A.J. Walker

writerer

liverpool

Anfield Memories

Last week Liverpool played Man Utd at Anfield in a less than perfect game. Plenty of ball and chances for Liverpool but nothing finished off. A goalless draw. One of the main things that the game may be remembered for was the opening of the expanded Anfield Road Stand. Another 7000 seats for Anfield. Brilliant for the club.

It led me to recall how things have changed there. I used to go to the Lower Anfield Road (near the away fans) with the Adult & Child tickets, where my mum and dad would take turns to go with me to the game. Mum was a lot more vociferous as a fan than dad. My first attendance at a match in the stadium though was with a schoolfriend and their parents in the Upper Tier of the Kemlyn Road Stand, which is now the Sir Kenny Daglish Stand. And it was a night match. Climbing the stairs tand then getting to see the pitch under the floodlights for the first time was something to behold and I can still recall it vividly now.

The match was a League Cup game between Liverpool and Ipswich in October 1982–I had just turned 14. Apart from the great players on show it is also evident how pitches have improved over the years. Bobby Robson had left Ipswich a few months earlier to become England manager, but they were still a team full of great familiar names (if you’re of a certain age): Osman, Wark, Butcher, Thyssen, Burley, Mills. As for the Liverpool team, bloody hell it was a cracking eleven:

Grobbelaar, Kennedy, Hansen, Thompson, Neal, Whelan, Souness, Lawrenson, Lee, Dalglish, Rush.

I mean, come on, what a team to see first up. I really was lucky to see some of the best legends of Liverpool when I started going to games. It was five years later that i'd get a Kop season ticket in the days of standing (yes, standing) and the season ticket cost? £80. Oh how times have changed.

Now there are 7000 more people who’ll be able to see the current stars. In years to come they’ll reminisce about the first time they went to Anfield-and what legends they saw too. Onwards and upwards. YNWA.
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'I've Had Three Daughters'

On Friday night after a short visit to the city centre I caught the bus back to Fazak on the No.19. It was another wet day and buses had seemed on short supply on the way to and from town and the bus was packed.

I ended up quite near the front (helpfully in the seats highlighted as for people who have mobility issues - and I’ve definitely be suffering a lot in recent weeks (still feel guilty about using them but usually I’m the least mobile of those who do)).

For the first half of the journey it was fine, other than having to stop at each and every bus stop thanks to the day’s paucity of buses. But it took a rapid downward turn when a lad got on from a stop on Everton Road. There were no seats and he stood near the front of the bus along with others already stood there at which point a crinkly woman of indeterminate age started having a go at him standing there as a foreigner. She spat out filth and nonsense whilst the guy stayed calm throughout. As her shouting got louder the bus driver told her to shut up. She got heckled from multiple people at the back of the bus and even meek ole me told her to be quiet. She didn’t. She got more voluble and claimed she was in her rights and, most bizarrely, that she kept exclaiming that ‘she had three daughters’. I mean does that make you become a racist once you’ve past two daughters and get to the dreaded third? Is it a biological thing? I don’t remember being taught about that.

The guys and gals at the back of the bus got ever more agitated at the horrible woman. One shouted that she 15 years old and wasn’t a racist and what was the fact that the woman had three kids to do with anything. It was a mighty fine point.

Throughout this the bus driver repeatedly told the woman to shut up and threatened to throw her off. I suspect he would have if the bus hadn’t been as packed as it was—it would have cost a lot of people a lot of time I guess. The rows got louder and got semi physical for a while with friends of the girls having to hold them back as the foul racist finally got off the bus near Walton Hall Park.

It was definitely an eventful evening journey home (I have headphones and Spotify; I don’t need entertainment of any sort to be laid on for me). And while I had to listen to a horrible racist (apparently a mother of three, which counts for a defence or reason in some parallel world) it was good to see a whole bus against her and not one person (as far as I saw anyway) side with her.

Hope her daughters are all okay and not tarred or scarred by their upbringing. Kudos to the 15 year old ladies from Kirkby, you were fab.

Perhaps next time though I’ll wait in hope for the 17 rather than catch the 19.
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September Sofar So Brilliant

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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John Lindsay spotify
Mae Krell
spotify
Saije
spotify

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Liverpool Sofar Gig, August '23

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.


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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.

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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!

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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.


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Ruby J

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LINKS:

Sofar Sounds website
Motel Sundown Spotify
Wax-Tree-Cast Spotify
Ruby J Spotify
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Live Music '23

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.

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Frank Turner - Saw at JJ Steel Mill in Wolverhampton

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Robert Cray, saw at Olympia in Liverpool

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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.

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A Lotta Lotto

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.

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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!

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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.

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(Not) A Lad & Dad Night

Spookiness, lad and dads

It’s been a funny week in more than one sense of the word. I’ve not laughed so much on a bus for a long while when last Monday I was on a 17 back from town. I’d been watching the potentially interesting (it was)
Leicester v Everton match (it finished 2-2). I bumped into a few people, including a Canadian couple, and a couple of local guys who have similar interests: music, ale, festivals, and football and the like. One of them I’d met a couple of times before and we carried on talking about ale, music festivals, books and writing. Well all sorts really.

Homeward bound we carried on the chit-chat on the bus (he lives around half way along my bus route). Part way into the journey a young fella (twenties, I guess) sat on seats across the great divide leant into our conversation as it veered between writing and music. He came to the conclusion (understandably) that we were talking about songwriting (we were not). It turns out he is a guitarist and writes his own songs sometimes. I asked whether he ever did open mics and if so he should try the Dizzy. He said yes he has a few times, including the Dizz. Apparently he was told he couldn’t play there when he went ‘
as they don’t allow covers.’ That made me laugh, as I only ever do covers (even if they are not well known ones). I suspected from the way he was talking that there was something else behind the reason he was stopped, or discouraged, from playing - which may or may not have had something to do with mates and/or drunkenness. It wasn’t clear.

Anyway, as the conversation between the three of us continued it took an hilarious turn when the fella asked us if we were on a ‘
lad and dad’ night out - I think he’s only about 12 or 13 years older than me. Much laughter ensued and every comment, question and bit of banter subsequently was explained by my occasional drinking buddy being me dad. Who knew!?


Later in the week I was delivering some ale to a place that requires a password to drive out. I asked what it was and it turned out to be 1968. ‘A good number.’ I suggested. The guy who’d let me into the cellar agreed. ‘I was born in ‘68.’ I said. So was he apparently. ‘Hey Jude was No.1.’ He said. ‘That’s spooky, me too.’ Etc etc. Anyway, it turned out that not only were we born in the same year, we were born on the exact same bloody day. That was some spooky shit. And laughter again ensued.

He looked quite a bit older than me and I’d never have thought he were born in the same year yet alone the same day. Not quite in lad & dad territory though. To be fair when I’d arrived he was having a fag break. And in hindsight that there explains it. Just don’t smoke people. It ages ya. It truly does.

I’ll never be able to go on a real lad and dad day again. But maybe I’ll be on some more ‘
could be lad & dad’ days. These events are evidently outside of my control.
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I'm A Lottery Winner

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.


ART1
Anxiety Replacement Therapy - click on here to have a listen on Spotify.
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Casino Royale

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.

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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.

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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.
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Two Returns

On Thursday I returned to the first place I played at an open mic: the Sanctuary. The pub closed around the time of the initial lockdowns and eating & distancing requirements. Since reopening last year it hadn’t restarted the open mics. A couple of weeks ago, when I was at the Sofar gig at Leaf, they put their first toe back in the water with it. So I decided to go last week as a return to the place it all began for me with this fun hobby.

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Unlike the earlier OMs this one was held on the ground floor. The old one used to be upstairs usually (occasionally downstairs if there was an event on), but now upstairs there is a restaurant – Momo's for Nepalese scran. There were only four of us who played so I ended up going up a couple of times, playing my usual stuff of course – about eight songs. Not sure how often I’ll be playing there again, but it was good at least to revisit the place it all started.

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Then on Monday the OM at the Dispensary restarted after a bit of break since before the new year. I was running late and did well to get there for 8pm. The brilliant Ben Whitely was playing as I walked in and I was surprised to find that a couple of people – both newbies – had already played.

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Laurence came up next before I went up. Played four of my usuals. Despite a bit of a sore throat my voice did surprisingly well – for me. Next up was a Polish guy (sorry I didn’t catch his name) who was stunningly good (just playing instrumentals with exquisite and ridiculously fast techniques). Muzz was up last, who was also glad to be back again. The Rat Brewery 'Cheating Rat' was lovely and it was nice to have a change from the ubiquitous White Rat or Citra. They are both great beers of course, but a change is as good as a rest.

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All in all Monday proved to be a very good night. And I’m glad I made the effort and the buses worked for me (mine had been ridiculously late, which meant I could catch it. Others on the bus had been waiting for 30-40 minutes apparently – oh dear).

Onwards & upwards.
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A Three Gig Week

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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?

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Frank's playing and I'm a happy chappy (with KK's Dark ale).

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Hell yeah. Frank.

See you later, Frank. Thanks.

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Links:


Christie - Spotify - Instagram -
Mike Ryan
- Spotify - Instagram -
Marvin Powell
- Spotify - Instagram -
Ask Elliot
- Spotify - Instagram -
Frank Turner
- Spotify - Instagram -
Comments

Last Open Mics of the Year

The Dizzy and Metrocola - The Two Last Open Mics of the Year


I expect that Monday and Tuesday last week were the final two open mics of the year for me. On Monday it was the Dispensary, which is currently my go to OM. There were only five people who played this time – and the host, Dave was suffering with a sore throat so didn't play this week. As there were only a few of us we all ended up playing a bit longer than usual. In fact at eight songs this week it was a full on gig for me.

