Only the second biggest event to take place in the home of Flatpack Democracy that night, after the Frome Christmas Light Switch-On and Night Market. An audience full of mulled wine was expected.
Only the second biggest event to take place in the home of Flatpack Democracy that night, after the Frome Christmas Light Switch-On and Night Market. An audience full of mulled wine was expected.
Chris The Siteowner
Dr D with tonight’s set list:
https://twitter.com/hmhb_lyrics/status/1464364169122230278?s=21
26 November 2021
EXXo
Thanks John & Chris
Truly you were blessed by 2 debut songs.
Like I say just the Community Shield, but a trophy’s a trophy 😀
26 November 2021
Lux inferior
Someone had the inside track on Buried In The Morning!
What was the cover, SLC?
26 November 2021
EXXo
Presumably She’s Lost Control.
No inside track, but it just dawned on me after choosing another track that it was the obvious way to go. Nigel was nervous b4 Holmfirth so didn’t risk the new song; he was imperious at Holmfirth so this time he went for it.
26 November 2021
Lux inferior
Ah, of course.
Impeccable logic, Exxo.
26 November 2021
EXXo
So that looks like just 26 songs on the list. Obviously we wait Mike for confirmation & Roger ‘Hansard’ Green for the rubber stamp, etc.
Light Tunnel
Evening sun
Fred Titmus
Umberstone
Wrong Grave
Bob Wilson
Renfield
Terminus
Bastard Dean Fried
Bad Review
Totnes
Vatican
NSD
27 Yards
Bell Rings
Paintball
Colombia
Restless Legs
Look Dad
DPAK
I’m Getting Buried in the Morning (new)
AOR
JDOG
ENCORE:
Frequent Electric Trains (new)
Shes Lost Control
Trumpton
26 November 2021
EXXo
If that is what was played we’re on 34.62% turnover. All unofficial at this stage.
26 November 2021
Caer banog
Time flies by rather than electric
26 November 2021
TRANSIT FULL OF keith
Time Flies By first in the encore, not Frequent Electric Trains.
26 November 2021
Borough surveyor
Paintball. Not sure about that?
23 years was fuckin amazin. Cow drooling guitar was best part.
26 November 2021
EXXo
Ah, good, good, thanks. And sorry. I got excited there. I know look again and my imaginary “s” (I read Trains where it says Train) is a crease in the paper.
It was excitement but it wasn’t wishful thinking – I don’t think FET will every be released or played live and I like to think that it won’t.
26 November 2021
Hendrix-tattoo
Sealclubbing was also played after NSD, Yippee….
26 November 2021
TRANSIT FULL OF keith
Also, a really good version of Sealclubbing about half way through.
Glebe cow drooling sound effects from Karl’s guitar in “Tending the Wrong Grave”. “That’s what he’s here for”.
26 November 2021
GORDON BURNS
Nigel (jokingly?) Told us he saw local boy: Jenson Button in the crowd. Surely not.
But he didn’t address the real issue…
Is Frome pronounced like Rome or Groom?
27 November 2021
dr desperate
He admitted that it might only have looked like him. He was sure that Sophie Raworth was there though.
27 November 2021
Chris The Siteowner
…and Derek Griffiths. Of course.
27 November 2021
Mike D
Gordon Burns, Frome rhymes with groom.
27 November 2021
Hendrix-tattoo
….Also Neil has some plasticine and doesn’t know what to make of it….
27 November 2021
Twistedkitemike
Indeed, “Train” was subterfuge. It was “Time Flies By” and not the new ditty.
The cover was, as correctly identified, “She’s Lost Control.”
They didn’t play “Paintball.” Sadly. Another tease. The audience was loquacious and jocular. It might have the “Wicker Man” feel about the Town with the Christmas Fair, or maybe the cider.
Fun night out.
M…….
27 November 2021
TRANSIT FULL OF keith
Was it one of you put up the Asparagus Next Left sign in the car park?
