GIgs
Very Mostly Water
06/10/24 22:11
Not been out singing at Open Mics much this year at all. Not even approaching double figures out there, but I went to the newly moved OM night at the Dispensary on Monday. Yep, it’s moved to Mondays so that it doesn’t clash with any footy (or will do so a lot less often) now that Liverpool are back in the Champion’s League (which has games on random Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays to make it difficult as far as I can see). There’s also other OM nights on the Tuesday (including the nearby Metrocola), but to be fair there are OM nights all over the city on nearly every day really so any day will clash with one or another.
Last Monday was one of the wettest day in the recent history of the city so it was a bit of a last minute call to get out there. I felt I should make the effort after watching too much telly (I’d binge watched Ludwig on the iPlayer). Got wet going to the bus, then got wet leaving Queen Square, had a quick pint in the Vines before getting wetter with the last few hundred yards to the Dizzy.
Dave O’Grady was there and a couple of regulars—and a newbie (Dan?) on his first Dizzy appearance. Headzic played his double wok after him, with all his man-made sounds of rain falling to compete with the real stuff outside, then I went up to play a few songs (five). Dave came up after me and played some of his bluesy tracks.
With the constant (around 36 hours) rain I went with Bap Kennedy’s ‘Mostly Water’ first. Think I’ve only played it once or twice in the wild before. Followed that with ‘Splendid Isolation’ Warren Zevon (don’t play that often either), then it was a few of my old dependables: ‘Heart Breaks Like the Dawn’ Chuck Prophet, ‘Oh My Sweet Carolina’ Ryan Adams, and, due to requests, ‘Whiskey in my Whiskey’ Felice Brothers. Five songs—that’s like an EP’s worth. Afterwards chatted to a nice couple from Munich who were travelling through the city and they’d loved the OM. Said it was rare in their part of the city. The guy asked if I’d written the songs, to which I replied with the names of the singer songwriters who actually had. He knew all of them (though maybe not Chuck P), but said he hadn’t recognised them when I was playing them. I confirmed that by not playing the guitar well I did them in my own way and by necessity ‘made the songs my own.’ His other half had said she’d loved them and had been looking up the songs whilst I was playing them—which you can take in multiple ways. Anyways for one reason and another I was glad I’d made the effort to go out.
And incredibly when I walked out on to Renshaw Street it had actually just stopped raining. Though Liverpool was still remained mostly water.
Last Monday was one of the wettest day in the recent history of the city so it was a bit of a last minute call to get out there. I felt I should make the effort after watching too much telly (I’d binge watched Ludwig on the iPlayer). Got wet going to the bus, then got wet leaving Queen Square, had a quick pint in the Vines before getting wetter with the last few hundred yards to the Dizzy.
Dave O’Grady was there and a couple of regulars—and a newbie (Dan?) on his first Dizzy appearance. Headzic played his double wok after him, with all his man-made sounds of rain falling to compete with the real stuff outside, then I went up to play a few songs (five). Dave came up after me and played some of his bluesy tracks.
With the constant (around 36 hours) rain I went with Bap Kennedy’s ‘Mostly Water’ first. Think I’ve only played it once or twice in the wild before. Followed that with ‘Splendid Isolation’ Warren Zevon (don’t play that often either), then it was a few of my old dependables: ‘Heart Breaks Like the Dawn’ Chuck Prophet, ‘Oh My Sweet Carolina’ Ryan Adams, and, due to requests, ‘Whiskey in my Whiskey’ Felice Brothers. Five songs—that’s like an EP’s worth. Afterwards chatted to a nice couple from Munich who were travelling through the city and they’d loved the OM. Said it was rare in their part of the city. The guy asked if I’d written the songs, to which I replied with the names of the singer songwriters who actually had. He knew all of them (though maybe not Chuck P), but said he hadn’t recognised them when I was playing them. I confirmed that by not playing the guitar well I did them in my own way and by necessity ‘made the songs my own.’ His other half had said she’d loved them and had been looking up the songs whilst I was playing them—which you can take in multiple ways. Anyways for one reason and another I was glad I’d made the effort to go out.
And incredibly when I walked out on to Renshaw Street it had actually just stopped raining. Though Liverpool was still remained mostly water.
Comments
A Festival on the East Coast
09/07/24 18:04
DocksFest 2024
Originally I only got a ticket for DocksFest because I spotted it when I was looking for an opportunity to see Frank Turner again. So I was made up when I found this day in Cleethorpes—especially when I saw the Lottery Winners were playing the event too. Two of my favourite acts of the moment in one place. And an utter bargain to boot (£55) and Feeder and Razorlight too. Not too shabby.
Of course I couldn’t get there and back in a day so I ended up booking a room in a house in nearby Grimsby for two nights. My original aim was to have a day in Grimsby, the following day in Cleethorpes for the festival and then Hull on the Sunday. The best laid plans, eh?
Stagecoach buses were on strike in Liverpool for four days from the Friday which was unfortunate for me as that meant there were no direct buses to Liverpool city centre from my neck of the woods. But amazingly I ended up getting two Arriva buses into town and made it to Lime Street Station on time. I even had time to pick up a decent—and most required—large coffee. Job done.
The train left a few minutes late and it was pretty packed due to the previous Manchester train being cancelled. But I got a good seat with a table for the journey. The train takes all in 3.5 hours direct from Liverpool Lime Street to Cleethorpes (but I was to get off the stop before at Grimsby Town). There were several stops in a few places I’ve never heard of once I was in Lincolnshire. It’s lucky there is a direct train to Cleethorpes—even if I don’t quite understand why—and it is damn regular too (every hour).
Check in at my digs (which was just a room in a house in a housing estate in the southern part of Grimsby) was not accessible for “check-in” (in theory) until 4pm so I headed for a few pints in Docks Brewery, which is just to the north of the town centre. Ended up chatting to a few staff there, including Stu, Dan and Callum. All were good blokes who were very excited about the festival. People were coming and going between the brewery and the event space: the Meridian Showground—which was at the southern end of Cleethorpes, the next town along. They were all into music as well as beer and I managed to get a couple of new fans for the some Liverpool bands including the Heavy North and Casino: spreading the gospel. They had three cask lines on and plenty of keg. I was even shown the upstairs room which is basically a hall at the top of the converted church. Was a lovely space and had its own bar too. They have some pretty decent gigs coming up over the months ahead.
Docks Beers Brewery, Grimsby
Docks Academy, the venue space upstairs at the brewery
The house proved to be a modern three storey mews and it had a key box with a code entry to get the keys, and there was a code on the door lock for the room too. The only person in the bedroom accommodation in addition to me was a Polish construction guy who had lived there for over a year. Assume he’s negotiated a decent rate. I never met the people who owned the house (or checked in of course). On the Friday I ended up staying in and watching the footy on the TV by the kitchen. There was nowhere local to go to and I didn’t really need another couple of bus journeys. Besides, I was knackered.
I didn’t get to sleep particularly quickly as it happened, as my phone wouldn’t charge. Whilst I had a print out of the ticket for the festival the phone had my rail ticket on—and my Railcard. It took a lot of effort trying to clean the charging port to finally get it charging again. I was a bit panicky for a while thinking I’d have to go to a phone shop the next day (with no access to maps, bus information and the like).
Next day was a cold shower, as I couldn’t get the hot water going on it. As it happened the weather was atrocious and I ended up wetter waiting for the bus than I did in my limited visit to the cold shower. I headed up town to the Courtyard Cafe for a Full English to set me up for the day. The weather forecast was all over the place with some suggesting rain until 6pm with thunderstorms for several hours. Not ideal but would at least mean it would be dry for Frank Turner and Razorlight. But who believes in weather forecasts anyway. And lets face it thunderstorms are usually localised and therefore hard to predict. Perhaps we’d be lucky.
First up though I had been given the heads up on a few places to have a pint in Cleethorpes by the guys at Docks Brewery (and from my cousin who is from Cleethorpes) so I checked out the locations, on my thankfully functioning phone, and planned my route (they were along the front of the seaside resort). I walked up to the beach first to take a look and a couple of shots (photos, not drinks) as it would have been wrong not to. Historically of course John Prescott the Labour MP from Hull had suggested in an early incarnation of the Northern Powerhouse that Liverpool to Hull should almost be considered as a single city with Sheffield, Leeds and Manchester in the middle, so the Cleethorpes beach is just the very eastern side of Liverpool and is twinned (in all but fact) with Crosby beach. Probably.
The Old Vic, Cleethorpes
The Nottingham House, Cleethorpes
Willy's, Cleethorpes (note that it had finally stopped raining!)
The Old Vic at the top of the promenade had three casks on, and two were from Docks Brewery. So I had a pint of Flypast by Docks. After a bit of a chinwag with the staff and much checking of the weather (both through Apps and the window) I headed down the front to Nottingham House. Had a pint of Oakham Citra there. Saw a group of lads in there heading to the festival and spoke to the barmaid. She was made up about the festival as there is not usually many options for people in the vicinity. Heaven knows where they normally have to travel to to get to watch a band or two—other than tribute acts.
Next up was a walk further along the front to Willy’s. Had a nice pint of Lune Pale there before heading on to the bus stop for another bus to take me to the Meridian Showground. The last top before heading on into the festival was the ‘Smallest Pub in the World’ (I’ve not verified that) which was the Signal Box Inn. The weather though cloudy was breaking up. There were dark clouds and light ones and even patches of blue. Things were definitely looking hopeful. The outdoor area by the pub was packed. There were Frank Turner and Lottery Winners T-shirts everywhere. It felt like coming home. I ended up chatting with Lottery Winners fans in the main and a few Frank fans too of course (hell it’s a big club)—meeting people who travelled from Glasgow, Coventry, Bradford and Peterborough etc who’d just come to the town for the festival. Didn’t spot anyone wearing Feeder or Razorlight T’s but I dare say there were some there.
Signal Box Inn 'the smallest pub in the world' or certainly Cleethorpes
A pint of Docks Beers 'Demolition' outside the Signal Box (with the rain still staying away)
After two pints of Demolition I headed into the site with my Winners T-shirt on. I had my little rucksack with me and after showing my ticket got through security pretty damn quickly. It wasn’t long before I was at the bar and with a pint of Docks ‘Clap, Clap Fish.’ Everything was working like clockwork. I bumped into—and bumped fists—with Stu from Docks who was looking pretty happy (hell, it was his birthday apparently). I caught the very end of Afflecks Palace in the dry, with an occasionally blue sky backdrop, before bumping into some Lottery Winners fans I’d chatted to at the Signal Box. There were Winners T-shirts everywhere as we headed in towards the stage. The rain seemed to be a memory.
The Lottery Winners, DocksFest 24
Lottery Winners, DocksFest 24
The chat was great as everyone was looking forward to seeing them and enthused about having seen them before at gig a) or b)—(or in the Coventry case—26 times! (If I remember rightly)). Some were looking forward to seeing them for the first time (hard to believe I know). Before too long Thom and the band came on—with Thom complaining he wasn’t feeling very well. He soon felt better as he wound the crowd up to give him massive cheers as if he was a superstar (he IS). The performance from the band, including the ill/not ill, Thom was fab and they got their fans going mad for it: and I dare say captured plenty of new fans too. People were dancing, singing, and raising their fists (to the now forgiving sky) in accompaniment to the band. I’ve been lucky enough to see them a few times and they are never less than full value for money—and proper uplifting. You can’t not smile at the gig (which explains Kate’s always smiling face).
Feeder were on next and it was time for another pint of Clap, Clap Fish and a dewatering visit. The toilets, food, and the beer buying went very smoothly indeed for a festival.
I sat down near the sound tent with my pint and slightly tired legs. Feeder were soon up then. They opened up with the most familiar Buck Roger’s (“it’s got a CD player, player, player…”). Brave to start with that and not end with it. The sound throughout was good and the weather was behaving too. Walking around there were some isolated patches of surface water but there was no mud at all: amazing given the way the rain came down in the morning.
After Feeder it was time to get another pint in before putting on my Frank Turner T-shirt above the Winners one and then heading towards the stage. I chatted to some people who were trying to listen to the England match or watch it on their phone on iPlayer (sorry, it was Switzerland v England in the Euros QF). I got hit on my knee by a mobile phone as a rather ‘happy/unhappy’ guy celebrated (not) when Switzerland scored. He wasn’t throwing it at me, he’d just not caught it after tossing it in the air—like his phone; I’ll live.
Frank Turner (without the Sleeping Souls), DocksFest
Frank Turner getting the crowd singing, as ever.
Well Frank was quite frankly, Frank. Excellent and coolness personified. He was introduced to us—like all the acts—by the local lad Lloyd Griffith who informed us that England had beaten Switzerland on penalties (Trent had scored the winning penalty). Can’t say I was sorry to have missed the game. Watching live music in a field is preferable to watching England anywhere. As I say though Frank was bloody excellent. If you’ve not got on that train yet then it’s time to jump on board (and that goes for the Winners too (the Lottery ones, not the England ones).
