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Monday, May 05, 2008

Easy Krak




Sooo: I was called on short notice to do a gig in Krakow over the weekend after one of the headlining bands pulled out. So off we all trotted to Poland via (not-so) Easyjet Saturday morning.

Again, sorry about the shite pics, my camera phone refuses to take a picture in focus.

Not really a fan of the old Easy Jet as you kinda have to pay for everything once on-board. Although we did get speedy boarding ( you gotta love the name eh! ) which means you don't have to fight for a decent seat. Complete useless on the return journey though as all it means is that you get on the bus that takes you to the plane first? You still have to fight for a seat when you get to the actual plane?

Bit stupid really.

Still though, we got there.

Weird festival, there was like, 3 hour gaps between each band?? Never heard of anything like that before.

Anyway, great gig, and the band got loads of press whilst playing + some good reviews the next day in the local papers.

+ our own Winnebago for a dressing room

All good

I also got the chance to check out Underworld on the other stage who, I must admit, were shit. They spent the whole gig looking at a bunch of computer screens on-stage with their backs to the crowd. Great!

Superb showmanship lads... Superb /sarcasm.

Went clubbing afterwards to this place that seemed to be full of English stag parties. Not saying much at all to be honest, so I went to bed.

Back on the plane and back home yesterday evening.

I'm off to Poland again next weekend with another band to play in Gdansk, a weird Polish seaside resort.

What else? Oh yes, I've just discovered that I'm staying in this place whilst in Barbados for two weeks working in November. Can't wait, especially for the fact that I haven't had a proper holiday in six years.

Screams of " PROPER FUKIN HOLIDAY MR COKEHEAD, ALL YOU DO IS JET OFF HERE AND THERE YOU TOSER???"

Yeah but it's mostly work.

And that's about the size of that for my weekend.

OK, I'm off out with B and the dogs to enjoy this gloriously sunny day.

That'll teach you you little bugger



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Thursday, May 01, 2008

A ring thing


Sooo: I gave my mate a hand with his boxing night last night, putting up the ring, doing the lights, sorting all the mics out etc. etc. etc.

One thing I've learned though: Assembling a boxing ring with no experience and no instructions = No easy task!

If you thought your Ikea wardrobe and matching bedside cabinet was a pain in the arse to put together ...try one of these fuckers for size!

Took us all bloody afternoon, rather like building adult Meccano...for the brave.

It was always just about finished till you had to fit in the last damn piece. At 5pm we thought we had all the basics laid out when my mate J ( testing the springyness factor of the decking ) reached the middle of the ring and basically disappeared in a cloud of dust through the boards.

Not a good look really.

Oh well, rather him than one of the boxers.

6:30 it was all done, canvass on, ropes on, pads on, no major injuries, a few cut hands... jobs a goodun.

Set up all the lighting and mics, and by 7 we were done.

Turned out to be a wicked night though 6 three round fights , no real injuries, nobody died, everybody happy.

I tell you what though: Boxing when watched ringside is one hell of a tough sport, when you can see the pain in the boxers faces and actually hear the punches landing it's a whole different ball game. I mean, I dabbled in Thai boxing and had a couple of fights when I was a kid, but is wasn't anything compared to this shit.

Good stuff.

I was in charge of the bell too. Ding Ding seconds away and all that.

We took the ring down about 100 x faster then we'd put the damn thing up as well.

Got home around 12:30, had a couple of rum and cokes, watched a film, went to bed.

I'm doing a big install in the venue at the moment, we've decided to put another mixing desk and live set-up in the second 300 capacity room so we can accommodate smaller bands as opposed to the main 1000 capacity room which if you put on a band night and the bands just bring their 100 or so mates it'll appear to be a shit night.

Hopefully this will accommodate them.

And that's about the size of that for the moment, going to Poland next week for a gig. I'm filling in for a mate of mine on a one off thing, should be a good laugh.

Right, I'm off down the polling station to vote for the new Major of London, hopefully we can get rid of that Ken Livingston fucker who's basically making London grind to a halt.

Hopefully. We'll see?



I want this game

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