Boiler Shop, Newcastle gig – 9 February 2024
With the November gig postponed and there being blank game months in December and January, it seems an age since the lads last performed. So did they make the most of it? Over to you…
Half Man Half Biscuit at Newcastle, featuring @NiallQuinnLK73#hmhb pic.twitter.com/saiVhgkRen
— Steve Amphlett (@samphlett1) February 9, 2024
✉ Letters Sent (43)
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(3 years ago by Exxo)
hendrix-tattoo
“Fuckin’ Ell it’s Specky Four Eyes”
9 February 2024
Ron
Having seen the Damned’s farewell tour last year there’s no doubt whose rendition of Smash It Up was the best, and it wasn’t Vanian and the Captain’s. Same again at Coventry please!
9 February 2024
Caroline
Sound a bit dodgy but it improved. Great setlist and great energy. Helps to return some faith in humanity. We were surprised by the start time based on the earlier queueage but all good.
9 February 2024
Paul Ridley
A brilliant gig..songs I either haven’t heard live..or haven’t heard for ages.. brilliant
9 February 2024
Exxo
What a wonderful gig, especially once our call was answered for more vocals at the front, in a room of Wirral-like proportions (with the stage on Hoylake prom). Never just accept what you’re given.
If anyone has footage of the Angelic Upstarts fragment please post ASAP to settle a score or two. Certainly planned. But did Carl join in?
Wonderful crowd. Thanks to one or two well-meaning souls who thought they might have been saving me from myself at one point but it was all always under control xx
9 February 2024
colin h
Awful gig, sorry. Sound was abysmal, even in between songs couldn’t understand a word. OK for diehards who knew the words, useless for the rest of us.
9 February 2024
J-dog
A good gig although I thought the lads looked a bit tired tbh. Great to meet new people particularly the lads from Hartlepool at the Bridge then the Telegraph, Adrian et Al.
It was me that shouted out to Nigel that we couldn’t hear the vocals but it eventually got sorted it. Good to be next to Mr HiVis for Everything’s AOR. Great tunes. Great band.
9 February 2024
Rob Harper
Setlist please
10 February 2024
Jim in england again
My own rough notes from another wonderful gig. Amendments and additions welcome
She’s in Broadstairs
Fuckin’ ‘ell! It’s FredTitmus
Bob Wilson, anchorman
I’m getting Buried in the morning
Renfield’s afoot
Awkward Sean
When the Evening sun goes down
Defibrillator gag
Terminus
God gave us life
1966 and all that
When I look at my baby
Dairylea joke
For what is Chatteris? (Irish bloke)
National Shite Day
Lark descending
All I want for Christmas is a Dukla Prague away kit
Harsh times in Umberstone Covert
Vatican broadside
We built this village on a Trad arr tune
Persian rug sale at the URC
Midnight mass murder
Trumpton riots
Look dad, no tunes
Every time a Bell rings
Joy Division oven gloves
The light at the end of the Tunnel
Encore
Smash it up (cover)
Oblong of dreams
Everything’s AOR
10 February 2024
Sloppy
Great to hear Rockford Files, although it does make me wonder why it’s not been done before!! Cracking gig (as always) and lovely to finally meet a few Twitter folks.
And if anyone knows where Nigel got that t-shirt…..
10 February 2024
Mark
Nice touch bringing the HAHB singer on. Not easy to sing like Nigel but I thought he absolutely nailed it. Nice one
10 February 2024
Cream CHEESE AND chives
The sound was a bit shit but does anyone really care? What a pleasure it is to see them! Every show is a treat and the experience goes far beyond the two hours of music.
Arrived in pouring rain and realised I had booked the P.I. some way from the venue so got wet through making my way to the excellent Crown Pasada. Met Steve and Brian there and enjoyed discussing the finer points of non league financial mismanagement and the likelihood of David Soul ever having envisaged singing Hit the North with Frank Sidebottom and Paul Ryder while surfing the wave of Starsky and Hutch fame.
Starving, we entered an iffy chicken shop and were delighted by its salty, fatty fare. Judge not the book by its cover.
The Telegraph next. An HMHB audience has a Stepford Wives ‘ vibe to it. Never have so many bald and bespectacled men gathered in such confined spaces.
Enjoyed the support act who I had listened to before. A touch of the Jake Thackeray about anyone is always a good thing.
Leader of the bald (and now bespectacled) men took the stage and lead with his usual aplomb. Not sure if I picked any of the songs played, but again who cares? Outstanding as always. Yes, NB’s encore tshirt!
Back to The Telegraph where more pints were drunk and a charming Japanese bloke befriended along with various other Biscuit fans. A comical attempt to get Morticia Addams to turn down the volume of the music fell on (already) deaf ears and then a wander back through the wet streets of the Toon to the P.I.
A top night as they always are. I’ll miss the next couple and am sorry to do so but there will always be the one after.
