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May
 
gig report / Cruddo turns up to a BIG night at the Lomond Acoustica! Wed. 30.5.18

The Three Amigos bust a groove at the 25th anniversary of the Acoustic Wednesdays		 What if you invited a crowd and they all came?
31.5.18 - It was pouring when I arrived at the Lomond and to compound my problems there wasn't a park to be found. 'I wonder what's going on round here on a Wednesday night?' I thought, but I eventually found a park 150m up the next street and stumbled into the back entrance of the Lomond with a towel I'd found in the van over my head.
'No Muslims in here!' chirped a voice from the verandah, but I went in anyway - and encountered perhaps the biggest crowd I've ever seen in the Lomond's front room taking in the vocal delights of Kelly Auty, accompanied by a poker-faced gent on the house piano.
Ray Moon informed me I was on in five minutes, which meant the show was actually running ahead and I scrambled on stage.
I'd prepared pretty well and it went well too. I guested with the Achison, Charles & Hocking (pic) and everybody was very nice to the old bloke.
 
gig report / The Suits rock up to Wayno's 60th Birthday Party Sun. 27.5.18

The Three-Piece Suits play Kids in the Kitchen for Wayne		 Wayne's 60th Birthday Party
The last time we were in this neck of the woods was for Wayne's wife Sally's 50th in 2010. Robbo remembers it very well as it coincided with the repeat Grand Final, (which he naturally had to attend) when Collingwood won the flag. He was in a very good mood that evening.
Even though we'd been there before I had no recollection of how to get there, but as soon as I reached the end of the very long driveway and saw the house I remembered it as if were only eight years ago. Wayne led me to the kitchen where we were to set up. The kitchen looks out over the spacious back yard (see pic) with virgin bushland beyond. Very nice.
Being a bit out of practice we just managed to be ready at the appointed time, but then held off a few minutes to regain our equilibrium and have a sip of the coffee that Wayne's daughter Anna had made for us.
After we'd finished the first set I asked Wayne if we were too loud and he said we could actually be a bit louder (!) and the next couple of sets were a little more relaxed. A very pleasant Sunday arvo for the Suits.
 
gig report / The Indelibles hit the road at the St Andrews pub Sun. 13.5.18

1) Broc wins the position to get the one light that's actually pointed at the stage 2) Axe-man Mike smirking (MG) 3)The band and Di Calder with featured guest artist Keaton
Mike Rudd's Indelibles' finally baptised at a down-at-heels favourite
14.5.18 - I was looking forward to the Indelibles' long delayed inaugural gig and where better to celebrate than at the St Andrews pub, Spectrum's happy hunting ground for so many years? Well, just about anywhere as it turned out, but I'll get to that later.
I was (slightly) anxious as it's been quite some time since the chaps and I have graced any stage together and we've barely seen each other since the Spectrum*plus gig in December last year. Broc, my Seville neighbour and Indelibles' bassist as you'd know, popped over on Friday for some revision and it was probably just as well, as the songs we didn't look at were the ones that I got muddled in.
Being the first official Indelibles' gig I'd also revised the standard songlist and it seemed to work out OK on the day. Just in case you haven't received any of my emails recently, the band formerly known as Spectrum has now been rebranded as Mike Rudd's Indelibles. The Indelibles' brief is to play Mike Rudd stuff from my very first band, Chants R&B through Spectrum, Murtceps, Ariel, WHY, The Heaters et al to the present day - a sort-of Mike Rudd tribute band if you like. Some people have commented that this is an ingenious move, and I'm also thinking this is a good thing.
It leaves Spectrum as the special event band that it should be and as it used to be known as back in the day. The first gigs for this special version of Spectrum (augmented by Brenden Mason as in the Spectrum*plus gig last year) are a couple of shows double-billed with our 70s' mates, Madder Lake, the first in July at the Sooki Lounge in Belgrave, and the second at the new Satellite Lounge now housed in the Village Green Hotel. (I like the idea of exclusively working Lounges!)
But, back to the St Andrews' gig. Sadly, as suggested earlier, all was not right at the St Andrews pub. It was Mother's Day and we've done them before at St Andrews and there's always been a healthy crowd on hand. Not so this time. Then I started hearing talk about there being no beer on tap (!!!!) no red wine, not the usual choice in the lunch menu, and even if they got the order right some orders not arriving for two hours, no toilet paper etc. Just as well there wasn't a big crowd!
Despite the small crowd and sundry other disappointments it was fun just to play together again. It was also another step along the way to stardom for drum prodigy Keaton Robertson when the band accompanied him for his drum solo spot for the first time. We were pleased to see that some of our regular St Andrews people turned up and personally I was very happy that my son Chris and the Dorrington contingent were in the room amongst some other wonderful friends.
On the way home, Maria and I dropped in on my bro' Dick (of Toolbox fame) and noshed up on his fabulous sea-food risotto and Mary's fresh-from-the-garden salad - not forgetting the lovely Central Otago pinot-noir. A very pleasant and civilised way to end to a somwhat disappointing day overall.
 
 
 
 
 
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