It isn’t just the Manx musician that lives for their TT week gig fix.

Nowhere else in the UK offers two weeks worth of this unique and heady atmosphere of bikes, beer and bands, and it proves so irresitable that many UK bands consider the TT as a major part of their annual gigging calendar.

Sweet Revenge are a rock band from the East Midlands, specialising in classic rock covers who are now in their sixth year of coming to the Isle of Man during the TT fortnight.

Over the course of the two weeks they play up to 10 shows at a varity of venues.

While that in itself is not out of the ordinary compared to local bands, the level of preparation them getting here is impressive.

Founding member Sean Dyer, drummer Stefan Harris and singer Roz Greenwood, who has been with the group since 2009, said that the TT offers something special that the UK just hasn’t got.

’We play bike rallies and things like that back home, but nothing like this,’ said Sean.

’The atmosphere there is so different to what this is. This is so much better, and that’s why we keep coming back. This is the highlight of our year, and it’s what we keep building ourselves up for.’

Preparation for their TT shows starts well over a year in advance.

’We are already writing next year’s set, and we start preparing it for next year as soon as we get back,’ said Roz, who has connections to the island that stretch back to 1998, when she first came over to sing with local group Tokyo Rose, a name that should jog a few memories.

’Then we spend 12 months rehearsing at gigs all over the UK ready for the TT next year.’

’All those gigs, and we do play some belting gigs back in the UK, that’s what pays for us to come over here’ said Stefan. ’It pays for the Homestays, travel, everything. We spend the whole year building up to this.’

’Its not a cheap trip either,’ said Roz. ’We did camp for the first two years. We got very wet, very achy and cold. So we decided on Homestay, but that and the travel isn’t cheap.

’We have a lot of friends over here on the island, but we’ve used up all our favours. There are a lot of people I knew from across who have moved here.

’Each year we make more and more friends over here, mostly with the other bands.’

The band first came to the island in 2011, and play as often as they can during ther fortnight. They have so far played on the Bushy’s stage twice, and will also play in smaller venues, like the Raven, Ballaugh and the Mitre in Kirk Michael.

They spent Mad Sunday playing to a heaving, bouncing Creek, in Peel, with the sweaty, sardine-like crowd bellowing classic rock choruses well into the night.

’Its a long and tiring fortnight,’ said Roz. ’But, like when we played at the Creek, the audience were amazing. They dragged us through the set.

’It’s why we are here. It is certainly not the money, certainly not the weather. We are here purely for the craic.’

by Mike Wade

twitter:@mwislandlife