June 6th/7th/8th, 2008
France, Freedom and fun!
I say all this with a tear in my eye, our France tour is over once again. Here's how we got on :-
Friday
Faffing is something I'm getting quite good at now, but tried to be organised. This year we decided to fly. Roy, Ian, Bob and I got the plane, Our roadie Mark Palmer and Gary drove the van with all the gear.
Flight didn't take too long, hour and half - no terrible plane food, but then for the ticket price, there's no surprise really.
At the other end, Limoges airport, we walked through the arrival exit to find our hosts, Les and Tracey. I think I even saw them and looked past! To my surprise, Les had long hair! My word (but then again so did I!).
Chauffered back to Les's house in his Lexus, we all managed to have a chill whilst waiting for the van to turn up. Was quite relieved when they did as Mark P. got lost in Paris!
Our first nights gig was at the xxxxxxxxxx which is on a lake. Very pretty surroundings. We took a chance, will it rain, will it not.....psh we set up outside anyway.
The darkness started to fall, and people started to arrive, so off we go. Slightly shaky start as some of the older songs hadn't been done for quite some time. The new PA system seemed to pay off too, all sounded very nice indeed! Think we started about 9 and finished at 12 so not bad going.
By the time we got back, I was shattered.....not that rock and roll hehe, but good fun never the less!
Saturday
Woke and felt quite refreshed.....we're in France.....ahhhh bliss! Had some brekkie and a bit of a chill...then started to help set up some marquee's for the fete on sunday! It's a fund raiser for animal charities, a bit like our RSPCA but the French version. Had a few beers obviously to go with all our hard work. And even tried to put up a marquee where they only brought half the stuff - hehe.
Doesn't time fly, off we go to the next venue....a bar in 'les salle'. We played this one last time, outside in a typical French square. And to my surprise, it was exactly the same, even down to the same rusty bike attached to the wall hehe. Same faces too, expressions change but people don't.
We started the gig at 9.15 and played through until 1.30am which was one hell of a long gig I must admit. Even funnier to notice that people kept turning up even at 11pm?!?! Still, a good crowd in the end and lots of laughs and drinks...we like....
After finishing, we packed up in record speed as always (think that's because I didn't help) and then had a couple of drinks and left for home about 3pm.
Sunday
Still not a massive hangover, but feeling the effects of alcohol. Everyone was buzzing round as today is the fete. Went down the field to see what was going on but everyone seemed to know what they were doing. Even the rest of the band were already there. Felt a bit grey.....it had rained too, and think it alarmed everyone.
A few of us decided to go and get some food from the town and what a good idea that was....the 13 Euro menu...perfect! After a glass of wine and grub, I was ready to go.
The fete went really well, and we all started drinking a fair bit - for it didn't matter to much if we got plastered, as it was a fun charity type day.......and that I did.....too much wine later, Les shaving his head, Mark buying the most expensive hat in the world, Les losing his voice, I only had half left, we played and it was weird, but most enjoyable........
Afterwards, we watched people leave, another year is over, another tour done. Drank some more, and finally set down to rest.
I can only will the time on before we go back there for more fun and frolics.........Please raise your glasses.......'To France!'
NGU (Saviours of rock)
France, Freedom and fun!
I say all this with a tear in my eye, our France tour is over once again. Here's how we got on :-
Friday
Faffing is something I'm getting quite good at now, but tried to be organised. This year we decided to fly. Roy, Ian, Bob and I got the plane, Our roadie Mark Palmer and Gary drove the van with all the gear.
Flight didn't take too long, hour and half - no terrible plane food, but then for the ticket price, there's no surprise really.
At the other end, Limoges airport, we walked through the arrival exit to find our hosts, Les and Tracey. I think I even saw them and looked past! To my surprise, Les had long hair! My word (but then again so did I!).
Chauffered back to Les's house in his Lexus, we all managed to have a chill whilst waiting for the van to turn up. Was quite relieved when they did as Mark P. got lost in Paris!
Our first nights gig was at the xxxxxxxxxx which is on a lake. Very pretty surroundings. We took a chance, will it rain, will it not.....psh we set up outside anyway.
The darkness started to fall, and people started to arrive, so off we go. Slightly shaky start as some of the older songs hadn't been done for quite some time. The new PA system seemed to pay off too, all sounded very nice indeed! Think we started about 9 and finished at 12 so not bad going.
By the time we got back, I was shattered.....not that rock and roll hehe, but good fun never the less!
Saturday
Woke and felt quite refreshed.....we're in France.....ahhhh bliss! Had some brekkie and a bit of a chill...then started to help set up some marquee's for the fete on sunday! It's a fund raiser for animal charities, a bit like our RSPCA but the French version. Had a few beers obviously to go with all our hard work. And even tried to put up a marquee where they only brought half the stuff - hehe.
Doesn't time fly, off we go to the next venue....a bar in 'les salle'. We played this one last time, outside in a typical French square. And to my surprise, it was exactly the same, even down to the same rusty bike attached to the wall hehe. Same faces too, expressions change but people don't.
We started the gig at 9.15 and played through until 1.30am which was one hell of a long gig I must admit. Even funnier to notice that people kept turning up even at 11pm?!?! Still, a good crowd in the end and lots of laughs and drinks...we like....
After finishing, we packed up in record speed as always (think that's because I didn't help) and then had a couple of drinks and left for home about 3pm.
Sunday
Still not a massive hangover, but feeling the effects of alcohol. Everyone was buzzing round as today is the fete. Went down the field to see what was going on but everyone seemed to know what they were doing. Even the rest of the band were already there. Felt a bit grey.....it had rained too, and think it alarmed everyone.
A few of us decided to go and get some food from the town and what a good idea that was....the 13 Euro menu...perfect! After a glass of wine and grub, I was ready to go.
The fete went really well, and we all started drinking a fair bit - for it didn't matter to much if we got plastered, as it was a fun charity type day.......and that I did.....too much wine later, Les shaving his head, Mark buying the most expensive hat in the world, Les losing his voice, I only had half left, we played and it was weird, but most enjoyable........
Afterwards, we watched people leave, another year is over, another tour done. Drank some more, and finally set down to rest.
I can only will the time on before we go back there for more fun and frolics.........Please raise your glasses.......'To France!'
NGU (Saviours of rock)