Drugstore - Isabel Monteiro blog

A Tale of two Cities / London - Norwich gigs report

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There's something bout London gigs, your hometown, that often makes it weirder than any other shows.

Bands are usually more uptight, whether it is to do with having to play in front of family, girlfriends and friends, having a ridiculously long guest-list or what, I don't know - but I always felt the provincial gigs were looser and more dangerous.

But, our gig at the Lexington on fri apr 6th, was anything but 'safe' - and that's what made it so cool to us.

We were cheeky, we were rowdy, we had a party and got the whole room to join in. It really felt like a private soiree.

Unusual, for a London gig, where the urban snobbery tends to get the better out of the most confident of bands.

So, a fantastic night all around, and a big drugstore sexy hug to everyone who came along.

The room was packed with goodness and nothing makes me happier than receiving an email from the venue the following morning:

'Thanks so much for playing at The Lexington and it was such a great atmosphere You guys were all a pleasure to work with too, and one of the nicest bands. We can work out a free-hire for you nxt time. Pls come back! We love you, miss montiero'

But, as you know by now - life at this Drugstore never without it's unexpected shards of cold rain:

All the money we made from selling our lovingly handmade MERCH mysteriously disappeared.

We are not doing any of this for profit, and whatever we sell at gigs, pays for van, petrol, crew, venue, soundman, support band, Dj etc, and helps keep the band going.

This really broke my heart, for it's not about the few hundred pounds we lost, but the terrible idea that someone, anyone might take advantage of us - that I find it utterly devastating - hence my post-gig twit of Hank Williams 'Cheating Heart' and follow-up '2+2=4', for without honesty and integrity, I don't know what else you've got to hang onto in this life. Might as well lose all sense of logic and humanity, and drown into darkness.

But, thanks to the positive vibes from band and crew we hit the road the following Friday, towards Norfolk, in happy spirits - certain that it would take more than a shitty merch-Ratón to stop us in our tracks.

nice pictorial reportage of the Lexington gig by GarySimpson here:

http://www.drugstoremusic.co.uk/

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And just to break the convention, the Norwich gig was probably one of our most civilized - almost reverential - filled with such an intense atmosphere, you could slice the air with a plastic knife. Really wonderful.

I like that too - when the whole room goes so quiet on the quieter songs, you can almost hear people breathing - that's a sign of respect, and a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T is the one thing I feel we always longed for, but for some reason or other, it somehow eluded us.

So, a genuine gracias to anyone who came to the NAC and provided such a gloriously respectful backdrop for our music.

The post-gig drinks was held at the pool-lodge, where band, crew and honourable guest, Mr Paul Bonham, drank many a bottle and argued very hard about the past, present and uncertain future of this band, until the moon was no longer in the sky, and the obtuse bright morning light hit our weary eyes.

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Let's not forget to credit the venue-promoters: Annie at Wombat, Mal Campbell at Hebden Bridge, Delia at the Lexington, who were not afraid to take Drugstore on, when everyone else around us said: it can't be done. (which usually works well for me; Just tell me I can't do it, and I won't rest until I can prove you wrong - sorry, teen-angst still kicks within).

All gigs were packed, and we could not have done it without the support of our seriously loving fanbase.

Thank you for making this possible.

My final thought: we really deserve to be out there playing, not nearly as much as we used to, of course, that would be ridiculous, unrealistic and unfeasible, but occasionally and wherever we are welcomed.

For love it or hate it, this band, I have never met quite another.

x

ps1- but did we misbehave? tell me more, tell me more! ahh - that's not up to me to tell, is it? - the rest is silence (shkspr) -

(cheeky monteiro / you shall burn in hell, on a stick, barbecued, with no sauce on to ease the pain... x)

ps2- band: Steve, Oliver + Pedro + crew Ben Bambino were great, real great.

ps3- no vid-footage of Norwich avlb yet (well, only El Preso and, understandably, Im a bit tired of it) /so did my own jam.

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