It was a tough day on my knees and I had to make the unfortunate decision to miss Razorlight. I went (via one in the Signal Box) to get a bus. I thought a bus part way would be better than no bus at all. It was definitely the correct call as I struggled to walk and needed frequent rest breaks over the 2 miles or so I had to walk. I got home in one piece though.
On the Sunday I went to Grimsby by bus and got myself a nice breakfast and a very large coffee at Riverhead Coffee. I’d had to give up on the idea of going to Hull. In my head I thought Hull and Grimsby were very close together, but it’d be an hour and a half minimum each way, which wouldn’t have left much time for a mooch (in my head the distance between the two places was similar to Liverpool and Birkenhead. My head was wrong on this occasion.) In the end I just walked (slowly) to the Docks Brewery (there not being pub options in Grimsby other than a Wetherspoons) again. The place really is not vibrant enough for much of a music scene. So much kudos to my new buddies for giving them a permanent venue in Grimsby and the festival too in Cleethorpes. Wasn’t sure they’d be open after the Saturday exertions, but they were. Ended up meeting Stu and Dan again. Both were made up with the way it had gone and both were pretty knackered.
It was then time to return to Grimby Town station and head on back to Liverpool. The train was on time and got to Liverpool on time (thankfully, because the toilets were fooked). All in all it had been a top weekend. The Docks people had done mighty good stuff. And I’m glad my search for another Frank Turner gig had led me to this event. Roll on DocksFest 2025.
Oh and the buses were still on strike so it was another two bus journey to go the six miles to mine. Ho hum.
Originally I only got a ticket for DocksFest because I spotted it when I was looking for an opportunity to see Frank Turner again. So I was made up when I found this day in Cleethorpes—especially when I saw the Lottery Winners were playing the event too. Two of my favourite acts of the moment in one place. And an utter bargain to boot (£55) and Feeder and Razorlight too. Not too shabby.
Of course I couldn’t get there and back in a day so I ended up booking a room in a house in nearby Grimsby for two nights. My original aim was to have a day in Grimsby, the following day in Cleethorpes for the festival and then Hull on the Sunday. The best laid plans, eh?
Stagecoach buses were on strike in Liverpool for four days from the Friday which was unfortunate for me as that meant there were no direct buses to Liverpool city centre from my neck of the woods. But amazingly I ended up getting two Arriva buses into town and made it to Lime Street Station on time. I even had time to pick up a decent—and most required—large coffee. Job done.
The train left a few minutes late and it was pretty packed due to the previous Manchester train being cancelled. But I got a good seat with a table for the journey. The train takes all in 3.5 hours direct from Liverpool Lime Street to Cleethorpes (but I was to get off the stop before at Grimsby Town). There were several stops in a few places I’ve never heard of once I was in Lincolnshire. It’s lucky there is a direct train to Cleethorpes—even if I don’t quite understand why—and it is damn regular too (every hour).
Check in at my digs (which was just a room in a house in a housing estate in the southern part of Grimsby) was not accessible for “check-in” (in theory) until 4pm so I headed for a few pints in Docks Brewery, which is just to the north of the town centre. Ended up chatting to a few staff there, including Stu, Dan and Callum. All were good blokes who were very excited about the festival. People were coming and going between the brewery and the event space: the Meridian Showground—which was at the southern end of Cleethorpes, the next town along. They were all into music as well as beer and I managed to get a couple of new fans for the some Liverpool bands including the Heavy North and Casino: spreading the gospel. They had three cask lines on and plenty of keg. I was even shown the upstairs room which is basically a hall at the top of the converted church. Was a lovely space and had its own bar too. They have some pretty decent gigs coming up over the months ahead.
Docks Beers Brewery, Grimsby
Docks Academy, the venue space upstairs at the brewery
The house proved to be a modern three storey mews and it had a key box with a code entry to get the keys, and there was a code on the door lock for the room too. The only person in the bedroom accommodation in addition to me was a Polish construction guy who had lived there for over a year. Assume he’s negotiated a decent rate. I never met the people who owned the house (or checked in of course). On the Friday I ended up staying in and watching the footy on the TV by the kitchen. There was nowhere local to go to and I didn’t really need another couple of bus journeys. Besides, I was knackered.
I didn’t get to sleep particularly quickly as it happened, as my phone wouldn’t charge. Whilst I had a print out of the ticket for the festival the phone had my rail ticket on—and my Railcard. It took a lot of effort trying to clean the charging port to finally get it charging again. I was a bit panicky for a while thinking I’d have to go to a phone shop the next day (with no access to maps, bus information and the like).
Next day was a cold shower, as I couldn’t get the hot water going on it. As it happened the weather was atrocious and I ended up wetter waiting for the bus than I did in my limited visit to the cold shower. I headed up town to the Courtyard Cafe for a Full English to set me up for the day. The weather forecast was all over the place with some suggesting rain until 6pm with thunderstorms for several hours. Not ideal but would at least mean it would be dry for Frank Turner and Razorlight. But who believes in weather forecasts anyway. And lets face it thunderstorms are usually localised and therefore hard to predict. Perhaps we’d be lucky.
First up though I had been given the heads up on a few places to have a pint in Cleethorpes by the guys at Docks Brewery (and from my cousin who is from Cleethorpes) so I checked out the locations, on my thankfully functioning phone, and planned my route (they were along the front of the seaside resort). I walked up to the beach first to take a look and a couple of shots (photos, not drinks) as it would have been wrong not to. Historically of course John Prescott the Labour MP from Hull had suggested in an early incarnation of the Northern Powerhouse that Liverpool to Hull should almost be considered as a single city with Sheffield, Leeds and Manchester in the middle, so the Cleethorpes beach is just the very eastern side of Liverpool and is twinned (in all but fact) with Crosby beach. Probably.
The Old Vic, Cleethorpes
The Nottingham House, Cleethorpes
Willy's, Cleethorpes (note that it had finally stopped raining!)
The Old Vic at the top of the promenade had three casks on, and two were from Docks Brewery. So I had a pint of Flypast by Docks. After a bit of a chinwag with the staff and much checking of the weather (both through Apps and the window) I headed down the front to Nottingham House. Had a pint of Oakham Citra there. Saw a group of lads in there heading to the festival and spoke to the barmaid. She was made up about the festival as there is not usually many options for people in the vicinity. Heaven knows where they normally have to travel to to get to watch a band or two—other than tribute acts.
Next up was a walk further along the front to Willy’s. Had a nice pint of Lune Pale there before heading on to the bus stop for another bus to take me to the Meridian Showground. The last top before heading on into the festival was the ‘Smallest Pub in the World’ (I’ve not verified that) which was the Signal Box Inn. The weather though cloudy was breaking up. There were dark clouds and light ones and even patches of blue. Things were definitely looking hopeful. The outdoor area by the pub was packed. There were Frank Turner and Lottery Winners T-shirts everywhere. It felt like coming home. I ended up chatting with Lottery Winners fans in the main and a few Frank fans too of course (hell it’s a big club)—meeting people who travelled from Glasgow, Coventry, Bradford and Peterborough etc who’d just come to the town for the festival. Didn’t spot anyone wearing Feeder or Razorlight T’s but I dare say there were some there.
Signal Box Inn 'the smallest pub in the world' or certainly Cleethorpes
A pint of Docks Beers 'Demolition' outside the Signal Box (with the rain still staying away)
After two pints of Demolition I headed into the site with my Winners T-shirt on. I had my little rucksack with me and after showing my ticket got through security pretty damn quickly. It wasn’t long before I was at the bar and with a pint of Docks ‘Clap, Clap Fish.’ Everything was working like clockwork. I bumped into—and bumped fists—with Stu from Docks who was looking pretty happy (hell, it was his birthday apparently). I caught the very end of Afflecks Palace in the dry, with an occasionally blue sky backdrop, before bumping into some Lottery Winners fans I’d chatted to at the Signal Box. There were Winners T-shirts everywhere as we headed in towards the stage. The rain seemed to be a memory.
The Lottery Winners, DocksFest 24
Lottery Winners, DocksFest 24
The chat was great as everyone was looking forward to seeing them and enthused about having seen them before at gig a) or b)—(or in the Coventry case—26 times! (If I remember rightly)). Some were looking forward to seeing them for the first time (hard to believe I know). Before too long Thom and the band came on—with Thom complaining he wasn’t feeling very well. He soon felt better as he wound the crowd up to give him massive cheers as if he was a superstar (he IS). The performance from the band, including the ill/not ill, Thom was fab and they got their fans going mad for it: and I dare say captured plenty of new fans too. People were dancing, singing, and raising their fists (to the now forgiving sky) in accompaniment to the band. I’ve been lucky enough to see them a few times and they are never less than full value for money—and proper uplifting. You can’t not smile at the gig (which explains Kate’s always smiling face).
Feeder were on next and it was time for another pint of Clap, Clap Fish and a dewatering visit. The toilets, food, and the beer buying went very smoothly indeed for a festival.
I sat down near the sound tent with my pint and slightly tired legs. Feeder were soon up then. They opened up with the most familiar Buck Roger’s (“it’s got a CD player, player, player…”). Brave to start with that and not end with it. The sound throughout was good and the weather was behaving too. Walking around there were some isolated patches of surface water but there was no mud at all: amazing given the way the rain came down in the morning.
After Feeder it was time to get another pint in before putting on my Frank Turner T-shirt above the Winners one and then heading towards the stage. I chatted to some people who were trying to listen to the England match or watch it on their phone on iPlayer (sorry, it was Switzerland v England in the Euros QF). I got hit on my knee by a mobile phone as a rather ‘happy/unhappy’ guy celebrated (not) when Switzerland scored. He wasn’t throwing it at me, he’d just not caught it after tossing it in the air—like his phone; I’ll live.
Frank Turner (without the Sleeping Souls), DocksFest
Frank Turner getting the crowd singing, as ever.
Well Frank was quite frankly, Frank. Excellent and coolness personified. He was introduced to us—like all the acts—by the local lad Lloyd Griffith who informed us that England had beaten Switzerland on penalties (Trent had scored the winning penalty). Can’t say I was sorry to have missed the game. Watching live music in a field is preferable to watching England anywhere. As I say though Frank was bloody excellent. If you’ve not got on that train yet then it’s time to jump on board (and that goes for the Winners too (the Lottery ones, not the England ones).
It was a tough day on my knees and I had to make the unfortunate decision to miss Razorlight. I went (via one in the Signal Box) to get a bus. I thought a bus part way would be better than no bus at all. It was definitely the correct call as I struggled to walk and needed frequent rest breaks over the 2 miles or so I had to walk. I got home in one piece though.
On the Sunday I went to Grimsby by bus and got myself a nice breakfast and a very large coffee at Riverhead Coffee. I’d had to give up on the idea of going to Hull. In my head I thought Hull and Grimsby were very close together, but it’d be an hour and a half minimum each way, which wouldn’t have left much time for a mooch (in my head the distance between the two places was similar to Liverpool and Birkenhead. My head was wrong on this occasion.) In the end I just walked (slowly) to the Docks Brewery (there not being pub options in Grimsby other than a Wetherspoons) again. The place really is not vibrant enough for much of a music scene. So much kudos to my new buddies for giving them a permanent venue in Grimsby and the festival too in Cleethorpes. Wasn’t sure they’d be open after the Saturday exertions, but they were. Ended up meeting Stu and Dan again. Both were made up with the way it had gone and both were pretty knackered.
It was then time to return to Grimby Town station and head on back to Liverpool. The train was on time and got to Liverpool on time (thankfully, because the toilets were fooked). All in all it had been a top weekend. The Docks people had done mighty good stuff. And I’m glad my search for another Frank Turner gig had led me to this event. Roll on DocksFest 2025.
Oh and the buses were still on strike so it was another two bus journey to go the six miles to mine. Ho hum.
DocksFest 2024
01/07/24 12:54
Next weekend I’m going to Cleethorpes for the first time in 35 years or so. It’s an old resort town, maybe an east coast version of Southport or perhaps Rhyl, just south of the river split conurbation of Grimsby and Hull. But I’m not going there to check out the beach or the faded past. Nope I’m going to single day music festival. Two of my favourite acts are playing there: the Lottery Winners and Frank Turner. The headliner for me is Frank, but on the poster it’s Razorlight. In addition Feeder are playing too and a couple of other bands: Affleck's Palace, Orphan Boy, and Healer.
I’ve seen Razorlight play far too many moons ago at music festivals and I saw Feeder supporting REM at Old Trafford some years ago too. All in all it should be a good day.
It was only this weekend I discovered that DocksFest is not named directly after any local docks, but is actually named after the Docks Brewery, which is in a converted church in Grimsby. That’s good news. Let’s face it after years of going to T in the Park and V Festival the fear of really poor and greatly overpriced beer is great ("T" was for Tennants after all, which left me with a weekend avoiding that and settling for mass produced cider). So at this festival (and in the surrounding areas) there should be a few beer options to accompany some mighty fine music. They are obviously well into music with plenty of gigs listed on their website, and this is to be their first festival—at the Meridian Showground in Cleethorpes.
