Belfast or Bust!

The day started pretty well when we all turned up on time at Stansted and then Ryanair decided to fart in my face and turn the start of my birthday upside down.
When you know you have done something but then doubt is cast….you start questioning your sanity. Enough said that150 quid lighter and all personnel and a couple of Fender guitars are ready to depart for Belfast – I was then informed that it would have been cheaper for me to buy two seats for the instruments.

We land to be met by Darren ‘The General’ Boyd and after a couple of minutes we are in our hired bus heading for The Stormont Hotel.
After spending the last few years working with Howard Hastings and the Hastings Group – whose Hotels include The Europa, The Culloden, The Slieve Donnard and The Stormont – I am extremely privileged to have a great working relationship with them.
Tonight’s gig is at The Waterfront in Belfast and guess what……we’re sold out!
The gig is a stormer and made even more special by Sam Davidson – from Rory Gallagher’s Taste, tremendous guitarist and top mate – joining us on stage for the final three songs. Between Sam and Leigh, Sweet Home Chicago took off and really created some magic. I wish we had recorded this one!
Well, all aboard the bus CBB and back to the Stormont for a well needed night cap or three!

Wednesday 25th and half the motley crew are partaking in The Culloden Spa and the rest are scattered between Belfast City and walks up to The Stormont Castle.
3pm and we’re heading out of town to Armagh to a venue we played a couple of years ago, The Market Place Theatre. Top techies at the theatre – Shane, Rodney and Kyle – gave us some great lighting. TOP GIG!!!!!
A major thank you has to go to Dougie from Belfast who supplied all required PA & Backline, thanks Mate!
I won’t even go into my rants at Belfast Airport at the nearest Ryanair Rep. Enough said that they proceed to put hurdles and obstacles in places that effectively catch the proverbial knackers!
Bottom line….CBB will be back next spring to The Waterfront (Belfast), The Market Place (Armagh) and…..The Millenium Forum (Londonderry), Cork, Dublin, Killarney and Castlebar!!!
Looking forward to 2010 already and you’re all invited to join us in the CRAIC!

Cheers- Pete

Photos show (top) a very poorly Mike being comforted by Pete, (middle) a bewigged and coiffured Dave being conducted by Pete and (bottom) the Belfast audience being entertained by Pete in an outfit he borrowed from a passing motorway serviceman.

Next time- some photos without Pete in them! Maybe! L.H.

Will the true Jake step forward…..

I am really proud and pleased to welcome to the role of JAKE – direct from the hit West End production of The Official Tribute to the Blues Brothers and 2 subsequent tours of Europe – MATT HEWITT.

In addition to being a fine singer and tremendous performer, this 3rd Dan Karate Champion brings to the show all his flexibility and agility. Watch out for his cartwheels, back flips and box splits!

Matt takes over the mantle of Jake in the show on the 8th March at Hunstanton. I for one am really looking forward to the next era of The Chicago Blues Brothers, and I know his partnership with Mike Hyde will take the show into a new dimension.

Pete
Producer

One Door Closes and Another…….

Hi Guys,

Just a quick note to let everyone know that Mario Megaro is no longer with the production and we wish him well as he forays into ‘corporate’ and ‘wedding’ land!

For the immediate future…..yes you’ve guessed it…..I will make another return as Jake.

As much as I truly enjoy the ‘Management & Production’ aspect of the show, nothing replaces the buzz of standing on stage, in front of undoubtedly the most talented band on the planet! The short term pleasure will be all mine.

When I said short term, I meant it as by mid-March the role will be filled by very talented and capable shoes. The ‘reveal’ of this person will be at The Princess Theatre, Hunstanton.

The show moves on up to yet another level….

