August Bank Holiday Sunday 30 August 2020 – what a terrific day organised by Salisbury Live.

Originally planned as a full electric event – a revised “unplugged Garden Party” was put in place after receiving updated advice from Wiltshire Council.

With a strict social distancing, no dancing, no sing along policy it could have been a bit flat and lifeless but instead it was a celebration of local bands, original and covers, with all the tables being sold out with over a week to go. The weather was kind all day, although it did get a bit nippy when the sun went down.

The crowd stayed for the entire day and were entertained by

Ribble (guitar and fiddle – a “none more English” sound);

Tim Madden (singer songwriter + guitar – a little nervous without his full band but carried it off wonderfully);

Robb Blake (also singer songwriter + guitar – but made enough noise that he sounded like he had a band with him);

Lump light (like Lump but lighter – always entertaining. Salisbury songs for Salisbury people);

then the covers kicked off with Trinity who brought the tempo up to set the scene.

And then it was our turn. No on-stage speakers, an electric drum kit and in ear monitors – quite different but we think we got away with it. The crowd got us to play three encores which is always a good sign!

A huge thanks to Salisbury Live for organising a magnificent event, to Salisbury Rugby Club for hosting, to the great audience, and all the bands who played on the day.

A quick mention to BSM Stage Tec. They had something we’ve not seen before – wireless speakers around the venue. Genius idea – doesn’t have to be loud because there’s always a speaker nearby. an innovative way of getting sound to everyone without contravening the new noise rules. Extremely clever idea and the stage look brilliant too!

Thanks to all that came – we really hope it’s not another five months until we see you again.

That’s our last gig for 2019 done.

A huge great big juicy thank you to everyone who came to see us in 2019 and who liked our page and who shared our pictures and generally supported us throughout the year especially with the major change around the mid way point.

Without you it wouldn’t be half as much fun so thank you, thank you, thank you!

Have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year and we’ll see you in the Twenties!

A little photo album of some memorable gigs, various line-ups, and general larking about you do as a band over 7 years.

Craig has been a founding member of the band back in 2012, and has been the drummer/vocalist all the way through to now. He took the decision some time ago to leave the band, and this time was always going to come. Through thick and thin, 7 years and 222 (yes, I counted them!) gigs, we all wish him well in whatever he wants to do next. Take care Craig!

The weather people tells us this weekend is gonna be a scorcher. Even without their wisdom we know it’s gonna be good!

Tonight (Friday) Salisbury Market Square is the place to be for the Salisbury Live Summer Finale.

Then we say goodbye to Craig with a double header. First up a stormning gig at Fun In The Field in Berwick St John. Check out that lineup!

This is gonna be insanne – find a way to get there!

Then to round off the weekend (before collapisng with a gig hangover on Monday) we have the very last gig with Craig at the Shrewton Cricket Club Beerex at the Shrewton Recreation Centre which is also going to be amazing fun.

Wish our Craig the best and see you all hot and sweaty!!

Breaking News:

Back on the 14th July we announced the sad news that Craig had decided to leave the band. At the time we said:
“Our intention is to hand all lead vocal duties to Amber with the rest of the band providing backing vocals, once the new drummer is in place. There is no fixed timescale for this so we will let you know as it breaks.”

The breaking news is that Craig will be leaving the band at the end of August. We have three more gigs until then so please make every effort to come and see us with Craig doing his thing. Those last dates with Craig gigs are:

• Salisbury Market Square Friday 16 August
• Fun in the Field. Berwick St James Saturday 24 August
• Shrewton Cricket Club Beer Festival Sunday 25 August

Come and show Craig your support and help us to wish him all the best for the future.

Back in July we also said: “we are not actively looking for new gigs until the new drummer is in place and we are all comfortable that the Break Cover magic is in place… we are confident that you’ll enjoy what this turns in to.”

This is also updated as we have a new drummer, we are over the moon with how everything is sounding and are now extremely confident that you’ll love what this turns in to – that Break Cover magic is alive and well. So, the great news here is that we can start taking bookings now for dates from October onwards.

Please follow the events page below to track where we are playing. There are a few surprises to come too. Stay tuned and we look forward to seeing you at an event soon.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/BreakCover/events/

What a night at Qudos – Music Bar & Grill! Audience dancing right from the off. Love a last minute gig, but one with such a jumping atmosphere… Brilliant!

