The 'Boss Hogg Band' play the Wetmore Whistle.
Well , this is it then , the Wetmore Whistle , what a venue to round off the second half of the 2008 UK tour ! The sacred Whistle , just been voted best music venue in the world , beating the likes of Madisin Square-Red Rocks Colorado-Continental club , Austin , Texas - FESTHALLE Germany , say no more , what a great finale !!!!!!!! But , no , the weeks run-up was like a soap , Matt and Si both had man flu , both in bed (together its rumoured) , Lucazade , grapes , weetabix , it must have been just like when I was ill when I was 5 !!! To be fair to Si I didn't know he was ill but Matt was defo attention seeking , he was on the front page of the bloody Ambergate news !!!! Still , Thursday dinner , outside the Belper newsagents , big plackard , Matts going make it for Saturday !!!!! Thank god for that , it was me who was going to have to tell Pete !! So to the night , shoe horns at the ready to get the kit on the stage , wait a minute , has the world run dry off Gaffer tape ??? Wheres the Gaffer tape Ian ? You used to Gaffer everything to the floor , I once stood still within 4 feet of the stage at the Oak an Ian gaffered my feet to the floor , infact , put your drink down for more than a minute and its gaffered down !! Has Ian used the worlds supply of gaffer , is this going to be like the oil crisis ??? The Gaffer crisis !!! Infact this review is delayed as I've just been over to Hollywood to see Jim Carey's people to see if Jim would allow Ian to take his place in next years release of 'The Gaffer man'.Please Ian , lets have the Gaffer tape back , I've missed it !! So to the stage set-up. Now , new for 2009 is a procedure to be used when no sound comes through the PA from the drums , there are 2 checks on the procedure 1.Is Charl hitting them with her sticks ? 2.Are they mutted ? Should cover it !! Infact Dr Drums kit is sounding ace ! Pretty quick set-up really so out with Kims butties (sound wrong somehow) ?!?!? I've done pretty well recently , I now get to mop up the leftovers , and anyone who knows me properly will realise that that ain't a problem !!! Its still early and I'm taking it easy on the Veltins , Charl isn't and Matts being an animal on the Peddy (now't changed there then).After supper the legendry Pete Youngerman arrives , straight onto harmonica talk , mmmm , walking by myself , obvious choice , what key ??? E but flattened , non of Pete's 327 harmonicas in his box will do that , dissapointing !! Next time please . The crowd has built , the Hogg are on , sounding good ! Infact , Matt , try the bad throat again , it works !!! Steve is singing but unable to jig much due to the tight stage , Dave had to do a forward roll under his keyboard to take position , now he lives in 2 feet by 2 feet till the interval. Charl had to be lowered into position behind the drums but all is well , its up and running , cosy , its the Whistle !!! Bit of a blow that the big note didn't happen too well (even with the purple thing on top of the Marshall) , maybe 'still got the blues' in 2009 to take the pressure off (sorry folks , I'm off again). The interval comes so quick , another forward roll from Dave , limbo from Charl and they are off !! Petes seems happy , Ben seems happy , I'm happy , I'm on the Veltins , Trudys on the Veltins , Charls on too much Veltins !!! Second half see's the crowd peaking , this is what the whistle is all about , great bands , great crowds , what , Matts singing the Combine harvester song , Steves gonna kill him I think !!! Anyway , Steve didn't kill him and there was loads of encores and Si crowd surf'd ! I had a dream that night , it started at the first encore , Matt pointed me out and told the crowd 'this ones for Rog' , and that little cute guitar riff from Framptons 'do you feel like we do' started up followed by the key boards , just like peeling and onion , so many layers , Dave Harden on the keyboards , Dave Harden , Si with the voice box , and the crowd knew it , and they loved it , infact they were all suggesting it should be Boss Hoggs signiture , then I woke up , bottom lip drooping , oh well , nice dream......
So , highlights of 2008........Me bullying Charl into the audition - Charls audition and me at the Perelli not being able to concentrate on the Brewers biggest ever game - tentative first gig at the Wheel , Charl brickin' - Crich old folks home - being taken up to Brians seedy office at the Oak and being offered double money and more gigs (felt like I was a dodgy promoter , great) - Comfort breat at the Red house and after a **** up Matt announcing to the audience 'that was crap'- being voted better than Bryan Adams in the NME - 400 people on the dance floor at Rolleston - Hen parties and the old guy at Barton . Great year , well done Charl/Dave/Matt/Si/Steve , and to the hangers on , Ian/Kim/Trudy/Luke/me , Merry Christmas and very happy new year to all - Rock on.........