The weather forecast at the moment is dry with sunny intervals (but a week in advance it’s really anyone’s guess). I can’t wait whatever the weather.
There may still be tickets available. If you’re in the area look it up. Good beer, hopefully okay weather, and very definitely fab music (I’d happily watch Frank Turner and the Lottery Winners every week): bring it on.
———————
Check out Docks Brewery at https://docksbeers.com
And look for tickets at https://docksacademy.com/event/docks-fest-2024/
I’ve seen Razorlight play far too many moons ago at music festivals and I saw Feeder supporting REM at Old Trafford some years ago too. All in all it should be a good day.
It was only this weekend I discovered that DocksFest is not named directly after any local docks, but is actually named after the Docks Brewery, which is in a converted church in Grimsby. That’s good news. Let’s face it after years of going to T in the Park and V Festival the fear of really poor and greatly overpriced beer is great ("T" was for Tennants after all, which left me with a weekend avoiding that and settling for mass produced cider). So at this festival (and in the surrounding areas) there should be a few beer options to accompany some mighty fine music. They are obviously well into music with plenty of gigs listed on their website, and this is to be their first festival—at the Meridian Showground in Cleethorpes.
The weather forecast at the moment is dry with sunny intervals (but a week in advance it’s really anyone’s guess). I can’t wait whatever the weather.
There may still be tickets available. If you’re in the area look it up. Good beer, hopefully okay weather, and very definitely fab music (I’d happily watch Frank Turner and the Lottery Winners every week): bring it on.
———————
Check out Docks Brewery at https://docksbeers.com
And look for tickets at https://docksacademy.com/event/docks-fest-2024/
Lottery Winners Play Blackpool
14/04/24 11:04
If You Won the Lottery Would You Head to Blackpool?
(photos to follow)
Had a wee trip to go and see the Lottery Winners play Blackpool Tower (‘The Fifth Floor’). It was a date added after their Friday gig sold out in no time. Obviously meant I’d be staying over night (as I don’t have a vehicle). Two days before the gig I became aware that there was a rail strike on the Saturday, which meant I had to book another night in the most alternative ‘Pool (I wasn’t going to miss the gig).
Unfortunately the B&B I was staying in didn’t have a room on the Friday so I needed to book a second B&B. It’s never straightforward is it. It was to get less straightforward too… On the train I checked the addresses of the two places so I could get around easily. The first place had sent me an email to say it was cash only, so I needed to get to an ATM on arrival at Blackpool North. Then I found I’d received an email from the Saturday B&B to tell me that due to emergency personal reasons the hotel was shut at the weekend. They said they’d book me into an alternative place a few doors down ‘if I wanted’. If I hadn’t seen the email (like if I’d already written down the details) then I wouldn’t have seen and replied to the email—and therefore wouldn’t have had a place to stay on the Saturday. So one was closed and one was cash only. Things could only get better.
Then I got the train. Oh god, the train from hell. The less said the better, but I had to put my earphones on full blast—which is not what I wanted to do: I wanted to read. Argh. I may be an atheist but I still prayed it would be better for my return trip. Pretty please, God..
Check-in was from 2pm so I had to go for a pint first, didn’t I? Yes I did. So I went to the Cask & Tap on Topping Street, which was between the station and the B&B. Nice micro which was very quiet when I arrived, where I had a ‘Watchtower’ from the not so local Bristol Beer Factory. Asked about any other ale places in town and was pointed to the Brew Room a couple of hundred meters away. Very handy—a bit closer to the B&B AND on the way too. Better still when I got there it had Jaipur on. Blackpool may be largely an ale desert but I’d found the oases. Just a shame that there aren’t any/many more. There was one place which looked okay on Google but it was a fair way away by Blackpool South and I reckoned if I was gonna get a bus down there then I may as well stay on one and go down to St Annes where I knew there are a few pubs in close proximity. And that is what I did.
First up I went to the Pier Inn where I had a couple of pints. Had a good chin wag with the landlord and the resident doggie. Bumped into a couple of people who were having a couple of pints before going to watch… the Lottery Winners—that night. Popped the few doors down to Number Fifteen which was busy with people—and dogs. It smelled quite doggie to be fair too, I dare say they were mostly quite damp after another day of damnable weather. Ended up chatting to a number of people both locals and those on breaks—and a few dogs too. Nice vibe.
It’s not a long walk up the road to the Hop Shoppe which again was quite busy—to be fair it was now Friday evening so it should be. I found that Neptune ‘Mantis’ was on—a pale of low ABV. Of course I had to get involved with that for pure QC purposes. Just had the one and then crossed the road to my final beer destination of the day, which was the Keg & Cask. That was heaving and I ended up sat outside (it was a little cold for that and I was the only none smoker out there taking that decision, but it was only to be for the one pint and I’m an occasional hardy soul).
I was keeping an eye on the bus app to see when my bus back was due and I managed to get back easily enough. After a bit of a wander around the promenade and around Blackpool Tower I eventually grabbed some dirty food around the corner from my hotel and then returned for a relatively early night. The trip was after all really about the gig the following day.
After checking out of the hotel I headed out for a roundabout walk to a place near Blackpool Church (St Johns) where I got myself a decent—though a little disappointing—Full English breakfast near to Winter Gardens. Managed to eke out the time with more slow wandering so that I could time it to get in the Brew Room again. They have a small brewery in the back of the pub which they brew for the pub—and for some other Blackpool pubs ‘for swaps’. It was nice to chat to the brewer and it was even better when he said he’d been to watch the Lottery Winners on Friday night. It really seems that the Winners have quite a few ale fans amongst their followers. He said it had been a brilliant gig.
The Jaipur from the previous day had predictably been decimated and Vocation ‘Bread & Butter’ had replaced it. To be fair that would be better if I was to successfully negotiate the day before the gig. Got chatting to a few lads from Cambridge who were up for the footy as it was Blackpool v Cambridge Utd at 3pm. I had briefly considered going myself, but decided to give it a swerve. I had gone to a few Blackpool matches with my parents many years ago (early 1980s—I remember seeing Paul Walsh play there for Luton, which will date it). The blokes looked in various states of knackeredness as they’d come up the day before and it had been a bit of a hellish seven hour drive for the one younger lad whose job it had been to drive them all up. Poor fella was to drive them back too on Sunday. Hope he was going to be luckier with the road conditions on the return trip.
From there it was back to the Cask & Tap for one pint before checking in at my second B&B of the weekend and I bumped into more Cambridge ale fans, this time three sets of older couples. They seemed nice and into their ale. Blackpool were later to beat Cambridge making all these guys trips home feel even longer than they were.
My second B&B was just one street up from the first one and was much better. It was run by a nice couple who had only taken it over just over a week before. The room was nicer and shower didn’t threaten me before going in—always a bonus. I was hopeful that being a street further away from the promenade that the gulls would be fewer and quieter than the previous night (it was).
At the Cask & Tap I’d asked for any other recommendations on the ale side and they’d suggested Shickers closer to the Tower. There is another one beside Blackpool South Station too, but this one had only been open a couple of months or so. I headed down there of course. Besides these three independent ale pubs there were only a few national company pubs (poor ales, freezing lines, boring ales, tacky interiors, karaokes, hen-dos etc). Sadly ended up going into a Wetherspoons by Blackpool Tower for a bit of food. There were plenty of groups of Lottery Winner fans in there with T-shirts and scarfs. Some in whole family groups. The fans of the Winners are certainly not confined to one age group. After grabbing some pretty underwhelming food I was glad to leave and head into the Tower.
There’s not much to say about the gig. If you know them and have seen them play before then you know how damn good they are live. It was a fabulous gig. Thom laughed at how many youngsters were at the front and joked that he’d have to change his performance to cover that which of course he wouldn’t do. Many of the fans I spoke to had seem them before and were well up for it. A bloke I spoke to from Fleetwood was seeing them for the first time and I told him it wouldn’t be his last. The mood of the band and the crowd was buoyant and they are masters at getting the audience going. Thom even got us doing a bit of Freddie Mercury call and response which was fun. He’d said that watching Queen as a kid had made him want to be a frontman like Freddie and when he came back on for the ‘inevitable’ encore (his words) he came on dressed in Freddie Mercury garb. He got everyone going pointing out a film camera and saying we’d all be on the telly. I’m not sure I’ll get my fifteen minutes of fame from it, but maybe I’ll be on it as a head bobbing up and down in the middle of the crowd.
T’was brilliant and well worth two nights B&B in the strange mess strangeness of Blackpool.
The next day I’d head back home to Liverpool relatively early to catch the Liverpool match against Manchester United (a rather depressing 2-2 draw which we should have won by a landslide). But first I had a lovely Full English at the B&B and say farewell and good luck to the owners of the place. I had some time to kill and headed down to the promenade to watch the waves pound in from Storm Kathleen, which was nice. It was blue sky for photos whilst windy and rough if you were actually in it. The two ale pubs between me and station (the Cask & Tap and Brew Room) didn’t open till 12 and my train was just after 12:30. Ended up going into a Greene King pub at 11:30 and having an underwhelming and cold pint whilst it filled up with the local Scots contingent for the Glasgow derby. It seemed a predominantly Rangers crowd with flags and all! I left before kick off for a quick one in the Cask & Tap then headed to the station. The train left on time and arrived in Liverpool on time, which for any Sunday is a surprising thing but even more so when it’s on a strike weekend. Oh and the train on the way back was nowhere near as hellish as the the one on the way there and I didn’t need to max out my headphones. Happy days (apart from the Liverpool result).
(photos to follow)
Had a wee trip to go and see the Lottery Winners play Blackpool Tower (‘The Fifth Floor’). It was a date added after their Friday gig sold out in no time. Obviously meant I’d be staying over night (as I don’t have a vehicle). Two days before the gig I became aware that there was a rail strike on the Saturday, which meant I had to book another night in the most alternative ‘Pool (I wasn’t going to miss the gig).
Unfortunately the B&B I was staying in didn’t have a room on the Friday so I needed to book a second B&B. It’s never straightforward is it. It was to get less straightforward too… On the train I checked the addresses of the two places so I could get around easily. The first place had sent me an email to say it was cash only, so I needed to get to an ATM on arrival at Blackpool North. Then I found I’d received an email from the Saturday B&B to tell me that due to emergency personal reasons the hotel was shut at the weekend. They said they’d book me into an alternative place a few doors down ‘if I wanted’. If I hadn’t seen the email (like if I’d already written down the details) then I wouldn’t have seen and replied to the email—and therefore wouldn’t have had a place to stay on the Saturday. So one was closed and one was cash only. Things could only get better.
Then I got the train. Oh god, the train from hell. The less said the better, but I had to put my earphones on full blast—which is not what I wanted to do: I wanted to read. Argh. I may be an atheist but I still prayed it would be better for my return trip. Pretty please, God..
Check-in was from 2pm so I had to go for a pint first, didn’t I? Yes I did. So I went to the Cask & Tap on Topping Street, which was between the station and the B&B. Nice micro which was very quiet when I arrived, where I had a ‘Watchtower’ from the not so local Bristol Beer Factory. Asked about any other ale places in town and was pointed to the Brew Room a couple of hundred meters away. Very handy—a bit closer to the B&B AND on the way too. Better still when I got there it had Jaipur on. Blackpool may be largely an ale desert but I’d found the oases. Just a shame that there aren’t any/many more. There was one place which looked okay on Google but it was a fair way away by Blackpool South and I reckoned if I was gonna get a bus down there then I may as well stay on one and go down to St Annes where I knew there are a few pubs in close proximity. And that is what I did.
First up I went to the Pier Inn where I had a couple of pints. Had a good chin wag with the landlord and the resident doggie. Bumped into a couple of people who were having a couple of pints before going to watch… the Lottery Winners—that night. Popped the few doors down to Number Fifteen which was busy with people—and dogs. It smelled quite doggie to be fair too, I dare say they were mostly quite damp after another day of damnable weather. Ended up chatting to a number of people both locals and those on breaks—and a few dogs too. Nice vibe.
It’s not a long walk up the road to the Hop Shoppe which again was quite busy—to be fair it was now Friday evening so it should be. I found that Neptune ‘Mantis’ was on—a pale of low ABV. Of course I had to get involved with that for pure QC purposes. Just had the one and then crossed the road to my final beer destination of the day, which was the Keg & Cask. That was heaving and I ended up sat outside (it was a little cold for that and I was the only none smoker out there taking that decision, but it was only to be for the one pint and I’m an occasional hardy soul).
I was keeping an eye on the bus app to see when my bus back was due and I managed to get back easily enough. After a bit of a wander around the promenade and around Blackpool Tower I eventually grabbed some dirty food around the corner from my hotel and then returned for a relatively early night. The trip was after all really about the gig the following day.