10 February 2024
Johnny kwango
@IRISHNIALL
You asked if someone could take a photo of you with the caravan guitar, well I have the whole song on video (front row barrier-rested steadycam job) so will post to YT once I have a reasonable signal. Enjoyed the guest spot and you got it bang on!
10 February 2024
Irish niall
Thanks Johnny. Looking forward to seeing it. Got a pic with the caravan guitar so my word to my good lady is kept. :-)
10 February 2024
Gill
Thank you to whoever left their spare ticket on the door last night. My friend enquired and got in in exchange for a hug.
10 February 2024
GOLDEN BISCUIT WINNER
Neil: How’s the wrist/hand after the gig? If it was OK any chance of any new (pre) summer dates? May/July/August? All the best mate.
10 February 2024
Irish niall
I think I might’ve slowed it down a bit to maximise my stage time. Good thing it wasn’t Bad Wools or we’d still be on. :-)
https://youtu.be/HNUU1mBovhE?feature=shared
10 February 2024
Bad loser
Sad to hear about Lux. Probably knew his face even if I didn’t know his name. Far too much of this lately.
Got there about half an hour before doors opened. The Eddie Reader look-a-like, Tony, Roger, and Karen had beaten us too it. ‘We’re hardcore queuing in this’ said Roger. Well, we’ve had 4 months to get here. Nigel and Neil returned from their stroll and I could hear Nigel talking about listening to Shostakovich, Bruckner, and Mahler. Otto Klemperer got a mention too: a little pedestrian with a baton in his hand for my tastes but very interesting to hear about more of NB57s tastes.
First time at The Boiler Shop and I like the venue. Capacity of 1,000? Looked more. Yes, the sound was a little fuzzy at times but right at the front not really an issue.
Never heard of Vincent Whyte before: the guy can sing for sure.
Popped over to speak to Miles hoping for encouraging gig news. I returned disappointed. Said there’d been talk of Glasgow in Nov/Dec but it’s all gone quiet on that one. Not a word on anything else unfortunately.
10 February 2024
Canadian Alice (now Cheviot)
Blue Badge Bad Review for the venue but the lads were superb as always!
Always neat to see the Dr and his lady friend, Postman Tony (who can’t escape work even when at a gig), Irish Niall (stellar performance!), and the rest of the gang who regularly gather with or without my presence. The hot pot was spot on, a meal was shared and enjoyed after the initial confusing involving puzzling menus and empty gas canisters.
Had a bit of a problematic entry myself due to the no bag policy. Was directed to a newsagent 10min walk away, but did get back in time to see the support performing JDOG. Don’t know who the walk-on track belonged to but it reminded me of the style of Lindisfarne.
The queue at the bar was too long so I spent the first 3 songs waiting for my apple juice. Then asked security if I could sit in the blue badge box. He saw me stick and tried to ask but the answer was no.
I leaned against the wall for a bit and then proceeded to find my local Biscuiteer Lockdown Luke. Enjoyed a few tunes there and shared our delight in the set list – a trip down the memory lane indeed. Heard Niall’s cracking Chatteris and shouted along all the others. Also something about Northumberland Cheese Museum – Nigel sounded proper serious about this one so now a formal investigation will be launched. Much improved crowd engagement from the lads too, probably the most interactive I’ve seen since 2017. The comment on death penalty before Buried made me chuckle.
Became too exhausted and breathless after Chatteris so I said goodbye to Lockdown Luke and went to the blue badge box. Two drunken blokes standing in front of me tried to talk their way into the box and got turned down. I knew I had no chance but still walked up and asked if there’s any space. Got turned down in a similar stern, if not snappy, manner. Felt like she was talking to a leech or something. Anyway. I was in a lot of pain by that point so moved out of the crowd and leaned against the wall watching people streaming in half way into the show, seemingly clueless as to who was performing. Eventually sat down at the back corner in front of the pop up bar and the bar staff actually cared enough to check on me. I was fine. Just couldn’t bear the weight of my own body anymore.
Spent the latter half of the gig alternating between resting and joining in and it seemed to work well. Somehow the venue continued to fill up. I became slightly concerned about getting stepped on around MMM, but the people right in front of me seemed to be aware of my existence so I stayed put. Build-up to the climax was one pleasant surprise after another: MMM, Trumpton, Look Dad, Hedge, and JDOG for a second time.
Stood up for the encore and it did not disappoint. First time ever I actually could sing along with the cover. I was wondering if OoD would make an appearance given the lads performed half of that album already, but then, Clouds Part, Show Time! Lovely light show for this bit too. Finally, to top it all of, tennis racket aka AOR.
