Wednesday 20 July 2016

Eight Shows Eight Weeks

OK.  Where were we?  It's the end of July already and there has literally been no time to blog.  We have completed over 8 consecutive weekends of trading with a shed load of work in between.  Talk about living out of a suitcase!   

Our Monday to Friday routine has been unpacking the van, stock taking, processing orders, administration, preparations for the next show, haemorrhaging money on new stock and supplies, struggling to keep house and home afloat, before packing up the van again for the next trip, the next show. 

Sometimes we’ve been lucky with the weather (Dubs in the Middle)....and at others it’s been biblical (Deva Dubs), the stock’s had to stay in the van and our trusty pop up tent has been home for the weekend.
Rainy Selfie at Deva Dubs 'n' Rods
  
Each show has also been memorable in some way (usually to someone's detriment!)

Dubs in the Middle, Evesham - friend’s ankle sprain. 

Boddelwyddan Castle, Wales - severe sun burn to feet.

Dubs Mania, Shropshire - attracting the attention of drunken revelers and receiving random hippy hugs.

Deva Dubs, Shrewsbury - wet and windy weather, resulting in a torn window panel and a very leaky gazebo.  

Bristol Volksfest - inadvertently returning home with keys to the van and leaving Gaz stranded in Bristol 

Mid Summer Mini and VW Meet - The sheer novelty of trading literally 5 minutes from our home.

Camper Jam, Weston Park - forgotten sleeping bags and flying suitcases.  

Dubs at the Castle, Monmouthshire - the tastiest burger ever, cooked by our trading neighbours from Doncaster and an interesting challenge involving a world famous rock star.

Anyway, some shots from recent Voodoo Street trading outings before they become yesterday’s news!


Kicking back at Dubs in the Middle


Dubs in the Middle highlights included burlesque (a first for us) and a long overdue reunion with some close friends who rolled up in their stunning Bay Viking Superior.
   










Dubs Mania was not one of our best trading days - we spent more time walking round talking to people - but the sun shone brightly and a night spent in the stunning landscaped grounds of Weston Park can never be called a waste.


Show and Shine, Dubs Mania

Plus there was one of the best show and shines we’ve seen.

  

















Bristol Volksfest was a revelation.  If it’s at all possible, I felt that BVF offered a little Glastonbury magic.  Maybe it’s on the same ley lines.  Who knows?  But there was definitely magic in the air on Saturday night and the slightly pagan burning VW sign only added to the vibe.  

Silent discos, great music, a DJ working from inside an ice-cream van, Surreal Spaces (beautiful willow garden structures, lit from within and created by a former roadie for U2) and some incredible cars and buses were just some of the features that made BVF so special.

Flaming VW

Camper Jam’s entertainment was spot on (Musical Youth and The Major Toms, a David Bowie tribute act who didn’t murder Heroes), even if the trading layout somehow affected the vibe this year.

And finally, Dubs at the Castle, our first trading outing at the fascinating medieval Caldicot Castle in Monmouthshire.  We’d like to go again as campers just to be able to pick our own little camping pitch in the scenic grounds.

Caldicot
Seeing our artwork on cool cars never gets old!

Next booked shows are Bus Fest and VDubs in the Valley, but hey, we've been known to book shows at the eleventh hour, so catch you somewhere soon!