After checking out of the hotel I headed out for a roundabout walk to a place near Blackpool Church (St Johns) where I got myself a decent—though a little disappointing—Full English breakfast near to Winter Gardens. Managed to eke out the time with more slow wandering so that I could time it to get in the Brew Room again. They have a small brewery in the back of the pub which they brew for the pub—and for some other Blackpool pubs ‘for swaps’. It was nice to chat to the brewer and it was even better when he said he’d been to watch the Lottery Winners on Friday night. It really seems that the Winners have quite a few ale fans amongst their followers. He said it had been a brilliant gig.
The Jaipur from the previous day had predictably been decimated and Vocation ‘Bread & Butter’ had replaced it. To be fair that would be better if I was to successfully negotiate the day before the gig. Got chatting to a few lads from Cambridge who were up for the footy as it was Blackpool v Cambridge Utd at 3pm. I had briefly considered going myself, but decided to give it a swerve. I had gone to a few Blackpool matches with my parents many years ago (early 1980s—I remember seeing Paul Walsh play there for Luton, which will date it). The blokes looked in various states of knackeredness as they’d come up the day before and it had been a bit of a hellish seven hour drive for the one younger lad whose job it had been to drive them all up. Poor fella was to drive them back too on Sunday. Hope he was going to be luckier with the road conditions on the return trip.
From there it was back to the Cask & Tap for one pint before checking in at my second B&B of the weekend and I bumped into more Cambridge ale fans, this time three sets of older couples. They seemed nice and into their ale. Blackpool were later to beat Cambridge making all these guys trips home feel even longer than they were.
My second B&B was just one street up from the first one and was much better. It was run by a nice couple who had only taken it over just over a week before. The room was nicer and shower didn’t threaten me before going in—always a bonus. I was hopeful that being a street further away from the promenade that the gulls would be fewer and quieter than the previous night (it was).
At the Cask & Tap I’d asked for any other recommendations on the ale side and they’d suggested Shickers closer to the Tower. There is another one beside Blackpool South Station too, but this one had only been open a couple of months or so. I headed down there of course. Besides these three independent ale pubs there were only a few national company pubs (poor ales, freezing lines, boring ales, tacky interiors, karaokes, hen-dos etc). Sadly ended up going into a Wetherspoons by Blackpool Tower for a bit of food. There were plenty of groups of Lottery Winner fans in there with T-shirts and scarfs. Some in whole family groups. The fans of the Winners are certainly not confined to one age group. After grabbing some pretty underwhelming food I was glad to leave and head into the Tower.
There’s not much to say about the gig. If you know them and have seen them play before then you know how damn good they are live. It was a fabulous gig. Thom laughed at how many youngsters were at the front and joked that he’d have to change his performance to cover that which of course he wouldn’t do. Many of the fans I spoke to had seem them before and were well up for it. A bloke I spoke to from Fleetwood was seeing them for the first time and I told him it wouldn’t be his last. The mood of the band and the crowd was buoyant and they are masters at getting the audience going. Thom even got us doing a bit of Freddie Mercury call and response which was fun. He’d said that watching Queen as a kid had made him want to be a frontman like Freddie and when he came back on for the ‘inevitable’ encore (his words) he came on dressed in Freddie Mercury garb. He got everyone going pointing out a film camera and saying we’d all be on the telly. I’m not sure I’ll get my fifteen minutes of fame from it, but maybe I’ll be on it as a head bobbing up and down in the middle of the crowd.
T’was brilliant and well worth two nights B&B in the strange mess strangeness of Blackpool.
The next day I’d head back home to Liverpool relatively early to catch the Liverpool match against Manchester United (a rather depressing 2-2 draw which we should have won by a landslide). But first I had a lovely Full English at the B&B and say farewell and good luck to the owners of the place. I had some time to kill and headed down to the promenade to watch the waves pound in from Storm Kathleen, which was nice. It was blue sky for photos whilst windy and rough if you were actually in it. The two ale pubs between me and station (the Cask & Tap and Brew Room) didn’t open till 12 and my train was just after 12:30. Ended up going into a Greene King pub at 11:30 and having an underwhelming and cold pint whilst it filled up with the local Scots contingent for the Glasgow derby. It seemed a predominantly Rangers crowd with flags and all! I left before kick off for a quick one in the Cask & Tap then headed to the station. The train left on time and arrived in Liverpool on time, which for any Sunday is a surprising thing but even more so when it’s on a strike weekend. Oh and the train on the way back was nowhere near as hellish as the the one on the way there and I didn’t need to max out my headphones. Happy days (apart from the Liverpool result).
Upcoming Gigs
30/03/24 13:32
Looking forward to next weekend when I’ll get to see the fabulous Lottery Winners on Saturday at Blackpool Tower. Last time I went there for a gig it was for Radiohead. Very different music of course but both brilliant bands. And this week during a sleepless night I booked my accommodation not far down the road which looks pretty good. Whilst I couldn’t sleep I was looking up Frank Turner gigs hoping I’d just missed an announcement of a tour 'cos it seems like forever since I’ve seen him (it was 14 months ago in Wolverhampton, where he was supported by the Lottery Winners).
Anyway he’s playing tours all over one continent and another but no UK tour just a few festivals. Not having a car to go to a festival and with the way my knees are at the moment I’m a bit unsure about going to a festival. But there was one gig that stood out where Frank Turner is playing in Cleethorpes at Meridian in an event called Docksfest. Somehow he’s not heading the bill, which is scandalous, however the primary thing he IS playing—he’s either second or third on the bill with Razorlight, Feeder, and the Lottery Winners! It’s a one day event, so just a train and a B&B then (and unfortunately overpriced crap beer). Probably end up with a place to stay in Grimsby. The main thing is I’ll be getting to see Frank do his stuff once again and with his buddies on the same bill too. Top. Bring it on!
Anyway he’s playing tours all over one continent and another but no UK tour just a few festivals. Not having a car to go to a festival and with the way my knees are at the moment I’m a bit unsure about going to a festival. But there was one gig that stood out where Frank Turner is playing in Cleethorpes at Meridian in an event called Docksfest. Somehow he’s not heading the bill, which is scandalous, however the primary thing he IS playing—he’s either second or third on the bill with Razorlight, Feeder, and the Lottery Winners! It’s a one day event, so just a train and a B&B then (and unfortunately overpriced crap beer). Probably end up with a place to stay in Grimsby. The main thing is I’ll be getting to see Frank do his stuff once again and with his buddies on the same bill too. Top. Bring it on!
Gigs of '23 and the Coming Year
23/12/23 13:05
Didn’t have a packed gig year in 2023, but I made it to a few favourites and found some new favourites too. It was great to get to Frank Turner again at the start of the year in Wolverhampton, but most my gigs were more local (okay, all were) with events at Phase One, Camp & Furnace, Future Yard, Olympia, and even at Neptune Brewery. Ended up with multiple Casino, Heavy North, and Lottery Winners gigs-Robert Cray after a long wait between appearances for me, and saw Professor Yaffle for the first time (at the brewery). All top bands. I went to a few Sofar gigs too introducing me to even more new music.
I’ll be happy if next year matches it. So far (not Sofar) I have two gigs booked and once again quite predictable and, no doubt, fabulous. I’ve got the Heavy North at the Arts Club at the beginning of February to look forward to and then a return to Blackpool Tower to see the Lottery Winners. The last time I went to a gig there it was Radiohead in 2006. Yes, Radiohead in Blackpool! Should be boss.
I’m gonna aim for a gig a month. That said I have a crap aim. At the end of the day though you just can’t beat live music, can you?
Happy Gig Year to you all for next year.
I’ll be happy if next year matches it. So far (not Sofar) I have two gigs booked and once again quite predictable and, no doubt, fabulous. I’ve got the Heavy North at the Arts Club at the beginning of February to look forward to and then a return to Blackpool Tower to see the Lottery Winners. The last time I went to a gig there it was Radiohead in 2006. Yes, Radiohead in Blackpool! Should be boss.
I’m gonna aim for a gig a month. That said I have a crap aim. At the end of the day though you just can’t beat live music, can you?
Happy Gig Year to you all for next year.
September Sofar So Brilliant
22/09/23 21:53
Was lucky enough to get a ticket for the Liverpool September Sofar Sounds night which was a quite lovely bijou affair in Prohibition Studios on Arrad Street just behind Hope Street. It is just a few doors away from the Keystone, which was just about my favourite Liverpool hostelry for a year or so. It was a sad day when that passed away. I did go a few times and play at the Keystone open mic, which was hosted by John Witherspoon (who I didn’t know prior to these sessions). One of the singers I met there was the gentle fingerpicking John Lindsay. A good guy and a fab singer, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that he was one of the acts on the night.
He’s definitely come on as a performer and had good line in top banter. He’s playing Jimmy’s this Saturday to celebrate a) his new album (it’s on a credit card/USB combo), and b) his leaving of Liverpool. He’s only in town for a few weeks before heading back to the far east. Anyway have a listen to his lovely tunes and if you are near Jimmy’s on Saturday then pop in and see him (playing upstairs with Ali Horn amongst others); he’ll love you forever if you do.
Second up was a singer from slightly further afield: Mae Krell from New York. Again playing an acoustic guitar (a small old one (hey, I know my guitars)). Her singing voice was lovely to listen to and belied her origins and her speaking voice. I don’t mean there was anything wrong with Mae’s speaking voice, it just didn’t tally. Of course accents usually don’t come across that strongly in songs. Her songs were nice stories and enjoyable to listen to. Definitely give 'Garden' a listen to (it's on Spotify link below). I also particularly enjoyed the song featuring her dog, Apollo. She’s played a few Sofar Sounds around the UK and I guess she’d have gone down great guns at every one.
Finally it was the return of Saije to Liverpool. They apparently plaed at a Sofar gig in the city in June. I didn’t make that one. The band comprise a guy and a gal from even further afield than New York who both play acoustic guitar. Saije (pronounced Sage) are from the east coast of Australia and have been touring all over Europe this summer. Their voices compliment each other brilliantly, with the first song in particular giving me a Of Monsters and Men vibe. I liked the way the guy played cymbals by having a drumstick tied to the guitar stock. Haven’t noticed anybody else playing percussion like this on stage before. The final song in French was an instant classic. Bon-bon indeed.
I’ll definitely be giving all three acts a listen on Spotify (links below). If you do get the opportunity to see them (or purchase their albums (in CD, Vinyl or Credit Card form) do so.
P.S. Jen did a mighty fine job hosting the night.
John Lindsay spotify
Mae Krell spotify
Saije spotify
He’s definitely come on as a performer and had good line in top banter. He’s playing Jimmy’s this Saturday to celebrate a) his new album (it’s on a credit card/USB combo), and b) his leaving of Liverpool. He’s only in town for a few weeks before heading back to the far east. Anyway have a listen to his lovely tunes and if you are near Jimmy’s on Saturday then pop in and see him (playing upstairs with Ali Horn amongst others); he’ll love you forever if you do.
Second up was a singer from slightly further afield: Mae Krell from New York. Again playing an acoustic guitar (a small old one (hey, I know my guitars)). Her singing voice was lovely to listen to and belied her origins and her speaking voice. I don’t mean there was anything wrong with Mae’s speaking voice, it just didn’t tally. Of course accents usually don’t come across that strongly in songs. Her songs were nice stories and enjoyable to listen to. Definitely give 'Garden' a listen to (it's on Spotify link below). I also particularly enjoyed the song featuring her dog, Apollo. She’s played a few Sofar Sounds around the UK and I guess she’d have gone down great guns at every one.
Finally it was the return of Saije to Liverpool. They apparently plaed at a Sofar gig in the city in June. I didn’t make that one. The band comprise a guy and a gal from even further afield than New York who both play acoustic guitar. Saije (pronounced Sage) are from the east coast of Australia and have been touring all over Europe this summer. Their voices compliment each other brilliantly, with the first song in particular giving me a Of Monsters and Men vibe. I liked the way the guy played cymbals by having a drumstick tied to the guitar stock. Haven’t noticed anybody else playing percussion like this on stage before. The final song in French was an instant classic. Bon-bon indeed.
I’ll definitely be giving all three acts a listen on Spotify (links below). If you do get the opportunity to see them (or purchase their albums (in CD, Vinyl or Credit Card form) do so.
P.S. Jen did a mighty fine job hosting the night.
John Lindsay spotify
Mae Krell spotify
Saije spotify
Liverpool Sofar Gig, August '23
20/08/23 14:38
Wednesday last I went to my first Sofar Sounds for quite a few months. Couldn’t find my email confirmation or the day before an email telling me where the venue was. Luckily I know someone involved with Sofar and they confirmed I was indeed on the attendee list. It was a bit of a mystery why I hadn’t received a confirmation or details email. I subsequently found that because the booking site had defaulted to Apple Pay, rather my usual, the email had gone to my Apple email account. Glad to get that solved. I’ll know where to look for such messages next time.
I was told the venue was Scale, which is above Tapestry on the streets behind the former TJ Hughes. I’d been there for a Sofar gig once before, a couple of years ago, and it was a lovely venue. No draught ale, but they did have some cans. Could be worse.
