O2 Ritz, Manchester gig – Friday 30 January 2026
And we’re back in Manchester! One of the busiest pre-gig chats we’ve ever had, and lots of new folks making a welcome appearance. What did we all think?
And we’re back in Manchester! One of the busiest pre-gig chats we’ve ever had, and lots of new folks making a welcome appearance. What did we all think?
✉ Letters Sent (87)
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(8 months ago by Biscuitgigs)
Hendrix-tattoo
Hearing Falmouth Electrics (above) was worth the admission fee alone.
30 January 2026
Janet from accounts
I wished for Harsh Times in Umberstone Covert in the pre-gig chat and I was justly rewarded.
I enjoyed NB57 never knowing where his capo was supposed to be. It’s happened to me often enough at the front of church, leading to the pianist yelling at me that I’m playing in the wrong key.
30 January 2026
Sylvian's Whippet
Was not expecting Mileage Chart!
Good to meet those of you who put up with me rambling on about fretless bass.
30 January 2026
Dagenham dave
Another great night, my first time at the Ritz, nice place. Quick question, was Jo Brand one of the backing singers? I was a fair way back so can’t be sure.
30 January 2026
Stringy Bob
Let’s have the full setlist please 🙏
30 January 2026
Janet from accounts
Here’s the set list as I noted it… there’s a couple of gaps that I’ve put in square brackets where I didn’t recognise the song or wasn’t quite paying attention…
Walk on – rhinestone cowboy
She’s in Broadstairs
Fuckin’ ‘ell, it’s Fred titmus
Record store day
The light at the end of the tunnel
McCalliog and his hens
Every time a bell rings
Harsh times in umberstone covert
Bob Wilson, anchorman
Rawlplugs of yesteryear
I’m getting buried in the morning
[Something, not sure what? We had the Hugh, Pugh, etc. list of characters from Trumpton and something else?]
Rock and roll is full of bad wools
A song from under the fooorboards (cover of song by Magazine)
Mileage chart
We built this village on a trad arr tune
Midnight mass murder
Falmouth electrics
National shite day
Vatican broadside
Awkward Sean
Possible side effects
[Somethint about my life is comfortable? Feedback?]
Slipper with a biro chorus
The bliss of the hereafter
Trumpton riots
Oblong of dreams
God gave us life
Everything’s aor
***
Roll away the stone (Mott the Hoople cover) with the Iconoclasts back on with the band
Joy division oven gloves
30 January 2026
Sylvian's Whippet
@Janet The two in brackets are ‘Time Flies By (When You’re The Driver Of A Train)’ and ‘Look Dad No Tunes’ (and the ‘Slipper with a biro chorus’ is ‘The Best Things In Life’)
The targets on ‘God Gave Us Life’ were Fiona Bruce, Jimmy Carr, Alan Carr, VAR, “him over there” (NB points at someone in the crowd) and Lionel Blair, but I couldn’t work out who was between Fiona and Jimmy – sounded like “Ian Hanlon”.
Next time I’m going to have to drink less/fewer pints. Had a great spot about four rows from the front, and three songs in my bladder started complaining.
31 January 2026
twistedkitemike
OMFG. If you didn’t attend, get on InstaTube, because someone will put up a video of Falmouth Electrics.
I agree with the setlist which has been arrived at.
I think the second name mentioned in God Gave Us Life was Ian Haslam.
Mike…………
31 January 2026
SB
Ian Haslam BBC North West Tonight.
31 January 2026
Woodnoggin
I was surprised not to hear All I Want for Christmas… It has been a very long time since they omitted that one from the setlist. The trouble is they have too many must-play songs, there’s not much room for rarities, so it was nice to hear Mileage Chart. Falmouth Electrics was fun, as was seeing the Iconoclasts return as backing singers for the encore.
I still wish they’d drop NSD: fine on record, drudgery live.
31 January 2026
No chips allowed
Not much to say ,but bloody marvellous. Great crowd up on the balcony. Thank you to the band, a wonderful, sing a long evening of pure merriment. Long live HMHB.
31 January 2026
dic aberdaron
needed that, cheers lids x
31 January 2026
Gordo
That was a cracking 120 minutes or so. Surely it’s only a few years away from the fanbase being so old that they only playing all seater venues
Somebody mentioned on twitter that they’d be uploading Falmouth Electrics soon but in the meantime here’s the 2 songs I waved my phone at from the balcony – Roll Away The Stone
https://youtu.be/whBFLKLiEjM
and We Built This Village On A Trad Arr Tune
https://youtu.be/V_GHZduUXts
31 January 2026
The shed checker
My days, Falmouth Electrics first ever outing (I think), Mileage Chart back in the squad, great set, great crowd, great night, tickets secured for Oxford.
31 January 2026
Cody Jarrett
Another belting gig, though the rigours of men of a certain age in DPAKs moshing and hollering has rendered me stiff and hoarse this morning.
Nigel sporting specs and beard raised eyebrows, he struggled manfully to keep his guitar in tune, and they clearly had to cut the encore short to allow a club night to commence on time, but otherwise a splendid time was had by all.
I agree that it’s time to retire NSD and Bad Wools, but the appearance of Barry/Gary made this one for the history books.
And let’s big it up for Neil. His booming bass lines truly are the engine of the band.
Roll on the next gig!
31 January 2026
Paul c
@Janet – thanks for identifying a Song from under the Floorboards. I couldn’t quite place it last night. And I haven’t seen them for about 7 years but is two covers still unusual for a gig?
31 January 2026
Paul F
*Paul F
31 January 2026
Paul F
The last post may look odd without the context of the post in limbo.
31 January 2026
The Tutor With The Beard and The Polio
Absolutely fantastic. Best gig I’ve ever been to. Can’t believe I waited all these years. The crowd themselves were wonderful. What a lovely group of people. We had planned to go to a pub afterwards but both realised we were absolutely knackered all at once. Glad I got to say hello to SW and thank Chris in person for this fantastic site. Apologies to the two ladies at the bar in The Salisbury for my impromptu striptease as I tried to extricate myself from my hoodie. I can’t explain the unbridled joy at belting out “Midnight Mass Murder” with everybody else. That was the closest I’ve been to being part of a hive mind. I would have felt the same about “Vatican Broadside” but some poor chap collapsed in front of us as that came on and it seemed it would have been in poor taste to carry on singing. (The kings of hi-vis were very quick to respond and presumably lock him up in some kind of holding pen). If anyone on the balcony heard some obnoxious bastard shout out the answer to NB’s “What’s got three legs and eats fish and chips?” joke before he had a chance to say it, that was me, haha. I’m quite happy to see that the one song I didn’t know was a cover. Also NB’s tuning and Neil’s exasperated “40 years!” Was hilarious.
