Brittlestar rock The Horseshoe

In the evening I am off to the legendary The Horseshoe Tavern to see Brittlestar live for the first time. The show is the launch of their brilliant second album "Secrets" (which you can buy for a fair price right here: Cantunes).

Stewart had put my name on the guest list and I feel just a little VIP. He told me that they would play around 9.30 pm, but there is a couple of other bands playing that night, so I go there early to catch some more music.

When I arrive, I am having a Blues Brothers moment: "Oh, we got both kinds. We got country *and* western." It's hard to imagine Brittelstar in here, but "The Horseshoe Tavern" is a good name for this place.

The venue is almost empty and I settle down at a table, drinking some local beer. At the table next to me the average age is about 60, which surprises me a bit. One of the elderly gentlemen keeps staring at me. Finally he leans over and asks "are you a friend of Mark's?". Eh, no. Who is Mark? Apparently I look like someone from the first band's entourage. I think the band is called Wrecked or something like that and they play... loud. It's schoolboys pretending to be Megadeath. The table next to me cheers. They must be family. My ear-drum fractures several times before they leave the stage. Maybe I should have come later?

Next is a band that is slightly less loud and plays what I would characterise as popish cover music. The venue is full now, they must be local and popular.

No sign of Stewart. I am wearing a Peanuts t-shirt, so he can easily identify me (yes, so I didn't really grow up). He promised to wear his Snoopy costume, but there is none to be seen. Finally I spot someone who does look a bit like him. I am sure, it's not Stewart but it could be his brother. I am tempted to just ask him, but then recall the "Are you a friend of Mark's?" episode from earlier that evening and decide to wait for the man himself to make an appearance.

Ah, there he is, putting his guitars on the stage:

Alan is here too. He plays the guitar, you know.

This may look like he has only just bought this one with the price tag still attached, but it is actually the spare guitar he very sensibly takes to concerts:

Stewart sees me wave and comes over to say hello. He is just as nice as I thought he would be. Strange to meet someone you have communicated with for a while and who went out of his way to help more than once. But he makes it easy and places me next to his "entourage". I talk to his wife Shannon until the concert starts. She has lived in Germany for a while, so that explains the German backing vocals on "For You" (an excellent track on the excellent first album "Waiting").

Good thing I did not approach that guy who looks a bit like Stewart. Shannon tells me that he is indeed from Stratford but no relation. In fact... *gasp*... he has English ancestors. Stewart is very proud of his Scottish family roots, so the two would probably deny being related even if they were.

Then it's finally time to enjoy some really good music. Modest man that Stewart is, he does some expectation management upfront by saying that they only rehearsed the new tracks four times. But I am not worried. It's without a doubt going to be the best hour of this trip.

(Unfortunately I do not have really good pictures to go with the excellent music. Sorry.)

After the show I talk to Alan at the bar. The next band has already started playing and they are again very loud, so we have moved to the front part of the venue after shouting into each others ear wasn't communicating much. Jay and Ryan, who managed to escape my camera lense, joins us and he really looks the part. He is wearing the perfect "drummer in a band that rocks" outfit. Such a shame I do not have a picture. A very nice guy too.

They have to leave way too soon and when the Brittlebus has departed for Stratford, I too make my way back to the hotel. Tomorrow I am flying home.