27 November 2021
INJURED BUZZARD
I do enjoy these challenge of obscure southern destinations, somewhat offset this time by the previous evening’s stay in Leicester for the Legia Warsaw match. Great result, shame about the violence by the Polish visitors tho. Tsk tsk. Eventually arrived in Frome on Friday after negotiating the tube strike in London, a cancelled train and a shortened bus journey (at least it didn’t go down Bridge Street). Google maps directed me to the Cornerhouse, although I dispute their ‘mostly flat’ description. Met Tony on entry. had a great cod & chips at ‘Barnacle Bill’ before winding my way through the narrow passageways to the gig. Several disappointed locals were expecting a ‘market’ from what I overheard only to be be turned away at the door. They should have stayed. A wonderful venue. Chats were exchanged before the rather disappointing West Wickhams. I had quite enjoyed their 4 YouTube songs. Made way for the guy in the wheelchair before the start but I had to move again when the moshing started, receiving a few blows from the behemoth in the Yugoslavia shirt, still, great to hear some new material and although a bit shorter than usual at 1h 40m, still a brilliant show. Early start on Saturday for what proved to be a nightmare 13 hour journey home but on to Shrewsbury (is it Shrow or Shroo?) for the last of the trio of comeback fortnightly shows. Still, not long ’till the 1 a month continues in ’22.
27 November 2021
Lee Gillingham
Great gig
After a day wondering around a few ale houses with the other Gillingham who came from Kettering . Chatted to few folk going to the show . It’s quite easy to spot the HMHB fan in a small town .
I was not disappointed with the choice of set list .
Thought the guy from the West Wickams. Ended the set in a huff
As he seemed to throw his guitar down .
Couldn’t really make out his lyrics .
Roll on next gig ..
28 November 2021
TRANSIT FULL OF keith
A great gig as always (though noticeably a bit shorter than usual). Wrong Grave was the highlight for me. Nigel seems to have mixed feelings about his new guitar, attempting to give it away to an audience member at one point… Didn’t quite hear why, was it pointed out that Dave Stewart plays one?
Spent the morning in Frome on Saturday. Definitely the kind of place that the couple from ETABR might eye up for the roastery if Keswick falls through. Loads art galleries and “vintage emporiums”, in fact the high number of blokes in tweed jackets and caps plus jeans / women in paint streaked designer dungarees suggests they might already be there.
We broke down on the M3 going home. Hope to return to our usual “couple of Biscuit away trips a year” in 2022
28 November 2021
Borough surveyor
Yes wrong grave the highlight for me.
On seeing the caravan shaped guitar I was disappointed not to get a caravan related track- Bottleneck , Referees alphabet or even a Housemartins or Inspiral Carpets cover perhaps? Perhaps I now expect too much.
28 November 2021
Android, Eyes rolling
Good gig, though I felt the sound wasn’t the best, made some lyrics and chat hard to understand. Had convinced my brother to come along, he was almost completely unfamiliar with the band – only knew Riots. He couldn’t make out many lyrics, so wasn’t quite as impressed as I’d hoped.
Support act were quirky, seemingly Robert Smith circa 1984 and Diana Rigg from Theatre of Blood, who played so few chords on the keyboards that the drum machine should probably have asked for higher billing.
Having 90 minutes to kill in a town I’d never been to before I chose the wrong pub. The Blue Boar was a bit rough, and it was karaoke night. Still, it was warmer there then the bus stop where we waited for 25 minutes for the last bus, which had improved over its earlier performance and was now only 20 minutes late. And there was still time for a half hour walk home through the storm. Not home till 2.10.
Not quite children of the Calcutta railways I know, but it still knackered me.
28 November 2021
BOBBY SVARC
Buzzard: If you see my uncle Chic at Shrewsbury kick him in the knackers.
28 November 2021
EXXo
Chic’s birthday today.
So does this look correct then? 8 out of 26 meaning 30.7692% ?
Light Tunnel
Evening sun
Fred Titmus
Umberstone
Wrong Grave
Bob Wilson
Renfield
Terminus
Bastard Dean Fried
Bad Review
Totnes
Vatican
NSD
Sealclubbing
27 Yards
Bell Rings
Colombia
Restless Legs
Look Dad
DPAK
I’m Getting Buried in the Morning (new)
AOR
JDOG
ENCORE:
Time Flies by
Shes Lost Control
Trumpton
28 November 2021
Neil
You should have climbed up on stage next to me, they were bloody loud and clear enough there…4am , driving, blizzard and Nigel still ringing in my ears!
28 November 2021
GRAHAM PAINE
Running time was 106 minutes (l didn’t stop my watch between JDOG and Time Flies By. 27 numbers in all – song 17 was Bob Todd).
