IPSWICH RAILWAY

Probably the worst venue on earth !

On the 16th February 2008, We left HQ on a 3 hour trip to what we thought was one of the best venues we were to play this year. Everything was agreed, a guaranteed fee, in house PA system and the promise of the "usual" full house.

After all it was billed as "Suffolks No1 live music venue" everyone goes there, there's nothing in Ipswich to touch it! Great, can't wait.
We arranged with the landlord to be at the venue for around 6pm and we'd be set up and sound checked for 8, to which the landlord agreed.
We have a usual set up routine where Kev sets the drums up first.  As he was putting the finishing touches to his set up, she marched over and insisted he put this postage stamp sized carpet under the kit because "We've had some complaints about bass drum noises from the neighbours"
Very odd, we thought, being the best live venue in Suffolk! Needless to say, Kev refused and I whole heartedly agreed with him. For those that have seen Kev's drum set up, he has his own "carpet" which is tailored to suit.
Next in the firing line was Neil who was also "ordered" to place even more carpet under his bass rig because they'd had complaints from the neighbours about that as well ! To quote a Jim Royleism "Suffolk's No1 venue my arse!"
Anyway, we obliged, but I tried to put her mind at rest by telling her that any low frequencies would be under control as we had various gadgets that dealt with the "problem" I also told her I had many years experience as a sound engineer and I would keep it under control.

Next we were told we couldn't sound check because she wanted to open the doors at 7 o clock! By now we knew she was trying to make it as difficult as possible for us, so we ignored her and "carried on regardless" After all, the landlord, who was nowhere to be seen, had said 8pm opening, on stage 9:30 - 10:30 1st set, 10:45 - 11:45 second set.

When I suggested this to the "Landlady?" she flipped and said on stage at 9:00pm and finish at 11:00 under no circumstances must we play a single note after 11. "We've had complaints from the neighbours!" By now we just wanted to get on, do the gig and get the hell out of there! We made a start and to say there wasn't a full house was an understatement. Maybe we started too early, because 30 minutes into the set people started to come in.

The audience, as ever were brilliant, and by the end of the gig at 10:58 (to be precise) they shouted for more. We explained that we couldn't as we'd been ordered to finish at 11 by the land lady and that they'd had "complaints from the neighbours". As we began to dismantle the equipment, you know who marched over and said "I want another 15 minutes". Because the gig had gone down so well with the audience she thought she'd make a few more quid out of the people in there by selling more beer.

I explained that we'd already dismantled half the set up and it would take another 30 minutes before we'd be ready. By this time the landlord (who was very drunk) had turned up and half the audience had gone off to their locals. He accepted what we were saying and said "ok, maybe next time"

Then the bombshell! She refused to pay us the agreed amount and short changed us by over £300. After taking out expenses, Diesel, accommodation, food and drink etc, we'd made a big loss on the night. Now awkward hosts are part and parcel of being in a gigging band, but never have I come across anyone who has pulled a stunt like that in 30 years of performing on stage.

We were so incensed by this, our manager and Hannah ended up being barred from the venue for explaining to the remaining members of the audience, that the money they had paid in good faith to the venue for the band had remained in their possession and we were told to take this measly amount and f off!

All in all, a thoroughly horrible venue, and I would implore anyone who is thinking of seeing any band there, or indeed, any band thinking of playing there, think again!

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