BA's to play Oslo, Athens, Devon, Bristol, but not Ashton Court!

["Paul Vallis" <paulvallis@ho...com>]

Suzzell:

I must have missed something. What harbourside gig are we talking about at 
the end of July ?
Me:

The harbourside festival appearance in Bristol docks at 4.30 on 30th July.  
_Do_ try to keep up! ;-)  I mentioned it in a e-mail a couple of weeks ago 
after I bumped into Gerard in Bristol.  I've copied the whole e-mail I 
posted at the bottom of this one in case you missed it.
Ewan Milne:

No mention of an Ashton Court Festival appearance? I'd have thought as the 
band is active at the moment, they'd be on the bill for sure...
Me:

I did mention this to Gerard when I saw him, and he said that they hadn't 
been asked.  I think he feels that the Planes are a big enough Bristol act 
to be asked to play rather that to have to send in a demo like most other 
local bands.  I guess he has a point, although making a few of the right 
noises may not have gone amiss!  Its possible that some of the people 
involved in choosing the bands nowadays are either a bit younger or not 
originally from Bristol, so may be unaware of the band's importance or of 
the recent resurgence in activity.
He said that the few times that they have played Ashton Court in recent 
years have been as last minute stand-ins for other acts dropping out.  He 
also mentioned that he doesn't like the way that the festival is moving away 
from its roots as a community festival and becoming more commercial, which 
may be why he isn't so bothered. I partially agreed with him, although I 
have my doubts as to whether it could have survived at all in its old form, 
and to me a slightly compromised festival is better than no festival at all. 
 I would certainly much prefer to see them, or any one of a dozen other 
local bands who have garnered either good reviews nationally or record deals 
of late (Fortune Drive, Gavin Thorpe, the recently reformed Beatnik 
Filmstars, Cuban Heels, Jane Taylor, Blackbud, the Termites, etc.) 
headlining on Sunday night rather than Simple Minds!
PV1

My previous e-mail (from 6th July):

ran into Gerard in the Watershed bar early this evening, and managed to have 
a quick chat before I had to rush off and see the film (the Watershed is an 
Arts Centre in central Bristol with a bar and a couple of cinema screens).  
He was there with a couple of other band members (Max and the guy who played 
rhythm guitar on the last tour).  They'd had a meeting with someone from EMI 
earlier on, and seemed pretty upbeat about everything.
First up, the band are playing at Bristol's Harbourside Festival on 30th 
July.  Stage time 4.30 pm.  This is a festival that happens every year in 
Bristol, and they usually put up a decent sized stage in the Lloyds Bank 
amphitheatre.  If you've not been to Bristol, this is open air, right on the 
quayside by the Lloyds bank HQ, right in the centre of town.  I'm pretty 
sure it'll be free, although whether the whole festival is free I'm not too 
sure.  And I'm not sure how long a set the band will get.  Music isn't a big 
part of the festival - its really to celebrate Bristol's seafaring heritage, 
but its a good day out.
Its a pain in the arse for me, as I've already got a ticket to see Massive 
Attack at an open air gig at Westonbirt Arboretum the same day, and I think 
that the transport we've organised is leaving at 5.00 or 5.30.  Its not 
leading from too far away, so hopefully I'll be able to catch the start of 
the set at least.  I think its also safe to assume that Angelo with be with 
Massive, not the Planes!
The next bit of news is a new album!  Its the Harvest Records covers album.  
Now, as I originally understood it, there was a Harvest Records tribute 
album, on which the Aeroplanes have a track.  However, it seems they will 
actually be issueing a whole Blue Aeroplanes album of Harvest Records cover 
versions as well.  It may not be out until early next year (Gerard mentioned 
February) but I did briefly have in my hand a copy of it, complete with 
green Harvest label on the CD and work-in-progress cover.  The title of the 
album is Harvester.
I'm trying desperately to remember some of the tracks, but this was early 
this evening and I've watched a film, been to the pub and had a couple of 
pints since then.  I do remember Deep Purple's Fireball being on there.  
There was a Barclay James Harvest track (it might have been After The Day 
but I wouldn't swear to it) and a Kevin Ayers track that I can't remember, 
but I think Gerard said it was from Joy Of A Toy.  I assume there will be 
tracks by the likes of Pink Floyd, ELO, The Move, Syd Barrett, and probably 
a few obscurities knowing Gerard.  We were discussing 78's at one point, as 
I've recently come into possession of quite a large collection, and Gerard 
seems to have a fair few himself.
Anyway, that's all I can remember for now.  If anything else comes to mind 
I'll post it tomorrow.
PV1



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