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SATURDAYSUNDAY play list |
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Last gig. Bar Academy, Birmingham: 4th February 2005 Set list: Vegas Aurora Four Walls Higher Than Heaven Harmonica Song The Glory Frequency (Better off Dead) Our first appearance at the Rise club night at the Bar Academy on a Friday night. Under blistering spotlights we made the decision to unveil two new songs, and expand the set to seven numbers. It seems all of us had an axe to grind regarding the sound mix onstage, and perhaps this undermined our confidence a little. Still, the new songs went down quite well, despite none of the band feeling particularly motivated, which is a hazard of playing on a Friday night. NB: David Smith and I also had the dubious honour of getting stuck behind Megadeth's tourbus as we tried to leave the Academy complex, which was kind of interesting. The Jug of Ale, Moseley, Birmingham: 7th January 2005 Set list: Vegas Aurora Zihuatanejo Harmonica Song Higher Than Heaven Four Walls The Glory Our first gig of the new year saw us in the Jug of Ale again. We played a familiar set, and decided it had become a little stale. Not a great deal to report from this one I have to say, a gig only really notable for our fellow band Montana's car being damaged afterwards, and we think some of their equipment may have been stolen, which isn't a nice thing to happen to any band. The Jug of Ale, Moseley, Birmingham: 10th December 2004 Set list: Vegas Aurora Zihuatanejo Harmonica Song Higher Than Heaven Four Walls The Glory Hot on the heels of our successful Lincoln gig, we went into out latest Jug of Ale appearance with our collective confidence high. A last minute set list alteration saw Harmonica Song and Aurora change places, in an attempt to keep up the momentum generated by the opening song. Later, while Woodall was attending to a broken string, Smithy and I entertained the crowd with an impromptu version of Higher Than Heaven, which seems to be going through a mini revival recently. The Quayside, Lincoln, 5th of December 2004 Set List: Vegas Harmonica Song Let It Go Zihuatanejo Cannonball (Acoustic) Higher Than Heaven (Acoustic) Aurora Four Walls The Glory The Lincoln gig had been in the pipeline for a while, but up until the weekend in question, we still weren't sure we were going to be able to make it, due to the logistics involved. But after some creative practise booking and a two-hour magical mystery tour, we made it to the Quayside pub in Lincoln. A few of our friends from uni were there, so it turned out to be a mini reunion. Playing in front of our largest crowd to date and being a little underpractised (aren't we always) meant that we all were incredibly nervous when we took to the stage. This wasn't alleviated by the fact Vegas has become the set opener. It's a fantastic song to start with, but at the same time, it's probably our hardest song to play. But we sailed through it, and the crowd seemed to react very positively. We had a forty-five minute set instead of our usual half an hour, so to overcome a surfeit of material, we dusted off Let it Go, and inserted an acoustic section where Paul and I played Cannonball by Damien Rice and our own Higher Than Heaven which saw the light of day for the first time in 18 months. Then it was back to the full band, and we completed the set with three of our more upbeat songs, including the newly fine-tuned Aurora, and came off stage tired, but invigorated, not to be put off by the two hour drive back to Birmingham. We may have been left a little out of pocket, but it was certainly a good experience, and one that we may have to repeat to achieve fame and fortune. Carling Bar Academy, Birmingham, 9th of September 2004 Set List: Vegas Harmonica Song Zihuatanejo Aurora Four Walls The Glory Maybe it was because we were frustrated at playing the same set over and over again at practise and in gigs, but out decision to try and rush two new songs was perhaps ill-advised, and we seemed to struggle a bit, especially during the unfamiliar Aurora. It all started so well, with us getting through the kitchen sink song that is David Smith's Vegas with pride intact. Anyway, we'll soon be in the studio, so we can put this disappointing gig behind us. The Jug of Ale, Moseley, Birmingham, 13th August 2004 Set List: The Healing What's The Point Anyway? Zihuatanejo Let It Go Four Walls The Glory
We had a bit of joke planned, where we would say at the end of the gig, "thank you, we'll be at the V festival next week...not playing, but we will be there." It turned out to not be that funny. The first gig in a while where some people I knew turned up, rather than just the Birmingham contingent's friends and family. Which was nice. This gig just revealed to us that we've grown sick of playing the same set every time. So we've decided to change it. Some of us pertook of a drink afterwards as well.
Carling Bar Academy, Birmingham, 22nd of July 2004 Set List: The Healing What's The Point Anyway? Zihuatanejo Let It Go Four Walls The Glory We were back at Birmingham's quite prestigious venue (Three Colours Red played there a couple of days before us...I've got their first album you know...) but our slightly slapdash methods were to raise their ugly heads again. Due to the drummer being on holiday and the bassist working nights, we hadn't actually managed to practise in about three weeks before hand. I don't think this came across, in fact I think it was our best gig so far...just a shame there was hardly anyone there, problems with getting the word about proving to be fateful. I also forgot to take a memory card for the camera, so I couldn't take a picture of our name on the marquee out front. Not quite in lights, but we're getting there.
