Sixth visit to ‘Little Hollywood’ (according to Yorkshire.com) in just over 10 years. And nobody’s complaining about that. Great venue, great town. But what did those who were there think of the gig?
Sixth visit to ‘Little Hollywood’ (according to Yorkshire.com) in just over 10 years. And nobody’s complaining about that. Great venue, great town. But what did those who were there think of the gig?
ady
one man down and the sound engineers need taking aside (lead mic reverb awful), seen the lads here many times but on this occasion too many fillers of the same plod genre never seemed to get the crowd going as in the past, nice new lyrics on paintball but it just didn’t happen for various reasons tonight – u cant win em all
23 September 2017
hendrix-tattoo
Brilliant gig, Brilliant day meeting friends old and new.
Good to see Ron again, God bless you all….
23 September 2017
EXXO
In the continued absence of Ken (‘having tests’) this was a consummate and performance by the lissom threesome, a cracker of a gig, especially once a bit of a bop got going at the front. Many rare collectibles, opening with a storming update of ‘God Gave us Life’ with about 6 or 7 new celebs (in the place of Una Stubbs… Eartha Kitt, but keeping Lionel Blair ) starting with Micky Flanagan and including Freddie Flintoff I seem to remember. From Pontius Pilate to Gordon Jackson it was the usual names.
While writing that last bit I’ve forgotten most of whatever it was I’d just remembered about the updated ‘Paintball’ couple. Can only remember that they know who’s who in the England team and that their cat still has its own website.
There was much respect for the recent rise of Huddersfield Town (“it doesn’t seem a minute since we were playing at the McAlpine, in fact it doesn’t seem a minute since we were playing at Leeds Road… watching Tranmere these days is like [that’s something else I remembered until I started that sentence]…”)
A tall tale about coming via the Yorkshire Sculpture Park (forgot to bring own flask), and somewhere else (remembered the flask) ended with feeding the ducksin order to facilitate the Bill Withers joke.
The Picturedrome is a brilliant venue with Timothy Taylors and helped facilitate the cinema manager’s funeral times joke. See I can only remember the ones he’s done at least 6 times. I blame Taylo for obviously not supplying enough new ones. Great to see Taylo and Loop there at the end of the gig, together with Siteowner, Phyllis T, El Bastardo, Gipton Shedster enjoying himself massively and great to see Tony Tat having a great night and on the way to recovery. Talking of those who’ve been absent for the last wee while now, the appearance of the great Geoff Davies, national treasure, flitting across the stage just before the bully-off was greeted with an appropriate paean from the throng.
Beer of the night, Maud & Charles unanimous on this one for once, was the mighty 1872 Elland Porter available from the nearest pub to the appropriate end of Huddersfield bus station, The Plumbers Arms, followed quite closely by the stupendous Sixth Mass from the Salopian Brewery and purveyed at the King’s Head, Huddersfield station.
23 September 2017
Chris The Siteowner
One man’s filler is another man’s revelation Ady – we need to get the set list spreadsheet updated, but I think that there were more rarities played at this gig than any in recent memory. And that was the highlight for me.
Was it because they knew in advance they’d be a three piece and had decided that there were some unusual songs that would suit that? “Footprints” featuring Nigel prowling the stage with just a handheld mic and no guitar was one which will live in the memory.
Now making my way to Elland Road for the second half of the weekend’s entertainment. Not expecting it to be quite as uplifting.
23 September 2017
TAYLO
Ha ha, I do tell him new gags,honest! The line about watching Tranmere these days was “do you remember when John McCarthy was chained to that radiator”.
We watched from the Loftus Road Restricted View up in the gods as my disabilities mean my days on the floor are done but it looked like a lively pit from up on high.
Get well soon Ken although the three lads did a Stirling job.
23 September 2017
Chris The Siteowner
“God Gave Us Life” also featured James Martin. The Paintball Cat which Chose Them has its own Facebook Page now, rather than website.
23 September 2017
mark wood
Surprised, there was no mention of Nigel as a christian name not being chosen by anybody in the past year.
23 September 2017
EXXO
Ah yes and I think Len Goodman was the last in the list?
That Tranmere line was – is – brilliant, and sums up Nigel’s attitude at the match.
