Gaslight Gig - 11 March 2006

The Negotiators played the Gaslight Tavern in Brompton last night. It was a pretty good gig. We played well, and the audience was both of a good number and disposition. Publican was happy, punters were happy, band was happy. All was well. We didn't make a hundred, but did bloody well to make half that considering what else was on!

The show kicked off at 9pm sharp. First set went 50 min, even though it had more songs in it (fifteen) than any other. Tempo was generally a bit quick, but within tolerance levels. Stage setup was a variation on what we had last time we played here on a Saturday, with keyboard at edge of stage on far left, drums a bit off set to the right in centre rear, Terry at stage right, me at stage, mid centre left (sounds like the ALP!).

The sound was good, loud but not overwhelming. In fact, at times on stage there almost seemed to be the muffled boom box effect (when you know what's going out is mixed and loud, but what you here is the discrete componentry of it and not the final effect). Sox was there in the audience in the first set, and was able to give some direction to mix levels. Surprisingly, only I had to alter my level (up a notch). At the end of the night, several people told me of their impressions of the mix, no complaints. While we're on 'technical' stuff, I should record that I broke no guitar strings. As regular viewers would know, it's been awhile since that's been the case!

Second Set was a bit more in your face, with very tight versions of Eagle Rock and High Voltage, and very involving versions of The Wall and Roadhouse Blues, being my highlights. Nancy's kick ass version of River Deep Mountain High was a great way to wind the set off on a high.

Third set was the most ecstatic, with a fair bit of audience dance and song, a lot of applause, and a steadily building momentum from song to song over the middle ten of the set (fourteen in total). My highlights, the vocal music psychelic mix in Satisfaction and Jumpin' Jack, the guitar momentum in Good Golly Miss Molly and Travellin' Band, and the punchy choruses of a couple of Divinyls songs. Ended the set with Sox drumming a couple of songs. Sure knew we had our old drummer behind us for them...much heavier thumper than Chris (who is still playing with us while Sox recuperates, he's still enjoying every moment of it - thankyou so much Chris).

Fourth and final set kept up the momentum. We tended to move from one song to the next within seconds, vocal introduction coming over the musical. As stage technique, worked well. Pity it wasn't planned that way! Paint it Black entranced many in the audience, who haven't heard the way we concentrate on the aspect of looming catastrophe in the song's soundscape (which the Stones' most heard version very much downplays). Blew away the younger members with American Idiot (fun!), and the older with Bobby McGee (best and most coherent version we've played for ages - very climactic as the last song before goodbyes and encore). Caroline pumped like Status Quo should, Kiss rocked along all nite and we even got The Romantic's "What I like about you" in there with a nice bit of improvisation through the middle passage. Concluded with Casey Chambers as encore.

A very successful night of fun, thanks to everyone who shared it with us and who's continued support makes it possible for us to keep on doing what we love.

Our next public shows are around a month away. We need to pick up some more material, and have several weekends back to our 'other lives'.

Make sure you visit this site by late March when I'll have confirmed dates posted.

Gaslight Gig Poster - March 2006