Faversham
is a cracking little market town and 'medieval
gem’
in the heart of Kent. (Sort of right of London and
down a bit as you look at a map. (Assuming you still own a map) sat
proudly on the old Roman road of Watling Street, or in modern day
language The A2! For the past few years, during the first weekend of
September and in celebration of the beer making plant of hops,
Faversham comes alive with music of all genre, poets, comedians, food
stalls, fine weather and a million plastic beer cups.
Lonnie Donegan Snr. |
It
was mentioned over a pint with, Festival music organiser and general
all round good bloke, Terry Carter, that Lonnie Jnr. would go well at
the Festival. Having agreed to slum it and forego our usual rider of
freshly painted magenta dressing room walls, four bowls of exotic
fruit, sixteen cans of soft drinks, sixteen cans of organic beer,
four comfy chairs, fresh cut flowers, two tubes of M&Ms with the
red ones taken out, our own sound engineer flown in from Botswana
and a tub of Greek yoghurt, Mr Donegan relented to the thumb screws
and under some duress, agreed to get of bed on the Saturday and had
me sign the contact with my blood...... well a Bic brio, but blood
always sounds so much more rock and roll.
This,
my dear reader, is when the fun started. First was Mr Carter from
Carters Alibi. A blues band lovingly well know for playing, not very
well known songs or well known songs in a not very well know way! “As
you are going to be at Faversham in September,” Started Terry
“could you play percussion with us please?”
I
could see no problem, so long as there was time to get between
stages. Agreed. Sorted. Done. Two gigs. Then “Oh, we are also
playing on Sunday..... twice! Once at the Old Wine Vaults, then later
on the Main stage.!” Four
gigs!
Now
I am a fair bloke BUT! Drum kits were supplied and I was on
percussion duties, so I would have to sort a total strike at one gig,
transfer congas, bongos, chimes, cowbells, blocks, timbale, cream
buns, numerous shakie things, cymbals and, at the last count,
fourteen million stands, to another stage! “Dear Santa, can I have
a rack system please?”
The
Sunday before Faversham, I was approached by Dave Austin, a bass player type from the
local band Keval. “I hear that you are at the Hop Festival next
weekend!..... We need a drummer, could you sit in with us?” Now
that's five gigs!!!
After
looking at times and logistics, it would be possible as Keval were
on a couple of bands before Lonnie Donegan Jnr. I would have time to
do the set with Carter's Alibi, pop over to the Preston Street Stage
set for Keval and be ready for Mr Donegan. Phew! Somehow I agreed to
this madness! In for a penny..
Saturday
morning arrived, Sarah and I set off with my drum kit and my
percussion rig stuffed, like level seven Tetris, in the back of
Morrison (my van).
Sarah Drum tech, manager, Moneypenny, agent, life saver |
So
then, T minus one hour. I am set and ready. Sarah had checked that I
had everything and spent a fair amount of time going too and from
Morrison to get “just one more thing please!” Priceless.
Terry Carter. Liking my shirt |
Me and one of the day's heroes, John Martin in full Zydeco vest mode |
The
kit was a blue PDP on kind loan from Terry Carter. Now is it just me,
or are there gremlins at festivals that eat cymbal felts, wing nuts
and cymbal sleeves! And once your back is turned they sneak up and
tighten every wingnut, bolt, cymbal stand and pedal release beyond
the strength of Iron Man's second and more powerful cousin Iron Pain
In the Bloody Arse Man!?
I
don't mind things being secure, but when you have a hernia trying to
unfasten a bass drum pedal the joke's well and truly OVER!
On stage with Keval |
Keval
went well. Nice chaps too. Thanks for the gig. My sore, pulled inner
thigh muscles not throbbing just nicely thank you!
Next
up for me was Lonnie Donegan Jnr. I came off from Keval and I was called
over by my good friend Clive Sullivan. “Problems with the kit?”
“PROBLEM???Do
bears poo in the woods?!”
Clive
had brilliantly done a reckie and found a way to get Morrison to an alley way
across the road from the stage and get my own kit up. What a top
chap.
This
could be a problem though as all stages were “backline supplied”
plus with only a 15 minute change over it would be damn near
impossible. There was one more band on, then Lonnie!!
Lonnie Jnr |
I
drove Morrison around Faversham to the alley and backed up. John
Martin and Steve Ellis were there. We then, one piece at a time, made
our way time after time through the crowd with the gear. I think five
trips took half an hour. I apologize now for any knocked legs,
trodden on toes, jogged pints (in plastic cups) and bruised backs of children's heads.
