Exclusive Sam Little Tour Blog: Day Fifteen
Day Fifteen: Ben & Jerry's Sundae FestivalSo after a long ass coach journey from Manchester to London Victoria, then a good tube journey to Kensal Green, I can finally drop everything and lie down. I'm staying at my manager Bev's house tonight on her floor. Surprisingly, I'm so used to sleeping on floors, that I pretty much pass out straight away.
Today, I'm playing the prestigious Ben & Jerry's sundae festival in Clapham Common, London. The concept is simple, you pay £15 for a day ticket (£25 for a weekend) and you get all the free ice cream you can handle. Oh and there's some amazing bands playing like Slow Club, Scouting For Girls and Idlewild. I'm more than lucky to be playing the acoustic stage today, and I'm excited, if not nervous.
For some reason, I've decided to walk to the arena from the overground station, which probably wasn't the best of ideas, especially as I have the worst directional sense ever. But after a good twenty five minutes worth of walking, we're here at the artist entrance.
I worked a few festivals this summer, and I've really fallen in love with seeing a festival ground before everyone's in it. The calm before the storm. Ben & Jerry's Sundae Festival however, has really topped it for me. There's a helter skelter, toe wrestling, carousel, all the free ice cream you can eat and ultimately the most friendly staff I think I've ever met. If you live in London or love ice cream, I fully recommend it next year whether I'm playing or not. I'll be there.
Soundcheck is quick and swift. That's the bonus of being acoustic. One microphone, one guitar, a DI box and boom, you're done. I'm not on for another hour or so, I'm now excited more than nervous. The ice cream feast begins. I think I probably had two, maybe three cones before I went on. I'm a bit of an ice cream addict, I don't even taste it anymore. I just know it's good and it needs to go in my belly. I remember when I was younger, I really wanted to have my tonsils out so I could have all the ice cream I wanted. I probably would've been fatter than I am now, so maybe it's for the best.
It's five minutes before I'm meant to start. Guitar's plugged in. Microphone's plugged in. Game on.
By the time I've finished the first song, there's an entourage of people turning up to watch, which is keeping the biggest smile on my face. The thing about this festival that I like the most, is the fact that it's just nice. It just gives off the nicest vibe, which is awesome. But yeah, the area's starting to fill. I throw down my version of 5ive's 'Keep On Moving', to which I'm told by someone after the set, that it's better than the original. Accolade! Ultimately ending on Fallin', everyone seems really happy.
As soon as I come off stage, there's people asking for photos and CDs. I'm still not entirely used to being asked for photos, or compliments for that matter. I've got a long way to go before I'll be THAT good, in my eyes. But it's making me smile a lot regardless.. and it's nice to know that people really do care and like what I do. It's like buying an artist's masterpiece for more than he wants. It just feels amazing and like there's a point to doing what you're doing.
The guy on after me is some Spanish beatboxer, that's more interested in making robotic noises than a beat. He's interesting, I think I'll leave it at that.
I'm now 5 cones in by the way.
After watching my friend Tom annihilate a £6 burger in the shortest amount of time, we head back to the hospitality area where we find out that there's no cue for ice cream here and you get it in small tubs. Do I sound fat yet? Trust me, as I type this I have the biggest food baby. The first male pregnancy, sponsored by Ben & Jerry's (assisted by Nandos). Tom, Nikki and I decide to have a lie down in the shade. I now kinda understand why everyone I've spoke to, has said they're here for the ice cream. Everyone just seems to kinda eat loads and just lie down in the sun. Not a bad way to spend a day to be honest.
5 cones and a tub. Oh and Tom's just spotted the frozen yoghurt.
Slow Club are on the main stage, they're really good. I'm not really too excited for Scouting for Girls, but I'm sure there are a lot of people that are. I'm kidnapped for a short video interview for Festival TV, where I sing an accapella version of Craig David's '7 Days' after explaining how I started singing. Once again, I'm not entirely used to people shoving a camera in my face. No doubt I'm gonna look awkward. It'll be like my first date all over again.
7 cones and a tub. I'm starting to feel sleepy. Tom and Nikki are deciding whether they want to stick around, or leave now to avoid the queues later. I'm feeling full, and it's probably best that I leave with them, before they have to pump the ice cream out of my veins. Somehow the walk that took me 25 minutes earlier, only took 5 minutes with Tom in charge. I call him a prick and we get on the tube to Charing Cross.
I'm a little bit gutted, I didn't get to meet SFG but to be honest, I'm not a big fan. If I wanted to hear the same thing repeated over and over again, I'd buy one of those toy parrots that you can record into. Maybe that's where I'm going wrong.
I'm on my way home now. You have no idea how glad I am to be able to wash my clothes and have a bath. I'm gonna bust out the candles and Savage Garden. It's gonna be so ridiculously gay. It's gonna be awesome.
My next show is the 4th of August with Jose Vanders and Luke 'Hallelujah, praise the Lord' Leighfield in Leicester. It was on the 3rd, but for some reason it's now on the 4th. If you're near the area, definitely come down as it's gonna be one of the last shows I play up north for a while.
I've cancelled a load of shows, read more about it over at my blog here.
Begin the fight against the world.