It was a good night with the other players including regulars Laurence, Ben, Liam, and Calvin. It was good to see the grin from Muzz who cam in later on having just been awarded her purple belt. Well done, Muzz.

Zev Dizz
Me and me Takamine in the Dispensary

Laur Dizz
Laurence

Liam Dizz
Liam

C Duke
Calvin

Ben W
Ben

On Monday I talked to a couple of the lads about the open mic at Metrocola the next day. I'd gone to the first one, hosted by Ali Horn, and there was a massive 16 of us who played. But I was told it wasn't as well attended since then. Ali wasn't available this week and it was to be hosted by Bert.

And so it was to show support I went to Metrocola. Flippin' heck. I'd been misled. There were plenty of performers there; including Laurence, Ben and Calvin. There was also a party of youngsters downing cocktails and either dressed for a proper night out, or wearing Xmas jumpers. In short: not the usual open mic audience for me.

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Calvin playing in the Metrocola

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Laurence playing in Metrocola

Laurence played shortly after I arrived and was going through plenty of sing-along tracks and the cocktail party crew were lapping it up, singing and dancing. Boy, that got me thinking. Largely I was thinking, "What am I doing here? And what should I be play if I do go up?" I was also thinking that I wish I hadn't bought my guitar with me, as then I could have said I'd just come to watch. It's difficult to say you're not there to play when you are lugging a guitar around.

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Me playing at the Metrocola

As Laurence neared the end of his boxset Bert asked me and Calvin who was going up next. And after some prevarication I lost, I think, and ended up playing. I did three songs in the end. I started with the "One I Love" by REM as it's one of the few ones I play that people may know and/or sing along with. Then I played two more "You Couldn't Get Arrested" and "Oh My Sweet Carolina." Then I got off and left it to Calvin. I'd survived. Though I'm sure it would have been better for the audience if I'd played some Oasis, Maroon 5, and Stereophonics. Maybe I better learn to play a few more famous songs. Next year I'll be playing Wonderwall then. Perhaps not.

I'd finished my drink (free for playing) and headed up to the bar for another pint and chatted to Laurence. Ended up waiting forever as the couple behind the bar struggled to keep up with the tsunami of cocktail orders. I couldn't see an end to the wait and suggested going over the road to the Roscoe Head. Laurence concurred and soon I had a pint of Thornbridge '
Galaxia' in my paws. It was worth the wait. Ended up with a couple of pints there chatting all sorts with Laurence and, in the end, Carol (the famous landlady) too. I was pleased to have introduced Laurence to the Roscoe. It's one of only five pubs in the UK to have made it into every single CAMRA Good Beer Guide dontcha know!?

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So two open mics; two very different ones. And eleven songs. A good couple of evenings. I expect it won't be until 2023 that I play one mic again (and the next Dispensary one isn't due until the end of January). Maybe by then I'll be playing a song or two of my own. To that end I've just read my second Jeff Tweedy book, "
How to Write One Song." An inspiring read. That is my aim for early next year. Let's see.
Comments

Sofar So Good

On Wednesday in the frozen north west it was time for the last Sofar Sounds of the year. Rail strikes and the weather had put paid to the original plans of the Sofar crew but despite this it proved a busy night and with three great acts (if not those originally planned at a venue not originally planned either).

The email announcing the venue had come 36 hours earlier telling us it was at The Slaughterhouse, where we had seen The Sway/Blue Velvet/Amber Wilding Stone back in June. This time the venue was downstairs, as they were showing the World Cup Semi Final upstairs. The venue downstairs is better in any case. I dare say if England had beaten France on Saturday then there may have been a few more empty seats at the gig. I'd finished work a little late so struggled to get to the venue on time (i.e. I didn't), but I didn't miss any of the acts in any case.

FranLouise
Francesca Louise

BrandonTew
Brandon Tew

First up was Francesca Louise on acoustic guitar, followed by Brandon Tew on keyboards, and finally Naila a three piece act including acoustic guitars and five string bass. The latter band were so tight and such consummate musicians. All three acts were great to see and I'd encourage you to have a wee listen to them to see what you think. I'll defo be keeping my out for them on the circuit. Good luck to them all.

Naila2
Naila

Naila1
Naila

Thanks to Sofar Sounds for organising the event and dealing with the whims of the Transportation and Weather Gods. And great to see so many people get down there for it. It was freezing out there and it'd have been easy (and totally understandable) to hide under the duvet at home.

______________________

LINKS:

Francesca Louise: Linktree francescalouise Insta @francesca.louise.music Spotify Francesca Louise

Brandon Tew:
Linktree brandontew Insta @brandontewmusic Spotify Brandon Tew

Naila:
Linktree Nailamusic Insta @nailamusic_ Spotify Naila

Sofar Sounds:
web: sofarsounds.com Twitter @SofarLiverpool Insta: sofarsoundsliverpool
Comments

A Staccato Song

A Staccato Song - 25 Years Between Playing

This week I attended two open mics. The one I most commonly go to currently: the Monday night at the Dispensary hosted by Dave O'Grady (I struggle to maintain a day without an O'Grady or two), and the inaugural open mic at Metrocola (formerly Hannah's Bar on Leech Street) hosted by Ali Horn. I had intended on going to the fortnightly open mic at the Angus on the Tuesday, hosted by John Witherspoon, but it was called off quite late in the day - I don't know when it will return. So Metrocola it was.

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Me and Kevin popping up alongside the Hooleys (downstairs in the Slaughterhouse). You can date it by long hair (for me) as 1995.

On Monday night it started a little slowly, as it often does, but in the end eight or nine people ended up playing. Largely regulars, but there were a couple of newbies to the group too. Most played three songs but it ended with the inimitable Liz Owen playing a full gig for us; which was excellent as always. She certainly enjoyed playing Danny Bradley's guitar and sounded brilliant. Danny was his usual compelling self earlier in the evening. Beautiful. First up on the stool (currently sans mic
à la the Belvedere) to play some of his great self penned songs was Ben Whitley (I thoroughly recommend looking him up on Spotify) with his guitar and harmonica.

He asked me after he played if I was playing '
Oh My Sweet Carolina' (Ryan Adams). And if so could he play harmonica with it? I'd penciled in a three or four song set and had it as a possible if I decided against doing one of them (or my mood on the evening took me). How could I not say yes though? Then again it made be a bit nervous. I'd never played along with anyone since the 1990s. And this time it would be without practice. It went well – I think.

One Tuesday I went to Metrocola to support the inaugural night. It is always a toss up when it is the first night – loads because the host has keenly cajoled all their mates and acquaintances to support them, or not many because not enough had heard about it. And on Tuesday this was compounded by awful weather. In the end though it was a grand success. It was slated to start at 7-10 but went beyond ten due to their being so many performers there. Again everyone stuck to three songs and there were… 14 acts. You could see Ali was made up and the staff at Metrocola looked like they enjoyed it too.

There were many familiar faces amongst the Liverpool open mic community and plenty of new ones for me too. Most of the other singers knew each other from various venues, but I've never made it to the Jacaranda or the Cavern Monday Night Club and I guess the ones I hadn't seen before were 'graduates' from these nights. Again Ben was there and played early on; and again he asked if he could play harmonica: this time if I was doing '
Whiskey in my Whiskey' (Felice Brothers). And so we did. This time we had to negotiate playing with a microphone though. Once more I think it went okay. But I suppose the guys & gals sitting there would be better judges than me.

Not long after I played I bumped into Aidan from the Sway, which was good. He always seems just so into music. He told me about his week ahead, with gigs in Liverpool and Leeds – including a great day for the band supporting Jamie Webster at the Echo Arena on Saturday.

All in all it was a great night. And if it continues with anything like this support then it will prove to be a great addition to the local scene. Fingers crossed for both Metrocola and Ali (not that I expect they will need much luck).

I very much enjoyed playing with Ben on his harp. Hope to do so again at some point. Whilst it made me smile it also made me think a bit about my on-off-on relationship with the guitar. Here's a potted history.

The No Guitar Years
Born, Played in the street, Went to School and University
– didn't play any musical instruments

The Guitar(ish) Years
Post university

– got a cheap electric guitar (Strat copy) and played at home a bit
– no lessons

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Smithdown playing at Kitty O'Sheas on Fleet Street (now Motel). Mark (guitar), Helen (fiddle), me (cheap strat copy), Kevin (banjo).

The Smithdown Years
1990-1993
– Early work years in Liverpool
– a few of us at a work's post-Christmas party played two or three songs during a band's break after practicing at Kev's house for a few fun weekends
– three of us from the work band said we'd carry on playing a bit (Mark, Kevin and your's truly)
– drafted in my cousin (a classically trained violinist) to play fiddle (Helen)
– played our first 'gig' at an interesting house birthday/coming out party, above Kelly's Wines on Smithdown Road
– had a debate about a band name in the Royal Hotel on Smithdown. Everyone's second or third choice won the day: Smithdown (proportional representation doesn't work people).
– in the early events (I'm not sure about calling them gigs) Kev generally played banjo, me and Mark guitar, me 'singing' and Helen played fiddle and sang.
– Kevin was THE musician in the band, he was a great drummer. He also played guitar, was learning the banjo, could play keyboards. He could play anything. I'm not jealous of the bastard at all. Yeah, okay I am. In the end he made the move on to drums to try and hold me and Mark into something like a rhythm. That was always gonna be a battle. Helen was a brilliant violinist. Mark was very energetic and damn enthusiastic. And I just enjoyed the craic.
– Played some midweek nights at: Kitty O'Sheas (now Motel), Slaughterhouse and a few others.
– organised our own bigger events at the Royal British Legion in Wavertree and the Irish Centre (sadly it is no more and is decaying away unused. I don't think our event can be wholly to blame though). In the latter we had the Hooleys playing and we supported them with a few songs.

