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Delirious? are now more than a week into their World Service UK Tour, so I thought it would be a good time to write more about the rehearsal evening that I mentioned in the previous post. I put some photos from the night on the site last week, but this is a good opportunity to show some more pics that didn't make it onto the site.

Back in May at the Alton Towers gig, Jon mentioned to me that they would be holding a production day in Portsmouth the day before the tour began, and that I was welcome to come along. So of course I jumped at the chance. They try and make sure the first venue of the tour is fairly close to home on the south coast, then they book the venue for two nights. The second night is for the first concert of the tour, but the night before is for the production day. That basically means, rehearsals, setting up the gear, making sure all the technical equipment is working and a general run through of the concert. The crew, made up of sound and light engineers, roadies, tour manager and the like, turn up early and get the venue set up. The stage gets set up, the lights and video screen go up, the sound system goes in and everything is tested. Sometime after that, the band themselves turn up to get things started.

As I arrive at about 7pm the band are milling around the stage, chatting to the crew, and getting ready for their first sound check. Jon leads me up to the Guildhall's balcony where we have a good view of the stage. The scene impresses me. Three large LED video screens hang at the back of the stage, and giant steel pylons mark each corner of the stage with light beacons placed on top, and a series of lights running up them. As we watch from up high, Neil the lighting guy is testing things out, and a blinding sequence of flashing lights scrolls up the pylons to the roof. Next, images start briefly appearing on the video screens. I find it slightly unnerving sitting next to Jon whilst a giant version of him appears on the screen. He can be seen running and panting, wearing a bright orange jump suit. As we talk about it, he's very modest about the video. The truth is that as well as appearing in it, he also edited the footage so that it is perfectly sequenced with the song. Andy Hutch shot the footage of Jon running along Littlehampton beach, apparently placing the camera in a baby's pram and wheeling it along the beach in front of Jon.

Down on the stage all the talk is about some new equipment the band are using for the first time. Martin and Stu have brand new microphones, and after trying his out for a few songs Martin announces that he's pleased with it, so he and Paul (the front of house sound man) agree that Martin should use the new mic for the tour. The band also each have brand new in-ear monitors for the tour. Each set of ear pieces comes in it's own smart little custom made steel flight box, with the band member's name printed on the front. The band keep Colin (the sound engineer responsible for controlling the band's monitors) busy with requests to adjust different levels to get the sound in their new ear pieces to their individual liking. They all seem impressed with the new kit, and comment that the sound is much clearer than with their previous equipment.

With everything set up, the band do a complete run through of several of the songs. I watch from various locations around the venue: stood at the side of the stage, on the floor directly in front of the stage, at the back near the sound desk, up in the balcony. Wherever I stop and listen, an immense sound fills my ears. Neil is still battling with the lighting rig, so for much of the time the band play in semi-darkness. After a while the band pause to discuss a few things together, and try out a few variations. In particular they practise the change over from song to song for the medley that they will be performing during the concert.

Next they turn their attention to the part of the show where they will be performing an acoustic set. One of the movable platforms on the stage is rolled forward. It contains a stripped down drum set and the Rhodes keyboard. Ian, the tour manager, brings three stools onto stage and the band discuss how they should arrange themselves for the acoustic set. Tim sits at the Rhodes and Stew at the small drumkit. Then Stu, Martin and Jon place themselves and their guitars on the stools. With their positions settled upon, they launch into acoustic renditions of 'Everyone Knows' and 'Bicycle Gasoline'. With only a few onlookers, mostly made up of the crew, it feels like I'm witnessing a private gig.

By about 10:30pm the band are happy and decide to call it a night. The crew head off to a hotel for the night, whilst the band pile into Tim's car for the short one-hour trip back home to Littlehampton. I leave the venue impressed by the amount of work everyone has put it, and contemplate the concert itself the following night. Tonight the venue was empty, but tomorrow it will be packed with screaming fans. I know for certain that in 24hours they will all be going home happy after having seen a top quality concert.