Liverpool The Cavern

The world famous Cavern, and a home town gig, not just for me, but also for our drummer Peter Tulloch. known as Peter The Beater.
So a lot of family coming to this show, and for the very first time ever, I am actually staying in a hotel in Liverpool!

The Hard Days Night Hotel to be precise. situated right next door to The  Cavern itself. Nice hotel actually, Nice rooms, apart from a weird portrait above the bed of Yoko posed as The Mona Lisa, it may give me nightmares later.

From my third floor room, I can hear a busker on the street, belting out Beatles songs, of course. 'Something', 'Eleanor Rigby' and other classics. He has Tambourines atached to his feet for a bit of added percussion.

I travelled up on the train for once, the band drove, and took them 7 hours,

The view from the band transport at 4pm, as I lay back on my comfy bed.

So some 'me' time yay! and time for Thai with friends and family opposite the hotel. I am told that the closer in proximity we get to my home town the more pronounced my accent becomes. Can't say I noticed meself like!

The local council, in their wisdom, have made load in, and out, the most difficult at any venue I have ever performed anywhere in the world. Mathew Street itself is pedestrianised, but load in is at the rear in the street behind the venue.
This is pedestrianised too, but for no apparent reason, as there is absolutetly nothing there!

So vans must park blocking the road and carry the gear 100 yards up the street, through the throngs of tourists, to load in down a lift.

The council could, of course, simply but the bollards where the entrance to the Cavern is, to aid load in, but no. They place them at the entrance to the street, and let's face it, we are talking The Cavern, the most famous club in the world!

A venue that brings tourists into Liverpool from all over the world, so let's make it as difficult as possible for bands to load in.
I have lost count of the parking tickets we have had whilst loading.

                                                 Soundcheck
But I digress; The Gig.

Very well attended, may have something to do with the feature on the band in the Liverpool Echo last week.
The cities biggest newspaper.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/anfield-frontman-uks-best-led-10961730

With its small atage it does get hot in the Cavern, but a  great atmosphereand a very receptive audience. 
The Cavern now has a Live Room in the back, a larger room than the recreation of the small stage that all those famous bands performed in the heyday.
It must have been just amazing to have witnessed the great bands in such an intimate venue in their formative years.

After our show of belting out Zep classics to  a hungry audience, I spoke with a couple who had travelled The States once to see us, they said it was on Plant's recommendation.
.
But they didn't  realise the Live Room even existed and were patiently waiting for us to come on in the wrong room, and only realised their mistake when we were playing until the encores.

They only caught 'Rock and Roll', 'Immigrant Song' and 'Thank You',

We have made a few changes to the set, left the acoustics out, and gave 'Dazed and Confused' and extended run out.

So after 3 encores it's back to the Hard Days Night Hotel, its midnight and the same busker from this afternoon is STILL going. However, at this hour, Now, I like The Beatles as much as the next man, and this busker added some local charm this afternoon, by now I am having a sense of humour failure!

Anyway.

Nice to see so many friendly faces, can't wait for the next one, next up in the morning a 5 hour drive to Great Yarmouth for Legends of Rock!