We
unpacked the kit (my trusty old 1985 Gretsch that I have had since
new.) and set it up, in call out order, along the side of the building
next to the stage. (I bet Carl Brazil would have loved this gig. We
must swap one one day!!!) The on stage band finished and we went for
it. Once the drummer had cleared, I handed the PDP down to Steve and
John, then my gear came up in clock work order. Mat, with Baskey Mat
Markers.. Worth their weight in gold, especially in these time tight
situations. Kit up, stands up and with a big sigh of relief, my
Paiste Alphas on and looking shining and ready for action in the late
afternoon sun. I have had the Alphas a couple of years now and they
are just the bee's knees. I can tickle them and they respond or I can
knock seven bells out of then and they never choke. Glorious I tell
you, glorious! Well, did we do it in fifteen minutes? Nope. We did it
in TEN!!! I took off my two gig old, hideous shirt and smartened up
for Mr Donegan. By now a really big crowd had formed and even though
accustomed to longer sound and line checks, Lonnie Jnr was Martin
acoustic and banjo ready! It was like a skiffle home coming! The
place took off. People of all ages were singing, dancing and having a
great time. Even laughing at the “policeman in a dustbin” joke.
Funny since 1959! The slots were a strict 45 minutes so we couldn't
do any more but if we could have, we could have just played and
played. It was a real buzz. Brilliant end to a first day. Topped off
only by Sarah and I going off with John and Steve and their respected
others Fiona and Mandy for a curry. Perfect.
I
will be returning to Kent with Lonnie Donegan Jnr on October 4th
Whitstable and October 26th Chatham's Brook Theatre.
Details of these and other UK dates HERE (add Web Link) We are
doing full theatre shows so time for a load more tunes. It is a
cracking band and Lonnie Jnr is doing his dad proud.Do come along
Tickets from the respective box offices.
Home
to bed... back tomorrow.
Sunday
morning greeted me with aches and pains! I had over done the dad
dancing while brandishing a tambourine or two so I suppose I was
getting my punishment.
Then Dave Tetmar realizes he's asked me to play with his band! |
Shaking things down with Carter's Alibi |
Transferring
all of my nonsense from the pub to the main stage was epic! A three
hundred yard plod through thousands of people with a conga bag on my
back while leaning over to waist height pushing a flight case was a
challenge. I won't go into any detail about the sights I saw at this
level but some people really can't own, or refuse to use a mirror!
Jeepers! The good side of the trip was the brilliant Unison Bendz
were hammering out pub rock classics from the main stage. This band
is quite brilliant. A relatively new concern but singer and leader
Dave Mac' is pushing boundaries and they are establishing themselves
as a band to go and see.
The
short set with Terry Carter went well and I was introduced to Rosco
Levee. A singer songwriter from Kent. Now I must have had my head in
the local River Medway sand or mud because I have never come across
Rosco, but the thronging audience numbers started to wake me up to
the idea that they could be good!
Ok, so I was over doing it! |
Rosco
Levee and the Southern Slide were introduced to a massive cheer and
it all kicked off. Within four bars I knew this band had it all!
Feel, energy, stage presence and believe me, a future. It was
amazing. If you mixed up the feel of the Allman
Brothers
with a helping of
Lynyrd
Skynyrd, topped off with the rockier edge of catchy Eagles' songs,
powerful lead vocals and harmonies. Not to mention grinding Hammond
and perfectly tasteful slide guitar, I may be half way to describing
the band's brilliance. Sadly I got carried away towards the end of
the set and caught a conga rim with my right hand just below my
pinky! The pain went up my arm like an electric shock, past my neck and into my jaw bone. I thought
all my teeth were going to fall out and I almost wet myself!!! Still,
worth it for the experience. Rosco and the lads enjoyed my playing
and have invite me to join them on larger gigs. In these situations,
I have learned, they go out as a nine piece band, brass, backing
singers, the whole nine yards. And now me makes it ten! Bring-it-ON!
Rosco Levee and The Southern Slide |
Please
check out Rosco's website. The album "Final Approach To Home" is available HERE It's fantastic. Go on Treat yourselves!
An
amazing festival, great music, the legendary Lyn Sullivan popping
from stage to stage with comic verse, the Ukaholics, great food, real
ale and so much more. Please, please committee next year again
please!