Last time I saw an excellent laid back acoustic performance by the Heavy North. It was the first time I’d seen them and I loved them straightaway; I’ve been lucky enough to see them a couple of other times (and have tickets for their December ‘23 gig). This time there were three acts—as usual—and I loved all three. Links to the music and/or websites are at the bottom of the page.
First up was Motel Sundown, who aptly played their set as the sun went down and played on the wall behind them. They were an acoustic guitar (and soft percussion) three piece as melodic and harmonic as you could hope for. My kinda Americana roots style.
Motel Sundown (with the sun going down behind them)
After the sun went down it was the time for the very pink Wax-Tree-Cast. They played as a duo, with a female lead singer and a rockabilly guitarist. Like I said, both very pink. Don’t think it is a Barbie thing either—but what do I know. Played some great songs, with not much chat. But they did say the band (they are not usually just a duo) were to support Johnny Marr, and The Charlatans in their hometown gig at the end of the month. That sounded cool. They mentioned they were giving away a couple of tickets in an Insta competition which sounded good. But unfortunately their hometown is Halifax. I took the time to look it up and the day’s trains are affected by strikes, so I didn’t try for it. Would love to hear them with a full band—and I guess if they are supporting the Charlatans they must have a good sound.
Wax-Tree-Cast
Incidentally the strange band name made me wonder if it was down to a What Three Words location. I downloaded the App just to check. And guess what… it wasn’t. It was a nice few songs and I definitely wish them the best for their gig at Piece Hall; oh, and their song out this week, which they played on the night, ‘Oliver Reed’.
Last, but not least, was Ruby J. I’d never seen her live before but have seen her several times on some decent footage before via Twitter and YouTube. A fabulous act. She played her acoustic guitar accompanied only by her distinctive voice. She’s gonna be a star. Get on over to YouTube—or even better find a gig—and see for yourself. I’m lucky enough (as were a few people who were at the Sofar Sounds gig) to be able to look forward to seeing her again pretty soon; as she’s supporting Casino at their Hangar 34 gig in October. Result!
Ruby J
All in all a damn good evening.
Since then I’ve been lucky enough to get a ticket for the next Sofar Sounds gig, which is apparently a highly limited venue (I think there were 70 at Scale and there will be fewer than 40 at the September one). Intrigued to see where the venue is and who’s playing. I’ll have to wait until 36 hours before the gig to find out where I’ll be bound for.
Ruby J
________________
LINKS:
Sofar Sounds website
Motel Sundown Spotify
Wax-Tree-Cast Spotify
Ruby J Spotify
I was told the venue was Scale, which is above Tapestry on the streets behind the former TJ Hughes. I’d been there for a Sofar gig once before, a couple of years ago, and it was a lovely venue. No draught ale, but they did have some cans. Could be worse.
Last time I saw an excellent laid back acoustic performance by the Heavy North. It was the first time I’d seen them and I loved them straightaway; I’ve been lucky enough to see them a couple of other times (and have tickets for their December ‘23 gig). This time there were three acts—as usual—and I loved all three. Links to the music and/or websites are at the bottom of the page.
First up was Motel Sundown, who aptly played their set as the sun went down and played on the wall behind them. They were an acoustic guitar (and soft percussion) three piece as melodic and harmonic as you could hope for. My kinda Americana roots style.
Motel Sundown (with the sun going down behind them)
After the sun went down it was the time for the very pink Wax-Tree-Cast. They played as a duo, with a female lead singer and a rockabilly guitarist. Like I said, both very pink. Don’t think it is a Barbie thing either—but what do I know. Played some great songs, with not much chat. But they did say the band (they are not usually just a duo) were to support Johnny Marr, and The Charlatans in their hometown gig at the end of the month. That sounded cool. They mentioned they were giving away a couple of tickets in an Insta competition which sounded good. But unfortunately their hometown is Halifax. I took the time to look it up and the day’s trains are affected by strikes, so I didn’t try for it. Would love to hear them with a full band—and I guess if they are supporting the Charlatans they must have a good sound.
Wax-Tree-Cast
Incidentally the strange band name made me wonder if it was down to a What Three Words location. I downloaded the App just to check. And guess what… it wasn’t. It was a nice few songs and I definitely wish them the best for their gig at Piece Hall; oh, and their song out this week, which they played on the night, ‘Oliver Reed’.
Last, but not least, was Ruby J. I’d never seen her live before but have seen her several times on some decent footage before via Twitter and YouTube. A fabulous act. She played her acoustic guitar accompanied only by her distinctive voice. She’s gonna be a star. Get on over to YouTube—or even better find a gig—and see for yourself. I’m lucky enough (as were a few people who were at the Sofar Sounds gig) to be able to look forward to seeing her again pretty soon; as she’s supporting Casino at their Hangar 34 gig in October. Result!
Ruby J
All in all a damn good evening.
Since then I’ve been lucky enough to get a ticket for the next Sofar Sounds gig, which is apparently a highly limited venue (I think there were 70 at Scale and there will be fewer than 40 at the September one). Intrigued to see where the venue is and who’s playing. I’ll have to wait until 36 hours before the gig to find out where I’ll be bound for.
Ruby J
________________
LINKS:
Sofar Sounds website
Motel Sundown Spotify
Wax-Tree-Cast Spotify
Ruby J Spotify
Live Music '23
12/08/23 13:57
Barring unforeseen Twitter wins of a pair of festival tickets - hey, it’s happened before - I will go though 2023 without going to any music festivals, which is a bit of a shame. But I’ve been to some good gigs this year (Frank Turner, Robert Cray, Casino, and Lottery Winners, and a Sofar gig or two included). I’ve some more to come with a wee bit of repetition: I’ve a day at the Future Yard in Birkenhead this Sunday with the Lottery Winners, The Kairos, and others playing; then the August Sofar Liverpool gig; Guise and Hannah Rose Platt at EBGBs; Professor Yaffle in September at the brewery (Neptune); Casino at Hangar 34 in October; and, The Heavy North in December at the Camp & Furnace. Looking forward to them all; whilst not wishing the year away.
Frank Turner - Saw at JJ Steel Mill in Wolverhampton
Robert Cray, saw at Olympia in Liverpool
Lottery Winners - Saw at Phase 1, Liverpool
Had a good chat about bands and music in general with a couple of blokes over a pint the other day. But was a bit surprised when one of them said he wasn't into live music - he just preferred the records. Don't get me wrong, I do love the recordings but there's something about live music which is joyous and compelling. In the moment you are taken out of yourself and the memories live long too (and it's usually cheaper than a footy match too). You honestly can't beat live music (in my opinion; but apparently not everyone). Obviously seen a lot of boss people at open mics - and will be seeing more - too. All in all not a packed gig year, but then again not a bad one either. It does appear like I’m watching the same four or five bands a few times (Frank, Casino, Lottery Winners, Heavy North et al), and maybe I largely am. But then again, why change a winning formula? And as an added bonus it’s good to see that so many are local bands too.
Rock on! Or is it folk on? Well I guess it’s defo not folk off.
Frank Turner - Saw at JJ Steel Mill in Wolverhampton
Robert Cray, saw at Olympia in Liverpool
Lottery Winners - Saw at Phase 1, Liverpool
Had a good chat about bands and music in general with a couple of blokes over a pint the other day. But was a bit surprised when one of them said he wasn't into live music - he just preferred the records. Don't get me wrong, I do love the recordings but there's something about live music which is joyous and compelling. In the moment you are taken out of yourself and the memories live long too (and it's usually cheaper than a footy match too). You honestly can't beat live music (in my opinion; but apparently not everyone). Obviously seen a lot of boss people at open mics - and will be seeing more - too. All in all not a packed gig year, but then again not a bad one either. It does appear like I’m watching the same four or five bands a few times (Frank, Casino, Lottery Winners, Heavy North et al), and maybe I largely am. But then again, why change a winning formula? And as an added bonus it’s good to see that so many are local bands too.
Rock on! Or is it folk on? Well I guess it’s defo not folk off.
A Lotta Lotto
16/05/23 09:40
Went to Phase One for the Lottery Winners gig on Friday and it was wonderful. They gave such a joyous performance, very much still on the No.1 album high of Anxiety Replacement Therapy (ART). Thom announced that they were no longer at the top of the charts as someone called Ed had taken their place. I guess Mr Sheeran is a well known chap, but it won't be forever before the Lottery Winners are a lot better known. As an 'album launch' (a week or so on) it wasn't a full gig but still went to beyond an hour. I spoke to the band members afterwards congratulating them on the album and its success - and the performance that night. They were all exceedingly happy all round. Thom's chat between songs was never less than entertaining and it put me in mind of seeing Pulp back in the day and enjoying Jarvis between songs as much as the songs themselves.
There was probably fewer than one hundred people at Phase One - in the middle of the Eurovision chaos at Pier Head. So many people are yet to hear of the band but they are getting out there with the success of ART, and more and more people will be discovering their songs shortly I am sure. On Sunday I went into a pub in Liverpool when there was no-one else there. I asked the bar manager (nicely) if they could put Lottery Winners on Spotify and she did. Needless to say she was new to them. The next customers in were a couple and before buying a pint they were struck by the music, 'Is that the Lottery Winners?' they asked. Turns out that they were big fans and had seen them lots of times, including at Phase One. Spooky!
Talking of spooky, I bought a lottery ticket on the Friday of the gig and... yes I won! Not sure how the win will change me. But maybe I'll put the £4.80 towards aToo Good To Go or a kebab.
There was probably fewer than one hundred people at Phase One - in the middle of the Eurovision chaos at Pier Head. So many people are yet to hear of the band but they are getting out there with the success of ART, and more and more people will be discovering their songs shortly I am sure. On Sunday I went into a pub in Liverpool when there was no-one else there. I asked the bar manager (nicely) if they could put Lottery Winners on Spotify and she did. Needless to say she was new to them. The next customers in were a couple and before buying a pint they were struck by the music, 'Is that the Lottery Winners?' they asked. Turns out that they were big fans and had seen them lots of times, including at Phase One. Spooky!
Talking of spooky, I bought a lottery ticket on the Friday of the gig and... yes I won! Not sure how the win will change me. But maybe I'll put the £4.80 towards aToo Good To Go or a kebab.
I'm A Lottery Winner
06/05/23 15:13
Made up that I made the effort to get a ticket for the Lottery Winners at Phase One, Liverpool for the album launch event. It’s launch gig for ART - ‘Anxiety Replacement Therapy’ where you get a physical copy of the album and entry into the gig for just £17. Can’t say fairer than that.
It’ll be my third gig there following Heavy North, and Casino, which were both excellent. I’m sure the Lottery Winners will be every bit as good. The album sounds great (been listening to it on Spotify - not got the physical copy yet) and it even has some excellent guest appearances from Shaun Ryder, Boy George, and - yes - The Frank Turner. Cool! Frank is a big fan of their’s and has done some production with them as well as singing on tracks. And the Lottery Winners supported Frank on some of his recent UK tour.
It has been a big week for the ‘Winners too… as ART has come in a No.1 in the UK album chart. How good is that!? They should be in a damn good mood for the event in Liverpool then. Town will be mad busy as the Eurovision week progresses (it already is). I’m not exactly sure how it will be in town. Great, mad: greatly mad? I don’t know. But it will definitely be crazy busy as the Eurovision fans inundate the city for the antithesis of good music (hey, just my opinion). I know, it’s more about the fun and everything that goes with the event; a festival of music not about the music. At least I’ll be seeing a band at the peak of their powers in the town, just a day before the final event arena.
Anxiety Replacement Therapy - click on here to have a listen on Spotify.
It’ll be my third gig there following Heavy North, and Casino, which were both excellent. I’m sure the Lottery Winners will be every bit as good. The album sounds great (been listening to it on Spotify - not got the physical copy yet) and it even has some excellent guest appearances from Shaun Ryder, Boy George, and - yes - The Frank Turner. Cool! Frank is a big fan of their’s and has done some production with them as well as singing on tracks. And the Lottery Winners supported Frank on some of his recent UK tour.
It has been a big week for the ‘Winners too… as ART has come in a No.1 in the UK album chart. How good is that!? They should be in a damn good mood for the event in Liverpool then. Town will be mad busy as the Eurovision week progresses (it already is). I’m not exactly sure how it will be in town. Great, mad: greatly mad? I don’t know. But it will definitely be crazy busy as the Eurovision fans inundate the city for the antithesis of good music (hey, just my opinion). I know, it’s more about the fun and everything that goes with the event; a festival of music not about the music. At least I’ll be seeing a band at the peak of their powers in the town, just a day before the final event arena.
Anxiety Replacement Therapy - click on here to have a listen on Spotify.
Casino Royale
14/03/23 18:00
Been a bit tardy with getting a blog together for this one, but hell I’ve been busy & lazy at the same time (a blisteringly uncomfortable excuse sandwich). But last week I was lucky enough to snag a couple of free tickets for the Casino gig at Phase One, Seel Street, Liverpool. It was just my second time at Phase One, with the previous gig being the Heavy North in early March. As a nice coincidence/circularity the last time I saw Casino was supporting the HN up the road in the Arts Club - which had been a fabulous gig for all involved: just a shame about the Arts Club’s current status. Ho hum.