Picked up my bag and then joined the rest of the gang at the Telegraph. Random buster started drumming as soon as we walked by and I fantasized about JDOG a third time in the same night. Met the Japanese bloke though I think I might have overwhelmed him with my wild Asian self. Or maybe Cream Cheese and Chives already broke him before I got there. Either way, not sure if the pub had ever seen this many bald old beer belly blokes wearing one specific and random football kit in one go. My body had absolutely more than enough so quickly said my goodbye and went home.
Absolutely delighted with the set list. A top mix of old and new, and somehow still with space for the usual crowd pleasers. The lads have only become better through the years.
Now that the excitement is over, I shall spend the weekend recuperating zzzzzzzzz. Slight regret that I didn’t get a “fetch my stick, Margaret” moment from the lads but I also wasn’t about to get kicked out for waving me stick in the air
Onto the next gig – not sure when, not sure where, but hopefully soon!
10 February 2024
Johnny Kwango
@IRISHNIALL
Here it be:
https://youtu.be/7HzkRRuUUyA?si=is4xN6KMvt20VKK5
10 February 2024
Eric T'viking
Well, I know my ears aren’t in wonderful nick (too much riding around on tractors with no silencers in my yoof) but the sound of the band for me was as clear as it ever has been, and certainly better than most venues. Guitar, bass, drums all sharp, and no real difficulty hearing Nigel, during or in between songs. Maybe I was just in a sweet spot for the acoustics, kind of halfway back, left hand side when facing the stage, near the glass doors.
Really liked the post-industrial venue, and why is it over 10 years since I was last in Newcastle? Wonderful place, and enjoyed a walk on the quayside Saturday morning. Enhanced by the lack of rain, no doubt.
Good to hear the return of the pelican curry joke – it’s a cracker. Niall’s guest appearance was a highlight – how many other bands would do something as heartwarming as that? Also, whilst the typical HMHB audience member isn’t hard to spot (a balding, bespectaled, overweight white male, maybe a little past their prime… and I’m one) am pretty sure Newcastle attracted a greater proportion of females, and younger people, than usual. For any oven glove spotters, 3 pairs were being wielded at the appropriate moments.
Finally, thanks to my gig-going buddy for arranging everything – tickets, trains, hotel – all sorted. All I needed to do was turn up – cheers L. Now looking forward to Holmfirth.
10 February 2024
Irish niall
Thanks Johnny K that even captured my butchery of spoken Irish at the end.
Heading for the airport folks. Was lovely to meet up with those if you I did see and I’ll catch up with those I missed in Coventry hopefully.
Special word of thanks to Alice who curated a Chinese banquet I was lucky to attend pre-gig.
Worth the trip over all on its own.
Slán!
10 February 2024
EXXO
There is sometimes morning-after self-interrogation about the possible overbearing highs of our attempts to the keep the moshpit flames alive. One or two folks with a different sense of entitlement to personal space may feel inconvenienced. Yesterday such an episode was mitigated by a timely message from the man himself. Sentiments he has often expressed down the years, but still great to hear them:
“You people down at the front really are a big help to us. It’s much appreciated.”
11 February 2024
Johnny kwango
1966 And All That
https://youtu.be/MEw31NfAjw4?si=-VA1dY3OU2MXXwfL
11 February 2024
Johnny kwango
Last but not least, Smash It Up
https://youtu.be/z3-GYStkj1g?si=BaHFVWxQ0MjbmABu
Apologies for the less than professional phone handover to Mrs Kwango prior to my heading into the mosh pit … oooo-oo smash it up, etc.
11 February 2024
BISCuitGIGS
Hi,
The HMHB Data Retrieval System has been updated with Friday’s setlist (provisional based on Jim’s rough notes) with 11 videos so far. More to come I’m sure.
Cheers
11 February 2024
D list paul ross
Well done Niall my Irish is shite but I got all of that 😀
11 February 2024
kennyp
@Irish Niall – you were brilliant. Great rendition of a classic song.
Re the gig. Loved it. No sound problems from where I was standing. Great set listened a fine night out. I would like to see the band play Wylam Brewery again though. Still the best gig venue I’ve ever been to.
@Parsfan 0-5 0-5 0-5……sorry, couldn’t resist it (-:
11 February 2024
Chris The Siteowner
Roger Green’s review, originally published on Gez’s site and reproduced with thanks to both Roger and Gez.
It’s a few months ago now. But in the middle of October, we found out about the passing of Mickey Bates. In the early days, he had administered the Probe Plus website, so had been a close contact of Geoff. I only met Mickey once, at a gig at Bilston, and Karen was a regular email correspondent with him. He sent us copies of his Leicester City fanzine, Bentley’s Roof. We felt we knew him really well. A grand bloke. Best wishes to his daughter, Carly, and her family.
