about it

Have a good time, then write about it - that's what I figure the best thing to do is.

Last Saturday we blocked traffic down one of Brighton's busiest streets unloading for our session on BBC Introducing. We set up in the BBC shop, at pavement level, looking out into one of the more high-rise, metropolitan areas of our city. Also: people. It was fun, then, to set up and make loud noises whilst being observed like an oddity in a kind of urban zoo. Pedestrians were knocking on the tall panes of glass, smiling, waving, and many would thoughtlessly admire their own reflection before shifting their focus to find a gaggle of hairy men giving them the eyeball. Those were my favourite strangers.
'I can only take two of you into the booth.' was the rather worrying yet disappointing opening statement from our very forgiving host, Phil Jackson. It was democratically decided that myself and Ed were to martyr our reputations as dashing young go-getters to the cause of publicity, revealing our stunted and ragged personalities in the interview that would take place during the show. I was told I answered one of the questions well, but no-one saw the aftermath of that dialogue - my plastic cup, filled with water, shaking like a First National regional service as I tried to wash down the sand that occupied my throat. Ed and I shared a high-five following the interview, because we're cool.
We played three songs live, a delicious buzz of adrenaline fueling each one. Strange to play to an invisible audience, surrounded (being in the BBC shop) only by cut price DVDs of The Catherine Tate show and LazyTown. We weren't bothered, though. Nor did we appear as such.

Then, barely a wink having passed (since the Introducing after party, that is), it was time to hit Hoxton Bar and Kitchen for another Akira gig. Lovely stuff, yet again (it's by far one of our favourite venues) marred only slightly by the absence of Rory, our usual sound engineer and keeper of stagebound sanity. We miss you, Rorhide. Come back soon. The house crew did a top job, though, with metaphorically large shoes to fill. Not much else to say about that. Nice gig. Thanks to those who came down - squeals of approval are always appreciated following a stressful week or two.

Now we look forward to SoundScreen tomorrow (14/4/13) evening, which I hear has sold out, and a Lundun gig on 18/4 at...Old Blue? Is that it? I can't be bothered to look it up now. You do it. And make me a cup of tea. Bla bla bla.

Loads and loads of exciting stuff happening behind the scenes at the moment. We'll keep you up to date when we know what in the heck is going on.

Until then...