Some years – not many – there’s a gig that’s a bit out of the ordinary, and this one falls into that category. According to the Wrexham Events guide, “The 26th edition of the Llangollen Fringe Festival takes place from 7th-15th July and will feature an exciting range of shows, with comedy, music, dance, workshops and more all represented in the programme. Joining our lineup is one of the most sought after rock groups HALF MAN HALF BISCUIT.” And joining the doubtless thrilled festival-goers were a merry bunch of Biscuiteers. Here’s what they thought…
woodnoggin
Well, that was excellent. They played so many songs I thought there wasn’t going to be an encore, then they did one. Great stuff!
Here’s what I heard:
She’s in Broadstairs
Bob Wilson, Anchorman
Renfield’s Afoot
Sealclubbing
I’m Getting Buried in the Morning
Bottleneck at Capel Curig
Awkward Sean
Outbreak of Vitas Gerulaitis
Monmore, Hares Running
99% of Gargoyles Look Like Bob Todd
Yipps (My Baby Got the)
Running Order Squabble Fest
Dickie Davies’ Eyes
The Light at the End of the Tunnel
Terminus
When I Look at My Baby
Rock and Roll Is Full of Bad Wools
Lark Descending
We Built This Village
National Shite Day
For What Is Chatteris
The Trumpton Riots
Vatican Broadside
Oblong of Dreams
All I Want for Christmas
Shot by Both Sides
Every Time a Bell Rings
Joy Division Oven Gloves
—–
Midnight Mass Murder
Swords of a Thousand Men
Everything’s AOR
There were also some partial Joy Division covers along the way.
12 July 2023
Exxo
Nigel said when we bumped into him before the gig “you won’t guess the walk-on tonight.” I think he was fairly sure nobody would. Although i wish I’d seen if it would have taken me 20 yes/no questions to guess.
It was the 1973 “nice one cyril” single.
About the right vintage to be NB’s first ever single, maybe?
Cyril would have been 79 today.
13 July 2023
BAD LOSER
A stonking 31 song set. I genuinely thought that they’d decided to play right through without an encore as a result of the Nigel being quite talkative. If I hadn’t been able to spot them loitering off stage, I might have gone after he announced JDOG as ‘our final song’.
It felt to me as though ‘Shot By Both Sides’ may have been spur of the moment, possibly squeezing out Harry Quinn which we enjoyed hearing when sitting outside during the soundcheck.
Was hoping to get a setlist to confirm but it went to the attention-seeker who was whirling her arms Kate Bush style for most of the gig having opened the evening by thinking my wife might be interested in the fact that she was a lesbian. Sic transit gloria mundi.
13 July 2023
Irish niall
Fantastic gig in a wonderfully quirky venue. It was bizarre to be able to walk right to the front with 5 minutes to kick off.
Perhaps its because I normally take up a much less advanced vantage either side of the sound desk (which I generally find is the sweet spot) that I felt Nigels vocals could have a notch or two higher. But I’m not going to crib about an excellent set.
Third time hearing Oblong live and first time I didn’t sob like a babba at the end. Might be all cried out with the week I’ve had.
Apologies too for being a bit of a dry shite about getting up and playing something in The Sun (regrettable moniker) later on. I was just a bit pissed by then and I’d have murdered anything attempted. One of these gigs we’ll arrange a six string in a prematch beer garden and I’ll do a few unlikely to feature at main event. Tour Jacket, Goth etc…
Got to meet Neil! An absolute gentleman.
13 July 2023
Pirx The Purist
Interesting to see that they covered “Swords” in the encore, because every time I’ve heard the chorus of Token Covid Song, I’ve expected it to end in the chorus of “Swords”.
13 July 2023
C.W
Comments underneath about ‘attention seekers’ laced with a hint of homophobia (interested in the fact she might be a lesbian) is way more hurtful than not having a piece of paper with some songs on. By the sounds of it they didn’t cause you any harm it’s just needless saltyness.
Btw we unknowingly ended up with two copies of the setlist as one fell off the stage into our bag. Perhaps we were too busy being attention seeking and gay to realise but hey ho.
It was our first time at a HMHB gig. But with this sort of attitude probably our last.
13 July 2023
No chips allowed
Llangollen 2023, well, that was like Ken Dodd on acid, you can’t get them off stage, not that you want them to! HMHB get better as the years pass. Brilliant gig in a boss little venue. So glad to hear “Swords of a thousand men” as I missed Tenpole Tudor last year at Let’s Rock, as I needed a pish at that very moment…timing is everything.Nice place, Llangollen
13 July 2023
dr DEsperate
No homophobia here, @C.W – keep coming to the gigs!
(Hope the bogus AAA laminate didn’t get you into any bother. Happy birthday to whichever of you it was!)
13 July 2023
Ferencváros fan
@C.W: I defy you to be as attention-seeking as I was when I attracted the attention of a steward at Shrewsbury at the end of 2021. Please don’t make it your last HMHB gig. If you can both make Wolvo (or Holmfirth or Newcastle) there’s a drink in it from me. Walk good.