The day after October’s gig in Wolverhampton, Karen and I (and several other Biscuiteers) made our way to the Pack Horse in Leeds (the one near the university, not the one in the city centre). The Hitchers, who had supported HMHB in Wolverhampton were playing. They in turn were supported by Indignation Meeting. Organisation was courtesy of Nigel/Exxo. He can put bills like this together whenever he likes. Indignation Meeting may have been making it up on the hoof as set lists were not available. Their drummer/vocalist/trumpeter Peter reckons he writes one or two songs a month. Peter, Michael, Hugo and Sally were joined by an additional guitarist, Keith. Among other of their songs we heard the following Electrification Abergynolwyn 41241 (Peter’s favourite engine) That Leeds Feeling (their new single) And there was one about the train strike, and another inspired by a Hornby documentary. There was also some impressive basswork from Hugo, playing his instrument behind his head. The new Jimi Hendrix? Do yourself a favour and secure a copy of their CD, Trouble In The Shed.
The Hitchers carried on their fine form from the previous night. Only this time they played a fuller set. They make a fine noise. Good job I bought some ear plugs. This is only a small room. Niall handed over a set list.
Even At Your Bravest
Sure
She’ll Be Sorry
Kimwildesongtitle
Line Dance Finals Massacre
Liver
4.30 Two Down
For The Want Of Some Better TV
I Can’t Breathe
Big Mug
The Urge To Kill
Killed It With My Bare Hands
Wannabee
You Can Only Love Someone
Strachan
Aryan Beach Party
U Can Du
One Last Song
They listed a few options for the encore, but went for Mamma Mia. Hope we can get chance to see them again soon. If they don’t come back to England, we may have to track them down in their homeland, Ireland. Might be slightly easier to catch Indignation Meeting, with them being based just down the road from us.
Life imitated art on our train back home after that show. A lady asked us which way the train was going to be heading. This would determine where she sat. She’ll not sit backwards on the train. Them’s the vagaries.
A little later, news came through about Neil breaking his wrist. As a consequence of that, the Holmfirth gig went out of the window, now re-scheduled for June this year. On the night of the cancelled gig, off the substitute’s bench, we opted for Attila The Stockbroker at The Red Shed in Wakefield. A great bloke. Still belting out the poems after forty-four years at the top. We had other options that night. Crumbs were playing in Sowerby Bridge, Geoffrey Oi!cott were in South Elmsall It’s the usual Sod’s Law. There’s that many weekends when nothing happens. And then everything piles in at once.
In the bleak midwinter, we did not have many other arrangements. We started off with The Soup Dragons, supported by BMX Bandits at The Brudenell. The Soup Dragons did a couple of new songs but by and large they trade on stuff from way back when. There’s nothing wrong with their first few singles. Whole Wide World still sounds as good as ever. One of the very best pop songs.
Our first show of 2024 was by Nervous Twitch at The Brudenell in Leeds. Great band, great venue. The place has never got onto the HMHB agenda. They now seem to be regulars at Stylus when they are in the region.
Karen was poking around on the intranet (looking something up about Mighty Mighty), and came across a flyer for Burberries in Birmingham. HMHB played there on 14 October 1986, supported by no less than The Wonder Stuff. £4.00 in advance. £4.50 on the door. Those were the days. And afterwards there was a “hedonist disco” until two o’clock for all the dirty stop-outs.
Andrew spotted an article in Mojo, referencing HMHB. It linked various songs with kitchenware. “Where the post-punk colossi and protective thermal handwear for use while cooking meet. Life imitated art when the oven gloves featuring the cover of Unknown Pleasures were manufactured.” Joy Division Oven Gloves was one of five songs featured.
Life imitating art again. Best not to name names, but a previously top-level footballer joined the ranks of the blue badge abusers when he was convicted of using a badge belonging to a chap who had died. And the BBC reported a story from Wales where the wrong body had been cremated at a funeral. Well, it was close enough to a HMHB reference. Just put it down as an “admin error”, eh?
In the run-up to Christmas the office radio blurted out the usual conveyor belt of seasonal “favourites”. And I caught bits of 6 Music at various points. But not once did I hear It’s Cliched To Be Cynical At Christmas. We had to make do with viewing the video on the internet. Again.
6 October to 9 February. That’s a fair gap between gigs. I ran out of fingers and toes, but if we exclude the Covid situation, I think that is the longest wait since the first half of 2015, going from the Edinburgh show to the one in Wakefield.
Good to see another HMHB gig added to the diary. The band returns to The Leadmill in Sheffield in October. Add this to the shows in Coventry and Holmfirth, and don’t hang about sorting tickets out. I would also like to add to the applause for a Half Mandolin Half Biscuit show the day after the gig at The Leadmill. As previous? Same pub, same time? Seems like it is happening. Details to follow.
I bought a copy of a magazine produced by the makers of Uncut, detailing the 500 Greatest Albums Of The 1980s. All interesting stuff of course, with plenty of Smiths, Cure and Banshees in there. Kate Bush’s Hounds Of Love was top of the pile. I was interested to see where Back In The DHSS ended up. I’m still trying to find it. Must be a mis-print somewhere.
