And Life Goes On (You Know It Aint Easy)



      Well firstly, wishing you all a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year, a year bereft of Olympics or Jubilees, how will we fill our days? I feel sure we will all cope. It already looks a great year for live music events on varying scales of grandeuer, lets hope the weather has made a resolution,to smile a little more.

      February brings us the Year Of The Snake, indeed to be precise, The Water Snake, noted as quite motivated and intellectual, very determined and resolute about success. So here's to hoping.

      One last mention of snakes, this time in human form, to those who saw fit in the early hours of Saturday the 22nd of December, to break into the BB mobile and remove all from within. Two drum kits, the basses, sound system, even the songbook, Demolitia's personnal dance items, merchandising and more. Equipment worth not only in excess of £20,000 but immeasurably more in the value placed upon the items by the four concerned.

      It has been my privilege and outright pleasure to have penned this blog for almost a year now and i rarely make a personnal comment, i have to say that it deeply saddened me writing the above.

      Inimitably though,in the BB way, we will not dwell upon this crime. A setback? Yes. A Derailment? Absolutely Not!

      Onwards and Upwards!!

      Getting the Crimewatch bit out of the way .Anyone, who catches sight of any of the highly unusual items involved, or saw anything unusual around Bolton upon Dearne on that Saturday morning, information please to BB or South Yorkshire Police. Details of the missing items can be found on http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/events/528541237170674/.

      Despite the unfortunate occurrence, the bands played on at The Snooty Fox that night, sets from everyone feeling a little more edgey as the sense of injustice pervaded the venue. Whilst crowd numbers were a little thin earlier in the evening,with many missing out on great sets from Crimson Clocks and Birthrite. By the time Gladstone hit the stage the crowd had swollen with probably equal numbers of Steampunks and other music fans and again no disappointment from the stage, frontman "Spook" Stoker impressively taking the stage in his "Scarecrow" hood for opener "Night Creatures".

    BB took to the stage with borrowed instuments from the other bands and Demolitia using dancing props offered by those assembed. Maybe not quite the usual show and maybe not entirely to their own satisfaction, however the crowd lapped it up and interesting bluesier Dale away from his favoured instrument.

     Thanks to all for the loan of equipment and a big one to Lord Montague Jaques Fromage III who compared, sang, danced and bantered throughout the show. All for free on the night, must say though this line up is starting to look like the "Steampunk Dream Ticket". still room for one or two more though.

     The band also played at The Sitwell in Derby on the 30th and The Fishpond Ballroom on New Year's Eve to good crowds, Axel utilising ex BB bassist John Ferguson's drums now with Gripper And The Gurnards and those of The Steaming Isaaacs' respectively.

     So what of the future. Well with Axel back in Germany gathering remnants of kit that lay there, Dale will be fullfilling the slot downstairs in the bar at The Fishpond on Saturday the 12th, with a solo performance. It may be a quiet January after that, whilst the band sort things out.

     The first Saturday in February hails a big return at The Grand Pavillion. Hooking up with space rockers Dr. Hasbeen, Birthrite, Metropolis, Crimson Clocks and Whiskey Bob Shaker plus a daytime market see http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/events/114762252027017/.

     A little insight into what is instore for the first half of an exciting year The band will be on tour in the US including two major Steampunk festivals in March, then in Germany April/May taking in Aetthercircus festival. Later in May see's a return to Steampunks In Springtime, Frome Steampunk Extravaganza, Bearded Theory Festival and SPEM Fest. In June, Tiffin On The Trinc(Hartlepool Dockyards), Sonic Rock Solstice and the return of The Steampunk Solstice.
   

     Is there anything we can do to help get things back on track, i hear you say. Certainly, firstly the most direct way is to go to the fundraising site at http://www.indiegogo.com/bbblackdog/x/2006574 and a big Thank You to Lord Montague Jaques for setting this up. We also  anticipate a fundraising gig, featuring many favourites, should be announced next week, for which it would be excellent if tickets were purchased in advance. Another big Thanks to Cas Sharp for her endeavours on this one. For any Steampunks with surplus items Julie "Scrumptious" Walton will be running a stall at The Pavillion on February 2nd, on a sale or return basis,along with her own goodies, all proceeds to the fund. Many Thanks to Julie for not only that but already having raised a serious sum from sales of her own wardrobe.

      Further to that if you know any philanthropic mill owners, Russian oligarchs or indeed any companies who maybe interested in donations or sponsorship. Any items which could be auctioned would also be nice.

     Abundant Thanks to all who have already helped, your actions have gone a long way to returning smiles to three musicians and a dancers faces and is appreciated more than mere words can convey.

     Apologies again for not revisiting the archives. Events somewhat overtook things. Plenty of time over the next week or two to catch up.
     
    Oh Yes, SteamVader did survive.

     

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