Ratoath, 17th of Jan.
Well now I’ve been spoiled I’m never going back. I’ve spent a lot of time in the past bemoaning the amount of travelling we have to do on this circuit. Then a couple of months back I was extolling the virtues of a new gig in Drogheda because it was a mere 25 minute drive from my house.
I took it to be a new travel bench mark. Well my friends the goalposts have been moved somewhat. In fact they’ve been moved so close together that Fernando Torres couldn’t even squeeze a malteser through them. A trip to Drogheda seems like a huge gaping chasm by comparison. Tonight’s gig in The Venue in Ratoath clocked in at a five minute walk from my house.
Now I know I don’t have too much to complain about compared to the commutes some poor unfortunates have to endure everyday. Most days my commute involves getting out of bed and walking as far as my computer which I like to keep equidistant between the kettle and the Sky plus box. It’s only gig days, which I try and keep few and far between anyway nowadays, that I actually have to put the miles in. But now with my new distance criteria I have a feeling gigs might be even more few and far between if they’ve to come into my five minute walk range. Although if any of my immediate neighbours fancy starting up a comedy club in their living rooms I could be persuaded to make the trip.
The Venue in Ratoath is a brand new state of the art theatre and community centre in the village. It’s impeccably run by Nick Killian who owns Ratoath. Nick’s a politician or something but I don’t do politics so I’m not sure but all I know his does an amazing job of running The Venue and is backed up by some of the best staff myself and Jason Byrne, who was there tonight, have come across in our extensive travels. Of course even if the place was a disaster I’d still say that so you’ll never know.
The gig was a joy. It was a bit weird for me seeing faces I recognised in the crowd and I’m sure very weird for some of the people who might have vaguely known me to see. They must have been wondering why the bloke they see in the school yard was on the stage. I should point out that I have kids and that’s why I go to the school yard. I don’t just hang out there.
The night started well when we got to the venue and I heard the music they had lined up for the crowd coming in. I know I go on about it but really the music is so important at comedy gigs and most venues play a cross between a funeral dirge and a fax tone to get the audience in the mood. So it was a great relief when I heard some upbeat Lemonjelly blasting around the venue. Please, please, other venues take note.
After the gig we retired to my local for a few pints. Man, that’s the way it should be. Jason of course was on the Ballygowan him having to drive home. HA!! Actually he lives quite nearby and it was funny to think that just a few days previously I would have found his twenty minute drive home after the gig a very attractive proposition. Not anymore. 5 minute walk or as it turned out 10 minutes with chips.
I’ve realised that I’ve been neglecting the ‘Dishing Up The Horn On The Henderson iPod’ section. So just a quick mention for my album of 2007, Maps ‘We Can Create’. The man behind Maps, James Chapman is one of these ‘blokes in a bedroom’ music makers of which of course there are many and some of them are making some incredible music. From what I’ve been reading about James Chapman it seems, unlike the others, he is a man in bedroom without a computer. He just has an old eight track and a big heap of instruments. Incredible.