In a similar vein, the BBC website listed “eleven albums that defined 1994”. All well and good for fans of Blur, Jeff Buckley, Manic Street Preachers, Nas, Oasis, Orbital, Portishead, The Prodigy, Suede, Tori Amos and Underworld. Too late for This Leaden Pall, and too early for Some Call It Godcore.
HMHB got a spin on Radcliffe And Maconie’s show on 6 Music on the Tea Time Theme Time feature. We tapped our toes to The Light At The End Of The Tunnel Is The Light Of An Oncoming Train but couldn’t get the link between that and the two other songs which were played.
Memo to Exxo. In your excellent investigation of Station-To-Venue distances, you stipulate that you are referring to “recent” gigs. Therefore, I am not sure if March 2000 qualifies. But I would have thought that Doncaster’s The Leopard would score very highly. I can’t see in my mind how it would pitch against the Liverpool venue, but it would give The Cockpit and Fibbers a run for their money. One day, when I have totally run out of things to do, I will pace them out. Compare and contrast.
Strikes on the trains had been coming and going. And there had been some grim weather in the days immediately prior to this gig. But all was good on the day. On board at Wakefield Westgate. And straight through to Newcastle, courtesy of Cross Country Trains. We were outside and immediately across the road to The Newcastle Tap, to fill up with their excellent pizzas. Wish I’d known about that place on our previous visits.
No press review this time. I went into Central News, only to find that they didn’t sell newspapers. Bit of a misnomer, if you ask me. I couldn’t be arsed traipsing round town, so we were off to our digs for a nice cup of tea and an episode of Countdown. After that, I went for a stroll round the block and saw my first Biscuiteer of the day, being Lorna who had jetted in from The States. Not long after that, we assembled for the not-particularly-difficult walk to the venue. We could have done with it being a tad warmer when we were standing outside in the street, but in the second week of February, how warm would we expect it to be? Nigel and Neil walked past. We said Hello, and Neil reported that his wrist is back to full working order.
Many others assembled. Drew and John. Andrew, Phill, Huddersfield Graham, Sarah, Steve, Postman Tony, John B, Lou, Brian, Katharine, Karl, Colin, Andy (making his way home from Budapest) and Graham Le Taxi were all part of the sold-out crowd. At least I’m fairly sure it sold out. These days, that happens regularly.
Tonight’s support was Vincent Whyte. John had suggested that he is a bit like Jake Thackray. I also saw a bit of, ahem, Dean Friedman in there. Vincent said he had just been on tour, and was now privileged to be supporting HMHB. He said something about a new album. I should have had a nosey at the merch stall. You might need to trawl the internet to find Vincent’s products. I might have got some of these song titles wrong (and almost certainly missed some out), but this is as close as I can get.
Let’s Not Be Strangers
Clive Is My Best Friend
I’m Never Talking To You Again
On The Overspill Ground
Make Up An Ending
Old Head Of Kinsale
Thank You For Saving My Life My Love
There was decent music on the PA. I heard I Don’t Mind by Buzzcocks and Mountain Energi by The Fall. And even Joy Division Oven Gloves got a play. George appeared just ahead of HMHB’s arrival on stage. The theme to The Rockford Files was the walk-on music. “A blast from the past” according to Nigel.
Nigel played the main set in a checked shirt, before changing into a Birkenhead t-shirt for the encore (the typeface being the same as that used by Motorhead). Carl was wearing a CND design. Neil’s t-shirt was “Birkenhead Underground Sound” and Karl’s was Imperial Wax. Nigel played the whole gig in glasses. A first? Not that it matters.
Nigel asked someone “Are you OK for bags?” He followed up with “How many Nectar points have you got? I prefer Tesco Club Card. The staff are nicer, and you can get cheap Belvitas”. In Bob Wilson Anchorman, on the line about Stephenson the Engineer, he pointed offstage, I suppose in the direction where Stephenson might have been working in days gone by.
“I remember that shirt from last time we were here,” Nigel said to another punter. “It would benefit from an inside aerial”. “This is about living on death row” was the announcement ahead of I’m Getting Buried In The Morning. In Renfield’s Afoot we had “Booking was essential, even though it was free” as well as “Strictly no dogs, because they are going to climb into the trees and worry the bats.” “True story”, added Nigel at the end of the song.
It may have been a nod to the region’s musical heritage when Neil sang a few lines from The Animals’ We’ve Got To Get Out Of This Place as the introduction to Awkward Sean. There was a spotting of a celebrity. “Reeta Chakrabrati, ladies and gentlemen. I know it’s your birthday, but there’s no need to be leaning on the de-fibrilator.”
