Parking for this place doesnt get any easier. Any chance they can knock down the hotel that was built across the road from The Boardwalk, on the site of what was a very useful car park? No matter, ace driver Mark was able to find us a space OK right down the other end of the street, and we hit the venue in time for the back end of the set by The Calvin Party. One of our party made the interesting observation that they are "a bit like the Fall, a bit like Santana". Would they be proud of this comment?
One of the great things about HMHB's gigs is that they provide an opportunity to visit several different pubs and clubs in several different towns and cities. With the obvious exception of this place. Is there anyone out there who can put a true figure on the number of times they have played The Boardwalk? I'm guessing it must be in the high teens. As well as with the much missed Duchess in Leeds, HMHB go back a long way with this place. Good to see they still do the hand-written tickets though. And they seem to employ the same people to spin the discs between and after the bands. Not heard Another Girl Another Planet or I Found That Essence Rare for a while. And was I dreaming, or did they really play Rowche Rumble? Must book these people for my, er, 45th.
The gig saw the appearance of a fifth Biscuit - namely Victoria the brass section, who made a grand contribution to Even Men With Steel Hearts, Gubba Lookalikes and Chatteris. The whole set (excluding the little bits and pieces that always punctuate these shows) was...
Restless Legs
The Light At The End Of The Tunnel
Blue Badge Abuser
Running Order Squabble Fest
Outbreak Of Vitas Geralaitis
Shit Arm Bad Tattoo
Bob Wilson Anchorman
Look Dad No Tunes
Totnes Bickering Fair
Twenty-Four Hour Garage People
Everything's AOR
Vatican Broadside
Even Men With Steel Hearts
Gubba Lookalikes
Gouranga Gouranga
Them's The Vagaries
Fuckin' 'Ell It's Fred Titmus
Bad Losers On Yahoo Chess
Trumpton Riots
We Built This Village
Joy Division Oven Gloves
then
For What Is Chatteris
I Think We're Alone Now
99% Of Gargoyles
Tending The Wrong Grave
Still no definite word on the new CD, LP or whatever they are called these days. "Soon" was as much as I could glean from my contact (well, actually it was Geoff).