After a wicked cool time at Vanjamboree the next stop was another new show for me "Dubsmania" but before I could get over to that I had a little event at The Electric Ballroom on Portobello Road to attend.
The team and I had been invited to the Cast and Crew screening of an Independent film called "Passengers" that had a bunch of my songs on the sound track.
It was all very exciting and a real awesome thing seeing how the songs I've written could work with in a visual feature.
It's the story of a bunch of dudes, off their tits, seriously injuring a young nurse in a night time collision and worsening the situation by making some really shitty decisions in their intoxicated state. This they seriously regret as an unseen killer starts to take brutal vengeance.
Congratulations to Ratio film http://www.ratiofilm.co.uk and all the cast and crew for a well produced captivating film full of great performances.
It's a bloody horrible film very well done, definitely worth a watch so keep an eye out for it.
Right Dubsmania.
Dubsmania is held in Weston Park, Shropshire, there is also a Weston park in Sheffield City centre I established adding a healthy 140 miles to my trip and resulting in me accidentally settling down for the night on some ones rather large driveway as by the time I'd arrived the gates were locked to the show, it was really dark, and I didn't see the private property sign.
Luckily I was gone before upsetting any one and started to follow the rest of the early rising buses in to the show.
Unlike a lot of the vee dub fests the main day is the sunday so it's a fairly short one starting on the saturday and come late sunday your left with that bizarre post festival atmosphere, the stillness after so much energy.
Still what a cracking day.
Weston Park is a beautiful setting and it's not just VW's there either, theres a show and shine for a load of other classics to. An elmen imp got an award giving me a sense of nostalgia as I remembered dad having one and having to get out and wheel it in to parking spaces as there was no reverse gear.
Once escorted to my spot I set up and hung out the washing I'd done the day before and not had time to dry as the sun was giving it some.
I performed a couple of sets through out the day and had a good old natter with a new bunch of people including Kevin from http://www.campervangift.co.uk/ who I may well be doing some shows for in the not so distant future. If you're looking for vw gifts he's your man.
As the day came to an end pickle hosted the show and shine, then time to pack down and hit the road again.
Thanks again to Dean and the team at Dubsmania for having me, hope to see you next year.
Peace
Next stop Suffolk!
The weekend commencing the 6th June "Alive & VDubbin" http://www.aliveandvdubbin.co.uk/ was going down at "Jimmy's Farm" http://jimmysfarm.com/.
Hosted by the suffolk bugrs, "Alive & VDubbin" is a wicked show for all. Loads of traders of all sorts and plenty of stuff to do for adults and kids including mini ramp, climbing wall, and zorb football to list a few. If you've not done this show before, veedub owner or not I'd recommend getting involved next year.
Abi came to join me on this one and it was a massive pleasure to have George Golding come along to, the dude from the photo's of the O2 academy and Steamer gigs in the last post, Abi showed no hesitation in sharing her delight at George's presence by stating how nice it was to have additional company as opposed to simply mine. The feeling was mutual.
Here's some shots.
The set up! This is the sign I was making at T.O.M.I.E that I tweeted out earlier on in the season, old long board deck, some black board paint, and a couple of chalk board pens. Jobs a gooden ;)
George and I having a climb. I believe this was about the time the gent running it said"Great, now just jump backwards" and I'm thinking that little plastic wheel is not gonna hold me and that sounds like an invitation for a serious winding after my 40ft free fall.
On the Saturday afternoon George and I played a set in the main marquee.
Some of the guys that came for the hang at the Loonge.
Cooking up some Lamb curry
This one was a little fire pot but was well tasty. I went for a kinda Caribbean stylie job, using some lamb leg steaks and a lick of dark rum.
Here's what you need:
Amounts used are now vague to me as this meal took place a short while before quite the lounge party, but I will do my best and you know how I roll any way, keep tasting through out and you cant go wrong.
4 Lamb leg steaks
half a green and half an orange pepper (or just a whole pepper of any colour)
1 onion
4 cloves of garlic
scotch bonnet chilli's (I think we used 2 with seeds, but it was well rowdy)
hand full of mushrooms
tin of tomatoes
knob of ginger root
lime
coriander
turmeric
cumin
allspice
all purpose seasoning
dark/gold rum
oil
salt and pepper
rice
I also thought an aubergine would have been good in this but I've learnt that they make Abi heave so I left it out, but it's definitely an option.
How to go about it:
Start by prepping up. This is the order I did things, but if you're cooking commercially or for a party with a veggie in use you common sense cos food hygiene or your veggie mate will have a fanny flip.
Dice up the lamb and lay in some foil or a dish, now put a tsp of all your dry spices over the meat and rub it in. when its all evenly coated wrap it up and put to the side.
Finely chop the garlic, chilli, ginger and chuck in the pan with a dash of oil on a real low heat.
Peppers and mushrooms (aubergine) can be chopped diced sliced as you please and once you've done them the jazz in the pan should have softened and be ready to have the lamb come join in.
Crank the heat a touch and add the spiced lamb, as soon as the spices start to stick add a splash of rum.
Once the meat is browned put the vegetables in and stir in to the gravy. Keep an eye on your pot stirring and adding more liquid as required (water/rum), you want to keep the sauce thick, don't forget there are still tomatoes to add, so just little splashes at a time and by the way we are dealing with a lot more booze than past recipes so don't go nuts. I reckon max 100 ml of rum should go in to this dish otherwise you'll never cook it out and It'll taste like pirate beard.
