Post by andrewflap on Jul 19, 2006 21:51:58 GMT -5
As per Ms Bobinbed's suggestion, I'm gonna try and do a gig by gig account of My bands triumphs and tribulations as we travel.
By way of background, I play Robert Plant in a Led Zep show. We are based in Sydney, Australia. Led Zep visited our far horizons and jewelled seas once, in 1972.
OK, here goes.
Queanbeyan Royal Hotel 14 July 06. 9.30pm
Quenabeyan is a smallish town just outside of Canberra (the national capital city).
The Royal is a very small pub wit about 100 capacity. These intimate gigs are our bread and butter. Folk like us and come to see us at the bigger venues later. About 70 patrons are present. Many clearly intoxicated. A big market here for a good finishing school.
We kicked off the gig with the Immigrant song. Next song was to be 'I can't quit you' but, in the darkness and confusion, the Jimmi Page fellow misread the set list and began playing 'Night Flight'. Quick recovery and plenty of laughs amongst the band. Nobody in the audience realised. Phew.
I noticed some rather enthusiastic patrons approaching the stage (well actually, there is no stage, just a piece of floor we commandiered) informing me in their best loud voices they rather like Led Zep. I am forced to physically restrain one person from injuring himself on leads and live electricity. Not the start I'd hoped for. Still, we play on. The patrons indulge heavily in a 'special offer' the venue is providing for cheap cans of high octane rum and coke. A dangerous mix.
A rather large man (probably the result of a lot of rum and coke) approaches me to inform me the song we just played would be augmented by his participation on rhythm guitar. A rather ill thought through idea as the song was 'Heartbreaker' and actually has little guitar playing in it apart from the solo. Oh well, that's democracy, every one can have an opinion. Even if it's a dismal one.
Next up, 'Since I've been loving you'. One of my personal favourites. A great song in three parts about a person betrayed. I like this because if you listen closely to the lyrics with the lead part, the story is told more by what is not actually said. You just imagine how a broken hearted guys mind is in turmoil after he says "watch out" and returns to the room where the woman in question is just waiting to announce that he has been crying. This is a show stopper.
The lead falls out of my microphone and I declare the first set over. A bit of roadie radical surgery will fix that. Thank god for gaff tape.
Commence the second set with 'No Quarter'. A long piano solo gives me a few minues off stage. I note the owner of the establishment is bellowing (none too politely) to his staff that the ATM machine is short circuting the gambling/slot machines. I hate those accursed slot machines. They prey on the weak and vulnerable. They wreck families and stuff the music business by turning people into zombies. The owner then proceeds to slam the offending ATM into a wall in a fit of pique. I also note another patron collecting empty glasses so as to smash them on the floor. His reasons for this behaviour remain unclear to date. Oh well, if it floats your boat..........
Begin to play Stairway. Now stairway to heaven has both a good and a bad reputation amongst the music fraternity in Australia. It is acknowledged as arguably the most popular song of all time but, every half baked guitar hero wants to play it and after a while, it's just tiresome. Most guitar shops in Sydney have signs asking people to refrain from playing it. Still, since I am doing Led Zep, I reckon I'm the only one who can do it and not get 'the cringe factor'. I consider this as a couple of young lovers seem unable to control their carnal urges on the dance floor 2 feet from me. Incidently, we film every gig as a matter of course. You can see why so many porn sites are successful what with cameras everywhere and drunk folks happy to display themselves, blissfully unaware.
We begin to wind up the show. We decided to do Moby dick. Now Luke Bonzo is one great drummer, easily the best Bonzo I've worked with. The sly dog chucks away his sticks and play the solo with his hands. This was not planned. I must say, I was more than impressed. We made the right choice with this guy.
Next up, Rock and Roll. The crowd is up and dancing. All of a sudden, a large thud as another patron falls headlong into the light rig and PA stack. By luck he was not killed.
We finish the show with Kashmir. Another show stopper.