The Days The Music Died
1993-1995

– the band died when Kevin moved to Reading and Mark to Scotland.
– I never played with anyone again. As far as I was concerned we were just three co-workers and my cousin having a good time. I couldn't see anyone else wanting to play with me. I wasn't good enough.
– the Hooleys once asked me to play with them and become their bass player. I didn't play bass, but they said I fitted in with them (enjoying myself and forgetting lyrics I guess) and anyway bass has only two thirds of the strings of the guitar and I'd – probably – pick it up.I thought about it and declined. They went on to play a hotel residency in the Middle East later that year I think.
– I'm not sure how many times Smithdown played, but it was probably around the low teens. I remember it all fondly.

Mexico 1996
– the last time I played along with anyone was a spooky reunion we had when I was working in Mexico. Mark and I were there for five and half months (in a supposed 'five week') project. Kevin came over for about a week. The hotel had a different resident band each month we were there. One night at an about 12:30 or 1am during the band's break the three of us got up and played a few songs with the bands instruments (we asked first!).

The Guitars In The Wilderness Years
1996-2018
– Guitars sat unused in the corners of various rooms
– Started strumming a bit at home in more recent years. Always the same old songs.
– Gave myself a target of 'one day playing in front of someone again.'

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Sanctuary (in a rare downstairs appearance)

Seeking Sanctuary Years
2018-2020

– Sat in the Sanctuary on Lime Street drinking a pint and reading a book. Someone walked passed with a guitar and went upstairs. I asked the barman if there was an open mic on, and there was. Perhaps this would be my day of 'playing in front of someone again.' And it was.
– I'd been nervous as fuck and played far too fast as if I wanted to get it over with and get out of there. I did to be fair. I didn't know a single person there. Afterwards I was made up that I had done in. Two weeks later I was back doing it again.
– Went to the open mic regularly as long as it was on up until the Sanctuary closed in June 2020. The hosts were a fun twosome comprising John and Bobo.
– continued doing some open mics during the pandemic on Zoom. They were always good craic (usually ably supported by a 5-litre keg of Abyss or Mosaic from Neptune).

KeystoneX
Keystone

The Keystone Years – And Beyond
2021-2022

– Hadn't been to any open mics other than the Sanctuary and nervous about playing in front of anyone 'new' again. Hey, I'm a nervous chap. But I was lucky to get in early doors at the Keystone open mic, hosted by John Witherspoon. Ever since getting on okay with that I have been happy to give it a go elsewhere, which has been great; especially as the Keystone is no more.

So far I've played multiple open mics at:

  • The Sanctuary
  • Keystone
  • Angus
  • Head of Steam
  • Belvedere
  • Dispensary, and now
  • Metrocola (the one time it's been on so far)

I've now played more open mics on my tod than I ever played with 'Smithdown' and I'd never have thought that would happen back in 2018.

AngusX1
Angus

BelveX
Belvedere

DizzyX
Dispensary

DizzyX1
Dispensary

Really I had two or three years playing with some mates at the start of the 1990s and then have just got back into playing around 25 years later after going up once at the Sanctuary open mic in 2018 – and since then pushing myself to do it more. After saying to myself I wanted to play in front of someone again once then I've not really looked back much. The next aim though is to write some of my own songs. I'm a bit gutted that I didn't carry on playing from the 1990s. I mean I could have had 25 years of damn practice. Ho hum. But we are where are – or, I am where I am.


The Songs (currently)
I currently end up playing songs from a pretty small song book. I'm usually covering one or two of these:

'Oh My Sweet Carolina' - Ryan Adams
'
Whiskey in my Whiskey' - Felice Brothers
'
Couldn't Get Arrested' - Green on Red
'
Shed A Tear (For the Lonesome)' - Green on Red
'
Splendid Isolation' - Warren Zevon
'
Please Stay' - Warren Zevon
'
Van Diemen's Land' - U2 (trad.)
'
One I Love' - REM
'
Heart Breaks Like the Dawn' - Chuck Prophet
'
110 in the Shade' - Chuck Prophet
'
Somewhere Down the Road' - Chuck Prophet
'
Mostly Water' - Bap Kennedy
'
Down By The Water' - Decemberists

As you can see it's got a very much Green on Red/Chuck Prophet thing going on (and very much Americana). I definitely need to add some more songs to that list (there's 13 there, so I guess getting it up to 20 would be a good initial aim). But I also need to get on and write some of my own songs. The vast majority of songs sung by all the open mic glitterati are self penned, and it would be nice to do at least a couple of my own one day. And, who knows, then get to the Monday Night Club or Jacaranda… We shall see.


The Guitars
I have two semi acoustic guitars (a Takamine 363 and a Tanglewood TW145SS) and a beautiful dark green Fender Squier Telecaster. I currently only pick up the acoustics for a strum. Plugging them in (or the Telecaster) is a rare event. Maybe once I'm writing some songs and messing about with GarageBand some.

Onwards and Upwards (
probably in C Major).

_______________________________________

Spotify Links to the Liverpool Open Mic-ers

Links to some of the great & lovely of the open mic peeps. There's some brilliant local talent around at the moment (not least of course Dave O'Grady & Muzz (Seafoam Green), John Witherspoon, and Ali Horn (all on Spotify - and maybe playing at a venue near you (or not). Check them out:

John Witherspoon
Seafoam Green
Ali Horn
Ben Whitley
Liam Sweeney
Liz Owen
Danny Bradley
Comments

Live Music

Been a very good month for live music for me. Lucky enough to see Heavy North at the Arts Club (the former Masque) and then there was Frank Turner at the Carling Academy, swiftly followed by Thea Gilmore at the Music Room at the Philharmonic Hall. All great artists - and hopefully I'll see then all again. In fact I have already booked to see Frank again in January. Was looking up hotels and trains to go up to Lancaster to see him, but unfortunately the tickets for that gig went in a day. Ended up deciding to get tickets for the Wolverhampton gig. Both gigs are on Saturdays and made them attractive for that reason as much as the venue. York and Leicester would have been good but didn't fall on weekends, so Wolverhampton it was. Will be a good way to start of my gig year. Can never not love his gigs.

Do

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Heavy North at the Arts Club, Liverpool

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Frank Turner at the Liverpool Carling Academy

On top of that I went to the Sofar Sounds gig on 15 September which was at the Carnival Brewery. That featured Conleth McGeary, George Fell, and Wild Love.And I've caught the Loose Moose String Band and John Witherspoon playing at pubs including the Caledonia, Dispensary, and the Angus. Like I say a good month. Rock on.

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Conleth McGeary at the Sofar gig at Carnival Brewery

I've also played at four or so open mics in that month at the Dispensary with the host of either Dave or Muzzy from Seafoam Green. All the nights have been most enjoyable. Keen to play more new stuff and hopefully write some songs of my own. We shall see.
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Open Mic at the Dispensary, Liverpool
Comments

Muppets Forever

The chest infection is lingering on but isn't as bad as it was. And I managed last week to cycle to work, to actually work – and to do two open mics again. I played at the open mic at the Dispensary on Monday night. It was a good crowd again playing. Andy they had more beer choices this week too, which was nice to see (after they only had two ales on last week). Later on in the week I played at the Belvedere for the first time in ages at John Witherspoon's night.

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Dispensary Open Mic

Played four songs on Monday and three on Thursday. Not bad eh? Trying not to start off automatically with 'Oh My Sweet Carolina' and actually going for one of either 'Couldn't Get Arrested' 'Whiskey in my Whiskey' and 'Heart Breaks Like the Dawn'.

On the Monday I met a local who'd returned to Liverpool after living in Aus and was just getting back into the place. It'll be like he's never been away in no time. He played his three songs and I chatted to him about other venues with open mics. I recommended the Belvedere on Thursday – and yes he did go and play there too. I'm an influencer!

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Barry, brilliant as ever

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Great to see John play again. It'd been a while.

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There were a few people in the small room. Cosy!

Lots of regulars there all on top form – and someone's grandmother (who'll remain nameless) was enjoying the evening with a great deal of toe-tapping and she even regaled us with a couple of songs
sans guitar.

Bit mad to hear a fair few people singing along with
Couldn't Get Arrested and Whiskey in my Whiskey in the Belvedere. It felt like I had a chorus being sung like the muppets on Fraggle Rock. But it was nice though.

Not sure whether I'll get to any open mics next week. If I do it'll probably just be the Dispensary one as I am going to a Sofar gig on Thursday (I do wish autocorrect would stop changing that to Solar gig). Of course that is assuming music is still on in the middle of this week of random mourning (you can play cricket or rugby, but not football?).

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Me, looking like an old overweight white bluesman. It's just the shirt I tell ya!

JohnW1
John, the host with most.

Thank you everyone, including the muppets!


Comments

Wheezy & Dizzy Again

Have had a wee chest infection for a few weeks. So much so that I even went to see the GP in case it was something more serious. Thankfully it seems like it is just that. Can't wait for it to clear up fully though. Its made singing some songs very difficult, indeed impossible, as I've not been able to fill my lungs enough with breath! Some songs though survived this breathless cull.

