| Author | Message | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2706 Registered: 10-2002 |
The old thread was getting a bit unwieldy so I thought I'd start a new one for the Autumn. First though, we've just come back from a very successful weekend gigging in Portree on the Isle of Skye. It's a beautiful part of the world when the sun is shining (not that often - it's not called the Misty Isle for nothing) and portree is a very special town with a very picturesque harbour and some very good seafood restaurants..  The gigs on friday and saturday night were both excellent and very well attended. it's not a huge pub and on friday it was packed out with around 100 punters. Saturday night it was even fuller - the landlady estimated they'd crammed 150 or so into the room - so the atmosphere was well charged which transferred to the band very well...  For the first time in my playing career I was the focus of attention for the 'stage diver' managing to play over half a song being 'molested' by a very pretty young girl who was sadly somewhat the worse for the drink...  Skye is a popular tourist destination and I'd say over half the accents were foreign. Of particular interest were a party of around 10 Norwegians who came along both nights. They collectively own a cask of vintage whisky which is held for them at the distillery somewhere near Loch lomond. Once a year they visit the place for a dram from their cask then spend a long weekend touring the highlands. They were very friendly and provided a useful service as bouncers being descended from vikings....  All in all a great weekend with good friends and a great atmosphere. In a complete turnaround we played a corporate event on wednesday in a huge ballroom where fewer that 20 of the guests got up to dance, the rest preferring to 'network'. Ho hum. We now have a busy couple of months, three gigs in pubs this month then October sees us back on the wedding circuit. I'll be playing my fretless rogue and Balance K sig deluxe at all of them. Graeme | ||
| adriaan
Moderator Username: adriaan Post Number: 2581 Registered: 6-2002 |
You would expect to find PC Plum to do his rounds there, except there could never be vikings in Balamory. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9577 Registered: 5-2002 |
Great pics as always Graeme. Love the picture of the harbor. Drunks near Alembics; danger. | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2710 Registered: 10-2002 |
This Saturday 11th Sept we're playing at the Waverley Hotel, Callander in Stirlingshire. Show starts at 9pm. Why not combine a holiday in Rob Roy country with a night of good ol' rock'n'roll ;-) Graeme | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2734 Registered: 10-2002 |
This Saturday, 2nd October we'll be at the Brighton's inn in Polmont near Falkirk. Graeme | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2751 Registered: 10-2002 |
We played another wedding at the weekend. This time, I think we really went up-market. Check this out for a venue....  This is Blair castle, home of the Duke and Duchess of Atholl, very popular place to get wed. We were playing in the Great hall. As you'd expect for a highland estate, they were very keen on killing deer....  I learned something useful on this gig - the Ampeg SVP won't work if there's a faulty cable running into the effects loop. It took a while to work out why my amp wasn't making a noise which made our lead guitarist very nervous. Unfortunately, Blair Atholl is a fair distance from my home so I didn't get home till after 4am which meant I was in no fit state to drive down to Manchester for Bass day. A shame as I was hoping to meet up with Jazzy vee. Graeme | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9714 Registered: 5-2002 |
Graeme; you sure play some unusual venues. And the pictures you post of your gigs are always enjoyable. | ||
| tbrannon
Senior Member Username: tbrannon Post Number: 1246 Registered: 11-2004 |
I agree with Dave- I always look forward to your pictures. It think it stirs up my Scottish blood and the landscapes certainly remind me of my time living in NZ, which are GREAT memories. | ||
| 2400wattman
Senior Member Username: 2400wattman Post Number: 835 Registered: 11-2005 |
I must get the Fu$& out of the states for a while and visit Scotland as it has been a dream to do so for 20+ years. Graeme when is the best time to come and when are the Highland games? Adam | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2753 Registered: 10-2002 |
Adam. There are Games all over the highlands through the summer but I guess the best known are the braemar games, always held on the first saturday in september. Braemar is just along the road from Balmoral, one of the queen's homes so if you're into royal spotting it would be well worth a visit. If you made it a 2 week holiday you could come for the last weekend of August too - Big Tuna will be playing our (now annual) two nights on Skye again ;-) This has been a busy week, we played awedding in Peebles on thursday (where the groom played drums very well on 'sweet child o'mine') then we had a pub gig up in Callander on Saturday. Both ended up getting pretty rowdy but no damage was done. I got home very late after both gigs so I'm very tired right now. Graeme. Graeme | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2755 Registered: 10-2002 |
Tonight we'll be playng at a new venue to us... Finnegan's Wake in Edinburgh from 10pm till 1am. I'm not sure how we'll go down here as every time I've been, the bands have played a kind of Scottish 'folk-rock'. Graeme p.s. Sorry for the late announcement but I reckon if you hopped a jet from NY you could be in Edinburgh before the gig :-) | ||
