Ah February: Valentine’s day, Ash Wednesday, Shrove Tuesday, all the highlights of the calendar packed into one of nature’s showiest months…. No? Not going for that? Well you’re no fools. Bruise, however, made a concerted effort to brighten up this dark, flu ridden, month with shows all over the place, only a couple of which were cancelled due to snow! Sorry Kent, sorry Skeggy. We were game but we took advice from venues and promoters and these pleasures have been postponed until later dates.
So, unbowed by a flake or two of slush, The Duke in Deptford is a little legend in South East London. Back in the day, greats such as Squeeze, Jools, Dire Straits and you-bloomin-name-it electrified audiences on a weekly basis and now it hosts Ron’s Speak Easy on a Sunday night. We’ve played there a few times now and we do love it. Ron and Rankin create a top atmosphere and the audiences are a stylish, lively bunch. We played some tracks from ‘Little Victories’ that have never been aired live before and even stuck our necks out on a brand new, as yet un-recorded track. It went…er…well, we think. You shoulda been there. I swore like a pit-worker and can only blame the smallest of malfunctions with my guitar. Pretty much every one laughed at my petulance, and another top night was had.
Then, for us, a trip West and South West. When we arrived at the Cwmaman Institute it was sadly on the brink of closure and it may in fact actually be closed by now. Bruise feels privileged to be one of their final bookings and we’re hoping it rises, Wickham style, from the ashes of it’s former self (etc) cos it’s a great place to play. The hardy locals who supported the place to the end know us by now so there were requests and encores and everything that lets a band know they are valued or FABULOUS, as they put it. On to The Globe at Hay, a proper arty art centre where there wasn’t an empty seat in the house. My amp was having a sick day but I dug deep and performed without the full range of tones and we pulled it off . Thank you to the dancers, thank you to those who came from as far afield as Sussex to see us, and for all the support under difficult circumstances. Next to The Britannia, Crickhowell, a favorite of ours and this gig was a real stormer. We had done a temporary fix on my amp so it was back on form; chiming, singing, ringing and roaring (as required) and we were sublime (Oh yes). Heading for Bristol, we stopped off at Maplins for parts and Severn View Travelodge for soldering then “ho” for The Horseshoe, Downend for the final gig of the trip, yeah? It was an odd one for us. We only got to play Excuse Me once (usually it’s three times at least).
Thanks on this trip to Huw and Marion in Cwmaman and Ashley and Pedro at The Dragon, Crickhowell, for accommodating us in such fine style. Back home now and gearing up for the treats that March has in store. Gig details are available at www.bruiseuk.com. Come ON!
Photo curtesy of Gary Davies www.dpiction.co.uk
