by: Stewart Roney
I got there about 7pm, (it would have been there earlier but you try finding anywhere to park there), just in time to meet Andy Scott, Damien and Jeff Brown all wandering out of the theatre having finished their sound check. "We're just going to get changed, then find a local for a jar or two..." said Andy. It sounded like the usual arrangement before a gig, so I soon found them all hovering around a local bar. Andy had met up with an old friend of his, as he'd previously, some years ago, owned a small cottage in Lyme Regis, right on the coast.
Anyway, after a 'couple' of beers, we all made our way back to the Theatre, just down the raod, to find the local support band had already finished. (It was already 9.25pm and the band were supposed to be on in 5 minutes!) As you can see from the above photo's, the theatre is not unlike Lyme Regis itself, small and quaint - really not the kind of place I imagined Andy playing. To cap it all, there were even tables and chairs all layed out!
Well, the Theatre seemed pretty 'full' (though I think a couple of hundred would have seen them spilling out onto the road outside it was so small), and I was asked to get a couple of rounds in (at Andy's expense I hastened to add) and put them in the dressing room. but the band soon made short work of those, with what was left of the second round going on stage with them after The Stripper intro.
So, off they went with there usual rockin' numbers, but frankly (and it brought a big grin to my face) the audience, they just didn't know what to do... stunned, no doubt about it! Anyway, after a few numbers, then onto the now regular Little Willy/Wig Wam routine, they were all on their feet, shouting, singing and dancing. This was more like it!
By now, in such a small place, it was getting REALLY hot! But the atmosphere was just electric, everyone, including the band, were really enjoying themselves. You can always tell with the band, they're all playing silly jokes on each other and having a good time doing it!
Every single number went down a real storm with the audience, they just couldn't get enough of them! But, all too soon, it had to come to an end. However, Andy felt that he had enjoyed it all so much, he surprised everyone in the band by getting them to play a wonderful and perfect Windy City before the normal Ballroom Blitz. By this time, everyone seemed to be swinging from the rafter's and clearly had a brilliant night.
Afterwards in the bar (where else?), Andy said how much he'd really enjoyed the evening, but was disappointed that there were not as many people there as he'd hoped. I suggested he found somewhere with a bigger Car Park next!
This page was last edited on: August 31st 1997.