The wedding weekend approached and there was still no baby from Claire so we were a bit on edge as we prepared to set off on the Thursday. I loaded up the Jazz Bass copy and red Godin XTSA along with the Phil Jones Suitcase bass combo and small 30 watt Vox Valvetronix for the gig. Come the Friday evening we shifted the gear down to Simon's offices adjacent Temple Meads Station and had a bit of a practice in a basement there. I met up with eldest son Jon who had travelled down form London to was play bass and a bit of guitar and we set up the gear keeping it simple. Apart from the regulars in the family band, Simon /Carl/Liz Vocals; Roy Harmonica; Paul Acoustic Guitar; we had Brian (from the Flatmates) on Drums, Jon on Bass and me on Guitar. Echoey basement sound at the practice but we managed to get thru the half hour family band set so we left the gear there and made our way home / hotels for a pre-wedding drink hoping it would be alright on the night.
Come the day, Brian kindly offered to move all the gear about 100 yards to the wedding venue: "The Tunnels" and set up with their sound man while we were at the wedding. When we arrived by boat around 8pm all was in place and just a bit of set up needed for a 9pm performance. There were over 150 guests waiting and the venue looked full and lively. And we started playing pretty much on time! Simon declared that the sound check number "Folsom Prison" was worthy of also being the set opener so we didn't need to do that again - good call! To be fair Rich the sound man did get a reasonable on stage sound quickly and out front it was reported as very good. Part time band members Brian, Jon and myself formed the electric rhythm section at the back of the stage and Paul, Carl, Roy, Simon/Liz formed the front talent row leading the show. After "Folsom" we got straight on with "Jackson" featuring Liz playing June Carter to Simon's Johnny Cash. Next was "Bird Dog" with Carl and Paul singing the Everly parts and Simon doing the Bird Dog answerbacks. Simon then led us into the Big Bopper's "White Lightning". By now the band was cooking and us chaps in the rhythm section started to relax and enjoy it more. Roy, Paul and Liz did a couple of sloweys next: "Rather Go Blind" and "Nobody's Fault But Mine" both bluesy classics from the day. Then the band regrouped for "Love Me Do" Paul did an interesting introduction of "Hoochie Coochie Man" and then we were away into it. I got to do a solo in this and the band chugged along nicely. Roy's nephew-in-law (Simon - a jazz bassist) sat in for the next couple of songs starting with "Mojo Working" - quite fast like Canned Heat. Then Simon R started us into the last number: "You Never Can Tell". As planned he leapt off the stage to dance with Jo and we brought the set to a rousing conclusion. The audience had been very on-side throughout, the muso's had thoroughly enjoyed it and it had worked really well compared to the practice.
Hoochie Extract
Never Can Tell
We all took a break for a drink before the open mic session started. A couple of local musicians started it off with quirky renditions of some well know numbers. Then I came on with Jon and Brian to do a mini-dancey set starting with "Alright Mama". That got the dancers going but "Bad Moon Rising" really got them going and I ramped it up a bit more with "Johnny B Goode" which encouraged some even wilder dancing. That finished my little set and we got a truly great response at the end. I was tempted to do another rock n roller but couldn't think of the right one so we continued with "Brown Eyed Girl" with Simon R singing and Simon the jazzer on bass.
Then I was recruited to play bass in a scratch version of the Controversials with Matt on guitar, Carl on vocals, Brian on drums. We did creditable versions of "Sunny Afternoon", You Can't Do That and an Oasis number: "Cigarettes and Whisky" which Matt had to coach me on a little.
I continued my bit by backing Liz on "Dream a Little Dream" which went well apart from the fizzle out ending which was par for the course considering we had never before played it together thru to the end!
I thought I had finished my stint but a couple of locals asked if Jon and I would back them with Paul playing drums. Of course I said and we got underway with a good version of "Sweet Home Alabama". "Oh Boy" followed but there were some timing issues with the vocals coming in oddly around the 11th bar of the verse. They signed off with "Wonderful Tonight" which was pretty untogether and that was me done.
Jon then went on guitar, with Simon on bass and a chap I didn't know on drums to back Roy doing a very good version of "Traintime"
A bit of Traintime
We were all pleased with the way the night had gone and lots of people on the crowd said how good it was and some even wanted to book the band for weddings! I was patted on the back a few times for my guitar work and Ms J said the guitar thru the little Vox amp was 'singing nicely' out front.