31 January 2026
Gordo
somebody posted a hand written set list including the one they cut from the encore
https://x.com/LornaSimes/status/2017371798170472795?s=20
31 January 2026
Bill
What a great gig! Last time I saw them in Manc (2022 I think) the atmosphere felt a bit…muted. Last night was anything but. I’m glad they played Broadstairs- it’s my favourite song!
31 January 2026
Janet from accounts
Yeah, the tuning was funny.
“It’s the bottom one.”
“Which bottom one? The thick one or the thin one?”
“40 years…”
31 January 2026
The Tutor With The Beard and The Polio
@Bill. Broadstairs was sublime. I didn’t even realise it was a song I wanted until it came on.
31 January 2026
John Evans
Hearing Fred Titmuss live has made my life complete. Now I’m going to get my hedge cut, and yes who are Slipknot
31 January 2026
Paul f
@Gordo – is that Jack’s Been to the National that was cut?
31 January 2026
Chris The Siteowner
Great gig with stage and audience seemingly both in equally great spirits. I’d seen Dr D denied entrance to a gig before while wearing his ‘King of’ hi viz jacket, but never before seen him yanked out of the audience because of it. Talk about officious. If their worry was that people might home in on him for an altercation with a member of staff, all I can say is that past performance has shown that if there’s a medical emergency, he’s exactly the member of staff you want on hand…
31 January 2026
Persian rug vendor
I don’t think there is anywhere in the world I’d rather have been last night, tremendous gig. What was Karl’s T-shirt about? and what has Fiona Bruce done to incur the wrath of Nigel?
31 January 2026
dr DEsperate
I’d had problems with Hi-Vis denial at the Ritz before, so last night I secreted it in my coat pocket in order to gain entrance, but still had to argue the case for my bogus triple-A laminate emblazoned with the Ritz logo. The lad on the door walkie-talkied his superior who came and allowed it through, but only after he’d taken a picture of it “just in case”.
Once inside the venue I put the jacket on, but was immediately escorted back to the entrance, where an even higher-level Showsec insisted I remove it and leave it in their custody until after the show, when I retrieved it without fuss.
I have to say, at no point did anybody involved (including Neil, who witnessed the whole affair) stop grinning at the absurdity of it all; nor did the words “Do you know who I am?” pass my lips.
31 January 2026
EXXo
The funny thing was, my yellow & black Dukla tracky top made me look far more like what the security were wearing* than your top did, and indeed during all the disgraceful stress around the box office for the poor punters who didn’t have the Toutmaster app, some of them in tears, people kept asking me questions about all that, thinking I was a non-bogus official!
*And then inside the venue, the lovely security – including of course the wonderful water man, rightly receiving endless plaudits from NB – weren’t wearing any hi-vis at all.
31 January 2026
dr DEsperate
Karl’s tee shirt depicted Walter Wegmüller, the Swiss/Romani artist, sculptor, musician, poet, expert of the Tarot and historian of alchemy.
He died at 83 in 2020 of COVID.
I have no idea what Nigel’s problem is with Fiona Bruce, but I do recall her glaring at my sister Fran after she’d dissed her a little too loudly during filming of an episode of Bargain Hunt in Northern Ireland.
(And in answer to Dagenham Dave’s earlier query, the backing singer who joined the Iconoclasts was Nigel’s missus, the lovely Denise.)
31 January 2026
Bobby.... or goggy
Terrific night out – a few fine ales in the Pev, a very enjoyable support set from Iconoclasts and then an absolutely magnificent 2 hours from the band. Especially enjoyed Falmouth Electrics, Look Dad No Tunes and Possible Side Effects whilst my mate was thrilled by the Magazine cover (he knew all the words). As an occasional gig goer I still love hearing NSD live but tend to agree that Bad Wools could take a rest (especially as we missed out on Terminus). Mileage Chart was an unexpected novelty, but it’s not one of my favourites I have to say. Bloody great evening though.
31 January 2026
Oblong of dreams
They were on fine form last night. Up the previously salted crisps!
31 January 2026
Oblong of dreams
They were on fine form. Up the previously salted crisps.
Hearing Possible Side Effects was an absolute treat!
The Shirley Ballas quip was great too.
31 January 2026
Cornish Biscuit
Brilliant gig, again. Nice to see Nigel has incorporated a beard, mime and ventriloquism into his stagecraft. A bonus to meet Exxo, TWTB&TP and fellow Clash enthusiast partner, also Sylvian’s Whippet and young second-timer (sorry, didn’t catch your name, but great guy) and yourself in the Cresta shirt (same, sorry). Great night, see you all next time maybe.
31 January 2026
Old tige
What is there to say? As someone who doesn’t get to attend many gigs, I’m overwhelmed by the camaraderie y’all showed me and the missus. Unforgettable time in the Salisbury before and after. We’re both very grateful to you.
Venue seemed a bit overbooked, but that’s life in the big city. Great to hear Harsh Times, the new tunes, and Mileage Chart.
A lot of Nigel’s banter goes over or around my head, so I was pleased to understand his sarcasm in dedicating Rawlplugs to the fellow who shouted “Nerys Hughes”. One small step for Half Man, one giant leap for breakin’ the USA.
31 January 2026
The Tutor With The Beard and The Polio
@Cornish Biscuit. Lovely to talk to you and your partner too! I realised quite quickly that I didn’t actually catch your name. The second-timer is The banter with so-called Preston. (I’ll let him divulge his real name, if he wishes to do so.)
I loved your idea of Sylvian’s Whippet and myself starting a band.
@SW. I completely understand if “Liquid Greek” HAS to be the band name, but if you’re open to different ones I’d like to venture “Two-headed Sex Beast”, “Barabbas” (“Who do you want!? Barabbas!”), or “Skinny Monkey”.
