CAN I HAVE A GO ON YOUR WRECKING BALL, MATE?
In contrast to the Northampton Roadmender going under with barely a whimper, people are begining to cause a fuss about Derby Cityscape planning to knock The Victoria Inn down and turn it into shiny new offices.
Compare and contrast.
The Roadmender was a purpose built venue with a main hall for established acts and a smaller room for those considered 'up-and-coming', or indeed just 'crap'. Amply-sized stages, impressive lighting, state-of-the-art PA system.
The Roadmender had (and admittedly, this is fairly unique for any venue of it's type) BEAUTIFUL dressing rooms, the venue staff were courteous, and your rider (observed to the letter) was always sat waiting for you upon your arrival there. Also, if my memory doesn't deceive me - they used to lay on sandwiches for when you turned up. A small touch, but one that was welcome after a 400-mile-or-so uncomfortable van journey from Aberdeen. They even had showers. That worked.
The Roadmender was an essential stop-off point on any UK tour that had a brain in it's agent. The promotional staff managed to combine this with giving as much of a chance as possible to homegrown talent and, as far as I'm aware, there weren't any city-wide squabbles as to who had wronged who and in what fashion that were allowed to get seriously out-of-hand, alienating a considerable percentage of the localities grass-roots gig-going music enthusiasts.
The Roadmender had had a lick of paint within the last 25 years.
The Victoria Inn has a particularly charming German Shepherd dog.
All things must pass.
Compare and contrast.
The Roadmender was a purpose built venue with a main hall for established acts and a smaller room for those considered 'up-and-coming', or indeed just 'crap'. Amply-sized stages, impressive lighting, state-of-the-art PA system.
The Roadmender had (and admittedly, this is fairly unique for any venue of it's type) BEAUTIFUL dressing rooms, the venue staff were courteous, and your rider (observed to the letter) was always sat waiting for you upon your arrival there. Also, if my memory doesn't deceive me - they used to lay on sandwiches for when you turned up. A small touch, but one that was welcome after a 400-mile-or-so uncomfortable van journey from Aberdeen. They even had showers. That worked.
The Roadmender was an essential stop-off point on any UK tour that had a brain in it's agent. The promotional staff managed to combine this with giving as much of a chance as possible to homegrown talent and, as far as I'm aware, there weren't any city-wide squabbles as to who had wronged who and in what fashion that were allowed to get seriously out-of-hand, alienating a considerable percentage of the localities grass-roots gig-going music enthusiasts.
The Roadmender had had a lick of paint within the last 25 years.
The Victoria Inn has a particularly charming German Shepherd dog.
All things must pass.
2 Comments:
It's amazing that I have to correct the uncorrectable.
The Victoria Inn does not have a German Shepherd dog at all. It belongs to Kev, who does not belong to The Victoria Inn.
If the Roadmender goes without so much of a whimper then so be it. Your addled point regarding thier facilties compared to your own cities (which you fucking played at) only proper venue astounds me. The proof is in the pudding that RM has dissapeared without a whim. Where as the Vic has caused a hurricane.
Your blog only makes a smaller ripple in an unfortunatly massive pond, of which you have drowned from.
A long time ago.
Merry Xmas.
:)
i'd like to have a go at correcting the unintelligible...
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