Bradwell on Sea Gig 2012 & Ken Mack in Blackpool
The Mack Big Band played in the village hall in Bradwell on Sea on the 15th September. We had them rocking in the aisles. This has become a regular annual gig. The locals love us, as they should. Look Bradwell up on the map and you will see that it is nearer Holland than London. So a professional big band playing in the Village Hall is a treat for them. No travel, no congestion charge. The West End came to Bradwell. One of our regular Saxes couldn't make it so we booked in a top player as a dep. Unfortunately he became emotionally tired and fell asleep on the stand, and occasionally woke up to honk a few random notes. Fortunately the rest of us were playing so well that no one in the audience noticed. The encore New York New York, finally woke him up to ask, 'how do I get home?
Stranger than truth!
Which reminds me of a Ken Mackintosh anecdote.
The ken Mackintosh band were playing a season at the Tower Ballroom Blackpool. One night the drummer didn't turn up and it was too late to book a dep. so the band when on the stand minus drums.
At the interval, Ken was in the bar and a guy came over to speak to him. Ken thought he was going to complain, but no he was full of praise for the band. Ken asked him what he thought of the drummer.
The man said, marvelous. Ken pushed his luck and asked him if the tempo was right.
'Spot on ', said the man.
No This is not a drummer joke, but the truth.