When the veggies are starting to soften up a touch add the tin of tomatoes stir and heat through.
This is essential tasting time, you have everything in there and you may need to add a touch more of something, go with your taste buds. If your happy put it to one side and let the magic happen.
Rinse some rice and get the kettle boiling. While thats going down chop some coriander and slice a lime in 2.
Sprinkle the coriander on to the curry and cover with a lid, slice one half of the lime in to wedges squeeze in to glasses of ice and top up with rum and ginger ale.
Once the kettle is boiled you know the drill.
Rice done? Sweet squeeze the other half of the lime in to it and maybe even stir in some kidney beans if ya like.
You are good to go, put the curry back on the heat wile you serve up the rice, then ladle it on.
This should feed 3-4 people
Have fun and enjoy
Naomi and all the Alive & VDubbin team, Legends! A great festival, thank you so much for having us.
A few days later I was in London attending a couple of personal occasions onle to return to the van to find this.
Some little rat weasel had decided to break in to Pickle and steal my lively hood. I implore you not to leave any thing on display in your vehicle even if you think it looks like nothing of value some cock rocket will have it. I'll touch on criminal offences and crime a bit later on, but lets carry on with the shows for now.
Our next way point takes us to Camden's Jazz Cafe where I was opening up for Miss Janet Devlin http://www.janetdevlin.com/
I supported Janet at the end of last year and was honoured to be invited to do so again at the launch party of her album "Running With Scissors" https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/running-with-scissors/id858603762 well worth a purchase.
It was a cracking night, I was joined on stage by the Sass and Luke (the balcony tv set up, if you've not seen it check it out.)
It was a cracking night, I was joined on stage by the Sass and Luke (the balcony tv set up, if you've not seen it check it out.)
and we all had a good old jolly.
It was at this show I decided not too wear a wooly hat whilst playing in the summer to catch sweat, it is a bad idea, I thought I was going to die. In future I shall just take a towel on stage.
Cheers very much for having me and the boys Janet and congratulations with the album x
Hi Ho Hi Ho off to Mighty Dubfest we go!
Little did Pickle, her cling filmed passenger side window and myself know quite the little adventure we were about to have.
Druridge Bay country park is the venue, Bruce Emmett and family the hosts, and MIghty Dubfest the show.
I met Bruce at Vanjamboree last year and was stoked to be invited to come play his festival this year.
Without doubt one of the best organised VW festivals I've been to beautiful location, loads of entertainment, great bands, and a really cool team. There was even a crew catering tent making sure we were all fed and watered.
I didn't arrive until late friday night as it took longer than expected to get the van ready and Druridge Bay is bloody miles away if you're leaving from south.
Although the weather was great the area had had down pours early in week resulting in saturation of the fields. The ground had started to dry out but was still super muddy in places, so as I arrived Pickle got stuck just short of where I needed to be but thought we'd call it a day as it was late and she'd done well after doing 300 miles and only stopping once cos of crap in the carb. So settled down with a plate of chilli and a couple beers.
Saturday morn with some pushing power from the team we rolled pickle in to our designated marquee and I got on with setting up.
It turned out to me a really different but cool little lounge as Bruce had supplied a couple more speakers and lights and Pickle was covered up so should the Heavens open no leaks from the sun roof.
I ended up playing a couple of sets through out the day and pottering about in between to hang with folks met at shows earlier this year or last.
Come the eve the world cup was on so I had to wait until that was done before the late show, but they'd set the projector up right next to my pitch so by end, although spirits weren't immensely high due to England's loss a good load of people stuck about for the show.
My friend Spence Gilroy of http://sgpercussion.co.uk/, playing Cajon to my left.
The following day Bruce had arranged for a bunch of local young singer songwriters to come and do a bit from my pitch.
we had:
Hannah Lamb https://www.facebook.com/hannahlambmusic?fref=ts
Lindsay Manion https://www.youtube.com/user/DaysInLand/feed
Kieran Renner https://soundcloud.com/kieranrenner
Anna Leigh Stainton https://www.facebook.com/AnnaLeighStaintonMusic?fref=pb&hc_location=profile_browser
A real talented bunch so have a look at their pages and if you dig get involved.
This is a shot of Anna Leigh Stainton doing a set while the AA guy was fitting new glass in the passenger window.
After all the guys had done a bit I jumped up to round up the day and say my good byes. As at all of these shows it wasn't long before I was left in an empty field.
After chatting to Bruce and establishing they were staying another night I figured I'd do the same as I wasn't really feeling a lengthy drive and was in no real hurry to get any where.
I packed down to save time in the morning and as I was so near the sea and felt pretty rank after not washing properly for a day or so I took my self off for a dip.
North sea... coldest bloody sea I've ever had the pleasure of being submerged in. I was in for about a minute, never known anything like it, that is some serious wet suit water.
I spent the remainder of that evening jamming and having a chill with Bruce's family and the rest of the operations team round the fire. Over this weekend I had been contemplating continuing up north as I had never been this far already and really wanted to go and see some of Scotland. By the end of the evening I had made my mind up and that was what I would do.
Thanks to Bruce and every one for putting up with me and extra night and I will see you later this year.
Dudes I do apologise but this is gonna have to be a 3 parter, so I will fill you in at the end of next week at which point we may be all caught up.
Peace
Tom
