Gig report: Eureka Stockade album launch @ The Haymakers, Cambridge

Bands: Aidy, Eureka Stockade
Venue: The Haymakers, Cambridge
Date: 11/12/10
Audience: Rammed, lively, enthusiastic, brilliant
Set: Aidy - not sure; Eureka Stockade - She Got Good, Erotomania, Violence, Broken Pieces, Resistance, Without You, Warm Hands, All Alone, Sharks, Through Every Darkness, Heroes Fall
Notes: With our album released on Monday, we (Eureka Stockade) launched our debut long player with what is probably the best gig we've ever played. Firstly, I felt a little sorry for Aidy - I played congas for him (alongside the always excellent bassist Dave Martin) but the audience didn't seem to realise the set was starting so a majority of it was ignored - shame, as we played pretty well. After short break for middle act, The Morning People to do their lovely thing, Eureka Stockade's set was greeted by a rousing audience, many of whom surged to the front. We went down well - and that only enhanced our performance, it was without question the tightest we've been. All in all the perfect combination of good venue, solid set-up, well rehearsed band and a festive crowd who's energy was flattering. We were joined by the superb Anna Scott on cello for all the songs apart from the first three and she's an awesome musician who filled any gaps, and also Dave Greeves (from The Morning People) to add sublime slide guitar lines for 2 tracks. Both of those musicians helped make it a proper special gig, and the after show party was equally exuberant. I eventually succumbed to being old, and crashed out on Rob-Eureka-Stockade's sofa at 4am, today has naturally been largely unproductive.