13 July 2023
Lee & Jane
Intro, She’s in Broadstairs & more:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Yq5qJC_l2k
13 July 2023
Mark Griffiths
Agree with most that’s already been said,had the same bizarre thought about Ken Dodd when observing the finishing time!!.
Spotted the number 5 bus on the way home, single decker obviously, but no brown Audi’s seen.
13 July 2023
Woodnoggin
Delightful comments overheard while standing in the audience (paraphrased):
“I don’t always get all the references. Sometimes they put two different things together.”
and
“I’m really glad you persuaded me to come – it’s been brilliant!”
13 July 2023
Millard rausch
When did Nigel start mispronouncing Eyam? I’m sure he got it right on the record.
14 July 2023
Irish Niall
@C.W, @FERENCVÁROS FAN: As a younger man I would sing along improvised harmonies. There were times I wanted to deck myself.
Please do come back C.W. Everyone’s welcome …except the feckin Irish! 😉
I’ll top up yer glass and all at Wulfrun Hall where I think I’m safe enough to say now that me and my old rock’n’roll buddies The Hitchers will be setting ye up for HMHB to knock ye down.
14 July 2023
BAD LOSER
Should probably not respond but not letting the accusation go. Who’d have guessed the homophobic card would get played? Not sure what my ‘phobia’ is supposed to be.
My wife hates her job as she is having to manage more and more people who push their sexuality, their pronouns and gender changes and it’s nothing but trouble with a whole host of people making complaints for the slightest thing that hurts their feelings. The last thing she wants when enjoying a night out is for some random to open up on that subject. It’s just weird. If you’d started with the ‘This is my first gig’ etc she would probably have said a few words. It is not ‘phobic’ to not be interested in the slightest.
Watching the band is the best night out there is. It is possible to enjoy it without affecting other people. When I took my usual spot when the doors opened, I didn’t expect someone’s persistent flailing arms to result in my ending up next to the speaker with the result that I was almost deaf in one ear for the next 12 hours. My first gig dispute since someone was looking for a fight watching Garbage at The Manchester Apollo in 1998. I’m pretty sure I’m not a problem.
14 July 2023
nige (not the one from the band – Ed)
I wouldn’t worry about CW, just seems to be the sort of person who trawls social media desperate to find something they can try to claim to be offended by. Thankfully, they seem to be in a minority of one on this site
14 July 2023
bobby svarc
This is why I don’t go any more, you’re all fucking mad
14 July 2023
Transit full of keith
Shocked to discover that there were “flailing arms” near the front of a Biscuit gig, also that it is quite loud near the speakers.
14 July 2023
Irish Niall
If I may attempt to bring some levity -Llangollen really is a smashing wee spot and decent value too. I hope HMHB go back there someday.
Accommodation is pricey everywhere these days but the grub was excellent and reasonably priced. Also I was able to buy a bottle of Newcastle and a Gin and Tonic (several of both in truth) in The Bull for £8.50 a round which my currency converter tells me is €9.95 at current exchange rates. Never mind the fact I paid £8 for a solitary glass of wine in one place in London -even back here in Ireland in my village local a few miles from the scarcely metropolitan city of Limerick, you’d have no change from €14 for that pint and G’n’T -or just shy of £12.
I honestly don’t normally keep too tight a track of that sort of thing when I’m away because I rationalize it as I’m away for a good time not a long time. But that kind if value deserves an auld commendation.
14 July 2023
dr DEsperate
Another delightful comment overheard, after Nigel mentioned the bus stop alongside the venue and enquired which buses stopped there. I was able to inform him that they were the 5 and T3 Llangollen – Wrexham services, and the girl behind me asked her friend: “Do you think he’s had a stroke? He’s started talking about buses”.
14 July 2023
Chris The Siteowner
Roger Green’s review, originally published on Gez’s site and reproduced with thanks to both Roger and Gez.
Tony texted me with a question. Would this be the smallest town/village to host a HMHB gig? Using population, rather than dimensions as the criterion, we set about investigating. According to Wikipedia the readings are as follows. Llangollen 3658, Matlock Bath 753, Brampton 4627, Castleton 642, Holmfirth 5173, Roadwater 1672*, Ashill 529. The inevitable asterisk. *1672 in the parish of Old Cleeve, which consists of Roadwater and a number of other settlements. Karen contacted the clerk of the Parish Council to see if they could isolate the figure for Roadwater. A change of personnel meant that this was not possible… “I regret to say that we have been unable to locate a figure for the population of Roadwater village alone.” Maybe next time we are anywhere near the place we’ll carry out a door-to-door census.
We saw an interesting post from Brian, who was in Warrington at the time. Paul Heaton was playing in the locality, and had put money behind the bar at various pubs to buy drinks for one and all, on the occasion of his 60th birthday. Brian took advantage of this kind offer not once but twice. However, he got rumbled on the third attempt. Nice try. Wonder if Nigel will be doing something similar when he hits that landmark?
