casapete

We currently have two original pieces of music for each set's walk on. Our ex-keyboard player composed them to fit the style and keys of the set opening songs. In my last band we would often walk on to this which I thought was great.

I'm retiring from my band in April, and must admit that although I still enjoy travelling as much as ever, it is the driving that I won't miss. Traffic / diversions / reduced speed limits for no apparent reason / roadworks / lack of parking / idiotic lunatics driving at speed etc have all contributed to making our gigs all over the UK a massive chore. Definitely all of these factors have increased in the last 4 or 5 years, and I won't miss that aspect of my life one bit.

I eventually had to resign myself to end playing MM Stingrays due to their weight. Lightest one I found still caused me some back problems and I reluctantly gave up on them. This led me to using Fender Precision Lytes, which I’ve done for many years. The one I currently use in ‘The ELO Experience’ weighs 7lbs, and after 3 or 4 consecutive two hour long gigs I don’t feel any shoulder fatigue ( despite badly damaging my left shoulder years ago in an accident ). Once I discovered this I bought a few of them, and still have a couple. Using this model of bass has enabled me to carry on working with no issues, and I will definitely keep one when I retire from the band in April. I’ve also owned a Danelectro Longhorn (or two!) for many years. Weighing just 6lbs they are a joy to play although not everyone’s cup of tea.

I saw her in a small local theatre a few years ago, where she had just her husband John Leventhal accompanying her. Absolutely wonderful stuff, enjoy!

Some good points above. I would add that the availability of bedside televisions to many patients now will have impacted upon radio listening figures. Am guessing these will also have access to internet radio too. 😕

Played at my favourite gig last night with my acoustic duo at The Lookout on the harbour in Scarborough. Usual request night with plenty of variety. I was a bit shaken doing the old standard 'Have you met Miss Jones?', which I'd forgotten was such a bug*er to play - unusual changes throughout (for non-jazzers like me anyway) but my guitarist partner held it all together and nobody died. Can't have been that bad as we got another gig offered at the end of the night for a customer's private party, so all good. A sold out gig despite the appalling weather, which made for an interesting drive home for us. We're back there in a couple of weeks, and I'm already looking forward to it.

For me, that would be a crazy bass to own. For you, if you can manage it then enjoy!

I was amazed at how brilliantly well the whole thing was carried out. You read about things like this in other parts of the world but rarely in the UK. The whole place was well designed and constructed, with a superb foyer and bar area for the punters along with excellent backstage facilities ( green room & excellent dressing rooms etc). There was a Meyer Leopard line array PA installed too. I heard someone say the whole thing had cost £1.8m to bring about, and they were expecting to be back in the old theatre by the latter part of 2024. ( Am guessing the new structure will then be taken down and sold ).

Played in Dartford last night. The Orchard Theatre was closed down as a result of defective concrete that was found in the roof in September 2023, and our gig there soon afterwards was cancelled. However, due to amazing work done by Dartford Borough Council and Trafalgar Theatres, they managed to construct a brand new temporary theatre venue close by to The Orchard, which was built and opened for business in late November 2023 as The Orchard West, only 9 weeks later! Absolutely incredible feat, and shows what can be done when people work together. Businesses in the town were worried that they would struggle without the theatre bringing in people, and the council listened and reacted accordingly. It was ready for the Panto season! Anyway, we had around 800 people in ( holds just over a thousand) and it went really well. Great audience and the theatre crew were amazing. A long drive back though, dodging muppets on the M25 and M1 as well as long 50mph speed restrictions for no apparent reason meaning I got home just before 3am. Bit of lunch soon and then am driving up to Scarborough this afternoon for my favourite gig with our acoustic duo. Severe weather warnings in place so crossing everything.

Wimborne Tivoli Theatre last night with The ELO Experience. Capacity crowd of around 500 in this nice venue in Dorset, although a five hour drive down from Yorkshire for us. Gig went well, and got to meet my cousin who lives in the area for a chat beforehand. Only a 20 min drive to the hotel afterwards too, so in bed before midnight. Onwards today to Dartford so hoping the M25 will be kind to us.

Not me Al, never had one! Maybe getting me confused with @cetera ?!!

I was thinking that when watching last night - 3 amazing musicians, all favourites of mine. In fact the whole stage was full of people I’ve admired for years. Had the pleasure of meeting Gary Brooker in the 70’s, a lovely funny man with so much talent. Saw Billy with The Stones also in the 70’s, and Tom Petty in 1980 at Manchester Apollo - one of the best gigs I’ve ever been to. I know a lot of folk on here don’t have time for Eric Clapton, but I thought he played and directed the gig brilliantly too.

Nice one Mart, keep me posted and will try to be there.

Tonight ( Sunday) at 9.45pm on Sky Arts they are showing ‘Concert for George’. A wonderful celebration of the music of George Harrison by a star studded cast, in my view it’s one of the best rock docs ever, up there with ‘The Last Waltz’.

Hey Daryl - yes it is. I use a 1001RB amp into a Neo 4x10 cab. Been a GK user for approx 20 years now, and never any problems with it at all. Had a few different models including a 700RB and also a 800RB which I still have and is one of my favourite heads ever, second only to my old Ampeg SVT rig. Are you still using GK stuff?

It’s just the right time for me Dave. Get my pension next month and want to retire from touring and being away from home to spend more time with my partner and family, and going to see more live music! First played with the band in 2009, then permanently since 2011 so been with them a good while. They are a great bunch of people to work with, and will really miss them and the crew. Before that I was in a function band for 16 years, again gigs all over the UK and some abroad, so it’s been my professional life for around 30 years, as well as nearly 20 more before that as a semi pro. Am blessed to have managed to make a living doing something I love for so long. It’s obviously going to be a massive change for me, but plan on continuing with the acoustic duo which I really enjoy, along with any dep gigs that come along that I fancy doing. Can’t ever imagine not playing at all!

Thanks Daryl. It’s a great theatre but not particularly architecturally interesting like some others we play at. Still a great gig though. Am intrigued Mart!

Last night I began my 20 gig countdown to retiring from The ELO Experience with the annual visit to our hometown gig - Hull New Theatre. As usual it sold out so we had around 1300 people in. Slightly different this year as we had a flying PA which involved a lot more time and manpower to set up. However the improvement was definitely noticeable to the audience ( and me too, being non IEM’s!) so well worth the hassle and expense. I dropped a couple of silly clangers but nothing drastic and the band as a whole played well considering our last gig was mid November. Bit sad for me knowing it may be the last time I grace the stage there, but still a great night for us. Caught up with a few old friends in the pub afterwards too so happy days.

double post, sorry.

Absolutely this. Two lots of families and friends have gathered to celebrate a wedding, and the band is there to help them do that, not the main attraction! Plenty of pub bands think it’s just a case of rocking up and doing their usual thing, but successful wedding bands understand the challenges and react accordingly. Keeping as many of the guests happy with the music is a priority, whatever it takes - not just the selection of tunes but also making sure it’s the right volume, is well presented, on time ( even when their schedule has gone down the pan!) and will be the band that others want to book for their wedding too. We used to get many enquiries from people who were guests and were looking for a band for their own celebration.

It certainly was, and Gerry Marsden was one of the main culprits …….

Nice studio stuff with Bob Babbitt now on Sky Arts, playing with Phil Collins in a Motown tribute thing.