Simon’s photostream can be found on Flickr
How many bands give you a truly intimate, bespoke fan experience? Not many I’d wager! are a few people who boarded the Hope and Social Fun Bus Saturday 4th September and had the time of their lives. So inspired were they that they wrote poetry (and no they weren’t groupies…)
Harry Jewers (age 12)
This was one of the best days of my life!!! To start with we went to an awesome café called La Bottega Milanese and then we saw the bus. The bus was fandabidosie, a real old corker from c.70s.
The journey to the Lion Inn (explained later) was a perilous one. Hills and small roads are not good for a puffing bus filled with singing fans and (so as guessed!) the bus broke down. Everybody got out and walked over a hill until, triumphantly, the bus came over the hill and so we all got back on again with much cheering and dancing on the top floor.
By the time we got to the Lion Inn I was so hungry I ate 12 ¼ sandwiches and a big pile of chips (CHIPS!!!!) and after the men had drunk their fair share of alcohol we were back on the road away from this beautiful pub in the middle of nowhere and on to the beach!!!!!!!
When we got to the beach we were jumping with glee (and the temperature) and the deckchairs (*****) were welcome after the bus seats (*). When hope and social actually started playing half of us were too engrossed in the volleyball match of the year between: THEM V.S US. Until we finally gave up to watch hope & social’s immense performance. Truly they are a superb band and I would recommend them to anybody who has ears or eyes (buy both for the best result).
On the way home we found the open the open-top bus had three major flaws: top floor, bottom floor and no central heating!!! When the freezefest ended we got off the bus and the day ended.
Colin Cruickshank
age 79
We met in Leeds at a coffee bar beside the river Ayre,
The band and many merry souls were all assembled there.
An ancient bus without a roof arrived to take us where
We would enjoy some sandy games and lots of good fresh air.
With shouts of joy and brollies raised, we bid the town goodbye,
The sun shone down upon our throng from out a bright blue sky
Up hills so steep we greatly feared our ancient bus would die,
But only once it had to stop while we walked on up high.
We stopped for lunch on Blakey Ridge within the Lion Inn,
And there the band began to play – it was a merry din.
To much applause our happy lads made many faces grin
And gratifying was the fact, so many friends to win.
We climbed aboard the bus again and soon were seaward bound.
Although the road was very poor it proved our bus was sound,
We reached the bay called Runswick where we landed on the ground,
Then down the hill and on the beach the yacht club house we found.
The fancy deckchairs were aligned, the reason I suppose –
They matched the fine blue jackets which the band wear as their clothes.
With lettered hankies on our heads we were lined up in rows,
Though what the letters really said I’m sure no body knows!
The day progressed with fun and games and lots of songs and food,
And kites were flown and a deckchair won to music – which was good.
And Malcolm’s boat was set afloat despite the breeze so rude,
But only in a puddle since the waves were pretty crude.
The fire balloons to end the day as day turned into night,
And then the slog back up the hill, although our hearts were light.
The night air made the upper deck a place the cold to fight,
But down within the lower deck the temperature was right.
And so, although it’s often said that all good things must end,
This is a case where we can greet the whole group as a friend.
For me at least to all the folks my greetings now I send,
Although I’m also quite convinced THEY’RE ALL RIGHT ROUND THE BEND!!
Niki Hart
age “how dare you!”
Early start. Hot tea on an open top bus. Brollies out leaving Leeds. What a spectacle. New friends as we reached the A64. Wee stop in a traffic jam. Poorly smoking bus. Laughter, and plenty of it. Treacle sponge and custard. Cameras on skateboards. Goosebumps courtesy of four day hombre. Hankies on heads. Curious looks from passers by. “That sounds so much better than what we’re doing!” The beach was in site. Over-competitive musical deckchairs. A BBQ beyond compare. Hope & Social living up to their name. My hair grips holding music to the stand – am I technically now part of the band? Sticky spare ribs. The joy of a kazoo (or 60). Two beautiful deckchairs to give as gifts. Strolling along the beach. Marching on through to the bus. Looking back down the hill. Hankies stretching far into the distance. Hope & Social ringing out loud. Wrapped up under blankets & beach towels. Sharing the ultimate cabriolet experience with old friends. Watching the stars. Singing to Leeds as we rejoined the city – a full top deck, freezing cold, singing Van Morrison. Not wanting it to ever end. Hope & Social. Perfect.
One of the funniest things about the whole trip was that whenever we went past a tree or two somebody shouted TREE!!! And we all ducked. It got to the point where people started shouting SHEEP!!! whenever we went past one.
