Tim talking Stevie down from the edge…
P is for Plymouth
So blondie and ginger scrape themselves together on Remembrance sunday and try and make their way back to the centre of Manchester. Thanks to the two lovely Bangor ladies Claire and Kelly for being so accomodating.
After a rescue remedy in the form of a foot long sub, the boys pick us up and we’re off heading for the toe end of England – Plymouth.
After what feels like forever (I think I have a much needed sleep – dreams on this trip have been SO messed up and a heart to heart with my brother from another mother, young ricolias pyschopath) we pull into the sleepy town of Plymouth at dusk. Bizarrely for being the start of winter time in UK, i actually feel like im on my summer holidays. The neon lights crossed with the setting sun makes me imagine for a fleeting moment that im in miami vice. Maybe its time i made myself over like Don Johnson. i reckon some sort of extreme-ish makeover is required if i am indeed going to ever return home after tour: more piercings??? that tattoo that franko has been pushing me for forever or maybe a new wardrobe or removal of all this hairy business????
SO the venue tonight is The Hippo and the promoter Pete is extremely accomadating. I actually think he thinks I am Andrew our tour manager and perhaps that is why he gives me more time than most promoters would, because after all, I am in fact the Panama Kings’ chaos manager!
Soundcheck tonight is a little rushed and there are some frantic last minute technical gremlins but by stage time, evrything is good to go. I personally think tonight’s crowd is the warmest we have had yet. The front couple of rows love it from the get go and the rest of the room soon follows suit. We later learn that the spark that sets the front row off is our now official most schools fans (of both ash and the PKs) the lovely Charlotte and Johnny, who have traveled from Waybridge in Cornwall for tonight’s show. They hang around after with us and enjoy some bottle cap flicking challenge between messieurs Wheeler and Kennedy, as well as oranges and wine bottle cricket and stone-kicking. The last of these A-Z Olympics earns Ash cameraman Josh the chardonnay award.
However in a vain attempt to win in back late on and with his new best friends departed, Captain Queer attempts to scale the Ash tour bus in his underpants. Once on the trailer it appears he is about to try and hurdle to the top of the tourbus itself. Luckily once again Mr Wheeler is on hand to save his beans. He is on top of the trailer in a flash and convinces the hairy monster to come down off the ledge. Not only an Ivor Novella award winning songwriter and a rock legend but also a superhero to overindulgent, beligerent hallions as well. Tonight’s 20 Questions for Ash found out the real truth behind the Numbskull video, but that is too Explicit for even this blog. Unfortunately we can’t seem to stop our mums reading this pish.
The boys head off to stay with our good buddy Richie Madden and me and the ‘tache stay on the bus. He stays on it all the way to Watford but I am ejected at 6am to the streets of Plymouth with a bag of stolen star wars toys and a graffitied Swastika on my head! After being propostioned by a female tramp who thinks I am one of her own kind, i finally manage to get a taxi thanks to the ever reliable Timmy Anderson who (not only can guide you around any city of the world better than any sat nav but also) sends an immediate text with Richie’s number and once Mr Madden answers his phone I am sleepy on his floor in a matter of minutes.
Plymouth… good company, good craic and only lost shirt this time..
XXX
ST
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