FAC251 - Painfully Good

Factory - the new Haçienda?

FAC 251 - A different kind of venue

When I found out we had a gig booked at Manchester's FAC251 I couldn't help but feel a huge sense of pride in the city I live in. For those who don't know why, I shall give you a brief history lesson. Back in the 1980s Manchester music was growing. A new record company founded by Tony Wilson opened up a whole new world of music from Joy Division and New Order to the Happy Mondays and James. As part of Factory records New Order opened a club called 'the Haçienda'. I won't bore you with the details but basically it was a world of messiness, drugs and - above all things - music.

The day before the gig...

Outside it looks industrial

... I felt a bit rough with a slightly soar throat. I woke up the next morning after an early night feeling like a sheet of razor blades were slashing at the inside of my unnaturally dry throat. And I felt achey. Great. So I texted our manager, Pete, saying "I think I have tonsillitis, tonight is gonna be a struggle. I'm definitely not singing!"


...How wrong I was!

Inside looks similar to the old Haçienda

After chewing on a fair few painkillers and spraying some throat spray I entered the venue. To say it is run differently to other venues is an understatement. When we usually play gigs we are told to sell a minimum amount of tickets and then (and only then) we will get a small cut of the money. At FAC251 however we didn't have to sell a thing - not a sausage. That was nice! So we got on with the soundcheck - Pete brought me some vitamin tablets which tasted like gone-off Calpol! We then played some songs and I attempted to sing into the mic...

It bloody hurt.

Wristband - Artist: No Really. I am...

Never before have I enjoyed a gig while wishing I could just curl up into bed, but this night was different. We started playing to about 15 people who, collectively as a band, we all knew! By then end we were playing to a sizeable crowd (probably around 90 people) who were cheering and applauding despite my croaky attempts at backing vocals! The vibe was amazing. Some gigs just feel right and this one felt electric! But, by the end I was tasting blood and my throat was on fire! Not so good.

Since the gig...

Matt at the gig.

I've recovered and my throat feels much better (thanks for asking!). Also FAC251 have got back in touch... they want us to headline a night in July. Can it be part of the next Manchester music movement?

Hopefully it already is.

Recording

It's been a while... 
But after multiple days of being shacked up in a tiny DIY studio the band have finally finished recording a 5 track E.P. Of course as soon as they have been produced I shall put some tracks up on here so you can finally here the sound of my band!

Jon Ellis.

Oceansize - Bassist Jon Ellis (on right)

That name may not mean anything to you, but to the band he is a Mancunian God! Jon is the man who has been recording with us and used to be a member of Oceansize (check them out as they were pretty speical). Jon has been more than a man who presses record and makes us sounds sexy, he's also been a fantastic mentor in helping the band to find our sound. Along with manager Pete, they are the two people who have selflessly made the band sound like we do.

Hopefully a CD will be available at the next gig

The Tracks
All five songs are equally as important to us, with each carrying different meanings and reminding us of memorable times. Some are slightly older than others in terms of when they were written but all are current and in keeping with The Marivaux's sound.

The ones to watch out for..
Without a doubt, 'Track Record' as it is our swan song of the new era for the band. It is the most likely to become a single and every time we play it people seem to love it and attempt to sing along.
There's also 'Altitude' which morphs the sounds of old school rock and new age indie with Guy playing a fantastic Harmonica layer over the tune. More of an anthem than a stand alone single but equally as listenable.
Finally, Come With Me has the melody and riffs of any good tune. Hopefully people will agree.

Not long now... 

The Cavern Club

Possibly my favourite gig of all time...

The Cavern. Just saying those two words conjures up images of John, Paul, George & Ringo making a name for themselves amongst other acts like the Rolling Stones in the 60's. Of all the gigs I've ever played this was the one to put on the CV!

Start at the beginning

It's Friday and for the first time ever Matt is early for a band practice (even though it was his Birthday the night before and he guaranteed he'd be late!). Phil and myself pack the guitars into the car and head to the 'shack-like' Bolton studio where we record/jam. We get to grips with a Beatle's medley and get the harmony sounding sweet. Three hours later and we're feeling ready.

Quick bite then back in the car...

Road trips are usually special in the band because it gives us time to talk to one another without a clatter of drums or a drone of bass or a twang of guitar like in our normal rehearsals. I'm driving (as ever!) with Phil and Matt for company next to me. To begin with I disagree with TomTom's directions and believe I have a much faster way... Never mess with TomTom.



An hour and a bit later...

And we're parked up and walking down to find the famous Cavern Club with guitars on our backs and nerves in our stomaches. Nothing that a cheeky beer on the docks won't settle! For a fairly sunny day it wasn't half cold - lets just say if I'd been 'bagged' then it wouldn't of shown me in the best of lights!

