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26/05/04 - COUNTRY ROOTS
MUSIC CLUB, MAIDSTONE, KENT Bryan is did a surprise performance at the Country and Roots Music Club in Maidstone with his writing partner and good friend Gretchen Peters!! He phoned from the car an hour before the show to tell fans on the official site he was on the way there and would be on stage in about an hour! If only Kent wasn't as far away....a few more hours notice would have been nice Bryan! Fans who went got to chat with Bryan at the bar after the show! ************************************************ Review
by Chris Goulding: Bed and sleep was only an hour away and I
was sure ready for it as it had been a hard old day. I refreshed the board only
to see that Michelle had indeed posted. Heart skipped a beat as I imagined UK
gigs/more UK gigs and maybe even more UK gigs being announced!! When I saw the
topic I thought ‘yer that’s gonna be Maidstone in Canada or another
dam gig in USA!!’ It wasn’t until I read down further that it dawned
in me it was in KENT!!! She came charging
down her path all in a fluster that she hadn’t had time to put on any war
paint!!. She jumped in the car with poor old Nick listening to 2 Baddies chatting
at 100 mph just stopping to draw breath every few moments. We headed off up to
Maidstone, the road seeming never ending. Good job Mouse knew the streets well
as it was turn right, then left, then right for ages until we pulled into a car
park. Out of the car we ran and off down the street. We hurried along for ages
not knowing what the place looked like (like Challenge Anneka !) After a panic
stricken 5 mins we decided to ask some girls who looked at us totally gormless.
Eventually we found it !! Bit of giveaway was the gleaning 4 x 4 parked out the
front.!!!! AH ITS HIS CAR shouted mouse OMG So we quietly sneaked in
as Gretchen was already playing. It was a small place holding only about 100 with
no stage as such. We tried not to look too conspicuous and the majority of the
audience were shall I say slighty older than even me and Mouse!! We tried to relax
but I could feel the adrenaline pumping after our mad dash across Kent. We were
both dying to take our coats off but couldn’t so we stood there sweltering.
Before Mouse completely lost it I decided that we both needed a drink. Now the fact that BA, his driver and a female friend were propping the bar up by now had NOTHING to do with this decision. I needed my port and lemon and Mouse her Voddy. So off we headed to the bar with BA & Co moving to one side so we could get our order in. We had both decided that Bryan was here privately and we wouldn’t disturb him. Ok so ya heart tells you to run up and yell BRYAN at him but your brain says NOOOO, that aint on. But…….. as things turned out Bryan was the first to speak. Now bear in mind the last time he saw Mouse she had dark hair with purple and pink streaks in it and now she is blond I find it incredible that he recognised her. Mouse will tell you what he said here as I was ordering drinks at the time. Over to you mouse!! ((** I'd love to think he recognised me but you know how it is when your brain kicks in and you start thinking rationally.....no? No neither do I very often anyway as i stood next to him at the bar he pointed at me with a look as if he recognised me and with a big grin said something like HI what are you doing here? or was it How did you get here so quick or something like that I was degenerating into "Muppet mode" at this point so it was all like a dream, it's here that the rationality comes in I was actually wearing my grey BA fleece and it's probable that he noticed that.........but then again as the story ends he said something that makes me hope it really was true that he did in fact recognise me**)) There was no way he would have recognised me as the last time I was in his presence I had my head buried in his stomach felling the quality of the cloth of his jeans ! So
I then told Bryan why we were there and that Michelle had posted it on the board.
