Al Dente

Band call for the show this morning.
I never knew that there were two 8.30's on a Sunday, so a shock to the system. It always amazes me that, the cast and the Orchestra get together for the first and only time before it takes to the stage and you wonder how it will all come together? It always does and invariably extremely well. It's nice now, that I am starting to play in shows that I have already done. I was always in awe of the fine Orchestral players (and still am if truth be known) who were on their 8th or 9th go at a show? Some were that familiar with the dot's that they could read. text and have a shave (and that's just the women) and still come in at the right place? In fact, when marking the pad up today, I am sure that the faint marking I made on the pad many years ago were still visible???


It was a little chaotic though, as whilst trying to count the many bars rest, we had a chap crawling between our legs (about a 100 women in the cast and we get a bloke?) trying to set up the microphones. Unfortunately, this bloke decided he would throw a heavy mic cable through the Orchestra. the metal end narrowly missing the Trumpet players expensive Bell end (if you are not musical, stop it) Now this is comparative, to owning a Ferrari, walking outside to go for a drive and finding somebody weeing up the side of it. These Orchestral chaps are very polite though and made their point without swearing. Now us Dance Band players may not have been so charming. If it had hit my new bone!!! I would have found an alternative orifice for the microphone to be placed.

There are a lot of cables and wires layed out through the Band and my thoughts went to the poor Race Horses that were electrocuted after standing on cables. I envisaged the whole Orchestra suddenly shooting out of their chairs and doing an impromptu version of The River Dance, before falling to the floor in a river of Molten Brass and Bakelite???

I think the recession is beginning to bite now as ticket sales for the show are abysmal and the Big Band had a dance cancelled this week for the same reasons??

Stopped off at a Garden Centre on the way home and had lunch with the pensioners. You see the advantage of looking much older than I am, means I can get great discounts!!! Mind you, I was halfway through my Roast Dinner and Horlicks, when I realised I was eating Cauliflower (The lady serving asked me what I wanted and I replied surprise me) and I am supposed to be allergic to that, so should be fun at the AGM tonight?

To be fair to the girl serving, she was very observant. She asked me 'Are you single' I replied yes is it because I only have one meal. She replied 'No, it's because you are F****** ugly' ????

Just had word that my partner and her mother have now safely reached Base Camp of K2 and are setting up a Wilkos tent for 2, before their ascent to camp 1.