Baptism of Fire

Our new drummer, Samuel James McLeod passed his first test with flying colours so all you people out there worrying that the lack of Vini in the band means we are a washed up bunch of thirty and forty something has-beens with a ska fixation are dead wrong. The first gig with Sam was in Neilston near Glasgow, as part of Neilston Live. Sam did an outstanding job, especially on Inspector Gadget, which included one of the finest drum solos I’ve heard. He did admit at the end of the set that he was probably going to lose a few stones in weight after a few more gigs with us, but hey, that’s the kind of health conscious, anti obesity, kind of guys we are. We wont tolerate obesity in this band. Mainly because we are struggling for space as it is. As it was we were one man down because Mathew was away working, damn his eyes. So the free space on stage was well appreciated. In conclusion it was 90% Bombskare, kind of a low calorie Bombskare. Many thanks to Das Contras for inviting us into their backyard to play with them again, first time since the Queens Hall last year as part of Spectrum. They played an outstanding set (first time I had seen the new bass player), and deserve to be huge.

Second gig was down near Galashiels as part of an event called Gumbofest. Some of us got lost on the way down and almost ended up in England, and then nearly ran out of fuel, before encountering a coach load of pipers and drummers in kilts, who were steaming drunk and fighting with each other in the middle of the road. We got directions from them, since the best directions we could get out of Jim and Mike (who were already there) was that we had to drive down a tarmac road for five miles, but they were not sure which road! Pair of freaking geniuses. We got there finally and found the stage was down a track into a forest in the middle of nowhere, and I tell you, I have never seen so many people completely out their faces on drink and drugs. We played for about an hour I think to a really appreciative crowd, who kept trying to shake everyone’s hand after every song. I grabbed a mike and said that if we had to shake every ones hand after every song then we would be there all night. I admit, I’m a moany bastard. But it was a thoroughly enjoyable set and Sam did well again.  He's a keeper.  The Hustlers went on after us and they played a blinder. Great to hear them again. Tom and Colin joined them on stage for a song, temporarily converting them into Hustleskare.

So next gig is down in London as part of the Notting Hill carnival which should be fun. Bombskare in London? Hmmmmmmm.