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October 2007 |
WELL HELLOOOO! |
This month is a real big one! Loads to report
on Japan and the UK etc… |
First off though, here's all your Ask
Olga questions answered, a couple of months worth here! And, a personal
message from the Olga's very own Olga
Talkin' section. |
So,
what have the lads been up to!? Well, 1st September, the lads headed off
to the fantastic ROCK MY ASS festival in Germany (great name eh?!). Unfortunately,
British Airways cancelled most of their flights that day, leaving our trusty
trio stranded in Heathrow for 7 hours. Never mind, new flights were arranged,
and the lads headed off to the pub! The band and crew arrived in time for
the festival no problem, great to catch up with a healthy looking Wattie,
and the Exploited, and to see very good shows by Deadline, Mad Sin also,
to name but a few. The sound system was awful, though Merten (The Toy Dolls
sensational sound man) managed to get things sounding decent by the time
the lads were on! And great night was had by all. |
 Unfortunately,
the lads couldn't hang around too long after the show, as there was a
flight to Finland to catch! But they did manage to meet up with quite
a few of you, Thanks to all of you who came to the gig, and kept rockin'!
As I said, the lads had to travel overnight in the van to Frankfurt airport,
to get a 3 hour flight to Helsinki. Another 6 hours or so was spent in
Helsinki airport, waiting for the next flight to Osaka, Japan. Here's
our Olga and Duncan enjoying a quiet rose in yet another pub in Helsinki
airport.
By now the crew and band were beyond sleepy, and were zonked out for the
10 hour flight from Helsinki to Osaka! On arrival in Japan, the first
thing that greeted lads, was the 33c temperature! Wow! From 16 to 33c!
The lads wasted no time, checked in the hotel, and were off out to sample
the fantastic cuisine of Osaka. Of course the lads stopped off at the
pub on the way, just to for a quick sample of the delicious icy cold,
frosted glassed, BEER! Here's a pic, with a couple o’ locals!
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So,
the next day was rehearsals to brush up on some Toy Dolls oldies, and
to practice TV Smiths One Chord Wonders song planned for the UK gigs!
That night some more beers were consumed, then an early night was had
by all. Sound checks and gigs in Japan are extremely early, so the band
caught up on some much needed shut eye. Next day's sound check at the
Shangri La was at 2pm, doors at 6pm, on stage at 7pm! A compact venue!
Hot and sweaty, and totally rockin'! Cheers to a packed house and everyone
who came to the show! Here's the gig!
|
 Unfortunately,
a typhoon was heading for Tokyo the next day, exactly were the lads were
heading! Many Shinkansen (bullet trains) were delayed because of this,
so the lads took a flight instead... into, and over the storm!!! The equipment
van had left over night and had arrived safely, and after a somewhat rocky
flight, the lads got to the Shibuya Duo, in time for sound check! Again,
doors at 6pm, on stage at 7pm! Two fantastic nights were had at the Duo,
absolutely rockin'! Thank you to all of you for braving the typhoon and
turning up!! A fantastic time was had! Here's a couple o’ pics for
ya!
Cheers also for everyone attending the after show party in Tokyo! THANK
YOU!
|
 Next
day, the sun was shining, and the rain, storms, wind of the typhoon were
long gone! This time the lads safely boarded the bullet train for the
trip to Nagoya. An even earlier show here! Doors at five, on stage at
6pm! What a fantastic venue, perfect, great lights and sound system,,
and a fantastic crowd! Thank you!! Here's a couple of pics from the Diamond
Hall, Nagoya.
So, now it was sayonara time, a sad time indeed, everyone had been so
nice, so helpful, the crowds were so nice, the food was so, nice, the
beer was soooo nice! All we can say is ARIGATO! See you next time!
|
Next
up the UK, following the grueling flight to Helsinki, then to Heathrow
that is...! Suddenly, as if by magic, the lads were in Leeds! Bloody freezing!
But after a week of intense humid heat, it was a refreshing change! Over
20 years since the last Leeds gig at Adam & Eves! How would it be
tonight at The Cockpit??? Fantastic! The lads had a wicked time, great
to see you lot again, and yer sons and daughters in the audience! Wild!
