Music and Mayhem!

It was our last public outdoor engagement of the summer, and it was quite a day out for us all. Despite the early start (now Harry knows there's a 10 o'clock in the morning as well), we were able to mostly get our gear set up before the gates opened at Noon. That's right friends, a daytime session!

The wonderful folk of Culmstock gave us their full attention, at least until the Rounders, Tug o War and Dog Show kicked in. Following our first set, we banded the stage over to the uber-talented Alex Hart, who mercifully wasn't the X-factor winner we'd led everyone to expect.

She had a tough job though, as she was up against Jungle Jim, who is definitely the finest children's comedy ventriloquist that we or any other Modwardian troubadours have shared a bill with. He's brilliant.

With the weather closing in, the crowd found themselves with only one place to go, and our second set saw some spectacularly tasty locals giving it the sort of rain dancing that we haven't seen since last years Winkleigh Fair! Get on you lot!

With the Raffle results taking the wind out of our crescendo, we had to gee the wonderful crowd up all over again, and gee we did - Chelsea Dagger, Delilah and My Generation was enough to blow the clouds away once and for all and send everyone home with a smile on their faces and a spring in their steps!

Thank you Culmstock! Can we come back please?

Love ya!

X

What's that coming over the hill.... It's a double-headed pub-rock-art monster

Summer Boot Camp is over, and it’s been quite a break.  Mark’s back from running free jazz trombone workshops in Montego Bay, Bernie crashed out of the US Open in the opening round and Ben has returned (in body at least) from his French Tour with Lee Perry and the Bass Mothership.  And Harry never noticed he was the only one turning up for rehearsals.  So far, so normal.

 

And what a weekend!  Back to back, we broke new ground and wowed new faces!  On Friday, it was our first trip to Moretonhampstead.  The Union Inn Rocks!  We officially love the place!  The marvelous folk of Moreton not only turned out for us, they turned out and paid a fiver for the privilege – which is above and beyond the call of the wild (or something).  Bernie even hooked up with an old Ashbucket Alumni which was nice – last time they were together they were setting the head of the Dungeons & Dragons club on fire for not paying his protection money – happy days…  We loved playing all night long for the Moreton regiment of the Tone Army, but our drill sergeant had an eye on the clock and we had to stop at midnight – we may have lost a few Facebook Friends as a result, but we hope they’ll be back. We definitely will be, and we were relieved to find that it felt like we’d never been away – next year, we’d like to be on the back of a float on the high street, we’ll give it the full Rio Del Janeeeerio (as Westwood would say). 

 

Then it was straight to Bradninch to set Molly and Ed on a course for marital bliss following their tremendous transatlantic tryst.  Honestly – Molly and Eds crowd were the most up for it wedding crew we’ve played to in a long time - we hope that getting a roomful jumping to the Timewarp was the right thing to do and a recipe for a happy midatlantic matrimony.  It was a private affair so discretion must prevail, which is a shame because we really can’t tell you about Harry, the bridesmaids and the chap in the uniform’s very impressive weapon….

 

See you on Sunday at Culmstock!