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Paul Hopkins'
BEHIND THE
SCENES
We usually start our set up at the theatre around 1pm. There are only 7 of us on the road. We don’t have any road crew, so the band set everything up on their own. This includes all PA, the musical instruments and backline, the projector and screen and everything else that you see on stage. This of course means that at the end of the show, the whole band have to pack up all their equipment again, and load their own vans and cars! Due to the fact that the band are scattered all over the country, everyone generally travels on their own to the show. It is sometimes possible to share vehicles but not often. We don’t have the luxury of a tour bus yet!
It takes the whole afternoon to get everything ready. We then start our sound check around 5.30pm. Hopefully, if we dont have any technical gremlins, by 6.30pm we can have a short break. Then, whilst you are all settling down in your seats, or having a pre-show drink at the bar, our six cast members are frantically trying to turn themselves into the Traveling Wilburys! It involves at lot of hairspray and eye liner, and can be quite a surreal moment for the theatre staff, who are used to seeing the cast as ‘themselves’ all day.
There is a great atmosphere backstage, as the whole band get on really well and they all love their job. It makes for such a happy ship and that fabulous comeraderie transfers itself to the stage. In the few minutes before curtain up, the band will be waiting in the wings, generally shaking hands and wishing eachother a good show. There is a lot of adrenilin and nervous energy flying around, as each and every one of them want to make sure that they do justice to the originals and that you have a great night out.
The lads often get a cheer when they walk on to the stage. They all love the Wilburys and the character they are portraying. They are all consumate professionals and have put many months of rehearsals into perfecting the individual tributes.
A few pictures from the dressing room before the show. Transformation time!
Red Litchfield, Aubrey Robinson, Mark Pearson & Buddy Baker
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