2010

VIPER SUMMER BEER FEST - 5 YEARS OF MAYHEM

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 02:25:00 GMT

IT WAS THE BIGGEST AND THE BEST VIPER BEER FEST YET. They came from far and wide to eat, drink and dance quite badly! The band started up at 3pm with a full house, the rain lashing down so hard they had to close the tent, but the band (including the excellent Lou from Squabbler sitting in on drums for Stef for the afternoon) took the stage and warmed the cold, wet crowd up with a storming combo of 'Matchbox' (Carl Perkins) , 'Pride and Joy' (Stevie ray Vaughan) and 'Wishing Well' (Free).

Later on as the band and the crowd warmed up even more there were some great guest performances from Amy Howe ('Live n' Let Die' / When September Ends) and Connor Bath (Use Somebody). Eventually the day turned into night and the crowd got (much) bigger than we'd ever seen before at the Viper, the last two sets were a blur of dancing bodies and waving arms - The band did some new/old stuff like 'Who's got a match' (Biffy Clyro - great lead vox Uncle Ian), 'How does it feel' (Slade - great lead vox Uncle Chris) and a brilliant old Madness song called 'Madness' (good call Kev) had the (frankly, pissed) crowd skanking like their lives depended on it! The final set almost brought the tent down with the usual blockbusters Dakota/Monster/All these things/Play that Funky music/Mr. Brightside/Sex on fire/Won't get fooled and of course Kev's tour de force 'Comfortably Numb'!

We didn't think it was possible to top previous years but thanks to an awesome bunch of people (the audience, not the band) it was an incredible day, and we are so pleased and proud to be a part of it! Thanks to Donna and all the Viper staff who never stop working. Thanks to our WAGS who are getting more outrageous every time, thanks to Lou for a fantastic perfomance on drums in the afternoon and finally, thanks to all our friends who go out of their way to come and see us every time - you are bloody brilliant - here's to year number 6!!!

As usual Leena (our own paparazzi) has taken some great photos of you all, which will end up here on the site over the next few days.

WHAT A WEEKEND!

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:00:00 GMT

Friday 8:00pm: Paul & Louise's wedding.
We kick off the weekend at Maiden's Barn somewhere in deepest, darkest Essex. The Best Men' s speeches were excellent and Paul & Louise want 'Chasing cars' as their first song and we nailed it. The evening got better and better, the DJ from Sound One Events was a great bloke, doing the lights during our sets and giving us some great introductions. We sent Paul & Louise off happy and got home relatively early (1-ish).

Saturday 10.00 am: Kilimanjaro Charity Ball - Stockbrook Manor Golf Club
Have to get up and get over to Billericay to set up the gear for tonight's charity bash. Room looks great, all dekked out and we've actually got a stage big enough (just) for once! Turn up in our monkey suits for the evening do. Nice meal, plenty of drink flowing and a chat with some old friends, then into the set. Sounds good - big echoey room, with loads of reverb - lovely. Everyone up from the first number, which was er... 'Chasing cars'. Played through til 1:15pm, got home at 3:00am, happily knackered... Big thanks goes out to Deb, Bev, Wendy and everyone who helped arrange such a fantastic night, and everyone who helped make some money for such a great cause.
Click here to see more photos!

Sunday 12.30 pm: White Hart Beer Festival - Margaretting Tye
Happy birthday Wendy! Band turned up on time, except for Chris who had the van with our equipment. So, with nothing better to do, we had to start sampling the real ale. Chris turned up and hour later looking very sheepish (until he started on the real ale). We kicked off at 2:30pm, did an excellent 2 hour non-stop set until Beth and Richard came on for an acoustic session at 4:30pm which was superb. More acoustic stuff from us (Weather with you/Why does it always rain on me? and other fine weather related songs) then into our second serious set. At 6.30 time for the jagged eyes to make their full band appearance doing all their own stuff, 'Twilight skies' still my favourite, They just get better and better. We came back on (by now very worse for wear) about 7.30pm to finish the night off, with some kicking versions of Mr. Brightside / Comfortably Numb / Hysteria / Dakota. Mr. David Barrett doing his stuff as only he can do, whipped the audience into the kind of frenzy only they can do. Off stage about 9-ish home by 10.45pm, trying not to think about work tomorrow... Happy Birthday Ian!!! Click here to see more photo's

Neils fancy dress 50th - a dream come true for the Hippy Dave...

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:11:31 GMT

Stocks Bar

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:44:29 GMT

Another great stocks gig. Thanks to the regulars and the newbies who weathered the sweaty conditions. Special thanks as always go to Dave Barrett (the best looking cheerleader in Ingatestone), the sweaty dancing bar staff, Laurie and to Mr. David Shalloe on Bass guitar for the best ever version of 'Hysteria' (Muse - who they?).

HOLLAND - THE BEST!

