There’ll be street parties in Redcar for a gig less than an hour’s drive away. For the band, a bit longer, but a wonderful choice of A-roads. What of the gig though? Over to you.
There’ll be street parties in Redcar for a gig less than an hour’s drive away. For the band, a bit longer, but a wonderful choice of A-roads. What of the gig though? Over to you.
SIckomode
What on earth was that band at the start. Looks of Robert Smith and the talent of Ringo Starr. Anyway, great gig and a great set list.
29 April 2022
Man of varying sorrow
Well that certainly lived up to (and exceeded) my expectations for my first gig since lockdown! Fantastic set list full of all the classics and a number of songs from the new album!
29 April 2022
Exxo
You could tell they don’t normally do proper gigs at this venue by fact that we had to demand more volume after the first few quiet, muffled songs – it didn’t matter much for opener ‘Worried Man Blues’ but an incredibly quiet ‘Trumpton Riots’ was a very weird second number. Got better after some protests and Renfield about 4 or 5 songs in. From then on a storming gig … 6 off the new album were the same as last time minus ‘When I look at my baby’ plus ‘big man up front’.
Only complaint xthere was no cold water to be had anywhere afterwards they ain’t used to dehydration being an issue after shows.
29 April 2022
Stormy Hammerhead
Brilliant set list and even a Blitzkrieg Bop cover…. What’s not to like ?!
30 April 2022
Exxo
Thanks to the Showsec lass as I left, for recognising me and letting me know that Cream Cheese and Chives’ free spare ticket for this sell-out show was gratefully taken by a happy fan at the last minute. And thanks again from me to CC+C too. Plus apologies no time before my train to have a chat with Tony, John, Lou, Karen Roger etc. See you in Leeds when I won’t be needing to dash anywhere!
30 April 2022
BAD LOSER
After my record score in Biscuitball for Nottingham, I’ll be right down at the other end for this gig. Just the dropped songs and possibly a few points for Light at the End of the Tunnel. If you got Worried Man Blues for the opener then you deserve double points in my opinion.
@Sickomode. They were the West Wickhams which, presumably, means that they travelled over 400 miles to perform. We’ve seen them before at Shrewsbury so I knew I’d have to suffer if I wanted my usual place on the barrier.
30 April 2022
The venereabl bead
@exxo – yes it’s sad but true, there are very few real gigs in Durham and also, the Gala is owned by the council so I guess they’re a bit anal about SPL limits and that.
Do the band tour with their own sound engineer? I’m not a mate of the bloke that set up this PA, but I do know someone who might want to do so…
30 April 2022
Ds
I was nearer the back, to one side of the desk, and even after the volume did get turned up, Nigel vocals were a bit quiet there. But, even then, still a top evening’s fun again, and nice to see the new stuff fit in so seamlessly. OoD was rather lovely, actually. And Blitzkreig Bop was a hoot.
30 April 2022
Cream cheese and chives
@Exxo Glad the second ticket was snapped up. I feel like an organ donor post harvest.
30 April 2022
clown in a yaris
Brilliant gig once again Chatteris and Wraith highlights for me and of course a barnstorming Blitzkrieg bop.
30 April 2022
Telly savalas
Loved it. Deep House Victims was great, benefitted from being one of the ‘quieter’ songs, as others have noted Nigel’s vocals were a bit drowned out on some of the heavier ones.
Sounded like he was struggling a little on Broadstairs, but total commitment as ever from the man.
30 April 2022
MR SPOKESMAN
My first HMHB gig and was a belter, “Oblong of Dreams” is a monster live and I was chuffed to get “She’s in Broadstairs”.
Surprised the Ross Kemp lyric in “Tommy Walsh…” was changed to reflect the Michael Jackson’s pet programme from the other night…
30 April 2022
MR SPOKESMAN
Sorry, “was” re Ross Kemp should have been “wasn’t”!!
30 April 2022
Nick Green
The intro was a Cardiacs track though I am suffering brain freeze so can’t remember what the song is
1 May 2022
carrie anne
Roger’s rambling review, from Gez’s website https://www.hmhb.co.uk/guest/index.htm
Gala Theatre, Durham, Fri 29th Apr 2022
Roger Green:
Starting with big ups to Karen, without whom none of this would happen. She spotted that I was running low on notepads, so stopped off at the stationery shelf at the Co Op. I am now replenished. Buying some more, when you are running out… I would never be able to work that out for myself.