Inside the venue

As you walk up to the club itself you see a busker singing Beatle's tunes and foreign looking people taking pictures next to a statue of John Lennon (Phil immediately feels at home and starts to sing with the busker as we pass... what a man!). We go down a few flights of stairs and into the famous setting of arched brickwork, accompanied by the sound of 'Love Me Do'. Unfortunately this wasn't our room and we ventured past the bar and into what can only be described as a scene from CBeebies.

14 Years Old!

I know rock and roll begins at an early age. I mean, I played my first 'gig' at 11 in a high school talent contest with Matt. But to play an over 18's venue, with more musical heritage then any other venue, when you are 14, is a bit of a piss-take. Especially when they are on after us! To top it all off the opening band arrives and they're not much older, at a premature 15! I wouldn't mind, but they didn't even offer us one of the cans of Foster's that they'd stole from their Dad's fridge!

Pre-drinking - friend or foe?

Now, as you will have gathered, I am usually the designated driver. This gig was no different. Yet, for about 3 hours before we were on, we went to numerous pubs where the band were getting steadily merrier and less coherent! When we we're in one Karaoke pub we all wondered what we'd done to end up in a place like this... Still, our friend and harmonica god, Guy, was enjoying himself, playing along to every tune under the sun!

The Gig.

8.45pm and we begin the set. I can't hear a thing except bass and rhythm guitar. The crowd don't seem to impressed by the attempt at harmonies that me, Matt and Phil have... But, luckily they are distract by the sweet sound of harmonica that Guy was throwing at them! A few tunes later and things seem to settle down. Cue our Beatles melody that we'd practiced earlier that day... at 100MPH!! I've never heard a band sing "beep beep, beep beep, yeah" so quickly! Seemed to go down well though!

10 minutes later and its all over

The gig was good. Not great. It was a bit too loud and as a band we'd probably been to too many pubs before hand, but all in all, it was good. People seemed to enjoy themselves and I'd had a good time on stage with the lads. Unfortunately our good friend 'Mule' couldn't be there as he'd crashed on the motorway on the way down. He and his passenger, Ash, were fine but nonetheless they should have been there and we're sorry they weren't.

Time to go...

We left half the band in Liverpool (the Rock 'n' Roll lifestyle is a 24/7 job you see) and I set off with Matt, Guy and our fantastically drunk friend Aron in the car. I don't think I've ever laughed so much in my life! The conversation between Aaron and Guy in the back was priceless! Aaron, "how's your KFC guy, is it nice?" Guy, "it was at first... but now I'm just used to it" - was a particular favourite of mine!

A lot of fog and a weird route home later (TomTom's revenge)...

And we were back in Manchester. We had a brief stop off where Aron was staying and had a sing-song with the guitar and harmonica. Aron sang a song about a man whose uncle died. Matt cried. The whole day had been a wonderful experience and all in all it was probably the most fun I've ever had with the band. Now though, it was time for bed...

We played The Cavern. 

War of the Bands

Last Night...
It's 9.30pm and we are waiting to go on. My fingers feel cold and my throat is tighter than normal. I look around and only see Matt who seems as cool as a cucumber. We're at Dry Live, the poster in the corner reads 'War of the Bands' and the band on stage finally finish with an over-enthusiastic clatter of drums and guitar that lasts for nearly 3 minutes. 




Four people clap. 


I need the loo but it doesn't look welcoming... ah well, when duty calls...

I finally spot Phil and Ben who both look how I feel, nervous. The 5ft 2" host reads our name out "...the ma.. the... matrix? ... how do you say it lads?" - good start! However, he has been a controversial figure all night with comments aimed at the crowd, telling them to "cheer the fuck up". It didn't work. This announcement just adds to a long run of blunders that have prompted jeers from a bunch of lads near the stage. 
Probably had too much to drink. 




Just for the record, it's pronounced "Ma-ree-voe". 

Plugged in and lit up, we wait for the compere to stumble off the stage and then we begin. The nerves immediately turn into adrenaline and we are doing what we love to do. The crowd cheer and we all smile. It was a good performance - even if we were cut short by the sound engineer. People start chanting 'one more song'. Good gig. Cue the drunk midget. 




Slight downer on the night...


All the money made went to charity. That's not my complaint. What I took issue with was when the venue said we'd taken £50 for ourselves. Phil and Pete sort it out but there is a slightly sour taste left in our mouths. 

It's now 11pm and the winner won't be announced until 2am. We did our best but now it's time to leave. I go to get the car - now £15 lighter in petrol - and pack the up the equipment. Home time now and I look back at the venue with a feeling of satisfaction. The drive home is calm and quiet - I enjoy night drives. Quick stop at McDonalds and then to bed.






By the way, at 3am they announced the winner... we won!