Day 23
Leadmill, Sheffield
Hello Engerland. We're back. Did you miss us? At last, a regular supply of decent teabags - none of your Lipton's Yellow Label evilness. We have two new characters to add to our narrative today, Dom the "Lighting Designer". He will be spending much of the next few weeks up a ladder. And Kerry Frampton, the "Bass Player" who is also, I'm sorry to have to say, "My Girlfriend". But don't worry, I'm not the type who has to go on about it all the time, about how my heart has opened up like a flower and so on. She's just the lady bassman on the tour. That's all there is to it.
Some of you will now be concerned, going "how have they done without a bass player until now? Those poor Europeans". Don't worry your pretty head. Hitherto, you see, the bass parts have been performed by Dan's left hand a-playing a synth bass similar to that which appears on the aqualung album. Kerry is coming to add her own unique bass and double bass talents and also to sing even higher than me, thereby giving us a sonic palette wide enough to perform the album in a full, nourishing, satisfying way. You should come along and check it out. It's also worth checking out what Dan is doing with his left hand now that it is redundant.
True to form, as with the Playhouse, the December tour and the Scala, I have developed a giant spot on the end of my nose... scarlet... bulging... tender, draws the eye etc etc. I won't go into it - I'd hate to bore you with graphic details of my ailments.
We've left the protected seclusion of the big venue and the beautiful PA and we're on our own in gigland, a place which is more accustomed to sweat and volume than our intricate, quiet stuff. But it is great to be playing to people who have paid money and come out for no other reason than to see you. They are intricate and quiet people. You should come along and check them out.
Afterwards they have a club night playing hits from the early nineties to people who were children then. Goddamn I'm old.
Outside the gig there is a man selling BOOTLEG AQUALUNG T SHIRTS from a blanket on the street, with the tour dates on the back. How excellent is that?
