overlap

I'm led to believe that 'But you saw them last night, why do you need to go again tonight?' is a familiar domestic refrain in some parts, and today I have something of an answer.

Every show is slightly different and has something to make it stand out from all the others - sunday as the first night I made on this tour and a return to a city I haven't visited in a very long time, on which note more in the next week or so. Wednesday was a cracking show, in another city I've not been to in ages, and extra memorable for the unusually ambitious drive home.

Tuesday will stand out as the one where I found myself in that little bit of extra unfamiliar territory; sure, I've been on guestlists, and in soundchecks, I've been backstage and in dressing rooms, and I reckon I've got a pretty good idea how the whole thing fits together outside of the hours on the stage itself.

And if you take the four main players in the three bands on this tour, I've seen getting on for 120 performances of ten different incarnations of bands involving these people, so I know them a bit, they know me a bit but that's just a function of the amount of time we've spent in the same places, it doesn't make me any kind of special.

On tuesday night I was backstage before the doors opened, and I was pleased to find I've not lost the childish enthusiasm that stops the whole thing becoming no more than habit, and for a brief moment I touched a guitar which was later used for one song only that night, one of my favourites.

Still my guitar hero indeed!

Labels: Amsterdam, Dolittle, gigs, music, The Wonder Stuff

Nobody would be fooled were I not to post this, so the bare facts are as follows: left Manchester at 11pm, passed midnight giggling at a rather poor attempt at intimidatory and aggressive driving just south of Stoke, at 1 am I was singing along with MC Solaar and after three and half hours and 190 miles, I stepped out of my car at home.

There will be a post or several to follow, but at a time when that doesn't stand between me and my bed. It was a good night though!

Labels: Amsterdam, Dolittle, gigs, music, The Wonder Stuff

Ok, so I'm biased. But Ange Dolittle remains one of the greatest frontmen you've never heard of, and I wish he hadn't got lured into the real job trap and would do a few more gigs, but that's just being selfish. Nevertheless, he's a) a great bloke and b) a tremendous singer. It's not the greatest show I've seen Dolittle (the four piece band - vocals, bass, acoustic guitar and drum machine) do, but it's always a pleasure.

Miles Hunt is an inveterate gobshite, and on this occasion the one we'd paid to see. I've concluded it's the price you pay for The Wonder Stuff currently being a going concern that shows like this bring out the sort of braindead folks who should have their tongues removed at birth.

So Miles talks a lot, tells a lot of stories, and minute for minute the song/story mix is pretty close to 50:50 - great to hear background information which gives newer songs another dimension as you get to know them, and to have gaps filled in behind songs you've lived with for years. there was more newer stuff than I'd have predicted, so even for a 3am homecoming, it was great stuff.

Friday night, well, there was a gig I could have gone to, but I spent the money on a new bin for my kitchen and some flowers, and I've just put another bottle in the recycling. Nights off have to be squeezed in somewhere.

Labels: Dolittle, gigs, Miles Hunt, music