Great to see Lee and the Crashed Out crew again also. Tonight the lads
met TV Smith for the first time too, what a gentleman - though the lads
were too nervous to perform with him, with it being the first UK gig n’
all!!! Anyway, a great night, cheers to all of ya! Here's TV Smith, Olga,
and Tommy. Brothers?!! |
A
short drive the next day to Manchester Academy, nice venue! Soooo hot
though, with a packed house, the lights, and the craziness of it all,
the lads were roasted on stage! But what a gig! Totally wicked, and the
lads finally played One Chord Wonders with the tremendous TV Smith! One
great night! Here's Olga & TV for ya.
Next up was Glasgow! The last time the lads played Glasgow was over 25
years ago, with the Angelic Upstarts! Another nice venue, The Garage,
the guys rocked the night away to an over 500 strong crowd! Brilliant!
Unfortunately, someone poured a pint o’ beer into the mixing desk,
this caused the whole sound system went off for the last 3 songs! What
could the lads do!? Quick thinking by Matzi (roadie) and the stage crew,
they turned the stage monitors around to face the audience!, this meant
the band could hear nowt, but at least you lot could hear a little of
what was going on! Wild! Another rockin' night!
|
 So,
onwards to Durham! The last time at Durham University was 1983! God, its
2007!!!! A rather emotional day, especially for Olga, as this is the region
where the band started, in 1979! The gear was loaded in, sound checked,
and it was that time again, waiting in the dressing room for show time!
An eerie silence as the nerves kicked in! Nerves aside, the night rocked!
The lads played well, and you lot were great! A sold out crowd! So fantastic
to see everyone again! Fantastic to see (sorry if we miss you out) Dean,
Marty, Teddy, K’Cee, Bernie, Lee & Chris, Bonny Baz, Carlo and
whole loada ya after the show. A fantastic night! Thank you to everyone
who came. 3 wise bass players! Dean, Tom. K’Cee
|
 Then,
its back in the van, like a dream! And on to Leicester Charlotte! Probably
the smallest stage of the tour but the band didn't mind at all, as they
rocked through yet another Toy Dolls blistering set! Yet another great
night, cheers to all of ya!
York Fibbers up next, another tiny stage, but that's just as the band
like it, great crowd, great tight sound, in fact Olga reckons, this was
the best performance of the tour! A great little venue! Thank you to all
of ya at the Auditorium!
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Next day was the short trip to Nottingham
Rescue Rooms. Weren't sure how many would turn up here! So seeing the
place packed as the band entered the stage, was a real surprise! Again,
a rockin' rockin' gig, THANK YOU!! |
Oh... the second to last gig was upon us...
already??? The lads pulled up at Birmingham Academy to be told that the
night was gonna be packed, good news again! And a surprise! TV Smith was
especially good this night, warming the crowd up perfectly! The lads took
the stage to rapturous applause, and again stormed their way through 20
odd Toy Doll classics! The vibe at this gig was electric, thanks to you
lot! Today was Olga’s birthday too, Tommy brought on a birthday cake
as the crowd sang Happy Birthday!! What a night! |
London
time, Islington Academy, another good venue, though maybe the lads could
have played somewhere a bit bigger, as the gig had already been sold out
for weeks! TV Smith was on top form tonight! The night rocked, Tommy got
soaked with beer a few times, but laughed and smiled his way through it
all!, and the exploding Lambrusco bottle didn't explode, the bass guitar
broke down, the local lighting man must have death wish with all his swirling
stuff (you had to be there!) and there were a few sound problems, but
it got there in the end, and a wonderful crowd, loadsa locals! And hundreds
of ya who had came from all over the globe! THANK YOU! A Fantastic night,
and a wild crowd! THANK YOU!!!!!!
|
The next day saw the band in a solemn mood,
dropping off the equipment in the van at various locations, reflecting on
the past few weeks… The last leg of the Our Last Tour? tour is over.
But surely it's not the last last tour? I for one certainly hope not, and
I am sure from the response of the tours, that you lot think the same as
me!! |
Duncan will be playing further shows with
Billy No Mates and various side projects he is involved with, while Tommy
continues to play with Goober Patrol and Vanilla Pod. |
Olga has just told me that he is taking 6
weeks off before beginning working on another Toy Dolls album, and from
what I can tell, he is already missing it and itching to get back in the
van on the road!! And, just for the record, he says that this is the best
ever Toy Dolls line up! |
Oh and thanks as always for sending in all
your photos. There's quite a few to go through but they will all be online
soon. |
The updates from now will be a bit less frequent
for a while, but we shall keep them coming, especially when I hear news
from Olga about the album, and future Toy Doll dates. Bring it on! |
So from me, your webmaster, the band and crew,
THANK YOU. |
Until next time!
TTFN
CIARON  |