Blog: Jamm

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As I set off for Brixton last night everything felt VERY familiar - I've played at Jamm MANY times (FACT CHECK: it's my equal ELEVENTH most played at venue, according to The Database Of ROCK) but NEVER with The Validators. I was REALLY looking forward to it - i was even getting a bit of THE NERVES, such was my excitement!

There'd been quite a lot of discussion about soundcheck times beforehand. Mr I Watson, Promoter, had wanted them to start about 5.30 but there'd been all sorts of The Usual Issues (i.e. people not being able to get off work in time, not least us) and when I arrived at 6.30pm nobody had even started soundchecking yet.

Happily, this didn't really matter. The venue had lots of kit that everybody was sharing, two of the bands were just duos, and the soundman was GRATE, so when The Validators said they were still at Marble Arch at 6.45pm i completely failed to PANIC in any way. The rolled up at about twenty past seven just as The Tender Trap had started their soundcheck, and what with them being quick and us having MILITARY EFFICIENCY in our ability to LEAP onstage and get ready it was all done well before eight o'clock and sounding ACE.

With that done we went for a small wander in search of food. I generally just cross the road to Planet Kebab so was AMAZED to find that there were actually SEVERAL food places a little way along and even a PUB! I never knew THAT!

We sat down to eat and, just as we'd polished off the last of the chips, The Tomato In My Ketchup arrived and our group was COMPLETE, ready to DIVE IN to the traditional Big Setlist Debate. This was whole HEAPS of fun and there was lots of histrionic shouting at the fact that Tim - TIM - voiced concerns about doing too much new stuff. After much LARKING ABOUT we settled on our PLAN and went inside to watch the first two bands, who were LOVELY, before it was time for a Surprisingly Sober Validators to take the stage and do THIS:

The Gay Train

Best Behaviour

We Are The Giant Robots

Being Happy Doesn't Make You Stupid

My Boss Was In An Indie Band Once

Hey Hey 16K

Do The Indie Kid

The Lesson Of The Smiths

It was GRATE! The sound was EXCELLENT - I could totally hear EVERYTHING and that combined with the lack of BOOZE made it all feel almost TIGHT! ALMOST: I still made a bit of a mess of the second verse of The Gay Train and may have ERRED slightly in the direction of Too Much Chat, but otherwise it was BRILL. I was ESPECIALLY pleased with how GRATE We Are The Giant Robots sounded, especially as it's the first time we've ALL played and sang it all the way through. GOOD TIMES!

Afterwards we got packed away and then The Validators stayed for the first half of Tender Trap (who I don't think i've actually SEEN before - they were FAB, especially the AMAZING harmony singing, that was LOVELY) before having to head home. We stayed to the end, thoroughly enjoying ourselves, and on the way home were accosted by a bloke who, having heard and recognised Hey Hey 16K, wanted to know which one I was, Rob Manuel or Joel Veitch? I was forced to disappoint him.

But that was the ONLY disappointment, for LO! it was a GRATE GIG - excellent sound, a proper crowd, and good times for all. HOORAH for GIGS!

posted 23/10/2009 by MJ Hibbett

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Comments:

That was the best I've ever seen the Validators sound, last night. I could hear everything, and not just the violin!

Well done.
posted 23/10/2009 by Marianthi

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