I've previously gone to watch some open mics recently without singing as I knew I would fail miserably. Collapsing in a heap in a high pitch wheeze is not a look I want to aim for. Yesterday though I managed to clear my lungs enough to sing any of my usual songs – and I did. I went along to the Dispensary again (think for the fifth time?) to play. It was run once more by Muzz and I was pleased to see Ollie and Guy there. They usually play at the Monday Night Club at the Cavern, but it was cancelled this week allowing them to come along for their first time.

In the end I think there were seven people who played. And most got up twice. I ended up playing two lots of three songs:

'Down By The Water' - Decemberists
'Oh My Sweet Carolina' -
Ryan Adams
'Whiskey In My Whiskey' -
Felice Brothers
'Heart Breaks Like the Dawn' -
Chuck Prophet
'You Couldn't Get Arrested' -
Green on Red
'Somewhere Down the Road' -
Chuck Prophet

It being a Bank Holiday the event finished a bit earlier than usual (before 10). So after getting my free pint of White Rat for playing, I had one more then got of and had a final drink in the Sanctuary before heading home. I had an early start on Tuesday to look forward to for a real ale visit to Sheffield. More of that later…

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Still a bit chesty and I think I'll give the antibiotics a go (I was prescribed them by the GP in case it hung around for any longer). Of course it's as likely to be viral as biological but worth a spin of the wheel I suppose if it gets rid of my 'smoker's cough' for non-smokers.
Comments

Little Changes

Done a few open mics at the Dispensary now, hosted by either of the Seafoam Green duo (Dave & Muzz). Last week it went pretty well and I felt I sounded better than usual - ie not forgetting too many words or messing up chord changes. But I am aware that I have kept doing the same three or four songs (last week's songs were: 'Oh My Sweet Carolina' - Ryan Adams, 'Heart Breaks Like the Dawn' - Chuck Prophet, 'Couldn't Get Arrested' - Green on Red, and 'Whisky In My Whiskey' - Felice Brothers). The next time I play I intend to not play any of these as I should try to mix it up and stretch myself a bit.

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Currently thinking next time I'll go for '
Down By the Water' - Decemberists, 'Somewhere Down The Road' - Chuck Prophet, 'Splendid Isolation' - Warren Zevon, and maybe 'One I Love' - REM. We shall see. I dare say that I'll end up playing one or two of the usual instead. I'll let you know!

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Ripping it up at the Dizz.- well maybe just playing a C.


And in the coming weeks I intend to learn some new songs and get them out there. Before maybe playing with my own words (alongside the usual C, G, Am and F chords no doubt). Again, watch this space.
Comments

Tuesdays Are the New Sundays at the Angus

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After a couple of weeks without going out, partly due to Covid, I was relieved to get out to this week's open mic at the Angus. After running it a couple of times on a Sunday it had been decided to move the 'mic to a Tuesday night. It was thought that there was a good chance there would be more people able to make it – a lot of the crew that regularly turn out for John Witherspoon's night attend the Jacaranda on a Sunday. The first Sunday event was run by Mike Blue as John was booked elsewhere, and there was only me to play, and on the second one there was just two of us in addition to John (me and Mark Lacey). Definitely a good move to change the day.

It was going to be interesting to see how many people turned up, and who from the usual Keystone/Belvedere regulars would turn up? The answer turned out to be: nearly everyone.

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Having a 'few' more there it meant I wasn't first or second up after John. Nope I was eighth up: and not even last. I guess that counts as a very successful night. There's a lot of familiar faces in the photos including Ollie, Guy, Liam, Bert and co. All top people and performers. Great to see the Angus open mic getting the number of people it deserves. Tuesdays are definitely better than Sundays (despite being a working day). The sound system in the Angus is fabulous for these events and it is a great place to play; oh and they have real ale on too (I was on the Beartown 'Bluebeary' for the evening).

It was another warm one so I was unusually without a jacket again and wearing my old Wilco T-shirt from the '
A Ghost is Born' tour (2004). I definitely make my T-shirts last (or to be fair I just flog them to death). Unfortunately I couldn't exactly channel Wilco with my playing. Everyone played three songs and so did I with two of my usuals 'Oh My Sweet Carolina' and 'You Couldn't Get Arrested' – and a new one for me, 'Please Stay' by Warren Zevon. Definitely need some more practice with that one, but it was great to give it a run out in the wild. Next time it'll be better. And it was nice to hear people singing along with You Couldn't Get Arrested.

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The T-shirt may be dying but it's okay because 'A Ghost is Born' - at the Angus 12.07.26


I hope to be there next time. It's fortnightly not weekly so thankfully we won't have to battle the heatwave this coming Tuesday. Small blessings, Tuesdays are the new Sundays: it's official. Oh, and this coming Tuesday what's on at the Angus and who will be facing the forecast mid-30C heat? Yep it's only John Witherspoon himself for a launch of his new single 'Shame' – Ollie Felton will be supporting him (not entirely sure whether that means playing some songs too or just spraying water at John at regular intervals).

Shame1

Comments

That's A First; Could Be A Last

That's A First; Could Be The Last
– A Story with Two Sebastians –


The footy season is indeed over, but last week saw a full on fixture pile up of my own. In a stunningly unusual week of performances I ended up playing three open mics in a week. Three! One or fewer is the norm. Last week started with my first visit to the Dispensary on Renshaw Street on Monday for the mic. I'd never seen it so didn't know what to expect in terms of its set up or who usually attended it. It was advertised as starting at 7pm, which seems an hour or so early – but it is what it is. I ended up heading down for about 8:30, I'd been at work in the day but was off the next day so the finishing time was neither here nor there. The mic stand and speaker was up the steps at the rear of the pub. There was no-one there at the time, but there was a guitar in the window resting. There were a few people sat up top (and a couple more down the stairs) and it wasn't clear who was running the night. At 8:30 it seemed early, but to be fair whoever had been playing could have been playing for an hour and half by that time – so a fag break or a quick stroll around the park would not have been too outlandish. I thought perhaps a fag break. No one moved towards the mic until I'd almost finished my pint, when a woman who'd been sat with some friends at the back came across to pick up the guitar.

The hostess turned out to be the singer, Muireann, from the excellent local band, Seafoam Green. It transpired that she was filling in for the guitarist from Seafood. She played a few songs whilst calling out for anyone who fancied giving it a go. I volunteered and two students (well, just graduated) cheered me on despite my declaration I was not
all that. It seemed a change was as good as a rest to them. And so I went up and played. It was a long set for me - SIX songs. That just about depletes and stretches my memory to destruction.

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Sebastian Blake

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Sebastian, Muireann and a guest slot from the dancing student (Bez, eat your heart out)


I played everything surprisingly unstressed and without many errors – which for me is a rarity. It seemed to go down pretty well. By the time I came off the mic a songwriter & guitarist who was passing through Liverpool from Leeds had arrived on the scene. He was next up. And he was brilliant. His name was Sebastian Blake and you can find him easily on Instagram. He put on a great show with his songs and was a thoroughly nice guy. Muireann, Sebastian, the students/graduates and I had a nice chinwag until closing. Oh, and I got a free pint for playing. Unfortunately just one for the whole stay at the mic and not one per song. Okay, maybe that's fortunately.

All in all an enjoyable evening.

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Playing a C in the Belvedere

Next up I returned to the Belvedere for the open mic for the first time since the first day of John Witherspoon's open mic stint. The mic is in a small upstairs room and during that first week there was a power cut. We all played on and it was realised that there was no need for the mics and amps so all the subsequent mics have been sans mic. It's still called an open mic, because if was just called an open it may get inundated by golfers – and it is far too small a pub to take all the trolleys.

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John turning off the music before Ollie played some

John played first, quickly followed by the brilliant Dan Bradley. And then another brilliant guy. Then another. I should really turn up first to these events so I'm not preceded by all these top players. I ended up being about the fifth person up. I actually did okay – and remembered all the words (and generally played the correct chords – or at least didn't lose myself if I did strum a wrong un'. I was working the next day, Friday (which is unusual for me), so I had to leave after just a few more. But I saw the bulk of the guys and gals; and it was another top night.

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Full on troubadour stance from John Witherspoon in the Angus

Then came Sunday; the third appearance of the week. It was good to support John again at the Angus, on Dale Street. It was only the second of their Sunday open mics and it is competing with the relatively large one at the Jacaranda (which I've never been to) and the general lack of knowledge that it is on: it takes a while for the news of regular events to filter through.

John was there when I arrived and, unlike the Belvedere on Thursday, I was the first to arrive, which meant I'd be the first up – after John's excellent troubadouring. He indicated that I should play three songs, and that if it was quiet I could go up again. This is how it went. In the background on the TV in pictures and occasionally with sound was the BBC coverage of Glastonbury. So as well as coming on after John I also followed Lorde and Jarvis Cocker.

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Mark Lacey (or Mark Sebastian D'Lacey)

In between the excellent, funny and charismatic, Mark Sebastian D'Lacey had arrived on the scene. He was brilliant. I think three appearances in a week is a lot: he was on his third of the day! Mark is a good mate of John's and they both enjoyed each others music muchly. As did I. I ended up going up for a second time to get my six songs in. Didn't play or sing as well as I had on the previous two days. Partly I think because the guitar was too prominent for me (after all my singing is a bit better than my strumming at the moment). Still, I am glad I made the effort to support both John and the Angus with this new fortnightly set up.

Oh and as well as playing three 'mics in a week it was bookended by appearances from two Sebastian's, what's the chance of that!?

Onwards and Upwards –
probably with a C, G and an A Minor; with just an occasional F for good measure.

Comments

If Music Be The Food Of Love

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.

Felice Brothers

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.

Frank Tagain

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!


