I was the other "Dukla shirt" down at the front, mentioned in Roger's review.
I was a bit miffed when I found out that I would be unable to attend the gig at the Cockpit Leeds on the 28th July. So I decided to travel down from Bradford for the Penzance gig there instead.
For some unknown reason my regular partners in biscuit crime did not show much interest in a 950 mile round trip by train to a gig.
Anyway I made the journey and all went well arriving in Penzance at around 18:00.
The band came on at 20:50 and played an excellent set to a very appreciative audience, I wondered how many of the 250 there had been to a HMHB gig before, they did know most of the songs and joined in at the appropriate places.
About four songs into the set Nigel asked me "who had won the stage that day" I presume he meant the Tour De Frog, I had no idea all I'd heard all day was regarding bombs in London. I asked Nigel if this was the first gig he had done on re-cycled table tennis tables (the stage was formed of sections of what looked remarkably as if Desmond Douglas had been there before). Nigel agreed and asked me if I had ever cut open a TT ball and sniffed the contents. I must have lead a sheltered life. He then illuminated the Cornish crowd regarding the joys of the contents of said balls, and the uses they can be put to including indoor football!
Eventually the gig continued. I'm quite used to the normal events at a gig, but this was not normal, there was a lot more space and no mosh pit. There was one guy who kept heckling for something in-audible and doing a very strange dance reminiscent of flailing.
Anyway all the usual songs plus "Letters sent" which was new to me.
Well worth the trip brilliant gig. Highlights for me were:-
A pair of Joy Division Oven Gloves being thrown on stage during the song.
Neil asking the Sound man to "Up Ken's guitar" through his monitor and Nigel asking "Why"?
Going to a gig without that bloke who heckles "What did God give us Neil" every thirty seconds!
Thanks to the band for another top performance.