Part 2 of the weekends gig fun, began with the band loading the gear only to be confronted by a rather cross eyedly drunk bloke asking if it was going to be Karaoke later!!!! – Now that is the down side of pub gigs… Karaoke and crossededly drunk blokes…
Undaunted, infact buoyed by the 'lively' atmosphere, nay elated at the sight of 'our Tina' off her sick bed, with a surprise visit from Manchester (just as we like to see her with a bottle of beer in each hand!) The Scratch took their second 24 track gig in two days with more 'wide eyed, gyrating, gusto'… this the third pub name for the same venue that Andy had played in over his 'distinguished, career!'… started a storm and with many a friendly face looking on (thank you as ever to all!) continued in similar vein to the last (Dear Maniac) and even resulted in Andy taking a spontaneous toilet break during the thrashy end section of the song, to much merriment from the assembled throng….
It had been a concern, the old vocal chords for this mammoth set list repeated less than 24 hours apart, but a mixture of adrenalin and exuberance saw the band complete one of the most satisfying weekends in its history with firey vigour… all this topped with CD sales and very well in fact wide-eyed awe of badge giveaways at the end gave a warm Easter glow to the hearts of all concerned.
Thanks again to everyone for all your support. Big Thanks to Neil, John and James.
Cu all at the Mermaid on 10th May?!
xx
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
Pub rock is back!!!!!
Pub Rock is BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dear Scratchers,
Hey Rock’n’Roll! Now that was a great weekend of gigging… if you include the rehearsal that was a 72 song set weekend!!!!!!
Part 1 – The Queen’s Head Box ROCKS!!.
This on the was on the face of it a friendly home banker of a gig down the Baron’s local… in actuality it was one of The Scratch’s finest hours and banished any faded memories of the Turnmills experience… if that was ’the toilet circuit’ this was the warm fire, pickled eggs and full on rock’n’roll circuit.
Dean the landlord had done a great job of setting the PA, the Baron’s drum riser on top of the pool table and a ’flickr’ image montage that flashed up amongst others the fantastic pics of the M.E.N. during the bands performance, what a contrast a year, but with the reaction from the opening track Dial Xero, every bit as enjoyable….
24 tracks as you can imagine did take some real head scratching organisation. Many of the songs either hadn’t been played ever before, or had been ’rested’ for over 4 years, as was the case with the ’spine tinglingly’ triumphant return of Back to 10.
A sign of how well received the band was, was the offer from Dean of a place on the Box Rocks festival on August band holiday a local festival that regularly attracts over a thousand people.
It’s too hard to pick out all the highlights, but the site of a pub full of locals virtually ’nutting’ the bar during the punk thrash of Sweet Surprise was a site to behold… having previously been conscious that there was another full 24 tracks to be played the night after in St.Albans all thoughts of taking it easy were dispelled by the huge and rapturous applause and spontaneous clammer of ’ENCORE’… resulting in a super charged finale of ’classic’ debut single I relax to Spiral Scratch!
What a great night and even better, the majority of it was filmed too by film maker Sir Michael ’Puff’ Greenland who was in town to record footage of the band, for the upcoming video of next single Critical Mass…. There is much bonus footage in the offing too… with the Baron’s ’white flipper’ shoes, looking sure to make a star appearance!
So on behalf of The band, we’d like to say a huge thanks to everyone who stayed, danced and bought CD’s on a night that truly restores the faith in Rock’n’Roll!
See in August for Box Rocks guys!
The Scratch
xxx
Dear Scratchers,
Hey Rock’n’Roll! Now that was a great weekend of gigging… if you include the rehearsal that was a 72 song set weekend!!!!!!
Part 1 – The Queen’s Head Box ROCKS!!.
This on the was on the face of it a friendly home banker of a gig down the Baron’s local… in actuality it was one of The Scratch’s finest hours and banished any faded memories of the Turnmills experience… if that was ’the toilet circuit’ this was the warm fire, pickled eggs and full on rock’n’roll circuit.
Dean the landlord had done a great job of setting the PA, the Baron’s drum riser on top of the pool table and a ’flickr’ image montage that flashed up amongst others the fantastic pics of the M.E.N. during the bands performance, what a contrast a year, but with the reaction from the opening track Dial Xero, every bit as enjoyable….
24 tracks as you can imagine did take some real head scratching organisation. Many of the songs either hadn’t been played ever before, or had been ’rested’ for over 4 years, as was the case with the ’spine tinglingly’ triumphant return of Back to 10.
A sign of how well received the band was, was the offer from Dean of a place on the Box Rocks festival on August band holiday a local festival that regularly attracts over a thousand people.
It’s too hard to pick out all the highlights, but the site of a pub full of locals virtually ’nutting’ the bar during the punk thrash of Sweet Surprise was a site to behold… having previously been conscious that there was another full 24 tracks to be played the night after in St.Albans all thoughts of taking it easy were dispelled by the huge and rapturous applause and spontaneous clammer of ’ENCORE’… resulting in a super charged finale of ’classic’ debut single I relax to Spiral Scratch!
What a great night and even better, the majority of it was filmed too by film maker Sir Michael ’Puff’ Greenland who was in town to record footage of the band, for the upcoming video of next single Critical Mass…. There is much bonus footage in the offing too… with the Baron’s ’white flipper’ shoes, looking sure to make a star appearance!
So on behalf of The band, we’d like to say a huge thanks to everyone who stayed, danced and bought CD’s on a night that truly restores the faith in Rock’n’Roll!
See in August for Box Rocks guys!