I had the electronic tickets on my phone (obtained from a great gig buddy: thank you JC), but there was no-one on the door to check tickets anyway. I think the rather dodgy weather (cold, breezy, and sleety) had put some off coming out and the venue was not at capacity. I went with a colleague from work - where we sometimes hear Casino and their contemporaries - playing through the speakers; if Alexa feels like it.
The gig itself was great. We caught a bit of Ellis (a Dylanesque singer songwriter complete with harmonica) first and ‘treated’ ourselves to some keg beer; it wasn’t fabulous but then again gig beers are rarely that. And I have had a lot worse (and let’s face it anyone attending the Carling Academies of this world has too). The guys of Casino (who inexplicably have only four songs up on Spotify and no albums to sell us) gave us a gig in two sets. For a free gig we had indeed paid a more than fair price for their time & artistry.
Depending how they want to, or can, progress their career they really should do brilliantly. They are already a really tight (and, in some cases, decidedly tall) unit. Their song writing is beautiful and their musicianship is spot on. The songs are all presented with panache and consummate ease. And the hats must go off to the sound guy in this regard too. I will definitely be going to see them again if and when the chance arises.
Check ‘em out on Spotify (even though there is not much there yet it is all good stuff and shows you what they are like), and go out and see them when you can. Nice one.
I had the electronic tickets on my phone (obtained from a great gig buddy: thank you JC), but there was no-one on the door to check tickets anyway. I think the rather dodgy weather (cold, breezy, and sleety) had put some off coming out and the venue was not at capacity. I went with a colleague from work - where we sometimes hear Casino and their contemporaries - playing through the speakers; if Alexa feels like it.
The gig itself was great. We caught a bit of Ellis (a Dylanesque singer songwriter complete with harmonica) first and ‘treated’ ourselves to some keg beer; it wasn’t fabulous but then again gig beers are rarely that. And I have had a lot worse (and let’s face it anyone attending the Carling Academies of this world has too). The guys of Casino (who inexplicably have only four songs up on Spotify and no albums to sell us) gave us a gig in two sets. For a free gig we had indeed paid a more than fair price for their time & artistry.
Depending how they want to, or can, progress their career they really should do brilliantly. They are already a really tight (and, in some cases, decidedly tall) unit. Their song writing is beautiful and their musicianship is spot on. The songs are all presented with panache and consummate ease. And the hats must go off to the sound guy in this regard too. I will definitely be going to see them again if and when the chance arises.
Check ‘em out on Spotify (even though there is not much there yet it is all good stuff and shows you what they are like), and go out and see them when you can. Nice one.
A Three Gig Week
24/01/23 10:42
A rare week indeed. Three nights of live music. Three. What could be finer? Links to all the acts are at the bottom of the page (or click on the highlighted name to go to their Spotify pages). First up was Christie Bratherton, who I'd previously seen at the Sofar gig in October 2021 where she played alongside the Heavy North. She'd put on Instagram that she was playing at the White Lion from 3-5pm on Sunday 22nd Jan and I spotted the post. I got down there around 3 spotted the guitar and gear propped up by the back door. Christie walked past me and I spoke to her to find out what time she was on. Turned out she had been mis-sold her gig as she was covering for someone who couldn't make it and she'd been told the time wrong. Turned out it was 5-7pm. I downed my pint and took the opportunity to go down the road to the West Kirby Tap and then the train for one stop to Hoylake for the Black Toad first before getting back up to the White Lion. Christie was fab, singing on her own at the front of the bar. I got off a little before she finished to catch a train. It had proved to be a lovely afternoon and evening.
Christie playing at the White Lion
Then on Thursday it was time for the Sofar Sounds gig. For those of you who don't know about it, the gig is £10 a ticket - and the deal is you don't know where the venue is (other than the city centre) until 36 hours before kick-off or who is playing until the actual evening itself. I was made up to find out it was upstairs at Leaf - the last time I was supposed to be there was for the Felice Brothers last year, but unfortunately that coincided with my Covid week.
Sofar stage ready at Liverpool Leaf
I went to sit right at the front (where most of the empty seats were anyway). First up was Mike Ryan, who informed us he was playing hooky from school before playing a really nice set. He was a thoroughly nice chap too.
First up Mike Ryan who was skiving of school (and well worth it too)
After the ten minute break for a a beer top-up the next up came up to play after a kind introduction from the host. Marvin Powell proved to be a shy chap who was excellent.
Second up, Marvin Powell. Lovely stuff.
Finally the one group to play was a four piece Ask Elliot. They were bloody excellent. All three acts were indeed excellent and well worth looking up on Spotify or wherever you find your music. And, like Christie on Sunday, I'll definitely keep an eye out for a chance to see them again.
And last but not least, Ask Elliot. Not sure what to ask him, but do.
Then came the highlight for me. Yes, Frank Turner (again) . The gig was down in Wolverhampton in KK's Steel Mill. This gave me an excuse to get down for a few beers in Wolverhampton and Birmingham too. It really was a win-win. Unfortunately I missed the support act (the Lottery Winners) as I'd gone for a curry around the corner, which was a bit of a wait due to it being slightly slow arriving (cos the curry house was so popular). At the venue I got myself a KK's Dark ale which was nice to have in a large venue where you are usually faced with a Carling or a cider of one description or another.
Frank Turner doing what he does so fucking brilliantly with the Sleeping Souls, at KK's Steel Mill, Wolverhampton
Frank and the Sleeping Souls came on before 9 and played until 10;50 or so - he just cracked on with one brilliant track after another. He's got such an extensive catalogue of songs he could play a different two hour set each night these days. You can't be disappointed if he doesn't play one of your favourites cos he'll play another three of them instead. For me he the best act out there at the moment and he has certainly become my most seen act taking over from Ryan Adams who I'd seen a lot in years gone by. I dare say I'll see him again and probably again in the years ahead. I don't know how he does it day after day. This gig was No.2725 for him and he doesn't half go for it. How does his energy last, let alone his throat?
Frank's playing and I'm a happy chappy (with KK's Dark ale).
Hell yeah. Frank.
See you later, Frank. Thanks.
–––––––––––––––––––––
Links:
Christie - Spotify - Instagram -
Mike Ryan - Spotify - Instagram -
Marvin Powell - Spotify - Instagram -
Ask Elliot - Spotify - Instagram -
Frank Turner - Spotify - Instagram -
Christie playing at the White Lion
Then on Thursday it was time for the Sofar Sounds gig. For those of you who don't know about it, the gig is £10 a ticket - and the deal is you don't know where the venue is (other than the city centre) until 36 hours before kick-off or who is playing until the actual evening itself. I was made up to find out it was upstairs at Leaf - the last time I was supposed to be there was for the Felice Brothers last year, but unfortunately that coincided with my Covid week.
Sofar stage ready at Liverpool Leaf
I went to sit right at the front (where most of the empty seats were anyway). First up was Mike Ryan, who informed us he was playing hooky from school before playing a really nice set. He was a thoroughly nice chap too.
First up Mike Ryan who was skiving of school (and well worth it too)
After the ten minute break for a a beer top-up the next up came up to play after a kind introduction from the host. Marvin Powell proved to be a shy chap who was excellent.
Second up, Marvin Powell. Lovely stuff.
Finally the one group to play was a four piece Ask Elliot. They were bloody excellent. All three acts were indeed excellent and well worth looking up on Spotify or wherever you find your music. And, like Christie on Sunday, I'll definitely keep an eye out for a chance to see them again.
And last but not least, Ask Elliot. Not sure what to ask him, but do.
Then came the highlight for me. Yes, Frank Turner (again) . The gig was down in Wolverhampton in KK's Steel Mill. This gave me an excuse to get down for a few beers in Wolverhampton and Birmingham too. It really was a win-win. Unfortunately I missed the support act (the Lottery Winners) as I'd gone for a curry around the corner, which was a bit of a wait due to it being slightly slow arriving (cos the curry house was so popular). At the venue I got myself a KK's Dark ale which was nice to have in a large venue where you are usually faced with a Carling or a cider of one description or another.
Frank Turner doing what he does so fucking brilliantly with the Sleeping Souls, at KK's Steel Mill, Wolverhampton
Frank and the Sleeping Souls came on before 9 and played until 10;50 or so - he just cracked on with one brilliant track after another. He's got such an extensive catalogue of songs he could play a different two hour set each night these days. You can't be disappointed if he doesn't play one of your favourites cos he'll play another three of them instead. For me he the best act out there at the moment and he has certainly become my most seen act taking over from Ryan Adams who I'd seen a lot in years gone by. I dare say I'll see him again and probably again in the years ahead. I don't know how he does it day after day. This gig was No.2725 for him and he doesn't half go for it. How does his energy last, let alone his throat?
Frank's playing and I'm a happy chappy (with KK's Dark ale).
Hell yeah. Frank.
See you later, Frank. Thanks.
–––––––––––––––––––––
Links:
Christie - Spotify - Instagram -
Mike Ryan - Spotify - Instagram -
Marvin Powell - Spotify - Instagram -
Ask Elliot - Spotify - Instagram -
Frank Turner - Spotify - Instagram -
If Music Be The Food Of Love
13/06/22 23:02
The footy season is indeed now over but last week magical Anfield held another event: the Rolling Stones first Liverpool gig for nearly fifty years. When the tickets went on sale I briefly considered getting one. I mean an iconic band in a wonderful stadium. I'd previously watched one gig there, which was Paul McCartney in 2008 (the Capital of Culture gig). I'd done the same that time to by not getting a ticket when they first went on sale but really wishing I had as it approached. Then the day before the gig an acquaintance said he had a spare and I snaffled it up in super quick time. It did not disappoint. But I'd never seen Macca before and I've been lucky enough to see the Stones several times including the Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam, at Twickenham, and at Glastonbury, so I didn't have quite the same push to spend the one hundred pounds or so on a ticket. Still on the day I was kinda jealous of everyone going. You really can't beat a live music event - be it giants of history like them or newer or more intimate events.
So I decided that I'd get a ticket or two for gigs which would fill the need (and be cheaper than seeing the one band (or two if you counted the Bunnymen)). I quickly got on the case and over a couple of days got myself a ticket for the brilliant Felice Brothers, who are playing Leaf on Bold Street in a few weeks, and Frank Turner for later in the year (October). I'll keep my eye out for another gig or two and still come in below the cost of seeing Jagger, Richards and co. Notwithstanding that it did sound like it was a top night and everyone seems to have enjoyed Anfield that night and I do kinda wish I'd gone. Having the Felice Brothers and Frank to look forward to is pretty damn cool though.
Over the last couple of weeks I have not done a single open mic, which is rare since the return of them to the hostelries in Liverpool. And so it was that I decided to go to a new open mic night at the Angus who had announced they were to move their night to a Sunday and have it on a more regular basis (at least whilst the football season is in abeyance). John Witherspoon who I know from his hosting the mic at the Keystone (and now the Belvedere) is to be the new host but on this occasion he had to pass it on to another regular guitarist: Mike Blue. I pootled down to the Angus just before the start time at 8pm and found there was only one guy with a guitar already there; this turned out to be Mike. Shortly afterwards he got up to play and introduce the night asking if anyone for requests, saying he hoped some people would turn up to play soon. But town looked quiet everywhere as far as I could tell from my walk to the Angus - and from the people passing the windows of the bar. Quite a few people would be playing in the Jacaranda open mic which has been going for some time now. It'll take a few weeks of word of mouth for this new night to become more widely known (not everyone is on Social Media all the time - hard to believe I know). Eventually I let it be known that I could go up an play lest Mike end up playing the whole night as a gig and I went up and played three of my usual songs ('Oh My Sweet Carolina,' 'Heart Breaks Like the Dawn, and 'Whiskey in my Whiskey' - the last one being the Felice Brothers who I'll see at Leaf). Then Mike returned. He hadn't seen me play before, so for a nice change he'd not been subject to the same songs week after week.
As the night moved on it became more apparent that other singers were unlikely to turn up, at least not in numbers, and Mike continued playing some great songs (largely requests from the audience) including a couple of great Neil Young covers. The couple in front of me then suggested it was my turn to go up again, probably to allow Mike a toilet break and opportunity to refuel and I duly did (I felt obliged) playing 'You Couldn't Get Arrested' and 'Splendid Isolation.' Mike continued and finally after he played a fine U2 cover I went up a third time and played my own U2 cover (albeit a trad song) 'Van Diemen's Land' and (half a version of) 'Somewhere Down the Road.' Mike played on till time was called and beyond - and that was that. We shook hands and chatted. Like John and Ali, Mike was an accomplished guitarist with a good voice and stage presence and was a thoroughly nice chap, it was a shame a few more (or even just one more!) people didn't go up to play.
Several people in the bar said they enjoyed my songs which was a) nice and b) made me wonder what they had been drinking.
