Dear diary: I’m at a rally and it’s raining. Again…
Well, that’s not strictly true, Friday was fine. Riding up straight from work meant I missed Thursday’s silent disco and the first of Friday’s bands (2Tone Allskas). I got there, put up my tent and enjoyed the evening sunshine.
Old Time Sailors
Off to see Friday’s headline band, The Old Time Sailors. I’m greeted with what can only be described as Sea Shanty mayhem! The band consists of (I think) 20, yes, you read that right, TWENTY, band members playing Celtic and 19th-century style sea shanties with the power of the Pogues and The Men They Couldn’t Hang. And they did this for THREE HOURS solid, they had the crowd bouncing from start to finish. After watching them, I was exhausted and, after a quick nightcap, I headed off to bed.
Change of plan
Saturday arrived in the form of torrential rain and, with no sign of it abating, everyone kinda just accepted it and got on with the day. Whilst the fun and games had to be cancelled, the custom show still went ahead and even with the bad weather it had a good turnout. There were a few trophies not collected so if you had a rosette placed on your scoot but didn’t get your trophy give Vince a shout on the Oddballs page.
The traders opened but because of the weather most called it a day early, maybe an umbrella stall would have done well. The continuing bad weather is a nightmare for rally organisers, and realistically, we should now be moaning about how hot it is (fingers crossed we will be for the Isle of Wight).
Stay dry
These last two months have been a washout, but the rally organisers have all done a brilliant job of making the rallies fun despite the weather, and Oddballs was no exception. A quote from organiser Vince Wooloff (pictured above), summed it up nicely. When asked what his wet weather plans were, he replied “stay dry.” Perfect advice, which most of us took by hiding in the bar.
Fortunately, as the afternoon wore on the weather started to ease a little, and even if it hadn’t we had a great lineup of bands to look forward to…
Kaz & the Traitors
Oh and what a lineup it was. Getting the ball rolling were Kaz and the Traitors, a punk covers band. I was outside the marquee when I heard an X-Ray Spex cover, it was fantastic and I was transported back to 1978. I was in the marquee like a shot and transfixed, they’re so good and the lead singer has such a powerful voice. Kaz and the Traitors, you have a new fan.
Red Hot Riot
Next up, Red Hot Riot, a very polished and fun rockabilly band. At this point no one cared about the weather, it could have been raining fire and brimstone, no one would have noticed, they were having too much of a good time.
Hola Ghost
After Red Hot Riot we had Hola Ghost… OK, words fail me here, what’s this? A mariachi band? A death metal band? I dunno, all I can say is they’re brilliantly mental, perfect for Oddballs.
The Skids
Last but by no means least, The Skids. A band I’ve loved since I was a youth. Never seen them, always wanted to, and they didn’t disappoint. Richard Jobson’s 62 years old, but he was bouncing around the stage like a teenager. In between songs he was making jokes and taking the mick out of the crowd in the best possible way. To say it was worth the wait to see them is an understatement.
Well, I have to say, in spite of all the weather problems Vince and his team put on another great rally. A rally that over the years has raised nearly £100,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust. Well done Vince.
Words and photos: Booga
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