Today was the first big day of the Tour, as we were to play our first gig at Chateau de Gudanes. But first we had to pack the camion with the pans, while the two 9-seaters took the drum set and the PA system. The drive to the Chateau was fairly straight-forward, down the motorway through Toulouse, then heading south towards Foix. Everyone seemed to get the hang of driving on the right, but with 4 vehicles in convoy, it took a while to learn not to all go through the same tollgate at the end of the motorway (since this tended to lose the vehicles at the end of the convoy).

After driving through some spectacular mountain scenery, the arrival at the Chateau was a grand sight.

Once we had greeted Karina and Jasmine, the owner and her daughter, we settled down on the lawn for a family picnic.

We then set up on the grass under a spreading linden tree for a short rehearsal and a bit of filming. Unfortunately, we were not sounding the best, and it took a while for the photographers to get their bearings, but it gave us all a chance to clear out the cobwebs before the afternoon performances.

For one member of the band, Joe James, this practice session was especially important because it was the first time he had played publicly with the band. Ten days ago, Joe had hardly heard of Pans on Fire; now he was playing with the band in front of a French Chateau. Life can sometimes throw up some surprises!

After playing a few songs, we packed up and took all the pans up to the Chateau for the chance to play inside.

As the pans were being set up in the Chateau, there was just enough time for Massa to receive some Superman lessons, and for a few more pan-stand uprights to be shortened, with the assistance of Thierry, who had come down to see the Chateau along with most of the other workers from La Maison.

There was just enough room to set up all the pans in the Foyer at the foot of the grand staircase.

And then we started playing; and boy what a sound!! The acoustics in the foyer were amazing, and when we played Bohemian Rhapsody, the sound just seemed to fill the building. It then spilled down the front steps and attracted interested listeners. It was enough to make the hair stand up on the back of your neck.

We then had the honour of receiving a personal inspection of the Chateau, with Karina explaining some very interesting aspects of the renovation so far. Everyone was left in awe of the Chateau and in awe of Karina’s vision and determination to bring it back to life.

At the end of the concert, we invited the townsfolk to come closer to inspect the pans, and we showed them how the sound was made. The band then posed on the steps with Karina for a group photo to commemorate the day; a first for both the band and the Chateau, for this was the first concert played by anyone at the Chateau in modern times. I'm sure it won't be the last.

We then moved all the instruments out onto the grassed area in front of the Chateau steps, to perform a short concert for the townsfolk who had assembled for the afternoon (the numbers were down a bit because of competition with a large equestrian show in a neighbouring town). But those who attended were fascinated by the pans and the sounds they made. When we performed Can Can, the audience sitting on the steps behind us clapped along and showed us exactly the right tempo we needed for the end of the song. The best we have ever played Can Can!

After packing the vehicles and then some coffee and cake at Karina’s apartment in the old stables, we set off for a late drive home. As we were to discover later, some of the drivers had yet to adjust to driving in France, with a couple of speeding fines arriving in the mail for our trip along the 90kph stretch of the inner peripherique around Toulouse!