I’ve made a very decent whack of cash on Tranmere being poo this season, and Liverpool’s last three games, often in doubles of Liverpool defensive poo and Tranmere general poo. Basically enough cash to see me through past Xmas and counting …
Some of what I put on Leicester not to lose on Tuesday though it turns out I put on the wrong match, and it’s riding on today’s repeat fixture instead. Still, the odds are even better today and the double of neither Tranmere nor the Reds to win pays nearly 4-1.
OOh err this is turning into water cooler stuff so i’ll just say hope Elland Road today isn’t like being chained to a radiator with the wrong McCarthy.
23 September 2017
EXXO
Paddy McGuinness?
23 September 2017
GIpton teenager
Great gig, cosy venue, decent beer, lovely people, especially H-Tat. Stay well Tony mate. Keep the faith!
23 September 2017
The bastard in the hat
Mixed messages in the reviews so far, and I think that’s apt. Some for the purists, some to irk them. Loads of crowd-pleasers (some unusual, some not) — Chatteris, Vatican Broadside, Shite Day, Light at the End of the Tunnel, JDOG, AOR, etc etc. — but some dense and obscure ones. You can work out for yourself where the cover of “I think we’re alone now” fits.
Nigel seemed to be using a prompt sheet for some verses of the Paintball couple — and even then we didn’t get to go to one-day cricket in fancy dress. God gave us Freddie Flintoff, though, Nigel gave us Fred Titmus, and one of Ken’s medical charts looked like Trescothick’s wagon wheel.
Nigel also had a quick peek at the prompt sheet before some of the more complicated guitar leads. Before one song, I forget which, he said “This could really do with some extra guitar from Ken. You’re going to have to imagine it, because we’re doing it anyway.” And, actually, the small-band sound was pretty good. Obviously some songs were chosen because the bass was prominent: Uffington Wassail, Footprints. Interestingly, the cut-down sound seemed to involve more drumming, not less. They were all working pretty hard.
Early on, Nigel must have stepped on the cable mid-song, because he carefully signalled to the on-stage engineer before plugging his guitar back in. Then, during the planned swap-over with Neil, they merrily ripped out and plugged in without warning. Nigel then wandered around with a dead guitar: “I don’t know why I’m strumming this. It’s a kind of comfort blanket.”
As CtSO said, a rare chance to hear some songs live, so I’m glad I was there. I didn’t get to socialise — I’ll hope to see more of you soon, not sure when.
23 September 2017
Twistedkitemike
Oh, well. Bit late for me, but here’s the set-list. Difficult to read my writing on this one, because it was dark on the floor. However, early onset dementia is still at the formative stage, so scruffiness can be interpreted from the mind.
The set-list, I am reliably informed by the Oracle, was very much geared to being a three-legged dog, as leg four was definitely not going to be there. It can still walk, just a bit differently; sometimes it is nice to have a twist on the norm.
God Gave Us Life (No Postie, despite the close proximity to Rotherham)
Third Track
Restless Legs
Shit Arm
Bad Review
Quality Janitor
Light Tunnel
Fred T (from an audience shout – “Alright, then”)
Squabblefest
Doreen
Hornbeam
CAMRA
Look Dad
Floreat
Bob W
Uffington
Irk
Our Tune (aborted after the first verse)
Bad Wools
Paintball
DPAK
Bat Walk (new song/rant)
Chatteris
Vatican
Footprints
NSD
Time Flies By
JDOG
Trumpton
…………………………
Trad Arr Tune
Cover – I think we’re alone now
AOR
I enjoyed it. It was a bit DHSS/Leaden top heavy, but that was almost certainly due the absence of (get well soon) Ken. I have an ear infection, notwithstanding that, the sound wasn’t good as far as I could tell. The comments tend to back this up.
Onwards and (geographically for me) upwards to Glasgow. I fancy that I might win longest drive.
Mike…………………..
23 September 2017
Huddersfield’s very own… Steve malkmus
Fun fact about the duck pond: NB can only have meant the one in Denby Dale village, as there isn’t one in either Upper or Lower Cumberbatch (I’m going to call them that from now on). That pond was made out of a gigantic pie dish. The story is basically as follows:
When King George the whateverth recovered from madness in 1788, the people of Denby Dale decided to commemorate this with a big monument… An edible one! They decided on a great big meat and potato pie. Unfortunately, technology being what it was then, the meat in the pie went rancid so the pie was incinerated. The dish was then turned into the village pond.