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Only Ever Liverpool

The footy season is over and boy what a season it was. When people complain we 'only' won two cups then they need their heads testing if they are (supposedly) Liverpool fans, or jealous if they are unlucky enough to follow another team. I missed the parade after 2005 as I'd been at the match and the parade was taking place when I was making my way back and then at Sunny Beach. It looked amazing. The next one I did get to was for when we won 'only' the `FA Cup. And the following one was three years ago when we won the European Cup (or Champion's League if you must be a pedant). And what a fuckin' parade that was. It was unbelievable for the fans, the club, and the city (at least for half the city anyway). Of course when we won the League (okay, the Premier League) we were unable to celebrate it appropriately due to that damnable virus. Then came the season that was 2021/22.

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Three years on and back in the Sanctuary for a pre-parade pint. Cheers!

It's just been a brilliant season. Would have loved to win either the league or the Champion's League, but hell we ran those competitions as close as humanly possible, whilst winning the only other two competitions we were in whilst playing an incredible 63 games - and lost only 4 games all season. The last game of the league season went within about half an hour of us improbably winning the title when Villa conspired to take a two nil lead against City and then give it away plus one. For a while there was hope. And it's the hope that kills ya!

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Same spot as last time for the parade (minus the flyover).

Then came the Euro final and it was in many ways an anticlimax. We lost by a solitary goal after largely being the better team, but being unable to quite finish it off. Perhaps those 63 games had told. For heaven's sake that may be why winning all four of those competitions has never been done before. As the late kick off got announced and the stories of what was happening in France slowly filtered through the game became secondary and a real shame for what should after all be the showcase of the beautiful game. So we didn't win. Shame, but we'll fight on. And what a team we have. Changes are inevitable and Mane announced he was to leave the club in the summer and we know not yet what is in store for Salah and Firmino, who's contracts are up at the end of next season (as Mane's is). Then there's the Kop Legend that is Origi saying farewell too. It's the nature of the game.

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So on Sunday I went out to cheer on the teams (including the Ladies, who'd won promotion to the top table by becoming champions themselves). My friends almost didn't come out after being 'a bit tired' from the night before, but sense prevailed – and they were glad they made the effort. We made the decision (well I did) that we'd do what did last time and meet up in the Sanctuary on Lime Street and watch the parade's progress on YouTube so that we could time our move to the route at a decent time. It went, like last time, perfectly.

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The parade looked brilliant in person and along the whole route on YouTube. It could have been a flat atmosphere after the two close-but-no-cigar moments of there preceding weeks. The fans and team are really something else.

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Klopp in the centre of Liverpool

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Liverpool really do put on the best displays.

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A great defence at the back; of the bus.

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Post parage pint in Doctor Duncan's - with my old Euro Flag t-shirt.

In the aftermath of Paris there has so much come out about the organisation and policing it was gobsmackingly awful. Watching some of the footage it is incredible how well behaved the fans were with the provocation from the police and the local yobs. It could have been so much worse. It is amazing that no-one was killed. The French have of course spun the old trope of English football hooligans and Liverpool in particular. The footage shows otherwise, They claim that there were tens of thousands of fans with forged tickets. This was not the case. Although I'm sure there would have been some of course.

I went to Athens back in 2007 after I'd booked flights months before just in case we got there. We did. I stayed on a small island in the Bay of Athens and had to get into the city by ferry each day I wanted to visit. It was a lovely week, I ended up unable to get a ticket for the final – and giiven our history in particular I would never have used a blag one. Ended up watching the match in the Craft Bar with some old time fans who'd been to all the previous Euro Finals but been stuck like me without one. It was a great night in the end despite our defeat. Ended up drinking until 8am (which was handy because that was the time for the first ferry in the morning). Almost forgot we lost by that point.

In the year between our two matches with AC Milan I'd similarly booked a flight 'in case we got there' for the final – it was in Paris. Met up with a few Liverpool fans there that had done the same thing. It was an interesting weekend in a multitude of ways – including see how the Arsenal fans were (a little bit embarrassing – why the hell sing songs about Spurs when you're sat in a bar in Paris awaiting your first cup final? The mind boggles.). But the worst thing was the police. At one point a young black man was walking past a cafe I was in and the waiter started shouting something at him. A couple of policemen arrived on the scene and promptly handcuffed the man to a railing by the main road. They then proceeded to batter the man with their batons. He'd just been walking past the cafe and was fully restrained. No one did anything. It was something the locals had evidently seen before. It was shocking. The next day I was having a coffee in a square in the sunshine. There were two couples sat on a grassed area chatting beneath some trees. Two policemen walked up the small slope towards the couples and proceeded to use their batons on the poor people. The couples were black. It was daylight, Lunchtime. There was no fear from the police from doing what they were doing. It was totally messed up.

Seeing what the police were doing at this year's cup final it is clear that they are a fucked up organisation – and evidently the French expect it of them.

Yesterday Real Madrid issued a statement about the treatment of their fans at the Final, and UEFA then seemed resigned to have to quickly apologise after that. It is good that Madrid did that but it is of course obnoxious that UEFA were happy to say nothing as long as it was just Liverpool fans, who they evidently felt could take the blame for their callous ineptitude. Both UEFA and the French police have a lot to answer for – I don't expect anything to improve in the short term. It would be nice to think that something positive would come out of this, but I wont be holding my breath. Then there is the French Government and their immediate knee jerk reaction to blame the English fans rather than to step back and wait for investigations and heads to roll. Truly awful.

All in all the events around the final have left a sour taste in the mouth. And I've barely thought about the actual football game. A crying shame.

YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE
Comments

A Poignant Affair

Another Strange Thursday

After a strange night last Thursday and the a good, strange one last week it was time for another strange Thursday–and this one a very sad and poignant want. At the start of the week there came an announcement that had been mooted for a short while that the Keystone was to close down. The home of my almost weekly open mic nights out. Closing. Bloody hell. And although the announcement was only made on Tuesday it was not a 'heads up' it'll happen eventually, it was a 'it's closing this very week.' Bloody awful.

Really feel for all the great staff who are having to look to ply their trade elsewhere. Thankfully it appears that, at least some of them, have quickly found some work in other Liverpool city centre pubs and (at least one) in a new brewery tap–and another returning to another field that she hasn't worked in for a while. Sometimes an end is an opportunity. Good luck to them all of course.

Personally to me it is a sorry shame to lose one of my favourite pubs of the last year. Last year it burst onto the scene due to its great garden, when so many pubs in the city don't have them. It allowed them to open up when most pubs couldn't. I had many a nice afternoon and evening there either reading, or writing, or just chatting with the staff and the regulars (and sometimes very irregulars). I did my best to introduce it to friends and drinkers, whilst hoping it wouldn't become too popular with the wrong regulars. Then in November the open mic was started, hosted by John Witherspoon, and that quickly became one of the first things in my weekly diary (along with European footy nights in the Head of Steam or the Fly).

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I hadn't been playing my guitar that much in the last year. The whole MS thing was worrying earlier in the year when I couldn't even feel my fingers and wondered at one stage whether I'd ever pick up a guitar again. To go from hardly playing at all to playing in front of people at least twice a month was brilliant.


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With the demise of the venue I dare say I'll look into playing in other places. But I am certainly going to miss John and the regulars (and irregulars) who played at the Keystone. This last open mic I had plenty of songs to choose from. I thankfully didn't have to follow Ian Prowse again. I played three of my most regular songs: 'Oh My Sweet Carolina', 'You Couldn't Get Arrested' and 'Whiskey in my Whiskey.' I played the latter one for Ben who had requested it the previous week. He was deep in loud conversation with Si and didn't even notice I'd played–let alone notice I'd played his request (albeit a week late).

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There were lots of chatting with the staff and regulars who were all pretty surprised and depressed about the news. But I was glad I made the effort to go–even though I had to leave early as I was working the next day. Ho hum.

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My last strum through a C-F-G ditty for a while I dare say.

Onwards and Upwards.

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Does This Train Stop?

Not One Thing, Another

After a strange night last Thursday mixing a tiring week, not sure I was going to go to the open mic, and then difficult travel, this week I was always going to play. It was again affected by none running buses but I got there about 8:30pm this week. It ended with me playing and going up to play straight AFTER we'd been given four songs by Ian Prowse. Yes, people. The local legend that is Mr Prowse opened for me. Who'd have thunk it??

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John

John was hosting as usual and then a few newbies arrived to the evening including Ian. Flippin' heck. Obviously I'd have preferred to get on and off the stage early doors to relax, but I had to wait until our new arrivals played. There was a lot of "
this is from my new album," and "this was off my first album," going on from several of the players this week. I am not worthy.

Meanwhile in the conservatory there was a
Ladies That Beer event hosted by a couple of my colleagues. Beers were being drunk, and beers were being talked about. It was a busy night in the Key'.

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Liam Sweeney

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Ian Prowse

The Procrastinator
Your's Truly, aka The Procrastinator

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John Lindsay playing a new song

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Soft and cool, Ike

After far too long wondering when (or, at one stage, if) I was going to get on, I'd ummed and ahhd about whether to play some stuff I don't normally play, but as the evening lengthened I decided my only real option was to play the ones I know best - and not worry about peering through the gloom at written lyrics. As it was the nerves got to me a little (yes, I got nerves - even if the MS seems to hate them) and I misplayed some chord changes and played through a few times when I had a bit of a lyrical mind melt. Still, I got through it in the end and was happy to have played the same night as Ian and the others - even if I didn't entirely do myself justice.

