41) Lancaster Music Festival, Atticus Bookshop, 13th October 2016ce

This definitely goes down in Mirrorkill's history as one of the odder gigs to come our way. I hadn't been aware that the esteemed establishment Atticus Bookshop in Lancaster had held Music festival events for the last few years, so wasn't quite sure what to expect - certainly not a DJ set up at the end of the rather cosy premises belting out a very fine hour-long funk set. As soon as there were around 20 people in there dancing it was, essentially, at capacity - the proprietor, Tom, having cleared away tables & stock for the occasion.

When the DJ had finished & packed away I took to the "stage"/back of the shop, with no amplification, armed with the trusty 12-string (on the grounds that it would be twice as loud as the six string). & it was really nice. A bunch of friends, & a few curious passers by who popped in to see what was going on, were an attentive & appreciative audience; & the book lined walls made it feel not just intimate, but like playing in a living room. Tom appeared pleased, & asked if we'd be up for a return next year.

I broke my G-string, again, obvs.

& playing acoustically really does make life so much simpler - there are no sound problems that you can't overcome just by modulating your playing/shouting louder, as appropriate.

I chose a set list that contained a few of our more literary numbers, & felt a little more at ease telling some of the stories behind some of them than I do when speaking over a PA:

Half Life
Catch 23
Trans-Albionic Existential Boogie
The Metamorphosis of Echo
Power Down
Naked
Anchorite
This Silent Land
Skeleton Times
Axiom
4 Chords (& a head full of bollocks)

(Photographs courtesy, variously, of Di o'Gnosis, MK & Gabriella Bavone)

MK.