Been getting stuff wrong. If The Guardian can do this, then so can I. I’m always happy to address Errors And Omissions from previous reviews. God knows there are enough of them. Forgot to mention that Ian turned up at the Nottingham gig. Also, sorry for getting one of the Crapsons songs wrong. It should be Ian Brown Is The Resurrection rather than Ian Brown IN The Resurrection. In my defence, I was copying from their set list (although I should have referred to the song titles on their album). HMHB had mentioned the mansion Wollaton Hall. This was incorrectly spelt in the review. Also, I missed Nigel’s comment about Talking Pictures. Thanks to Tony for letting me know that Nigel referred to the regular appearance in their films of Mona Washbourne. I’m afraid I did not quite catch her name at the time. A bit of research tells me that she played the mother in the film Billy Liar. Among other excellent roles.
The Voltarol Years continues to fight its corner in the open market place. When we were in the middle of Leeds we spotted that it had pride of place in the window display at Crash Records. Hopefully that is an indication of how much it is flying off the shelf. My familiarisation with TVY was put on hold, being pushed aside by Crapsons’ album Songs To Make A Brew To. Hoping to see them supporting HMHB again soon. And if/when that happens, I look forward to them playing Poor Old Prince Philip in particular.
Live music is definitely falling back into place after all the cancellations of 2020 and 2021. A couple of days after the Nottingham gig we were back at The Brudenell in Leeds to see a much-delayed show by The Beths, the latest hot act from New Zealand. Just as with Steve Ignorant a couple of days before Nottingham, this was a busy night, disproving my flimsy theory that folk don’t go gigging on Mondays. Can’t remember ever seeing HMHB on a Monday though.
Yet another visit to The Brudenell was for The Lovely Eggs. There was a smattering of Biscuiteers in the crowd. I exchanged waves with John and Elizabeth. We spoke with Nigel and Jo who put in their apologies for a few HMHB gigs which are coming up. We didn’t see Graham, but understood that he was also around. The support band was The Bug Club who were described on-line as “a dance-off between Jeffrey Lewis and Half Man Half Biscuit”. I wasn’t sure that there was too much evidence of that, but I’d happily give them a second hearing, just to be sure.
We also had an evening at another Leeds venue. The Grove is an excellent pub on the edge of the city centre. They hosted an all-dayer which featured The Jim Bower Scenario. Jim was the front man in Shatner, whose final ever gig was supporting HMHB the last time they played in York. The venue itself, Fibbers, did not last long after that, either. The Grove is a fine old place, tucked away in the middle of high-rise modern architecture. I would have thought it would fit nicely into the agenda of those seeking a good ale ahead of the Leeds gig in June. Bit of a trek from that side of the city to Stylus though.
There was some worrying news coming from Sheffield’s Leadmill. HMHB played there in the 1980s and have started appearing there again in recent times, the latest gig being at the start of this year. It sounds like the people who run the place have been served with notice to leave. It’s a great venue, with happy memories for me, going beyond just seeing HMHB there. Let’s hope it all comes good in the fullness of time.
A few days before this show, there was an article in The Guardian by Steve Hill (“My wild night out with the Biscuitmaniacs”). The photos differed slightly between the paper and the online version. John, Chris, George and Eddie featured. And there was one of the band on stage, with Ken on guitar. Must have been some time ago. All good stuff and a grand read, although I would argue with Steve’s point about All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit appearing on the Back In The DHSS album.
You get used to Nigel “spotting” celebrities at these shows. We speculated about Trevor Horn, Paddy McAloon, Paul Collingwood and Pauline Murray, all of whom originated in or around the city. That in turn threw up the possibility of cover versions of songs by Buggles, Prefab Sprout and/or Penetration.
As with most of these journeys, the day began with a bus ride into Wakefield. From there, it was a short walk to Westgate station, where we saw my mate Kevin who had given a lift to the author, Richard Balls. The previous night I had seen Richard in Pontefract, being interviewed about his book on Shane MacGowan. This was at CAT Club where we had also listened to The Pogues’ album Rum, Sodomy And The Lash. Must try and get a HMHB album on there some time.