28 November 2021
BOBBY SVARC
I’ve not spoken to him since 1982, Me Dad hates him
28 November 2021
CARRIE ANNE
Roger’s review, from https://www.hmhb.co.uk/guest/index.htm
Cheese & Grain, Frome, Fri 26th Nov 2021
Roger Green:
Not much to report in the fortnight since the Holmfirth show, so maybe this is a good time to bore you stiff with details of some of the books that I read during the lockdown. Possibly so.
During the hiatus, I addressed a considerable backlog of reading, beginning with a struggle through John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty. Clearly a highly influential book, but not exactly a page turner. I explained this to Tony (by text, of course. I could no longer do this face to face.) I wondered if Mill had any friends. “Not many” was Tony’s reply.
Next up was Michael Palin’s journal of his visit to North Korea. Seems like the Koryo Hotel is the place to stay if and when HMHB ever play in Pyongyang. Then I turned to The Man Behind The Mask, being the memoirs of Kendo Nagasaki aka Peter Thornley. An interesting life well lived. But he doesn’t mention anything about the HMHB song. More’s the pity. It would have been nice to know what he thought of it.
I then moved on to Mr Gig by Nige Tassell, “one man’s search for the soul of live music.” Chapter Nine takes him to see HMHB in Durham. That would be the gig at the end of 2010. The previous chapter takes him to an Elbow gig at Cardiff Arena. Nige compares Elbow’s fleet of articulated lorries with HMHB’s struggles to fit all band members and gear into their hired Transit for the drive home. Some things never change. It’s a grand read from start to end. I agree with the author when he says “My blood still simmers over inexplicably high booking fees and overly talkative audiences.” The book was first published in 2013. You’ve probably read it already, but just in case, it was published by Short Books, so have a look round for their web site. You might still be able to get a copy.
When that was done, I read Grace Maxwell’s Falling And Laughing, sub-titled “the restoration of Edwyn Collins”. Grace had been Edwyn’s manager and partner when he was in Orange Juice, and continued as such as he moved into his solo career. A Girl Like You and all that. Then came the stroke. Grace’s story continues through his time in hospital, up to his return to the stage and writing new songs and getting back to drawing birdlife. As usual, I was well behind the times with this one. It was published by Ebury Press in 2010. HMHB fans, taking note of the lyric in Keeping Two Chevrons Apart, will be interested to see Grace’s thoughts on Edwyn’s ability to deal with the press. “He was interviewed across all the major radio stations, and on television, some recorded, some going out live, and managed it all with total aplomb.” Not a football commentary in sight. Add this book to your shopping list. And buy all Edwyn’s music as well. You won’t go far wrong. (The “a” word also appeared on an edition of Springwatch. Chris Packham described some tree creeper chicks as fledging “with aplomb”.)
Stewart Lee’s March Of The Lemmings included a mention or two of The Nightingales. Nothing about HMHB though. He is not a fan of Brexit, that is fairly clear. From Stewart’s book, I moved on to Imagine A Country, a collection of thoughts from Scottish writers on how they see the future. None of them, Peter Ross included, speculated on HMHB heading north soon. It’ll happen again, one day.
The reading matter kept coming. I had made progress with Ben Elton’s Dead Famous when July’s edition of When Saturday Comes hit the newspaper stands. It was their 400th edition. Still as hale and hearty as ever. There was plenty of reflection on how things were when the magazine first appeared in 1986. One article mentioned crossovers, although incongruous, between football and rock music. “It was there, however, not just in the allusions of The Undertones but also Half Man Half Biscuit.” The magazine also had a feature of photographs in and around Prenton Park. One for the Tranmere completists. (While typing this, by the way, I have just heard Radcliffe And Maconie play Same But Different by Vashti Bunyan. Never actually heard anything by her before. All grist to the mill.)
Approaching the end of John Shuttleworth’s excellent guide to everyday life, Two Margerines And Other Domestic Dilemmas, I reached the lyric(s) of his song Dandelion And Burdock. “Cycling with my peers / The wind whistling past my ears / As we reached Mam Tor / I was grateful for / My Sturmey Archer gears.” If I close my eyes and imagine hard enough, I can visualise John joining in with Nigel in the gear-changing mime during A Lilac Harry Quinn.