John was happy to see my Procrastinator T-shirt again. He says he likes my T-shirts, which is odd as other than the two times I've worn this I've pretty much been lumberjack shirts all the way. It's like going back to glasses from wearing contacts, people soon forget you ever did anything else. Meanwhile I just forget whether the next chord is an A minor or an F. Or maybe a C.

The next time I play on the same stage as Ian I hope it will be at the Cavern where he hosts an Open Mic - but for none covers only. I better get writing a hit then. Meanwhile here is a classic from the gentleman, '
Does This Train Stop on Merseyside?'

Onwards and Upwards.










Comments

Balinese Dancer

A Last Minute Call to the Balinese Dancr

After a strange and a bit of a tough day at work I was undecided whether to go to the regular Open Mic at the Keystone. I ended up home later than usual and a bit knackered. I hadn't seen anything saying the open mic was on for sure (even though it is pretty much always on) and contemplated staying in. When I looked on Instagram there was a message saying the open mic was on and hosted by John Witherspoon as usual. But there was a second photo - and when I looked at it, it was me playing last week with my Procrastinators T-shirt on. And to top it off they name checked me with; '
Guest appearance from our very very regular who DEFINITELY knows we are using his photo.' Well, no I didn't and at the time on the sofa I wasn't sure I was even leaving the house. But the message… I mean how could I not turn up?

So I got changed and went for the bus. It never came and so I had to wait for the next one which was over half an hour later. It was definitely not the best of days. In the end I was there about 9pm - and it was packed.

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I'd been playing some songs over the last week or so that I hadn't played before and had thought I may give them a go. When I went up to play I decided to give them both a go, but needed the reassurance of having the words in front go me. And so it was that I played one regular song and two new ones (if new means new to me playing live). And so my mini set list was:

'
Oh My Sweet Carolina' - Ryan Adams
'
110 in the Shade' - Chuck Prophet
'
Something You Ain't Got' - Cracker

I needed to play a regular song first to get into the swing of it. But I was very happy to have played some different stuff; albeit my usual favourite artists from albums recorded back in the day. It's always nice hearing some people saying they enjoy the words and to think that maybe I've introduced even a single person to the wonderful songwriting (and then when they hear the originals: the Guitar!) of Chuck Prophet (and Cracker). I've actually played three Chuck Prophet songs of the same album now; '
Somewhere Down the Road,' 'Heart Breaks Like the Dawn,' and now '110 in the Shade.' There's loads of Chuck's albums on Spotify, which I can thoroughly recommend, however this particular album, 'Balinese Dancer,' is not on Spotify. So if you wanna check out the tracks then maybe buy the album (I know, a bit old school) or just have a look/listen on YouTube.

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I was definitely glad I made the effort in the end.

But don't ask me about getting home (yes, it was that kind of day again).


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Almost A Gig~ish

As is almost set in stone I went once again to the Keystone open mic. Recently there have always been 12-14 people playing which is incredible really. And to fit everyone in we are each limited to three songs each. This week though we seemed to be a few people down though there were still plenty of regulars and a newbie couple to the Keystone who just happened on the place (Visions of Albion). I suspect the regular carnage that is Liverpool on Paddy's Day probably put a few people of visiting town on the Day of the Green Pavement Pizza.

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Visions of Albion

DaveSinnot
Mr Sinnott doing his bluesy thing

As we were a few down everyone had there usual three songs then those still there went up and played another two each. So I played five songs. Yes, FIVE. That's almost a gig worth.

The songs were:

  • Oh My Sweet Carolina (obviously)
  • Take Me Down To The Infirmary (Cracker)
  • Landlocked Blues (Bright Eyes)
  • Heart Breaks Like the Dawn (obviously)
  • Van Diemen's Land (hey, it was Paddy's Day)

MeAndWords
Words needed/not needed. No one told me to sort my hair out!

Guy1
Some Guy.

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I needed the lyrics in front of me to to Take Me Down and to Landlocked Blues. First time I've done that at the open mic. But they were new songs for me to play; so fair enough.

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Charley style photobombing.

Spent most the evening on the lovely session
Trappers Hat from Brimstage Brewery, then ended the evening with the epic Keystone IPA (just a schooner) from Chapter. So all in all a very good evening - and no pavement pizzas around this area of town. Huzzah!

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Great Live Music

Live music is great. I love it. And last week was fab for it. I ended up playing two open mics in one night on Thursday. I played in both the Head of Steam and the Keystone. Two of my favourite Liverpool pubs. It was good to do.

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Jack playing at the Head of Steam

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Playing at the Keystone

At the Jack's open mic at the Head of Steam I played four songs. I saw the to women that were sat next to me nodding away to my tunes which was nice. And they were periodically looking at their phones. When I spoke to them afterwards it turned out they were Polish and on their phones they were typing in the lyrics I was singing to find out whose songs I was singing. If I've introduced Chuck Prophet, Green on Red, and Ryan Adams to some more people my job on this world is done.

In the Keystone I played three of the same songs at
John Witherspoon's mic. There was no need for the people there to look up my songs as I play them there every week of course. It was great to be invited to John's full band gig at Jimmy's on the Saturday.

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John Witherspoon at Jimmys

It was a long day on Saturday as the Liverpool match at Brighton was at 12:30. It is far too early for any game. Watched it with a couple of mates at the Head of Steam - we won (0-2) and are still on the coattails of City. Then it was a question of filling my time with reading and what not before the evening gig. I made it in one piece and was very glad to have made it. John's band was great and he looked so in his element it was lovely to see. Definitely worth seeing him play if you get the chance. The support from the singer songwriter Thom Moorcroft was excellent too.

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John with his full band.

Live music is great innit?
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Not So Different Four

Played at the Keystone open mic again last week. John Witherspoon couldn't make it and the hosting responsibility was past on to Ali Horn (who normally hosts the open mic at the Angus). Didn't do three different songs this week. This week everyone did four songs though (while the cat's away)… played 'Splendid Isolation', 'Oh My Sweet Carolina', 'Heart Breaks Like the Dawn', and 'You Couldn't Get Arrested'.

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John may have been away but all the usual guys turned to play. Think there were about twelve or so who played (four) some tunes to us. It was fab.

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The Chapter 'Taller Than A House' and Neptune 'Forecast - Ernest' were great too. Top night all around. Guaranteed as ever.

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Been playing a few songs at home that I haven't played at open mic before which I may give a try out next time. We'll see.
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A Different Three

Enjoyed playing the open mic at the Keystone this week. And in a shocking turn up I played three different songs from my usual three. I noticed that at the last three open mics I've gone to, at the Keystone and the Angus, I'd played the same three songs: 'Oh My Sweet Carolina', 'Heart Breaks Like the Dawn', and 'You Couldn't Get Arrested'.

So I ended up playing: '
Somewhere Down the Road' (Chuck Prophet), 'Down By the Water' (Decemberists), and 'Whiskey in my Whiskey' (Felice Brothers).

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Remembered nearly all the words and chords; with just a pause playing some extra chords in Down By The Water whilst I tried to remember the next verse. Who'd have thunk it. So maybe next time I'll play a different three again. That'd be nine different songs then: almost a gig's worth.

There were loads of great players/singers there once again. Not sure how many but it was in double figures. John Witherspoon hosts a really is a top night - guaranteed. Made up to see he's supporting Ian Prowse at one of his gigs. Boss news.

Rock on!
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The Keystone Quartet at the Angus

Went to my first open mic for about a month yesterday in the Angus. I was off today to attend my first ever meeting with my MS Doctor (I'll write up something for that in the Health section), but it meant that I was able to go out last night for a song and a chinwag without worrying about work the next day – I'll have that problem today instead.

As I was walking up I bumped into one guy making his way up the road with a guitar. It turned out to be Guy who I have seen regularly at the Keystone open mic. When we got in we saw another couple of Keystone OM regulars. It appeared we were on an inadvertent gig tour - or at least an away day. In any case I would be missing the Keystone today anyway as Liverpool are once again on the TV with their match against Leicester in the Premier League.

The open mic was hosted as ever by
Ali Horn, who played a lovely trio of songs before opening it up to the floor. Two of the Keystone regulars went up first before me. I did my usual standard three songs: 'Oh My Sweet Carolina', 'Heart Breaks Like the Dawn', and 'You Couldn't Get Arrested'. Went okay in the main (despite a few wrong chords). Then it was Guy up next to make the first four up on the night the entire Keystone Quartet. After that it was several guys and gals who I hadn't seen play before. As ever everyone was really good and the audience attentive (other than checking out the footy scores on FotMob).

Really enjoyed playing again after my month sabbatical. Will no doubt be back playing at the Keystone soon before too long – as long was it doesn't clash with the footy.

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Fifty Can Wait

I can't tell you if I achieved my accidental quest in January as I never had a goal in mind; other than to get around a few places I haven't been to at all lately (in some cases for many years). Anyway other than the most churlish outsider looking in I've done more than enough – quest or no quest. At one point (even up to the last day of the month) I thought the quest could have become "50." After all everyone likes round numbers but I thought about it and decided not to pop out to get there as a last minute goal. Forty eight seems round enough.

I may do a write-up of the month's adventure at some point. Indeed I could add a pub & beer section to the website. In the meantime though here is a table showing every pub I visited in January in the order they were visited. Fifty can wait.

I'll definitely add a couple of pub crawl maps here. I produced them on an earlier iteration of the website.

The Forty Eight Pubs of January 2022:
48 Pubs
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2022 Pubs to Date

Been doing well with my accidental and inexact quest – whatever the quest turns out to really be. These are the Liverpool hostelries I've visited so far this year. Having already got to 30 I'll definitely be getting someway beyond… but exactly how far?

