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SchLIVE Tour 1996When it became obvious that the latest Conscious Cinema video would not be completed in time for the SchNEWS first birthday party in November '95, someone came up with the bright idea of mixing the unfinished action footage with a reading of the SchNEWS. It worked so well that we thought we'd try it again. And from such humble beginnings SchLIVE was born! After a couple more shows in Brighton during December '95 we decided to take it around the country. It all seemed so easy. After a chaotic couple of months, with everyone wondering how one tour could take so long to organise, we set off in a thirty-five year old bus at the beginning of May. Forty dates and 3500 miles lay ahead of us over the next couple of months. It all sounded and looked so organised, so professional. But now, having tracked down the tour diary and SchLIVE audience feedback book, SchNEWSround can exclusively reveal the secret and sordid behind-the-scenes inside story. Here, in the own words of the SchLIVE crew, is the diary of the tour. "My did it rain as we
set off to one of Portsmouth's less 'appening places. Upstairs was
crap cider in crap bottles, downstairs was 30 old women singing
crap songs for no particular reason anyone could ascertain. Did
the SchLIVE, "Flannel" played to 3 people. As a start it was a bit
like an Action Man. Small, but up for it!" After deciding that a lack of publicity was to blame for the numbers at Portsmouth, everyone jumped back into the bus and trundled off to Glastonbury, safe in the knowledge that loads of flyers and posters had been sent to the Capital of Cosmicness: "Set up the equipment
at the Glastonbury Assembly Rooms, which were large and needed a
lot of people to fill. I spoke to the woman who had organised the
publicity at the Glastonbury side. Slightly worrying is an understatement.
She didn't get any posters until Thursday and had only told a few
people. Me and Katie dragged people in off the streets." One thing everyone discovered was that the less people at a show, the more time there was for drinking afterwards. Another thing everyone discovered is why 35 year old buses aren't used for tours around the country. "After a mad Monday night
at the Rifleman's Arms in Glastonbury (cider £1.04 a pint!) we crashed
at the local site. The next morning off we set - for about half
an hour that is until the bus came to a grinding halt. Kev and George
got left behind in a Shepton Mallet Industrial Estate, and the rest
of us got picked up by the Bristol crew in their hunt sab van. Managed
to set up and start only 4 hours late. Later they twisted our arms
and fed and Special Brewed us to a ridiculous state."
"Stayed overnight in
Shepton Mallet. Unfortunately the bus was more poorly than originally
thought and wouldn't be moving for at least another 24 hours. Realising
that a card game in an industrial estate was the most happening
thing in Shepton Mallet was scary. Resolved never to do a SchLIVE
in Shepton Mallet. Thought about it again and decided never to do
a tour that could involve a breakdown within 100 miles of Shepton
Mallet." After drinking all their beer the night before, with no cash and no other means of getting to Cardiff the Schplinter Group had no option but to blag the minibus which happened to be parked outside. "Rang Kev on his mobile
and found out that the bus wasn't going anywhere until Friday. Formulated
a plan of action for the Cardiff show. Could the Bristol hunt sabs
bail us out again? I did my best eyelash fluttering to a young lad
called Seth resulting in him nervously mumbling 'Er I must be mad,
I've never met any of you before in my life, please don't steal
our van or breakdown.' He gave me the keys and made a quick exit.
Excellent! we got transport."
"Plymouth was our next
destination. We parked up outside the venue and started to unload
the cinema equipment. George, Vicky and I were in the bus when I
noticed the ground moving rapidly by outside and Kev wasn't in the
driving seat. Vicky dived into the cab and saved the day by yanking
on the hand brake. We counted our Schlucky stars that it was only
a wire fence we plunged through and not into the harbour which was
only a few feet away!" After that near-death experience, the show was going to be good whatever happened. Then a journalist arrived... "The Cooperage in Plymouth
was a great venue. The publicity was outstanding and it looked from
the start as though it would be a terrific show. Everything was
great - and then we met the journalist from the Big Issue. He asked
us loads of questions like 'Do you all smoke rollies?' and 'Are
your squats nice?'. Er, yes, well..." The show must go on, so they left Plymouth with every intention of getting to London for the Land is Ours Action. "Unfortunately about
a quarter of a mile from Fairmile the fan sheared off and went through
the radiator. We limped to Fairmile and Kev examined the damage.
Time for the scrap yard. That night we got through about 20 protest
films in a field and updated the long term Fairymilians what's been
happening throughout the country, much to their delight!" Trying to make the best out of an unfortunate situation and realising that they had a captive audience, shows continued each evening at Fairmile for the next few days... "Kev spent that afternoon
trying to sort out the van with looks of worried concern on his
face throughout. We set up the cinema screen and P.A. in a field
near the site and showed Braveheart when it got dark. At one point
some bloke shouted 'Full On Posse' when the main group rode into
battle, face painted, looking mean. Someone at the back shouted
'Shut the fuck up'. He did. So much for rebellion." Again the bus was sorted and the show continued for the next few weeks. And it was working - information for action combined with fun, entertainment and beer! "The show tonight consisted
of a wicked, drunken mix of SchLIVE, "Flannel", and various assorted
members from the Offshore sound system. A mad night was had by all
- made better when a couple of Cambridge folk came up to say that
after watching the show, they had decided to do something outside
Cambridge for the first time in their lives and would be going down
to Fairmile the next day. " "It was excellent. There was a mix of experienced activists, ex-activists, the interested and those who just happened to be in the pub. And all of them were well up for it by the end of the show. That's what seems to be happening. The shows are bringing people together, getting them motivated and then leaving people to get out there and DO IT!" And so the tour continued winding its way up, down and around England, Scotland and Wales. Our last show being the Big Green Gathering in Wiltshire in late July. See you on the road again next year folks....
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@nti copyright - information for action - copy and distribute! |
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While
the 'Splinter Group' was enjoying the generosity of the crew at
the Kebele Community Centre in Bristol (Nice One!), back at the
bus the others were learning about the rustic, rural charms of Shepton
Mallet.
Finally
the tour bus was fixed. Not for long. In the true Justice? tradition,
just as it looked plain sailing again another near catastrophe descended
upon the crew, within only hours of it getting back on the road...