Karl Whitney’s Hit Factories is a good read that takes us round a variety of cities, exploring the links between industry and music. He visits Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Hull, Glasgow, Belfast, Birmingham, Coventry and Bristol. He also heads to Liverpool where he meets a certain Geoff Davies. In that section, where Probe Plus is referenced, “Wirral surrealists Half Man Half Biscuit” get a mention. Brief and to the point.
At Christmas, Santa was generous enough to bring me a copy of Stuart Maconie’s book The Nanny State Made Me. Here Stuart looks back at his upbringing and examines life in general. “I have lived most of my life a happy and grateful citizen of the state. I will die in its arms.” In one of the chapters, Stuart heads to Birkenhead, and meets up with one Nigel Blackwell. Nigel shows him round Birkenhead Park, “the first truly public park anywhere” which was also the model for New York’s Central Park. Stuart is very complimentary about him. “If Nigel ever decides to give up on hilariously critiquing contemporary social mores through angular indie rock, he would make an excellent and unique tour guide.” Well, that’s something to look forward to. This is a fine book. You could do worse than ask Santa for a copy next Christmas.
Frome was featured in an article in The New Issue (this magazine being an offshoot of The Big Issue). It seems the town council has undergone a bit of a revolution, with the voters rejecting mainstream parties and instead opting for candidates describing themselves as Independents For Frome. They call it Flatpack Democracy, where no one can sit for more than two four-year stands. The then deputy mayor is the drummer in a hardcore punk band, The Sick Ones. The Cheese And Grain was renovated, and is now described as a community (but not “creative”) hub. It runs on sustainable energy. There was plenty of that on display tonight in the mosh pit.
We took a view about getting to the gig. We broke up the journey, stopping in Bristol the night before – our first visit there since HMHB’s final pre-lockdown show in March 2020. Train from Wakefield Westgate. It was like Play Your Cards Right, watching the delay of the train as it altered minute by minute. Higher! Lower! Higher! Lower! When it arrived, it was fourteen minutes behind schedule. On board, we decided to see off the Quick Crossword in the Metro newspaper. Quick? Everything is relative. We did our best. The train took us past Yate. Inevitably we saw a couple of static caravans. Life imitating art yet again? Let’s hope there’s a referee living in one of them.
Come on into Nigel Blackwell’s world. Waking up on the morning of the gig we stuck the telly on and found ourselves watching an episode of Carla Lane’s Bread. A rendition of Let’s Not at Frome would have been apt. We also saw a half-hour or so of a countdown of Christmas Number Ones on Now TV. 26th November and the season is upon us. Cliff, Spice Girls, Pet Shop Boys and Girls Aloud, as well as the Cordle dude off X Factor. I was surprised that Karen didn’t know the ah-aah-ah-aah opening to When A Child Is Born. I dare say that Slade and Wizzard appeared after we had to leave for the Frome train. And HMHB of course. They did reach the top of the charts, didn’t they?
All very straightforward on the train, including completion of the Metro Quick crossword for the second day on the bounce. And into Frome. Top beef pie at the George And Granary where we were staying. We saw the band, who had arrived early in the afternoon. Wise move, as it was the evening of the Christmas Light Switch On, with traffic and parking issues predicted. Maybe HMHB could have multi-tasked and switched the lights on? Or would it be local boy Jenson Button? Maybe the drummer from Supergrass, who lives locally? Well actually, according to the local inside knowledge it was the Mayor.
Doing a paper review proved fruitless. Metro, Frome Standard and Western Daily Press all chose to ignore this gig. So, what’s new? The only publicity to be found was an A4 poster in the window at the venue. On arrival, we were allowed inside to queue up at the door of the hall, rather than being left outside at the mercy of Storm Arwen, which was just getting cranked up. At the front with us were Tony, Andrew and Phil. There was a pretender to the throne of King Of Hi Vis, but John’s hi vis face mask won the day again.
As we milled around, John and Andrew said they had crossed paths at a Billy Bragg gig in Nottingham. Graham said Hello, and I got talking to Lisa who had seen HMHB many years ago, when the second phase began in the early 1990s. Then Postman Tony turned up, sporting his newly purchased 90 Bisodol hoodie. And Andy from Scotland was there, telling us of an anticipated eleven-hour journey home the following day. Tony suggested getting hold of one of his school register books, to keep tabs on who is present and absent at these things. Didn’t catch the name of the guy who said he shouted for Operators Manual at the Bristol gig. He did it again tonight. Nigel responded with a thumbs-up. A cover version being stored away for the future?