I've a soft spot for the Angus (for it's music and its beer) and I really hope in the longer term the open mic will succeed, whether that is on a Sunday or another night. Ultimately it will always be a moveable feast due to football supporters being an important part of its clientele; and because of the regular professional gigs it hosts. It was good to get back to playing in front of people again and I won't leave it as long to the next time. Maybe even the Belvedere on Thursday?
Onwards and Upwards. And yes: Play On!
So I decided that I'd get a ticket or two for gigs which would fill the need (and be cheaper than seeing the one band (or two if you counted the Bunnymen)). I quickly got on the case and over a couple of days got myself a ticket for the brilliant Felice Brothers, who are playing Leaf on Bold Street in a few weeks, and Frank Turner for later in the year (October). I'll keep my eye out for another gig or two and still come in below the cost of seeing Jagger, Richards and co. Notwithstanding that it did sound like it was a top night and everyone seems to have enjoyed Anfield that night and I do kinda wish I'd gone. Having the Felice Brothers and Frank to look forward to is pretty damn cool though.
Over the last couple of weeks I have not done a single open mic, which is rare since the return of them to the hostelries in Liverpool. And so it was that I decided to go to a new open mic night at the Angus who had announced they were to move their night to a Sunday and have it on a more regular basis (at least whilst the football season is in abeyance). John Witherspoon who I know from his hosting the mic at the Keystone (and now the Belvedere) is to be the new host but on this occasion he had to pass it on to another regular guitarist: Mike Blue. I pootled down to the Angus just before the start time at 8pm and found there was only one guy with a guitar already there; this turned out to be Mike. Shortly afterwards he got up to play and introduce the night asking if anyone for requests, saying he hoped some people would turn up to play soon. But town looked quiet everywhere as far as I could tell from my walk to the Angus - and from the people passing the windows of the bar. Quite a few people would be playing in the Jacaranda open mic which has been going for some time now. It'll take a few weeks of word of mouth for this new night to become more widely known (not everyone is on Social Media all the time - hard to believe I know). Eventually I let it be known that I could go up an play lest Mike end up playing the whole night as a gig and I went up and played three of my usual songs ('Oh My Sweet Carolina,' 'Heart Breaks Like the Dawn, and 'Whiskey in my Whiskey' - the last one being the Felice Brothers who I'll see at Leaf). Then Mike returned. He hadn't seen me play before, so for a nice change he'd not been subject to the same songs week after week.
As the night moved on it became more apparent that other singers were unlikely to turn up, at least not in numbers, and Mike continued playing some great songs (largely requests from the audience) including a couple of great Neil Young covers. The couple in front of me then suggested it was my turn to go up again, probably to allow Mike a toilet break and opportunity to refuel and I duly did (I felt obliged) playing 'You Couldn't Get Arrested' and 'Splendid Isolation.' Mike continued and finally after he played a fine U2 cover I went up a third time and played my own U2 cover (albeit a trad song) 'Van Diemen's Land' and (half a version of) 'Somewhere Down the Road.' Mike played on till time was called and beyond - and that was that. We shook hands and chatted. Like John and Ali, Mike was an accomplished guitarist with a good voice and stage presence and was a thoroughly nice chap, it was a shame a few more (or even just one more!) people didn't go up to play.
Several people in the bar said they enjoyed my songs which was a) nice and b) made me wonder what they had been drinking.
I've a soft spot for the Angus (for it's music and its beer) and I really hope in the longer term the open mic will succeed, whether that is on a Sunday or another night. Ultimately it will always be a moveable feast due to football supporters being an important part of its clientele; and because of the regular professional gigs it hosts. It was good to get back to playing in front of people again and I won't leave it as long to the next time. Maybe even the Belvedere on Thursday?
Onwards and Upwards. And yes: Play On!
Sofar
27/09/21 20:03
On Wednesday I went to my first Sofar gig in Liverpool. Don’t worry if you haven’t heard of them, that's not the name of a band, but the name of the events. It is a nice idea which has spread world wide and includes a few cities in the UK. The ethos is to go and have a nice time and actually listen to the music and not chat all the way through it about what’s been on the TV or the latest football: watch and listen to the band. And talk and get your drinks in between the sets, rather than disturbing the gig for those around you. Boss.
You pay your £10 for a ticket, and then the day before you get an email telling you where it will be. In this case the event was held in a place I hadn’t been before called ‘Slate’ which is within Tapestry – a large building up behind TJ Hughes. There’s apparently always a bar onsite (unless they tell you otherwise) so it’s not a BYOB gig.
Met someone I knew who likes live music – and it turns out helps out with the event – and then went up the stairs to Slate, which turned out to be a nice space for some music – with a small bar at one end of the room and the area for the bands marked out with some simple lighting, and the instruments and amplification all laid out at the opposite end.
The three Sofar acts - Liverpool 22.09.21
There were three acts who played, who I hadn’t seen before. Namely, Christie a local singer songwriter and Ahmed Khwata a songwriter from London, with the last act being The Heavy North – a local five piece bluesy outfit. I really enjoyed all of them. Christie and The Heavy North were both playing the Smithdown Festival at the Handyman on Friday (with Heavy North being the headliner).
The Heavy North
The whole gig wasn’t that long (first act on around 8pm and last song finished around 10:15pm – okay for a school night) with the acts each only playing five or six songs. But it was a really intimate gig with an attentive and respectful audience and I really enjoyed it. And I’ll definitely be there again, well, not there as I don’t yet know where there will be.
Rock on.
_____________
sofarsounds.com/liverpool
You pay your £10 for a ticket, and then the day before you get an email telling you where it will be. In this case the event was held in a place I hadn’t been before called ‘Slate’ which is within Tapestry – a large building up behind TJ Hughes. There’s apparently always a bar onsite (unless they tell you otherwise) so it’s not a BYOB gig.
Met someone I knew who likes live music – and it turns out helps out with the event – and then went up the stairs to Slate, which turned out to be a nice space for some music – with a small bar at one end of the room and the area for the bands marked out with some simple lighting, and the instruments and amplification all laid out at the opposite end.
The three Sofar acts - Liverpool 22.09.21
There were three acts who played, who I hadn’t seen before. Namely, Christie a local singer songwriter and Ahmed Khwata a songwriter from London, with the last act being The Heavy North – a local five piece bluesy outfit. I really enjoyed all of them. Christie and The Heavy North were both playing the Smithdown Festival at the Handyman on Friday (with Heavy North being the headliner).
The Heavy North
The whole gig wasn’t that long (first act on around 8pm and last song finished around 10:15pm – okay for a school night) with the acts each only playing five or six songs. But it was a really intimate gig with an attentive and respectful audience and I really enjoyed it. And I’ll definitely be there again, well, not there as I don’t yet know where there will be.
Rock on.
_____________
sofarsounds.com/liverpool
Magic Numbers Gigs
17/09/21 14:02
Tonight I'm going to a gig – the Magic Numbers at the Arts Bar in Liverpool. First time at a normal (not socially distanced) gig since Covid lockdowns.
Michelle & Angela – and an interloper – in an Amsterdam bar
Romeo and the same interloper (and a band member from Shout Out Louds) in an Amsterdam bar.
I've been to several Number's gigs in Manchester, Kendal, and even Amsterdam – as well as seeing them at music festivals like Glastonbury. I also went to see Romeo Stodart at the Music Room in the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, which was just two days before all gigs got cancelled due to lockdowns. I wrote a review of that gig for a website.
Got some great memories – and stories – from all my gigs involving the Number's and am looking forward to tonight. Not looking to forward to the bar in the Arts Bar though. Truly horrendous prices for crap drinks. Ho hum. Not sure how it'll be in a none socially distanced environment either. But saying that, the music from the Stodarts & Gannons – and from Ren Harvieu – will no doubt be fabulous.
Rock on.
Michelle & Angela – and an interloper – in an Amsterdam bar
Romeo and the same interloper (and a band member from Shout Out Louds) in an Amsterdam bar.
I've been to several Number's gigs in Manchester, Kendal, and even Amsterdam – as well as seeing them at music festivals like Glastonbury. I also went to see Romeo Stodart at the Music Room in the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, which was just two days before all gigs got cancelled due to lockdowns. I wrote a review of that gig for a website.
Got some great memories – and stories – from all my gigs involving the Number's and am looking forward to tonight. Not looking to forward to the bar in the Arts Bar though. Truly horrendous prices for crap drinks. Ho hum. Not sure how it'll be in a none socially distanced environment either. But saying that, the music from the Stodarts & Gannons – and from Ren Harvieu – will no doubt be fabulous.
Rock on.
Frank Turner at Top Rope
14/07/21 10:22
Last week was busy. There was a semifinal and final of the Euros for a start and our annual camping trip to Bishop’s Castle to fit in-between. But the highlight had to be Thursday’s Frank Turner gig at Top Rope Brewery. I mean my favourite current singer songwriter playing in a local brewery. I couldn’t have really designed a much better idea of a perfect gig if I tried.
There were to be two support acts from the same label appearing as well. When I was told who they were (Berries, and Pet Needs), I didn’t know them, but of course I looked them up. They were both punky alt rock types (sorry if that is an incorrect classification). I enjoyed a couple of the songs I heard from both of them when I saw their vids on YouTube. Not completely up my street, but music is elastic and it is not one size fits all. I was pretty sure they’d be good. I wasn’t to be disappointed.
I’d met my friend earlier who was coming to the gig too. She’d tried to win tickets on the basis of if she’d won she’d have given me a ticket. So when I ended up with two how could I not reciprocate? We had a bit of scran down South Road at the Liver, then headed to her guest house so she could sort that out. Then we went straight to the brewery.
With the Covid rules in place it was one way in to the brewery and one way out. It was of course inevitable I headed for exactly the wrong side of the brewery to get in first off. Sod’s Law is the strongest of the Laws. I’d headed to the side where I’d previously picked up the beer rather than the fire exit at the back. But to be fair it made sense in hindsight. We only had to go through that door the once to get our wrist bands and then we were in. It was such a select bunch of people that were there: apparently over 3000 people had tried to win tickets for the gig (there were no paid for tickets available) and there were only 60 tickets available. Every one of us felt extremely excited and privileged I’m sure - bloody hell I’ve been spouting on about it for weeks (even before I found that I was lucky enough to be one of the lucky ones).
We picked a table on the second (of two) rows directly in front of the middle of the “stage.” It was a spot on position. But even if you had the worst seat in the house (no idea which that was), you’d have been fine with just 60 people there.
The first thing to negotiate was scanning in a QR code and then go through some painful registering process before being able to purchase a beer. But at least once that was out of the way it became easier. I just stuck to the keg stuff that was on, though plenty of others (including the bands) were downing plenty of cans. I went for The Gathering (of course, it was the Frank Turner beer after all) and a Papa Mango; basically, why change a winning formula?
Berries
The first band who played were Berries. A threesome from London who signed to Xtra Mile in January this year. The three members of the band were Holly on guitar and vocals, Lauren on bass, and Lucie on drums. They were all brilliant. There was only Lauren playing on her usual instrument (electric bass), with Lauren on acoustic guitar and Lucie on a box drum (cajon). Their usual punky songs translated surprisingly well to the night’s acoustic performance. Holly was absolutely brilliant on the guitar covering an impressive territory of the fretboard from song to song. As someone who just strums open chords from time to time I was in awe. The trio looked like they really enjoyed it. Let’s face it gigs have been such a major miss over the last year or so; and they were playing a brewery in Liverpool - so how could they not?
Pet Needs giving it some welly
Not long after they finished the second act of the night arrived on stage: Pet Needs. Again it was largely acoustic bar the bass (including another cajon). The four lads threw everything into the gig; and that was a lot. A really enjoyable performance from the four piece punk outfit from Colchester.
Frank and a grinning loon
Then it was time for Frank Turner. He gave us little time between the last chords from Pet Needs until he played. In fact I had to listen to the first song and half from the small queue for the two toilets. It wasn’t far away so I didn’t miss a note. I don’t know what to say about Frank’s gig to be honest. It was just perfect. He has such a back catalogue of songs I could have picked a different twenty songs than he did and been just as happy - that said I’d have probably have picked many of the same songs too.
And so it begins
There was no backing band. It was just Frank and an acoustic guitar. For the majority of the set he followed a chronological catalogue. In fact sod it; it’d be easier to just provide the set-list wouldn’t it? So here it is. Let’s face it if you know Frank and read this list you’ll nod and be a) happy to see it and b) really really wish you’d been there. Like I said, it was perfect:
The Ballad
I Knew Prufrock
Long Live the Queen
The Road
If I Ever Stray
Plain Sailing Weather
The Way I Tend To Be
The Next Storm
Love 40 Down
1933
Be More Kind
Sister Rosetta
The Lioness
Punches
The Gathering (it’s a beer and a song)
Get Better
Recovery
Photosynthesis
I Still Believe
Polaroid Picture
Finale
Members of Berries and Pet Needs came on to join him for the finale which was fun and beautifully chaotic - just like an encore should be. The first time I saw him was in the Wembley gig in 2012 he got himself a tattoo between finishing the set and coming back on for his encore. When I saw him at Glastonbury he had to make a sharp exit to play a fete at his old school after going against his mum by getting a tattoo on his hand. This time, in sunny Bootle, there was to be no tattoo action. Which is funny… because I said I’d get a FTHC tattoo if I won a ticket. I haven’t so far. But I have many more weeks in my life to get that sorted - all things being equal.
