A Beautiful Chaos
Toby Barelli aka King Size Slim is a veteran of the Fat Tuesday music merry-go-round.
Trying to explain the Hastings Fat Tuesday tour to an uninitiated musician can be quite difficult.
“So, you’re saying that we get to a venue, plug in to whatever equipment they have and instantly play a 20 minute set with no real soundcheck. Then unplug and quickly run to another venue and do another plug-in and play set and THEN go to ANOTHER venue and do the same?”
“Yes.”
“In a coastal town in England. On a cold and probably rainy Tuesday night in February?”
“Well, sometimes it’s in March but, yes.”
Over the years I have seen out-of-town acts arrive with little idea what to expect from this little town, two hours in traffic from the M25 and its weird Tuesday gig. First, they laugh, then they start to get it, then by the end of the night many have decided they want to move here and some actually have.
What is the Fat Tuesday tour like to play? It’s a beautiful chaos. All night the streets are filled with musicians clambering their way through crowds to get to their next venue which will inevitably be packed to the rafters. Swapping stories of how the last set went as they pass fellow musicians also en route to their next venue. You squeeze in to what is generally a tiny stage area strap your instrument on and you’re in. The crowd who’ve probably seen three more acts before you are straight in too, primed and ready.
The plug-in and play situation can be unnerving but that’s part of the excitement. By the third set in the third venue the worry of ‘I can’t hear myself’ has all but disappeared and the crowds, as Hastings crowds do, are loving every moment – and that’s just the Tuesday.
Preceding Tuesday’s tour is the Saturday Acoustic tour, a similar idea that takes place in the afternoon with no in-house amplification and four or five shows instead of just three. The musicians tackle this imposed equipment limitation in a number of ways. Some carry with them all the electrical detritus needed on trolleys giving the tour something of the look of Hastings’ famous carnival-week Pram Race. Some musicians just learn to play acoustically but really loud and use old-style theatrics to grab attention.
It can be tough keeping the attention of a crowd with no microphone or amplification, particularly after they’ve ‘ had a few’. It can however be done. Sometimes with subtlety, other times with a more brash approach. The Saturday tour is a great place to hone that particular craft.
There is always a feeling of accomplishment that comes with playing both the Fat Tuesday and Saturday acoustic tours, like you’ve survived an adventure and you’re stronger for it.
I’ve been lucky enough to have been involved since the beginning and host the Slim Monday event. I have happily watched both the Saturday and Tuesday tours become institutions within this wonderful 5-day event they call Fat Tuesday.
Allez! Laissez le bon temps rouler! C’est Mardi Gras!
King Size Slim and guests will be playing the Lord Nelson in the Old Town for the annual pre-Fat Tuesday party ‘Slim Monday’ on 20 February 8.00pm.
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