I went to a gig. Of sorts. After an evening of racing at Pontefract, they put on a show by Kim Wilde. I thought she had packed it in to become gardening correspondent for The Guardian, or something similar. I didn’t hang around long enough for Kids In America, but saw her having a good go at If I Can’t Have You. Sorry to have missed the recent shows by Sparks. Ron and Russell can both see 80 years old coming down the line, but according to the video evidence, they are still putting on a fine show. Their twenty-sixth album is in the shops.
Wakefield’s Long Division Festival has now been and gone. After about twelve years of putting on bands over a summer weekend, they have knocked it on the head. At the final one in June, there were fine performances by Nervous Twitch, The Membranes and Mik Artistik. Over the years, HMHB never appeared on the bill of course, these all-day festivals don’t seem to have been the band’s thing.
Another gig… We caught up with Indignation Meeting, who were supporting Blyth Power at the excellent Wharf Chambers venue, in the middle of Leeds. It set me wondering, how long is it since Blyth Power supported HMHB at The Boardwalk in Sheffield. Following investigation, I find that it was October 2000. It’s about time they were on the same bill again. Indignation Meeting’s gig in Settle was a bridge too far for us. They sent us a video of their show, which included a magnificent rendition of Arthur’s Farm.
Micky Bates forwarded us the latest copy of his Leicester City fanzine, Bentleys Roof. This issue features a picture of Brendan Rodgers (“The Demolition Man”) on the front cover, with a general lament about their recent relegation and loss of star man, Youri Tielemans. I hope they keep the zine going next season. I’m sure dropping a division won’t take away the resolve of the editorial team.
Issue 102 of Vive Le Rock became available in my vicinity towards the end of May. There was a feature looking at “A New Merseybeat”, considering Liverpool’s association with punk rock. This had a particular focus on Eric’s. The Sex Pistols, The Clash, Ramones and The Stranglers all played there. Hocky, now of HMHB support band Bite Back, is mentioned, as is his band at the time, Instant Agony. Also, Mandy, Karl’s bandmate from his other projects. And Attempted Moustache, an essential part of the HMHB family tree. Geoff Davies is in there too, with reference to Probe Records and the Probe Plus label.
HMHB fan Peter Ross wrote an article in The Big Issue a few years back, covering The Biscuiteers. I try and keep up with his work. His most recent book was released earlier in the year. Steeple Chasing covers his journeys here and there, looking at churches, their structure and history. It’s a very tenuous Biscuit link, but Joseph Of Arimathea gets a namecheck. That in turn sent me to the CD rack to seek out This Leaden Pall, for a quick spin of Doreen.
My only other reading was thanks to my optician. Apart from the obvious, E, K, W, H etc, she thought it would be a good idea for me to read a leaflet about cataracts. “The risk of developing cataracts increases if you drink a lot of alcohol or are overweight.” OK, thanks for that. That’s one out of two for me. Happy reading if you are pointed in the direction of this leaflet.
I opted to be behind the wheel for the journey to Llangollen. We broke it up, staying in Wrexham the night before the gig, and Chester the night after. We would usually opt for the train, but that would have taken up a fair chunk of time with a number of changes. In Wrexham, I took the customary stroll round the football ground. There was plenty of work going on, to make it spick and span and ready for their return to League Two. I would imagine the Hollywood money will be expecting a swift rise from there.
Maybe the Wrexham papers don’t reach Llangollen, which would explain the lack of any mention of the HMHB show. But Tuesday’s Wrexham Leader did refer to Grandmaster Flash coming to town. Should be a lively night. The back page of Wednesday’s edition covered the goalkeeping situation at the town’s football team. Manager Phil Parkinson seems well served in that position, but nevertheless has expressed an interest in signing someone younger.
The gig did not qualify for the Local Events section in the Denbighshire Free Press either, although there was a feature about an event in Prestatyn on the weekend of 22 and 23 July. Apparently, it is fifty years since Holiday On The Buses was shot there. Surviving cast members will be there, but no names were given. It would be nice to hear how that goes.
Having parked up in Llangollen, we went out to locate the venue. First Biscuiteer spotted was Andy, who was on his way to catch a ride on the Llangollen And Corwen Heritage Railway alongside the River Dee. Some Jehovahs Witnesses were maintaining a presence outside the venue entrance. We wondered if they might be trying to blag the support slot at the gig. We would find out later if they were successful.
Andy went on his way to the Railway, and we went on our way to the Llangollen Oggie Shop. Lamb and mint for us. Later on Postman Tony saw me as I walked past The Bull where he was taking ale. He dashed out and we had the usual chat about this, that and the other. Like Andy, he was spending a couple of days in town. We also said Hello to Peter who was stopping in the same digs as us, being The Hand Hotel.
