The Boat Race

Tonight’s gig is in a boat club, the one and only Nottingham Boat Club which has played host to many a legend over the years including Led Zep, Elton John and Black Sabbath though never on same bill. There’s poster on the wall that names and shames these and all the others who have ever played here; quite a major piece of research. The Boat Club is just that, nestled next to the Trent with a basement full of canoes. This is where the local schools get tutored in the sailor arts. It’s got a village hall retro feel, a high and roomy stage with mirrored garish décor and an imported PA just for the night. When we arrive the PA is just setting up, the bad news is the stairs and carrying the gear. I do my best to feign the singers excuse as a gear carrying weed but no ones falling for it. Then Ben Knott carries the Fender Twin on his shoulders rendering me speechless in admiration. After we sound check we get off to a local sports bar returning in time to catch The Lanes who really impress with their hooky Romany style pop songs. Ed the singer also does a few tunes on his own before they’re on which seems to work. They go down a storm with the local crowd and deservedly so. We really like them. Then we’re on and everything falls remarkably into place, good onstage sound [I know I go on about this but it’s soooo very important] and several of the young people at the front seem to be dancing in the style once made popular by Andy McClusky of OMD [though I doubt it’s a conscious influence]. I was once in a band that was managed by the drummer from OMD but that’s got nothing to do with it. This gig turns out to be one of the highlights of the tour so far and not just because we’re happy with the playing side of performance. There’s a certain interactive vibe factor happening that I can’t quite put my finger on, the audience respond mostly with affection, we smile more than usual, guitars stay in tune and so on. I guess you had to be there, and if you were thank you so much for making it a night to remember. The journey home is a loud one as John has fixed the stereo at last, it's been a great night, VPx THE LANES