My experience of travelling out and playing gigs has usually been with an originals band...where...lets face it..."we don't do it for the money, it's for the exposure"..yadda yadda yadda...
Anyway, Saturday my crazy 8 piece skiffle / bluegrass band The Lovin' Handful were booked to play in Derbyshire. It's pretty rare we do this, but as this was a wedding and a mate of one of the band members, the offer of free food and drink all day PLUS a B&B and payment... we took it.
So with eyes like a new born mole I jumped in my van and drove to LBs house to await the arrival of Team Bise in his old Ambulance and Dr Bob in his generic family car.
9am set off was the plan. Between loading up, "bants" and trying to figure out how many members were already in Derbyshire we didn't set off until more 9:30am. Though 30 minute difference from planned, this makes a terrible difference for the following reasons.
1. Currently we're in the Summer Holidays. Caravaners are polishing their vans and trying to remember how to drive these things, not kill everyone, follow a sat nav, pronounce place names in Norfolk all while little Jimmy and Suzey argue over the last jellytot.
2. We needed to get a decent bit of road under us but still have enough time for a McDonalds breakfast.
The sensible team aka "Team Bob-Boom" (Bob, Luke & Myself) went in Dr Bobs car. Where the not so sensible team aka "Team Bise" went with Chase in the Ambulance.
Even before Bob turned his key Team Bise had left, like a tracker dog sniffing out a suitable McDonalds.
After a Coffee / McDonalds / Wasp stop at a services it was time to whip our butts and get to Derbyshire.
Not only did we have to get changed before the ceremony at 2pm we also had to learn a song for a sort of vocal flash mob surprise for the bride and groom (more on that later).
Summer Holiday traffic was in full swing, luckily we didn't hit too much slowness. The issues looked as if it was going in to Norwich rather than coming out. Praise the ghost of Neil Diamond we didn't get caught in it (he's not dead?...oh).
Getting excited on the road between the two handful vehicles and shouting phrases out the window at traffic lights at each other (personal favourite was "Team Bise gonna F*** Yo Mamma") we ended up in Derbyshire with full bladders.
It was then a race against the clock. Hitting our B&B just after 1pm, we had an hour to get changed, get to the venue, unload the gear and be ready for the ceremony.
We done it by the skin of our teeth and had time for a cheeky beer/cocktail.
The flash mob singing thing.
So I'm not 100% who planned this out of the wedding party. But the ALL of the wedding guests were in on it, except the bride and groom.
The plan:
- Once the bride and groom were married and started to sign the register, we get up, stand next to a piano and piano player (at the front).
- The song was a song called "Book Of Love".
- We start humming
- We sing first verse
- When the chorus hits the WHOLE wedding party stands and sings
..................did it happen, did it happen so good that one day it'll become viral and I'll be interviewed by someone on a terrible tv show about viral videos..
YES! It went amazing!! The bride and groom both burst into tears. It was an awesome experience and brilliant plan.
If I ever tried to organise something like that with my family and friends, the game would be up straight away!
So the band (minus Horne who was an actual invited person to the wedding) then had FIVE hours to kill.
This is never a good idea when the BEER WAS FREE and we didn't have to drive home. The phrase "STOP DRINKING *name*" was muttered many-a time.
We got some scraps of food and coffee and hit the stage at 8:15pm.
Rocked everyone's socks off.
We then has enough time to eat left over cheese and dance until midnight.
After a very dark walk back to the B&B we said good night and team Bob-Boom (with the addition of Mc Simmo) settled down with a brew and the Matrix.
Ok lets wrap this up.
B&B Shenanigans
Drunk Bob was my favourite.
B&B
You could hear EVERYTHING in the other rooms. We heard the toilet flush under us multiple times.
The shower was so low down you basically had to kneel to wash.
Fried breakfast was ok though.
End.
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