The last two weeks have been pretty hectic but extremely fun. I only really mentioned it the opening of the tour in my last post as I had so many other things to mention. Since then I've collected an array of stickers as memorabilia from some of the schools we visited and have plastered them all over the schedule. It was a slow start at first while the students got used to the ordeal of loading and unloading the van but we started to get a little quicker in the first week. My only real day off was the Tuesday of the first week since we had no gig but then we were straight back to it on the Wednesday. Wednesday was also pork pie day, which seems to be part of tradition whenever we play in Melton Mobray. AS brought mine this year as a thank you since he's been lacking with the chocolate. One of the highlights from that week came from visiting Ye Olde Pie Shop when AO returned out from the shop stroking his pork pie.
Some of the schools we played, I was familiar with from last year. Melton Vale, Yeoman Park, Carlton Digby are just a few from the first week. By Friday, an illness was starting to sweep through the group and a couple of the students really weren't feeling to strongly about performing. Sets started to be cut down and into the next week we saw absences effecting bands being able to play. I also picked up the bug which made me a little slower and less responsive but still somehow survived turning in everyday despite being ill. The was one day during the second week when I was the only member of my band that turned up. AS did try to contact me but I think I had already left the house and missed the call so I still tagged along to help, which with almost a whole band missing, I'm sure they needed it. Looking back it feels like the most of it was spent travelling which I've quite enjoyed. Its been nice to be driven about and be able to take in the surrounding as well as overhear all of the tour bus banter between students. Laughing and joking, getting to know some of them a little more. Some of the topics discussed should probably remain on the minibus.
The only real problems I've had are related to my own work, since these school gigs relate to another course. While helping the lvl 2s boosts my performance skills and gives me more experience working with the other students, it means I cannot fully focus on my work. Its been especially difficult to balance this time around with illness making its rounds. I did try to produce some visuals within Modul8 but it decided that it wasnt' going to play. After rendering the video, the file would not work. This was quite infuriating as it took a lot of my time during the only spare time I had and as a result, I got nothing out of it, which means I'm now having to really push hard to get work done over today and tomorrow to be ready for Wednesday (Which I'm really not looking forward to.)
It's sad that I'm not sure I'd be able to do this all again next year. It's an amazing experience and the kids love it. I feel like I want to keep helping out but at the same time, this time next year I will be focusing on my BA. It's hard for me to take in at the moment that actually, my current course finished in less that three months. It's crazy. I'm looking forward to it, though. I firmed my place this morning to study at The University of Derby and sorted out the student finance. It's becoming evermore real that it's the end to an era here in Nottingham, for me to study at least. On a positive note, I can't wait to get to know Derby as a city much better.
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