31 January 2026
Old tige
And great to see the joggers out moshing.
31 January 2026
Sylvian's Whippet
@Tutor Those could be the first three tracks on our EP.
31 January 2026
The Tutor With The Beard and The Polio
@SW. Fair dos. Good compromise, haha.
31 January 2026
over the fender
Won’t have a better night this year. Shout out to the person about 6 rows back with the hen mask on during McCalliog.
31 January 2026
Oblong of dreams
My mind has gone blank. What was the punchline to the fish and chips joke?
31 January 2026
Paul f
Ivy and Don Brennan.
31 January 2026
Cream Cheese and Chives
Always disappointed to miss a gig, but cocooned in Ambleside on an annual lads’ trip , it’s a pleasure to read of another fantastic night. All that remains is to discover my pitiful Biscuitball score and I can start to think about London. I am delighted that Falmouth Electrics made its debut and thanks to whoever put it up on YouTube.
1 February 2026
Alan
I’m taking credit for Song From Under The Floorboards, even if I don’t deserve it.
I was chatting to Nigel at Paddy’s The Fall book launch in Preston and it was played by the DJ. I said you do this one and he said it works as he doesn’t have to play the guitar and it suits his low voice.
Now if Neil is reading, for a Leeds-linked song for August do a version of Getting Nowhere Fast – The Wedding Present covering Girls at Our Best!
1 February 2026
EXXo
Over the years, I am fairly sure, and have said on here more than once, but with only memories not stats, that they have played ‘Song from under the Floorboards’ more than any other cover, although over the past 15-20 years have done ‘Shot by both Sides’ more. Definitely Magazine more than any other band. I was nearly wearing my ‘Correct use of Soap’ t-shirt,but went for John Peel Centre instead, putting the Magazine one on back at the van to replace the sweat-drenched one. I guess prediction-wise it would have looked even more fishy if I’d been wearing the t-shirt.
1 February 2026
Alan
Oblong of Dreams: Don and Ivy Brennan
1 February 2026
ALEX
I thought I’d taken a setlist lead over my wife until I saw that Neil had written a note on it for her. If she forgets to mention next time we spot you in the SA, or on a pre-gig walkabout, she really appreciated it. Great stuff.
The list made it look like a toss-up between 24HGP and A Song From Under The Floorboards. The Magazine covers are amongst their finest so we can wait for 24HGP to make, what is now, a rare appearance. Hopefully not long though.
Great to see Iconoclasts on a big stage. I thought Karl was going to double up on the night but his stand-in could play a bit too.
Great gig (of course). The introduction of Gary, I mean Barry, was a highlight.
1 February 2026
Oblong of dreams
Thanks Alan and Paul F. Really felt like one to remember for the ages this weekend.
1 February 2026
Ron Plasma
A more perfect gig I cannot imagine. I’ll add my thanks to “water man” who not only got some to my ailing partner six rows back, but then helped get her through the velvet rope after she nearly fainted. (She’s fine.) I laughed at the three legs joke, but that was a brave move by NB. Know your audience. It could have easily fallen on Stony Ground as it were
1 February 2026
POP-TART MARK
He should know his audience, because he probably told the same joke at the same venue seven or eight years ago. That’s showbiz.
I liked the way he checked in Wolverhampton how many of us were in from Glasgow, when he repeated a joke from that gig, then did it anyway.
1 February 2026
Hendrix-tattoo
Hear, hear Wagga. Hear,hear…
1 February 2026
EXXO
Family Favourites
All HMHB gigs have the feeling of a big sporting occasion, and Friday’s glorious evening in Manchester even more than most. The pre-match nerves are mainly about the timing, as we tend to hit the motorway at the wrong time after Claire finishes work. We have previously missed entire evening matches because of accidents on the M62, hence the jitters. We curse the clotted Pennine fog, and the clogged Manchester traffic, have too little time in the packed Salisbury to even get served, as there are thirty plus scrimmaging hopefully towards the bar, so too little chance to put names to some of the faces in town for the big event. Apologies especially to ‘The Tutor’ – you have been a breath of fresh air on this site, and I’m gutted we don’t get to meet, this time. And no time for a decent conversation with our North American or Cornish contingents, but at least we put faces to names – and are especially gladdened when both those parties join the mosh at the front, later on.
No chance of getting served within half an hour in the Salisbury, so we pop to the Briton’s Protection to meet another mate, and are served instantly – Old Peculier – but then someone there tells Claire about the black cherry porter in the Salisbury, so back we go – suddenly she doesn’t mind how long she has to wait to be served in the busier pub, and there we have the pleasure of conversation with the least affected man in all The Weald (Sylvian’s Whippet).
The pre-gig vibes are somewhat dampened by the stress at the box office for those struggling to locate old emails that told them they supposedly needed to download the Toutmaster App. Much stress and a not a few tears for several individuals and couples. It’s like having to comfort the innocent victims of random pre-match thuggery, on the way into the stadium. I hope they all get sorted, but with only one member of staff to help them (and she really was trying to help, but it was all taking an awfully long time), I bet some of them will miss the start of the HMHB set.
Inside, though, the atmosphere builds nicely. Nods, pats on the back and embraces for old faces, according to what is appropriate, or how much has been consumed. Discussion of the great set we have just missed, alas, from the brilliant (but don’t say “iconic”) Iconoclasts. There is so-called banter between Manc and Merseyside football allegiances, and set list hopes and predictions of the walk-on music. And there it is, 8.29 on the dot, Rhinestone Cowboy blasts out and we sing along en masse. It’s an important song in my own family history, and one I always belt out with emotion [come Sunday, Claire has started to complain that of all the songs I could have as an earworm after the gig, it’s this one I keep busting into as I’m helping her with her DIY]. It feels like the whole auditorium keeps on singing this family favourite*, when Glen Campbell has faded and until the band seem completely ready, Nigel pointing the microphone at us, all of us. It’s going to be a really great night. “You alright for bags?” asks the bard.
