So it finally happened! After nearly a year of planning and rehearsing, Cranes played two sold out shows in the UK. And I played with them!
So, has the “classic line-up” got back together? Well… No, nearly happened but didn’t. The whole thing was actually Matt’s idea, but in the end, something happened that kind of forced him to drop out. I cannot say more, but let’s say it was brewing for a while.
Luckily Paul Smith was ready and willing to step up, and with 3 online rehearsals, and 2 liv’uns he was up to speed. My wife Hilde and son Nikolas came over and we managed to secure a superb little house in Southsea for the whole period.
We luckily had a good full day set-up and tech rehearsal at the Wedgewood Rooms, which was well needed and useful, especialy for Vince on lights and Nick on projections.
The first concert by Cranes since 2013 and with me playing since 1997 (I think) happened on 6th October. It went pretty well. We had a little trouble with the backing tape, this time done on a mini-disk player. We thought this would be the most robust, secure method for our backing tracks, a bit more reliable than using DAT tapes as we used to use back in the 90’s. Since me they have used some other systems using Jim’s hardware recorder, but that sounded incredibly complicated. However, it didnt go quite to plan.we did have one track that absolutely refused to play. The “Everywhere” backing started ok, and then, after a few bars would cut out. We tried twice, but then skipped the track. Something went wrong at the beginning of September, which was totally my fault, had a brain freeze, dunno what, just was wrong. So we stopped that too. However, the crowd were fantastic, and no-one seemed to mind.
I went back to the house that evening determined to find a better way to do the tape. I discovered Stage Traxx, a fantastic but simple program. It even could be programmed to change my keyboard patches for me. We tested it at one short, kinda pointless rehearsal. I really don’t think it helps me at all to practice with the band in a small typical band rehearsal room. We have to play so quietly, I can’t hear myself, so anything Im trying to rehearse, like “am I in time”, “does the guitar sound righ”t, “am I playing the right notes” go ut the window, and anyway Jims drums overpower everything, however it confirmed that my Stage Traxx system was going to work.
The gig at Earth Theatre in Dalston was fantastic. We played quite ok (i fucked up my first guitar riff on Reverie, cos i couldn’t hear). The problem for me is that I swap instruments so much, it takes a few songs to get the sound ok, on all instruments. Vince was a total star, having managed to get the great screen from the Kings Theatre, he did some nifty negotiating to use the EartH Theatre back projector. And it looked fantastic! I don’t think I have ever seen my films so huge!
It was so great for me that in addition to Hilde & Nikolas, Benjamin, Kamilla and Lona had all come over a couple of days before, and it was so nice to see them all grinning in their reserved seats next to Ben and his family! If there was anything negative, it was the bloody security people. Not only had they been running about getting people to sit down (yes… Seats!!!) And stopping them from coming to the front to dance (why???) but also, the second we came off stage, they started herding everyone out, my bunch too, even though we were told that the bar was going to be kept open for an after party.
So instead of a nice stress free meet n greet (like i had promised some of the most keen fans) everyone was thrown out. I managed to get the bar to re-open, for a little bit and some people got back in, but I wish I’d checked the fan facebook group, as there was a flurry of arrangements being made by fans to pubs nearby, which might have been fun.
Anyway, at the end of the day, it was all confirmed as a great success, and the rather tentative future plans seem to now be less in doubt.
CRANES FOREVER!