Andy “Kitch” Kitchinson, Gaz “Funkmeister” Hill and Gary “Stewart” Smith, Hilbre Court, 2011.

Well the days have positively raced by, and the Big Weekend is finally here. In a little over 4 hours, Liquorice Allstars (mixed assortment number one) will hit the “stage” of the Hilbre Court West Kirby. Backed by Wirral’s answer to Muscle Shoals – Nick “Drum Doctor” Lauro, Gaz “Funkmeister” Hill and Andy “Kitch” Kitchinson – I’ll be playing the first of my three gig tour of West Wirral.

I’m feeling fairly relaxed about this first gig: I know these songs backwards. I sometimes play them like I only know them backwards (note to self: pace yourself on the beer this time). Me and Andy have been playing guitars together since we were in short trousers. Indeed, the trousers may be longer but the songs remain the same. Also, Nick, Gaz and Andy have known each other since the seminal days of the mighty Threshold (a sixth form covers band who discovered U2 before they were big – yep, they go back that far). So we have a history together.

There’s something to be said about actually knowing the songs that you’re about to play live to an audience of live people. I mean, I know quite a few of the chords and most of the words… though not necessarily in the right order (© Eric Morecambe). Ah yes, the old jokes – like the old songs and the old folks that play them in bands – are still the best.