Roscoe Head
Head of Steam
The Angus
Dr Duncans
Fly in the Loaf
Grapes
Dispensary
Keystone
The Caledonia
The Belvedere
Bridewell
Thomas Rigby’s
Ye Hole In Ye Wall
Denbigh Castle
Lion Tavern
Vernon Arms
Excelsior
Globe
Central
Swan
Pilgrim
Cracke
Baltic Fleet
Love Lane
Chapters of Us
Coach House
Ship & Mitre
Lady of Mann
William Gladstone

Carnarvon Castle
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Nice Crawl Across Liverpool

Very nice crawl with my work colleagues yesterday. It was good to get around Liverpool with such nice people and have some nice beers and bump into people. It was nice to see that it was really quite busy everywhere we went too. We couldn't even get in the Roscoe Head because it was too busy to get in. It was unfortunate that we couldn't get in, but it is good to see that it was busy after Liverpool seeming so quiet over the last few weeks.

Team Crawl 1
The Angus and Doctor Duncan's

Team Crawl 2
Head of Steam and Keystone


In all the team photos I seem to be laughing which is nice to see too. Think it was largely due to the struggles of the person taking the photo every time. Thanks to all the staff who hosted us and kept us supplied with beers yesterday.


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The Grapes and Coach House

Team Crawl 4
The Belvedere

Fab to get out and support our great local pubs. Shout out to the Angus, Dr Duncan's, Head of Steam, Coach House, Keystone, Belvedere and the Grapes (and to the Roscoe Head even though we couldn't get in this time!).
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It's Christmas!

It's not of course. But working for a company that provides for businesses over the important Christmas period December is not the time to go out. So in common with most of hospitality we are having our Christmas day out in January. The guys & gals from Neptune Brewery are going around Liverpool to a selection of the pubs that just happen to take some of our beer – so we know they are all classy. We'll be popping into a great selection including the Angus, Doctor Duncans, Head of Steam, Roscoe Head, Belvedere, Grapes and the Keystone. I may try and get a quick one in the Coach House too (maybe while the others go and eat somewhere?). So I'll not be adding to my list of new pubs for the year. Indeed I've probably been in most these places multiple times already.

Should be a good day out.

Happy Christmas folks!
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The Accidental Quest to Spread Myself Around

Seems ages since I've done a blog update, but it's not really. Just a week. But I do tend to write ones at least once a week. So anyway here's a quick one – which may get expanded on later. I'm currently sat in the 25th different pub of the year, which I guess on the 14th January isn't too bad. I seem to have found myself on an unspecified quest to go to a 'few' different pubs and spread the love for pubs across the world: or at least Liverpool initially.

I'm currently sat typing this in
Chapters of Us in the Baltic Triangle area of the Pool of Life. I'm drinking a pint of Twisted Wheel 'Soul City' NEIPA (keg). It's not my usual kinda place – after all it's keg not cask. But it's very relaxed and cool with nice staff (balancing the always problematic tightrope between attentive and pushy very well). Loving the laid back music vibe too. And there's four keg options which is good.

Cheers
Cheers, from the Baltic Fleet (Pub 23 of 2022)

Previously I went to the Baltic Fleet (Pub 23) and had a lovely pint of Trapper's Hat from Brimstage Brewery. From there I headed down the road to Love Lane Brewery. Was disappointed to find they had no cask on – I mean it's a brewery so having no cask was a wee bit sad. The service was good though, and it's a nice place. Just get some cask on (
I can probably source some for them if they are struggling to find any). ;-)

I'll probably get to
Pub 26 tonight and maybe beyond, not that it matters per se. Tomorrow I'm out with the guys & gals who work at Neptune Brewery for our Xmas day out. The decision was made to support our local pubs for this occasions. The places that they sell the beer to, rather than go out of town for a day trip. A mighty fine sentiment I reckon. Of course all the pubs we go to tomorrow I will already have been to since the start of the year, but that is a good thing. I'm never gonna be a ticker (of places or beers). I've not set myself a goal or aspiration for going to different pubs; indeed it's kind of happened by accident since my first pint in the Roscoe Head on New Year's Day and moved on from there. Not sure whether I'll carry on counting each unique pub - after all it will require me to actually document the thing and cross check (when was I here last?).

So what will pub 26 be? I'm thinking it'll either be the newly (today) re-opened
Coach House or Peter Kavanagh's. I'm sat here typing this in Chapters and I have no idea myself. I truly am a leaf on the wind. Won't know which way the wind is blowing till I push open the door.

It's been nice to go to so may different places and I've been surprised by a few. Get yourselves out there and
Support Your Local (pub and businesses). Not Dry January. Not Try January. Just Do the Right Thing January (and beyond!).

Onwards and upwards.

________________

Following this post I went on to the Grapes for a couple of pints and a chinwag with some regulars then headed up to the Coach House which became Pub 26 of the year. Great to see it reopen for the first time since Christmas.

Coach H1
Coach House cask options from Roosters and Neptune. Cheers! (Pub 26)

Comments

Keystone Three (for me)

After missing John Witherspoon's open mic at the Keystone the week before I did make it last week again for my third appearance out of the four they've had. It was upstairs again and was very well attended with regulars from the previous weeks. I was second up thankfully and played three of my usual - Heart Breaks Like the Dawn (C Prophet), Oh My Sweet Carolina (R Adams), and Splendid Isolation (Zevon) - and unlike the previous time I did mess any of them up. Yippee! In fact it felt to me like it was the best I'd played them; at least three songs together anyway. Not saying it definitely was, but it felt all right to me nothwithstanding what it sounded like to everyone.

All the performers were fab - many doing their own songs - and the mood was great again. It's definitely becoming a week highlight.

Keystone-OM3

The Keystone had my favourite tipple on too - Jaipur from Thornbridge - so it was a doubly good night all around.

Won't make it next week as Liverpool are on the box (on a Thursday in the Premier League!) against Newcastle so I dare say I'll be in the Fly or Head of Steam watching that. Hopefully we'll beat them well to make up for missing the open mic. Don't know if there will be one the following week with it being so close to Xmas then (Dec 23rd) but if it is then I intend to be there.

Hopefully next year I'll get a few songs written and perform them here. Could happen.
Comments

Keystone Two Twenty Three

Yesterday I made a later call to go to the open mic at the Keystone. This is just the second one, run by John Witherspoon, and only one week after the previous open mic too. The Keystone has so many events on during the week that there needed to be some changes as there was a Cinema Club upstairs (showing the Hitchcock, Jimmy Stewart/Kim Novak’s ‘Vertigo’ I think) so instead of the front room of the bar we were sent into the depths of Bar 23 to avoid noise cross over between the two events. The downstairs proved to be a great space for an intimate performance.

Keystone2-23-1

This week there were possible a couple fewer people up for playing but not significantly (I think it was 8 or so after about 10 last week). Several of the guys (including me) were repeat offenders from last week but it was good to see a few new guys too (including a great guitarist who I’d previously seen at the last Head of Steam open mic). There was a great mix of folk, blues, jazz and pop (and all points in between) and plenty of humour too. Many of the performers were doing their own songs rather than covers and thus showed off their talents even more.

I stuck with tried and tested songs (though somehow I still managed to fook one up):

‘Oh My Sweet Carolina’ - cos it always gets me going in the right mode/mood
‘Somewhere Down the Road’
‘Whiskey In My Whiskey’
‘Heart Breaks Like the Dawn’
and
‘Splendid Isolation’

Keystone2-23-3


Out of all those songs the easiest - and the one I’ve probably played the most - is Warren Zevon’s ‘Splendid Isolation’ and yet somehow I got lost for words in it. Yet it has so few. I’m not entirely sure what happened to be honest. Anyway I did between 4.5 an 5 songs; which is more than I usually end up playing. Maybe I should stop at 4 in future though.

It was a really lovely night with great songs and camaraderie between everyone there and I’m glad I made the rush effort to get into town to show up again. Not sure whether I’ll make it next week but having made two appearances now at the Sanctuary, Head of Steam, Angus and now the Keystone then I’ve gone above and beyond anywhere I’d have thought I’d have made it to. I still have to thank the beer makes for the Dutch courage provided is a necessity: I always need to be on my second beverage beverage before getting up. The lovely cask on last night included ‘Taller Than A House’ Chapter Brewery, ‘Forecast (Bullion)’ Neptune Brewery, and ‘Kandata’ Chapter Brewery (which came on when Forecast was drunk dry). Nice beers all.

Keystone2-23-2

So thanks again to the Keystone and John Witherspoon for a cracking night all round.

_____________

The next day we found out that whilst we were having such a good time on Hope Street a young life was ending when a 12 year old girl – Ava White – was being murdered by children barely older than her just 0.7 miles away from where we were. There really are no words.
Comments

The Tour Continues...

The Tour Continues… The Keystone Leg

Yesterday the lovely
Keystone on Hope Street held it's first Open Mic event, hosted by John Witherspoon. It's always difficult to know how the first event will go and how people find out about it. Not everyone is on social media all the time (apparently – hard to believe I know). And even if you are it is easy to miss announcements. Pubs often rely on word of mouth and people learn about events through chat in one pub or another. This one wasn't saturating social media, but that means nothing. It's down to who knows and how many are motivated to leave the house (along with a guitar or a plectrum).

KeystoneOM-1

I've been to the Opening Open Mic now at the
Angus (fronted by Ali Horn), the Head of Steam (fronted by Jack Malone), and now the Keystone over the last two months or so (I also went to the first one of the reopened Sanctuary fronted by Barry Sutton). I am definitely getting to the point where I'll be getting a tour t-shirt before too long. This one at the Keystone was so well attended with musicians that John, the host, barely played himself because there were so many volunteers there was no time to fill in!

