The venue for The Shapes first gig in 28 years is the Victoria Arms in Northampton. Essentially, if it were any lower key, even we wouldn't be turning up. Unadvertised, it's our way of easing into the whole being out in public thing before the big return to Leamington Spa the next night. Whilst it's not news to us that we are playing, it's certainly news to the customers, who eye us with a look that seems to suspect that if we are left unsupervised, one or more of us might do a poo in the corner. They may be right.
After we set up, I investigate the bass amplifier that I have been able to obtain. In a rare piece of serendipity, I have made contact with Dave Sparrow of The Photos again after 28 years. I used to borrow his gear back when we toured with them. I can't describe how pleased he must have been to have me crawl out of the woodwork and ask to borrow his stuff again, but like the gentleman he is, he forked over a nice Ashdown bass combo without further thought.
It's a good job he did too, because if it was up to the rest of them to arrange something for me, I'd be playing with a broom handle and a tea chest.
The pub landlady comes up to us after the sound check and asks if we'd like some soup. We accept because, hey, free soup, and very nice it is too. It's after we have it that we realize that this soup consists of our total payment for the evening, but to be honest, it's more than we used to get paid, so at least we're one helping of soup up on the deal. I'm particularly impressed that she still offered it after the sound check to be honest.
The time arrives and we can't put it off any longer. We actually have to get up and play. It's with some trepidation that we wander up and plug in, and launch into Skaro. It's very weird indeed to be playing this song again live with The Shapes. It's so weird in fact, that Dave stops for a bit of a rest half way through, and then looks quizzically at the rest of us as if to say "Oh, you want me to play through the whole thing?". He restarts and we all finish together, which is nice. After this little speedbump, we soldier on, getting more and more confident with each song, and despite one or two more hiccups that really only us notice, we finish the set to the thunderous applause of the few people that we haven't forced out into the stygian gloom of Northampton with our racket. We retire to the bar, where some people are actually so impressed that they want to buy the CD. We are so impressed that they don't want to beat us up, that we sell them to them. There are even some people there who saw us the last time we were in Northampton in 1979. Hopefully they've been home since. It either bespeaks a great fondness for The Shapes, or a sad indictment of the entertainment options in Northampton of a Friday night. A little from column A, and a little from column B I think. We're all rather pleased really, and glad to have got this out of the way in front of as few people as possible. We do record it mistakes and all though, so you've got that to look forward to. We are so pleased with ourselves that we treat ourselves to chips and a nice cup of tea, which sit nicely on top of the 10 pints of bitter and soup. The rehearsals are over, and the next night we play in Leamington Spa, our hometown, and where The Shapes began in 1977.
The next day we all repair back to Royal Leamington Spa where it all started over 30 years ago. It hasn't changed all that much to be honest, although it does have a Starbucks finally. Everything is pretty much where we left it 30 years ago and the buzz is that a lot of people are going to come out of the woodwork for our return. This could be both a good and a bad thing. It's good because the venue will be packed, but maybe bad in the sense that if nothing has changed since the last time we played there, most of the people turning up will be there to kick the crap out of us or to demand their property back that we stole the last time.
It's a rather nice little venue it has to be said, and they've constructed a nice little two level stage for us. After the sound check, the support acts do theirs. The supports are local bands The Rags and The Manuscripts. The Rags are a fine pop band, and they get through their sound check, followed by The Manuscripts who are a late replacement for The Sharks who pulled out at the last minute, because their mothers wouldn't let them stay out late or something.
There are three Manuscripts, with what appears to be a combined age of twelve, but this may just be jealously taking here. They set up and do their first number. To recreate the sound of this, insert a live pig into a wood chipper. The singer looks pensive and asks for a little push in the 7Htz range, and they commence pushing another pig into a blender. This apparently has done the trick and they retire satisfied. I'm going to ask for little push in the 7Htz range from now on. Apparently it makes all the difference. The Shapes are pointed towards free cake. What is it about free food this time around? "It's for all the bands", we are told. We tell the rest of the bands it's just for The Shapes and not to touch our fucking cake. I tell you, age and treachery will beat youth and enthusiasm every time. Replete with cake, The Shapes retire to nearest pub to await their triumphant stage time.
Of course, word goes hence from this place that we are in the pub, and half the venue comes looking for us there. Dave Sparrow turns up, and for a moment I thought he'd had second thoughts abut lending me his amplifier, but it's OK. It's fun seeing people I haven't seen in over 25 years, and as yet they only want to buy us drinks, not beat us up, but then we haven't played yet. If they continue to buy us drinks, we may never get around to it. Of particular note is one fellow who stole Tim's Rickenbacker the last time around. In the intervening years, he has lost a leg, which is somewhat careless. He promises to pay for the guitar, presumably in another 30 years, because no cash is forthcoming. I do kick him in his one remaining good leg though for good measure.