Leicester

We’re on the way to The Charlotte in Leicester, acclaimed A listed Rock n Roll venue of some note. Last time I played Leicester I got a speeding fine for my troubles, flashed at 2am, not the best of memories. This time, as we’re leaving a major junction a few miles south of Stoke the van dies throwing our driver John 'king of dreads' Daley into a minor panic, but not for long. We call the AA and manage to start the van up before they arrive, heading off to find a garage, hoses and replacement radiator, we have a seriously overheating engine. We fluke find a garage with a Halfords opposite so we’re half way to sorting it which is a great relief. The AA woman arrives and it takes about an hour once we’ve bought the parts and she’s fitted them. She was so charming and so skilled and so very much appreciated. If only I could remember her name. This is my third van breakdown this year and it’s starting to feel like an occupational hazard. This makes us too late to sound check so we load in at 8.30pm and head off for food to an Indian restaurant called Ravioli [wonderful paneer tandori and pizzas hence the name, a kind of Italian-Indian thing going on with great service]. Then we’re onstage doing line checks at 10pm and hoping for the best. We blag the gig sound-wise though there’s not a lot of onstage vibe because no one can hear anything. It just all goes whoosh in an omnipresent envelope of feedback. Any one who’s played in bands will be familiar with that impossible sound mesh feeling that steals the joy out of playing with each other. Anyway, I’m labouring it all a bit here and it’s not meant as an excuse. We leave the stage and are pleasantly rewarded and encouraged by the reactions of people. We sell albums and I smoke a stress busting roll up scrounged from Ben Knott though I’ve officially given up. It’s a funny old gig and all credit to the sound engineer for fixing everything out front for which we are truly grateful. We drive back somewhat hazy in a musical state of confused post mortification and get to sleep in our own beds which is nice, VPx