The Jug of Ale, Moseley, Birmingham, 25th June 2004 Set List: The Healing What's The Point Anyway? Zihuatanejo Let It Go Four Walls The Glory Our latest gig in Brum saw us supporting up and coming band Minuteman. It was also the night of the Czech Republic vs Holland, and I managed to miss every single goal. It was a decent enough gig, though none of us had any time to hang around afterwards to reflect on it. The Varsity, Wolverhampton, 5th June 2004 Set List: The Healing What's The Point Anyway? Zihuatanejo Let It Go Four Walls The Glory By this stage we'd reached the quarter finals of the Varsity's battle of the bands. That's not a bad showing considering the first round was also our first gig together. Our gigs in Wolverhampton seem to have been cursed, from our very first appearence in the union when Smithy kicked my pint over my harmonica and my classmates turned up after our set, to the singer accidentally locking the bassist's keys inside his car. We had an anxious wait before the nice man from the RAC came to get them out. And we tried our best, but the semi-finals were just beyond us, maybe the fault of us not having any new songs (due to us not having any time to practise one because we'd been gigging so much). Anyway, nothing ventured, nothing gained... Carling Bar Academy, Birmingham, 27th of May 2004 Set List: The Healing What's The Point Anyway? Zihuatanejo Let It Go Four Walls The Glory Almost a year to the day we played the University of Wolverhampton Studen's Union as a three piece with no bassist or drummer, we played our highest profile gig to date, at a venue that is part of the Carling Academy complex in Birmingham. Admittedly, it is the smallest, but it has a certain charm, being upstairs with a plate glass window that looks down on Priory Square below. Continuing a recent trend, we were on first, and we played our now traditional set-list. However, reaction from the band members afterwards was mixed. Smithy and I were unhappy with the sound on stage, whereas The Dave and Woodall thought it was probably our best gig so far. But in any case, it was an important piece of groundwork, so we look forward to the next Varsity gig optimistically. The Jug of Ale, Moseley, Birmingham, 7th May 2004 Set List: The Healing What's The Point Anyway? Zihuatanejo Let It Go Four Walls The Glory As four of the band's five members are from Birmingham, our first gig in the second city had added significance. Friends and family were there, many of whom play in their own bands, and Smithy seemed keen to put on a good show. We were faced with an early problem when we discovered the drum kit had only one Tom. Dave looked non-plussed. "I'll have to improvise, and try and use the ride cymbal as a Tom. It'll sound strange." If he was making adjustments as he played, it wasn't obvious. We grow more comfortable as a unit with each passing gig, and The Healing sounded particularly powerful. All together it was a more than satisfactory debut, and hopefully we'll be asked back. The Varsity, Wolverhampton, 17th March 2004 Set List: The Healing What's The Point Anyway? Zihuatanejo Let It Go Four Walls The Glory We went into the secound round of the Varisty's battle of the bands feeling a little bit more confident than we had in the first round. This was mainly due to one thing; we had replaced the sedate, gentle Sea Change (diagnosis: it needs a string section) with Smithy's new creation, the relentless, driving Four Walls, and with a more robust set-list came added optimism. The gig itself went without a hitch, and we were duly voted through to the next round, with the date yet to be confirmed. The Varsity, Wolverhampton, 31st January 2004. Set List:
The Healing What's The Point Anyway? Let It Go Zihuatanejo Sea Change The Glory It was a long time coming, but the thirty-first of January 2004 saw the re-emergence of SaturdaySunday after a summer of hibernation and a winter of playing to a brick wall. The battle of the bands in the Varsity had been mentioned in September last year, but we felt it was a bit too soon for us. Fortunately, we were able to enter in January, as the competition is still ongoing. After four practises in the last fortnight, we felt quietly confident about our live debut as a five piece. This mood didn't last long, as Dave Craythorne didn't make it to the venue until eight, meaning the band had to soundcheck sans drummer. Certain members were making their anxiety plain to see. At ten to ten, we went on stage, Dave taking his usual care and attention whilst setting up his drums, oblivious to Woodall fretting nervously. There were only a few noticeable mistakes during the set, made mainly by the glaringly incompetent rhythm guitarist. Smithy as usual couldn't remember the name of 'What's The Point Anyway', and dedicated Sea Change to Weston-Super-Mare. Our healthy travelling support saw us through to the next round (and probably sank a good deal of money into the pub), though they were a bit confused by how the progression of bands to the next round takes place. We haven't got another gig organised yet, but there should be one soon. University of Wolverhampton Student's Union, 29th May 2003. Set List:
Let It Go Get Ready Higher Than Heaven What's The Point Anyway? The Healing Higher Than Heaven (encore)
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