We were conveniently close to the venue, only a couple of hundred yards. On our way there we saw Tony, Andrew and Phill, who were troughing at the bistro across the road. Gomez, Howie and Steve H were at large, seemingly between pubs. Brian was also hovering, getting an outdoor coffee where he could keep an eye on the possible development of a queue at the venue door. I paid a visit to the Sweet Daisy ice cream shop. Quality goods on offer there. I had a double cone containing a scoop of honeycomb, and one of chocolate cookie. That’s me one step nearer to a cataract.
When the doors opened, we exchanged our email booking for a wristband each, and we were inside the place. As well as folk that we had seen earlier, we spoke with Alison and I also talked with Drew. Steve A was there with the t-shirt of the evening, Nero Fiddles While Gordon Burns. John came a close second with his Hank & Ray & Bill number, although I would need to look up all those names again. Andy gets an honourable mention with his Reservoir Bod top. Andrew looked up the translation of what was written on the wristband. “Amser parti gyda Llangollen Fringe.” It translates as “Party time with Llangollen Fringe.” I’ll second that.
Chris Ingram was the support act. Stand-up poetry works in certain settings but I struggled with it tonight. There was the constant hum of conversation from the crowd, and he was accompanied by a guy (by the name of Roger) on guitar for much of his set So the words were often lost on me. He needs to be heard at something a bit more poetry specific, rather than a music gig. But who am I to say? I particularly appreciated the premise of his poem All Day Breakfast In A Can.
In the gap between the turns, I caught up with Lou, Graham and Sarah. Nigel/Exxo was in the midst. And there was Niall and Marcella, over from Ireland. I exchanged waves with Mike as oft before. Graham Le Taxi told me that he now has a second job. But I don’t think I could ever call him Graham Le School Bus.
My knowledge of Welsh culture is weak at best. So it was yet another Thanks to Andrew for identifying Yma O Hyd over the PA. “We are ready.” Sung by Dafydd Iwan. I didn’t need any help with HMHB’s walk-on music. It was Nice One Cyril by The Cockerel Chorus. Exxo asked the question. “What connects Cyril Knowles and Beyonce?” “They’ve both got the same surname,” replied Nigel. He continued, “It’s a bit like the sports question. Who played football for Scotland and cricket for England?… Kenny Dalglish and Chris Tavare.”
Karl was in a Mojo Nixon t-shirt. That was a new name to us. We listened to Mojo’s Elvis Is Everywhere. Nigel was in a Trek-Segafredo cycle racing team t-shirt. You would expect him to be a bit more up to date. There is a new sponsor for that team and they are now known as Lidl-Trek.
Sorry, I missed lots of conversation from the stage, although I picked up Neil’s request for more of Karl’s guitar in his monitor. And I heard Nigel spotting Richard Harrington in the crowd. In reply to a shout of “Huw Edwards”, Nigel joked “I think it’s just a smokescreen for Tomasz Schafernaker.” Not sure who Nigel was addressing when he asked “Are you OK for bags?”
Renfield’s Afoot is “a true story”. It was roasting hot in the hall. I’m not sure why Nigel took to the stage in a waterproof jacket. Eventually he took it off. He also had to deal with the lead coming out of his guitar. Such problems
Nigel talked about the poem Myfanwy, and was possibly gossiping in Welsh about the other band members. He replied to a shout for Descent Of The Stiperstones with the standard “Yeah, that’s one of ours.” They were from Montgomeryshire. After a lot of this banter, someone shouted “Do a song!” “A song? Yeah, a good idea,” said Nigel, and they went into I’m Getting Buried In The Morning.
I didn’t recognise Neil’s solo slot at the start of Awkward Sean. Something about a square peg in a round hole. There was talk about local walks, possibly to Plas Newydd. And Nigel asked if anyone had been watching the tennis. “It’s not as good as it used to be.” He said it was far better in Lottie Dod’s day. She was from Bebington on The Wirral. “Her old house is now a care home.”
Monmore Hare’s Running was about going to the bookies and coming away disappointed. Pam Ferris was spotted. “Did you get the quicklime? He won’t bury himself.” The jokes kept on coming. At one point he thought Carl was knocking back the booze. “I’m on a whisky diet. I’ve lost three days already.” And “I bought a mattress in the spring sale.” Hardly a breath after Ninety-Nine Per Cent Of Gargoyles, and they were straight into Yipps.
How sad to hear of the death of Paul Wright, the original drummer with HMHB. If you didn’t see the band in the early years, it’s possible that you may have seen the clips of the band from Whistle Test playing Trumpton Riots and Dukla Prague. That’s him in the Fall t-shirt. He left the band at around the same time as other original members David Lloyd and Simon Blackwell. Happy memories. RIP Paul. Nigel raised a metaphorical glass to him after Dickie Davies Eyes.
There was a query about bus times. Seemingly, the Number 5 goes to Barmouth, in case you need to know. Nigel said that When I Look At My Baby is a true story. There was a bit of a Joy Division spotlight, starting from a request from the floor for Transmission. The band improvised this, and then did the same with Disorder. Just imagine a whole evening of HMHB playing Joy Division covers… I could handle that. Can’t wait.
