Played to 250 drunken servicemen and women. A great gig.
After the gig and a few beers I chatted to a welsh medic and a scouser Medical Engineer (his terminology, not mine). Both extremely ordinary poeple in the nice sense of the word, both married with children, doing an extraordinary job.
Both Corporals, twelve years in the service (promotion is SLOW in the RAF). Both seen service in Iraq, Bosnia, Afghanistan (the Medic is heading back there today).
These guys save lives on a daily basis, and the decisions they make have a palpable effect on the squaddies over there. Frankly, I called them fucking heroes but they would have none of it. All of the people there, men and women, all between eighteen and thirty five (roughly), were simply the most "together" bunch of people I have met in a while. Collossal drunken roars filled the bar and the beer taps were largely empty by the end of the night but there was never a sense of trouble. My dad was in the RAF for twenty five years and it brought back memories
Suffice to say that the gig fee is heading to Help for Heroes and I felt quite awed in the prescence of these bright young things doing what they do quietly.
We've been asked to play there when the base closes (which it is in a year or so) for their big Help for Heroes bash. It will be such a shame to not see the Hercs flying overhead on a daily basis reminding me of how these guys put themselves in harms way.
They are all heroes, and I'll never forget last night!
Cheers guys,
Graham.
After the gig and a few beers I chatted to a welsh medic and a scouser Medical Engineer (his terminology, not mine). Both extremely ordinary poeple in the nice sense of the word, both married with children, doing an extraordinary job.
Both Corporals, twelve years in the service (promotion is SLOW in the RAF). Both seen service in Iraq, Bosnia, Afghanistan (the Medic is heading back there today).
These guys save lives on a daily basis, and the decisions they make have a palpable effect on the squaddies over there. Frankly, I called them fucking heroes but they would have none of it. All of the people there, men and women, all between eighteen and thirty five (roughly), were simply the most "together" bunch of people I have met in a while. Collossal drunken roars filled the bar and the beer taps were largely empty by the end of the night but there was never a sense of trouble. My dad was in the RAF for twenty five years and it brought back memories
Suffice to say that the gig fee is heading to Help for Heroes and I felt quite awed in the prescence of these bright young things doing what they do quietly.
We've been asked to play there when the base closes (which it is in a year or so) for their big Help for Heroes bash. It will be such a shame to not see the Hercs flying overhead on a daily basis reminding me of how these guys put themselves in harms way.
They are all heroes, and I'll never forget last night!
Cheers guys,
Graham.
