GODS OF THE UNDERWORLD
Half Man Half Biscuit at Nottingham Boat Club
Four football loving scousers. Drums Guitar and a Bass. And a crumby pop wit designed to celebrate the cult of the TV star and the glory of the beautiful game while putting the boot into the middle classes.
Songs like Trumpton Riots, All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit and Dickie Davies Eyes gave HMHB instantaneous indieland cult status.
Formed in 1984 in a bath in Birkenhead, the band provided post-punk teens with music they could chant during live shows.
Radio 1 DJ and all-round indie God John Peel chasmpioned the group after their debut album Back in the DHSS.
But such was their love of Tranmere Rovers FC they turned down an offer to appear on Channel 4's cult music show The Tube to watch their team play - even with the offer of a helicopter trip to the ground thrown in.
A second single at the top of the indie charts and the band decided to split.
Four years later they were back together with a cover of Edith Piaf's No Regrets alongside actress Margi Clarke.
An album McIntyre Treadmore and Davitt provided more familiar shambling indie pop. After an appearance at Reading Festival in 1990 the band have trudged along at a leisurely pace ever since, releasing an average of two albums every year.
Their latest is Trouble over Bridgwater, featuring charming vignettes such as the Ballad of Climie Fisher and Emerging From Gorse. Support from Johnny Domino.
Tickets are £6 from Selectadisc Market Street.