Arriving in Durham, we checked into the Premier Inn just round the corner from the venue. It was the same with Nandos, where we had lunch. Everything was tucked nicely into a concrete plaza. Tesco was close by, where I bought The Northern Echo. Nothing doing regarding coverage of HMHB, although maybe that wasn’t required, given the high level of ticket sales for the evening.
There were conflicting, fake news messages concerning the running order. The truth was that doors opened at 6.30. While waiting, I got talking to Ross from the venue staff, who was, it turned out, originally from just down the road from me. (Ross, if you are reading this, the rugby player that I was trying to remember was Ian Wilkinson. A contemporary of yours? Played for Bradford, but I remember seeing him turn out for Upton.) Having sorted out the sound check, Karl emerged, said Hello and went out to take the early evening air. Others in the queue were Tony and Andrew. Phil is usually an early arrival as well, but he had sent his apologies for absence to Karen on Facebook.
Andrew mentioned an episode of Inside Number Nine which was “like the words of The Referee’s Alphabet”. We will have to track that down. Brian was keen to show his pack of train tickets. His journey had been broken down into little bits, rather than one ride north. Must have been a pain getting on and off trains, but I can’t fault him if it saved a few quid. I browsed briefly at the merch stall and chatted with Miles. All was well. Nothing new to report since the release of The Voltarol Years.
Snow Patrol were played on the PA. Most famous band to ever support HMHB? (At the Duchess in Leeds in 2000.) I was there but, no surprise, can’t remember a thing about them. Tonight’s support band were, as often recently, The West Wickhams. There can’t be many bands where one of them originates from The Isles Of Scilly and the other is from Sydney. And to top it all, they met at a concert by A Flock Of Seagulls. You still hear mixed comments about them, but they sound OK to me. Thanks again for the set list.
Kick
Creatures
Nothings
Acquired
Consider
Turning
Looking forward to seeing them again, possibly in Birmingham.
In the interval we got talking to Sally and Michael, and their son Peter. Peter is in a band called Indignation Meeting who are playing an all-dayer at The Brudenell in Leeds on Saturday 16 July. Never heard of them? Not yet, you haven’t. I’m looking forward to hearing their song The Bastard Son Of Ed Sheeran. Free publicity? That’s how it works, although Peter might want to think about getting me a pie if he sees me there.
Plenty of other Hellos in the interval. Steve, John, Graham Le Taxi, Elizabeth, Andy, Postman Tony and Howie. When HMHB took to the stage, the walk-on music was, according to Tony, Homes Of Fadeless Splendour by The Cardiacs. Later on Andrew gave me a fuller title, being The Alphabet Business Concern (Home Of Fadeless Splendour). I can’t claim to an expert on that band’s work, so the argument will have to be left hanging there.
Carl is moving further and further away from being a Joe Di Maggio lookalike, now sporting a pony tail. Joe never had one of those. Karl’s tshirt was Don Powell’s Occasional Flames. And on the subject of lookalikes, is it just me who thinks that Neil is turning into John Higgins? Ever seen the two of them in the same room? Nigel handed Tony a newspaper feature about Jimmy Harris, ex-Everton and Birmingham City centre forward who died in April. Born in Birkenhead, he signed for Tranmere towards the end of his career.
Nigel said “Lovely town et cetera. I don’t know what Roger Whittaker was moaning about.” He was immediately corrected by a shout of “It’s not a town. It’s a city!” And so, after a quick burst from Nigel of the jingle “Autoglass repair / Autoglass replace”, HMHB were up and running. (There was more advertising later on when Nigel sang “Moulinex make things simple / And that includes the price.”) Brian tapped me on the shoulder and said that they would open up with I’m Getting Buried In The Morning. Not quite correct, but Brian didn’t have to wait too long.
After the opener, Worried Man Blues, Tony leant over and asked “First time they have started with a cover version?” Thinking about it, my very first HMHB gig started with Busy Little Market Town. But that’s a fair while ago, and I can’t readily think of it happening since then whenever I’ve been in attendance. Happy to be told otherwise.