Pete

Noise annoys

As a quick follow up to Pete's last posting I'd like to thank him for stepping in and unplugging my amplifier just in time to stop me from taking my Pete Townshend obsession to it's logical conclusion! I took it to Roger the amplifier repairman who left it running for 2 days during which it didn't make one single untoward sound- he replaced some valves and their seatings (the bits they plug into- that's about the limit of my technical knowledge!) to be on the safe side, and it sounded fine at last weekend's gigs, at The Millfield Theatre in Edmonton and a corporate show for the Seddon company at The I.C.C. in Birmingham. The latter was a interesting evening as Pete, Mike, Dave and myself played a set in the foyer as the guests arrived (if you've ever wondered what it sounds like when an old punk like me attempts to play swing and jazz standards this was your chance to find out! Here's a clue- you didn't miss much from me, but Dave played brilliantly) and company chairman Stewart joined us on stage for 'Mustang Sally'- I bet he regrets asking who owed the Telecaster...

Cheers- Leigh.

Southend or Bust!!!

A cold wet Wednesday in January, in the middle of the worst recession the UK has experienced for decades, is hardly the ideal start for any tour, let alone the CBB machine!
With Rod at the PA controls the stage was set and ready for the band in record time. Dave Bunting had the moving head lights rigged, programmed and set in equal haste. All that remains is large portions of Fish & Chips for all – except “chips is good!!!” Leigh!
Following grease excess all round, the band sailed through sound checks. With an almost A Team – Steve Walker on Trumpet for Dave Land who was away on ‘Come Dancing’ duties – the night was set for the CBB onslaught. Now…I could go on about radio mics breaking down, follow spot operators phoning in sick and yours truly ‘mullering’ Steam Roller Blues at sound check amongst a bunch of other stuff….but I won’t. The band was ready!
Ready is a total understatement. The band was cooking, the audience were well up for it and a great gig ensued.
The one blip on the radar was when Leigh’s amp start to make totally random noises….unfortunately at the wrong times. Doh!! Only option, turn amp off, unplug mic and DI the guitar directly to the desk. No-one noticed a damn thing. Was that down to my less than slick transition or Leigh's undoubted talent. The latter methinks!
Bottom line…..Great Gig….very happy punters….invited back!
Hurrah!!!!

Cheers- Pete

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

THE GIG THAT NEARLY NEVER WAS!!!!

What can go wrong? Well…. nearly everything!

5am and nothing was stirring… except for me. Marc, Chris (Gibbo’s dep for this gig) & Squirrel were well on time for our departure to pick up Mike enroute to London City. We met Tracy, Leigh, Dave & Rich at the allotted 7am. Checked in and proceeded to the restaurant in Duty Free for a thoroughly deserved breakfast, all seemingly ready for our 8.25am flight to Zurich.
This is when the day was turned upside down!
8.00am All flights in and out of London City were cancelled until further notice due to low cloud around London.
9.00am The Swiss Air desk re books us all on the 1.50pm flight to Zurich….from Heathrow!
10.30am We catch the bus to Heathrow that decides to take a route straight through the centre of London.
12.15pm We arrive at Terminal 2 Heathrow
12.30pm We check in, go through to Duty Free and await our flight to Zurich
1.30pm We get called through to board our flight
2.30pm …still on the runway at Heathrow – we missed our take off slot!!!
By the way… did I explain that we had to be on stage in Bern at 5pm, local time!!!!!!
3.15pm We finally take off
5.15pm We land in Zurich and clear Passport Control and the baggage hall in record time.
5.30pm We are speeding toward Bern
6.30pm The normal 90 minute trip takes an hour(!) and we arrive at the venue. Luckily there are over 400 people still waiting for us.
6.45pm We go on stage to the most rapturous ovation I have ever encountered. Apparently, the crowd were made aware of our plight.
The required 60 minute set ended up being 2 hours long including 2 encores. What a show! Absolutely fantastic!
We did however, have one more mishap, when Chris Kibble our keys dep fell off his riser and nearly knocked himself out. I did what any trooper would have done; I made sure he was okay, gave him some water, told to stay still and get his composure back and then played keys for the rest of the song!!! Thankfully for me, and the audience, Chris returned for the next song to finish the gig, nursing a very sore arm and leg.

The next day was nowhere near as exciting as everything came and went on time except for the shenanigans in Duty Free. But then we wouldn’t be The Chicago Blues Brothers without the odd bit of drama and chaos!