I won’t continue my narrative through the entire setlist – writing about music is like dancing about artichokes, agreed. So I’ll just throw in some plaudits now for the general perfection of Carl, Karl and Neil. But of course the most unforgettable highlight, for those who’ve been to a few HMHB gigs, has to be ‘Falmouth Electrics.’ As Nigel fumbles in the carrier bag that usually just has stuff like capo, crisps and solpadeine, Karl starts picking the ‘Farmer Bell’ tune from Camberwick Green, and a frisson of whispered “Falmouths” came over the auditorium – it must be his Redruthian nemesis in the bag – and YEES – it happened. I’m sure you’ve seen it on someone’s Youtube – I daren’t re-watch it myself, yet, as if it would break the magic. I feel like every nuance of this brilliant performance is etched on my grey matter anyway: the sheer manic energy of Nigel’s increasingly demented relationship with the dummy, the lines which were more throwaway, the way Nigel & Neil hadn’t quite decided how/who was going to do “I get all the girls,” the point when the audience joined in and sang along in celebration. The cheer like no other Biscuit performance has ever received. It kind of made me wish I’d been hearing the track for the first time in that moment. Were any of you with someone who was? And did anyone catch what he said afterwards about lashing it on the fire and there being no body? Something about “the perfect crime”? Maybe Roger caught it. Wait a minute – it’ll be on that video!
Nigel has said in the past that he wasn’t the class clown at school like people might think, he just sat next to the class clown and remembered some of the jokes and learned how people are funny, and has carried on picking up bits and pieces like that ever since, it seems, learning from all kinds of performers, programmes, films, etc, over a lifetime. Falmouth Electrics owes a lot to several such influences. There is no doubt he could be a stand-up if he wanted, but of course would not want. It was a performance that summed up Nigel the performer who doesn’t know how brilliant he is, claims he doesn’t really enjoy it, and doesn’t particularly want to do it in the end. Just like the performer in ‘Falmouth Electrics,’ only immensely successful too. National treasure, etc, etc.
This was a truly cracking atmosphere. As we were ushered out after the encores, Birkenhead punk scene legend Hocky, who always has a grin on his face, was beaming more cherubically than ever and reckoned he’d wandered the auditorium throughout the gig and thought it was the best atmosphere, in terms of the warmth of audience-band relationship, that he’s ever felt at a HMHB gig. Like a family, he rightly said.
But a family that keeps chickens, of course. What I admire most about the fella that has worn a “Devon CID Admin” chicken suit at the last two gigs is that he just stays at the back, not wishing to outshine the band with his photogenic presence. And tonight, even his mate with the ‘Achtung Bono’ leather jacket, who normally moshes energetically, was content to lurk enigmatically out of the limelight in a chicken mask, perhaps gleaning info on local villains. By the way, after Neil’s chicken noises at the end of ‘McCallog,’ I have sworn to chant “Neil Crossley is a clucking genius” on every occasion until someone else finally joins in. One day, maybe. But at least Neil gave us a bow this time.
It took quite a frustrating while for any sort of mosh to develop without ‘Achtung’ and his ilk, though, and it only really took off at ‘Trumpton,’ with just a handful of songs remaining. Chapeau doffed to the Cornish contingent, amongst others, for their contribution to this vital folk tradition¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬. And what I was really impressed by was the number of relative youngsters in the modestly-sized melee, more probably than since Cambridge ’24 or Notts ’22. There was a kind of family feel here too, as some moshers had that dads-with-lads vibe about them, but I may be wrong there, could have just been the age mix in that vicinity. Claire went to the loo half-way and couldn’t get back to the front. Said it was the most packed she’s known an HMHB venue in that respect, but reckoned she saw plenty of the younger generations there at the back, too.
Especially impressive, by the way, that the moshy movement did not abate during the sublime ‘Oblong of Dreams,’ which previously has attracted just ecstatic swaying. Were there a crew of my fellow Wirralians in, one wonders, who could not keep their proud feet in one place during the perambulant local anthem? If so, may all their Clwydian clouds stay parted forever.
The mosh always brings extra energy to the end of the gig, not just in the audience but on the stage. Nigel tells the stage manager “five minutes,” gets the nod, and introduces the Iconoclasts (plus Denise) as “The Biscuitettes” for a storming cover of Roll away the Stone that suits his voice just brilliantly. The Biscuitettes just had one mic between the five of them, but it seemed to suit their dulcet tones too, and fantastic to see Denise onstage there, getting her plaudits as honorary head of the Biscuit family. Then into the fastest-paced-ever version of ‘JDOG’ to wrap things up. As long as it began before those “5 minutes” were up, the plug would not be pulled by the evil corporation, and we all head out happy as Larry, beaming like Hocky, until the next gathering of the family (not that I’d go to that London meself these days – not even to see family).
*********************************
*We got a request of Rhinestone Cowboy played for my dad on Radio Two’s Family Favourites in 1976, when he was working overseas. He had sung it on stage at the redundancy do, after the lay-off which had forced him abroad, with amended words having a swipe at the employer of course.
1 February 2026
Scott Howie
Saw them Aberdeen ‘86, The Bush ‘12 and Friday in Manc. My wife was side-eying twice each song because she’d recognise a line that I’d used the past 30 years, she thought I had come up with but was actually a HMHB lyric.
1 February 2026
ROGER AS IS ROGER AS WAS
The review from the hmhb.co.uk website, with thanks to Gez.
Roger Green:
HMHB – O2 Academy Manchester, Friday 30 January 2026
Karen drew my attention to a site showing a list of dates when John Peel played HMHB tracks. There must have been some rigorous work involved there, so nothing but total respect for whoever put it together. I can remember the very first song I heard by the band was God Gave Us Life, but I really can’t recall the exact date. Could have been any of the occasions between October and December 1985. I’m fairly sure I had Back In The DHSS in my possession by the turn of the year. There are a few gaps. 1994? I think that was when the folk in charge of Radio One shoved the programme out into the wee small hours. Have a look and see when you first caught the bug: Half Man Half Biscuit: Show Appearances (Excluding Sessions) | John Peel Wiki | Fandom.
I think we sometimes overdo it when looking for HMHB references or links on TV or the radio. But you can see full well where Nigel still draws influence for the songs. One rainy afternoon we were watching the telly. Within half an hour we saw appearances by Nerys Hughes, Jenny Éclair and Gok Wan. And we noticed a couple which were back-to-back in the car on a Sunday morning supermarket outing. We own up. We were listening to one of those golden oldie stations. The Free Electric Band by Albert Hammond (“there’s an Albert Hammond bootleg in the house” etc) followed a track by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (“…I’d be Stephen Stills”).