A message was passed on from the floor. “Turn the vocals up, please.” God Gave Us Life contained a few namechecks. God also gave us Richard Littlejohn, Alan Sugar, Alan Carr, VAR. Novelty Socks, Lawrence Fox, Isla St Clair and Lionel Blair. There was an extended singalong of the chorus. “It’s like The Everly Brothers,” said Nigel. “He smokes ‘Eavily, and you drink ‘Eavily.”
“Anyone in from Weybridge?” Nigel asked, before talking about Alfred The Great’s archbishop, Plegmund. “I was writing a song about him. But nothing came of it, so I wrote this instead…” The song being 1966 And All That. Postman Tony surged to the front to offer the “Stanley Mortensen” line at the end. When I Look At My Baby is another true story.
The band had called at the Northumberland Cheese Museum where Nigel made the mistake of asking for Dairylea. He added that crumbly Cheshire is his favourite, but Red Leicester (or possibly Lancashire) is the best one if you are making cheese on toast. He said that they had called at a restaurant on Westgate where they had had pelican curry. (“Nice meal, but the bill was massive.”)
Niall from The Hitchers put in a guest appearance, taking the lead vocal on For What Is Chatteris, and playing the famed caravan guitar while doing so. (“He’s got the job,” announced Nigel afterwards.) In Lark Descending, Nigel did the usual trick of sticking his plectrum to his forehead. He asked about the Metro system around Newcastle and compared it with the transport system in Liverpool. “The new trains are too quiet, so if you are talking, everyone can hear you.”
An extract from Song To The Siren came before Vatican Broadside, containing an improvised lyric about Geoffrey from Rainbow. “This is a song about Gosforth,” Nigel said, ahead of Persian Rug Sale At The URC. In Every Time A Bell Rings, he pointed towards Kendal at the allotted time. And the “Wiggo” line produced a staged yawn. There was more pointing (towards The Quantocks) in Joy Division Oven Gloves.
Here is how the evening went:
She’s In Broadstairs
Fuckin’ ‘Ell It’s Fred Titmus
Bob Wilson Anchorman
I’m Getting Buried In The Morning
Renfield’s Afoot
Awkward Sean
When The Evening Sun Goes Down
Terminus
God Gave Us Life
1966 And All That
When I Look At My Baby
For What Is Chatteris…
National Shite Day
Lark Descending
All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit
Harsh Times In Umberstone Covert
Song To The Siren/Vatican Broadside
We Built This Village On A Trad. Arr. Tune
Persian Rug Sale At The URC
Midnight Mass Murder
The Trumpton Riots
Look Dad No Tunes
Every Time A Bell Rings
Joy Division Oven Gloves
And in the encore:
The Light At The End Of The Tunnel (Is The Light Of An Oncoming Train)
Smash It Up (Parts 1 and 2)
Oblong of Dreams
Everything’s AOR
Thanks to Karl for the setlist, which was written on a torn sandwich bag. All present and correct.
On the way out, there were a couple more Hellos with folk we had not seen earlier. Jilly and Daisy. Paul. Mike. Apologies to Niall for not hanging about afterwards. Showsec were keen to clear out the venue and surrounding streets. Karen, Lorna, Andrew, Tony, Phill and I headed to the hotel bar. And in due course, back home on the Saturday morning, where we could begin the countdown to the Coventry gig.
12 February 2024
biscuitgigs
One tiny discrepancy between Roger’s & Jim’s setlists. Was Light At Then End Of The Tunnel the last song in the main set of first of the encore?
I feel the encore was longer than normal and cover version usually comes second so will go with the latter (Roger), unless there’s a consensus for the other way round. Cheers
12 February 2024
Bad loser
Roger is correct. It was a 4 song encore.
12 February 2024
EXXO
Well that last exchange has confirmed that Paul (Biscuitgigs) was as far gone as he looked in the mosh at that stage of the gig!
Great to meet up with you for a beer beforehand Paul. I felt a lot safer downstairs than up in the rattling structure of the Beer Street railway arch, but unfortunately it was still difficult to find a decent pint in that establishment. I tried 4 bars in the station area, and thought the best by far for ambience and beer was still the Head of Steam, as it always was coming to gigs here 20-plus years ago. The Newcastle Tap of course has some fine ales, but it’s got about as much atmosphere as a burger chain.
Another wonderful report from Roger. I have never refreshed Gez’s site as often as I did yesterday, in the hope of getting Roger’s confirmation of whether the whole band joined in with the Animals/Angelic Upstarts intro to ‘Awkward Sean’. Interesting that Roger didn’t notice that both Nigel and Karl were in unison (and in harmony) with Neil on the whole of “We’ve gotta get out of this place/If it’s the last thing we ever do/ We’ve gotta get out of this place/Girl there’s a better life for me and you.” I didn’t realise at the time it was just an intro’, and was too busy telling Dr. D that I thought I might be looking at some serious FBL cover points to notice whether Carl joined in … and then it was suddenly over. So it looks like a no-rosette situation for Exxo, and the FBL may have to rule that as for the intro of ‘Vatican,’ the intro to ‘Awkward Sean’ just won’t ever count. It’s the second time in recent gigs that my guess of cover song has been the intro’ to ‘Awkward Sean’ (following the Skids in that Edinburgh) and well that’s just my cookie crumbling as usual I suppose.
