There are certain things that get you in the mood for a HMHB gig. Pontefract bus station had some lockers with a sign saying "These lockers are not in use" - so why are they there in the first place? And at Inverkeithing railway station - they go to the trouble of announcing that the train is too long for the platform. So why don't they either make the train shorter, or make the platform longer? Easy. And then you find yourself at a B and B where the landlord shows you the exact spot where he had an in-depth conversation with Dave Vanian about Dyson vacuum cleaners. Now, that is quality.
So, on to the venue, tucked away just off the main drag Union Street. Support was from a guy who covered stuff by Ivor Cutler and did a song from The Wicker Man. And there were some interesting bits and pieces coming from the DJ booth. Hands up if you remember Let's Evolve by Sudden Sway. Not sure how many were there (400?) but the place was pretty full.
When HMHB came on stage, there was plenty of banter, with Nigel being in a particularly chatty mood. He even came out with his one and only joke - the one about always taking two pairs of trousers when you play a round of golf, just in case you get a hole in one. And there was something about politicians who are in charge during wars getting loads of credit, while those who look over fifty years of peace never get any mention.
The tunes went as follows:
Fred Titmus
The Light At The End Of The Tunnel
CORGI Registered Friends
Running Order Squabble Fest
Vitus Geralitis
Pancake Day
99% Of Gargoyles
Bad Review
San Antonio Foam Party
For What Is Chatteris?
Evil Gazebo
Restless Legs
Look Dad No Tunes (at which point there was a shout for "Honved" from the back - it would be good to hear that again)
Dukla Prague Away Kit
Tending The Wrong Grave
Slipknot
Twenty-Four Hour Garage People
We Built This Village On A Trad Arr Tune
Paintball's Coming Home
Love Song (The Damned song not Simple Minds)
Tonight Matthew
Bottleneck At Capil Curig
Lark Descending
Shit Arm Bad Tattoo
Trumpton Riots
and a rousing encore:
Joy Division Oven Gloves (which should have appeased the guys at the front who all turned up suitably attired)
Everything's AOR