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29/5/01 - Reading University (with Anti Product / Jor / Sharabang)

Band: Fruity, Ben, Jason and Dave
Crew: Chris Bell, Marc
Groupie: Van

It's Ben's turn to drive today, he borrowed Crissi's bike and we cycled over to Peckham to pick up the van from JFK Hire. We topped-up the petrol drove back to my gaff we're the rest of the band and crew were already waiting.

An uneventful and rather pleasant drive to Reading followed, with a short stop for cans of pop and packets of crisps.

When we arrived at the University we were met by Howard and his mates from Sharabang who were not only playing at the gig but were also responsible for putting the whole thing on. We watched Anti Product soundcheck their proto-crusty-techno-pop thang and very nice it sounded too. I'd already downloaded some of their stuff so I actually knew some of the stuff they were playing.

Then it was our turn to take about 5 seconds to soundcheck, before being whisked to our dressing room and introduced to our rider, a very tempting looking 24 Budvars (my fave beer). Spirits were high, I had an idea that we were in for a pretty drunken night.

Marc our merch man for today set up his wares in a strategically advantageous place. Not only could he see the bands easily but all of the beautiful young ladies had to pass his stall on the way to the bar and he could use this as an opportunity to test out his latest chat-up lines (oh, and to sell CDs and T-shirts too). The doors were now open and Sharabang had taken to the stage with some bloody good songs and sparkling musicianship. I have heard quite a lot of the stuff before as singer Howard has sent me copies of their singles and demos. It's top stuff.

I was a bad Fruity and missed Jor, but Jason saw them and said they were also dead good. As the time drew near when we would take the stage ourselves the wicked alcohol had done it's work and we were more than a little tipsy. What followed was what I would consider a classic abdou set. Yes, I forgot half of the words, made some very bad jokes, insisted on calling everyone 'top sausage geezers'.

Somewhere in there though we played some blinding tunes. I had been told that the Uni audience could be a little stand-offish but we seemed to go down very well and it wasn't just our mates that we clapping, at least I don't think so. To be honest, I only have a hazy memory of the gig and have had to rely on others for the details.

I do remember after the gig that Dave (Abdou guitar) decided that he didn't like the furniture in the dressing room. He decided that it needed to be outside and through everything through the window. Dave continued his rock n rollness in the van on the journey home insisting on bashing the side of the van with a guitar stand. On arriving home Ben and I got the bikes out shoved 'em in the back of the van, drove back to Peckham, then cycled a wobbly 2.5 miles back to Chateau Fruity.

Well I certainly had a great time. Cheers to everyone that put on the gig, cheers to band and crew...You are all top sausage geezers

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