Incidentally, the reason I nominated The Angelic Upstarts as my cover prediction was of course the wonderful Mensi’s death from Covid since HMHB last played in his hometown, and although of course it was an Animals cover it was a seminal record when we were about sixteen, so I’ve no doubt Neil/the band chose it as a tribute to Mensi.
During the process of making my prediction/getting psyched up for the gig, I actually listened twice on Friday morning to the Youtube of that whole album, and noticed this anecdote from a fan as one of the comments. The story even links my cover song guess nicely with the actual cover song on Friday :
I remember when they got chased off the stage in Lincon, must have been about 1979. They had a couple of “security” skinhead bully boys on each side of the stage punching a few people at random. The audience didn’t take too kindly to that and after a couple of songs, invaded the stage, the band (and the bully boys) ran into the dressing room and the crowd proceeded to smash up all their instruments. Would have been a great concert if they had left the bully boys at home. The funny thing was that when the stage was totally destroyed and the concert was abandoned, the club DJ took to the decks and played “Smash it up” by the Damned, the whole place took to the dancefloor like wildfire. Although that´s what I remember most, Angelic Upstarts were a great band.
Anyway as usual I’m mixing up gig fantasy and gig reality a bit so hey-ho, cheers Roger and karen! Sorry I never said hello on Friday – I was intending to do so at the end, but then got a bit concerned about the shape of the room, with my train at 10.45, and thought I’d better make me way back through the room during EAOR.
12 February 2024
EXXO
But me saying that about Mensi probably guarantees that Neil will now come along and tell us he was only thinking of the Animals’ version.
12 February 2024
Hendrix-tattoo
Great reviews folks!
Only thing I would like to add and say thank you Alice. (Just like Niall said) for the excellent Chinese Hot Pot meal.
And hopefully me and Dr. D won’t get ejected from the venue for our re-enactment of our Norman Hunter and Franny Lee going toe to toe routine….
12 February 2024
Jim on his way south
Evening all
I’m happy to accept that TLATEOTT was part of the encore. In fact, if that’s my only mistake I’m amazed. I was pissed
Hope to see you for another one in the not-too-distant
12 February 2024
Johnny kwango
Re Roger Green’s review, here is Vincent Whyte’s setlist from Friday, which he kindly signed and dated for me: https://ibb.co/stDZbZc
The penultimate penultimate song was in fact Seer, Are You There?
13 February 2024
Chris The Siteowner
Niall – Are you now going to tell the rest of us the story of how it all happened?
13 February 2024
IRISH NIALL
@CtSO – After Wolverhampton I just got in touch with Nigel to say thanks for having The Hitchers* along. He said, or at least I think he said, it was only in the van on the way home afterward someone mentioned they should’ve had me up for a song.
I said it had occurred to me long before October’s gig such an invite might happen just for the pure absurdist fun of it – but on the night itself I was running around like a headless chicken anyway and the thought of doing a song never crossed my mind.
So anyway I was invited to play something at some future gig I made it to. Newcastle looked a long shot owing to gruelling journey involved but I eventually decided I could do with something to look forward to, just to get through January. Given a carte blanche on what to play I reckoned I could make a decent attempt at Chatteris or Bad Wools. I’m sure there’s loads of others I could do but I certainly didn’t want to be imposing on anything you might expect to hear in the last 20 minutes, shall we say. So we settled on Chatteris and I got me a go of the Caravan for bonus points.
We’d a run through in the green room and then went for it. I thought it was bit slow listening back and that could’ve been a bit of nerves on my part – or the copious amounts of shiraz Dr John’s good lady Elizabeth poured down my neck via a funnel and in spite of my forthright protests (contested version of events alert) over the course of our wonderful Chinese hot pot. That might’ve kicked in by then. Either way I was saying it was good thing we hadn’t done Bad Wools or we could all still be there waiting for TBA’s second set.
Anyway, buzz of a lifetime stuff for me. It’s going in the CV. Not in Hobbies and Achievements either. Intro para.