There’s a few more shows coming up this year. London (Friday 17 April), Nottingham (Friday 29 May), Leeds (Friday 14 August) and Oxford (Friday 23 October). Hope you can work out how to order tickets. Apps? I ain’t got a clue. The house IT manager continues to save the day, but there is a tipping point somewhere or other. A comment on Chris’s site got it about right… “Technology-ed out of seeing our favourite band”.
Speaking of which, modern technology* enabled us to watch and listen to a gig by Karl’s other band, The Band-Its live from Earlestown. We were ligged in bed and I didn’t have a notebook, so I didn’t write down the songs. But it was all their usual set including the likes of Holidays In Cambodia, Babylon’s Burning, Eton Rifles, My Perfect Cousin, Swords Of A Thousand Men and California Uber Alles. (*There is more on modern technology coming up.)
On the subject of bands linked to HMHB, Bite Back have supported them in the past and are from the same part of the world. Their album Dance Of Death got a favourable review (8 out of 10) in Vive Le Rock. Should be in the shops by now. Talking of shops, I’ve made a note to visit Knock Off Nigel’s, a new bargain shop which has opened in Barnsley. You never know who is behind such a venture. And the writers of Vive Le Rock chose to omit All Asimov And No Fresh Air from their list of Top 50 Albums of 2025. It’s not the first time, and I dare say it won’t be the last. And Transit Full Of Keith also noticed Asimov’s absence from The Guardian’s Best Of 2025 list. I noticed Exxo’s comment on Chris’s site regarding folk not reviewing the album as a result of not receiving a free copy.
The Leeds based shop Jumbo Records issued their annual booklet detailing their Top 50 albums of 2025. Their staff are a wise bunch. All Asimov And No Fresh Air hit the chart at Number 32. “From the masters of deadpan indie satire, thirteen sharply observed tales of everyday absurdity.”
We listened to Dandelion Radio’s Festive Fifty, which follows on from what John Peel used to present around Christmas. Readers send in their votes for their favourite tracks of the year. These are then formed into a chart. Jack’s Been To The National was at Number 15. Horror Clowns Are Dickheads was at 7. And Falmouth Electrics reached Number 3. Of the other acts in the 2025 chart, only Billy Bragg, House Of All (from the remnants of The Fall) and Pulp can match HMHB for longevity.
On Christmas Day we went for our usual excellent curry at the Tulsi restaurant in Pontefract. This was washed down with a couple of equally excellent cans of It’s Cliched To Be Cynical At Christmas beer, out of the Verdant brewery. Santa was kind enough to deliver a book, being a collection of issues One to Seven of Flexipop, which took me to way back when. There were features on The Jam, The Specials, Banshees etc. etc.. Your mother should know about Flexipop and will tell you all about it.
When it came round to tonight’s gig, Lorna staked her usual claim for the Travelled Furthest award. Having flown in from New Hampshire, the day before the gig, she noted her schedule…” I’m in London tonight, train to Manchester tomorrow, gig tomorrow night, back to London Saturday, and, snow willing, back over the water Sunday!” However other travellers from The United States might just have toppled her.
Karen and I let the train take the strain for our journey. Fitzwilliam to Leeds, then Leeds to Oxford Road. We had a hefty lunch at Turtle Bay before checking in at the nearby Premier Inn. In good time for the day’s edition of Countdown. Not much to report in the paper review. The day’s Manchester Evening News was all Guardiola and Carrick and Maguire and Burnham, rather than Henry and Benson and Blackwell and Crossley.
It was a relatively short walk to the venue. Karen and I strode out with Lorna, Tony, Andrew and Phil to join the lengthy queue outside the gig. We saw John and Kim, and Ian and Izzy from my locality. Tony had a spare e-ticket which he successfully offloaded. Or did he? There was a great problem with barcodes. Not sure why. There was a considerable delay with people not getting their documentation blipped, resulting in an angry mob forming at the box office. We had been nearly at the front of the queue but saw people streaming past us, having been successfully read by the technology. All very traumatic. There had been a lot of folk on Chris’s site asking for spare tickets. I hope they were all able to get past the system.
Once inside, Brian reported difficulties on his journey. A fire at Primrose Hill had led to diversions and delays and train replacement buses. He talked to us about Herb Alpert, and predicted 10cc for the cover version. Folk were gathering round at the front. Nigel and Jo, Katherine and Karl, Sue, Steve A, Mike and Chris. All ticked off on the register. And in addition to Lorna, there were other attendees who had flown across the pond. Bill and Carla from Texas, and Sean and Heather from Virginia. Well, that’s what I was told. Nick and Cath Aubergine had a shorter journey, having walked from home.
I understand the need for security at these events, but sometimes it goes a little over the top. John had to remove his King Of Hi Vis jacket and collect it at the end of the night. I’m sure we all felt that bit safer because of that. The irony being that, in a health emergency, John would be of more assistance than most people. So, it would help if you could pick him out in the crowd. But, ho hum, we move on.
The support band was The Iconoclasts (“We are menopausal/post-menopausal. We are even angrier than we were before.”). I’m not an expert on the Wirral music scene, but I believe that Karl usually plays with them when he is not on HMHB duty. And I also recognised Mandy, who plays bass with The Band-Its. Ta to Mandy for their set list, by the way. I tried to work out all the names of the people in the band. I think I’ve got Mandy, Amanda, Sarah, Dib and Al (who was subbing for Karl), but I may be wrong. That’s my usual sparkling journalistic style.
Their set list read as follows:
I Want You
Diablo
Punchline
Hazy
Halfway
Sewer – Livin’ Easy
One Life
Turn (“This one has some swearing in it.”)
HMHB do have some damn fine support acts. Please can we have The Iconoclasts again some time?
In the interval between bands, I heard Billy Bragg’s original version of New England. And a few other folk showed their faces – Niall, Lou, Postman Tony, Drew, Exxo and Mrs Exxo. (Exxo, I’m with you all the way with your comments on the scenes at the Box Office. It should run better than this, particularly at such a corporate venue and in consideration of the extortionate fees they charge.) Mo said Hello, just before HMHB hit the stage, and during their set, I exchanged waves with Julie.
