Exit Calm Live at the Style Bar. Rugby 26th September 2008 [The Day]

On the way to Rugby England

Nuneaton down to Rugby

Last Friday got an early plane and flew from Madrid to East Midlands airport. I had planned this weekend before summer holidays, and my intention was to see the band in Oldham Manchester on saturday night, but one night more was added on the whole tour so went to Rugby to see them on friday night.

View from the train

The route was a train through Leicester, Nuneaton, Coventry and then Rugby. It didnt took me more than 1:30m.

Rugby Church

Local Pubs

I got on Rugby pretty early, in fact it was too early, around 11 Am, and band wasn't on until 11 night so I spent the whole day wandering around, visiting the city and having a pint here and there to test fine local breweries and also enjoy some of their beautiful parks. I was very lucky with the weather as it was a blue Skies days the hole weekend. Those bloody English always complaining about the weather...

Rugby field in ....Rugby!

Rugby is a nice place, at least it looked to me. It was the first time I was there, another place indeed for my list of villages/cities visited on the past in England.

In city center there was a street market in the main street and an old church near from there too. There was also a Rugby field [What else!] with a big old school inside. It looked a bit posh to me and also uniforms were a bit weird if you ask me. Rugby school I guess.

Rugby school

I was also later told that Rugby is the hometown of some member of the missed 80's band 'Spacemen 3'.

There was also one thing I needed to do, which is normally the first thing I do when I get in England...and that was to get some Chips& Curry!
love it!

More local pubs

The Merchant Pub

Sometime around the afternoon I went finally to the venue where the band was supposed to play and I started what it was gonna be the first of a long list of Corona beers for the whole weekend.

Park with graveyards

The club was some sort of design bar, hence the name 'Style Bar', with big black comfy leather sofas and it had a back terrace with heaters and a room downstairs with a small stage and also a tiny backstage room. Terrace was very handy for smokers like me. It feels weird to be watching a live band and not been able to skin up. I fear that is gonna happen in Spain pretty soon

Rugby streets

Style bar. Pint before shows

Sometime about 7ish the Exit Calm folks turned up, it was fantastic to see Rob and the lads again. I was so excited to see them live again that It seemed like an eternity since last time in the Leadmill in Sheffield last June.

Three bands were on the bill that night 'The 7.20s' and 'Dogfight revolution' as a supporter acts and then Exit Calm.

Style bar Rugby

After some chat with the chaps and sound check we went to the back terrace to have a smoke and say hello to all the people was turning up for the night. Nick and Cath from Manchester, Alex [AKA BIg Clive] and some other friends too.

It was a great atmosphere and everybody was so excited!. Everyone was commenting how good the lads are and how confident we all are that Exit Calm are gonna go to bigger things.

I can always say that I saw them when they started in small venues like with many other bands in the past.

Cant stop to thank to me mate Sean from Barnsley to let me know about them 4 or 5 years ago. A man of a fine music taste indeed.

End of part 1

All photos by Pedro Vila