Two hours and forty five minutes later, we take a bow and watch the patrons spend the rest of the night beat each other with pool cues.
Time for bed.
By way of background, I play Robert Plant in a Led Zep show. We are based in Sydney, Australia. Led Zep visited our far horizons and jewelled seas once, in 1972.
OK, here goes.
Queanbeyan Royal Hotel 14 July 06. 9.30pm
Quenabeyan is a smallish town just outside of Canberra (the national capital city).
The Royal is a very small pub wit about 100 capacity. These intimate gigs are our bread and butter. Folk like us and come to see us at the bigger venues later. About 70 patrons are present. Many clearly intoxicated. A big market here for a good finishing school.
We kicked off the gig with the Immigrant song. Next song was to be 'I can't quit you' but, in the darkness and confusion, the Jimmi Page fellow misread the set list and began playing 'Night Flight'. Quick recovery and plenty of laughs amongst the band. Nobody in the audience realised. Phew.
I noticed some rather enthusiastic patrons approaching the stage (well actually, there is no stage, just a piece of floor we commandiered) informing me in their best loud voices they rather like Led Zep. I am forced to physically restrain one person from injuring himself on leads and live electricity. Not the start I'd hoped for. Still, we play on. The patrons indulge heavily in a 'special offer' the venue is providing for cheap cans of high octane rum and coke. A dangerous mix.
A rather large man (probably the result of a lot of rum and coke) approaches me to inform me the song we just played would be augmented by his participation on rhythm guitar. A rather ill thought through idea as the song was 'Heartbreaker' and actually has little guitar playing in it apart from the solo. Oh well, that's democracy, every one can have an opinion. Even if it's a dismal one.
Next up, 'Since I've been loving you'. One of my personal favourites. A great song in three parts about a person betrayed. I like this because if you listen closely to the lyrics with the lead part, the story is told more by what is not actually said. You just imagine how a broken hearted guys mind is in turmoil after he says "watch out" and returns to the room where the woman in question is just waiting to announce that he has been crying. This is a show stopper.
The lead falls out of my microphone and I declare the first set over. A bit of roadie radical surgery will fix that. Thank god for gaff tape.
Commence the second set with 'No Quarter'. A long piano solo gives me a few minues off stage. I note the owner of the establishment is bellowing (none too politely) to his staff that the ATM machine is short circuting the gambling/slot machines. I hate those accursed slot machines. They prey on the weak and vulnerable. They wreck families and stuff the music business by turning people into zombies. The owner then proceeds to slam the offending ATM into a wall in a fit of pique. I also note another patron collecting empty glasses so as to smash them on the floor. His reasons for this behaviour remain unclear to date. Oh well, if it floats your boat..........
Begin to play Stairway. Now stairway to heaven has both a good and a bad reputation amongst the music fraternity in Australia. It is acknowledged as arguably the most popular song of all time but, every half baked guitar hero wants to play it and after a while, it's just tiresome. Most guitar shops in Sydney have signs asking people to refrain from playing it. Still, since I am doing Led Zep, I reckon I'm the only one who can do it and not get 'the cringe factor'. I consider this as a couple of young lovers seem unable to control their carnal urges on the dance floor 2 feet from me. Incidently, we film every gig as a matter of course. You can see why so many porn sites are successful what with cameras everywhere and drunk folks happy to display themselves, blissfully unaware.
We begin to wind up the show. We decided to do Moby dick. Now Luke Bonzo is one great drummer, easily the best Bonzo I've worked with. The sly dog chucks away his sticks and play the solo with his hands. This was not planned. I must say, I was more than impressed. We made the right choice with this guy.
Next up, Rock and Roll. The crowd is up and dancing. All of a sudden, a large thud as another patron falls headlong into the light rig and PA stack. By luck he was not killed.
We finish the show with Kashmir. Another show stopper.
Two hours and forty five minutes later, we take a bow and watch the patrons spend the rest of the night beat each other with pool cues.
Time for bed.