Awkward Sean was introduced as “a song about someone we have all known”. The early playing of The Trumpton Riots prompted Tony to suggest that the band was playing the set list backwards. In Renfield’s Afoot, BOOKING ESSENTIAL was in capital letters. And yet again torches were recommended, but absolutely not police torches.
Nigel said that the band’s route to the gig was M6 then A66. “We are still barred from Kirkby Stephen Services, so we went to Tebay. I upset the duck. We didn’t buy anything. Instead we went to the Tesco in Kirkby Stephen and got a Meal Deal.” I’m Getting Buried In The Morning was described as “a new song off the new album. No, it’s not a new song. It’s about a year old.”
The whole evening was punctuated by requests from the stage for various guitars to come through various monitors. As Nigel said at one point… “Turn up the volume, by popular demand.” And it was like Play Your Cards Right. “Lower. Lower. Higher. Higher.”
There was a little bit of Deep Purple’s Black Night ahead of She’s In Broadstairs. Nigel took up position on the drum riser, a proper pop star pose while Karl and Neil did their vocals on that song. Nigel said “Here’s another new one” ahead of Fuckin’ ‘Ell It’s Fred Titmus. I couldn’t hear all Nigel’s conversations with folk in the other side of the hall. I think it was Token Covid Song where he nodded towards Neil and said “It’s one of his tunes. I wrote the words.” When the punter was asked which they preferred, words or music, Nigel answered “Dr Henry Kissinger”. Maybe a diplomatic response from the crowd.
Big Man Up Front was about foregoing a family walk, in order to stop in. Christian Gross was spotted in the crowd. In reply to a request, Nigel said “That’s one of ours. You’re in the right place… If we play it.” There were a few lines from Song To The Siren, ahead of Vatican Broadside. Ellen MacArthur was spotted. “Obviously you can follow up by saying she is from Landlocked Derbyshire.”
Ahead of Ode To Joyce, Nigel said “This song is about two minutes ten.” Then afterwards he said, “Actually that was two minutes twenty,” the difference being down to an extended “slower ball” pause. He also talked about eating ginger nut biscuits on stage. “The only thing I’ve learned from forty years on stage is that you shouldn’t bring chocolate on. It makes a mess when it melts under the lights.”
Upstairs at the back of the venue was a sold out circle of seats. There was a lot of celebrity spotting there. Carol Kirkwood. Mona Washbourne, Barry Fry (“or you’ve got a Barry Fry mask on”), Carol Klein (“Did you get that quicklime sorted? He’s not going to bury himself.”) and Matthew Amroliwala. Nigel asked “Where do you go when there aren’t any seats?”
Midnight Mass Murder was dedicated to The Venerable Bede. In reply to which there was a shout of “What about St Cuthbert? He never gets fuck all.” In turn, Nigel said “That’s a double negative there.” (After this song, Brian said that it was worth the admission money alone.)
Nigel said he had been out for a meal with the North West chess champion. It was all right, but he took half an hour to pass the salt. (That got a “bum tish” on the drums from Carl.) When the band came back for the encore, Nigel had his caravan guitar. “It won’t be in tune. It was left in a lay by overnight.” Sure enough, it wasn’t, so it was discarded, and he went back to his original instrument. All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit was dedicated to Melissa. “She knows who she is.” Cue screaming from the back of the hall.
It’s difficult to judge any one of these gigs against any other. But this really did feel like one of the great nights out. (Mind you, I could probably say that about all of them.) We saw several more folk afterwards – Paul, Mike, Sarah, Graham and Lou. While the band was playing, I looked round every now and then and saw Nigel/Exxo in the engine room of the mosh pit. Back outside, several folk headed off in the direction of beer (including Postman Tony whose subsequent timely appearance at the breakfast table is to be applauded), while Karen and I headed off in the direction of zzz. Also on the Saturday morning I bumped into Nigel from Swindon, grumbling about the fact that he won’t be at the Cardiff show, but will be back on the circuit soon enough. Ta to Karl for the set list. Everything was as per.
Worried Man Blues
The Trumpton Riots
Awkward Sean
Renfield’s Afoot
Tommy Walsh’s Eco House
I’m Getting Buried In The Morning
She’s In Broadstairs
Fuckin’ ‘Ell It’s Fred Titmus
Token Covid Song
Deep House Victims Minibus Appeal
Big Man Up Front
Venus In Flares
Terminus
Running Order Squabble Fest
Vatican Broadside
Ode To Joyce
Fear My Wraith
Joy Division Oven Gloves
National Shite Day
For What Is Chatteris?
