WILD FLAG

NOTTINGHAM - RESCUE ROOMS

The mighty WF hit the UK so I decided to do Notts as it was the Sat night I was off the weekend so I could stay over and have a weekend away. Booked a hotel a mile from the city centre and a train ticket. So all set for the first travel gig of the year and for quite a while too. So off to Nott's I tootled.

Got to the hotel from the station via taxi by 2:30. Into town by 3 and got my bearings, found the French restaurant I'd eaten at before and checked the venue. Phoned the restaurant to book a table only to be told "fully booked"damn! As it happened I found another restaurant round the corner and booked there, done. Off to the Bell Inn for a pint then. The Bell is one of Nottingham's oldest and finest pubs and a true gem. I got to the Rescue rooms in good time as the ticket said doors 7pm.

Sure enough they let us in a few minutes after 7 from the bloody freezing cold too. The Rescue rooms has had a refurb they have moved the bar from the left hand side to the back of the room, Hmm not sure but hey the rest seems the same from when I was last here, still have the small balcony on the right where WF have put the merch table. Staked my claim stage left, Corins side where strangely Carrie will be. Support was from Peggy Sue who I've heard do sessions for Riley in the past but never investigated further. They have a similar set as SK had two guitarists (female) and a drummer (male). They were ok too moved their tunes from loud to quiet etc. must check them out a bit more.

The venue had filled up a bit by now so good to see WF getting good crowds I think I actually filled up a bit when the ladies came on. I was seeing Carrie for the first time in five and a half years. There she was in front of me and hasn't changed a bit. She looked exactly the same as she did in Portland.

Janet counted them in and they launched 'Electric band' wow they were making a great noise. I has to be said it was Mary who was the most animated. Carrie still had her rock star posture but it was Mary who moved round the stage alot more. In the middle of the set set they announced two new songs, the fist of which was a straight forward rocky affair the second more psych but rocked out good style.

In all a great set by the ladies they came on for an encore and played a couple of tunes then Carrie said night took her guitar off Mary looked at her and said I thought we were gonna...... Carrie said "oh yeah" she strapped her SG back on and they ripped into a version of 'Do you wanna dance' to end.

I nipped up to the balcony to see if Janet was doing the merch table as i got up there I got a tap on the shoulder to be greeted by Julia. I knew she'd be at the gig and hoped I would bump into her to say hi. She was a furious the gig started so early and had got in 3 songs into the WF set. Anyway it was lively to see her and Alice looking so well. Got to the busy merch table and Janet was there but busy so I had a chat withe the girl from Peggy Sue and bought a 7" single from her. Janet then spotted me and came over to say hello told her I enjoyed the gig and would see her in Manchester on Tues.

MANCHESTER - SOUND CONTROL.

It was a bitterly cold day this Tues so I wrapped up warm and set out for Manchester. I've been to a couple of gigs at sound control not a bad venue and right next to Oxford Rd station which is handy, so getting back to Chester was ok. Took my usual pilgrimage to Piccadilly records I was good only bought one cd. Had myself a fairly basic pub meal but it was ok and did the job. Got to SC just before 7:30 as I didn't want to hang round in the cold for too long.

This time I positioned myself on Mary's side to get a better view of Carrie's movements. Support was from Peggy Sue who again were good. By the time WF came on there was pretty good full crowd.

Again they opened with Electric Band which is a great opener. A similar set to Nott's with the two new songs in the middle of the set. I think Carrie was a bit more animated here that Saturday. When they played 'Racehorse' they extended it to what seemed like a 10 min jam which was ace, both Carrie and Mary giving it psych overload. During the encore they played a cover which for the life of me I can't remember what it was. They again finished on their version of 'Do ya wanna dance'. As the roadies came out to start clearing the stage I shouted for one of them to get me Mary's set list.

It was great to see WF for the first time, hopefully it will be two shows of many. And great to see Carrie and Janet sharing a stage again.