This afternoon we did a "Say No To Drugs" event in Bexley Heath town centre. This was no ordinary event (not that the others are ordinary when we play) as we had about 30 dancers form Ceroc Kent come down. They all grabbed people out of the crowd to join in and Virginia even gave a lesson to innocent bystanders. Thanks guys!
Tonight we returned to the Harlow Playhouse for our second performance there. This time we had a sell out crowd and it was really good fun. DJ Paul Rose even became impromptu MC and brought us back on for our fourth encore!
Sunday, July 30, 2006
24/07/06
It's Monday and the week hasn't finished yet! This afternoon we opened the Volunteer Minster tent in Harlow market. The Volunteer Minister program was started by the Church of Scientology in order to train people to help in any situation from friends and family to major international disaster relief. You can find out more at www.volunteermisters.org.
23/07/06
Fifth and final day at War and Peace. Thanks to Terry Elliott for the organization. We'll se you all...and your tanks, bullets, shells, mortars, rocket launchers, uniforms, jeeps etc next year!
22/07/06
Fourth Day at the War and Peace show and the marquee was jammed today. This show has more military vehicles than some counties armies! John Miller even turned up to say hello. John, who is the nephew of Big band legend Glenn Miller, leads his own band and was playing at the show tonight.
As if the past few days weren't enough, we drove to Cambridge for an appearance at Wimpole Hall for their annual "Jazz in the Stables" concert. A sell out crowd et again and it even stopped raining 2 minutes before the doors opened to the public (it being a stables it was kind of indoors but with no roof sort of thing).
We also found out that Russell from the Jiving Lindy Hoppers broke the world record. In fact, break is an understatement, he smashed it by doing 33 flips in a minute, nearly doubling the previous record! Well done mate! Check out www.jivinglindyhoppers.com. for more info.
As if the past few days weren't enough, we drove to Cambridge for an appearance at Wimpole Hall for their annual "Jazz in the Stables" concert. A sell out crowd et again and it even stopped raining 2 minutes before the doors opened to the public (it being a stables it was kind of indoors but with no roof sort of thing).
We also found out that Russell from the Jiving Lindy Hoppers broke the world record. In fact, break is an understatement, he smashed it by doing 33 flips in a minute, nearly doubling the previous record! Well done mate! Check out www.jivinglindyhoppers.com. for more info.
21/07/06
After a late night back from Reading we arrived back at the Hop Farm for our third day of War and Peace. Another hot performance and then we thought we had a few hours to relax as we didn't have far to get to the next gig. In fact, we had no distance to cover at all as the next gig was in the same place for the evening dance at the War and Peace show. Only thing is, the BBC called us yesterday and asked us to come and do a promo TV spot to promote the Big Dance event in Trafalgar Square tomorrow. Being good sports and all round good eggs we did a bit of what felt like the logistical equivalent of the game "Twister" we managed to pull it off and get back to Paddock Wood in time for the next show and this is how it played out:
We finished the lunchtime show at the War and Peace show, threw all the instruments and PA equipment in the car. We then drove at great (yet obeying the limits) speed to Tonbridge station, parked up and threw all the instruments onto the train. We then got off at Charing Cross and chucked the stuff in a taxi with a couple of people. The rest of us darted onto the tube and met the taxi goers at Marylebone High Street at the BBC London building. We dragged the gear up to the fifth floor and onto the roof. The Jiving Lindy Hoppers turned up and we ran through what we were doing on the show. We played while the dancers danced and Russel from the Jiving Lindy Hoppers was interviewed about the event and even taught the presenter a couple of steps. He also talked about the world record he was going to attempt to break tomorrow at the event which is the most number of flips done in a minute. The previous record was 17 and Russell is going for 24. All in all we appeared in three segments on the BBC London news. as soon as the cameras stopped rolling we threw the stuff back in the taxi, jumped back on the tube and got back to Charing Cross. We then high tailed it down to Tonbridge and pegged it back to the Hop Farm just in time to throw the suits back on and jump on stage for the show. PHEW!!