Oblong Of Dreams
We Built This Village On A Trad Arr Tune
The Light At The End Of The Tunnel Is The Light Of An Oncoming Train
Midnight Mass Murder
Everything’s AOR
We have got used to four songs in the encore. Tonight there were just three.
All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit
Blitzkrieg Bop
Every Time A Bell Rings
I’ve only been to Durham on a handful of occasions. You forget what a haul it is back up the hill to the railway station with a rucksack on your back. But we made it, as did Brian with his rich and varied journey home. Less than two weeks to Cardiff.
1 May 2022
FerenCváros fan
Brilliant review as always, Roger. Many thanks.
I too have been getting seriously stuck into Songs To Make a Brew To. Particularly love Petrol, Front Row Knobhead, Ian Brown Is The Resurrection, and yes the sneeze-and-you’ll-miss-it Poor Old Prince Philip.
Re lookalikes, does anybody else think that the ex-Lincoln City (as of yesterday) manager Michael Appleton bears an uncanny resemblance to NB?
1 May 2022
Telly savalas
@Nick Green
The walk-on music: https://youtu.be/ACjKXQ22YUs
1 May 2022
Phil from Portsmouth
A big thank you to Roger & Karen for a mention in Roger’s excellent (as ever) review of the Durham gig! Thank you for the imagery of an amazing gig, even more gutted now I couldn’t be there! But I’ll see you all for Cardiff! In two weeks then!
1 May 2022
EXXO
Well played with the note-pads there Karen. My own supreme gratitude to Roger’s thoroughly rollicking theatrical revue is especially for enabling me to finally throw away some crumpled scribble on the ticket that I’ve kept on my mantelpiece for 5 weeks, since Nottingham. I was hoping that one day I would wake up and be able to read my own writing from that night, but no need now. Mona Washbourne it was, of course. Thank you. into the basket first time.
Thank you too Roger, for in effect being the ‘VAR Official’ for our little setlist prediction competition, when the fine ales of Durham’s West Bank were way too good for me to remember much (or to hope to write more neatly than Nottingham). But are we 100% sure they didn’t play Look Dad No Tunes?
Durham was so beautiful on Friday in the spring sunshine, and much of the early ale was consumed in the sun, so my memory has definitely been affected. I also accidentally deleted every photo on my phone because the sun was so bright in Ye Old Elm Tree beer garden. When I lamented this fact to Mrs Exford she spent most of the weekend forwarding them back to me, so that’s OK, bless her.
It was great to meet up with Pars Paul for beers and pizza, thus having a witness that that moment with Neil and his niece in The Shakespeare was was not a dream. This meant that only 3 people in the world had any hope of understanding my “Godzilla eats Diss” heckle, but at least someone got something out of my double negative one about St. Cuthbert. I aim to please.
I’ve been trying not to mention by the way Roger that your self-correction about Wollaton Hall did not extend to its historical epoch (it is arguably the poshest building constructed in Elizabethan England). Tried but failed on that one. Soz. Otherwise brilliant, and thanks for mentioning the Grove, one of our locals in Leeds. Hope you identified all the musicians on the gig room walls. It’s always been a marvellous old folk venue (oldest non-stop weekly folk club in the country), but now using indie gigs even more intensively to try to stay alive, in era when many of the nearby office workers they relied on for trade are still working from home. But you’re right, it won’t be the best pre-gig pub for the Leeds Stylus gig. I will supply pre-gig suggestions in due course. There was a time when I thought Leeds might be the first post-Covid HMHB gig, in which case I was even going to lay on a gig-day fringe event in Leeds. Anyway, I’ll see you there for my next one, as Cardiff is a bit beyond my usual range. Still, I’ve really impressed meself with 6 out of 7 HMHB gigs since the re-start and might even have to work out now when I last did 5 in a row.
1 May 2022
parsfan
This was my first one since Shrewsbury last year which, while a great gig in itself, had its downsides: not being able to find the simple short route between station and hotel or back again the next morning (despite no such problems once the pubs had emptied); train delays on way home – including receiving an email on one in motion telling me it had been cancelled; waiting another hour for another train; and catching covid. This one all went to plan, the never ending Edinburgh tramworks almost scuppered my trip down but made it with two minutes to spare.
