Solutions + OK Pilot Dec 08

“She said she’d be wearing a chiffon scarf, oh for fu....”

Day 1, Exeter Cavern

I finish work and make my way to the Cavern, and who do I bump into? None other than Nicky ‘One Game One Win’ Williams. He’s on his way to find some sort of dirty fast food to fill his face.  I only saw him a bout 2 weeks before but it was awesome to see him again and it made me feel like tour was about to start. I get down to the Cavern and Robin, Kai, Ben and Tom are there. We relax for a bit chat and sort out equipment. We have to sound check pretty much straight away and I’m feeling a bit out of it because I’ve just finished work, and I feel like I’m a bit rusty.

The line-up for the show is pretty sick, Bangers from Falmouth, Dead City Stereo and Will Rene and The Contrairs from Exeter and of course Solutions. It starts of quiet but gets busier, which is always a relief. Solutions have a nice big crowd watching which I’m glad about, seeing as we’re hoping to show them a good start to the tour. There are loads of people there to see Will Rene and people are dancing and jigging around, it’s really nice to see people responding to a young band like that. I thought they’d all leave after they played but luckily by the time we go on stage there’s still a decent amount of people there. Our friend Warren twats his head on the Cavern wall when people are dancing and has to go to hospital, but can’t be arsed to wait around in A&E, so he left without being treated; Punk Rock!

We finish up and get some drinks down us, and head to a bar that’s open late. We walk in on a jazz band playing a Killers song with two dunk girls singing. I decide I need some sleep, so I sneak off and leave them to it and decide to catch the rest of the boys in the morning.

Day 2, Cardiff Barfly

I meet the boys at the Cavern the next morning. Although we don’t know the Solutions all that well, it doesn’t feel like it. They’re great company, tour is going to be fun and it’s only jus started. We all get nice filling breakfasts to set us up for the day. Kai and Nicky decide to drive Kai’s car back to Cardiff, while we on the other hand have to wait to see if the van has passed its MOT. It’s a bit of an annoying wait, because we’re not entirely sure when we’ll find out if it’s passed or not. We get a phone call from Kai saying that they’re lost. They turned the wrong way going onto the motorway, and we headed towards Plymouth rather than Bristol, it’s really hard trying to give directions to someone who doesn’t know where they are. But they work it out and head off to Cardiff. Tom goes to pick up our MOT’d van and we’re good to go. We pack up our gear and hit the road. Cardiff’s only a two and a half hour drive so it’s not so bad for the first one. We get there, load our gear into the venue, and then we get show the band room. We’ve got a rider!!!! Bread, cheese, ham, apples and beer! Bloody brilliant, this is amazing. We start eating and drinking. I like this touring malarkey.

We have to go and sort out a few bits and bobs like pick up an extra guitar cab and to drop the van at Robin’s house (our home from home) and then get back to the Barfly. We have another bloody sweet line-up again. Haddonfield, who play a Face To Face cover (sweet) and The Doublecross. Its always great seeing Jon play. He’s a diamond bloke and has an awesome voice. There’s a nice bundle of people there to watch the bands, but we’re all looking forward to the dance party that’s due to happen after we play. It doesn’t disappoint. We all dance our arses off to terrible 90’s classics without shame. It’s a great way to get things going. We all get pretty drunk, the drinks are cheap and so it flows and flows. We head to City Pizza, £4 for a pizza, side and drink anyone? Then we drunkenly toddle down the road to Robin’s house and drink some more. We hit the hay and try and get some sleep in before our biggest drive of the tour.

Day3, Falmouth Nancy’s

We get up and make our way down to Falmouth, it’s a 4 ½ hour drive so we have to try and make good time. We drive to Andrew’s house where we’re fed and watered. It’s started again; there are beers and good food. We relax there while assorted people turn up. Then we get the van and equipment down to Nancy’s. Its an old man pub. We get all our gear upstairs and set up. It starts slowly; we get parking advice from a traffic warden who, fair play, helps us rather than booking us. We go upstairs to watch Bangers. It is really quiet to start with, but by the time they’ve finished their awesome set they place is getting really busy. Tall Ships are next, having not heard them before was pleasantly surprised. They’re like a more linear, danceable Battles and I keep finding myself dancing. It’s good shit! By the time Solutions play, it’s rammed and baking up there, I’m stoked for them to be playing to a decent crowd or people who seem to be into what they’re doing.

We play and I take my top off. Surprise, surprise I get drunk again and me and Robin go out with Roo, Adam, Hamish and Andrew. Falmouth on a Wednesday isn’t really that banging but we make the most of it. We find our way back to Andrew’s house after everywhere shuts for the night and fall asleep. Tour is fun spending time with Nicky, Kai and Robin is more fun that we could have hoped for.