We finished the lunchtime show at the War and Peace show, threw all the instruments and PA equipment in the car. We then drove at great (yet obeying the limits) speed to Tonbridge station, parked up and threw all the instruments onto the train. We then got off at Charing Cross and chucked the stuff in a taxi with a couple of people. The rest of us darted onto the tube and met the taxi goers at Marylebone High Street at the BBC London building. We dragged the gear up to the fifth floor and onto the roof. The Jiving Lindy Hoppers turned up and we ran through what we were doing on the show. We played while the dancers danced and Russel from the Jiving Lindy Hoppers was interviewed about the event and even taught the presenter a couple of steps. He also talked about the world record he was going to attempt to break tomorrow at the event which is the most number of flips done in a minute. The previous record was 17 and Russell is going for 24. All in all we appeared in three segments on the BBC London news. as soon as the cameras stopped rolling we threw the stuff back in the taxi, jumped back on the tube and got back to Charing Cross. We then high tailed it down to Tonbridge and pegged it back to the Hop Farm just in time to throw the suits back on and jump on stage for the show. PHEW!!
20/07/06
Second afternoon at the War and Peace show (actually it's more of a war show with a bit of peace (namely, us!). Not quite as hot but stilla shirt drenchder. Thanks to Darren and Claire from First mOve Dance for lending us their fans which we out to good use on the stage.
After a superfast instrument pack down we burned rubber all the way to Reading for the Real Ale And Jazz Festival. Supporting us were the Swing Fever. The festival even had record attndance for a Thursday night!
After a superfast instrument pack down we burned rubber all the way to Reading for the Real Ale And Jazz Festival. Supporting us were the Swing Fever. The festival even had record attndance for a Thursday night!
19/07/06
Our first day (of many) at this years' War and Peace show in Paddock Wood, Kent. The Hop Farm where it is held is only 25 minutes drive from where we live and yet last year was the first time we played the event but after the past two years success, I'm sure we'll be a regular fixture. Today, incidentally, was the hottest day on record in the country and we felt it. I mean we really felt it. We were not only baking in the marquee for the lunchtime concert but we also had a full set of stage lights on!
16/07/06
This evening we played at the Rhythms of the World festival in Hitchin. "Mick The Burger Man" (TM) is to thank for our performance here as he out us in touch with the organizers after seeing us play in the Harlow market so many times and drinking his tea. He's been providing sausages and burgers at the festival for several years now. Anyway, 2500 people were on hand to have a jolly good time.
15/07/06
Oundle is a quaint little town that hosts what is mainly a classical festival but tonight was the yearly fireworks celebration. The fabulous Jiving Lindy Hoppers Joined us for this show and together we put on quite a show for the 4000 strong crowd before the firworks wchich were in themselves quite spectacular.
14/07/06
Tonight we weren't quite sure what to expect as it was our first time playing for a Ballroom Dance crowd. I'm glad to say that it was really friendly. The night was hosted by Strictly Come Dancing judge and former ballroom dance champ, Len Goodman. It was a capacity crowd at Pontins Pakefield and they've already asked us back.
09/07/06
Second night at the Henley festival, this time opening for rock legends, Status Quo. It was rather amusing watching 4000 people jumping up and down to "Rocking All Over The World" in black tie. We even had a chat to Rick Parfitt Jr (son of Quo guitarist Rick Parfitt in case you couldn't work it out from the name) who makes regular appearances at the Kitsch Lounge Riot at the Cafe de Paris in London.
08/07/06
Today we returned to the Henley Festival after a two year break. This has to be the poshest festival in the country replete with art galleries, performance artists, open air bars and restaurants and everyone dressed to the nines in tuxes and evening dresses. We played the late shift in the "Dome Marquee" which was a marquee shaped like a dome... Appropriately named then! It was packed full and the security guards were getting worried about all the people they had to not let in.
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