I arrived at about 5 PM and then spent the next few hours drinking in diverse taverns trying to spot fans of the band. There was the usual team's worth of Dukla Prague away kits (well tops, only 1 full kit) and, rather bizarrely, someone in a home top. I wondered if it was something his doting mother had bought.
The venue is also a cinema, so complete with cinema seats but there was enough space at the front for it to work as a gig venue. I don't know if it was sold out or not but there was a good crowd there.
The support was by some goth band, didn't catch the name. Well, I assumed that's what they were: they were all dressed in black; seemed really earnest and humourless; the music was dark and heavy; and there was a Hammer House of Horror dame who didn't do much except sway about a bit and swish her hair. They also loved their dry ice machine.
No such theatrics from the lads. They ambled on in their usual way and eventually got enough things plugged in to start playing.
There was a new ending to the last verse to Moutain Bikes, "that's when I last had a decent bag of chips".
The MP3 player in Garage People was done with the ghetto blaster playing clips of Boston, Toto, Foreigner and the like. They all seemed to get a good laugh but I prefer the old way with impersonations of Nick Cave, Ivor Cutler etc. That said, I did like the "if you can't get on with the public, don't work for them. See also bus drivers". Pringles were £1.04.
Nigel was in top form throughout, my memory isn't but we were treated to an embryonic new song, possibly to be called Blue Badge Abusers. I can't remember enough to spoil it but it was superb, hopefully it won't be too long before there's a new album, EP or session with it on. It finished with Nigel going to Ken and saying something like..."this is where I'll ask you to do a guitar solo".
Them's The Vagaries - will we ever get a version by the Correct Speak Gospel Quartet?
The sound was a bit patchy, specifically during Dead Men but there was a couple of other times as well. Other than another great gig.
Set list (Neil's I think):
Shit Arm, Bad Tattoo
Lock Up Your Mountain Bikes
Fred Titmus
It Makes The Room Looks Bigger
Irk The Purists
Corgi Registered Friends
Joy Division Oven Gloves
Dead Men Don't Need Season Tickets
The Light At The End of the Tunnel (Is The Light Of An Oncoming Train)
Third Track Main Camera Four Minutes
For What Is Chatteris...
Look Dad, No Tunes
Restless Legs
Tending The Wrong Grave For 23 Years
Bob Wilson, Anchor Man
San Antonio Foam Party
Vatican Broadside
Secret Gig
Gubba Look-a-likes
24 Hour Garage People
A Lilac Harry Quinn
We Built This Village On A Trad Arr Tune
Everything's AOR
[Encores]
Caroline
Them's The Vagaries
The Bastard Son of Dean Friedman
Writing on the sole of your slipper
This was another planes, trains and automobiles trip for me but well worth it nonetheless. Edinburgh next, short of them playing it in The Harbour that one couldn't be any easier.