Glasgow - A Bad Review
Bogus Official. That was the shout from the crowd as the portly (no stranger to a pie supper - thats pie and chips to the uninitiated) tried his utmost to dampen the spirits of those who enjoy a good bounce down the front. That said I'm getting a liittle ahead of myself here. Imagine one of those psychedelic, wobbly time fades to earlier in the day.
The return bus fare for this gig was £2.10 door to door. I mused and reminisced about previous campaigns to Penzance, Exeter, Sheffield, Stafford and Edinburgh (OK.. I know our cousins in the east are not too far from Glasgow). Hundreds of pounds well spent (but was just the drinks tab in Edinburgh during the fringe). I had taken the liberty of a day off work to psyche myself up for this one. A home draw. I couldn't believe my luck. Preparing myself in the boozer with some mates we shared stories of drunken nights, lamp post sitting, possible set lists (I knew they wouldn't play Bob Wilson) and Elkie Brooks. Having talked a few colleagues from work into coming along the expectataion was high. I had only billed HMHB as the most important beat combo since punk rock. A fair reflection me thinks.
A blistering gig. Relentless. Fred Titmus, Bob Todd, Trumpton Riots, plus the new stuff and a fair smattering of the other albums in the middle. What a back catalogue to blast through. And they did. The mosh pit was fairly healthy, a horses head, oven gloves and of course our bogus official. The highlight though, and there were many, was a cover of The Damned - Love Song. I thought I was dreaming. Superb and delivered with the gusto Vanian and co could barely muster themselves. Saw them about a year ago and they were almost like a Damned covers band. Anyhoo Joy Division Oven Gloves and Everything's A.O.R. were the injury time numbers and it almost seemed appropriate as the fat, balding official at the front called a halt to the proceedings by red carding me at the end for trying to pinch a set list. All in all a superb gig, Perhaps the best yet for me, although the home draw did suit us.