"I could tell you who they are, but then I’d have to kill you."
So, maybe Neil Stevenson didn’t use those exact words, but the meaning was clear – this was TOP SECRET stuff! A famous band wanted to play in Orkney; they were seeking a special, intimate venue, and someone along the line had suggested St Magnus Cathedral. So when Neil came in to ask about the booking procedure, we were naturally very intrigued to know who was going to rock our 874 year old walls.
For those in the know it was very exciting and hard keeping it a secret….but we watched with growing excitement as our secret band topped album charts in several countries and then won a Brit Award…and finally BBC Radio Orkney revealed that Mumford and Sons were to visit the county.
We at the cathedral were excited but full of questions….would they need the seats taken out? How many tickets were to be sold…who was putting up the stage? What about security? Would there be cake involved (OK, maybe that last question was just me)? In the fullness of time all these questions were to be answered, and after a huge team effort, several lists and many cups of tea, the cathedral hosted one of the best nights many of us had ever seen...
The preparation for the gig itself began in earnest the day before, with the removal of all the furniture from the nave. The band were to play on a stage set up at the crossing, so all the chairs, tables, cabinets and trolleys were to be stored in the chapel area at the back. It has been quite a few years since the nave was empty, so although this involves a lot of chair shifting and aching limbs, it is quite exciting! I even borrowed a film camera from local sound and film technician Sean Lewis, set to record at intervals, intending to create a time-lapse video of this process.
On Thursday 10 March I sprang out of bed ready to face the world and shift 10 million chairs (well, 400 or so); I clicked the light switch…and nothing happened. I opened my shutters to reveal whiteout conditions, a howling gale and an inch or two of snow already lying. A powercut and a heavy snowfall….not what I had been anticipating! Undaunted, I loaded up the car with tripod, camera and spade and headed out into the blizzard. After I had got stuck in three big drifts I gave up and trudged home, disconsolately, leaving my car abandoned by the side of the road. By the time the snowplough had been through and my neighbour had dragged the car out of the ditch, the day was nearly over and Ross and Colin at the cathedral, aided by Gavin from Scapa Flow visitor centre, had cleared all the chairs.
The next was Friday, the day of the gig itself, and I got to work with no problems. The nave looked beautiful without the chairs, and the sun shining through the south facing stained-glass windows made some lovely light splashes on the pillars and floor. The stage had been put in the evening before, and about midday the Mumford’s tech crew started bringing in the lights and amps and speakers. Sitting in the vestry whilst all the activity went on, I heard a guitar being played, and when I headed out into the nave aisle I saw a wavy-haired young man in a hat (definitely something of the young Donovan about him) and an interesting jacket, sitting and strumming. This was Adam Stockdale, the guitar technician and also the support act; and he was doing a very creditable impression of a troubadour of old.
Whilst the queue outside started forming at 4 o’clock, the cathedral crossing was transformed into a proper gig stage, and at 5 o’clock on the dot, the big wooden doors were closed to the public, leaving inside the technicians, Adam, Neil Stevenson, the Mumfords’ road manager, and various other folk. Walking down from the chapel, Ross and I were suddenly confronted by an array of young handsome faces…..the band were here! We shook hands with Marcus, Ted, Ben and Winston and welcomed them to the cathedral; we even managed a 10 minute tour of the building (they now know all about John Rae…) before they started their rehearsal. Ted was wearing a lovely red checked woollen scarf, which he proudly told me he had bought at Skara Brae earlier in the day. Winston was sporting a nice light brown Harris Tweed jacket; he said it’s the only coat he ever needs. Thus Mumford and Sons secured their reputation as being Very Nice Young Men.
Mics in place, sound technicians at the ready, the band started their rehearsal and sound check…and those of us in the cathedral were treated to half a dozen fantastic songs, and the opportunity to take some photos of the band in action. The sound was amazing and I’m sure the cathedral will have heard nothing like it before. I sat and chatted for a while to Marcus’ girlfriend Carey, who told me that she had just flown in from New York! It wasn’t until after the gig that I realised she was Carey Mulligan, BAFTA-winning actress….but I’m pleased to tell you that I did offer her a cup of tea (thus proving that Courtesy To All is our motto)…….!
…. continued in Part 2
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