Green Gable Gig

Manny parks the van in the carpark by the Green Gable pub, and
immediately asks for change. "It's free, Manny," I tell him, "It's
after six in the evening."

"Is it?" Manny looks pretty wild tonight. I think he is losing his
mind.

We get the gear out and Erin goes into the saloon bar for a drink
before going upstairs to where we are playing. We have got there early,
so we can see what the third band that is opening is like. I haven't
heard them before. We are on in the middle, not the best spot, unless
the first band is crap. 20/20 are headlining, and no doubt will make us
look like crap.

It is a hour or so later, the first band have done three songs and
sound like just another poppy band playing simple tunes. They are ok,
but thats it nothing really to say. They do five more songs, encore
with a cover of midnight hour and I begin to worry, they are like us
but more commercial. I think of our track list and decide to drop
Midnight Hour, which we usually open with. Shit, now what do we
do.

Erin sees me frowning, and plants a big kiss on my mouth, "Come on
Jack, have confidence. I have to sing the bloody songs anyway. What's
this band called," she takes a sip from her Vodka and Orange, she is
sooooo cool, "Jack?"

"The Borogroves, a moddy sounding band with allusions that they are the
Jam, damn, the bass player is even playing like Foxton. Now they are
encoring with a bloody Who number - the Kids Are Alright. We are
screwed."

I stop drinking my pint, I need to be fully sober for this gig.
Sometimes we have got away with drunken gigs that sound like the
Velvets on speed, but now, I am not so sure. It's bad enough being
billed with 20/20 who have got a record contract now, and its a good
label.

The Borogroves depart to rapturous applause, and then the canned music
comes on, we have fifteen minutes to come up with something good. Manny
is wandering round like a zombie, and keeps apologising. Feels he
should have checked out the Borogroves before he booked us.

Tonic, Joe and Ham are talking to some girls who are dressed in black
beatnik outfits. Ham doesnt seem to notice the band.

Then we are on. We have to open well, or we are doomed. Erin finishes
her drink, and we are all on stage, strumming strings trying to look
like we know what we are doing.

"And now its my pleasure, my privilege to introduce to you, the
Jacknives!" says Len the guy who organised the gig.

"Do Rainbow," says Erin.

"I can't, we can't open with a slow love song," I shout.

"Yes we fucking can," shouts Erin.

We launch into Rainbow, I have visions of the crowd rushing to the bar,
but they cheer. They like it, we've won them.