We left a day early so that we weren’t playing immediately after a long drive. I was taking hay fever tablets as I had a persistent cough, blocked sinuses and was deaf in one ear, but they make me drowsy so Jim did all of the driving. Nightmare traffic jam on M25 but otherwise a straightforward 8 hour journey with the little caravan in tow. Lovely secluded sheep farm in the middle of nowhere with only a few other campers. We went for a late night walk as the evening and the landscape was so beautiful. We had a band practice the next morning in the sunshine then did some exploring on the way to Glossop. Had a gorgeous lunch in Thrive, a cafe, then explored old Glossop on foot, following church bells and watching a bride arrive at her wedding.
We arrived at Glossop Labour Club just after 6 to get set up and had a warm welcome from about 7 volunteers! It was a full house (about 40) by the time we started playing and we went down really well, everyone joining in with Romance At The Panto and really enjoying our more political numbers. Jim’s cousin and husband were in the area so came along which was really nice and they took a load of photos for us. I had found singing very difficult then one of the organisers kindly gave me some Vocalzones which I’d not tried before.
We got a good fee paid by BACS the day after which more than covered our travel and camping- we’d agreed a fixed amount or 80% of the door, whichever was higher. The door was considerably higher. We used the in house PA which was perfectly sound, operated admirably. Unloading and loading was easy as there’s a space right by the front door and free road parking just over the road. We got the gig by sending an email to the labour club asking we could fit a visit into our 2024 tour. We’d seen our friends Wildwood Jack had played there so knew we’d be a good fit. The reply came back very quickly.
Glossop Labour Club is a brilliant little venue tucked away round the back of the main high street in Glossop. “Glossop Labour Club is an independent socialist club. It is not affiliated to any political party, but is home to people who share a progressive outlook on life. It is one of the oldest Socialist/Labour Clubs in the country. If you enjoy a friendly atmosphere, where you will be unlikely to encounter bigotry or prejudice, if you are a woman who likes the freedom of going out alone, if you are young or old (or in between), Glossop Labour Club is just what you are looking for. Whether you want real ale, draught lager, cider or Guinness, alcohol-free beer. wine or a selection of spirits (including a range of single malts – all at very reasonable prices, or if you prefer soft drinks, tea and coffee, we can offer what you most enjoy. “.
All in all a lovely gig and we made the most of having a time away in a beautiful part of the country, doing lots of walking and exploring, doing a bit of song writing and practising. My ear and throat continued to bother me so I went to the doctor’s a couple of days later and found I’d had a prolonged viral infection, probably since February, so needed antibiotics, nasal spray and ear drops. Not hayfever then!
