Toby - Forum member

Ok, so I got to the venue, and it was a pretty surreal experience. The place was a restaurant in an old pub, so they had literally ripped out the furniture, put tables on the floor and the kitchen behind the bar - definitely a 1st for me! However, I was sorely dissapointed by the lack of Sofas, but as the rest of the Sofa Boys were not there I had to settle for being a Plastic Chair boy for a while, whilst some people bought round some free nibbles that were rather yummy, no idea what they were, but one contained Roast Beef, and free Champers - Tattinger for people interested in that kind of stuff, but I wasn't, so didn't partake.

Just before 8 there were some speeches about AAH's aims and what not, then I spied a certain gangly norfolk lass walking in the front door with Sam Amidon, the speeches ended and I decided this would be a very good time to move front and centre, so I did  Beth then started tuning up her acoustic guitar (the Lewin for those interested) and Sam started doing, well whatever it is you do with a Banjo.

Beth started and some rabble by the door woudn't be quiet, so the bloke who's restaurant it was (Oliver Rowe) took the Mic as he had just finished introducing Beth and 'very politely' asked them to be quiet. She did She Cries Your Name on her own, all of about 3 foot from me, whilst I rested my foot on her monitor. Then Sam came out and they did Whenever & Heartland Truckstop together, her voice seems to have if not improved, shall we say, it's obvious that she has been singing/rehearsing more of late, and it really, really shows - she is sounding in really good voice at the mo. She then Did Ooh Child on her own, which I'd only ever see her do once before ( at the Royal Albert Hall in 2003) but it sounded superb there, mainly due to the intimacy and solo-ness of it. She then tried stopping, but was asked for one more, mainly by me and her friend sitting next to me! So she did Someones Daughter, again just her and her guitar. Overall a really enjoyable set, primarily due to the size of the venue and the fact I was sooo close. There was very little of the between song banter and stuff we'd normally get, but then this wasn't really a Beth gig in the traditional sense.

After the set I managed to ask her a couple of questions. The first was why she no longer plays Pieces of Sky live anymore, as it was absolutely amazing when she used to (whcih it was) and I'm certain that she said she might   Then when I was getting my copy of Trailer Park and the 4 songs from Central Reservation promo signed I asked if there were any more dates planned after the Irish ones and she said nope, she'd be recording - so I'd say a new album looks pretty likely - at some point!! (also am sure she said recording & not writing, which implies some at least of the songs must be finished or written or thereabouts - if you know what I mean.

Then I got a picture taken of me and her together, so all told I walked home a very, very happy chappy. A really, really small place (think of a very large front room, but as the stage (or more like cleared bit of floor with 2 speakers on it) was in the middle it meant it was a very narrow setting, so I could just watch beth sing uninterrupted & undisturbed.. I also got asked if I was Beths soundman by one of the Food Luvvies in attendance - something to do with the jeans & t-shirt combo perhaps, or the fact I was sitting in the optimum place for listening and smiling like a loon perhaps, but probably the jeans & t-shirt I'd guess (I was perhaps a tad underdressed, but to me Smart casual means clean jeans & t-shirt!)

Huge thanks for the night do really need to go to Tim for putting me in touch with James, Si for not being able to go and being gracious enough to let me nab his place, but mainly for James who was a complete star in having the place on the guest list in the 1st place - thank you very much to the three of you, hope the pics and words have made up for the inability to attend.