 'ride sally rides'  and Ian joined is as well.  I indicated a solo was called for and the boys followed me through a spikey 12 bar.  Chris indicated last number at the end and I announced "Johnny B Goode".  We got off to a good start at the right pace, the floor filled and we did all of our outro's in a professional way. A great finish to a good night.  There were a lot of shouts for 'more' - but we had to politely decline on the basis the management had given us strict instructions to finish at 11:45pm.  We got several compliments as we left the room to get changed - on my return in civvies the bar was still buzzing and I overheard one fellow telling his mate how brilliant it was they had found this live music bar on the site with such a good band.   The young medic to be behind the bar came over and said he loved the old music and had been singing along with us as he was serving!

But now we had to get on with pack, load and drive home.  We were all in a good mood as we packed and Sharon was as well.  She said the band had been very good and she had had an enjoyable night.  She even helped with a bit of roadetting as she helped Chris with his speakers off the stage!!!  The security guys are keen to get it all closed down as soon as possible.  Just for the record I note that after midnight they start to close the toilets down so you need to get in for a last wee quickly!  The lights went off behind us as we got the gear off the trolley and into the cars.  I had a moment when I couldn't find my keys in my pocket.  Theorising they must have fallen out in the suit bag I found them in there before panic set in.  Ian and Sharon boarded their taxi and then it was a steady drive home for me and Chris.  I got in at 1:45am tired but happy from the nights work.