His face was a picture of surprise especially when we undid our coats to show
him our BA attire. He asked how we had got there so quick. Told him we had never
got dressed so fast before. I think he was impressed. Mouse then proceeded to
tell Bryan that I was the newly elected union rep for the old baddies. He looked
TOTALLY confused poor bloke. I mentioned that I was the Chris that he’d spoken
to on chat the other day. He said he didn’t recall but he had that certain’
I’m not admitting to anything’ look on his face!! I said that I didn’t
think he would as he was well ‘erm gone’ on that chat LOL. I asked Bryan what he was going to play. He grinned and said that he had decided not to play. The music was ok without him. Well you can imagine what I said! He then showed us his BA plectrum, and then teased me with it, to then draw it away as he needed it to play. All this time no one had realised he was there so when he was introduced the crowd were amazed. Of course we yelled the loudest. I slapped Bryan on the back as he went off to play – go for it Bryan!! And at last we were able to take off our coats, the BADDIES had landed !! There was no stage as such, just a lighted area. Heck Bryan had never been this close before. Where was the barrier, security and the 25 foot gap!!! Leaving Mouse at the bar I wriggled my way to the front to saviour the moment and to try and get a few shots. They had a music stand with the words in front of them which was understandable as Gretchen doesn’t sing these tunes all the time like Bryan!! They started off with a beautiful song – sorry couldn’t tell you what it was called but it was a goody! They both knew it very well and they hardly read the words at all so maybe it’s something newly created (nudge nudge) – who knows!! There followed an excellent When you love someone. That was stunning – a real tear jerker. Shoot the moon and all that – bloody excellent. They had plenty of banter between them with BA talking about her smoking cigars!!. They had a very good rapport with each other – like a couple of old mates bantering! They then sang Hey Elvis. I’d never heard this played live before so I was well chuffed.
The audience were a friendly lot. I don’t think they believed who they were watching! Old bloke behind me was grinning from ear to ear. They played a couple of other tunes but for the life of me I can’t recall what they were. I went back to the bar to drag Mouse down to the front and we both sat to listen to the best rendition of cloud#9 I’ve ever heard. It’s a tune he always plays in the encore of shows when you are all hyped up, knackered and totally gone with the fairies. So it was nice to hear it when things were calmer. (Ok so we were both still hyped up, knackered and COMPLETELY away with the fairies but Im sure you all know what I mean!). They both forgot the words !! Mouse and I were softly singing along, with Mouse glaring at me NOT to do the hand signs always done at shows!! We have a ‘rude rugby’ version of the signs and I think she thought I was going to show her up and do them!! We both then headed back to the bar – Mouse needed a top up!! I asked Bryan if he wanted a drink. No thanks love was his reply. Seeing as people were now starting to mill around we took our opportunity to ask for autographs etc. Of course in our hurry we had come without anything to sign!! Bryan didn’t want to sign the only bit of paper I had (a £5 note!) telling me not to waste my money!! He signed our t-shirts though. We asked for a photo which he viewed after and said we didn’t look enthusiastic enough!! At that point mouse started jumping up and down waving her arms and asked if that was enthusiastic enough for him......NO was the answer! Cheeky devil !! I think we’d had our quota of enthusiasm for one day!! Mouse, the lucky devil (I’d say bitch bitch bitch but I ain’t like that) was given his BA scribed plectrum. The bitch – whoops sorry – Mouse was dead chuffed. I later told Bryan that I would forgive him for not giving me one (in true –‘I’ll get you for this’ body language) and so he dug deep into his pocket and dug out another one. He said sorry it isn’t inscribed. OMG I have a plectrum at last!! And one from the ‘depths’ of BA’s pocket at that!! My imagination runs wild! Completely on a high we thought we’d make our way outside. His car was parked out the front but we didn’t want to overstay our welcome so we decided to head off. But as we turned to go out popped Bryan. It seemed real weird that only a few weeks ago I had waited outside the gates at Zurich to see BA leave in his car and was surrounded by about 100 peeps. And here Mouse and I were standing in an EMPTY street with Bryan. We cheekily asked for another shot but he said we had enough already. True, but there was no harm in trying !! Come on then Mouse tell him what he said next !! ((** I pleaded "pleeeeze Bryan just 1 more pic???" "Nope" he said as he started to get in his car......"Well I won't come to Hull then" I said like a petulant school kid Bryan laughed and said "Oh yes you will and you'll be front row!!" so maybe he did recognise me **)) Anyway he jumped in his car and off he sped with us silly mares blowing kisses and him waving away!! Well what more can I say!! That was just a dream come true time. I can only describe it as so incredible that it must be a dream. It must be a for heaven sake – BA in Maidstone LOL pull the other one !! I’m sure that Mouse feels the same way too.