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 02:20:00 GMT

Just got back from the 'Never Ending Tour of Duty' mini tour of Holland. ! In 4 days we've managed 1000 miles of driving / 4 hours of Ferrying / under 15 hours of sleeping / over 10 hours of playing and we've still got huge smiles after one of the best Holland stints EVER! Massive thanks to everyone involved - Jagged Eyes / The DOG of ROCK / Jonny Roscoe / Dave Standen / Dave Barrett / Trev n' Pod / Dimi, Sean & Bianca / Godelieve / George / all the hard drinking, long suffering WAGS / Terry / a special thanks to Ray, Connie (Poppy), Cheryl & bump, Chana & the twins. Thanks to all of the crowds that turned up at the gigs - you were truly amazing and you made our weekend. There will be stories, there will be pictures - no-one will be spared - not even the innocent! But for now we need to catch up on some much needed kip (that's chicken to you Pete...). If you have any stories to tell from the trenches, then please share by commenting on this post. See other posts in the guestbook now... We love ya all! The boys from BFC

The Never Ending Tour Of Duty EP - Now Out!

Thu, 27 May 2010 21:45:00 GMT

THE NEVER ENDING TOUR OF DUTY - 2010

EP Title: “The Never Ending Tour of Duty”
Recorded: May 2010, Produced & Engineerd by Dave Shalloe at Seahorse Studios
Mixed by Terry Walker
Doughnuts/Biscuits/Coffee and a shoulder to cry on by Leena Shalloe
Band Lineup -
Ian Barrett: Guitar/Keyboards/Vocals
Stefan Cybichowski: Drums/Percussion/Vocals
Dave Shalloe: Bass Guitar
Chris Standen: Vocals
Kevin Howe: Guitar/Vocals

Track Listing:
1. Do anything you wanna do
2. Use somebody
3. Rosalie
4. Chasing Cars
5. Sex on fire
6. I don't think you don't like me*

* Music and lyrics by: Ian Barrett

HOLLAND HERE WE COME!

Tue, 25 May 2010 19:25:00 GMT

The tracks for the new 'Never Ending Tour of Duty' EP have now been mixed down, the CD's are in production, the sleeves are being printed/cut/folded and generally cajoled into place. We are eagerly awaiting delivery on the 'NETOD' t-shirts that have been designed and hand-knitted by the lovely Ian. We have got one last rehearsal tonight to practice 3 set lists that comprise of about 4000 songs before we embark on the annual pilgrimage to see our great friends in the land of the clog for 4 days of music, mayhem and 'Squabblers' (Port & Jack Daniels for the uninitiated). This year we are joined by the superb 'Jagged Eyes' (www.myspace.com/thejaggedeyes) who are a brilliant, original 5-piece band from London. This being their first time we are planning on taking it very easy on them (not). So 'chocks away Algy' - lets set sail for the Orange land armed with only a spare pair of pants and a bottle opener - BRING IT ON! Previous Holland photo's on the website: Holland 2008 and Holland 2009

Dave Shalloe writes: Superhuman Chris completes his vocal parts!

Mon, 17 May 2010 13:34:58 GMT

Recording finished for the new BfC cd!! Thanks and well done to Chris for a late night, post gig, vocal session. Despite ill health, drunkeness, and an 18 hour working day, we got the tracks finished (mostly in one take for Chris, fantastic job mate!). Mixing and mastering next, but on schedule to be ready for Holland!!

The Swan - Brentwood 23rd May has been cancelled!!!

Mon, 10 May 2010 16:29:29 GMT

We are very sorry to say that the gig on the 23rd May at the Swan in Brentwood has been cancelled due to an admin cock-up by the agent.
We are working on some new dates as we speak. We will update the website when they have been finalised.

BFC Recording News and COMPETITION!

Mon, 10 May 2010 16:00:00 GMT

Hi y'all,

Just to let you know that the BFC boys have been hard at work in Seahorse recording studios putting the finishing touches to the new BFC album / EP.
There will be 6 tracks, and the listing will be as follows:

Ha! - Didn't think i was going to tell you that did you?

Tell you what - here is a little competition for you - the first 5 people to comment on this blogpost with the correct guess for which 6 tracks have been recorded, and we'll give you a spankin' new signed CD, fresh off the press AND with a new BFC T-shirt bunged in for free! (Band members not included).

Go on then - what are you waiting for - get commenting!!!