*Just on The Hitchers slot last autumn: I know anyone on here who’s met the band will confirm they are an entirely sound and decent bunch of lads. But, and I hope Nigel doesn’t mind me telling ye this, he watched our entire set and before we went on he was into the (very nice and disarmingly clean) dressing room to wish us well with it …and after we finished he was straight back in to congratulate us on it. That is not the norm. Not in my experience. In fact – I don’t do that. I try to wish support acts well and enquire if everything went okay – I might even get to see/hear a song or two, though I’ll usually be charging around looking for a lamp I was supposed to bring for the merch stall, or the merch I was supposed to bring for the merch stall. But I can’t say I take that level of genuine interest. The other night, when I eventually got into the venue, I bumped into Carl who was out front watching Vincent Whyte (as he had done with us) and he got me backstage where we bumped right into Nigel who was in the wings watching Vincent too. They’re just a very welcoming and encouraging bunch of people. All The Hitchers lads remarked upon it.
13 February 2024
Billy no-Mates
Sound started off pretty bad but improved almost immediately though I had no clue of the inter-song banter/jokes – tbf that could have been due to the amount of alcohol drunk in Beer Street beforehand. Thanks to Jimbo behind the bar for his kind hospitality, and to Scottish Jim from Sweden for putting up with my unintelligible blathering post gig; was good to meet you pal. Set list was tremendous, though they always miss stuff out you want to hear. Can’t be helped with such a great back catalogue. Not as good as Durham two years back, but one of the best I’ve been to. Roll on Sheffield, see you there Jim!
13 February 2024
dr DEsperate
Another excellent night out, a mere four months after the Wolvo/Leeds double-header.
To Roger’s Definitive Review of the Hitchers’ Leeds gig I should add that we stayed for a lock-in session after the official close of play at The Pack Horse, with Niall contributing spot-on versions of ‘24HGP’, ‘The Referee’s Alphabet’ and ‘TLATEOTT’. Other Hitchers added a Bragg trilogy of ‘St Swithin’s Day’, ‘A New England’ and ‘There Is Power in a Union’ followed by The Pogues’ ‘The Body of an American’, and one of Exxo’s cricketing chums added ‘Zombie’ by The Cranberries, then was amazed to discover that The Mighty Quinn been a founding member of the band.
We’d only been in Newcastle five minutes when we bumped into Nigel and Denise, on their way into the station for a late breakfast after spending the night in Catterick. Nigel told us to expect a secret at the show, but stopped short of revealing that this would involve a Fifth Biscuit.
The Crown Posada proved a good choice for pre-gig drinks, with the vintage record player on the bar blasting out The Kinks’ greatest hits, prompting childhood memories for Ferencvaros Fan of meeting the Muswell Hillbillies at a caravan site on The Old Head of Kinsale. (This scenario Vincent Whyte would later explain in song is now impossible, as that landmark has since been sealed off by golfers).
A sensational Chinese Hotpot was curated at the Little Asia restaurant by Cheviot Alice, once Postie Tony had located his glasses in one of the multiple zip pockets of his punk pants, Rowan Atkinson-style.
On arrival at the venue I was warned by a Showsec that I would be allowed to wear my Hi-Vis Jacket only if it stayed under my black satin tour jacket – of course, this didn’t happen.
The Boiler Shop was packed with Biscuit-starved punters, who nevertheless gave an enthusiastic reception to Vincent Whyte’s support. A nice lady overheard me telling Exxo that his English chanson reminded me of Jake Thackray and said, “I don’t know Jake Thackray – what’s he like?” I pointed to the stage and said “That”.
I’d predicted the walk-on music would be a film theme, so was slightly disappointed to hear the miniMoog wailing of ‘The Rockford Files’ as Nigel attempted to disentangle himself from his guitar lead – I don’t know if it’s true that they play it at Prenton Park because the chairman once bemoaned their low gates by saying “I can only conclude that the people of Wirral prefer to watch The Rockford Files on TV on a cold Friday night than support their local football team”, but it makes a good story.
I had no problems with the acoustics of the room, except perhaps that I had some difficulty being heard – an attempt to respond to Nigel’s musings on his cheese preferences with a chorus of The Shirehorses’ ‘Why Is It Always Dairylea?’ fell on deaf ears, though he did manage to catch my Otway quote about the positioning of his capo (“Is it important?”)
The choice of ‘Smash It Up’ as cover was inspired, especially the decision to include the proggy ‘Part 1’ bit. The relief in the moshpit when the drums came back in was palpable.
I spotted Neil in the crowd after the show, and went over to sympathise with him for his broken wrist (the left one, fracture fans). He’s recovering nicely.
On to Cov!
13 February 2024
BLIGHTED RAY
No sound issues for us at all, we were standing about half way back. Wonderful gig. My lad particularly enjoyed GGUL, and what a superb cover of Smash It Up!
14 February 2024
Thepaddyin&outoThemosh
Hats off for letting Niall do Chatteris. Next request is: ‘Paintball’s Coming Home’. Please give Ireland/Limerick contingent a bit of notice; missed the Hitchers support slot.. dammit.
16 February 2024
EXXO
Tearing the house apart looking for my senior railcard and fishing permits, they of course turned up after a few days in the washing basket, between two Dukla Prague away shirts.
17 February 2024