((**At this point Mouse wishes to apologise to Bryan and the rest of Maidstone for behaving like a complete Muppet....... Bryan you once referred to me teasingly as "strange" but that was because of the multicoloured hair ..... now you have a different reason for thinking it LOL **)) There you go then baddies, you asked for a review- you got it!! Mouse and I are covered in bruises where we keep pinching ourselves! . Now go look at the pictures and have a real good giggle at our expense! Your comments will be gratefully received! ************************************************ Setlist
(not complete...although BA only played for 20 minutes or so, including songs
not recognised by badfans. I cannot tell you at this time whether they we're new
songs or covers): Shortly after the gig Gretchen posted this message to her fans on her messageboard: Hello all - Bryan was gracious enough to come to Maidstone at my invitation; we sang 4 songs together (In A Perfect World, Blessing In Disguise, When You Love Someone, and Cloud Number Nine). We have a little video of the performance which we will put up on the website at some point after the tour is over. It was great fun for both of us and I tried to get him to come to the London show but of course he's touring then. I think the Soul Cafe may be the smallest venue Bryan's played in quite some time... ;) ************************************************ Big rock star stuns small audience - CANADIAN rock star Bryan Adams surprised a small club audience when he turned up unannounced to perform several duets at the Jazz and Blues Café in Maidstone last night. The musician, best known for his 80s and 90s rock ballads, took to the stage at the end of a concert by Nashville-based singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters. The two musicians have penned several songs together. The show was presented by Maidstone Country & Roots Music Club and was part of Peters' latest UK tour. Ciaran O'Quigley, owner of the café and the adjoining Zaffa Mediterranean Restaurant, said that even members of staff had no idea the star was coming, bodyguard in tow. He said: "One of the waiters was going to turn him away because the restaurant was full but he said, 'I'm Bryan Adams and I'm playing in the back.' "He was standing at the bar drinking a tonic water and talking to customers freely. When he got on stage, the crowd were all looking at each other. They all stood up and started clapping." This summer, the music club will be presenting country acts at the venue including Tom Russell, on Bank Holiday Monday, May 31, Beth Nielsen Chapman, BR549, Hot Club of Cowtown, Lambchop's Paul Burch, Heather Myles and guitarist Jackie Leven with Michael Weston King's Decent Men. source: Kent Messenger ************************************************
Well the Soul Café is obviously the in-place to be. Canadian rock superstar Bryan Adams surprised the audience on Wednesday evening (May 26) when he turned up unannounced to sing five songs with Nashville-based singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters. The international rocker is more used to playing stadiums than club gigs and admitted it was the first time in Maidstone for him. In fact he had to look it up to find out where Maidstone was. He strolled on stage near the end of Gretchen Peters show and the pair sung several duets of songs that they’d co-written in the past 10 years. The packed audience was completely unaware that Bryan was in the building, and after the initial shock, was on their feet cheering and stomping for more. Those who missed the show, not only missed out on Mr Adams, but also a superb concert by Gretchen, one of the very best female singer-songwriters on the scene today. source: Soul Cafe News | |||
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© 2004 18 Til I Die.co.uk.
All rights reserved.
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Thanks to Val and Chris for the info and photos. << Bryan and Gretchen Peters onstage... from kentonline.co.uk
Bryan having a laugh infront of just about 100 people!
BA live in Maidstone...pull the other one!
View from the bar...like bein practically front row at a normal gig!
Val, Bryan and Chris :)
Bryan wanted excitement...he got it :D
Bryan speeds off after the show! |
