Kaisers warm up

Band plays intimate gig before Elland

20 May 08 - The Kaiser Chiefs have warmed up for their huge Elland Road gig in Leeds with the first of two intimate gigs at the Strathpeffer Spa Pavillion in Scotland on 19 May.

Keyboardist Nick ‘Peanut’ Baines revealed why they chose to play this Victorian spa resort that’s off the usual touring route - situated in a peaceful Highland village.

He said: “We’ve always had a very loyal fan base up here but now when you do arenas you kinda play either Aberdeen, Glasgow and that’s it.

"It’s a really good feeling when you do these little gigs especially when it's in far away places like this so we do it when we can."

The band’s drummer and songwriter Nick Hodgson added: "You can tell when you walk around, I’ve just been to the shops and it’s a quite place.

"I’m thinking we’re going to make a lot of noise and all these neighbours – I don’t know how they’re gonna enjoy it but they might be here."

"We’ve always had a very loyal fan base up here"
Keyboardist Nick Baines

The venue, which has recently been renovated, used to be a tea dance pavilion dating back to the Victorian era.

According to the venue’s manager, Andrea Muir, playing host to the band is significant of restoring the venue back to its old ways. It once hosted Freddy and the Dreamers and The Bay City Rollers back in the 1960s.

She said: “This is us just coming back into the next hayday of the pavilion. It’s becoming a real hot spot for this type of thing and I hope it continues to do so.”

Fans were delighted by the first night on 19 May. One gig-goer told the BBC: “(It was) absolutely out of this world. They should go back and tell all of their band mates to come here.”

Kaiser Chiefs are also set to play at the Oban Corran Halls in Argyll on 21 May - before the 30,000 full Elland Road stadium on 24 May.

Georgie Rogers