After the gig I managed to get to talk to the maestro himself after a quick elbow bump. He was an absolute gent. My friend Ken, who passed away in January, had given me the book, 'The Road Beneath My Feet' and he kindly signed it for me too. I couldn't have asked for a better memento for the day.
Elbow bump
Meeting the man himself.
I really don’t know what more to say about the gig. I DO feel marvellously lucky to have got a ticket to go and to be there with a friend. I was smiling for days before and for days afterwards about it.
There were to be two support acts from the same label appearing as well. When I was told who they were (Berries, and Pet Needs), I didn’t know them, but of course I looked them up. They were both punky alt rock types (sorry if that is an incorrect classification). I enjoyed a couple of the songs I heard from both of them when I saw their vids on YouTube. Not completely up my street, but music is elastic and it is not one size fits all. I was pretty sure they’d be good. I wasn’t to be disappointed.
I’d met my friend earlier who was coming to the gig too. She’d tried to win tickets on the basis of if she’d won she’d have given me a ticket. So when I ended up with two how could I not reciprocate? We had a bit of scran down South Road at the Liver, then headed to her guest house so she could sort that out. Then we went straight to the brewery.
With the Covid rules in place it was one way in to the brewery and one way out. It was of course inevitable I headed for exactly the wrong side of the brewery to get in first off. Sod’s Law is the strongest of the Laws. I’d headed to the side where I’d previously picked up the beer rather than the fire exit at the back. But to be fair it made sense in hindsight. We only had to go through that door the once to get our wrist bands and then we were in. It was such a select bunch of people that were there: apparently over 3000 people had tried to win tickets for the gig (there were no paid for tickets available) and there were only 60 tickets available. Every one of us felt extremely excited and privileged I’m sure - bloody hell I’ve been spouting on about it for weeks (even before I found that I was lucky enough to be one of the lucky ones).
We picked a table on the second (of two) rows directly in front of the middle of the “stage.” It was a spot on position. But even if you had the worst seat in the house (no idea which that was), you’d have been fine with just 60 people there.
The first thing to negotiate was scanning in a QR code and then go through some painful registering process before being able to purchase a beer. But at least once that was out of the way it became easier. I just stuck to the keg stuff that was on, though plenty of others (including the bands) were downing plenty of cans. I went for The Gathering (of course, it was the Frank Turner beer after all) and a Papa Mango; basically, why change a winning formula?
Berries
The first band who played were Berries. A threesome from London who signed to Xtra Mile in January this year. The three members of the band were Holly on guitar and vocals, Lauren on bass, and Lucie on drums. They were all brilliant. There was only Lauren playing on her usual instrument (electric bass), with Lauren on acoustic guitar and Lucie on a box drum (cajon). Their usual punky songs translated surprisingly well to the night’s acoustic performance. Holly was absolutely brilliant on the guitar covering an impressive territory of the fretboard from song to song. As someone who just strums open chords from time to time I was in awe. The trio looked like they really enjoyed it. Let’s face it gigs have been such a major miss over the last year or so; and they were playing a brewery in Liverpool - so how could they not?
Pet Needs giving it some welly
Not long after they finished the second act of the night arrived on stage: Pet Needs. Again it was largely acoustic bar the bass (including another cajon). The four lads threw everything into the gig; and that was a lot. A really enjoyable performance from the four piece punk outfit from Colchester.
Frank and a grinning loon
Then it was time for Frank Turner. He gave us little time between the last chords from Pet Needs until he played. In fact I had to listen to the first song and half from the small queue for the two toilets. It wasn’t far away so I didn’t miss a note. I don’t know what to say about Frank’s gig to be honest. It was just perfect. He has such a back catalogue of songs I could have picked a different twenty songs than he did and been just as happy - that said I’d have probably have picked many of the same songs too.
And so it begins
There was no backing band. It was just Frank and an acoustic guitar. For the majority of the set he followed a chronological catalogue. In fact sod it; it’d be easier to just provide the set-list wouldn’t it? So here it is. Let’s face it if you know Frank and read this list you’ll nod and be a) happy to see it and b) really really wish you’d been there. Like I said, it was perfect:
The Ballad
I Knew Prufrock
Long Live the Queen
The Road
If I Ever Stray
Plain Sailing Weather
The Way I Tend To Be
The Next Storm
Love 40 Down
1933
Be More Kind
Sister Rosetta
The Lioness
Punches
The Gathering (it’s a beer and a song)
Get Better
Recovery
Photosynthesis
I Still Believe
Polaroid Picture
Finale
Members of Berries and Pet Needs came on to join him for the finale which was fun and beautifully chaotic - just like an encore should be. The first time I saw him was in the Wembley gig in 2012 he got himself a tattoo between finishing the set and coming back on for his encore. When I saw him at Glastonbury he had to make a sharp exit to play a fete at his old school after going against his mum by getting a tattoo on his hand. This time, in sunny Bootle, there was to be no tattoo action. Which is funny… because I said I’d get a FTHC tattoo if I won a ticket. I haven’t so far. But I have many more weeks in my life to get that sorted - all things being equal.
After the gig I managed to get to talk to the maestro himself after a quick elbow bump. He was an absolute gent. My friend Ken, who passed away in January, had given me the book, 'The Road Beneath My Feet' and he kindly signed it for me too. I couldn't have asked for a better memento for the day.
Elbow bump
Meeting the man himself.
I really don’t know what more to say about the gig. I DO feel marvellously lucky to have got a ticket to go and to be there with a friend. I was smiling for days before and for days afterwards about it.
The Last Gig
20/03/20 08:56
As mentioned on the previous blog I got to see Romeo Stodart play at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall Music Room on Sunday. I was lucky to be able to see him on several counts. Not least because now the gig industry has ground to a halt. The Phil was closed from Tuesday. This damn Covid-19 virus is wreaking its toll like a Sten gun, its just hitting everything.
Anyway, my review of the gig is over on the Get Into This website. Check it out.
The poster boys for not social distancing: wouldn't do this now.
Anyway, my review of the gig is over on the Get Into This website. Check it out.
The poster boys for not social distancing: wouldn't do this now.
If Music Be the Food of Love...
15/03/20 12:48
'If music be the food of love, play on.' (from 'Twelfth Night' by Billy Shaks) is lovely, ain't it? Billy had a wonderful turn of phrase and I bet he loved a good gig - or even an average one. You really can't beat live music. I'm hoping to get to more and more after a hiatus and tonight I'm going to see Romeo Stodart from the Magic Numbers. I've seen them a fair few times in various venues and seen Michelle do a solo gig, but this will be my first Romeo one.
Back in the day I had a great time in Amsterdam before a Numbers' gig drinking with Romeo on the banks of a canal with several of my mates. Talked so much about music with him as we sank a few continental lagers. It was a great gig and we ended up drinking until the early/late hours after it. He's a fabulous guitarist and songwriter and a lovely guy to boot.
Really looking forward to it - not least because I am going to it as a reviewer for the website 'Get Into This.' Hoping it will be the first of a few. Sod's Law though with the way things are going with CV19 that there may not be too many gigs about for a while. Who knows? I just gotta go with the flow.
It'll be interesting to write a review too. I've done them before but - well you know - it's been a while. Reviews sit somewhere between factual report writing and fiction. In so much as whilst it is a factual report you can throw in verbs and adverbs and plenty of feeling. And at a length of between 250 and 500 words it sits right in the comfort zone of us Flash Fiction writers. If music be the food of love and all that jazz.
In the meantime, if you're interested in music, gigs, dance and the arts then check out: 'Get Into This'
Back in the day I had a great time in Amsterdam before a Numbers' gig drinking with Romeo on the banks of a canal with several of my mates. Talked so much about music with him as we sank a few continental lagers. It was a great gig and we ended up drinking until the early/late hours after it. He's a fabulous guitarist and songwriter and a lovely guy to boot.
Really looking forward to it - not least because I am going to it as a reviewer for the website 'Get Into This.' Hoping it will be the first of a few. Sod's Law though with the way things are going with CV19 that there may not be too many gigs about for a while. Who knows? I just gotta go with the flow.
It'll be interesting to write a review too. I've done them before but - well you know - it's been a while. Reviews sit somewhere between factual report writing and fiction. In so much as whilst it is a factual report you can throw in verbs and adverbs and plenty of feeling. And at a length of between 250 and 500 words it sits right in the comfort zone of us Flash Fiction writers. If music be the food of love and all that jazz.
In the meantime, if you're interested in music, gigs, dance and the arts then check out: 'Get Into This'
Calexico and Iron & Wine Gig
20/11/19 23:16
Went to the third gig of the last month. Wow! I say wow because it's also the third gig of the year too (discounting pub bands). Following Kathryn Williams in the Liverpool Philharmonic Music Room and Rival Sons at De Montford Hall at the Liverpool Uni a couple of weeks ago it was time for another class act (or two really): Calexico and Iron & Wine.
I'd last seen them together years ago but seen them separately several times in Liverpool, Manchester and at festivals. And I have even seen Iron & Wine (aka Sam Beam) at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall before with my sister several years ago. The album they are touring with is Years to Burn and is absolutely beautiful. If you haven't got it, what's stopping you? (Okay, stream it if you must)
I had an eventful time getting to the gig. Having a late start at work meant I didn't get home until 18:58. I managed to get showered, changed and out of the house by 19:10 and to the bus stop for 19:14, with the bus due at 19:17. Brilliant. Come 19:30 still no sign of bus and me getting anxious. What this time? It wasn't like there was a big footy match on or anything. Oh no. Theres always something with the infamous No.17. What could it be this time? Well a lady got of a 62 and asked us if we were waiting for the 17, for if we were we'd be waiting a long time as the woman driving it had crashed into A&E at Fazakerley Hospital. I mean, WTF? How do you not see a hospital? Still, I suppose dispensing any injured passengers would be handy and wouldn't tie up any ambulances.
So I had to get to the next bus stop to double my chance of getting a bus - with both a 19 and 17 a possibility. The next 17 was late so I ended up on a 19 and running about 45 minutes late. Meaning I'd get to the Phil about 20:20. I checked on Twitter for stage times… Calexico and Iron & Wine due on at… yep, 20:20.
Dispensed out of the bus at London Road and took the ten minute walk to the Phil. I realised I was parched after the long wait and realised I hadn't drunk much at work either. I decided I'd throw myself into the Pen Factory for a very speedy pint. Took me about three mins, including ordering, to get a pint of Dark Star 'Hophead' down. It hit the spot. I speedily passed on down Hope Street arriving at 20:20. Get in! The bar in the foyer had a queue but was handily placed. I needed one to last through the 1.5 hours of the gig (as the bar was closed during the performance (shocking state of affairs). A security guy said 'Sorry, the bar is shut' - my face fell and I blurted out the tale of woe getting there and the hospital jumping in front of my bus and a lovely lady (the loveliest) said 'Go on, get in the queue.' Woo hoo! So five minutes later I had a pint of Love Lane Pale Ale and then went through to my seat. As it happened they didn't start until about 20:35 or so, so I didn't miss a note (though I missed the support, Lisa O'Neill).
Sam, Joey Burns and Lisa O'Neill performing 'Dreams'
I was sat downstairs in the stalls on Row L. Not a bad spot to be in; that said to be fair anywhere in the Phil would be a good place to see a gig. Of course, I'd much rather stand than sit through music but sometimes you don't have a choice. From the first notes of Father Mountain through so many of their songs, and some of the Calexico's and Iron & Wine's, and several great covers; including the Everly Brothers' 'Dream' (sung with Lisa McNeill), and Echo and the Bunnymen's 'Bring on the Dancing Horses', it was musicianship of the highest quality. The level didn't drop.
Accordion Solo
Only slightly negative thing for me occurred when three late arrivals, all guys in their sixties, sat down and talked through parts of several songs. And then did some American style Whooping. I mean, NO! I was half expecting a 'Get in the hole'.
They played around an hour and half before I plodded of with a large grin on my face to the merchandise where I got a tour T-shirt and a signed poster. Bit odd this, as I never used to buy merchandise at all - despite years and hundreds of gigs I only have tour T-shirts from Ryan Adams, Wilco, and Frank Turner. I think a Calexico and Iron & Wine T-shirt is a mighty fine addition to the not-even-collection.
If you can get to see them: do so. If you don't know them and are interested in finding out what they are like here's a link to a live performance of 'Bring on the Dancing Horses'.
Finally I got back home on the No.17 and it managed to get back without hitting any buildings, well not so you'd notice anyway.