Jeremy Darrow

Yesterday we played in Saltburn by the Sea. As you’d guess, it’s a seaside resort town. Most of Saltburn sits on a cliff overlooking the North Sea; the first thing you’d hit sailing directly out would be the arctic ice pack I was told. We had time to walk around and even though it’s unseasonably warm, we got our first taste of English cold. It’s no wonder the English are good at making cozy pubs; you need lots of places to take refuge from the cold and the damp. We met some new friends at, of all things, a surf shop (There is a large surfing community in Saltburn, apparently.) and they sent us to a pub named the Vaults of Alexandra, the locals call it the Back Alex because it’s tucked in an alley in back of a row of Victorian buildings which overlook the sea. Inside we found a fire, New Zealand v. England Rugby on TV, and pints. It was a great place to make a stand for a while.

The gig happened in a converted church and it felt really intimate for us. As has been the case, the crowd was warm and got loud at all the right times. Thanks to everyone in Saltburn who came to see us! After the gig we paid a visit to the kebab shop for some late-night food, which is always the best kind, and got down the road a bit to our hotel. 

This morning it’s cold we’re about to get underway to Irvine and our first concert in Scotland. I’m told the weather is about to get a lot colder; I’m looking forward to taking refuge in more snug pubs in the coming days.

Thanks for Reading

JD