New! Venue! Alert!
The night started with packing the car - a tetris style event made more complicated by BYOA (bring your own amp). It was a level 9, 8-bit rocket take off, kinda style. We love lists, right?
Bass amp, amp for Dean, amp for Beth, cajon mic, vocal mic, vocal mic, mic stand, mic stand, mic stand, bag of accoutrement (wires, cables, CD’s, picks, tuners, vocalzones, kitchen sink), cajon pedal, cajon, 12 string guitar, 6 string guitar (DADDAD tuning), Guild guitar (DADDAD), Taylor (standard), mandolin, Starry Night by Van Gough, and a piece of his ear - carefully wrapped in linen and bunged in the glove box. Jobs a good ‘en.
Trackside at Buxton Brewery is like some kind of secret 1920’s jazz bar - only without the jazz. So, a secret 1920’s bar - only without the 1920’s decor. So, like a secret bar - only it’s not a secret, it’s just a bit hidden. So it’s a bar - only… That would totally downplay the place. Completely unassuming - tucked away in the corner of an industrial estate, you go inside and are greeted by the warmest vibes, both the actual decor and the staff. And the back looks out over lush green fields and beautiful Buxton scenery.
The vibes clearly speak for themself - despite being off the beaten track, the place was packed with families, couples, friends and, most importantly, cute dogs.
Buxton Brewery have got some big ambitions, from turning the current stock room into a concert like venue that is likely to seat 100 or more people, to the back field being used in the summer for a music festival.
Much like Mandala cafe in Sheffield - we feel excited to have been let in at roots level as the business expands and we can stand back and watch it grow. Like watching your offspring grow, or flowers, or a goat! Anything that grows, really. But not the green fuzzy stuff that grows when you leave your untouched coffee in the office over the weekend - no - not that.
We must say some thank you’s! David - we had to bring our own individual amps and David very patiently stood at the other end of the room telling us to turn down the twelve string, a little more, a little more… A little… More… Perfect! Now, if you could go stand in the field over there that should create the perfect balance! Ed, director, events coordinator, dreamer, risk taker, genuinely nice guy. Thank you. Thank you for taking a chance on our humble little band, for excitedly sharing your vision with us, for feeding us after. Lastly, always, the enduring audience, for putting up with us warbling away while you eat your tea, and for all your wonderful feedback - we loved playing for you!
As always, Dean was there, he was (and still is) part of the band, but bears the unbearable burden of being the camera man. So a selfie in a window will have to do. Proof he was there - and not out in the field.
Love, harmonies, cwtch.
Kootch x