Undeterred, the villagers have made several further (and more successful) big pies since then.
23 September 2017
EXXO
“They[the Paintball couple] say “it is what it is” and “????” ”
What was there other irksome dictum?
And what was the best new line, something I really despise too at the moment, so it’s bugging me that I can’t remember it.
23 September 2017
Huddersfield’s very own… Steve malkmus
At the end of the day…
23 September 2017
JR MEATFREE
Enjoyable gig, and lively at the front, with Nigel on usual good form, missed Ken though. Was Ken the first man in Birkenhead to pull a sickie?. Setlist a bit dominated by the older stuff, and lots of crowdpleasers. Not much from UFO, but then they did play the Picturedrome last week.
Good to hear the Tiffany cover, last saw it at Preston many moons ago and Mrs Meatfree never believed me, but now she’s seen it for herself!
23 September 2017
A27 A23 M23 M25…
EXXO…
“Back in the day”
23 September 2017
hendrix-tattoo
I can’t stand the Tiffany version so here is the original….
https://youtu.be/Iy7Xl4CWAIE
23 September 2017
ady
why do sound engineers deem it more important to play on their phones all through the gig instead of having a quick walk round the venue to see whats right and whats not? why do people wear flat caps indoors? don’t get me wrong I enjoyed the gig and there were some pleasers but in many ways it reminded me of the wakefield gig a couple of years ago, lacking in ways its hard to put your finger on, so yes, get well soon ken and maybe next time take an extra 5 or 10 mins to get the sound right (note to picdrome sound man) it sounded amazing in the gents when I nipped for a pee, crystal clear, although the capacity audience in there is prob about 12
23 September 2017
Slackears
Hello you lovely people.
Haven’t seen Halfman Halfbiscuit since Salford university about 30years ago, till last night. Loved it, especially Paintball. God gave us life was a great way to start too. Lovely venue the Picturedrome but the sound was a bit muddy.
Thanks a lot TwistedKiteMike for the set list, now I can have another listen to the ones I didn’t know or couldn’t quite hear the words.
Thanks to Hendrix for the original of “I think we’re alone now” didn’t know about that one. Just wanted to check you all know about the Snuff version from 1989…
23 September 2017
Phyllis Triggs
Excellent gig! I’m with Chris on the setlist – great to hear a few songs I’d never heard before – and Ady on the sound (not the bit about the gents tho I wouldn’t know anything about that!) in so far as I thought the vocals were muddy but admittedly I am becoming a bit of a deaf old bat…
Highlights: Uffington Wassail, Paintball, shaking hands with CtSO, shaking hands with Geoff, meeting Ronseal.
Best beer: fittingly the ultimate drink of the night, the Nook’s Cherry Stout, a 5.2% dark chocolate and cherry smoothie, yum.
Any reports from the Half Arsed Half Biscuit Belfast gig?
23 September 2017
Transit full of keith
Paintball couple “(something something) and they go on and on about gin.”
23 September 2017
GLynos73.
Amazing set list last night, God Gave Us Life and Footprints were highlights for me. I have been a fan since the late 80’s, first HMHB gig was 1991 in a small venue called The Tivoli in Buckley, North Wales. First time in Holmfirth. Great venue.
23 September 2017
GLynos73.
Also sure Piers Morgan and Richard Littlejohn got a mention in GGUL too.
23 September 2017
EXXO
Yes, thank you, that was it, what a sense of relief.
He’s nailed it there. FLIPPING GIN. I despise this bandwagon for flipping designer flipping gin.
There’s a massive billboard up at the back of the Cowsheds at Prenton about “Wirral Gin” and an even bigger one over Lewis’ in Liverpool about “Liverpool Gin” and if they market it the stupid stupid clueless Paintball couples will bloody buy it and go on about it.
24 September 2017
Kenzo nagasaki
Great to hear some rarities, hope Ken is well soon. My continued requests for “anything from Godcore” brought out the first few bars of Styx gig and the customary “I could do it but they can’t”. Neil was excellent filling some of the gaps with bass solos. Quieter in the audience than usual probably due to the huge proportion of tracks from TLP but as I said, brilliant to hear things I have never heard them play before. Looking forward to next time
24 September 2017
hendrix-tattoo
@Slackears that Salford uni gig was my first time I also seen HMHB.