The Walk On music was Glenn Campbell’s Rhinestone Cowboy. That generated a good ol’ singalong in the hall, while the band were plugging their gear in, ready for the get-go. “You all right for bags?” was Nigel’s opening line. Karl had a Walter Wegmuller t-shirt. That was a new name to me, being a Swiss painter and recording artist. Carl was barely visible, tucked right at the back of the stage. Nigel explained about not going to The Briton’s Protection, instead opting for The Flying Horse. His first celebrity spot of the evening was Stella Rigby. From Corrie?
Nigel suggested that “someone within ten yards of everyone here has just mentioned the sprung dance floor”. “Is anyone in from Atherton?” he asked. He engaged in conversation with the guy who kept walking back and forth along the moat in front of the stage, handing out plastic glasses of water. “Keep going. I’m tuning up.” Nigel was wondering which string needed to be tuned “Is that the thick one?”. “Forty years,” said Neil, wearily.
Nigel was wearing glasses at this show. He was asked where he got them from. “The optician, they’ve got loads,” was the reply. He said the glasses were coming loose, and that he needed to take them back in to be tightened up. Now, if anything, they were a bit too tight. Rock and Roll, eh?
I get used to not hearing Nigel correctly, but he seemed to say that McCalliog And His Hens was for anyone who has ever been to Magdeburg. Hats off to the person halfway back who had a hen mask which he/she/they wore during the song. Every day is a school day. Nigel noted that Hanging On The Telephone by Blondie is actually a cover version. The original recording was from only two years before by a band called The Nerves. A shouted request for “Nerys Hughes” was met with the response: “That’s one of ours. Off the first album.” Nigel continued with “This is for you, sir,” before playing Rawlplugs Of Yesteryear.
“This is about being on Death Row” was the introduction to I’m Getting Buried In The Morning. And Awkward Sean was preceded by a customary poetic piece from Neil. Nigel made reference to the 1976 gig by The Sex Pistols, where it is said that everyone in attendance was said to have gone on to form a band. “Gerald Sinstadt was at that gig,” he claimed.
We were astounded by Shackleton’s journey from Elephant Island, and with the fact that Eleanor Moritz and Judith Moritz (from North West TV) are not related to each other. Falmouth Electrics featured an onstage appearance by Bobby (AKA Goggy). There was a joke for any young ones in the crowd. “What’s got three legs and eats fish and chips? Don and Ivy Brennan.”
Asked what flavour crisps he was snacking on between songs, Nigel said they were ready salted but mused whether they should actually be called “Already salted” or “Previously salted”. Shirley Ballas was spotted in the crowd. “Did you sort that out?” asked Nigel. “Did you use concrete or quick lime? He’s not going to bury himself.” Nigel announced a happy 60th birthday to Diana. God Gave Us Life mentioned Fiona Bruce, Ian Haslam, Jimmy Carr, Alan Carr, VAR, him over there and Lionel Blair. The rendition of Midnight Mass Murder nearly took the roof off.
The encore included a version of Mott The Hoople’s Roll Away The Stone. With backing vocals by The Biscuitettes, being the membership of The Iconoclasts together with Denise. Nigel’s line at the end of the gig was “Have a good weekend, weatherwise or otherwise.”
The songs played were:
She’s In Broadstairs
Fuckin’ ‘Ell It’s Fred Titmus
Record Store Day
The Light At The End Of The Tunnel Is The Light Of An Oncoming Train
McCalliog And His Hens
Every Time A Bell Rings
Harsh Times In Umberstone Covert
Bob Wilson Anchor Man
Rawlplugs Of Yesteryear
I’m Getting Buried In The Morning
Time Flies By When You’re A Driver Of A Train
Rock ‘n’ Roll Is Full Of Bad Wools
A Song From Under The Floorboards
Mileage Chart
We Built This Village On A Trad Arr Tune
Midnight Mass Murder
Falmouth Electrics
National Shite Day
Vatican Broadside
Awkward Sean
Possible Side Effects
Look Dad No Tunes
The Best Things In Life (Slipper bit)
Bliss Of The Hereafter
The Trumpton Riots
Oblong Of Dreams
God Gave Us Life
Everything’s AOR
And in the encore…
Roll Away The Stone
Joy Division Oven Gloves
Just two in the encore. They were probably keeping one eye on the clock, which may explain the exclusion of “Jack”, which appeared on the setlist (Thanks Karl). Everything else matched perfectly. And of course there was no Dukla Prague. After all these years, with an increasing collection of songs, has that one finally fallen out of favour?
On the way out I had a brief chat with yet another fan from The States, sorry I didn’t catch your name. We also saw Huddersfield Graham, Hocky from Bite Back, Graham Le Taxi, Wayne and Andy, who had been observing from the balcony. A few of us headed back to the bar at The Premier Inn with Daisy and Gilly. Tony was buying. All the better.
1 February 2026
The Tutor With The Beard and The Polio
@Exxo. I am truly honoured, sir. I’m also gutted I didn’t get to meet you as I was sure it was going to happen. As I said to Cornish Biscuit on the night, I am not a natural gig goer (not like Mrs Tutor) and I was incredibly nervous beforehand and was very close to doing my usual of chickening out of any social interaction. I’d explained to her that if we go to this pub, people MAY come up and refer to me as “The Tutor” and that people may call her “Mrs Tutor”. The absurdity of this hit me as I explained it and I could see the look mild incredulity on her face. She asked several times what we were doing and I would reply that I didn’t know. I was happy/scared enough to just have a drink somewhere and then go to the gig. We left the hotel and bless her she said “I want to go to The Salisbury.” and made the decision for us. I’m so glad she did, because as I sipped my first pint I heard “Wait a minute!? Bald? Check. Short? Check. King Kong Company tee shirt? I’m sure that was what he said.” This was of course the wonderful Sylvian’s Whippet, who asked me the question I’d hoped to hear and instantly made me feel a lot more at home.
After rugby tackling CTSO outside and being introduced to Dr D and Irish Niall, I felt sure I was about to be rugby tackled by you. When this didn’t happen I was sure we would bump into each other at the gig.
