Music

Black Friday to play 30 gigs in 12 hours (news)

29th August 2008

Over the past couple of weeks at the Olympic Games we’ve witnessed all manner of world records being broken, but on August 30 one band is to attempt a world record which, other than a mad dash between venues, requires rather less athletic ability.

Crazy Celtic ensemble Black Friday have decided to try to win back a Guinness world record title for the city that was set up some years ago by Plymouth's Bus Station Loonies.

They established the title, then earned it for themselves, by performing 25 gigs in 12 hours, but the record was subsequently officially broken by German band Kansas City around three years ago when they played 26 gigs in the same time.

“I remember seeing the Loonies perform as part of that record attempt,” says Black Friday whistle player Louis Phillips, “and I thought when the German band beat the record it was a bit of a shame, so we thought we’d try to win back the title for Plymouth.

“We’re hoping it will be good for the city, but of course it should be a fun way of raising the band’s profile and also raising funds for Cancer Research UK”, he adds.

As the Loonies discovered, the record attempt is no mean feat of organisation, and the event has taken six months to co-ordinate. It will require four teams of road crew and equipment – that’s four vans with four drivers, four drum kits and four sound engineers – so all the band have to do is arrive at the venue, plug in and play.

“We’ve had amazing support; Deep Blue Sound have lent us two PA systems, and we’ve been sponsored by Underwood Communications, who have supplied us with radio gear so we can communicate easily with each other”, says Louis.

The plan is to play 15 minutes in each venue, allowing just five minutes between sets. They’ve planned their route accordingly, kicking off at around 11am at Goodbody’s in the middle of Mutley Plain.

“We’re doing Mutley, North Hill, Plymouth Art College and a couple of pubs around there, then about 10 venues on the Barbican, finishing up at Kitty O’Hanlon’s at around 8.45pm, where we’re hoping to attract a big, receptive crowd.

“We’re actually aiming to play 30 venues which hopefully gives us some leeway if any of the gigs don’t happen for any reason. We’ve also got two-and-a-half hours spare at the end, as we’re almost certain to over-run.”

Fear not; if you decide to follow them from pub to pub – and they’re hoping plenty of people will join in the fun – the band won’t be playing the same three songs at each and every venue, but will perform tracks from their extensive setlist, which includes everything from well-known folk/rock covers to lead vocalist Tom O’Reilly’s self-penned folk/punk/ country-inspired tunes.

Their fluctuating line-up on this occasion will also feature Jovian on drums, Nicky Powell on fiddle, bass player Helen Manly and Martin Jump on mandolin.

“We want to make it interesting for our audience and ourselves,” says Louis, “so we’ll be varying it each time; you’ll maybe get three in some places and four in others. We’ll have a great big stopwatch on stage so everyone knows exactly how long we need to play for before moving on.”

Sadly, costs preclude the presence of an official Guinness adjudicator. “They charge around £2,000 plus expenses for the day”, says Louis, “so we’ve roped in a lawyer and a police officer to come round with us to make it all official.

“Radio Devon, Plymouth Sound and Pirate FM are all on board, and that, together with Herald coverage, will help authenticate the record.”

You can catch up with Black Friday on their marathon gig effort at one or more of the following venues.

They start Goodbody’s at 11am, so you can add another 20 minutes (or so) to get very approximate arrival times at each of the following venues: Fortesque, Café Sol, the Underground, the Dog and Duck, Mutley Crown, Boomerangs, The Junction, the RAOB Club, Cuba, the Skiving Scholar, the Roundabout, the Voodoo Lounge, Plymouth College of Art and Design (PCAD), the Seymour Arms, the Nowhere Inn, the Woodside, the Old Friary, Hawkins Bar, the Marina Bar, View 2, the Three Crowns, the Chestnut Tree Café, the Cider Press, Smokey Joe’s, the Dolphin, the Admiral McBride, Pilgrims Sports Bar and the Funky Judge, finishing for a grand finale at Kitty O’Hanlon’s at around 8.45pm, but probably considerably later!

An exhausting but ultimately satisfying experience it will be for the band no doubt, but even after their gig marathon there’ll be no lie-in for them on Sunday.

The six of them are flying from Newquay Airport the very next morning to share a stage with the likes of Hayseed Dixie and the Sex Pistols at the Electric Picnic in Dublin.

CLARE ROBINSON

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