HAPPY NEW YEAR!!?? Bah Humbug……

Firstly, here’s wishing everyone a very Happy New Year.

Okay, now that the lunatic season is over, we are about to unleash the fury that is The Chicago Blues Brothers on the unsuspecting mighty British public!
2009 sees us opening the furore at The Cliffs Pavilion Southend on Sea – my hometown!!!

Well more about all that next time- let me tell you about my all-too-time-consuming New Years Eve shenanigans in Belfast…..
Well we landed at George Best Airport, Belfast at 6.30pm on the 31st December (slightly late I thought) for a New Years Eve gig at The Europa. Now, when I said we, that was myself, Pussy Glamore (Tracy Graham, Lizzie Dean & Emma Nelson), Dave Levy (Tracy’s other half) and my missus Jayne.
We arrived at the hotel at 7.00pm-ish and I told the girls that they would not be needed until 10.30pm and I went off to sort my ‘compereing’ duties in the ballroom.
At 7.30 I was told that as dinner was to start at 8.00pm, I had better get my dinner suit on. Away I trotted to my room where Jayne was already getting sorted. As I got down to my pants, ready to get dressed, I got a frantic call from the ballroom to tell me that the piper was ‘piping in’ all the guests to their tables.
Doh! With Jayne putting on my bow tie whilst I pulled up my trousers, I launched myself down the corridor, shoes in hand, putting my socks on. I got dressed just in time for the lift to open and take me down to the ballroom.
On running into the room I got the vibe that after 10mins of bagpipe playing even the hardened Celt would have blood emanating from every orifice.
Step up – in Leigh’s words – Mr Showbiz! Mic in hand I welcomed everyone and went on with the usual compere stuff. 20 minutes later, and desperately looking for a drink, I was told that there was a wedding at the sister hotel – The Culloden – that didn’t have any entertainment and could I ‘do something’. You guessed it, I was in a car speeding passed the City Airport again heading for a gig that I knew nothing about – and by the way I had to sing Frank Sinatra's ‘It Had To Be Me’ as the first song. Not only had I never sung this song before, not known the lyrics, had a vague idea how the melody went, I did not have a backing track for it.
No problem! As I arrived a copy of the lyrics were thrust into my hand, curtains opened, I was introduced and the track started.
Now- looking into the faces of some 500 expectant individuals is fairly daunting anyway, however, this was pure murder. And, basically, in my view that is what I did to ‘It Had To Be You’. After the faltering start, I recovered with my ‘normal’ set of classic Motown and Soul classics and left some 35 mins later to a full dancefloor.
In car back at 9.30pm I got a call saying that the dinner was running early and where was I – 10 minutes away. Just enough time to arrive, pick up a drink, mic and start all over again this time with a 9 piece band backing me- not just any band but ex-members of Rory Gallagher’s band Taste (Richie McCracken, John Wilson and Sam Davidson) and featuring the brass section from The Commitments band!
The next 45 mins in my humble opinion was a ‘back to business’ performance.
The ‘Pussies’ went on after me – with me still on stage running their tracks – and at midnight, I led the countdown, and then sought out a very patient wife, Jayne to start my NYE celebrations, but I was too knackered to drink or eat!
I call the CBB band who are in Northampton having a seemingly interesting experience and I vow never to do another NYE gig again……until next year!!!

Cheers- Pete