| dadabass2001
Senior Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 1502 Registered: 6-2002 |
Have a fun gig, Graeme. My guitarist friend sez "just tell the rhythm player to play acoustic"  Mike | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2762 Registered: 10-2002 |
Well I guess they liked us as they've booked us for a further 7 gigs next year (fridays and saturdays) in addition to next wednesday (3rd Nov). The manageress was very helpful and had some good words to say afterwards - she also suggested that we add a couple of Irish tunes to our set in the future. We're taking that to mean more thin lizzie and U2 ;-) The last 3 gigs for us before I'm operated on for Carpal tunnel are... 30th October - Wedding gig in Edinburgh 3rd November - Finnegan's Wake, Edinburgh 5th November - Behind the Wall, falkirk. 8th November I'm having my right hand operated on for carpal tunnel problems so I'll not be playing for the 2 weeks I'm in plaster, then Bill, our drummer heads off on holiday to mexico for three weeks. The next scheduled gig is back in falkirk on the 30th December by which time I should be fully recovered although they'll still have to operate on my left hand sometime. Graeme | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 810 Registered: 10-2006 |
Good luck with the surgery, Graeme. I had my right wrist done in '97, and I have to say, it's wonderful not to hurt! Peter | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9770 Registered: 5-2002 |
Sorry to hear about the surgery Graeme; hope all goes well. | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2768 Registered: 10-2002 |
Thanks guys. in a way I'm looking forward to this now as the pain and 'pins and needles' feeling has been getting much worse over the past month. | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 2198 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hi Jacko do you know if the Carpel tunnel was caused by excessive keyboard work from your IT job or from bass playing? Jazzyvee | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2776 Registered: 10-2002 |
I think it's been a combination of things Jazzy. I've been a climber since I was about 17, playing the Bass as long and working full time in IT since I was 23. I've also been into whitewater kayaking since 1990 and have always done my own DIY and car maintenance. Since I moved up to Scotland in 1998, I've been cycling in to work 3 days a week too so there's been alot of wear and tear on my hands. I first noticed a tingling during gigs about 18 months ago and around the same time I was finding my hands would go numb about halfway into work (it's a 9 mile trip). At the time I thought it was related to my handlebar padding and tried all sorts of cycling mitts with gel inserts. Obviously I was wrong and should have seen a doctor alot sooner that I did. A cautionary tale - if you notice any pins and needles see the doc straightaway! Graeme | ||
| 2400wattman
Senior Member Username: 2400wattman Post Number: 842 Registered: 11-2005 |
Graeme, Thanks for the insight on when to come and visit and I hope all goes well with your surgery on the 8th. My mother had it done 10 years ago and believe it or not, had it done with no local anaesthetic! Take care Graeme. Adam | ||
| dadabass2001
Senior Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 1506 Registered: 6-2002 |
Best wishes for a successful procedure and a speedy return to making music, my friend. Mike | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 2215 Registered: 6-2002 |
Wow Graeme, sorry to hear that your passions in live have caused this condition. Let's hope that once it's done you still have the dexterity to continue your musical life. All the best Jazzyvee | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2824 Registered: 10-2002 |
Next thursday 30th December will be our first gig since my op. Behind the Wall in Falkirk, music kicks off around 10pm. I've managed two 3 hour rehearsals in the past week and have had no problems playing - can't lift my amps easily though. Graeme | ||
| dadabass2001
Senior Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 1521 Registered: 6-2002 |
Get help with the amps and have a great gig. Mike | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 9974 Registered: 5-2002 |
Good to hear you're having no problems playing. Let us know how you do at the gig. And I agree with Mike; let someone else deal with the amps. | ||
| alemberic
Intermediate Member Username: alemberic Post Number: 103 Registered: 6-2006 |
Best of luck with your December 30 gig, Graeme. Sounds like you're on the road to recovery, but easy does it, and yes get some assistance with those amps. Eric | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2825 Registered: 10-2002 |
Had a great gig. For once the venue was packed right from the start and the audience were up dancing all night. Had a great sound and was complimented on my playing by a drummer!!! who knew who Alembic were!! My fingers held up all night with no sign of the pins and needles so it would seem the Op has been a success. Still some twinges across the base of my right palm which should subside in a month or two. Only one problem - as we haven't gigged since early november I ended up with blisters on a couple of my plucking fingers :-( Never mind - they'll soon harden up again. Happy new year to all Graeme | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 10006 Registered: 5-2002 |
Great to hear that the gig was a success on all accounts! |