When we got to the beach we were jumping with glee (and the temperature) and the deckchairs (*****) were welcome after the bus seats (*). When hope and social actually started playing half of us were too engrossed in the volleyball match of the year between: THEM V.S US. Until we finally gave up to watch hope & social’s immense performance. Truly they are a superb band and I would recommend them to anybody who has ears or eyes (buy both for the best result).
On the way home we found the open the open-top bus had three major flaws: top floor, bottom floor and no central heating!!! When the freezefest ended we got off the bus and the day ended.
Colin Cruickshank (aged 79)
We met in Leeds at a coffee bar beside the river Ayre,
The band and many merry souls were all assembled there.
An ancient bus without a roof arrived to take us where
We would enjoy some sandy games and lots of good fresh air.
With shouts of joy and brollies raised, we bid the town goodbye,
The sun shone down upon our throng from out a bright blue sky
Up hills so steep we greatly feared our ancient bus would die,
But only once it had to stop while we walked on up high.
We stopped for lunch on Blakey Ridge within the Lion Inn,
And there the band began to play – it was a merry din.
To much applause our happy lads made many faces grin
And gratifying was the fact, so many friends to win.
We climbed aboard the bus again and soon were seaward bound.
Although the road was very poor it proved our bus was sound,
We reached the bay called Runswick where we landed on the ground,
Then down the hill and on the beach the yacht club house we found.
The fancy deckchairs were aligned, the reason I suppose –
They matched the fine blue jackets which the band wear as their clothes.
With lettered hankies on our heads we were lined up in rows,
Though what the letters really said I’m sure no body knows!
The day progressed with fun and games and lots of songs and food,
And kites were flown and a deckchair won to music – which was good.
And Malcolm’s boat was set afloat despite the breeze so rude,
But only in a puddle since the waves were pretty crude.
The fire balloons to end the day as day turned into night,
And then the slog back up the hill, although our hearts were light.
The night air made the upper deck a place the cold to fight,
But down within the lower deck the temperature was right.
And so, although it’s often said that all good things must end,
This is a case where we can greet the whole group as a friend.
For me at least to all the folks my greetings now I send,
Although I’m also quite convinced THEY’RE ALL RIGHT ROUND THE BEND!!
Niki Hart (age “how dare you!”)
Early start. Hot tea on an open top bus. Brollies out leaving Leeds. What a spectacle. New friends as we reached the A64. Wee stop in a traffic jam. Poorly smoking bus. Laughter, and plenty of it. Treacle sponge and custard. Cameras on skateboards. Goosebumps courtesy of four day hombre. Hankies on heads. Curious looks from passers by. “That sounds so much better than what we’re doing!” The beach was in site. Over-competitive musical deckchairs. A BBQ beyond compare. Hope & Social living up to their name. My hair grips holding music to the stand – am I technically now part of the band? Sticky spare ribs. The joy of a kazoo (or 60). Two beautiful deckchairs to give as gifts. Strolling along the beach. Marching on through to the bus. Looking back down the hill. Hankies stretching far into the distance. Hope & Social ringing out loud. Wrapped up under blankets & beach towels. Sharing the ultimate cabriolet experience with old friends. Watching the stars. Singing to Leeds as we rejoined the city – a full top deck, freezing cold, singing Van Morrison. Not wanting it to ever end. Hope & Social. Perfect.
Hope&Social ‘Marching On Through’ From Leeds to Runswick Bay from SIRA Studio on Vimeo.
I love this, what a great idea executed well. Jealous i wasn’t there. Great band with even better ideas.
Good work lads
So many highlights of this day but I still chuckle at Si (lead singer) taking a piece from an overly aggressive tree while standing on the top deck. I’m a terrible person…
Like the (fantastic) driver said at the outset, “For those on’t top deck, if yer see a tree… Duck.”
Wise words indeed. Wise words…
Never to be forgotten day, Innovative, classy and full of charm. If you could get record sales from just niceness and understanding that it’s the fans that make it then Hope and Social would be bigger than U2. But I hope they don’t ever get that way cos the bus would have to be bloody massive and I’d never get ticket.
While the big companies and bands and organisations struggle to get innovation into their culture this group do it differently and successfully time and time again.
But an even more massive up to Ben and Ru and the rest of the crew who helped the boys deliver a brilliant, brilliant day.
Walking along the beach singing along with them to their mini anthem ‘Sing Marching on Through’ with Si and Rich and a brass section, as the sun was setting and being one glass of wine short of being very silly was Unimaginably Perfect. You just can’t buy that stuff. Just honoured to be there and share it with so many really great people. We are already planning the ‘bus reunion’.