The venue was conveniently en route to the hotel for ticket collection, tourist map inconveniently erected upside down which really confused me for a minute. While displaying a map so that is fits the viewer’s perspective can be helpful – it only really works if you know that’s what’s going on. The one on the other side would have been perfect if I’d needed help going north back to the train station.
Checked in then pub time. The first name I recognised was The Shakespeare and a few old bald heads in the window suggested there were others gig goers already there. Well, yes and no. From my experience they were a bit too smartly dressed but the guy from Belfast in a Robyn Hitchcock t-shirt and the group from Perth were all in town for the lads. Exxo appeared, more beer then a very tasty but floppy pizza before pitching up just before KO. There was a bottle bar just inside but with a very long queue, fortunately an ex-colleague, Kenny, was right at the front and more refreshments were in hand for the opening bars of Worried Man Blues. Thanks Kenny, what happened to you afterwards?
As others have said, the sound at the beginning was very muffled, certainly about halfway back. Due to foot problems I had been planning a fairly sedate evening, but at some point I’d clearly had enough to forget this and, on noticing Exxo was the moshpit, decided to have some fun. Sound quality didn’t enter my mind after that and any detail didn’t stay there long either. From previously thinking this might be my most, and first, disappointing Biscuits gig the night was saved and I had a great time from then on.
Afterwards a quick word with Roger before heading to the pub with Dr & Mrs Desperate, Tony (thanks for the pint – I was joking), Mr & Mrs Jitsu, H-Tat, Celia and Andy and Andy and Andy and “the woman with the long curly black hair” (Lou?) – maybe more…or less, not completely sure about all the Andys made it that far. Time was wasted attempting the awful chain pubs closest but we ended up in a real pub. It was over all too quickly but probably for the best when they kicked us out.
Hassle free trip home, feet fine the next day and I’ll do a covid test tomorrow.
1 May 2022
ROGER AS IS ROGER AS WAS
In reply to Exxo. Full audit carried out, of the notepad and of Karl’s set list. Look Dad No Tunes was definitely NOT included at Durham.
2 May 2022
EXXO
Thanks again Roger. I never doubted you, never have, but just needed your affidavit for technical reasons as we near squeaky bum time in the Fantasy Biscuitball League.
Talking of which, are you going to Hampden for the play-off, Paul? Good luck to the Pars and to all not yet mathematically safe.
2 May 2022
eric t’viking
Unusually, I find myself empathising with a Tory MP. As a young man, I too had an interest in tractors. But I’ve got it under control now – just an occasional late night Youtubing of a John Deere or an old Fergie…
I think the years of riding around on tractors with little in the way of silencing has affected my ears though, as to me the sound at the Gala Theatre was spot on. No distortion, no fuzziness, every strum and beat coming out clear – far superior than other venues. To me, anyway.
Fairly easy and pleasant drive over to Durham from Lancashire in the afternoon, and it sounded like we’d travelled the same way as the band. M6 – A66 – Barnard Castle (brief stop to check vision) then a near endless series of roundabouts into Durham. When mentioning Tebay services, Nigel remarked that they would have called at the Buttercup Café at Kirkby Stephen instead, but unfortunately the band were still barred (cue roll of the eyes and nod toward Neil, who remained deadpan).
Setlist choices excellent, with the new songs coming fresh to me, as the Voltarol cd had been promised as a birthday present in late April. Not sure anyone else has mentioned it (?) but during NSD didn’t Stockard Channing’s dismal TVM become a “love of tug custody drama”, quickly realised and corrected? Sounds like a far more interesting film though. During JDOG, could see just the one pair of oven gloves above the throng – curious that seems to be dying out…
Durham was very enjoyable, great weather, hotel, venue and car park all close by, authentic pubs, an intimidating cathedral, and an expensive guided tour of the castle well swerved. Received several waves and smiles whilst walking around with HMHB t-shirt on; saw many others too. It did cause something of a challenge after the gig though, when a chap for whom English wasn’t his first language enquired ‘what is this half biscuit? Is it a joke?’. I did try explaining that, whilst yes, they are a band and yes, they do play guitars, the resemblance to Metallica was superficial (Metallica being his frame of reference – he’d been taken to see them once and ‘had a headache for 3 days afterwards…!’).