We saw another familiar move from Nigel: the plectrum on the forehead during the “bins” line in Lark Descending. Having pondered some cycling routes from the past, Nigel wondered what was Llangollen’s rival village. Maybe Bala? He decided to go with Chirk. “I’ve never been to Chirk,” he confessed. “They have a so-called castle, but it’s really just a big house.” He also said he likes Corwen.
Another old favourite got an outing. “How do you turn a duck into a soul singer? You put it in the microwave until its bill withers.” Nigel considered the bottled water available at the venue. Expressing disappointment? It was Castle Springs based in Cumbria. Perhaps they could have had something more local, he mused.
“Hats off to Wrexham,” said Nigel, referring to their promotion. This was met with a load of booing. I wonder who the locals support instead? Ahead of the Magazine cover, he then said “This next song could be about us, next season. Getting shot by both sides.” I’m not exactly sure who he would have been referring to, when he said “both sides”. Wrexham and…? Crewe?
There was a hearty “Cheers for coming out… and on a Wednesday too” from Nigel. In the encore, there was an interesting development, with Karl taking the lead vocal on Swords Of A Thousand Men. In all these years, that’s the first time I can remember anyone apart from Nigel doing that.
The set went like this:
She’s In Broadstairs
Bob Wilson Anchor Man
Renfield’s Afoot
Sealclubbing
I’m Getting Buried In The Morning
Bottleneck At Capel Curig
Awkward Sean
Outbreak Of Vitas Gerulaitis
Monmore, Hare’s Running
Ninety-Nine Per Cent Of Gargoyles Look Like Bob Todd / Yipps (My Baby Got The)
Running Order Squabble Fest
Dickie Davies Eyes
The Light At The End Of The Tunnel (Is The Light Of An Oncoming Train)
Terminus
When I Look At My Baby
Transmission
Disorder
Rock And Roll Is Full Of Bad Wools
Lark Descending
We Built This Village On A Trad Arr Tune
National Shite Day
For What Is Chatteris
The Trumpton Riots
Vatican Broadside
Oblong Of Dreams
All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit
Shot By Both Sides
Every Time A Bell Rings
Joy Division Oven Gloves
And in the encore there was:
Midnight Mass Murder
Swords Of A Thousand Men
Everything’s AOR
Maybe the Joy Division covers should be in brackets, being improvised segments, but they sounded good enough to me. Apart from those, all was as per Karl’s set list, which he kindly passed to me at the end of the evening.
As the place cleared, I had a chat with Miles on the merch stall. No new products available. Nothing new in the diary beyond Bristol, Wolverhampton, Holmfirth and Newcastle. That’s just four. Surely somewhere else will be added before long?
14 July 2023
EXXO
@Roger. Great stuff, helping preserve the details of a great night. Couple of niggles: the booing of Wrexham’s promotion wasn’t from the locals, and was principally from the likes of Wirral and Chester visitors such as meself. Ah well “at least it isn’t drug money [financing their rise]” said NB. I assumed his “this could be about us next season” quip to introduce ‘Shot by both sides’ meant that the innocent could be caught in the cross-fire of potential flying bricks between Wrexham & Tranmere’s finest. Although if it happens as the Wrexham buses come off by the Woodchurch, then I suppose actual shots from automatic weapons are quite possible.
And I actually just wondered aloud – very loud – what relation Cyril was to Beyonce, enjoying that absurdity momentarily. I wasn’t quizzing NB in any way, but it was definitely one of the stupidest things I’ve ever said in public (when you consider the whole history of the American South), and thoroughly deserved the humiliation of Nigel’s “they’ve got the same surname, yeah.”
But my main regret was that – because of the terrible news about Paul – we didn’t get to embarrass the Bard with a chorus or two of “happy birthday.” I was gonna try to get it going and maybe even try it in Welsh. Pen-blwydd hapus i Nigel, Pen-blwydd hapus i ti. Also had a half-arsed banner half-ready, but it got ditched half- finished on the morning when I heard about Paul. Otherwise I would probably have ended up finishing it in the pre-gig pub, in true Euro-away-match style.
One other first: Paddy Shennan himself moshing (with his son & mates, one assumes?) to the final song, AOR.
14 July 2023
GORDON BURNS
Nigel suggested a great name for a boy band: “Boy Division”
14 July 2023
bobby svarc
Don’t you fret, Roger Green the next issue is out in September. (available by subscription only, £11 for the next 4 copies with free postage from https://www.bentleysroof.online) Glad you enjoyed the read, it’s a labour of love really. Excellent gig write up, as per.
14 July 2023
No chips allowed
Believe the reference to square peg in a round hole is the song “Ships in the night” by the excellent Be Bop Deluxe fronted by songsmith Bill Nelson
14 July 2023
Pirx The Purist
Couple of suitably pedantic remarks:
1) ‘Yma O Hyd’ means ‘Still Here’, and the 40-year-old song has had a new lease of life due to it being used to gee-up the crowd and team at internationals.
