Two Yorkshire gigs within six weeks. Doesn't happen often enough. It's rather agreeable to be able to drive back and be tucked up in my own bed for just gone midnight. But I'll be glad to get back to the longer distance travelling next year. Oh and one of my passengers was less than complimentary about the sound (Nigel announced that they hadn't been able to do a check) but you learn to live with these things.
Yet again some rather marvellous noises coming from the DJ booth. I was happily tapping my toes along to Another Girl Another Planet when HMHB hit the stage. I'm sure these people let me have their details once before, but if you have a party/funeral/wedding/christening/redundancy bash coming up, and you need someone to spin the discs, then you should give the Boardwalk a call and ask to be passed on. I was particularly taken by the John Peel samples. "I've had a letter from a listener who has asked me to settle an argument. He says he thinks The Fall are a top band, while his mate says they are rubbish. Well, tell your friend that he or she is a dickhead." Takes you back. Did any of you remember to raise a glass on what would have been Peely's 70th birthday in August?
Support was from another band from the Probe Plus stable, namely Sonnenberg. I suppose I ought to know more about them, but Geoff could be your best bet for that.
These evenings have a great cultural and educational value. I had hardly walked through the door when I was given free advice on the correct use of my Asthma inhaler. Then during the gig, Nigel told us all about how the parents of the band's former keyboard player had sold their house to Ronnie Moore. Information of particular use to the Rotherham postman. And there was the tale of Nigel's ancestor who is on the grainy film of the 1913 Derby where the King's horse was brought down. Is that one true or was he spinning a yarn?
It was a trifle rough at times at the front. I did well to keep hold of pen and notepad with mayhem all around. My writing appears a little skew-whiff as a result of the moshpit veering hither and thither but I'm pretty sure I wrote them all down.
Evening Of Swing
San Antonio Foam Party
Irk The Purists (featuring extended drum solo)
Bad Losers On Yahoo Chess
Bob Wilson Anchor Man (followed by Nigel's observation of Chris Wilson: Promoter Man at the side of the stage)
CAMRA Man
The Light At The End Of The Tunnel (preceded by an adaptation of Girls Just Want To Have Fun)
Girlfriend's Finished With Him
Petty Sessions
Monmore Hare's Running
Restless Legs
Tending The Wrong Grave
Running Order Squabble Fest
He Who Would Valium Take
Trumpton Riots
Lark Descending
Third Track Main Camera Four Minutes
PRS / Quick The Drawbridge
M6ster
Vatican Broadside
For What Is Chatteris?
Joy Division Oven Gloves
24 Hour Garage People (Pringles have gone above the £2 barrier)
National Shite Day
We Built This Village
Encore was
It's Cliched To Be Cynical At Christmas
God Gave Us Life
See That My Bike's Kept Clean
And that was that. Another sell-out at The Boardwalk. So everybody was happy.