Sunday night finds me heading down to
The Warrant Officer pub in Walthamstow to see some old bandmates of mine. I played bass with them on and off over a few years before being lured away to join another band - but that's another story... This is the third time this year I have headed East to try and see these guys, but the first time I've actually got to see them
play. I was beginning to wonder if there was some sort of jinx involved? The
first time things were rained off, but I still ended up in this pub, and the
second time they went on earlier than planned and I missed them - things always
were a bit of a shambles... This time it
doesn't rain (not that it would have mattered as the gig is indoors this time) and they go on when they are
supposed to.
Half the band is still the same as when I was in it years ago - Gerry the singer is now 'respectable' and a local councilor while guitarist
Dave has been playing in a few bands since his days in the infamous
Marionette with Kerrang's
Ray Zell of
Pandora Peroxide fame, but that is yet
another story... It's a bit strange seeing these guys playing songs in a pub that I used to play at many gigs with them. Hard hitting drummer Andi is another long serving member of the band - he was in the band before I was asked to join but unfortunately we never actually played in the Dangerous Toys at the same time. He's been back in the band for a while now, following some less than reliable drummers who'd best remain nameless.
The band follow an acoustic act and only play for about 45 minutes or so, but they are well received by the regulars and the place is livelier than you might expect for an East End backwater on a Sunday night. The
Warrant Officer is a friendly pub off the beaten track and has some nice ales on tap since being taken over by the
Wild Card Brewery recently. They are looking to make live music more of a regular feature at the pub so it might be worth keeping an eye on...
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