Reading
matter
02 Apr 2001
Last Saturday's first ever Regulars gig outside the West Midlands proved a joyful occasion for all concerned.
Invited to an away date with Saloon - the Reading band whose Bearos Records single 'Electron' was launched last year simultaneously with the Regs' Lie down and fight - the Bearwood five-piece did themselves reasonably proud.
Navigational banana-skins successfully negotiated, The Regulars arrived at the Rising Sun Arts Centre in plenty of time to sample the local cuisine before soundchecking, and are happy to report that the chippies of Berkshire appear to be in good shape.
A healthy entourage of seven had accompanied the band from Brum, including Bearos overlord Dr Alan Farmer, who proved instrumental in ensuring good sound on stage by finding a piece of discarded toilet plumbing in the car park to stand a monitor on.
As it turned out, the Brum contingent were dwarfed by a highly respectable turnout from the locals - a tribute to the skills of Saloon's Adam Cresswell, who promoted the gig.
The Regs' practice of setlist rotation was abandoned for this big away fixture - meaning a running order packed with the band's most splendid ditties. Today at last opened the set; and 35 minutes later These things obscure brought it to a tumultuous end.
In between, the popkids of Reading warmed to Lie down and fight - eventually buying the odd copy of the single too - but were won over with Try and Brum favourite This is the sound, with Pete's tambourine- and mike-stand-related antics implicated.
Second band Chikinki and headliners Saloon themselves will not have been displeased with their own performances, and by 11 o'clock the small venue - which supplies an impressive range of organic beers - was groaning under the weight of happy numbers.
Reading punters who found lyrical guitar pop to their liking have already been in touch via this very website, and the band have declared an intention to return later in the year if possible.
Ms C Corden of Reading commented: "We arrived kinda just after The Regulars begun, but were mightily impressed by what we saw and heard.
"This was nicely helped along by the impression of lead singer - looking like a certain angsty nancy boy. We shall name no names but I'm sure you can work it out.
"The music was tres good as well. Certainly a band I'd go see again, and probably one of the best I've seen there."
The Regulars would also like to say a big thankyou to Adam and all of Saloon, and everyone who was there, if they read this, and everyone else involved.
For now, attention returns home, where the Regs are headlining the Flapper & Firkin's Good Friday gig, with Ogs Bunkadoo Band and The Bee Men also appearing. More details are already on the gigs page.
If you were at the Reading gig, please drop by the guestbook
and say hello.
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