The venue had a new PA system intalled and RH&TE's were due to open the revamped venue. It was a last minute booking and so not many people knew about it. On the night the PA blew up and so the boys did the show in the bar area using just their amps and a reduced drum kit. RH did a lengthy intro to Beautiful Queen about looking down on a train that's going under the sea and exploding as it goes. The song itself was wonderful as RH's voice was drowned in the guitars and slowly came through the "mix" as the chorus kicked in. It should have been recorded that way. As far as i know, the decision to play in the bar was suggested by a couple of fans who are friends of the band as there was much chattering after the idea was raised. Most of the others of us present watched the boys toing and froing as bits of PA were swapped and tampered with. It was only months afterwards that we found out that it was the LAST gig for the Egyptians, it was a great way to end as it was a fantastic gig and seemed to convey the fun and greatness of the band. what a way to go.
Surferghost


My best mate Simon and myself had only heard about this last-minute gig when we went to the Jazz Cafe to get tickets for Robyn's solo night on the following Monday (14th March). We saw, in various places around Camden, notices telling of a gig at the Bull and Gate. When the time came, we turned up and sat in the bar.

Now, Simon's convinced that he is some kind of curse on Mr. Hitchcock as the last few times he'd tried to see him, something had gone wrong. He saw the Soft Boys reunion two months before, but apparently, this "didn't count".

We heard a few familiar sounds from next door - Robyn & various Egyptians warming up on 'Day in the Life' - and made our way into the tiny bar that led into the "auditorium" proper (a large, featureless, concrete barn with nil atmosphere - Simon has been cursed with playing there before). We chatted to the guy on the door, and he came back with the most flabberghasting rejoinder I'd ever heard - he said "do you want to do the lights?" My brain fought to say "Er, no" but Simon got there first. He said 'yes'. Panic welled up, but I'd obviously not used up my magickal quota for that month, as we never needed to try to "do the lights".

The support band blew the main amp. Most people would have given up and gone home. Robyn moved the band into the tiny bar (16' x 16'), and sung without microphone. Basically, the band busked their way through all we could throw at them. It was so obvious they'd played together for ages. We heard 'Listening to the Higsons' - which I thought were a Robyn Hitchcock fan band - but no! They *do* come from Norwich, and it does sound on their song 'Gotta let this heat out' as if they're singing 'Gotta let this hen out' (Though the porridge is unconfirmed - but I do recommend finding a copy of the album 'Cannibal Zombie Businessmen' - Mixture Records SORT3CD) Anyway, there was a rearranged acoustic version of 'Heaven' ("Yeah, I think we've got a version of that we can do"), 'Driving Aloud' (especially at Simon's request) and all sorts of other joy. Even the legendary Franglais version of 'Wafflehead' ("She'zz a waffle 'ead").

It was the best gig gone wrong I ever saw.

Robert R