Lene Lovich also covered ITWAN.
24 September 2017
CARRIE ANNE
I have little to add to Roger’s definitive review below, except that I thought it was a fantastic gig, only slightly marred because at the front the vocals were fuzzy, particularly on Footprints. Good to see H.Tat reunited with Ron.
The Picturedrome, Holmfirth, Fri 22nd September 2017
Roger Green writes:
A slight update on the four-for-a-pound peach Majestic situation, as introduced into the public domain by Nigel at the Sheffield gig in August. Well, an update as such. On the way back from the Bath gig we called in at Worcester. We headed for the Iceland there in hope. It seemed to be one of their larger stores. But still no luck. They didn’t even have mint ones. So we headed off to catch the last hour of the Worcestershire v Leicestershire game. Worcestershire were chasing a very modest target. They succeeded well before tea was due. It was a very gentle introduction to county cricket for Karen.
We spotted some, frankly shoddy, marketing for the gig. Courtesy of Huddle, “your essential guide to what’s on in Huddersfield”. HMHB are described as “British indie folk rock, a rare treat”. Not arguing with that. But they had the show as being on Sunday 10 September. Only twelve days out. Perhaps as a result of this, there was total silence in The Yorkshire Post. Cabbage were the only band listed at The Picturedrome over the following week. Of course that was just in the Rock And Pop section. HMHB could just as likely appear under “Light”, “Classical”, “Jazz” or “Folk”. But nope, there was nothing there. Steven Van Zandt got a double-page interview ahead of his show in Leeds though. It was the same with an examination of The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. There was a picture of the singer from Cabbage, and The Horrors got the main feature on the Sound Out column. The Illegal Eagles also got a name check. But there was nothing about HMHB. No matter. It was a full house tonight nevertheless.
We had to overcome a little logistical difficulty. The car park at The Old Bridge was taken over by a Food And Drink fair. We had been slightly worried about this also affecting the band. Can you imagine Nigel carting his amp through town? They ended up parking in a yard belonging to the venue owner. We had a space in the car park of Piccolino’s restaurant. The morning chorus of the bouncing metalwork of market stalls ensured an early start to the Saturday morning. And a batallion of Showsec personnel was in place to ensure that all parking was in order.
We arrived in Holmfirth early in the afternoon and immediately retired to the bar. John was there, and we were joined by Andrew and Jay. And it was great to see Postman Tony again, at his first gig for some time. He was showing a fair commitment. Not driving, not stopping over. Instead he was getting a taxi back to Manchester. Hope that turned up OK for him.
Karen and I decided to take the afternoon air, just in time to see Tony’s car come to a stop near the stage door. I warned him off with a hearty “You can’t park there!” and he was soon despatched to Piccolino’s. Anything to save Showsec a job. Nigel and Neil were in attendance. I established that Ken was absent once again. More tests were taking place. Here’s hoping for a good result. During the gig later, Nigel said that one of Ken’s results had looked good like a Trescothick wagon wheel. That good, eh?
We continued our stroll, taking in the Kirkwood Hospice shop, a second-hand book sale at the church across the road from The Picturedrome and Daisy Lane Bookshop. None of them were able to help us with our quest for George Gissing novels. We sought consolation in a giant size packet of chocolate chip cookies from Sainsburys. And a particular comfort was that we were around when Geoff turned up. He told us he had been reading the HMHB article that appears in Peter Ross’s book The Passion Of Harry Bingo. Peter had done much of his interviewing for the article the last time the band played in Holmfirth in March 2016.
Geoff invited us in to the venue, to listen to HMHB doing their sound-check. Various bits of tunes were played as they were warming up – such as the melody to Doreen, the bass line of New Dawn Fades, and a bit of what could have been A Man Of Constant Sorrow and Numanoid Hang-glide. And there was one that we thought might be the new song about Bat Walks (it later emerged that the title of this one is Renfield’s Afoot). The vocal checking was covered by both Nigel and Neil repeating “one-two”, “one-two”, “one-two”, “one-two”. You get the picture. We also heard full versions of Bad Review, Stuck Up A Hornbeam, The Light At The End Of The Tunnel Is The Light Of An Oncoming Train, Tonight Matthew I’m Going To Be With Jesus, Third Track Main Camera, Four Minutes, and Irk The Purists. Everybody was happy, and so it was time to head for some chips.
