A Further Tale of Woe

From Bert Schroeder

The venue was over two days, Saturday/Sunday some years ago now, With the Canal Street Jazz band,

We where booked on yet another float, for a well known satellite TV company. at the annual Walton Festival in Liverpool. The Float was reminiscent of the usual River Boat. complete with paddles, Tall Chimney, and main mast, it was mounted on one of those huge trucks that bend in the middle. Also on the float, the local Walton Queen, and some Satellite TV promotion staff.

We started off somewhere in the middle of the procession, and following behind were cheer leader dancers. The driver had no consideration for the band, and continued to brake hard, take off fast, having us falling all over the place, in fact at one stage the drummer was sent rolling along the deck followed by his drums,

Because of the design of the float we could not attract the drivers attention, so the Satellite staff, seeing our plight, decided it would be best if the band distributed the paper hats, pens, balloons and other promotional goods to the crowds lining the road, until we reached the festival site. We were a bit too keen, and soon we were out of items, so we were issued with quality promo T shirts and sweat shirts to distribute. We found out later, the shirts where to be used as sign up gifts, at the festival. Well can you imagine, the crowd went wild, running behind the truck, fighting to get hold of shirts, until the mistake was realised, but it was too late, most of the shirts had gone, (but not until the band had one each,) and to top all that, my straw hat sailed into the breeze, never to be seen again. 

Anyone who knows Walton Road in Liverpool, will know of the steel bridge crossing the road. The driver didn't, and as a result, the top of the tall mast came crashing down onto the float, narrowly missing our bass player who was sitting on the deck. Later when we reached the festival site, the driver had to negotiate some trees, and as expected, down came the top branches, this time falling on our bass player fair and square, luckily no injuries, just a severe case of shock. 

We arrived at the site and headed for the beer tent to settle our nerves. On returning to the float, we set up our gear and started the Honda generator, supplied, to power the PA. Into our second number, Putt, Putt, PPPpput, ttt. out of petrol, so back to the beer tent while more petrol was sought.

Mean while back at the Float, to find a Heavy rock Band had set up right across the field from us, with the biggest sound system in the world! By the time we found the organisers to complain, it was time to pack up and go home till the next day. This was the first day - Saturday, Sunday was another disaster,

A Fourth Tale of Woe
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