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A return to Elizabeth Gardens Salisbury for the City Council’s Music In The Park series of events. A beutiful location, a very appreciative audience and a simnply wonderful atmosphere.

Our favourite comment of the day was that it needs to go on for longer. A better compliment we could not ask for.

Once again the weather was extremely kind for us and the people of Salisbury came out to enjoy a picnic, or a very nice hotdog or just drinks and a relax in the sun to free music provided by Break Cover and the very talented Daisy who got a huge reception.

Many thanks to all those who provided photos of the day

There are three more dates for this event this summer – get along – it’s a terrific atmosphere…

21st July – Sticky Toffee Jazz
Jazz and Swing vocalist with a big vintage vibe
Support Act – Becca and Tebby

4th August – Shannon Laura
A solo vocalist who performs Pop and RnB covers
Support Act – Hope Amber and Jess Corbett

18th August – TuneBox
A brother and sister music duo who performs acoustic covers of hit songs from across the decades
Support Act: Lucy Trigwell

Saturday was a terrific day at Ebblefest! Lovely weather for it and what a crowd! We made sure we sampled all of the food stalls and the bar at the end of the Marquee. The Fete beforehand was well attended and then when the evening descended, well, the pictures show what happened!

Definitely a great way to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon / evening! Thank you for having us Village Fete & Ebblefest – Odstock, Nunton, Bodenham.

Also a tip of the hat to Just Because, Badger Blues Band, Common Confusion and The Lyte Brigade playing throughout the event…

As most guitarists will know, sometimes a guitar will catch the eye, you buy it, you gig it, it’s just another guitar. However, every so-often there is that guitar that ends up with a story behind. A story that many will never know. And so, as a serving member of the RAF with two very large military based events coming up over the next week, I would like to share the story of the blue Stratocaster.

Back in 2011, there was a trawl for volunteers on the RAF main internal website. The RAF theatrical association were looking for a Guitarist, a bassist, a drummer and brass players to become the pit band for a musical. At this point in my life, I’d left any hope of joining a band back when I joined the RAF in 2000, but I was asked to audition and then offered the job!

At the time, my kit was definitely rated as “bedroom player” but one of the things I wanted to do was to get myself a guitar that matched the performance. It would of course be on show, but just stage left of where the cast were performing!

I bought myself a Squier Bullet Stratocaster on special offer at Argos in Salisbury for £80. Then armed with a swatch of material the acting cast would be wearing, I hopped over Southampton Road to Halfords and picked up what I thought was the perfect colour match… Peugeot Kingfisher Blue.

The guitar was dismantled and sanded down (with any “lines” blended out). It got a couple of coats of grey primer, Metallic blue, laquer, the special touch of an RAF roundel and Voila! The guitar was set.

After many months practicing at home, and rehearsals with the band and cast, the week long run of the Return to the Forbidden Planet was over……BUT, I’d caught the bug again for playing in a band!

In the winter of that year I answered an advert from a band looking for a guitarist. That led on to become Break Cover…. From dusting off playing guitar; to my first proper band: this guitar has seen it all.

Being in the military, deployments are part and parcel of the job. So, when I found out I was going on a 4-month tour of the Falklands, there was no question of what guitar would come with me! The Blue Stratocaster was the cheapest guitar I owned. If it was to get broken in transit, it wouldn’t have been a major loss. During those 4 months, the guitar was played at Jam nights, when bored in my room, when letting off some steam in the music club or as part of 3 different bands playing at over 15 gigs, including two high profile events with the Island’s Governor in attendance. In the years following, this guitar has travelled with me on numerous operational deployments and exercises. It has racked up a distance of more than twice around the world in air miles and even had some time in a Chinook…

After being played in numerous practices, jams, and gigs on 4 different continents, it has definitely outlived it’s “Argos Starter Guitar” label, and is by far one of the most comfortable guitars to play. Although this might have something to do with the hours and hours and hours it has been played for! This guitar has definitely “lived” with me through the last 8 years in the RAF. And despite still being the cheapest guitar I own; its sentimental value is priceless. So, it seems only fitting that the blue Strat is the guitar of choice at the RAF Benevolent Fund event on Monday and the Armed Forces Day gig on Friday.

Ah Qudos – Music Bar & Grill… We do love playing here! It’s great to play during the Salisbury Live weekend and to an appreciative audience! Next stop for us is the Radnor Arms next Friday. Hope to see you there!