The Scratch
xxx
Thursday, March 20, 2008
An eclectic night on the tiles atTurnmills
Eclectic… isn’t the word for the line up tonight… 'Albany' are ‘Jazzy’ Coldplay/Keane style shoegazers, headliners 'Skate City Rockers' are a 4 piece electro outfit 3 girls, one guy a guitar and an ipod and your redoubtable rock'n’roll heroes The Scratch. Who as you have come to realise will not let amp failure, dodgy guts or hawthorne bush accidents!!!!! get in the way of a rockin roll riot! Once again ‘pick of the pops’ is who Ray? muted as a future single, endorsed by the biggest reception of the night, other pick is Critical Mass the actual next single. Many, many thanks to all who came and supported us the new kids on the block and the hardest hardcore in town, our gratitude overfloweth.
What a lovely building Turnmills was housed in, beautiful tiles on the walls… RIP
Next stop two 24 track gigs in two nights… the question is can The Scratch remember 24 whole tracks… see you in Box or St.Albans for the answers!!!!!!
What a lovely building Turnmills was housed in, beautiful tiles on the walls… RIP
Next stop two 24 track gigs in two nights… the question is can The Scratch remember 24 whole tracks… see you in Box or St.Albans for the answers!!!!!!
Monday, March 3, 2008
Dry Bar, Manchester, Thumping good rock'n'Roll!
Dear Scratchers,
The omens had looked 'supercalerfragalisticexpalidociously' great prior to our latest trip to our Northern HQ, following Mr.Boons efforts for us on XFM the night before.
Ok it was raining, but that's nothing new... but the wind! ... anyway I won't go into detail about four blokes and a curry sleeping in one room at our Tina's!...it must be noted, that said Tina, our Angel of the north, has been ill since christmas with an as yet undiagnosed kidney complaint, which had seemed to hamper our promotion for the gig somewhat, so it was a bit of a trip into the unknown, as we unloaded the gear into the Dry Bar.
It would be fair to say, that we have played to bigger crowds in Manchester (last year 30th of March!), but it's hard to remember, excluding that date a more enjoyable one, despite the 8.15 early slot. Girls once again outnumbered the guys, but this time by at least 90%!!!!
By track 3 Dial Xero, we even had Graham the soundman venturing from behind the mixing desk up and groovin' on the dance floor.
The fun grew to a pique during Who Ray? however, when Andy decided to leap the crash barrier in front of the stage... he launched forward with all his weight on one of the two nestled railings, but they came apart as he moved forward and catapulted him, through the air and he landed on the dance floor 'with an audible thud!'... with aplomb however, he leapt to his feet and was up and grooving with the 'kids' for a few bars and back on stage to finish the song.
The set was completed by Dear Maniac, leaving much a whoopin and a hollerin from the dazed on lookers.
Numbers CD's were handed out as promised and very gratefully received. We chatted to a couple of the crowd afterwards, namely the 'brilliantly haired' Arran and the 'beautifully hipped boogie' of Charlotte. thanks for the kind words and really great to meet you. Yes Arran, we'll check your myspace. look forward to hearing the Deities and catching you live at some point and yes Charlotte an album, badges and a t-shirt are yours, we just need an address to post them too.
Finally a massive thanks to Tina's mate the wonderfully named Merrily ( I hope we spelt it right?), you're a star, we owe you the beers when we return (soon we hope!).
And of course last but never least Tina, thanks for putting us up, arranging everything and working so hard even when you're ill! Get well soon lovey. Gigs ain't the same without you in the crowd!
Can't wait to be back, those who missed us, we'll see you next time!
The Scratch
xx
The omens had looked 'supercalerfragalisticexpalidociously' great prior to our latest trip to our Northern HQ, following Mr.Boons efforts for us on XFM the night before.
Ok it was raining, but that's nothing new... but the wind! ... anyway I won't go into detail about four blokes and a curry sleeping in one room at our Tina's!...it must be noted, that said Tina, our Angel of the north, has been ill since christmas with an as yet undiagnosed kidney complaint, which had seemed to hamper our promotion for the gig somewhat, so it was a bit of a trip into the unknown, as we unloaded the gear into the Dry Bar.
It would be fair to say, that we have played to bigger crowds in Manchester (last year 30th of March!), but it's hard to remember, excluding that date a more enjoyable one, despite the 8.15 early slot. Girls once again outnumbered the guys, but this time by at least 90%!!!!
By track 3 Dial Xero, we even had Graham the soundman venturing from behind the mixing desk up and groovin' on the dance floor.
The fun grew to a pique during Who Ray? however, when Andy decided to leap the crash barrier in front of the stage... he launched forward with all his weight on one of the two nestled railings, but they came apart as he moved forward and catapulted him, through the air and he landed on the dance floor 'with an audible thud!'... with aplomb however, he leapt to his feet and was up and grooving with the 'kids' for a few bars and back on stage to finish the song.
The set was completed by Dear Maniac, leaving much a whoopin and a hollerin from the dazed on lookers.
Numbers CD's were handed out as promised and very gratefully received. We chatted to a couple of the crowd afterwards, namely the 'brilliantly haired' Arran and the 'beautifully hipped boogie' of Charlotte. thanks for the kind words and really great to meet you. Yes Arran, we'll check your myspace. look forward to hearing the Deities and catching you live at some point and yes Charlotte an album, badges and a t-shirt are yours, we just need an address to post them too.
Finally a massive thanks to Tina's mate the wonderfully named Merrily ( I hope we spelt it right?), you're a star, we owe you the beers when we return (soon we hope!).
And of course last but never least Tina, thanks for putting us up, arranging everything and working so hard even when you're ill! Get well soon lovey. Gigs ain't the same without you in the crowd!
Can't wait to be back, those who missed us, we'll see you next time!
The Scratch
xx
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