ADAM Masterson

Swung by the east village last night popped in the Lakeside Lounge, bumped into a bartender pal of mine, told him I was only on a flying visit but asked on the off chance if they had a free slot? Turns out the only slot they’ve got all month is tonight, so I’ve bagged it…

I’ll be making my way down there shortly… gonna go on at 9.30… already looking like I got a bunch of people coming out… If you’re in town Lakeside Lounge is on 162 Avenue B between 10th and 11th cross street. Short notice but be grand to see you!

Adam

I’m in New York City… but only just. Flew in on a nightmare flight an ended up in Boston. Things begun with me thinking I was in the safest of hands. The Captain announced that we had on board the first man to land on the moon, Neil Armstrong, along with several other notable astronauts who formed what the captain called an ‘Aeronautical dream team’. They were in special convoy from Iraq where they’d been entertaining the troops on the front line. The captain thanked them for ‘what they’d done for America and for the world!’

I was sat next to a malaysian family who were excited about their first trip to New York and the girl wanted a picture with Neil Armstrong. I settled in for the flight.

Things didn’t start getting hairy until our descent into Kennedy airport. The flight attendants were called to their seats. I had noticed things were getting pretty rocky it was more than what you’d call turbulence. I had no idea we were attempting to land in fierce 50 knots winds, that’s strong gale force winds well over 50 mph.

My reading mater didn’t help, I was reading about The Mona Lisa. Art critic and esotericist Walter Pater said of it. ‘Hers is the head upon which all “the ends of the world are come” and the eyelids are a little weary. It is a beauty wrought out from within upon the flesh… she is older than the rocks among whom she sits… she has been dead many times and learned the secrets of the grave, and has been a diver in deep seas and keeps their fallen day about her…’ At this point the air the aircraft gave a sudden jolt and I thought ‘Think about something else Adam, something chipper?’.

I looked to my left and the malaysian girl had her own book ‘The five people you are going to meet in heaven’. This didn’t help. To my right I saw an African man holding off the seat in front of him for dear life as if he could somehow protect his skull from impending doom, and a french women in considerable panic.

About me people were beginning to vomit, and I could feel a faint nausea sweeping over myself so I shut my eyes and decided to grin and bear it.

The plane then took a sharp surge downwards which was followed by what felt like a steep drop. It was the strangest sensation an almost out of body experience. I felt disembodied from the aircraft and on my own. The tiniest little vessel in free fall. It felt more like a sky dive than a landing.

I did indeed now feel like a diver in deep seas and their fallen day! The Mona Lisa began to haunt my darkness.

In spite of my nausea I opened my eyes, we were now beneath the mists of the clouds, rain battered hard against the craft and the windows. I could see JFK below. We were about as low to the runway as someone standing atop a seven story building with people and cars more than visible… but man! Our plane was rockin’ all over the place!

The Strange episode got stranger there was another hard surge against the elements but this time upwards! Kennedy disappeared and we were back among the clouds and surging fast is the word. Your blood turns to sand and your veins, all up your fingers, hands and arms, begin to crackle and pop!

After what seemed like an eternity we were back up in friendlier altitudes and things began to calm. Even still one couldn’t help but wonder what an earth was that all about? ‘Oh dear’, I thought, ‘of all the flights to make a hash of it!’

After a while the pilot came over the speaker ‘As you may have gathered we’ve had a failed landing at JFK we are being held in a rotation queue which may take 40 mins (sigh from the passengers) we may even have to land in Baltimore (huge sigh from passengers!)’

‘Come on team’ I thought ‘We’re alive! Can’t all be bad… Roll on Baltimore!’

I decided to leave my book on Mona Lisa for another time and opted for the lighter in flight entertainment. Got involved with a documentary on Michael Jackson called ‘This is it’. For about half an hour I was entertained till our dare devil captain interrupted one of Michael’s Moon walks with ‘Flight attendants take your seats for landing’

‘What an earth!’ I thought ‘a second attempt! our mans a lunatic!’

Now while I appreciate we had Neil Armstrong aboard and his ‘Aero-whatever-it-is-dream team’ this was no time to start playing Evel Knieval.

I braced myself and indeed the second attempt was even more of a disaster than the first. Now I can cope with seeing a few passengers getting the jitters, but when it’s the cabin crew who are catching up with their prayers I begin to wonder?

I tried to look for the positives. If i am going down, I’m going down with neil… It will be a talking point, a big talking point, a world wide story no less. Maybe a few of my pals could plug a mention for me in dispatches… my career could do with a much needed injection of life. I pondered this a while.

I began to indulge the most glorious set of vanities! I could see record sales of ‘One tale too many’ soaring, never having to grow old, all creditors being payed off not least my poor despairing mother! And all that dismal record exec talk of ‘You got great songs, but you need great records!’ Vaporizing into articles heralding my forgotten genius.

I was having a right royal time till our pilot began the second ascent upwards… Ah man! My mouth turned so hideously dry… I was in poor shape! My malaysian friend tapped me on the shoulder for a chat and I was like… No, not now… please!

What a plonker our pilot had become. Fortunately he’d given up on the idea of landing in gale force New York, indeed after his second botched attempt Kennedy cancelled all flights in and out of JFK. We were now headed for Boston, but our pilot had little to say to mask our peril or bring us any cheer. Weather conditions there were just as abominable, but it would have to be a make or break landing as we were running out of fuel!

People were getting cheesed off, I asked one of my cabin attendants how Neil was getting along… ‘Oh he’s fine’ she replied ‘he’s up in 1st getting ratted, loving every minuet of it.’ We all shared the same opinion as to why our captain had kept Kennedy airport open for ‘one more go!’