The BFC lads xxx

GIGS WITHOUT IAN

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 19:10:00 GMT

As many may have noticed on the gig list (and if not, why not?) BFC had a couple of important gigs booked last weekend. A wedding at Prested Hall on Friday, and our 'home ground' stomper at the Stocks bar on Saturday night. As a consequence of Ian's enforced tragic absence (see blog post below) the band had to think quickly about how best to cope with the disappearance of the Guitar/Keyboard maestro in our lineup for these gigs. On the Friday night, up stepped the hero of the hour (or 3 hours after speeches) Mr. GARY 'POD' SQUIRES! From now on he will be known as the 'BIG POD' for that is what he is. Performing with a virtuosity and skill of a guitarist many times his age and possibly size, he tore through the BFC set as though he had been doing it all his life (he has, with Squabbler - Trev). The Wedding audience had a great night in the way that only wedding audiences can, and the day was saved once again! We salute you Mr. Gary 'Big Pod' Squires! You are now a life member of the 'Shit I've got to save their BFC arses again' (SIGSBAA) club! However, on Saturday night at Stocks we had run out of 'Get out of jail cards' - or so we thought... BIG POD was not available, so the job fell to our Kev to save our arses once again. Before he joined the band full time, Kev was indeed the original member of the SIGSBAA club, depping for our original guitarist Dave Standen in times of need and even stepping in on bass guitar for our old mucker and bass player Allen Dunsden. But on Saturday night Matthew, Kev was Dave Standen, Ian Barrett and Kevin Howe rolled into one. With a judicious re-jigging of the set list we managed to get enough material to 'blow the bloody doors off' the Stocks bar once again, and no small part of that success was due to the usual fantastic Stocks crowd and Mr. David Barrett in particular who, mourning the absence of his brother the 'Barrett way' by drinking a lot, gave the band his usual kick up the arse to massive effect! Normal service will resume (hopefully) next Friday at O'Neills in Southend and on Sunday at the Plough Beer Festival in Mountnessing, where Ian will be performing a 3 hour solo set as penance!

A WEEKEND WITHOUT IAN

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 18:15:00 GMT

Where do I start? The volcanic ash cloud has marooned thousands of holiday makers, threatening to make all the world's major airlines go bust overnight. Riots at Bangkok airport in Thailand threatening the safety of our boys and girls trying to get home (in time for the lovely elections) from their dodgy Thai holidays (as if the food wasn't enough to kill them).

One aspect of the debacle that the papers have not dared to mention so far, is the tragedy that has befallen our Ian & Paula. Poor old Uncle Ian, who plays guitar, keyboards and sometime vocals in BFC, has never caused any harm to man nor beast (are you sure about that? What about that sheep incident in Terneuzen in '06? - Ed) has been left to waste away in some far flung hotel room in the dark Continent of Gambia.

In a situation not too dissimilar to that portrayed in the film 'Midnight Express' Ian and Paula have been forced to spend another week in the same hotel with an upgrade to the room with food and drinks 'all in'. In the midst of his misery, Ian managed to smuggle out a picture of his suffering by text earlier today, please if you are of a sensitive nature - look away now.

Over the years our Ian has known some of the of the worst humiliation and degridation possible in his pitifully short lifetime, but as far as the band, family and friends of BFC are concerned - this takes the biscuit.

When (if) he finally returns, we will salute his bravery, and in the ultimate gesture, confiscate his passport so he doesn't have to go through this again.

VIPER PHOTOS NOW ONLINE

Sat, 17 Apr 2010 14:25:00 GMT

Go to the Photos page now and see if you can spot yourself being embarrassingly pissed at the Viperfest (I know I can!).
Many thanks to Leena for staying sober and being the paparazzi once again...

KEV THE TWANGER SAYS: EASTER VIPER BEER FEST A TRIUMPH!

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 23:40:00 GMT

Well the first beer fest of the year has been and gone and what a fantastic day/evening it turned out to be at The Viper Easter bash. Big thanks go out to everyone who turned up, to Donna and all her staff at the Viper, and to all the various guests musicians and singers who joined us up front during the event. Bring the next one ;););)

PS Keep your eyes peeled for a photos of you being very embarrassing coming to the Photo's page soon!

The Swan - Brentwood 21st Feb

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:35:00 GMT

The Swan is a top venue, the sound is good, the beer is good and the barstaff are funny! BFC would like to thank everyone who came along to see us last week. You always come and support us and we are always happy (and pathetically grateful) to see you. See you all again soon for a whole afternoon/evening of madness at the Viper Beer Fest on the 4th of April!

The Madness begins! Holland tour 28th to 31 May

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:30:00 GMT

Dave the Hippy says: If anyone fancies the annual BreakforCover Dutch weekend tour, let us know as soon as possible. We're looking to book accomodation soon. 28th - 31st May. It's shaping up to be a brilliant one this year! Please put your name down now by emailing us on the email form on our 'Contact Us' page.

D2's 50th Party Pic

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:55:00 GMT

Party was a riot - here is a paparazzi shot of Gary and D2 engaging in a spot of 'man Love'

The Crown, Ingatestone - a great kick off to the New Year!

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 19:40:00 GMT

Cheers to everyone for packing out The Crown last night. A couple of rusty moments (it has been a month since our last full line up gig) but apart from that we blew away the cobwebs and kicked off 2010 wth a bang. Next BFC outing is next Friday at O'Neills Bar in Southend. See ya there :O) (Kev the Twanger)

2010 - here we come!

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:25:19 GMT

Ok - I'm back from down under now and normality has been resumed (that's not good - Ed).
Big up to Tim the drummer yet again for filling my hotseat (oo-er, missus) rather well in my absence at Stocks before Christmas and again at a private party after Boxing day. A huge thanks to all our friends and families who keep on turning up and supporting us year after year.
A HAPPY 2010 from BFC!

'Breakforcover' now on Facebook!

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:15:25 GMT

There's now a group page for BreakforCover on Facebook. If you have a profile already, search for "BreakforCover!" and add us.