Cracking gig. Good to see the Biccies back in the city of my birth and a lot of the usual faces present.
The support act, (don't know their name, not worth knowing anyway) were art school types confusing being loud with being good, the lead singer reminded me of a more foppish version of Rick from the young ones as he kept saying things like "we're just talking amongst ourselves up here" as though some form of anarchy was being conducted, you're hard son, you're hard.
Anyway the lads came on and got on with a welcome Fred Titmus, at which point Bubba the Bouncer made his presence felt, the stage had one of those annoying metal barrier things at the front of it behind which Bubba patrolled, he was a little fat bloke with an earphone / microphone combo astride his manly pate and was also in possession of a decidedly inferior arm with a bad tattoo upon it. This guys version of security was to stand up on a step, obscure the view of 30% of the audience and look at it menacingly which wasn't very useful since he was up there with Sainsbury's security in the scary stakes, still takes all types to make up a world don't it? Tosser.
During the gig a lady person made her way to the stage which upset Bubba no end and as he demanded she remove herself; she instead danced in a more suggestive manner, pointing at her various charms. Bubba, having exhausted his entire repertoire of skills (pointing and grunting) in seeking to remove the "Bisquette" ran off to get his big mate instead, at which point she jumped off the stage and was back in the audience, well done Bubba.
Anyway, got me a set list,
Fred Titmus
Light at the end of the tunnel
CORGI registered friends
Monmore Hare's Running
Bad Review
99% of Gargoyles look like Bob Todd (and Bubba)
For what is Chatteris
Used to be in Evil Gazebo
Restless Legs
Look Dad, no tunes
Tending the wrong grave
Vatican Broadside
27 yards of dental floss (very welcome)
Dukla Prague
Bottleneck at Capel Curig
Running order squabble fest
San Antonio foam party
24 hour garage people (£1.01 and 93 pence)
We built this village on a trad arr tune
Paintballs coming home
Love Song - oh yes, the Damned, great, brilliant, do this one again please
Shit Arm, Bad Tattoo
Trumpton Riots
Lilac Harry Quinn - not played, I caught the end of it during the sound check though, so the lads probably thought they'd done it enough that day, or maybe not
Joy Division Oven Gloves
Everything's AOR
The sound was a bit dodgy at the back apparently, according to Brendan and Willie who were there with me (name checked on the HMHB web site lads good, eh?). Gareth on the sound desk and the lads were pointing a lot at each other to no avail, sounded alright at the front though.
Not sure if the above was the true running order, seemed to be some improvisation going on, big Roger will sort that out in his review, bit of hotel yorba thrown in and the usual banter. We departed into the Glasgow night, soaking wet and happy. Roll on Preston