Pocket Rocket and the Dipsticks at the Libertine

You can always judge a gig by the way you feel the next day.

But before I let you know how I feel, I’d like to thank the Dipsticks for bringing their hardcore fans and for playing a very enjoyable set last night. I’m starting to get to know their songs now. And I really like those guys. If only all bands were as pleasant and likeable and easy to deal with as those guys. Hopefully, 2010 will bring a Dipsticks recording. Unfortunately, though, last night was drummer Angie’s last appearance with the band. Angie has a commitment to study next year. We will all miss her.

Thanks too to Colin Gillman, his new bass man 'Dave' and Stabiliser guitarist Istvanski for coming out to see Pocket Rocket.

At least three-quarters of Pocket Rocket thought last night's performance at The Libertine was mediocre. On the face of it, out front, I'm sure it sounded fine. Maybe in this respect our performance was a good one.

In the heads of a few of us though, all is not ‘fine’.

Because we know it could be so much better. I’m not going to carry on about the lack of rehearsal (thank god for that! – Ed) but this is obviously still an issue.

Our enjoyment of the gig is affected by a bad on-stage sound. Out front the sound is very good in the Libertine. There is a vocal PA but there are no monitors on-stage. Our drummer can't hear my lead vocal very well at all. All our drummer hears is the few BV howlers that emanate from his stage left. I must push the venue to get at least one fold-back monitor.

I can't hear my fucking guitar AGAIN! I might as well not be playing. I do play, but I feel like I could easily just turn it off and mime it. The thing about this is that it gets me thinking about whether the two guitars are complementary enough. We would certainly miss the lead breaks. But during the verses and choruses are we simply muddying the sound by basically doubling up the guitar-parts. In a bigger venue, through a bigger PA, you can split the guitars more successfully but in a small pub, with a small PA, you're better off with one guitarist. The Dipsticks have one guitar and sound great. I am envious of the 'room' and ‘definition’ in their sound.

I don't want to turn my guitar up 'cos I can only just hear my vocal. I am straining AGAIN to hear myself on stage, though I am at least aware that I can be heard loud and clear out front. I put my faith in this.

I was guilty of starting at least a couple of songs too slowly. I think I know why, but I'm not gonna make excuses.

Our drummer, who is under untold pressure and stress at the moment, and is clearly finding it hard to enjoy anything at present, handles my newly ballad-paced Teenage Dream very well. He could probably have done without a 'mediocre' gig, and a two hour drive to it, tonight. It doesn't help that we've rehearsed once in three weeks (careful! - Ed), and that that rehearsal was without our lead guitarist. The set isn't second nature. It should be but it isn't.

You can always judge a gig by the way you feel the next day.

I am lucky to have a band, I know. I should just accept the band for what it is? Accept that it is as good as it can be considering the level of commitment towards it by its members. But I can't. I want it to be so much better? Unfortunately, there are issues that need resolving. I always hope they will resolve themselves, or time will resolve them, but of course this doesn't happen. Rehearsal... consistency.. backing vocals...guitar volumes...all these things and more need to be addressed.

After two and a half years, playing most of these songs should be a walk in the park? Why aren't we more consistent? Why do we still struggle to get some of these songs right? I am tired of half of these songs, yet some of them still aren't right.

I am lucky to have a band, I know.

So here’s a plan. We don't gig early next year. We put some new songs together, to freshen things up. We rehearse regularly ie: every fortnight - let’s be realistic – at a rehearsal studio and at a rate we can afford; On a night that we can all make it! We get a new set togther. We play it 'til it's second nature. We talk openly about the 'issues', and engage with each other more in performance.

I am lucky, I just wish I felt even more lucky this morning.