We really should have gone back to the pub after the gig, but I have not spent nearly two hours constantly singing and dancing in my entire life and coupled with traipsing around Manchester since twelve, we both realised we were spent. I hobbled back to the hotel like Steptoe.
The upside of this is that Mrs Tutor has agreed to further gigs as long as I play the part of Bladderwrack Allowance and attend a gig she wants to go to. I have begrudgingly accepted because HMHB are worth it. As are the fans. Also I’d like to say I’ve had many, many nicknames over the years but “Tutes” is my favourite.
1 February 2026
Hendrix-tattoo
(Shalalala push push)
(Shalalala push push)
1 February 2026
Cornish Biscuit
Excellent HMHB contract you’ve made there, Tutes, with Mrs Tutes. Love finds a way. Hope to see you both at Nottingham or Leeds (our next ones). And SW too, and …Preston. And everyone!
I think Old Tige came over from Texas, if you are the delightful chap in the Jim Reeves t-shirt I met at the Salisbury bar. No need for HMHB to break America, America is coming to them. A big part of enjoying these gigs are the messages pre- and post gig, and hearing new voices joining the chorus. Especially liked Exxo’s last post with the Rhinestone Cowboy backstory. But all of ’em warm me up on a cold winter evening.
1 February 2026
JED THE HUMANOID
Second gig for me after Wolverhampton having entered the fray on hearing Polymath some 4/5 months back on 6music. I’ve been busy working backwards on the albums and have now done justice to the last six so I was better prepared for the set last night having also listened to most of the previous regular most played live tracks from what I’ve gleaned from this site.
I can’t describe the joy therefore of hearing She’s in Broadstairs for the first time. What a live track the only thing that could have improved it would have been a mosh pit on a sprung dance floor.
Rhinestone Cowboy was a bonus although unlike Exxo my memory always goes back to Billy Connolly’s version.
The only downer is not being able to talk about the experience to unenlightened friends and family. I thought this might be remedied on meeting up with my son yesterday before the match but selfishly all he wanted to talk about was proposing to his partner.
1 February 2026
Chris The Siteowner
‘Dukla Prague Away Kit’ has unsurprisingly been in the top 5 most played songs this century. It was last omitted from the set was Bilston in 2018; they’ve played it in every one of the 50 gigs since (until Friday night of course). Before Bilston they’d played it for 42 consecutive gigs.
But back in 2009 they only played it in 2 out of 8 gigs, and they went a year without playing it in 2006.
I assume the omission was to mark the debut of my new DPAK top, from the resurrected TOFFS.
1 February 2026
Sylvian's Whippet
Finally made it back to the Weald earlier today after a curry night yesterday with my mum and stepdad. What a night.
It was great to meet @Banter With So-Called Preston, Mr and Mrs @Cornish Biscuit, Mr and Mrs @Tutor (my favourite moment of the whole evening outside the gig was having a conversation with CB along the lines of “I wonder if Tutor is in this pub?”, and immediately looking round, just as I remembered Tutes had posted “Hopefully there won’t be too many short, bald men in King Kong Company tee shirts”, to see a short, bald man in a King Kong Company tee shirt). Also @Exxo and Claire (cheers for the joint effort in getting me a pint), @CtSO, @Old Tige, @Dr Desperate, and the guy who was hanging around the venue who bought my spare ticket at the very last second, meaning I could visit the merch stand and fill in two of the four remaining gaps in my CD collection.
As for the gig itself, I don’t have much to add to others’ write-ups, just that as a first timer it was everything I was hoping for and more.
1 February 2026
Janet From accounts
Judging by everyone’s reviews, it sounds like I picked a blinder for my first outing to see the band. I’ll have to make an effort to see them again, and maybe meet some of you folk as well.
1 February 2026
Woodnoggin
I’ve read lots of comments about app problems making it difficult to access tickets. It’s all slightly surprising to me as I’ve never downloaded a ticket app for any gig yet. It certainly wasn’t needed for Manchester on Friday. My tickets were available by logging into the Ticketmaster website. Try that next time if you’re app averse.
1 February 2026
Ben w
Having seen them two or three times a year since my first gig (also at the Ritz) in 2014, I echo the comments above about the atmosphere. I was further back than usual but I think it was the best of any HMHB show I’ve been to, proper feelgood stuff. Obviously the set was fantastic, and didn’t miss Dukla Prague (or Renfield’s Afoot) at all.
1 February 2026
Irish Niall
Briefest of commentaries as I’ve only my phone for now. Loving the rich, vivid reconstructions of a super night.
Lovely to meet everybody, particularly the trans Atlantic contingent who hopefully were not too aware they were witnessing me put away a volume of Newcastle not beheld since the hitchers were on active service. Christ I’m still not right after it.
Some gig though! Proper.
1 February 2026
Oblong of dreams
@Ben W I’m compensating for the lack of Renfield by going for a walk in Royden Park in a few weeks. Not ranger led though.
2 February 2026
Johnny kwango
Re #44: “I get used to not hearing Nigel correctly, but he seemed to say that McCalliog And His Hens was for anyone who has ever been to Magdeburg.”
… hearing just fine and only missing the final word: “unintentionally”.
2 February 2026
The Tutor With The Beard and The Polio
At one point during the gig NB spoke of resembling other bespectacled men. The second name was Jaap Stam. Can anyone remember the first? I made a point of remembering it and then completely forgot.
2 February 2026
Chris The Siteowner
Philippe Clement, Belgian football manager, currently on sabbatical from the beautiful game as an employee of N*rwich C*ty. Mentioned because (as with Jaap Stam in the past), NB10 has presumably been told he’s a dead ringer for the guy – nowt to do with the glasses.
2 February 2026
D list paul ross
I once collared the unfortunate Mrs Blackwell at the Duchess in Leeds and among my burbling hero-worship also mentioned Jaap Stam, whereupon, like a good News of the World journo, she made her excuses and left, so it was old hat in the late nineties. I was almost certainly pissed and boring, she’s lucky I never got on to Johnny Cash.
2 February 2026
Paul f
If you have a phone with a “wallet” function, that’s a better bet for tickets as it doesn’t rely on wi-fi or mobile internet. Just download the ticket to your wallet and you’ll be fine. That’s what I did on Friday and it scanned straightaway.
