What a Week: From Steam to Drama!

Where does the time go? Only a week ago today we'd loaded the caravan and were off to the Great Dorset Steam Fair. We were going to the GDSF earlier than usual because our son's band Mothership were making their debut playing on the main outdoor stage. All was going to plan. We were only an hour late leaving home (which by our standards is pretty much on time!). Rosie the Caravan was all packed. We had all the Mothership instruments in our car and Josh was following behind in his car bringing his drum kit. So far, so good...Well, somewhere out in the middle of nowhere between Verwood and the Steam Fair we clipped a kerb. Instant caravan flat tyre. After much heaving and scrabbling round for a jack and getting the legs down whilst looking at the watch and thinking 'Josh has to be on stage in less than two hours' we put the spare on. Flat. Remembered that we'd left the portable tyre pump at home. Come on, we're musicians and songwriters. We can't be practical and organised as well! Our only option was to abandon Rosie and get Josh plus Mothership gear to the Steam Fair. There was only one suitable place to leave her - outside the gates of a nearby stately home. Now, those of you who have had the dubious pleasure of meeting our caravan, know that she's not exactly in pristine condition! Just as we were about to leap into the car to get on our way, the lady of the manor, in a rather spanking 4 x 4 arrived, wanting to know what we were doing. I think she thought we were the start of a cavalcade of travellers who were going to set up camp there! Anyway, once we'd explained about the rock band, the steam fair and the fact that we were definitely coming back for Rosie as she had all the wine in her, she was very reasonable and almost sympathetic! We arrived at GDSF a little flustered but in good time. The rest of Mothership were already there and we had a fabulous afternoon. They played brilliantly on this huge stage to a modest-sized but extremely appreciative audience. One guy bought two CDs - one to play and one which he asked the boys to sign and which he was going to keep for posterity as he thought it might be worth a bit in a few years time! Now there's a man with a good sense of investment! The boys went down so well that they were asked to play a second slot, opening the evening gigs for Rat Race and The Beat. In between sets, we'd planned to put the tents up but once we'd opened the wine, the stella and the bread and cheese that idea sort of went out the window. Word of advice to all campers: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PUT UP YOUR TENT IN THE DARK AFTER SEVERAL GLASSES OF WINE!.... Anyway, fast forward to Friday when the State of Undress gang arrived. There was about 12 of us plus dogs. All in our tents and caravans together. We were almost a village! Cannot think of a better way to spend the last weekend of the summer holidays than at the Steam Fair with friends! Must put in a special word for Steve who cooked for us all magnificently the whole weekend and has now become our official On-Tour Catering Manager! Add to that, two great days of gigs. We played on the Saturday in the Shires Arms which was a new stage for us. We weren't quite sure how that would work as, in the past, it had been very much a country-music venue. But do you know what? We had a fabulous time - especially in the evening when the place just rocked. It was wonderful to see so many Undressers in the audience for both gigs. A smaller stage than the folk marquee but the more intimate venue really suited us. Made it much easier for me to tart about amongst the audience!! And we had great feedback from the organisers. Then the following day at our old home, the Folk Marquee. We love the Sunday lunchtime slot. Everyone's completely shattered after a week at the Fair and it's just really mellow and chilled. Lovely to see some of our Steamer Friends too - PK, Charly, Heather - (State of Undress is of course officially endorsed by S.O.D.E.M - the Society of Drivers and Engine Men!)- Then hanging out outside Rosie with Ronni, Sal, Steve, Kim and Pete waiting for all the traffic to die down before attempting a move. Oh, and taking the tents down is loads easier than putting them up - even in a gale-force wind. Kim has the perfect solution for stopping your tent from blowing away - just throw yourself full-length flat out on top of it. Marvellous! If you're smutty, sticky, sweaty, dusty and downright dirty ... well, you've obviously been at the Great Dorset Steam Fair. Love it!
One day to recover and then off to the National Theatre to play for their Watch This Space series of free concerts. What a great night we had! We ended up playing on their lovely Foyer stage as the weather was too blustery and wet to be outside. This meant we had to do a much more mellow set and Keith played African drum and cajon rather than the big kit. But it's really nice to play stripped down like that occasionally. Amazingly, as we were setting up and sound checking, a woman came over to us and said: 'I saw you playing at the Old Gaffers Festival on the Isle of Wight!'. They'd come up from the Island for an evening of culture at the NT and there we were! This kept our record intact that at every gig we've played this year from Cornwall to Scotland at least one person in the audience has seen us before! We needn't have worried however as several wonderful Undressers turned up to support us: Rose and Drew who we'd first met in Cornwall; Mary and gang who we'd first met at The Beggars Fair in Romsey; and my dear friend and Colleague Ray Barker who has come to pretty much every gig we've ever played in London! But in addition, there were literally hundreds of people who sat and listened. We had a fantastic response from a really listening audience. It was one of the most satisfying gigs we've done. We celebrated with a kebab on the way home - Appetite , 184 Chiswick High Road - highly recommended! Huge thanks and the warmest of wishes to everyone who has shared this last week or so with us from the organisers to the audience. It's you who make this whole mad music thing worthwhile! Keep on rockin' and steamin'! love Charlie
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