OK so the call came I have got the job, so its a little run up to Lincoln showground for the first 1 truck gig and the fore runner to the tour of Europe.
Its Mid Summer Magic ? only problem with that is its May... not my idea of mid summer and the weather agreed with me,it was blowing a hoolie (very windy)
I thought that the stage may well get blown away,Lance Miles Drum Tech supremo told me how he had seen one of these stages take of in Majorca some years ago !! This did not fill me with confidence but no one else seemed all that worried and every one just went about there business even though it was like working in a wind tunnel.
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| Mr A Tomkins (Working in wind tunnel) |
Half way through the day whilst mooching about on stage trying to just lend a hand as and where I could, Andy Tomkins Keyboard & Bass Tech Extraordinaire is struggling with two guitars I offer to give him a hand,to which he agrees so its off to the dressing rooms we go, on entry there is Francis Rossi Strumming his Fender Telecaster Andrew Bown is also there Francis looks up from his guitar " Oh your back then " " Yep your stuck with me now" i reply, then Francis shouts to Andrew "Points" "Dan King" Andrew walks over, looks me up and down and reply's
" Yes I will give you that one " Francis noticing my confused expression explains, that to help pass the time on the road they award points to each other, if they see someone who looks like someone else and are then in agreement, the person who made the observation in the first instance receives 10 points, so apparently I in some ways resemble a comedian from the sixty's called Dan King. Me personally I am so amazed that not only, am I in the presents of bloody Legends, but they are talking to me !! Me the truck driver,but that is the thing with these Legends of Rock they are so..so.. normal so nice, chatty, Witty, funny and normal, I still pinch myself if I happen to wonder out of a door and Rick or Francis or Matt,Rhino,Andrew any one of these Legends are coming the other way and its "Hello Russ " as normal as you like, I still find it amazing.
But I digress back to the show the wind drops and the rain starts not really bad only a shower and the night and show slide by in a Haze of cheering fans and great music, sound and lights,then its all hands to the deck as the load out process begins.
Its during load out that a fan looking like a drunken extra out of Pirates of the Caribbean managed to get back stage, Glen Smith Tour Manager and Staus Quo's Right Hand Man asks the swashbuckler if he could help him and was he lost. "Oh no Francis Rossi asked me to meet him here" oh is that right said Glen " Yes said Pirate lookalike I am his brother in law" Oh really said Glen well he must have forgot as the band bus left about half an hour ago "Oh your kidding have you got his phone number so I can give him a call" Glen looks on in obvious bewilderment amazement and smiles,with this Pirate Pete said your not gonna give me his phone number are you... (No Shit Sherlock) Glen smiles sweetly and reply NO and I think you should get the right side of the stage before security catch you,with that our extra from the Pirates of the Caribbean disappeared in to the night.
Glen looked at me I looked a Glen and we both had a good old chuckle but like Glen said Francis Rossi's brother in law that's a first.
the rest of load out went with out incident and we are off to the next gig and that means Sweden Denmark The Nederland & Switzerland.
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