2 February 2026
EXXO
@D-LPR
That might have been the same night at the Duchess I wanted to give Nigel an old Tranmere programme, and he said he’d already got that one thanks, and Denise wrote in biro, in a speech bubble across a picture of Harold Wilson in the programme:
“I decree that all Nigels born in 1963 should become accountants.”
(we had been discussing the social aspects of the name and that it wasn’t the greatest name in the world, but that we were by now getting used to it).
Think it was ’97 or ’98, probably the latter because I associate memories of someone I was there with, with the ’98 World Cup.
2 February 2026
Janet from accounts
@Paul F #64 – ditto regarding putting your ticket in your phone’s wallet. I’d been reading the horror stories on here about tickets not arriving in the academy app, but mine was just fine sat in the wallet and I got in no bother.
2 February 2026
D list paul ross
@Exxo I know without checking that they played DoY on 22 May 1998, as that was the day I first declared my love for my (still) wife, there being no hot-air balloon available. Turns out she was Bladderwrack Allowance Catfishing, as she has refused to see them again since. Stam signed for Man Utd in April 1998 so that date seems quite likely. Setlist FM tells me 4 November 1999 is also a possibility. The cover that night? A Song From Under the Floorboards…
2 February 2026
Bobby... or goggy
I’ll defer to those of you who go to more gigs than I do, but is Rhinestone Cowboy a popular walk-on choice across the musical community? I only ask because Sea Power came on to it during their second set at Krankenhaus last year as well.
Love reading all the reviews on here by the way – I rarely post but do appreciate everyone else’s efforts.
2 February 2026
Chris The Siteowner
LIVE: Half Man Half Biscuit – O2 Ritz, Manchester, 30/01/2026 from God is in the TV fanzine.
3 February 2026
BiscuitGigs
I’ve updated the HMHB Data Retrieval System with Friday’s setlist and added links to the six videos I’ve found. Hopefully more will appear – I’ll keep an eye out. We don’t have a Mileage Chart yet so one of that would be nice.
3 February 2026
WOBS
People have probably seen this, but….
Rumours of a book, and a certain journalist outside the Ritz on Friday:
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1702275257872903&set=pb.100042713350384.-2207520000
(Yep, thanks – discussion and a note from the man himself here – CtSO)
4 February 2026
Johnny kwango
A brief Q & A.
Q: How many times has a smartphone I am filming a live performance video on reported “out of storage space” and promptly stopped recording?
A: None. It’s never happened before.
Q: How many times have HMHB played Falmouth Electrics live?
A: None. It’s never happened before.
You can guess the rest.
I do however have half a dozen other videos which I will upload shortly including @Biscuitgigs Mileage Chart.
5 February 2026
Johnny Kwango
As per immediately previous post, some full song videos from Friday along with one three-quarter song video (see aforementioned previous post) and one of Nigel’s introductory speeches (prior to BWA).
Midnight Mass Murder
https://youtu.be/p6ArR4zs9_U?si=kSACkjhlSmSdM750
Mileage Chart
https://youtu.be/rtR_u1NTw94?si=RrRlbf6jrQqcplY8
Song From Under The Floorboards
https://youtu.be/srrJBTMuAxQ?si=nuin5uGNwD5lFKP2
Rock And Roll Is Full Of Bad Wools
https://youtu.be/J7-eO6NYtQw?si=xrC38BK2wBDNbAUN
Rawlplugs Of Yesteryear
https://youtu.be/noSUZA1l0X0?si=7sZn5a5H6_GbLlK0
The Light At The End Of The Tunnel
https://youtu.be/Wce-ruZ39k8?si=HpzfhIxB86KXcANg
Falmouth Electrics (END MISSING
https://youtu.be/L9gYnsbMzo0?si=74jTgEhwKc2GQD2w
Nigel’s “Astounding Moments In Life”
https://youtu.be/VlcG5NfMA1A?si=5Nq0etrg60oMTN9O
Any issues/questions etc. please do let me know.
5 February 2026
dr DEsperate
I don’t suppose anyone identified (or even recorded) Neil’s brief a cappella intro to ‘Awkward Sean’ on Friday? I’ve been trying to compile a list of them all, but this one airshipped me.
5 February 2026
Paul F
Google’s AI has unsurprisingly now concluded that Gerald Sinstadt was indeed at the Lesser Free Trade Hall.
5 February 2026
BROADSHEET acceptable
John, I recorded Neil’s a capella intro, goes thus: “Clocks are like people/Clocks are like me and you/Each has its own personality”
He gets ‘me’ and ‘you’ the wrong way round but this is of course the theme tune for Mr Platt, the clockmaker from… Trumpton.
5 February 2026
dr DEsperate
Brilliant, @BA, thanks!
I heard Mr Platt passed away recently, leaving a collection of over 200 clocks and timepieces. His solicitor says it may take several months to wind up his estate.
5 February 2026
eric t'viking
Despite it being not that far down the track for me, I am now regretting that I didn’t make more of an effort and go to this gig – it sounds like it was one of the best from all the excellent reviews. And thanks to all those people who’ve recorded and shared their clips, with a special commendation to Phil from Portsmouth – his capturing of the crowd in ‘Roll away the stone’ really makes you feel you’re in there with them (you all)..!
5 February 2026
Johnny kwango
Further to posts #82 and #83 I contacted the family of the late Freddie Phillips who let me know (very promptly and politely) that all his Trumptonshire songs (and instrumental versions) can be found here:
https://freddiephillips1.bandcamp.com/
Enjoy.
6 February 2026
Sean the colonist
Back in the Old Dominion after a cold, wet and glorious stay in the north and Scotland. My third gig and IMO the best of the three. Big bonus for “Harsh Times”, which still chokes me up. Bigger bonus for running into Neil post-gig. Excellent to hear “Falmouth” and its homage to our hometown hero, Vincent E. Cradock, who grew up right down the road. And a HUGE shout out to CTSO for surprising us on our train to Manchester and helping us avoid disaster by getting us re-routed through Leeds due to a massive fire on the tracks at Primrose Hill. Otherwise we would have missed it all.
6 February 2026
BiscuitGigs
Thanks @Johnny Kwango your links now added. Cheers
6 February 2026