Blog: Fuzztival

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I was up bright and early on Saturday morning and off to Sheffield for this year's Fuzztival. The train was really full, as ever - i'm sure there was a time when you could pretty much always get a double seat to yourself on trains, and the big question was whether to risk getting a four-er, as it was only 50/50 that someone else would come and sit on it, but these days I always seem to end up sitting in The Quiet Coach as there's no other choice. AND they're always full of reservations too.

Anyway, the journey was fine and I strolled up the hill to my Posh Hotel to find my room wasn't ready yet. This was all fine - like EVERYBODY in Sheffield the lady at reception was LOVELY and MOST apologetic, so I just went round the corner to read the paper in the pub for a bit. When I got back it still wasn't ready, and I thought she was going to cry. When I went back a bit later she saw it was ready and went "YES!", clenching her fist in triumph - people in Sheffield, they're GRATE.

I got myself sorted out and headed off to the University Union, where a young man came and gave me my wristband and took me to the backstage area, where I said hello to The Piney Gir Roadshow, noticed a young EMO BOY hiding under the drinks table, playing his handheld computer game, and then went out and did a quick linecheck. All was well so I had a quick wander round the building, which has been refurbished to be EVEN MORE CONFUSING, and bumped into Penny. She's usually in charge of everything but had the day off this year, so was hanging on tightly to things in order to stop herself from WORKING - she was doing quite well at that point, and as the day progressed she got even better: ROCKTAILS.

Anyway, soon it was time for my first set of the day on the BIG STAGE, and i did THIS:

The Peterborough All-Saints' Wide Game Team (Group B)

The Gay Train

Programming Is A Poetry For Our Time

Billy Jones Is Dead

Fucking Hippy

The Lesson Of The Smiths

It felt a bit strange - it was all fine and enjoyable, but it felt a bit strange to be in such a MASSIVE room without The Validators, especially as they'd switched the big screens on and I could see myself. Also there weren't that many people there - if it had been a normal venue it would have felt like a LOT, but in this mighty cavern everyone was quite spread out, so i felt like i wasn't CONNECTING as much as I'd like.

Still, it was all good and I chatted to a couple of people afterwards then met up with Steph and Lizzie, who'd just arrived and who, along with Penny, would be my Pals For The Day. We had a MOST pleasant afternoon, highlights being the Piney Gir lot, who were VERY good, and a good hour or so in the actual PUB bit, when me and Steph realised that it was a bit daft standing around complaining about Young People and how they MUST listen to Music SO LOUD when we could actually just go somewhere else instead.

Time seemed to SPEED UP (BEER) and suddenly it was time for me to go on again, this time in the much cosier Fusion room, and i did THIS:

I Did A Gig In New York

My Boss Was In An Indie Band Once

The Gay Train

Do The Indie Kid

Clubbing In The Week

The Lesson Of The Smiths

Easily Impressed

Boom Shake The Room

This one was MUCH more like it, i had a WHALE of a time. I'd been worried that the FACT i'd had a few beers would be a HINDRANCE, but in the end it seemed to HELP, although why i felt that doing a BRIAN CLOUGH impersonation ("Now you young people, be quiet now" etc etc) was a good way to start the set i have NO IDEA. There was LOTS of chat, including a bit where Penny pointed out someone had filled in a REQUEST SLIP... I picked it up to find it said "Request: Get Off, you **** FROM: Your Mother." Oh Mother, such language! There was also CLAPPING ALONG in The Gay Train (which i did a second time just because I fancied it), hysteria AND dancing in Do The Indie Kid, CHEERS for The Lesson Of The Smiths and a LOT of singing along for the last two.

I had a BRILLIANT time, especially as, earlier on in the day, this stage had seen a lot of CHATTING and people eating their tea, which didn't seem to be the case when I was on. Yes, I KNOW, i am being BIG HEADED about it, but i really did have a BRILLIANT time, it's hard not to!

After the gig I had a LOVELY queue of The Young People buying CDs, which got me a bit excited so that BARGAINS were to be had. I spent the rest of the evening wandering round having CHATS with people various, including that nice Mr Steve Lamacq and Ruth, and also drinking THE BEER. It was thus a slightly tiddly Hibbett who staggered off for a PIZZA around midnight and fell over into a taxi, but a very HAPPY one.

posted 29/10/2007 by MJ Hibbett

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