2) The number 5 bus goes to Wrexham, the T3 goes to either Wrexham or Barmouth (where the bathing is safe) depending on which way it’s facing.
(Trivia point: the T3 doesn’t follow the expected route between Corwen and Bala, i.e., the A5 and the A494, but goes along the B4402 through Cynwyd, Llandrillo and Llandderfel before joining the B4391 at Cae Crydd. The reason for that is that the bus route replaced the railway service between Ruabon Junction and Barmouth Junction – now called Morfa Mawddach – which closed at the end of 1964, and the replacement bus service (q.v.) was required to serve the same villages as the railway had).
14 July 2023
Sloppy
Thanks to Roger Green for the great review for a cracking gig. I have to admit, I didn’t know either of the covers. Perhaps before the next outing I should get myself a Spotify subscription.
Fantastic, long(!) set.
The “it’s not really” comment following the brief rendition of “Birkenhead is wonderful” gave me a chuckle. Being a Birkonian, I’m allowed to.
My first time at the very front so it was nice to have a natter and spot a few familiar faces.
Already looking forward to the next one!!
15 July 2023
Jitsu_G
Great gig as ever and a great cover. Wonder if we will see Karl singing more covers in future.
For those that like quizzes, the walk on music (Nice one Cyril) was the first recoding by which well known drummer ? He’s still going strong 50 years later and I’m a big fan of his current band. I don’t think many others on here will be though. (Answer available on Google)
15 July 2023
SLoppy
Nicko from Maiden I believe @jitsu
15 July 2023
EXXO
Some other geographical notes, which were too numerous for Roger to possibly note all of. When told that the T3 goes to Barmouth, Mr. B said after an expression of mild astonishment. “It must get there next Monday.” More than one person who wanted an outing for ‘Improv’ had meanwhile chipped in “where the bathing is safe.”
Nigel asked if anyone was in from Ynys Môn. When nobody was, some wag behind me gestured towards the hirsute Tony and said something about druids …
Mr B also told a tale of his veteran cycling partner leading him up the Bwlch yr Oernant once, but turning right after the Britannia Inn to do the Old Horseshoe [average 13.8% for a fairly straight mile, as opposed to the average 5.5% of the modern route] They were deservedly applauded by all the bikers outside the Ponderosa cafe at the top.
Someone was in from Chirk, or kept mentioning Chirk, which led NB to deny that he’d ever been to Chirk Airfield car boot sale but instead recommend Abergele – a recommendation which unfortunately he said rather than sang. He later rather controversially slagged off Chirk castle as a bit of a con – just a house on a hill, not really a castle. Again he could have sung this, I suppose:
…not another castle by Edward the first, but just another manor house…
Yep, it was a marathon not a snickers.
Talking of which, the FBL points, final table and awards will be out by Sunday morning. As is my traditional claim, I dropped the actual opening song from my predictions moments before posting on here, declaring to someone outside The Bridge End hotel. “Why would they open in Llangollen with a song about Broadstairs?”
15 July 2023
EXXO
What adjective did NIgel use before ‘We Built this village’ when he asked the locals “What’s the XXXX village round here?” Presumably searching for that perfect smug, expensive little village to dedicate the song to?
15 July 2023
dr DEsperate
That adjective was “rival”. I suggested Trevor – which he could also have sung, I suppose. Somebody behind me snorted, possibly in derision.
(Coincidentally, sword dancers traditionally compete for the Trevor Stone Memorial Trophy, named after the writer of the definitive history of longsword dancing, ‘Rattle Up, My Boys’.)
15 July 2023
birst
@Roger Michael from Indignation Meeting here – thanks for namechecking us in your review, yet again! We really wanted to come to the Llangollen gig, it would have been perfect for us – small venue and home to a steam railway – but that distance on a school night was a bit much. WE’ll definitely be at Holmfirth though.
If anyone’s interested, our cover of Arthur’s Farm is up on Youtube. Punky Muzzle did a few Biscuits songs in their set as well. Settle Victoria Hall is a lovely venue, and we reckon it would be perfect for an HMHB gig. It’s just about big enough; the Undertones played there a few weeks ago, and they’ve just booked the Skids.
Joseph Porter agrees with your comment re Blyth Power – ” It’s about time they were on the same bill again” (though we reckon it’s our turn first!). Apparently that one at the Boardwalk was arranged by Neil Dodd, for his 40th. Or maybe 50th. Or possibly 30th. Joseph is pretty confident it was one of those landmark celebrations anyway.
15 July 2023
Irish Niall
@JITSU_G: That’s at least two of us in the venn diagram of HMHB/Maiden fans JITSU_G. I’m in no way authoritive on them mind and had no idea Nicko played on Nice One Cyril. Favourite album is Seventh Son …which possibly has properly informed and discerning Maiden fans rolling their eyes that “that’s the boyband of Iron Maiden albums” or “ah yes, their Phil Collins phase”
🙂
If I ever find the NWOBHM Top Trumps Nigel alluded to the existence of at a Holmfirth gig a few years back you just know Iron Maiden will be the Brazil of the pack.
