Smile (in Both a Comedic and a Beach Boy Sense).


Today’s show, while only having four people in the audience, was easily the most enthusiastic reaction of the whole run; so much so, I jokingly asked them if they'd popped some form of medication.

From the beginning, they were in hysterics, and didn’t stop giggling throughout. It was lovely, if a little concerning, as when a reaction’s that good, you don’t want to get in the way of it, or do something wrong the mess things up.

It goes to show you needn't be busy for things to work; you only need a handful of people who are on board with it, which was as it was today. I’ve actually been pretty fortunate throughout, with rather typically the most stilted reaction so far being the day The List reviewed it (which so far is the only write-up I’ve got) and that was most likely due to me being thrown slightly by the technical issues that delayed our start that day.

Things were going so well today it didn’t even matter when my guitar cut out towards the middle of the show, which I suspect was due to the battery going in my tuning pedal. Thankfully it occurred to me to bypass the pedal and plug straight into the DI for most of the second half, so normal service was quickly resumed, though to be fair my voice is on the verge of getting a little tired too; my day off on Monday will come not a moment too soon.

This afternoon my wife and I made our traditional pilgrimage to see Phil Kay, who was quick to say he was pretty tired himself too, though as ever, there were still moments of white-hot inspiration of the sort he's the only one capable of; he has such a beautiful mind and I’m always happy to be in his company; hopefully we’ll entice him back to Hitchin Mostly in the autumn, as it’s been almost exactly a year


We had intended to go and see a friend’s show after Phil’s but changed our plans as I was feeling dizzy and exhausted and needed a bit of a break; this is all part and parcel with feeling a little overworked by the whole thing; again, another reason to be glad for my day off on Monday, along with the second luxury of another Monday off the week after that; I’m so glad I put that extra one in. What will make the latter day off even better is today I booked to see Brian Wilson, who’s gigging in Edinburgh on Sunday week, as a little treat; it will be the second time I’ve seen him, having watched him premiere the infamously aborted album Smile at Royal Festival Hall many moons ago. This time he’s playing Pet Sounds, which should be another treat and a bit of a warm up for the other gig watching another bass playing Sixties titan Paul McCartney in December. Macca’s got a new album out early next month, which is perfectly timed a post-Edinburgh treat; September draws ever-closer, which is good (not that I’m wishing the way the rest of my Edinburgh run).

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