Finally, I committed a major faux pas at the gig. Never again will I make a late decision to go the gents just before the band are due on, especially after asking a friendly female to hold my beer (I lack the dexterity of the chap still carrying his pint whilst using the facilities). That friendliness had – justifiably – turned to frostiness by the time I arrived back, with the first few chords ringing out… Oops. Think she’s still speaking to me.
2 May 2022
D list paul ross
So to use the old joke, you’re an ex-tractor fan. Boom, boom.
3 May 2022
dr Desperate
That MP’s wife is apparently standing by him, so she won’t be sending him a John Deere letter. Dumb, dumber.
3 May 2022
dr Desperate
An excellent gig all round, despite initial problems with a sound man surprisingly unaccustomed to synth-infused trios from Usk.
The Shakespeare pub was full of pensioners and smelt strongly of bleach, the two facts possibly related, so a fine afternoon was spent in the Market Tavern, despite its Tripadvisor rating as “unpleasant from the moment go”. A group of DPAK-clad fans were sitting by the window reading some article from the Guardian, in a room festooned with posters of Durham Miners’ Gala banners.
(These caused me to reflect that I’d probably been mispronouncing the name of the venue all along, as /ˈgɑːlə/ rather than /ˈgeɪlə/. A linguist from Newcastle University suggests that the former pronunciation is American, adding “if there’s one group of people who aren’t likely to have been influenced by Americanisms, it would be ex-miners in the North of England”.)
Friday night pizzas were taken at Pizza Punks, a chain which describes itself as having “torn up the rulebook”. This presumably includes the rule about bringing pizzas to customers within an hour and a quarter of their ordering, leading to us missing the West Wickhams. (We did see them outside the cathedral the next morning, by which time they were no longer in character, and quite cheerful.) The delay also led inevitably to excessive consumption of a non-classic red from a non-medal-winning estate on the banks of the Wear, so by the time I met young Pete from Indignation Meeting at the gig I was unable to remember the name of Ed Sheeran (not all downside, then) and accused an innocent couple of being his parents. Thanks to his actual dad Mike for the pint, and apologies for others piling in on his order.
Little to add to the RER© above, save to say that we got the joke about Jimmy Harris being dead (“I hope so, they’ve buried him”) and the opening lines of the theme from ‘Help! … It’s the Hair Bear Bunch!’ If ever a cartoon series title was in dire need of two exclamation marks…
Ymlaen i Gaerdydd!
3 May 2022
transit full of keith
I’m tired of the tractor jokes. Enormously tired.
3 May 2022
Phyllis Triggs
I generally travel by train to gigs but what with the general awkwardness of cross country rail journeys coupled with TransPennine being on strike and an unwillingness to trust our fates to the rail replacement service, my gig buddy Eric offered to drive this time. Fine by me, I could sit back and enjoy the view.
Its 36 years since I lived in the North East but once through Barnard Castle and across t’other side of t’Pennines the landscape began to feel familiar – slabs of colour the way a child would paint it – orange pantiled rooftops backed by a bright blue sky, fields of paint-pot green, and oilseed rape so intensely yellow you can almost feel its glow. Leaving behind the rain-washed grey of the NW I became aware of something unexpected – a vague notion of homecoming.
After checking in to the hotel we wandered out to find the pubs which were recommended on this site. First call was the Market Tavern where we were greeted by a group of HMHB fans sitting at a table by the door. A female member of the group is outed as a Biscuit virgin – this will be her first ever HMHB gig. I offer congratulations and tell her I am actually jealous – so much still to discover, so many wonderful gigs ahead, her life about to become immeasurably richer. At least, I hope that’s how it turned out and it didn’t turn into a Bladderwrack Allowance scenario….
More beers and pizza at the Head Of Steam. Was disappointed with my first option – a coconut stout which had seen better days – should have taken it back really but I couldn’t be arsed – it was only a half and the coconut flavour almost masked the sharpness…. Next one was way better – its description as a hazy pale ale gave no hint as to the full-on gobful of grapefruit which was to follow, however, its being served in a stem glass like they used for serving ladies lager in the seventies should have alerted me to its speciality status. Absolutely gorgeous beer – I keep thinking about it now – could fettle one of those for breakfast!