Seriously though, bucket list band to see for me. Missed them a few weeks ago when they played as nearby as they’re getting (Dublin).
15 July 2023
Jitsu_G
@Irish Niall Seventh Son is in my top 2 Maiden albums. Saw them twice the other week. Still brilliant live.
15 July 2023
Exxo
@Michael. I was really sorry i couldn’t make your Abbey gig in the end. The 1-in-12 gig seems a long way off yet, but we’re really looking forward to that one, with Blyth Power and the Dog on a Rope reunion. Nat from DoaR has recently been posting post-op knee replacement pics on our cricket team’s whatsapp. Yukk!
15 July 2023
birst
@exxo no worries – though the Abbey Inn was a good one, Oicott were great as well. The DOAR reunion is 2nd December, Blyth Power aren’t playing that one though – it will be us, DOAR + one other tbc.
15 July 2023
SLoppy
@JITSU_G / @IRISH NIALL – make that three!
Missed them this time round sadly but cracking band live.
Almost bought a flotation suit off Bruce once, but that’s a story for another day..
16 July 2023
dr DEsperate
Fantastic gig, one of the best so far!
Enjoying pre-gig drinks in The Liberty Tavern, I saw Nigel and Denise strolling past on their way up to visit Plas Newydd, so took the opportunity to nip out and gift them a bottle of ‘In A Suffolk Ditch’ fruit beer – pretty unpleasant stuff actually, but it had to be done. I asked Nigel if there’d be any Welshness involved at the show, but he said that would be far too obvious, thus kiboshing most of my FBB predictions for the night – he might do a bit at Wolvo, just to be awkward.
Not Bishop Brennan arrived just as we’d been talking about him passing out at Stowmarket, and I was eventually able to answer Nigel’s quiz question about The Real Bishop’s first name (Len).
The band were on a promise of a slap-up feed at The Corn Mill courtesy of the Festival, but we were committed to pizza at Fouzi’s, despite it being a Wednesday. There we met The Ladies of Llangollen, looking forward to their first Biscuits gig. One of them was celebrating her birthday (in a non-attention-seeking way), so there was a bit more gifting, this time of a bogus triple-A laminate.
Another band meeting was taking place outside the venue, at which Neil let us know that he’d passed the tunes for three new songs on to Nigel, and was just waiting for the words to be attached.
I quite enjoyed the support poet tbh, especially his COAL NOT DOLE badge and the lifebelt propped up alongside him, possibly there in case less appreciative members of the crowd decided to toss him into the Dee.
Little to add to Roger’s Definitive, except that Nigel’s bat/dog routine during ‘Renfield’s Afoot’ is becoming more elaborate, with plenty of skyward eye-rolling and the dog now on an invisible lead. I felt it wise to remind Nigel to take his jacket off after a couple of songs to avoid hyperthermia, and was later able to inform him that Dinas Brân, the mediaeval Castell overlooking the town, was mentioned in the Mabinogion. We also had a brief discussion during the Wrexham AFC discussion, after I’d shouted for their opponents in next week’s Florida Cup final. “You’re not a Chelsea fan are you?” “No.”
I’m pretty sure Neil’s intro to ‘Awkward Sean’ wasn’t from ‘Ships in the Night’, but what it was from I couldn’t say.
Two JD songs and two excellent covers, especially SOATM, which we later discovered Nigel had intended to sing himself, but didn’t trust himself to reach the high notes at the end of such an extended gig. Cue much brandishing of imaginary swords, flags, barrels and much, much more.
After-match lagers were taken in The Sun, where some of us were displeased to see the poet back on stage, performing some of the same material as at the gig. Some of us went home at a godly hour; some of us stayed for the lock-in and nearly got chucked out after 2am for criticising the entertainment too vociferously.
On to Bristol!
16 July 2023
Biscuit Gigs
The HMHB Data Retrieval System has been updated with the Llangollen setlist and links to all the videos I could find. The whole gig’s there (more or less) from McTavish plus 11 from the angles Lee & Jane, Andy (IB) and Julian Cwalinski were watching from. Many thanks to all of you.
Llangollen video links
I say more or less because although McTavish has Transmission I don’t think it includes Disorder. Can anyone confirm and I’ll find a way to include this as well: Transmission (and?).
Cheers
19 July 2023
No chi(m)ps allowed
After watching the gig back, I can confirm that the intro to Awkward Sean was indeed Ships in the night. Like a square peg in a round hole, like a harp that has no strings, like a sailor who sails no oceans. like a bird that has no(or, lost its) ? wings. Also, I changed my name here to confirm my dual identity. I could be a fried variety or a hairy armed/bare arsed type. BTW Birst, if you get the chance to see the Skids, do so. Saw them recently at the Cavern,Liverpool and they were reet good.
