Post by kidder on Dec 2, 2008 11:10:13 GMT 1
A magnificent gig today. We opened for Bad Manners at the Merrie England bar. Local legend Joey Blower compered, with special guest Max Splodge on top form. The place was nicely buzzing. A big cheers to Kidder, the local Seasiders, the Preston chaps and everyone else who turned up to see us; also to Tracy who joined us for ‘Infected’ and the skingirls who stood in for the flag-bearing duties. Not surprisingly, the day ran about as smooth as Patti Smith’s legs. Here’s how it went. 10.30am we turn up for sound-check. We’re using Bad Manners backline. Bad Manners don’t show up until 12.30pm. There is no soundcheck. 11am we receive a text from our guest singer, the aforementioned punky goddess Kiria explaining why she can’t make Blackpool after a series of disasters that frankly wouldn’t look out of place in a black and white Perils Of Pauline film. This woman is so unlucky she could catch an STD from a wet dream. People on EastEnders hear about her life and say "Poor cow, we wouldn't want to be her..." Anyway we recruit feisty local Tracy as stand-in but she has never heard the song. It shows. We’re due on at 1pm but end up going on at two. We must be playing well cos at 2.15 our flag girls Kerry and Ash are outside having a fag and miss the cue for ‘England’s Glory’. Thanks to the girls from the audience who stand in for them at the last minute. Gal gets some revenge on Joey saying “Joey Blower, that’s not just his name, it’s also his hobby” but suffers for it later. The set is: ‘Yeti’, ‘Oi Mate’, ‘Grant Mitchell’, ‘Infected’, ‘The Growler’, ‘England’s Glory’, ‘That’s Oi’, ‘Alconaut’, ‘I Lost My Love To A UK Sub’ and ‘Beer’. Gal is so hung-over, he buggers up the words to 'UK Sub', a song he's been singing for 25 years. D'oh! Max is up next with half of Bad Manners backing him and then Buster and the boys hit the stage for some sublime skanking. At 6.30pm we finally prise MacGonad out the bar and leave for London. The Beast turns off the M6 at junction 20 to miss heavy traffic. MacGonad is incensed. “Get back on the M6, man,” he growls. “It’s clear ahead.” The Beast complies. Clear? It was about as clear as the Amazon warehouse. It was 10pm by the time we made junction 19. Happy days.