Psicle: Burnt Cookie

Friday evening train to Leicester and picked up at the usual place by Bruce. After eating Bruce practices for tomorrow's gig with me trying my best to provide a bass line that is at least on the beat. Soon it's dusk and we go for a wander along the steam railway track behind Bruce's place. Didn't think there'd be any trains but we hear a whistle which sounds like it's behind us but then we hear and then see a train coming towards us from the station. We dive into the brambly bushes to hide and although the drivers aren't looking at us, or in front of them, I think a few in the Pullman dining cars who are having romantic meals are probably a little surprised to see the faces of two middle aged men peering out from the undergrowth. Fearing that the station will be swarming with volunteers we retrace our steps and spend the rest of the evening watching blues documentaries and one featuring my granddad who was Station Master at Shepton Mallet who in the film is Station Master A showing us how to set up single line working. A lot of forms to sign. Saturday is the big day as the reason I'm here this weekend is that The Burnout have their album launch tonight. After breakfast we go for a walk through the wetlands for a canal side beer and coffee at the Hope and Anchor where one of Debbie's friend was brought up. It starts raining whilst we're browsing the Birstall charity shops and torrential whilst in the supermarket but eases off once we're out. Back home I cook pasta whilst Bruce hones his solos then it's time to drive into town and lug the gear to The Cookie. Sound checks and hanging around mean that I down a few beers and manage to tip the wobbly table so I get a pint of lager right down my jeans. I guess at least it wasn't Bruce as he'd then look like Mark E Smith on stage. The support band are Not My Good Arm playing a great range of songs from quite punky shouty through to funky dance. They have drums bass guitar and a trombone. Good chat as well. An excellent way to kick off the evening. There's a lot here and it gets even more crowded by the time Bruce, Wayne and Mike, also known as The Burnout, take the stage. They crash headlong into a high energy set of what a lazy hack would call post punk rock. And as I don't get paid for this, they play an excellent set of post punk rock. Mike on the drums are spot on driving the songs very ably supported by Wayne on a throaty raspy bass. Bruce's vocals are a sort of hard hitting Cramps like style whilst pile driving out the rhythm guitar with lovely bluesy solos thrown in for free. The songs skip across punk, rock and hard blues. It's all from the Dark Matters album, this is a launch gig, so for a run down of most of the songs played see here: https://psicle.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-burnout-dark-matters.html. I love the sound maybe because it's my mate Bruce up there but I think more likely because we both love the same bands so of course he'll be playing stuff I love. There is a strong Stranglers influence across all instruments but not necessarily at the same time. The bass goes off on Stranglers types neck runs at times and the guitaring at times is very Hugh Cornwall with those off kilter choppy near psychedelic licks. The crowd gets nearer the stage and there is some dancing going on and the crowd love them. A slight lull in proceedings as there is a problem with one of the drums so Bruce has to entertain the crowd with a very dodgy looking raffle and a joke. I've never seen that before. Set stopped for drum repair, not Bruce cracking a joke. Once back up and running they finish the set without further technical problems. After a certain amount of persuading, well, not a lot, the band agree to play an encore and we're treated to The Stooges and finishing with the MC5. And then they leave the stage. Or rather tell us that's our lot and start packing up the stage. To wild applause and whoops of "one more". The Burnout have set The Cookie on fire! I dip upstairs for some fresh air, whilst the band take their plaudits from their mates and also quite a few they don't know them, where I meet a youngish kid who's come all the way from Loughborough and asks me if I like GBH. The answer is of course yes. That's something The Burnout didn't play. Probably for the best. Eventually the chat stops and I'm back to my job of roadie lugging drums and leaking smoke machine up the pedestrian street by now crowded with those starting their nights at the clubs having seemingly made good use of the 2-4-1 happy hours, which seems to have been all evening in most places. Back home Bruce is still halfway between relieved and buzzing and we wind down watching more 50's music videos before nodding off. Sunday morning it's sunny again and Bruce drives me to the station for 11am as otherwise I think I may have to get the horror of a bus replacement service to London. Thanks Bruce. Great weekend. Great gig.