To make this tediously long story a little shorter we did make our landing at Boston, and as we did, out of sheer terror and relief we all gave our captain a round of applause, not before he’d put us all within an inch of our lives one more time. We were then held at the runaway not allowed out of the aircraft for four hours. By now my spirits and good humour were dwindling. There was even talk of re-fueling and having one more attempt at JFK… at this I despaired. I’d happily have walked back.

When immigration finally let us off the plane, and american airlines finally conceded we would need a bus back from Boston to New York, I found myself at baggage reclaim stood next to none other than the man himself, Neil Armstrong.

As I saw my battered Gibson case coming round on the conveyor belt, I couldn’t help but enquire…

‘Good Flight?’

The stout little man peered up at me from behind his glasses and replied…

‘I’ve had rockier rides…’

I’ve started up a night at The Boogaloo on Archway Road called ‘The Gold Bug Club’. I got the idea from a short story I read on the plane to Luxembourg… ‘The Gold Bug’ by Edgar Allan Poe. It’s a story about ciphers and treasure. A fella gets bitten by a gold coloured bug and his servant, fearing for his lordships sanity, calls on one of his masters old pals. The friend pays them both a visit, and the mad man talks all three of them into an adventure, after deciphering a trail to buried treasure.

The first Gold Bug Club (feb 11th) was a great success. Leo from Cheka played a fab solo set, I played and then my new favorite band ‘Gaolers Daughter’ check em out at www.myspace.com/gaolersdaughter I saw them last week at 229 on Great Portland street and they were fantastic, although i think their acoustic set at The Boogaloo shaded it. They’re gonna play the Gold Bug Club again April 15th so be sure not to miss.

The ‘Gold Bug Club’ returns this week Thursday 11th March with The Wild Wolves www.myspace.com/thewildwolves and Leo’s playing again this time with his new band Real Fur www.myspace.com/wearrealfur the night starts 8.00pm The Boogaloo’s at 312 Archway Road the bars open till 1am and it’s all free! See you there

Adam

Looking forward to this! Playing the Boogaloo Feb 11th and have put a great bill together which includes Gaolers Daughter who have just finished touring with Babyshambles www.myspace.com/gaolersdaughter and Why Tiger Why (formerly Cheka) www.myspace.com/chekatheband who I saw on the Strummerville River Rat Pack last year.

It’s gonna be a great night starting 8pm nearest tube Highgate and the Boogaloo is at 312 Archway Road N6 5AT www.theboogaloo.org tel 020 8340 2928

More acts are to be confirmed and admission is FREE!

So look forward to seeing you at the bar!

Adam

I’m off to Luxembourg Friday to play 2 concerts at the Albert Premier Hotel 2a, Rue Albert 1er this coming 5th and 6th Feb…

Tickets are €80 and include 3 course dinner i’ll be playing through the night if you’d like to come R.S.V.P hotel@albertpremier.lu

Adam

Thanks to everyone at ’sensible sundays’ and ‘Freaks’ night at the George both were fun gigs…

Off to New Cross Gate tonight for ‘Cariad’ at the new cross inn on around 10ish

Lot’s of new thinking in the new year, bit of a full on week, but hanging in there and keeping chipper…

More soon

Adam

On my way to Camden for ‘Sensible Sunday’s’ at The Lock Tavern, starts at 3pm through till 11pm DJ sets from Danny Boy and Tom Frog, I’m on at 7.30 get down there early for a sunday roast!

Been having a Dubliners phase in the new year. Bryan Nipsy from The Smokey Angle shade came round for dinner last Sunday and we had on all these Luke Kelly sides. Been listening to him a lot this week. ‘Travelling People’, ‘Black Velvet Band’ and ‘I’m a Rover’. Brian also played me something I hadn’t heard the bands ‘Christie’ and the tracks ‘Until the Dawn’. Great song. Sounded like the best thing from Neil Young I’d never heard. You should def check it out.

Been putting together the bill for the Boogaloo this week, bands ‘Gaolers Daughter’ and ‘Why Tiger Why’ are confirmed and it’s on Feb 11th.

See you at the Lock!

Adam

Good end to the year with me opening for The Rifles at The Boogaloo Dec 23rd. Turns out Joel lead singer is mates with all my old school pals. Small world. A couple of them came out for the show and I saw mates I aint seen in ages. A good thing at Christmas. I liked Joels band The Rifles, be seeing more of them in 2010.

Gigs are coming in for the New Year. I’m playing ‘Sensible Sunday’ 10th Jan at The Lock Tavern in Camden Town get down there early… 7.30 I’ll be on, my mate Tom Frog will be
DJing gonna be a great night!

Also down for The George Tavern in whitechapel Jan 15 with the focus child girls putting a bill together gonna be on around 10pm, and Jan 22nd I’m playing ‘Cariad’ at The New Cross Inn in New Cross Gate, get you times for this later

Had a lovely Christmas with family and friends. Love to you all.

Have a great night tonight wherever you are, here’s to an incredible 2010!! And let’s get at’em!

Adam

Gig last night was cancelled due to snow, i found out in Kentish town trudged all the way through the snow to Camden Town no cabs no trains no busses disaster.

Anyway all back on for tomorrow, same deal on around 8 o’clock opening for The Rifles at The Boogloo weather permitting

Adam

Opening up for The Rifles this Monday 21st Dec on between 8 and half past, I’m told the nights sold out but if you call Boogaloo in advance on 020 8340 2928 there may be some tickets left.

Played Boogaloo this wednesday gone, tried out a new song called ‘Hooked On You’ seemed to work.

Looking forward to Christmas, recovering from christmas party here at Royal Oak, my pal Tom Farrer caught up with me at the do he’s back from New York and has booked me to play his night at ‘The Lock Tavern’ in Camden, Sunday Jan 10th so there’s my first gig of the new year!

Seasons greetings and see you soon

Adam