Happy Birthday Dougal!
This was a surprise gig, taking place at the lovely Greyfriars Hotel, Guildford. It was Dougal’s 50th Birthday bash, setup by his wonderful other half, Elaine. Truly stunning surroundings – Greyfriars is an amazing venue, with a fantastic view from the Hogs Back, out across the surrounding area. We didn’t waste the opportunity to grab a few shots of the band (including our handsome fiddler Jason), whilst waiting for the dinner to end – the garden area has a great character.
The setup in the dining room had white drapes across all the walls, including the performance area – to great effect. The theme for the weekend was Moroccan, so there were a few caftans… unfortunately the band kept to the ‘band theme’ (suits, waistcoats, hats), though Alistair was seen sporting a rather fine cravat towards the end of the night, thanks to a very kind guest!
Due to the nature of the event, we kept the energy levels high – and the partygoers gave all. It was a fantastic gig to play – a really nice crowd who danced, sang, and had a great time.
At the special request of Dougal, the final song was a repeat of one we had played earlier – Get Lucky!
Big thanks have to go out to Libby (best friend of Elaine… & proprietor of the venue along with Barrie) – friendly and hospitable as ever. Also, Elaine, who’s attention to detail was obviously paramount to the success of the weekend as a whole (paint-balling, belly dancers… a top live band 😉 …with plenty more to follow on the Sunday) – friendly and welcoming – thanks for the bottles of wine… very much appreciated. And of course happy birthday to Dougal – the man of the night.  Thank you very much for having us – it was a night to remember, in the best possible way!
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