The Met

The Met is quite posh really and it’s the first date on the UK tour. We’re sat outside the Lads club listening to the football; Bens a little off colour, United have won and the Villa are winning. A gang of youths are loitering opposite us and tormenting their dog. It’s one of those rot viler types. They deserve to be bitten and no it’s not clever and it’s not funny. We are on the cusp of saying something but somehow we don’t. Filing past us they ask for money. I decline and they call me a Gay German which amuses me no end although I try not to show it. They swagger off out of view as the tension eases and we’re back to the football, talking about de escalation technique and the non confrontational approach to street hoodlumery; then the others arrive. We load the gear and set off. I’m driving, Boneheads driving, Bens driving, Mike and Jeff are spared. Like I said it’s only just down the road. Tony the promoter meets us out front and it’s nice to catch up with him again. It was Tony who put me on earlier this year in Norwich, I’d also played The Met Bar a while back at a kind wine and dine cabaret event which was brilliant as it happens. The crew help us load in [always a bonus], the sound check is a pleasure and the food is just wonderful. We’re all eating in the restaurant downstairs and like I said it’s kind of posh really. Sean Redmund is supporting us and he’s really good, a truly talented left beat singer songwriter; check out his site www.myspace.com/seanredmund . He has a load of classy songs, one in particular is about taking acid. I discuss with him the chord progressions and just about understand the technical explanation, harmonically all wrong but somehow right at the same time. I talk to him after the gig about taking acid and the myths of madness and the creatively possessed and as I do I feel like a dad lecturing a son on the perils of hedonism. It’s not that I’m a radical anti drugs campaigner, just that having worked in the mental health care system I’ve seen a lot of drug induced schizophrenia and you wouldn’t wish that on anyone believe me. Our gig passes away like a gentle old man in his sleep. It’s a smallish crowd and a deafening silence rings out between songs, people are stood and sat in the back of the hall. An air of respectful appreciation prevails and despite my anecdotes which, lets face it, manage to, on a good night, get what you might call a reaction there is little real engagement. Partly this is down to the fact that the venue holds 300 and we are playing to no more than 40. In short it’s an odd but pleasurable show despite the disappointing turn out. On the bright side Mark from Bitterapple is here taking photos and it’s good to meet him properly at last…it must be at least two years since we were last in his viewfinder. I look forward to seeing the results. Wednesdays gig at Fibbers in York is being filmed by a crew of web designers from Harrogate and thanks to Dave Hardman for the pictures. Forward the buff. VP