S&M on Exeter High Street

Ahhhh… Exeter High Street.  House of Fraser, Marks & Spencer, Boots, Gap, H&M, Laura Ashley, Lakeland.  Heady stuff, I know, but last Saturday saw an altogether more exciting prospect for the weekend shopper, and we don’t mean the new Ann Summers toy box.

That’s right, the Fabulous ‘Tones were out to spread the good word of Modwardian Rock n Roll to the good, and oft bemused,  Exeter citizenry.  And spread the word we did.  Mark and Bernie were powered by nothing more than elbow grease and acoustic guitars, we had a small box of angry bees to help Ben on Bass and a stripped down Harry Turner (the drum kit, not him).  We adopted Matt the Fiddle as the inaugural holder of the title ‘Tone for a Day’ , and we had a whale of a time.

And mostly, so did the audience… The high street hadn’t seen anything like it since the Rhythm Doctors held up the traffic to balance a double bass on their chin back in ‘98, and the crowd swelled at times to plod-worrying proportions, although a fuzz-bass acoustic disco rendition of Radar Love soon put pay to that.

So it was with a vague sense of ennui that we packed up, and tramped up the road to take part in Phonic FM’s mammoth 25 hour show, and hand all the money over to help keep everyone’s favourite ailing radio station afloat.  That place is like the boat that rocked.  Except not a boat.

The whole event will be the subject of a You Tube Film very soon, but we know there's no substitute for the real thing. Rest assured we’ll do it again, it was too much fun not to, so keep an eye out on a high street near you...

Love ya!

Kentisbeare Arms - Amnesty!

Crikey. What a night!

Kentisbeare rocks. It's official. What began as a selfless act of self promotion disguised as altruistic rock n roll charity work on our part ended up as a triumphant celebration of all that's good about being alive.

The Wyndham Arms was the venue, Amnesty International was the reason, and we served up a smorgasbord of smashes that was more than a match for the groaning weight of cheese that formed the firmament of the promised rock n roll ploughmans.

Dancing from beginning to end, the crowd were a dream come true. We loved every minute of it! We were feeling thoroughly invigorated by our change of threads from Modwardian Troubadours to the full blown revolutionary wing of the Tone Army (aka the Citizen Smith appreciation society), although it was probably more Frank Spencer than Che Guavara if truth be told. We've been promised a return trip, so come on you good good people of Kentisbeare - let's make it happen!

Now, all we need to do is pull off a full acoustic set on the streets of Exeter next weekend and we'll be laughing. The music will be fine, it's the wardrobe decisions that take the time...

Love ya!

X  

Glen and Tori's Wedding

In the fine surroundings of Padbrook Park, Cullompton, we arrived suited, booted and flowered up to entertain the good folks at Glenn and Tori’s wedding.  Modesty and sound legal advice means we can’t go into too many details, it was a private affair after all.  Nonetheless, after several hours on their feet it took all our powers to get people up and moving, but up and moving they were got.  Bernie’s Decade as a redcoat at the Minehead Butlins, Mark’s Perrier Award runner-up repartee combined with a rendition of the finer parts of Britney Spear’s back catalogue that can at best be described as ‘impromptu‘ and ‘in the key of C Minor’ was what finally did it.  That and of course the almost talismanic power of the ‘Tones branded right converse boot (pictured) meant that we were able to put Glenn and Tori’s life of marital bliss off to cracking start (the only way is up after all).  So, with a stonking finish of Purple Rain / My Generation our work was done, and we disappeared into the East Devon night with our heads held high and our pockets stuffed with buffet fayre of onion Bhajis and chicken drumsticks.  Tone Life is the real vida loca.

See you in Kentisbeare for a Rock and Roll Ploughmans!