Friday, February 11, 2005
Pancakes, Three Men And Black
My first day off work until the 22nd – lovely! What a great feeling to know I won’t see the inside of the office for almost a week and a half. Even better is the fact I will get at least two whole writing days, which I intend to get the best out of. I also intend to get a couple for trips under my belt – Laura has already been roped into helping out.
I almost felt guilty lying in bed watching Gail get ready for work – but not quite. I spent the morning with Laura, got breakfast, dressed and checked my email. We went out to buy ingredients to make pancakes before lunch (a promise I made since I missed it this year). Then we had a nice lunch and watched some television while I wrote out my blog.
Pancake making proved to be messy and tricky. Not only did I drop and egg on the floor, but we also managed to get flour everywhere. The pancakes themselves came out quite well and by the time we cooked and eat them with honey we were stuffed.
I was to meet Rob in The Last Drop on the Grassmarket, but when I got there we could hardly get in the door for hundreds of Irish rugby supporters. I had forgotten Scotland were playing Ireland tomorrow and the town would be full of green and white shirts and scarves.
We moved to the Black Bull and caught up over a couple of pints before heading into the Liquid Rooms at about half past seven.
We were there for a gig by a band called 3 Men & Black. It consists of Pauline Black, Dave Wakeling, Nick Welsh and the one and only Roddy Radiation. It was the first time members of the four main 2 Tone bands had been on tour together – on stage together – for 25 years. For this alone it was unmissbale. What made it more appealing was the acoustic set they were to put on.
It was a fantastic night. We knew it was not to be an ordinary Ska gig when we walked in to the hall to be confronted with the sight of tables and chairs. Several skinheads were obviously caught out by this – all dressed in their skanking gear but nowhere to go.
The band covered a mix of songs from their chairs, an array between The Specials, The Beat and The Selecter. I found The Specials transferred to acoustic far better than the other songs, Do Nothing and Rat Race in particular changing form dramatically and delivered with more power somehow. I was very impressed with Dave Wakeling’s voice; I never knew he was so good!
They talked a lot between each song; it’s origins and tales they remembered from being on the road back in ’79 – Dave still with a strong Brummie accent despite his years spent in L.A. It all helped make the set very intimate and very powerful. Meeting with Roddy and Dave after the gig topped it all off – two heroes of a generation with their feet still planted firmly on the ground.
I almost felt guilty lying in bed watching Gail get ready for work – but not quite. I spent the morning with Laura, got breakfast, dressed and checked my email. We went out to buy ingredients to make pancakes before lunch (a promise I made since I missed it this year). Then we had a nice lunch and watched some television while I wrote out my blog.
Pancake making proved to be messy and tricky. Not only did I drop and egg on the floor, but we also managed to get flour everywhere. The pancakes themselves came out quite well and by the time we cooked and eat them with honey we were stuffed.
I was to meet Rob in The Last Drop on the Grassmarket, but when I got there we could hardly get in the door for hundreds of Irish rugby supporters. I had forgotten Scotland were playing Ireland tomorrow and the town would be full of green and white shirts and scarves.
We moved to the Black Bull and caught up over a couple of pints before heading into the Liquid Rooms at about half past seven.
We were there for a gig by a band called 3 Men & Black. It consists of Pauline Black, Dave Wakeling, Nick Welsh and the one and only Roddy Radiation. It was the first time members of the four main 2 Tone bands had been on tour together – on stage together – for 25 years. For this alone it was unmissbale. What made it more appealing was the acoustic set they were to put on.
It was a fantastic night. We knew it was not to be an ordinary Ska gig when we walked in to the hall to be confronted with the sight of tables and chairs. Several skinheads were obviously caught out by this – all dressed in their skanking gear but nowhere to go.
The band covered a mix of songs from their chairs, an array between The Specials, The Beat and The Selecter. I found The Specials transferred to acoustic far better than the other songs, Do Nothing and Rat Race in particular changing form dramatically and delivered with more power somehow. I was very impressed with Dave Wakeling’s voice; I never knew he was so good!
They talked a lot between each song; it’s origins and tales they remembered from being on the road back in ’79 – Dave still with a strong Brummie accent despite his years spent in L.A. It all helped make the set very intimate and very powerful. Meeting with Roddy and Dave after the gig topped it all off – two heroes of a generation with their feet still planted firmly on the ground.
Colin 11:12 am