It just remained for us to shift the gear back to Simon's office at the close at 1:30am. Brian, Roy, Carl and myself did that in a couple of journeys. Then, tired but happy, we got taxi's home. Most of us met up the next day at Wetherspoons for a brunch and catch up and we were still buzzing.
Come the day, Brian kindly offered to move all the gear about 100 yards to the wedding venue: "The Tunnels" and set up with their sound man while we were at the wedding. When we arrived by boat around 8pm all was in place and just a bit of set up needed for a 9pm performance. There were over 150 guests waiting and the venue looked full and lively. And we started playing pretty much on time! Simon declared that the sound check number "Folsom Prison" was worthy of also being the set opener so we didn't need to do that again - good call! To be fair Rich the sound man did get a reasonable on stage sound quickly and out front it was reported as very good. Part time band members Brian, Jon and myself formed the electric rhythm section at the back of the stage and Paul, Carl, Roy, Simon/Liz formed the front talent row leading the show. After "Folsom" we got straight on with "Jackson" featuring Liz playing June Carter to Simon's Johnny Cash. Next was "Bird Dog" with Carl and Paul singing the Everly parts and Simon doing the Bird Dog answerbacks. Simon then led us into the Big Bopper's "White Lightning". By now the band was cooking and us chaps in the rhythm section started to relax and enjoy it more. Roy, Paul and Liz did a couple of sloweys next: "Rather Go Blind" and "Nobody's Fault But Mine" both bluesy classics from the day. Then the band regrouped for "Love Me Do" Paul did an interesting introduction of "Hoochie Coochie Man" and then we were away into it. I got to do a solo in this and the band chugged along nicely. Roy's nephew-in-law (Simon - a jazz bassist) sat in for the next couple of songs starting with "Mojo Working" - quite fast like Canned Heat. Then Simon R started us into the last number: "You Never Can Tell". As planned he leapt off the stage to dance with Jo and we brought the set to a rousing conclusion. The audience had been very on-side throughout, the muso's had thoroughly enjoyed it and it had worked really well compared to the practice.
Hoochie Extract
Never Can Tell
We all took a break for a drink before the open mic session started. A couple of local musicians started it off with quirky renditions of some well know numbers. Then I came on with Jon and Brian to do a mini-dancey set starting with "Alright Mama". That got the dancers going but "Bad Moon Rising" really got them going and I ramped it up a bit more with "Johnny B Goode" which encouraged some even wilder dancing. That finished my little set and we got a truly great response at the end. I was tempted to do another rock n roller but couldn't think of the right one so we continued with "Brown Eyed Girl" with Simon R singing and Simon the jazzer on bass.
Then I was recruited to play bass in a scratch version of the Controversials with Matt on guitar, Carl on vocals, Brian on drums. We did creditable versions of "Sunny Afternoon", You Can't Do That and an Oasis number: "Cigarettes and Whisky" which Matt had to coach me on a little.
I continued my bit by backing Liz on "Dream a Little Dream" which went well apart from the fizzle out ending which was par for the course considering we had never before played it together thru to the end!
I thought I had finished my stint but a couple of locals asked if Jon and I would back them with Paul playing drums. Of course I said and we got underway with a good version of "Sweet Home Alabama". "Oh Boy" followed but there were some timing issues with the vocals coming in oddly around the 11th bar of the verse. They signed off with "Wonderful Tonight" which was pretty untogether and that was me done.
Jon then went on guitar, with Simon on bass and a chap I didn't know on drums to back Roy doing a very good version of "Traintime"
A bit of Traintime
We were all pleased with the way the night had gone and lots of people on the crowd said how good it was and some even wanted to book the band for weddings! I was patted on the back a few times for my guitar work and Ms J said the guitar thru the little Vox amp was 'singing nicely' out front.
It just remained for us to shift the gear back to Simon's office at the close at 1:30am. Brian, Roy, Carl and myself did that in a couple of journeys. Then, tired but happy, we got taxi's home. Most of us met up the next day at Wetherspoons for a brunch and catch up and we were still buzzing.
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