As usual we visited Hollowgate Fisheries. I wondered if it is actually time for the words “The Legendary” to precede this fine outlet. Maybe an official decision will have to wait until next time. While partaking by the wall across the road from the shop, we noticed a heron and a grey wagtail going about their business on the river.
Later on, it was back to the venue for the evening. Karen and I, Tony and Andrew were close to the front of the queue, which soon built up the slope towards Huddersfield Road. Plenty of folk were round and about. At various points of the evening I said Hello to Jordan, Emily, Matt, Bob, Sue, Daz, Howie, Katherine, Karl, John, Nigel, Jo, Ian, Mariana, Postman Tony, Graham, The Exfords, Pete, Mike and I caught a glimpse of Chris The Site Owner. Even Ron Seal was there.
People entering the venue are met with a notice. “This is a historic venue. No standing on chairs, or climbing on banisters. Keep your feet on the ground at all times.” My bulky frame means that my feet remain on the ground at most times anyway, so not much chance of breaking that rule. I did once shake hands with Captain Sensible here by the way.
Sonnenberg were providing the support tonight. “It’s always a great gig at Holmfirth,” said Zinny. He’s not wrong. This was about as good as I have seen them play. They played as a four piece. I haven’t quite memorised all their song titles. But I recognised Into The Light, War No More and Better Together. And Zinny is in the game of shifting units. He reminded everyone that Geoff’s stall was open for business, featuring Sonnenberg products. However the stall must have been short handed between the two sets, as Geoff was seen walking across the stage to a chorus of “There’s only one Geoff Davies.”
Half Man Half Biscuit appeared on stage at 9.00. Nigel immediately introduced Christian Gross to the crowd, and added “You’ve got a Food And Drink festival. Great.” There was general delight with the opening song, God Gave Us Life. As John said to me at the time, “I hope the Rotherham Postie is here tonight.” That didn’t appear to be the case, judging by the lack of calls of “What did God give us, Neil?” There were some new names appearing in that song. “He also gave us Micky Flanagan. He also gave us Paddy McGuiness. He also gave us Freddie Flintoff. He also gave us Richard Littlejohn. He also gave us James Martin. He also gave us John Challis.” But it was all rounded off with “And he also gave us Lionel Blair!”
An early shout for Sealclubbing was met with the standard “Yeah, that’s one of ours.” Nigel announced “This one’s about me,” before the band played Restless Legs. Someone shouted that they couldn’t hear the vocal. Nigel said to the soundman “It sounds OK on stage, maybe he’s just being awkward.” Nigel was unable to respond to Tony’s shout about there being a world shortage of Brazil nuts.
Shit Arm Bad Tattoo had an alternative ending: “You’ve got a shit arm, and it’s a bad review.” Similarly there was a line in Bad Review about the Food And Drink festival.
Nigel recounted the band’s trip to Yorkshire Sculpture Park. They were gasping and they went to the café there. Nigel wondered how hard it is to get a non-drip tea-pot. “Nice place, but take a flask.” Later on the band dropped in at Lower Cumberworth. They were at the duck pond. A woman they met was watching the ducks and said “If only they could sing as well as they can quack.” That in turn led to an outing for an old joke. “How do you turn a duck into a soul singer? Put it into the microwave until it’s bill withers.”
Nigel experienced a slight technical issue during The LIght At The End Of The Tunnel. He was merrily strumming away and then realised at the end of the song that the lead had come out of his guitar. There was a very short burst of “Matthew Amroliwala, what were you thinking of?” In response to a mention of Huddersfield Town, Nigel said it didn’t seem that long since Tranmere were playing them at the McAlpine Stadium, or even Leeds Road. He likened watching Tranmere these days to the time when John McCarthy was chained to a radiator.
