Blog: The Validators Return

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I headed off to York last Thursday for some ROCK ACTION. The plan was to meet Mrs C Gibb, go and do a Radio Thing, check-in to my hotel, then return to collect Mr F A Machine from the station before doing a Validators gig. Unfortunately the Radio Thing didn't happen, so instead I ended up sitting yakking in the pub with Claire for about 3 hours, before Frankie turned up and we had MORE BEER. I thus arrived at The Ibis a bit PIDDLY, very much aware of the main problem with afternoon drinking: you are drunk in the afternoon.

We unloaded and headed into town, where we found Mr T and Mrs E Pattison with Mr S Gibb outside the venue. We went in to discover A Very Very Very Grumpy Soundman, who seemed appalled that a soundcheck due to start at 7pm had not yet commenced at 7.01pm. He was also digusted by the fact we didn't know when the amps were arriving... despite the fact that he'd watch them being delivered by one of the other bands, shortly before we arrived. Still, we did a quick soundcheck then went to LOUNGE AROUND in the backstage area, where i GLUGGED a couple of pints of Diet Coke in an attempt to mitigate some of the previously mentioned effects of afternoon drinking.

Mr T "The Tiger" McClure had been delayed due to TRAFFIC, but he turned up a few minutes later and we went off for CHIPPY CHIPS. It was during this adventure that I had my usual thought of "why oh why can't we just get together for an adventure together then NOT have to do a gig at the end of it?" I'm beginning to think that this may actually be a manifestation of my NERVES for throughout the evening I kept thinking "I don't want to DO a gig." There were many many familiar faces there, from far and wide - not least Ms E Pemberton who was celebrating her 50th gig seeing us/me! - and it was all DELIGHTFUL but for some reason I wasn't happy about going on and doing a gig.

Theme From Dinosaur Planet

I Want To Find Out How It Ends

20 Things To Do Before You're 30

Billy Jones Is Dead

The Peterborough All-Saints Wide Game Team (group B)

Do The Indie Kid

We Did It Anyway

(You Make Me Feel) Soft Rock

Hey Hey 16K

The Lesson Of The Smiths

Easily Impressed

The Gay Train

I had a WHALE of a time, not least because the sound was GRATE - he may have been grumpy, but he knew what he was doing. I knew the sound was good because I could see people LARFING at some of the words, especially during 20 Things To Do Before You're 30 when each line seemed to DELIGHT someone, or in (You Make Me Feel) Soft Rock when I saw Mr N Golding's face LIGHT UP at the mention of the 257 bus. It was ACE - and especially so because we did a TONNE of new stuff, all of which went down really well. Usually at this stage in the New Stuff Cycle I finish the gig DREADING ever doing any new songs again, but this time i LOVED it and want to do MORE. HOORAH!

Gig done we LURKED AROUND for a bit, waiting for Tim and Emma to come back with their car so they could load it up with stuff, notably the NEW CYMBAL CASE Tim had debuted that evening. He'd disposed of the old one in a skip in Manchester, and had taken a picture of the event. It felt rather sad - that cymbals case has been in The Validators as long as there's BEEN The Validators. It felt - CHORTLE - a bit - ROFLCOPTER - "cymbal-ic"! ARF!

I told that joke on the stage and nobody laughed - maybe the sound WASN'T as good as i thought? It's the only explanation.

With the Pattisons dispatched and The Tiger similarly heading off to family, the remainder of us went for a couple of PINTS in a nearby pub before myself, Frankie, and Mr A Hale, staggered back to the Ibis Bar where we enjoyed some CHIPS and some JACK DANIELS before eventually retiring at just after 2am. 2am! We were BACK on the ROAD!!

posted 22/4/2014 by MJ Hibbett

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