Last time I was in this place was for the Wolverhampton Beer Festival. Happy memories, and it was a lot different without all the stalls in place. And oh yes, it makes the room look bigger.
I am always a bit wary of places like this though. What looks good in a sweaty room upstairs in a pub does not always translate to a "venue". But this is HMHB - it doesn't really matter where they play - you know you are going to get value for money. There were one or two grumblings from my mate Dick about the sound quality - but my untrained ear couldn't spot too much wrong, although it helped that I already knew the lyrics, as they didn't always come across too clearly.
Away from the tumult of what seemed a fairly sedate mosh pit, I took note of the set which went as follows.
Bob Wilson Anchor Man
Running Order Squabble Fest
Fred Titmus
Vitus Geralitis
If I Had Possession Over Pancake Day
CAMRA Man
San Antonio Foam Party
Shropshire Lad
The Light At The End Of The Tunnel
Lark Descending
Bad Review
Foot Up In Europe
CORGI Registered Friends
Four Skinny Indie Kids
Monmore Hare's Running
Twenty-Four Hour Garage People (this time Nigel had a young kid behind him in the queue singing "Enjoy Yourself" and at some point there were a few chords from Joy Division's "Digital")
Them's The Vagaries
For What Is Chatteris
Mime Show Gobshite
Secret Gig
Tending The Wrong Grave
PRS Yearbook
Vatican Broadside
Uffington Wassail
I'm obviously out of touch because at this point they did a song which was new to me - although I caught a bit about a manager screaming at his defenders - no doubt it will be on the album
Then they finished with 99% of Gargoyles Look Like Bob Todd
Then came a four-song encore
Look Dad No Tunes
Joy Division Oven Gloves
Everything's AOR
Trumpton Riots
And that was that. On the way out I had a quick chat with Geoff who said that the new album is still being recorded. A summer release now sounds a bit optimistic. And a big ta to Dick and Ann for allowing me to burst in on their domestic bliss, so I could have a base for this gig. Top pasta! And we mustn't forget an observation from Nigel about a Fleetwood Mac song. "Thunder only happens when it's raining." Incorrect!!