Nigel reported that “I can’t be arsed with the occult.” He asked “Is there anybody here who is going to the Food And Drink Festival? This is for you,” ahead of CAMRA Man. Irk The Purists was originally recorded by The Detroit Idiots. There were shouts for various songs. “I could do all of them,” he said before playing a few intros. The band had a go at playing Our Tune, but Nigel couldn’t remember all of the words.
He mentioned about his mum moving to Rhyl in the 1980s. She ended up with a job cleaning for Nerys Hughes’ mother who also lived there. Nigel didn’t have the heart to tell her about the connection.
Paintball’s Coming Home contained a few variations. “They say ‘It is what it is’ and ‘Back in the day'” and the verse ended with “They all bang on about gin.” Then there was “They’ve got Marley And Me on their screens” with the final line “People who do that also get wind chimes.”.
There was also “They didn’t choose their cat. The cat chose them,” coupled with “Now it’s got it’s own Facebook page.”
And then there was “They recognise all the players in the England team” finished off with “They love all the trumpets and drums.”
The venue provided the opportunity for Nigel to tell us about the guy dying recently who used to be the manager when it was a cinema. His funeral is at three different times of the day. He also told us that Flanagan & Allen sang Underneath The Arches for the first time at Birkenhead Theatre. An old style car horn featured during Footprints. Neil extended the pause in Time Flies By when Nigel says “Let it happen, bass player.”
At the Bath gig the week before, Jordan had handed Nigel a small square of bubblewrap. When the band came back for the encore tonight, Nigel returned the compliment by handing Jordan a far bigger bundle of the stuff. There was talk of being addicted to squeezing bubblewrap, but Nigel claimed instead to be addicted to chewy Granola slices from Sainsbury’s. After they played I Think We’re Alone Now, there was a request “Give us some Carpenters!” Nigel’s look in response suggested that he had taken the idea on board. Watch this space.
Karen ended up with a set list. As we have come to expect, there were a number of amendments, particularly in the second half of the show. Never mind. What was played sounded pretty good to me. But please get back in the van soon, Ken.
God Gave Us Life
Third Track Main Camera Four Minutes
Restless Legs
Shit Arm Bad Tattoo
Bad Review
Quality Janitor
The Light At The End Of The Tunnel Is The Light Of An Oncoming Train
Fuckin’ ‘Ell It’s Fred Titmus
Running Order Squabble Fest
Doreen
Stuck Up A Hornbeam
CAMRA Man
Look Dad No Tunes
Floreat Inertia
Bob Wilson Anchorman
Uffington Wassail
Irk The Purists
Our Tune
Rock ‘N’ Roll Is Full Of Bad Wools
Paintball’s Coming Home
All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit
Renfield’s Afoot
For What Is Chatteris?
Vatican Broadside
Footprints
National Shite Day
Time Flies By When You’re A Driver Of A Train
Joy Division Oven Gloves
Trumpton Riots
And in the encore
We Built This Village On A Trad Arr Tune
I Think We’re Alone Now
Everything’s AOR
And so it was back to the bar for consultation of the notes. As usual, I couldn’t read my own writing and there were bits that I couldn’t hear much of what was said. So thanks to Karen, John, Andrew, Matt and Tony for helping out there. Karen and I were off to Nottingham the night after this, to see Sparks. Great band, , magnificent performance and I was delighted to see them at last, over forty years after first catching them on Top Of The Pops. But they were still merely the second best band that I saw this week.
24 September 2017
CARRIE ANNE
Of course, I forgot to acknowledge that I pinched it from Gez’s website https://cobweb.businesscollaborator.com/hmhb/guest/index.htm
24 September 2017
Jimbo
My first HMHB gig since Leicester almost three years ago and it was hugely enjoyable. Obviously best wishes for recovery go out to Ken but it was an interesting opportunity to see a three-piece gig and the concomitant outings for a few rarer songs.
Highlights for me were GGUL, Paintball (love the cat line), Footsteps, Look Dad, Bad Review, WBTVOR&R and Irk The Purists.
On the sound quality, I was stood fairly close to one of the speakers stage right and it was giving me an ear buzz for the first half an hour or so, which subsequently vanished. Either the sound engineers sorted it out, or I just lost that frequency from my hearing range forever! It had been mildy irritating, like the Welsh bloke in front of me shouting out for “Lord Hereford’s Knob” every 5 minutes.
