A ROADIE who travels the globe with a multi-million selling metal band got the chance to play in front of thousands of screaming fans after Bullet for My Valentine’s bassist had to fly home for a family emergency.

Calvin Roffey, of Shefford, has been a guitar tech for the Welsh band for around two years and had to fill in after bassist Jason James’ son was taken ill.

The 26-year-old said: “The bass player had to go home. He had just recently had a baby boy and his son became very ill.

“Obviously that’s really concerning for any parent let alone one who’s four thousand miles away from his family.

“The band didn’t want to let their fans down and they asked me how I would like to learn their songs and play them.”

Bullet for My Valentine were mid-way through a North American tour playing shows across the USA and Canada.

Mr Roffey had to fill in between October 8-17 and played in seven venues including shows in Buffalo, Cleveland and Toronto.

He said: “Well, it was interesting, I wear glasses and when I’m on stage I can’t wear them so it didn’t appear that there was that many people.

“The thing I noticed was how big the stage was, I play in two other bands, The Smoking Hearts and March of the Raptors, so I’m used to smaller stages.

“I didn’t really notice there was a big crowd, it was just the amount of stage I had to fill.”

However, despite playing in front of thousands of people Mr Roffey then had to get back to his day job and found it was an almost “Clark Kent” moment when he was out of his stage gear.

He said: “It was really weird I would play the show and these people would notice me and obviously the fans would recognise that I wasn’t Jason.

“But I would come off stage and take my gear off and no one would recognise me, I was like Clark Kent.

“I really enjoyed the shows but I was glad when he came back.”