At the Gala Theatre the length of the queue for the bar was slightly alarming but at least it seemed to be moving quickly. Going outside to join the end of the queue I spotted Steve Hill of recent Guardian article fame. Congratulated him on the article – I thought it was a lovely read, fair cheered me up before work, and then reading the comments section when I got home cheered me up after work too (maybe I need to get a new job!).
Missed the band’s entrance as my companion had decided he must take a last minute leak leaving me stood outside the auditorium holding his beer. Apologies to all those I pushed past on my clumsy dash to the front when he returned. “Sorry, sorry, excuse me, thank you, sorry….” Wound up next to Exxo just as the band launched into Trumpton Riots. Whaaat?! Wasn’t expecting that so early on. Overcome with excitement I lobbed what was left of my JD and coke straight up into the air – can’t dance and drink at the same time!
Someone taps me on the shoulder, I turn round to see whoever it is wearing one of those ‘realistic’ and rather sinister latex masks. I point and laugh politely, thinking its just some random nutter in the crowd, best humour him. Turns out its Postman Tony and the mask is Walter White from Breaking Bad – NB has made mention of BB before, perhaps Tony was hoping WW would join the roll call of celebrities spotted?
Things get a bit hazy after this but hearing Big Man Up Front played live for the first time was fabulous – didn’t miss the brass at all. Was overjoyed to hear them play Oblong Of Dreams again. Thought they’d upped the tempo on the intro a bit which worked well live. Wonderful seeing Nigel up there, eyes closed, into the zone, a masterful performance. Noticed that he sang “Sunshine on my childhood” rather than “sunbeams” – thought I’d heard this at Notts too – for it to happen twice, is it deliberate? Fab also to hear Fear My Wraith. Hope the guy who shouted for Feel My Wrath at Holmfirth was there to enjoy it.
A storming gig! They’re always great but this was really really great! A couple of Guinnesses with fellow Biscuiteers in the Market Tavern rounded off the evening nicely. After chucking out time, I wisely called it a night, but some of the others, hardier souls than myself, crossed the Rubicon into Wetherspoons. I’d never have made it to breakfast if I’d followed them.
A wander round town the next day and the obligatory trip to the Cathedral reminded me that I had been there once before on a school trip in the early eighties. Being overwhelmed by the architecture and transported to another realm by the choir practising within, I remembered having a Keats moment in the Cathedral (“Now more than ever seems it rich to die….”) and also standing at the doors giggling with my mates at what is undoubtedly a “beautiful pair of knockers” as described by Simon Groom on Blue Peter a few years earlier. Not much changes. Swap the choir for HMHB and I am similarly (tho less melodramatically) transported and our visit to the cathedral the following day still prompted silly giggling.
The sense of homecoming I had vaguely anticipated never materialised – well, not in the way I thought it would. On Friday night the population of Durham seemed to consist entirely of students, tourists and HMHB fans. I had no real sense of place and felt I could have been in any historic university town in England – or even Europe. But that mattered not, for it occurred to me that a different kind of homecoming had taken place. Meeting up with fellow fans, seeing familiar faces, strangers acknowledging each other identified by a t shirt or a DPAK – this is the best sort of homecoming. Feeling part of a community, being surrounded by those of a mind – that’s what its all about. With HMHB every gig is a homecoming.
4 May 2022
EXXO
That’s a great read, Lou. I guess you didn’t make it up to the Holy Grale, then? Amongst other delights they had the best Old Pec “from the wood” I’ve ever tasted – every barrel is a bit different and this one was positively plummy.
Thanks for the explanation of the man in the mask – I’m not familiar with BB (don’t find much crime/gangsters/police stuff interesting TBH) and didn’t get a chance to chat after.
4 May 2022
HendrIx-Tattoo
I second the comment above. Great to see you Lou as always.
Exxo, The look on your face when I tapped you on the shoulder was absolutely priceless…
4 May 2022
GORDON BURNS
Aha H-Tat, the mask was you. No wonder I didn’t clock you until the end.
4 May 2022