TBITH, the song where Nigel said they could really do with some lead guitair on was Bob Wilson, Anchorman.
One nitpick, did Neil miss his “cue drumroll” cue in NSD? Seemed to do only half a drumroll a second or two late? Play one the drummer knows! 🙂
Any chance of a London gig sometime soon?
24 September 2017
hendrix-tattoo
Brilliant review Roger, Thanks Carrie-Anne.
I was back home in my own bed for quarter past midnight.
God bless you all….
24 September 2017
FLINTLOCK
@Exxo – this time next year it’ll be rum.
24 September 2017
hendrix-tattoo
Thanks to Mr.Toestub, Here is Footprints from Friday night.
https://youtu.be/ffyjDJ51zz0
24 September 2017
ERic t’viking
Ok, am confessing the Friday night gig was followed by a Saturday morning wander around the food festival in Holmfirth, accompanied by the ever wonderful Phyllis Triggs, who cannily acquired her breakfast from the free samples on offer at the stalls (she having missed breakfast time at The Nook).
Thoroughly enjoyed the show, with Renfield’s Afoot (or Bat Walks as I think of it) being my favourite, though as others have said above, the additional words to God Gave us Life and Paintball’s Coming Home were particular delights, along with the novelty of the ‘power trio’ formation. Not so sure about the description of Nigel “prowling the stage” during Footprints – it looked to me more like someone searching for misplaced car keys. I was also pleased to be introduced to Ron Seal, who appeared to watch most of the performance sitting on the drum kit, after enthusiastically rushing the stage early on. If he is going to do that in the future, maybe he could be fitted with a web cam – a ‘Ron cam’, perhaps?
The most heartwarming moment though came via a Telly Savalas-like chap in the crowd (name unknown to me, I’m afraid), wearing an “Exploited” leather jacket, who interupted his vigorous moshing to fish a lighter out of his pocket, flick it open, and hold up the flame during the I Think We’re Alone Now encore; a last true romantic…
25 September 2017
TRANSIT FULL OF KEITH
If the Bat Walks song is called ‘Renfield’s Afoot’, Nigel might have been at the Bram Stoker.
25 September 2017
EXXO
It seems like a strong possibility.
Some other notes and mishaps from Friday. Where to start? With big thanks to Roger and his little helpers, proving yet again that the front row does have its use (miaow) – I was hoping to do a strike through of the ‘s’ from ‘uses’ but I can’t make strike through work on here.
The notes. Trescothick’s wagon wheel? I heard that correctly at the time but it didn’t mean much to me (it’s been so many years since I had access to any test cricket on telly, and I’m not sure I ever knew those batting diagrams were called ‘wagon wheels’. Perhaps they weren’t even called that errm ‘back in the day’ [where’s the strike through?])
I hasten to add that I heard everything perfectly on Friday, when I was paying attention. Sound was excellent where I was. It’s the memory that’s the problem, and the reveries of association that some of the song references induce, which at several points on Friday caused me to hardly notice entire sections of certain songs, making other folks’ recollections all the more precious. I’d love to meet Watt, Murdoch, Trescothick (errm where’s the srike through?), Trevithick, Matthew Murray, etc., the engineeers who gave Stevenson his ideas and should have been bought a few beers.
So yeah, ‘back in the day’. Anyone else regret the fact that the debate v. ‘at the end of the day’ (see above) was over before it even began? My money was always on ‘back in the day’ cos ‘for sure, like I say, at the end of day’ has already been dealt with elsewhere, I guess.
I’d already remembered Littlejohn (retch) but yeah, thanks, I suppose.
The mishaps. First I’d like to apologise to the chap in the ‘Godcore’ t-shirt who nipped off the bus in reaction to our alighting, excitedly but several stops too early in another village (New Mill, handy for errm, the hill, one assumes). The bus was late and we were well primed for action, forgetting that there may be other brightly lit conurbations along the way. Luckily someone was detaining the bus driver with something other than a flash of a bus pass, so we all got back on, though not without some regret that there wasn’t time to have a go on the dodgems.
Secondly we then forgot where the Nook was and went in all the shite pubs instead. Sounds like we were particularly unlucky to miss that Cherry stout, Lou. Talking of which there’s been a very decent one in some branches of Aldi lately at £1.29.
