A Badge Of Honour

A Badge Of Honour

As much as I enjoy playing live, the best moment for me is at the very end of the evening when the last note has rung out. You get the chance to catch your breath, stare out over what is usually a very happy crowd, while looking people in the eye and saying thanks. This is sometimes done away from the microphone, much in the manner as you would were you to be bidding goodnight to guests that had come over to your house for the evening. Well, sort of!
Often it is also possible to reach out over the lip of the stage and across the divide, to shake a few hands with people who have made all manner of effort to come and see us. All the while flush with the warmest feeling that a good job has been done not only by band and crew, but by everyone who has worked for months in advance to secure that the show not only happens, but that it all goes smoothly and as perfect as can be.
But this glowing satisfaction, soon diminishes. Too soon in fact, while thoughts of the next gig naturally slip into place. And all before I have often had the chance to change out of that night’s shirt.
That is pretty much how we float through it all, as each tour progresses. With one show fading into the distance, as another suddenly looms up in front, a kind of tunnel vision takes over. Meanwhile outside the tour bus, you can watch the road as it gets eaten up with every passing mile.
As for those gigs that keep coming like numbers on a spinning wheel? Each one is as important as the other, everyone a milestone, a date added to our on going history, a badge of honour even, to be reflected on at some latter future date when we feel like looking back on all of this.
Jim Kerr
photo Vince Barker