Unexpected

That's it, I've finally popped my gig cherry for 2019 & not with just one gig last week but two! Though I must admit it was 2 gigs on the same tour but hey I'm not one to turn down an offer of a gig!
Wednesday was the 1st show for me on the Stone Broken Tour. SKAM & Those Damn Crows supporting, what's not to like, 3 very good bands.
We arrived in Stoke to park in the street round the corner to the Sugarmill, Brunswick Street is situated in the Hanley area of Stoke,  The Quality hotel is 5mins walk which has very reasonable priced rooms & even boasts an indoor swimming, nice to be able to swim away cobwebs from the night before.
https://www.qualityhotelstoke.com/
We had around 45mins before the doors opened so popped into the pub next to the venue The Stage Door. It's a small rock pub that was very friendly & of course full of fellow gig goers. The bar could do with a bit of freshening up including the ladies loo's but it does the job when waiting for the venue doors to open.
The Sugarmill  is a small venue with a bar to right of the stage, a balcony & then a rooftop bar which was very welcome later in the evening.
First up we have Leicester band SKAM, Steve Hill vocals & guitar, Matthew Gilmore on Bass & Neal Hill on drums. These guys are usually  higher up the bill but this is a nice sold out show to recruit some more SKAM Massive. The trio jump on stage & treat us to their hard hitting rock albeit short set. The stage is tiny with Neal & the drums pushed over in the corner, hardly any room to move, but boys have no trouble  getting the crowd ready for an evening of fantastic music with awesome tracks such as  Take It Or Leave, New Dawn & No Lies .  They  head off to Scotland for a few dates from the 21st Feb & have various dates throughout the year, get yourselves out to see them you will not be dissapointed.

SKAM#

We are pretty much at the front of the stage, daren't move as probably wouldn't get through the heaving crowd to either get to the bar or to the toilets. I would say its looks like the venue was over sold & I probably  wouldn't  venture over here again because of that.
Next up we have Those Damn Crows, Welsh boys I've written about before. This 5 piece having just signed last year  to Earache Records & released Murder & The Motive have been growing a very strong following & it's not difficult to see why.  Again theres no room to swing a cat on stage but Shane (vocal) does his utmost to work it & boy does he know how to work the stage, he has the crowd eating out of his hand. With tracks like Dont Give a Damn , Behind these Walls, Blink of an Eye, new track Long Time Dead.  To finish we have Rock n Roll ain't Dead.... the whole crowd seems to know every word to this anthemic tune, singing back to Shane when directed. A triumphant set!

Shane Greenhall Those Damn Crows

Alas  I didnt stay downstairs to see Stone Broken, was far too packed, so went to the rooftop bar & had a few drinks with Matthew from SKAM# .  The gig was definitely a great 1st one of the year & much needed after the gloom of Christmas  & New Year that gets me & so many others that have lost loved ones!
To top it off I was then invited to see the guys in Birmingham on the Friday, well why not, you only live once!