Arts in The Park, Blackburn

I’d been looking forward to the festival, Blackburn is connected to my very consciousness or something and notable for spawning [is the right word]? one my favourite bands, those sweet and tender misfits tompaulin. I’ve known Jamie for some years now; we were introduced by a late great friend of mine Graham Melia who we all remember with such affection. Graham was an inspiration to many people here today and it’s ironic that the festival site happens to adjoin the cemetery where he is buried. The last time Chris and I were here was for his funeral so Graham is central to my thoughts as we check in back stage and meet up with the others. It’s been a bit of rush this week sorting things out after Andy’s departure but Tim has stepped in at the last minute to play bass. Tim produced the Growing Up record and we’ve managed just the one rehearsal still I know Tim is more than capable of doing the business even at such short notice. Some musicians just have it, whatever it is, and Tim one of them. Ben is also missing in action; he’s in Japan with 808State earning some proper money so we’re just a four piece. We catch local band Maupa [it’s polish for monkey] finishing a taught and frenzied set to much acclaim, they really are quite spectacular and remind me of The Soundtrack of our Lives and The Strokes and the Kinks. tompaulin play next and despite the abysmal onstage sound [Jamie has a mini strop] the out front sound is amazing [this down to Joe the legend who’s doing our sound also]. Joe is a sonic wiz who knows his craft. The same can’t be said for the onstage sound crew who seem oblivious to any kind of requests for monitor adjustments and such. Blimey…going on again about sound. We hang out with tompaulin for a while after their set and assure them that it sounded great [it did] it’s just that they had no way of telling. Andy Woods is here, Slajana is here, Lisa is here, I’ve spilt a bottle of cider in my bag and Craig still hasn’t used the loo [he’s worried about the germs]. I’m not going to moan too much about the gig, we played well all things considered. What I will say is that getting an electric shock strong enough to jolt me across the stage is really unacceptable, so if came across like a drama queen that was the reason. That and the awful onstage sound…there I go again. The same thing happened to Kurt Wallinger at Glastonbury when I was compering a while ago [my strop was nothing on his], so much for kissing the mic. After the gig we loiter and sell CDs, all in all the reaction seems positive. Then Chris and I go walkabouts and meet up with Mike and Tina at the Indian takeaway trailer. It’s a beautiful summers evening and The Undertones are playing the mainstage though it all seems a bit silly without Fergal. We take the long way home over the tops, VPx