The PA music was an interesting mash-up. I heard Wichita Lineman, some Paul Young, with Bittersweet Symphony also thrown in. We even had some Michael Jackson in the mix.
The West Wickhams were supporting tonight. They were with HMHB the last time they appeared in Northampton. There are just the two of them. A slight delay with tuning up the guitar but they were worth the wait. I recognised Where The Creatures Roam, Goathland and Acquired A New Face. They said “We’re a bit rusty but it’s nice to be back after two years.” No need to wait so long before we see them again. They are on the bill with HMHB at Shrewsbury in December.
You can always tell when HMHB are about to begin. That is when Daz and Howie arrive, having seen to a number of the pubs in town. On cue, the walk-on music struck up, being Dirty Boy by The Cardiacs.
Nigel made a great play of shaking hands with everyone on the front row before using gel to clean his hands. And I noticed a certain synchronisation with the band’s clothing policy. Nigel and Carl were wearing plain white tops. Neil and Karl were wearing black. Part way to turning into The Beatles? This was a return to past glories for Karl. In 2007 he had stood in for an ill Ken for a couple of gigs (here and in Cardiff). “Hope you enjoyed the Christmas parade,” said Nigel. “We were standing outside Card Factory.” He had wanted to sing Men Of Harlech when it passed by. “Me and the Mayor, we’re like that,” he said, entwining his fingers. “Saw him earlier.”
First celebrity spot of the evening was “Jenson Button, ladies and gentlemen”. Or at least it was someone who looked like him. “And that is definitely Sophie Rayworth.” Later on in the evening, he also picked out Derek Griffiths in the crowd.
“This is called Start,” said Nigel before they played When The Evening Sun Goes Down. There was some fine glebe cow drooling sounds from Karl’s guitar during Tending The Wrong Grave. So much so, that Nigel requested a second hearing. And with Bob Wilson Anchorman, the introduction was merely “Here’s one we wrote.” Nigel made the devil’s horns sign at Karl at the playing of Black Night.
In Renfield’s Afoot, warm clothing was ESSENTIAL! In capital letters and with an exclamation mark. And police torches were not allowed, as they would frighten the bats. In The Bastard Son Of Dean Friedman, Bette Midler still has a puma and, later on, we were informed Marilyn Monroe is still on the scag.
Tony shouted to Nigel that Dave Stewart has a guitar just like his, at which point Nigel looked disappointed and made to hand his guitar over. “You’ve spoiled my evening,” he said. But Tony added that Bob Dylan also has one. That met with Nigel’s approval. “Bob Dylan pisses on Dave Stewart,” he added.
Nigel had spoken with some folk from Scotland. He correctly identified they were from Kelvingrove in Glasgow, from their accents. He told the story of meeting a guy in Birkenhead who had a chow dog with him. Nigel patted himself on the back for correctly placing the guy’s Scottish accent. Apparently, Carl also used to keep chows.
In reply to repeated shouts for For What Is Chatteris (“how many times do I have to ask?” was the cry from the despairing punter), Nigel replied “Is that the only one you know?”, as well as the customary “Yeah, that’s one of ours.” He asked if anyone was coming back the following night to see The Sweet. Nigel said he knows the cousin of The Sweet’s Andy Scott, but he isn’t into music so much. He started Totnes with their line “Are you ready, Steve?”.
Nigel related a story. “We were on a country lane. On the side of the road was a fox. Next to the fox was a suitcase full of cubs. I rang the RSPCA. They asked me if they were moving. I said probably, that would explain the suitcase.” There was also a joke about a quiz question dealing with the actors from Love Thy Neighbour. Sorry but I simply did not pick up the gist of that one.
At the end of Every Time A Bell Rings, the crowd earned a salute from Nigel for a hearty chorus of “Get Your Fuckin’ Hedge Cut.” During 99% Of Gargoyles, Nigel pointed out to Karl that they had already done the same guitar riff during Sealclubbing. “Here’s a true story” was the introduction to Restless Legs.
