We're only in it for the Guinness

Jazz Weekend 1999

Hello there, how are you?! We've just been to Cork to play at the Guinness Jazz Festival. Marvellous times were had by all, and here's a chance to share some of them with us. We got the ferry from Liverpool on Thursday night, and good fun it was too. Now, Tox is just a shy guy, and on hearing that he may have to share a cabin with a male that he doesn't even know, he decided to hide himself and observe from a vantage point. God help anyone who came in and found him there, but at least he felt safe! Just don't look at this photo if you're in on your own, 'cos it'll scare the crap out of you..... We played at The Shelbourne Bar. As soon as we arrived, Mr Pleass decided to see if he could make some dinner money. I'm not sure how successful he actually was.... The Festival is not like Glastonbury, with 70,000 people in one field, rather120,000 in a lot of different venues over the weekend. Too many venues, 'cos you want to be in at least 10 at any one time. Frustrating. This is our stage area. Not really a stage, but great fun all the same. Apart from, like, you're nose to nose with the punters. Still, beats playing Wemberley, or does it? ('cos you can smell the audience.) Obviously, we aren't onstage at the moment of this photo, but you get the idea, don't you? Had to take this now, 'cos you couldn't see the stage by 7.30....
Martin apparently slipped back in time to play the didjeridu in a psychedelic haze. Crazy, man, crazy! O.K. Now if you think that Rock'n'Roll's a glamourous thing, then take a look at these 2 wreckages. This is the scene at 3.35 a.m., waiting for that last pint of Guinness to settle while the limo comes to pick us up.
Saturday was the State Funeral of Jack Lynch, a very popular former premier of Eire. The city came to a standstill.		Then everyone went for a McDonalds...
Hunger - it's a dreadful thing on the road, but when you've got Mrs Doyle's Catering Co. with you, there's no problem at all. What a feast, and it sure beats kebabs in the health stakes!.
Mr Pleass checks to make sure his backside is in place, watched and applauded by an admiring crowd. The punters love a good arse-check!
Occasionally we lend out members of the band to other groups. When Tox came ^ across these two (Some Like It Hot, with whom he used to play some 15 years ago) those haunting Gypsy refrains dragged him in and kept him playing. 4 hours, and his hands looked like chopped liver afterwards, but who could deny him the pleasure?

	This is Axel Zwingenberger. He is a Boogie-Woogie god. Bear in mind, though, that these photos were taken in 1999, and he wasn't at a 70's bad taste party. When you can play like Axel, you dress how you want!
Thank you very much Cork, GOODNIGHT! This is us, during our fabulous finale. Mr Pleass blows a log and plays piano at the same time. How much more fun can you have with your trousers on?
So, that was Cork, that was. With luck, (luck, who needs luck?) we'll be back there next year, and who knows, maybe we'll even be a bit more suitable - 'S Jazzy!