21 July 2023
dr DEsperate
Fair enough, @NCA, apologies for doubting your recall – surprised I didn’t recognise it, even out of context. Nelson’s Wakefieldness would appear to be the final nail in the coffin for my “site-specific intro” theory (now abandoned).
I saw Skids at Rebellion last year and they were indeed reet good, especially Jobson’s dancing backwards, a difficult skill which the pundits never seem to appreciate.
22 July 2023
No chi(m)ps allowed
Ah, Wakefield! Home to Bill Nelson, the gaol, the site of the battle of, and of course, Jane McDonald. And yes, Mr Jobson is extremely energetic on stage. Perhaps he’s on the ‘roids?
22 July 2023
MULDOON LIVES!
More than a Wakefield Trinity then?
22 July 2023
No chi(m)ps allowed
Wakefield Trinity were involved in one of the most remarkable rugby league challenge cup finals in 1968. Later known as the “watersplash final” at Wembley stadium, the day was plagued with tremendous downpours both before and during the match. Leeds won the match 11-10 mainly due to the fact that Don Fox, who had just been named winner of the Lance Todd trophy (man of the match to you and me), missed a last minute conversion, which would have won the game for Wakey. The poor weather and pitch conditions were blamed for the unfortunate miss. The game also featured the only non Englishman on the pitch, a South African named Gert Coetzer, for Trinity, of course.
22 July 2023
Bad loser
‘He’s a poor lad’ in the words of Eddie Waring. Inexplicable miss even with the saturated pitch. Not a nice watch.
22 July 2023
Pirx The Purist
What Eddie actually said was, “Eee, the poor lad!”. Far more sympathetic.
22 July 2023
dr DEsperate
Decide for yourself [8:00 onwards].
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqXTrw1VFBE
22 July 2023
No chi(m)ps allowed
No, not a nice watch at all. However, as stated, Mr rugby league himself, dear Eddie Waring was extremely sympathetic and, indeed, empathetic towards the unfortunate Don. However in 1968 such traits may have been viewed rather differently by some in society, who may have lamented Eddie showing his feminine side to millions on public TV. At the inquest, much was made of the heavy rainfall and the state of the Wembley surface (which I thought coped quite well in the circumstances; a testament to the hard working Wembley groundstaff), however Don’s foot, boot and leg were exonerated of all blame.
23 July 2023
ROGER AS IS ROGER AS WAS
Don was a great player for many years, but that miss is how he is remembered. He only took the kicking duties that day because of the absence of his more prolific points-scoring brother Neil, who was out injured. The story goes that a couple of days later Don, witnessed by Eddie Waring, took a kick at goal from exactly the same distance and angle – wearing carpet slippers – and, of course, was successful. One other, oft forgotten, incident from that game was the award of an Obstruction Try to Leeds’ John Atkinson. These days that would have been judged by a Video Referee. Would a try be awarded? We’ll never know. But that made the difference in the end.
23 July 2023
nige nnto
and U guess in the modern game Don would have had a proper kicking tee rather than a divot in the turf.
23 July 2023
BAD LOSER
I’ve just watched brief highlights of the game. Fox had landed a great kick from near to the touchline early in the game before the downpour.
As for the penalty try: I always considered the rule to be overly demanding in its application. I’ve seen players cleaned out 2 yards from the line but, as they weren’t at the stage of trying to ground the ball, they weren’t given the try. I find the award of one in the 68 final to be absolutely staggering.
24 July 2023
dr DEsperate
Drifting back slightly into HMHB territory, and on the subject of video referees, that toe-to-toe scrap at the Derby/Leeds match in 1975 might have been avoided if a VAR had been there to disallow the penalty given earlier in the match for one of Franny Lee’s trademark dives following a Hunter tackle.
24 July 2023
BOBBY SVARC
We called Franny Lee ‘The Chinaman’….Lee Won Pen
24 July 2023
paul f
My dad had it as “Lee (1 pen)” seeing as, as well as “winning” them, he generally scored them.
24 July 2023
Old tige
Quite brilliant the reenactment of Running Order Squabble Fest / Totnes Bickering Fair in the early comments. You had me fooled at first that there was a real beef. Kudos!
24 July 2023
No chi(m)ps allowed
Franny Lee, Franny Lee, You’re hard, You’re hard. Hard Franny became king of the toilet rolls after quitting football. Not sure if the business was successful or went down the pan!!!
24 July 2023
John Anderson
Actually he cleaned up. The bog roll business earned him far more than he made as a player.
25 July 2023
No chi(m)ps allowed
So he made a pile then? Sorry @John Anderson, couldn’t resist that one.
25 July 2023
MULDOON LIVES!
He definitely wasn’t Rachel Hayhoe.
25 July 2023
John Anderson
Nice one. @No Chi(m)ps Allowed. You’re on a roll.
25 July 2023