A good analagy for getting old is imagine yourself to be a car. 50 odd years down the line somethings going to break or snap, or wear out……. I’ve been waiting for an operation on a very nasty, ‘sc fi’ type condition called Trigeminal Neuralgia, or TGN (google it for nightmares). Known as the ‘Suicide pain’, it’s not something to be wished upon your worst enemy. I’ve an operation to remedy that, set up for the 18th August and drugs were keeping the bulk of the symtoms at bay. So in line with my general luck I was really diassapointed about 10 days ago, when the symptoms broke though the drug barrier.

I managed to play the Jook House, but when Roger came to pick me up for the gigs at the Blues Bar Harrogate and the Duck and Drake, Leeds,I was literally on my knees. There was just no way…. so apologies to Danny and Bill who had to turn back on their journey. Apologies to the dozens of Roadhouse fans who had made arrangements to attend… I’m really, really sorry. Roadhouse missing a gig = about 6 times in 20.5 years.

These were two of my fave venues, run by the lovely Simon and Sharon Colgan (great singer)….        all they sent me were massages of encouragement – top people!, we’ll be back for them and or friends up North as soon as possible.

So, after a dark period where I was living the lyrics to a lot of my songs, people started to say to me, if we drive you if we carry your gear, if you take extra pain killers, could you, could you, could you do the 1 hour apprearance at Cambridge.

So to the wonderful Cambridge Rock Festival. It was so good I think you should call it the Carling Rock Festival, as it was so well organised and artists were really looked after. The stage and auditorium were great and all under canvass. the sound was awsome!.

So, pumped full of pain killers and with only Mandie to keep me company on the vocals, we hit the stage. People who were there say they cannot believe how aggressive we were, as the band really went for it……

As we hit the intro to ‘Tellin Lies’ people came streaming ino the tent.

By the middle of the second number it was packed.

Crowd reaction was brilliant and so many friends and supporters were there. From “Telling Lies” to a great version of “Rainmaker”. Swamp Girl lead to ‘House of The Rising Sun’ where Mandie got an ovation. Next  was ‘Too Tired To Pray’, with killer slide from Danny.

‘Roadhouse Blues’ (full of my usual self indulgence), ‘Voodoo Queen’ and the encore ‘Preacher Man’ completed one of our best festival appearances for a while. Roger and Bill were really tight……

Live At the Cambridge Rock Festival

By the end I was fit to drop andI was pretty ill the following day. But what a great festival. We hope to be back next year. My operation next Thursday should take care of this medical problem..

Thanks for your patience and passion

Gary

What a great venue, big stage, PA, lovely seating area, large capacity.  A lot of the big Bands have played this venue which is in the mid point of its first year of existence.  As usual, with any new venue its a struggle until it’s name gets known….Well done to Bob for running this great place. Bob’s partner in this venture is the soundman and he was amazing. according to many Roadhouse regulars it was the best sound they had ever heard at a Roadhouse gig

Another great feature of the place is that the resident DJ is none another than our very own Mr Clive Rawlings, DJ Journalist and agent for Shelflife productions… Clive played some cool tunes…..

What really made this gig was the appearance of Roadhouse legend Suzi.D, working with Mandie in the classic pairing that has seen us acheive so much success and critical acclaim…

Of course both ourselves and the Jook House would have liked a bigger crowd, but only about 6-8 people were brought in by the publicity/walked in off the street. Another  20 or so Roadhouse fans and friends joined in the fun and along with the staff and their friends, there was enough people to make it feel like a proper show (and god were the people their noisy – it was brilliant)…

'God, can she sing'

The band blasted out two long sets and were well up for the show. Great versions of “The Lying Game” and “The Big Easy” by Suzie (Suzie shown in centre of picture). A marathon “Roadhouse Blues” was one of the highlights, as well as a storming “Voodoo Queen”. The party peices on the band introduction section of Voodoo Quuen, were nice and ‘camp’ as well as technically on the money. There was a big shout for an  encore and so we ended the night with a full on version of “Preacher Man”..

So overall, a great shame that more people were not there to enjoy a great venue and a great show. However, according to Bob we will be back and hopefully things will have picked up for this exceptional venue.

Gary