Natives' man on the ground, Simon Clark, Show Love Tour manager, brings us our first report for 2010, and tells us, as only Simon can, about the party at Pub Le Ski Lodge in La Tania on Wednesday 06 January...

Round four of the Show Love Tour took us back to the Three Valleys and to Pub Le Ski Lodge in La Tania.
 
I arrived at 7.30pm, a time in most ski bars where you might find one or two hardcore apres ski revellers still going from the slopes, but is usually a time to clear up and prepare for the evening's activities while everyone's away having dinner. Not in the Ski Lodge. I questioned Tristian, the manager about this and he told me the Lodge has no quiet time and is packed all day and all night! 

A good reason why, after all these years of owning the Lodge, Tim Wall the proprietor still has a huge grin on his face. Tim, it has to be said, with mullet flowing, still has the youthfulness of a man half his age and it's amazing to think that in a few years time he'll hit his 50s!
 
The last time I partied in the Ski Lodge I was working for Tim - organising a pillow fighting night where you had to straddle a padded bar over an inflatable bouncy castle and try to knock your opponent off. Tim always thought he was invincible and could take on anyone, but in reality was taking a whipping from 90 per cent of the guys he fought against.

What's worse would be the state of his bottom the day after, often resulting in him flashing his poor bruised bot for all to see, expecting sympathy but getting nothing but laughter!
 
We reminisced a little then got on with putting together the final details of the night's party.
 
The band for the gig was 'Livewire', a Dave Jordan Management act who was absolutely electrifying. Dave always manages to put together totally kick @#s groups and Livewire was no exception. They warmed the crowd with some rousing tunes on their first set, but after the break had the Ski Lodge regulars bouncing from walls to ceiling and back again in a mad night of sweat and cheers!
 
During the band's interval break I stepped up to the mic to give away the usual mass of quality prizes you'd expect from a Natives.co.uk party.
 
Kit Dunford (cool name - reminded me of Knight Rider) from SnowLine VIP won himself a grey, cool as you like, Greeneye hoody, while Aoife Glass on holiday from London took a Greeneye and a Natives T-shirt.
 
Rich Belfitt from Ski Magic won himself a Natives goody bag that included a Warren Smith DVD, tickets for two to the Altitude Comedy Festival in Meribel, an Aether Mobile sim card for cheap global mobile phone calls, a Natives Show Love Tour T and a yearly subscription to Falline Ski Magazine.
 
Robin Pierce from La Saucisse won the cool wheelie Profeet bag, while Chris Ball from La Taiga Restaurant and Bar won the fantastic Blackfly sunnies.
 
Barbara Balls, on holiday from Dundee and no relation I believe to the above Chris, as she has an 's' on her Ball, took home a goody bag from the Ski Club of GB. 
 
Simon, a Rep for Neilsons and who works in Les Menuires, came over to the Ski Lodge for the evening's fun and games and partied like there was no night life whatsoever in Les Menuires. I think we might hold a competition to see if you can spot him in the photos of the night? Not difficult eh?!
 
I left the Ski lodge with a huge smile on my face. The night had taken me back to the good times we used to have in the Ski Lodge and I left with a desire to go back for more. 
 
Tim has offered me some work on my days off organising some daft parties. The first gig will be a jelly wrestling night. Bring it on!

Thanks to our sponsors
Eristoff Black vodka, goody bags from Ski Club of Great Britain, tickets to the Altitude Festival 2010, DVDs Warren Smith Ski Accademy, hoodys, t-shirts and jackets* from Greeneye gear, subscriptions to Fall Line and Document magazine, wheelie bags from feet specialists Profeet, sim cards from Aether Mobile, and eyewear from Black Flys. Local sponsors Freeride.fr and Prescision skis* and t-shirts

Don't miss the Show Love Tour coming to a resort near you this winter - next up;
Le Petit Danois on Wed 13 Jan
For the full list of dates and locations throughout the season click here

* selected resorts only