Thirdly thanks to whoever rescued my watch from the slosh-pit floor and stuck it in the crush barrier for someelse to find and point out to me afterwards (so thanks to them too, and also when he fell Gipton Teenager thanked the passing nurse (usually it was myself in that role). I’ve inserted a new spigot in the divot (for these are the technical terms) and the strap is thus strog again and it still goes on providing better value at £7 than my usual £5 watches from the charity shop by the dentist’s in Headingley.
Fourthly, Gipton Tony give me a text, for the whole gig I was thinking I must consult you with some of my Landscape Gardener’s Question Time type issues, which may even result in a twinge of work for you, if you are interested, so yeah give me a text or call (lost phone with your number a couple of broken gig phones ago, Sheffield Leadmill prolly), I’m still on the same number. Pints at the Chemic? BYO curry at Nazam’s?
25 September 2017
EXXO
That’s not ‘bring your own curry’, by the way. Though I can see a market for that.
25 September 2017
dr desperate
Returning from a post-Holmfirth weekend in Leeds, I find I have little to add to the definitive reviews above, except to thank the Picturedrome Showsec who found my room key for the Old Bridge Inn, possibly the same one who retrieved Exxo’s watch.
Perhaps instead I could begin to flesh out (R M) Renfield, the zoophagous maniac obsessed with the vampire in Stoker’s Dracula (whose abilities include control over bats, though presumably not walks). He has been played on screen by Klaus Kinski and Tom Waits, and gives his name to a syndrome of clinical vampirism. In the novel, after interviewing him Dr Seward exclaims, “Merciful God! The Count has been to him, and there is some new scheme of terror afoot!”
25 September 2017
Chris The Siteowner
A couple of videos wot I done: R&RIFOBW which features the aborted Our Tune and the Nerys Hughes story; and I Think We’re Alone Now from the encore.
There are other videos knocking around already too!
25 September 2017
hendrix-tattoo
Brilliant videos CtsO, It was me who shouted Nerys Hughes.
Also it was a pleasure to meet you.
25 September 2017
dr desperate
My arms briefly visible at [2:10] in R&R at the mention of banter with the Preston.
26 September 2017
Idiots and pigeons
So, nobody is going to mention Nigel singing the opening line to Elizabeth Cotten’s Freight Train prior to Shit Arm, Bad Tattoo?!
27 September 2017
BOBBY SVARC
Don’t look like it.
27 September 2017
dr desperate
Perhaps it ran too fast.
While I’m here, I’ll just note that Victoria Derbyshire got another mention at the end of ‘Footprints’, as the midday-waking teenager realised that he’d missed her show, but carried on regardless.
27 September 2017
hendrix-tattoo
John Challis also got a mention in GGUL.
27 September 2017
Irish Niall
I’m very fond of Holmfirth. Lovely wee town, lovely venue, the lamb shank in the Old Bridge etc. Alas I couldn’t make it this time as I was evangelizing to the already converted in Belfast.
But as per Nigels nod to Yorkshire Sculpture Park -I can’t recommend it highly enough if anyone finds themselves in the area. They’d an entire appartment (okay a good sized flat) someone had dipped in acid last time we were there. Do bring a flask -in fact bring an entire picnic. Well worth spending a few hours there.
Now -anyone know who to appeal to for some SATURDAY night gigs in 2018? These Friday night gigs are the worst of all worlds if you’re coming from Ireland. I’m glad the Belfast contingent appeared to agree with me on that as well -and they’ve some better options than what I’ve available from Shannon.
28 September 2017
hendrix-tattoo
If you suffer from episodes of sensory disturbances I apologize for posting this video.
But is worth a look from (1:36 to 1:52)
https://youtu.be/e-muOR810MA
28 September 2017
ERic t’viking
Can second Irish Niall’s vote for Yorkshire Sculpture Park (near Barnsley) – well worth a visit. It’s a large parkland area, lots of stone sculptures outside, other stuff inside, and not all that pretentious. Popular with dog walkers.
The cafe was ok, but a bit expensive from what I remember, so follow the above advice.
28 September 2017
GIpton teenager
@Exxo . Sent you a text Nigel. I’m en route to Turkey. Back in two weeks.
29 September 2017