11th March 2000 - Longtown Social Club

Another hugely successful gig at a known venue. Many of the audience came back especially to see WIPEOUT because they enjoyed the show so much the last time. It's a wonderful little venue, all rough edges and character and an audience who just want to party all night!! Several new songs in the set for tonight again and again they went down a storm. Once again WIPEOUT featured our newest addition to the WIPEOUT family with Darren settling down to the sound and lights tasks. We had a lot of compliments at the new professional look to the band with the new intros and improved gear. We had even more compliments at the improved set lineup and the bands improved sound....what can we say, this is just the beginning not the end!

22nd April 2000 - Penrith British Legion Club

A great night for the band. Family commitments meant that Darren, the band's soundman could not come along but we were supported on sound by Noel Graham from Impact hire, one of Carlisles best sound service suppliers, thanks Noel. The venue is very good for WIPEOUT with a really receptive audience. Three sets is the norm here and I'm sure that if we had played a fourth the crowd would have lapped it up. There were people dancing from the beginning of the firts set and they didn't stop until we'd finished the third.

20th May 2000 - The Fox Inn, Ousby

A new venue, a new audience and a great night at the home venue of Cumbrian super soul band Soul Traders . We were made really welcome by Sue & Rick of the Fox Inn and by all the audience. It's a small venue an not many people can fit in but that didn't make it a quiet night, on the contrary, it was a stormer with a fantastic response from the audience of locals & visitors. We played a blinder, even getting people up to dance...IN A PUB!! We played well in excess of our normal set list times because we were having so much fun. If you really want to hear some great live music in a VERY friendly venue then give the Fox Inn at Ousby a call and find out when the next band are playing, you won't regret it!

29th July 2000 - The Conservative Club, Penrith

After a break of "Far Too Long!!" Wipeout hit the gig trail again with a happy return to the biggest club in Penrith. A couple of gigs with Penrith's Soul Traders has kept BeeJay busy but now he's back with his real band! We had some big competition in Penrith on the night with a local beer festival taking place in the town (so why weren't we there rather than playing? Mike) and one of the local "favourite" bands on at another venue but WIPEOUT packed them in and a great night was had by all. New lighting and equipment was in abundance with Laurie debuting his new Yamaha Bass and Hartke amp, A new Peavey Classic 30 combo for BeeJay and some great new lighting effects for the show. There were also a few new songs thrown in for good measure. And just how did this measure up? well just ask the audience, we did and they loved it, dancing from the off!

12th August 2000 - Penrith British Legion Club

Final visit to this venue for this year and a great time it was too! As usual it's a 3 set gig with a nice melodic first set to get everyone in the mood closely followed by a more upbeat centre set to get those dancing feet tapping and by the end of the night we are rocking them in the isles. An interesting night for BeeJay when the audience started removing their bras and throwing them at him (eat ya heart out Tom Jones!!) The band of course averted their eyes from the disrobing audience (yeh right!!). Unfortunately, as normal here, the end of the night came all too soon and we left the stage to rapturous applause and the memories of a GREAT night from WIPEOUT.

2nd September 2000 - TOGS 2000 Durham Convention

What a scream of a night!!! We really didn't know what to expect when we turned up for the Millennium TOGS convention at Hatfield College in the heart of Durham University but whatever it was could not have been further from the mark. We immediately found the ONLY bad thing of the evening...the room!! An increadibly Live room which meant that any sound was amplified and emphasised in the worst possible way. After setting up we were welcomed to the TOG fold with a meal and a chat.

To start the night BeeJay was compere to the fancy dress parade and an impressive sight they made, there had been an enormous amount of effort put in by all taking part. Unfortunately there could only be one winner and as BeeJay had been nominated as the judge he chose "American Pie" as his favourite for the night. On to the music and the response was amazing!! from the very first track of the evening the dance floor was full. On the sound front our problems were just beginning though, Darren, our soundman, was struggling to keep the volume reasonable out front yet on stage we could not hear our instruments they were turned down so low, Darren came across and when we quizzed him as to what was too loud he said "the drums", "well take them out of the mix I said", "they were turned off after the second track" was his reply.

After we got settled the party really did start, with tambourine playing nuns (yes I did say NUNS!!) a line up of "Air Guitarists" complimented by Mike & BeeJay. A special new song learned just for "Carrie R Bag" was young girl originally by Garry Puckett & the Union Gap which seemed to go down well along with a (very) rough version of Tiger Feet (well at least the chorus four times over). The dancing didnt stop there, in fact there was a serious concern from the staff at the hall that the floor was about to give way, it certainly was moving as people danced (not an exaggeration!!). At the end of the night we looked out as we finished our last song to be met by a sea of faces and waving arms all yelling for more..so how could we refuse?

It was really good to put faces to all the names that we hear each morning on the radio as both Mike B. Marvellous and BeeJay Fontana are avid listeners to Radio 2 in the morning and fully qualify as TOGS according to the outline of a TOG on the website. We made a lot of good friends that night and promised them that we WILL see them all again soon.

8th September 2000 - Private Party - Ireby

A great night in one of the most unusual venues we've ever played at! We were in a barn, well that's not a first, running off a generator, that's not a first either but it was in the middle of nowhere only accessable by a 4wd vehicle, yes that's a first for us. Put them alltogether and it's unique for us! A special 30th birthday party for our host and great fun but not without it's problems. We were running off a generator, the exhaust fumes were coming up throught the stage and choking the band, there was only enough power for one light (yes one) and our sound man, Darren, had to rest on the front edge of the stage all night for his mix. So was it a bad night? no it was an excellent night with the revellers, many of whome had travelled up from London for the night, dancing and enjoying themselves from the off and not wanting to stop at 2am!!

9th September 2000 - Longtown Social Club

This venue just gets better and better for us. Different everytime but with a great response from the enthusiastic audience. This time we were joined on stage by a young chap called Christian who had a great powerful voice, pleasure to have him join us on stage. As usual it's a late start and a late finish but that's not a problem as the revellers make it all worth it

7th October 2000 - Carlisle Liberal Club

Probably the best gig we have played here. A super venue with a real nice audience who are determined to enjoy themselves. A superb room which is just so easy to set up in as the acoustics are excellent. Many thanks once again to the fithe member of WIPEOUT, Darren for his control of the desk and lights.