Natalie McCool – CRAZY TOUR STORIES

In this Crazy Tour Stories segment, the pop artist, Natalie McCool, talks about some of her crazy moments from touring. You can check out the feature, after the break.

Oh LEICESTER. You cheeky thing!

Let me set the scene. It’s the 12th date of my headline UK album tour and so far we’ve had a blast. We’re now in a rather sunny Leicester city centre ready to soundcheck for the show tonight at The Cookie. Such a beautiful day and the city centre is buzzing. We load in happily and soundcheck, and afterward throw our stuff in the dressing room – then I go out to move the van.

WHOA, there. In the few hours that have passed since I parked up outside, the streets have absolutely bulged to capacity. They’re now RAMMED – with people wearing strange coloured scarves and very excited expressions indeed. What’s going on? Have I crashed a Harry Potter set? But wait…they’re not schoolkids. Most of them are grow men. Holding pints. Eh?

Ohhhhh shhhhh*t. The realization finally dawns on me. Today is the effing CHAMPIONS LEAGUE. The bloody football. And who is playing?It’s only Leicester. Against Porto, one of the top Euro teams. Yeah, big game. Now – for anyone who doesn’t drive, you’d be drinking in the good vibes. Positively buzzing along with all those excited (tipsy) people. But I’m a very short girl driving a huge van, parked on a pedestrianized street bang in the city centre, on the busiest, most important day in Leicester’s calendar year of 2016, surrounded by hordes of burly men who’ve already had a few. Moving this van…is going to be a thankless task, to say the least.

I grimace and jump up into the driver’s seat. Surely in this day and age, the sight of a short girl driving a huge van must be commonplace to most people? Surely?! Nope. A group of guys nearby have already noticed and shouted ‘WAHEYYYY’, ‘GO ON LOVE’ at me. Thanks for your support dudes. The venue is luckily very close to a main road so I hope I can escape the scene quickly and without much notice. I just have to turn this huge van around in this tiny space crammed with bodies. I begin. It’s so hot I have to wind both windows down, surrendering me completely exposed to any…further support. I’m not disappointed either. Cue more shouts and someone even slapping the side of the van to “giddy me on” – I’M NOT A HORSE guys, Jesus. Luckily people don’t want to get run over so they do move out the way. I have to do a 25 point turn but eventually, I’m there, speeding towards the bollards at about 2 MPH, supplied with the code to shut them down and escape!!! YES!!!

Wait, the code isn’t working. I punch it in again and still, the red light is flashing. WHAT’S GOING ON?? It’s so busy there are stewards everywhere, and I notice one starts walking towards me:

“You can’t get out this way love. It’s a one-way street. The bollards won’t come down this side”.

NO. NO NO NO NO. I manage to reply:

“Ok….how do I escape *cough* get out then?”

“You’ll have to turn around.”.

Well, the luck is really shining down on me today! So I have to do another 25 point turn, big deal. I can do this! I begin again, but this time it’s a lot more difficult. I’m right in the middle of an array of trees in the square, and there are two pubs surrounding me with hordes of people inside and out. I begin to sweat. The steward is directing me as I turn and even the promoter of the venue has run out to help too. A crowd of people is slowly beginning to form, all of them watching me complete this fricking endless task. Holding their pints, having a great time while I’m sweating BUCKETS with a face like the Japanese flag. JESUS. In the longest 10 minutes of my life, I manage to turn the van around! The crowd surprise me and ACTUALLY CHEER. I feel Olympian! Now for a speedy farewell! Not quite so. The streets are even busier now so I have to crawl away for fear of knocking someone over. The crowd is still watching me but with the cheering now finished it’s SO AWKWARD. Crawl crawl crawl and I’m finally away, and with a right turn, I’m now on an actual road, thanking my lucky stars. So I have Leicester to thank for a very pleasant afternoon indeed. I’m going to depart now with a piece of very good advice. Never, ever, ever, volunteer to drive the van on tour. EVER.

Keep up with the artist on Facebook!