Blog: An Actual Gig

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On Saturday night I found myself doing something I hadn't since APRIL (not June as mentioned previously) - an actual real-live not anything else solo GIG!

It was occurring as part of the Damnably Ninth Birthday Party/International John Peel Day at The Brixton Windmill, a place I have played approx 1,000,000 times but not for AGES. It was an all-dayer and, as is traditional NAY LAW for all-dayers, when I arrived I found it was running nearly an hour late! This did mean I was there in time for Smallgang tho, who I hadn't seen in ... all right, let's just take it as read that I haven't done ANY of the things I did on Saturday for A Long Time, shall we? They were GRATE!

I wandered into The Acoustic Stage Area i.e. "The old shack" round the back that used to be for smokers but now appears not to be, where I met Ms E Callaghan, late of The Bobby McGees. I haven't seen her in - oh right, you get the idea - and it was lovely to do so as we watched Russell from The Wolf Choir perform a DELIGHTFUL version of "Rip It Up".

The idea of the day was a band would play on the main pub stage and then as soon as they'd finished the acoustic act would crank up in The Shack, but that fell apart a little as people tried to catch up with the timings - and, somehow, failed to do so! So it was that at approx 9:20pm I took to the "stage" and done THIS:

We Did It Anyway

That Guy

In The North Stand

20 Things To Do Before You're 30

My Boss Was In An Indie Band Once

There were 7-8 people in the room with me, but it all seemed to pass off quite pleasantly. I'd thought "I'm going to do ALL new songs!" but then all the other acts said things like "We have to do a John Peel themed song and this is my choice" so I had to find a way to WRANGLE a song I already KNEW into the set as the John Peel one. Luckily we had watched "Music For Misfits: The Story Of Indie" the night before featuring Ms Amelia Fletcher, the QUINTESSENTIAL Boss Who Was In An Indie Band Once (or about ten times in her case, but you get the idea) so I think I got away with it!

After that there was a BEER and I stayed in LE SHACK to watch Beattie aka Captain Lovelace, who was ACE. The highpoints were 1) her managing splendidly when the landlady of the pub entered through the fire door and had a chat with the whole audience and 2) a version of "Greetings To The New Brunette" unlike any other i.e. in a French accent but (like all others) with various middle-aged men singing unasked-for backing vocals.

After all that it was time for me to wend my weary way home, an approx 80 minute TREK across That London. I'd had a lovely time, but it wasn't half nice to finally get home!

posted 12/10/2015 by MJ Hibbett

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