The Sunday 2nd December gig...

Well, here we are again... Safe and sound after doing my bit for culture.
Seeing it was The Astronauts 30th Anniversary gig, Mr Astronaut packed the gig with the usual suspects from the past and the now, starting with just Rico from the Astronauts... just as a little taster of what was coming, and then it was the turn of Mark's current outfit...
The Otters opened up their bit of the proceedings in their usual Psychedelic Punk Folk Rock way and proceeded to get a little momentum going for three numbers. This band is so good and so different that they deserve to succeed big time, but will they get an opportunity ?
Your guess is as good as mine. Suffice it to say that Dennis is a phenominal drummer for his age, and Dom' plays a nifty lead guitar. Joe, the bass player on the other hand, keeps thinking about leaving the band. It would be a shame if he decided to do so but I'm sure Mark will carry on with them. They're too damn good to waste.
The Otters were followed by Steve Lake who used to be in Zoundz alongside Joseph Porta (now currently propping up the drumming chair in Blyth Power). Steve played acoustic guitar and his quirkily humorous cynicism hopefully won him a few more converts. He was followed by a solo set from Alan Clayson of Clayson and the Argonauts fame. Alan decided that since he was playing solo he'd play a load of old 1960's cover versions including Johnny Remember Me... Personally I think he'd have been better off doing his own stuff but then what do I know ?
Jon and Jo from Lika Sharpe followed Alan but without their bass player as his Mum had just passed away and he was therefore unavailable but even without they managed to keep people's interest. I like this lot. That having been said I've known Jon on and off since Chron Gen days and his stuff is always worth a looksee. Shame that Jo was going down with a cold and was losing her voice but she coped until the end when she managed to turn into Kermit's sister and just croak a soft 'thanks' to the audience.
Then it was yours truly's turn...
Last week when Mark had originally mentioned that he'd like me to introduce The Astronauts with one of my poems I couldn't really see the sense in it. Oh yeah, I was up for doing it but I didn't really know how I'd fit in ?
Leave it to Mark Astronaut to see the whole thing in his frame of vision.
The poem he wanted was 'Flashback, Big Business & Fastbuck' which is about as autobiographical as I have ever got and which actually talks about a time which predates The Astronauts by about five years which leaves it safely mired in the 'Hippie' ethic of which I am a dinosaur or relic whichever you will.
Doesn't matter though, it worked perfectly as an intro' and when Rico hit those first few chords over the ending I could see what Mark meant...
and The Astronauts were superb.
My mate Grant Meaby who took all the shots of me while I was up on stage, reckoned that on a good day The Astronauts could take on anyone in the world musically and show them how it's done...
Not a lot I can say about that apart from agreeing with him because this was definitely a good day.
Great gig, and a worthy 30th Anniversary for Welwyn Garden City's finest.
There are a few pictures on the blog and the rest are stuck away in the Chris Ripple myspace pics.