Nigel had picked up a programme for An Evening With Frank Bruno, which had taken place at The Cheese And Grain a couple of nights previously. This had included a silent auction. Nigel didn’t know what that might involve. When told, he said “Oh it’s like in an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm with Larry David.” Nigel nodded his appreciation of a shout of “A Lilac Mickey Quinn”.
“This one’s quite good,” claimed Nigel ahead of Look Dad No Tunes, “it’s about me.” (Tony reckoned they played the song in a different key to the usual. I wouldn’t know.) Somebody left some plasticine outside Neil’s house. He didn’t know what to make of it.
There was one new song seeing its live debut tonight. Putting the ‘fun’ back into ‘funeral’ according to Nigel. This one being I’m Getting Buried In The Morning, as featured on the Andy Kershaw session a few months back.
When the band came back for the encore, Nigel realised he had forgotten to bring his caravan guitar back with him. He dashed off stage to fetch it and when he got back he realised that “I don’t even play it on this”, being the cover version of Joy Division’s She’s Lost Control.
I reckon it went as follows:
The Light At The End Of The Tunnel Is The Light Of An Oncoming Train
Fuckin’ ‘Ell It’s Fred Titmus
When The Evening Sun Goes Down
Harsh Times In Umberstone Covert
Tending The Wrong Grave For Twenty-Three Years
Bob Wilson Anchorman
Renfield’s Afoot
Terminus
The Bastard Son Of Dean Friedman
Bad Review
Totnes Bickering Fair
Vatican Broadside
National Shite Day
Sealclubbing
Twenty-Seven Yards Of Dental Floss
Every Time A Bell Rings
Ninety-Nine Per Cent Of Gargoyles Look Like Bob Todd
Black Night / What Made Colombia Famous
Restless Legs
Look Dad No Tunes
All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit
I’m Getting Buried In The Morning
Everything’s AOR
Joy Division Oven Gloves
And three in the encore
Time Flies By When You’re A Driver Of A Train
She’s Lost Control
Trumpton Riots
There was a big moat between the stage and where we were standing. Many thanks to the bouncer who picked up and passed on Karl’s set list after he had thrown it to me. Just one amendment where “Paintball” had originally been written by Nigel. Then he had crossed it out and replaced it with “Bob Todd”.
Another great night out, despite some slightly spiky behaviour at the front. These three shows have all landed together at the end of the year. Just another fortnight to go, and we meet again in Shrewsbury. Let’s just hope Storm Arwen has done one by the time that comes round, and that the trains are allowed to run just fine.
28 November 2021
EXXo
Blimey. Dramatic stuff from Neil the rock ‘n’ roll genius and from Keith in his classic little black number.
Could have been a worse outcome though if the gig had been in the Pennines again like say Holmfirth. Or Ted Moult’s double glazing pub:
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/oasis-tribute-band-among-50-22299973
28 November 2021
transit full of keith
To survive the conditions at the Tan Hill Inn, the Oasis tribute band guy has told all the stranded guests to stand up beside the fireplace.
28 November 2021
Mr Galbraith
Excellent night and the Cheese and Grain, once I had negotiated the multiple road closures.
West Wickhams weren’t much cop, a poor mans I, Ludicrous you might say, however their performance did at least enable me to work out that the best spot to stand certainly wasn’t under the air conditioning duct.
An initially slightly subdued mosh-pit certainly sprang to life during NSD, with the bloke in the DPAK standing beside me literally sprinting forward to join in the fun. A fantastic version of Sealclubbing was probably the highlight for me, followed closely by the joke about the fox and the suitcase. The cover of She’s Lost Control (along with the ‘you should hear our version of Sister Ray’ aside at the end) was outstanding, although for some reason the people around me didn’t appear quite as impressed with it as I was.
The band looked absolutely knackered at the end, as did the tall lad in the Yugoslavia top. Hardly surprising given the energy they all put into things and the lack of live music in the last 18 months. Great to be back though!
28 November 2021
The harbinger of nothing
Some small additions to Roger’s excellent-as-always review:
Before Evening Sun, Nigel said, “this is one I don’t start” – as he paused for Carl’s drum intro.
In the accent-guessing story, he clarified that he had initially guessed somewhere which I forget now but is presumably very close to Kelvingrove. He said he was trying to be too clever, but it is still remarkably accurate.
