Tuesday 22nd of August, 2000
And huge portions.
My final gig at the Tron. I decide to do some final remedial flyering, but have a fatal loss of nerve. I go to the gym.
I go home and try to relax, get my faculties (and my mailing list card/merchandise/musical bits and bobs) around me and then pack them in a plastic bag to take to the gig.
Nice relaxed soundcheck, and then Laura arrives straight from the station. She offers to take the last of the fliers and distribute them on the High Street. Dave Harrod comes, and Phil Hogg arrives with his sister and mother, a detour on the way back from the very north of Scotland, and more people with Fringe Office tickets (which is very gratifying - real punters!), as well as some of the members of the Peggy Vestas. I start a bit late to let them in.
I think there are only a few people in, but when I finish the first song (The Things You Get) there is a solid wall of applause, so more people must have slipped in than I imagined. I finish up with Obvious and finally Comforting Lie. Iodine is the encore. Overpowering for me. I have a very real sense that I can do this: I can play to total strangers for an hour and keep them entertained. Some people have that belief in themselves naturally (whether it is true or not), but it takes some of us years to acquire it.
After the show Laura, Dave and I go to a mexican for dinner. Very nice. And huge portions.