He offered to play Chatteris if it was the only one that the requester knew, but presumably that wasn’t the case.
And the caravan guitar was used for Trumpton, so Nigel’s trip backstage wasn’t wasted.
Lastly, just to tie together two things also mentioned by Roger, the “Cardle dude” was presumably featured on TV for his cover of Biffy Clyro’s Many of Horror. That band have a song called With Aplomb (my favourite of theirs, as it happens). However the a-word doesn’t feature in the lyrics, so you still can’t hear it being used.
28 November 2021
The harbinger of nothing
CtSO, shouldn’t I’m Getting Buried In The Morning and When I Look At My Baby (the other new one from Kershaw’s kitchen) have their own pages? And take us up to 208 pop songs?
28 November 2021
EXXo
When they’ve only been played live we tend to treat them as works in progress and do them when they are “released.”
28 November 2021
Caer Banog
During Seal Clubbing I’m fairly sure Nigel and his girl were dancing on ice.
29 November 2021
Hendrix-tattoo
I noticed Sealclubbing was later added to the playlist.
I like to think that was added for me after seeing the band earlier in the day at the 3 Swans with CtSO….
29 November 2021
dr desperate
The usual few additions to Roger’s Exemplary Review:
Referring to the other masters of the Duesenberg, Nigel mused, “Dave Stewart’s never breaks, does it? And Dylan’s probably just lies in the corner”. Then, in an aside to Wizard Tony, “Like your theremin, that you never touched”.
Neil had apparently been successful at the pub quiz the other night, successfully naming Job’s three comforters (Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar), but Nigel got the tie-breaker, adding Keith Marsh to the cast list of ‘Love Thy Neighbour’.
And at one point he compared the band to Crazy Horse. When I asked, “Which one’s Nils Lofgren?” he replied, “All of us”.
29 November 2021
transit full of keith
Also, after Sealclubbing: “I don’t really do that kind of thing … It was the 1980s, you had to be a bit edgy” (or something like that).
These post-gig threads are getting like Screen Test.
29 November 2021
Phyllis Triggs
Was there any oven gloves at Frome? Forgot to say I didn’t see any at Holmfirth.
29 November 2021
InjurEd buzzard
For anyone that missed it, here’s the encore.
https://youtu.be/j97UVSHTff0
29 November 2021
dr desperate
No oven gloves that we saw. Elizabeth has decided to reclaim ours for the kitchen.
30 November 2021
Knackered man
Don’t know if this has been mentioned, but as band came on, and the PA music was halted half-way through a tune, Nigel mentioned it was a pity as it was a great track.
He wasn’t wrong – Dirty Boy by Cardiacs. An absolute belter and one of their finest. As he’s somewhat a fan, he’s gone even further up in my esteem.
30 November 2021
Knackered man
Reply to Dr Desperate.
Didn’t know Nils Lofgren was in Crazy Horse. I shouted out ‘Ralph Molina’ though, which was absurdly satisfying.
Thought West Wickhams were rubbish, as well as being about 30 years too late.
30 November 2021
Pail merk
From Roger Green’s gig review (Cheese & Grain, Frome):
“Nigel had spoken with some folk from Scotland. He correctly identified they were from Kelvingrove in Glasgow, from their accents… Nigel patted himself on the back for correctly placing the guy’s Scottish accent.”
Knowing that Nigel is a stickler for accuracy, I feel compelled to advance a correction. Speaking as a native Weegie, I think he’s misheard this popular cultural reference to a city district. I take it the accents he heard at the gig were on the posh side. If so, he should’ve identified them as originating from Kelvinside, not Kelvingrove. Sure, the areas are in roughly the same vicinity, but, if you take a sideswipe at a Glaswegian’s toffy accent by suggesting that he/she must be from Kelvingrove, your blow will not land.
Kelvingrove is much more famous for its art gallery and museum, park and the Kelvin Hall, where The Kinks recorded a live album. Part of the hall is going to be transformed into a flash film studio.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-59578398
Kelvinside. But don’t take my word for it. Check out cultural icons Victor and Barry*, who wrote a splendid song about their urban idyll.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsHcEBeNt-g
*Actors Forbes Masson and Alan Cumming, when they were wee Fringe upstarts
16 December 2021
Sean Curran
Operators Manual.👍
5 January 2022