WalkerAndLee
Sam & I in the Keystone – cheers!

This time my drinking and music buddy, Sam, came along to play too – he hadn't played live in a pub for years. We spoke to John at the bar before it kicked off at 8pm and said we'd both play. John played two or three songs and then I went up (so I was the first one at the Opening Open Mic or should I say I opened for the opening open mic?). Anyway, it was definitely nice to play first after being last man standing last week at the Angus as I could then relax and watch everyone else. First up after me was Sam with three of his own songs. Damn cool. Maybe I need to pen and perform a few myself. It definitely did not appear like Sam hadn't done it in years. He was excellent – and I now he'll be back again soon. After that there was performer after performer after performer – who were all too bloody good. Wish I had everyone's names so could namecheck them. But kudos to everyone who played; and I wasn't even the only one in a red-checked shirt.

Keystone4

I'm sure it was as big a success as it could have been. No more could have played really. Everyone was allowed no more than three songs and everyone kept to that. There wasn't even anyone bending that rule by playing American Pie, Telegraph Road and an extended version of Two Tribes. Not that I could do that if I wanted to. Though I've got a longer list of possible songs to do these days I went with three of my now standard standards: 'Oh My Sweet Carolina' (Ryan Adams), 'Heart Breaks Like the Dawn' (Chuck Prophet), and 'You Couldn't Get Arrested' (Green on Red). This time I actually had a list of eight songs to pick from in case there was a shortage of performers. Such a list was definitely not required.

Anyway, congratulations to the Keystone and to John for an excellent night and roll on the next one(s).
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Second Angus Open Mic

Went to the second Angus Open Mic Night last week. That makes me an ever present. There were more performers this week. I got there after it had started and there was already a list of people to play and I added my name to the bottom. Every performer seemed to have bought their own guitar rather than use Ali's. Just me then that turned up with only a plectrum.

As I watched the performers play one by one I had a couple of Cross Bay '
Zenits.' I was hopeful that one or two would be poorer than they turned out so my playing wouldn't stand up next to them too badly. I was disappointed as each was bloody excellent and briefly considered going to cross my name off the list. In the end I did play and was the last one on (bar Ali).

Ended up playing three of the songs I did last week at
Head of Steam:

AngusTakeTwo

‘Somewhere Down the Road’ (Chuck Prophet)
‘Down By The Water’
(Decemberists)
‘Whiskey In My Whiskey’
(Felice Brothers)

It went pretty well really despite not being up to the standard of the other guys and gals. Roll on the next one.

Comments

Cycling in the Dark

This cycling malarkey has continued. So far I've not yet had to go back to the cycle shop to get the gears readjusted (I was told they would need it a few weeks after getting them sorted). The cycling is a lot easier that it was on ZevonOne – not that much faster but easier and more comfortable at the moment. I dare say speed will improve with practice. I'm getting fitter in any case and have had to add another hole in to my belt. Not bad after about two months of cycling (especially as it's a by-product not an aim). A Brucey Bonus.

The other day I commuted in a van and it took over twenty minutes and cycling it is taking me as little as 32 minutes. So the time aspect is not really critical. The issues really are the impact of weather (a cold, wet, and windy day is a lot easier to face in the front of a van listening to your favourite music) and safety. Yesterday was my first time riding home all the way (i.e. not using the train to take any of the strain) and at this time of the year (especially after the clocks have changed) it means the later afternoon requires cycling in the pitch black. It was my first time so I thought I'd go with the same route I do in the morning – i.e. along the canal. Riding home in the pitch dark was exciting and it went fine – amazingly even in total darkness it only took me 3 minutes longer to get home than on the reverse of the trip in fine daylight. However in the long term I feel maybe that it is an accident waiting to happen: I was stopped the other day on a cycle path by a fallen tree for example. There are no lights at all along the canal path and whist my lamp on the bike is good it cannot replicate daylight. I'm thinking that I need to find a route on roads (or at least to make the trip a bit more on the road) as the roads are lit up and less susceptible to issues like holes in the ground, running dogs or swans, fallen branches and the severe wetness and deepness of a canal.

It seems a little counter intuitive to think going towards roads and drivers is safer but i think maybe the advantage of some lighting outweighs the fear of damn drivers…

I'll have to look at some maps and see what options reveal themselves.
Comments

HoS Take Two

Last night I went to Jack's second Head of Steam Open Mic. It was a rush to get down there after a cycle ride home in the cold dark, but I made my way there; helped by the anticipation of a few pints of the Thornbridge/Neptune collaboration American Brown Ale ‘Beacon.’

Was a different crowd than the first one and probably a bit busier. The position of the musical gear was the other side of the room from last time. So I ended up, after moving from one table to another, sat in my usual corner of the pub to watch and listen to the music.

There was top music from multiple guitarists and singers. And then I was asked if I was going to play. I agreed that I would. It was after all my initial aim: even if everyone else was more accomplished than me. I’d said over the intervening month since the first Open Mic that I would play different songs than I did at the first one. Not sure it was an entirely good idea. After all it was an entirely new crowd from the first one so I could have played the same songs and (other than Jack (the host)) no-one would have been any the wiser.

Anyway – as promised – I ended up playing different songs than the previous Open Mic with:

‘Somewhere Down the Road’ (Chuck Prophet)
‘Down By The Water’
(Decemberists)
‘The One I Love’
(REM)
‘Whiskey In My Whiskey’
(Felice Brothers)

HoSTake2

It largely went okay with the exception of fooking up Down By The Water. Need to ensure I play and play these songs at home so that they become almost muscle memory. I ended up messing it up a little and instead of playing through the mistake I got a bit flustered. I could have tried again from the start but made the decision to move on to a definite muscle memory one (The Swan Song).

I considered playing another song but volunteered to leave after the fourth. There were better people to follow after all.

Later on two Americans told me as they leaving that they really enjoyed my set. It was nice to hear, even if it was just down to my Americana choices. I’ll take that.

Oh and the Beacon was lovely and flowed very easily.

Of course this morning I got up and played Down By the Water straight through a few times without even trying.
C'est la vie.
Comments

Tour T-Shirt

Up until last week I had only ever done Open Mic in one venue – the Sanctuary – on Lime Street. As of this week I have now played in THREE venues. Amazing really. Last week it was the great Head of Steam on Hanover Street when Jake hosted had their first OM event and this week I strummed through the same mumbled songs as last week (Oh My Sweet Carolina, Heart Breaks Like the Dawn, and You Couldn’t Get Arrested) at the Angus on Dale Street. This was the first Open Mic at the pub and I was keen to show support to it. It is always difficult starting new stuff in venues as so much is down to word of mouth and repetition. Well I’m okay with chatting to people sometimes and all too good at repetition too – so it’s easy to do my bit.

The night was hosted by a brilliant singer –
Ali Horn – who plays there regularly (on Friday nights if I remember rightly). He’s got a great knowledge of songs and those he doesn’t know he’s happy to use Doctor Google to find the lyrics then launch into it. Jealous of both his knowledge and ability. He writes his own stuff to. Definitely worth popping in to see him when you can. The sound system at the venue is really nice. They’ve set it up so the sound goes all around the pub without the need for speakers and amps to be lugged in by the performers. So Ali has an easy night in that respect anyway.

I made the mistake of going back up and playing a second time as there were not many volunteers this week (I missed the start of the OM but I think there were just four or five people who went up). This time I went with
Splendid Isolation (which went okay) and then Van Diemen’s Land (which was not). I don’t know what was happening, but my fingers wouldn’t get into the right position for the B minor (Bm) chord – every time. It was all very odd and maddening. Not sure what was the cause of that as I don’t usually have a problem with it. Don’t think it was MS related but I guess I’ll have to keep and eye on it: and keep playing the damn Bm chord as often as I can. I was lugging heavy weighted things around all day so maybe it was my hands saying enough is enough fella, give it a rest.

Anyway I had a nice evening, and on a school night too. Chatted to some people I know and some I didn’t know before. Survived standing on the stage (and even the Bm debacle). Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger they say – but
they know fuck all. But I had a boss night and hope to get back sometime. As people learn it is on (apart from on Liverpool Champions League nights of course) then it will become more popular definitely.

Now I’ve played in three venues I’m pretty much wondering about sorting out a Tour T-shirt:

Sanctuary
Head of Steam
Angus


What’s next? Maybe the
Denbigh Castle who have recently put their toe in the water with OM too. To think that until I played the Sanctuary – shit scared – that once a few years ago when I thought that maybe I’d give it a go and do it once…

I do need to do a few things going forward, namely; learn some different songs, and some strumming patterns. Oh, and see if I can play the Bm chord again. That’d all help.

Onwards and Strumwards.
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New Open Mic Voyage

Well in the last month or so Open Mics have returned – a little erratically – to the Sanctuary and I have gone to both of them for a wee strum. This week new ones began in two other excellent Liverpool pubs; the Denbigh Castle on Hackins Hey and the Head of Steam on Hanover Street. Both started on the same night - Thursday 7th October.

The Denbigh Castle OM wasn’t starting until 10:30pm after three or four bands played apparently. I opted for the less late (and stressful) idea of going to the Head of Steam. I’d got back home late so didn’t get in to early this time, so I missed some good performances (from clips I’ve seen) from several artists. The room was busy with nearly every seat taken. It’s the area of the pub I usually gravitate to when I’m there – and in fact is where I am writing this now. So it felt like everyone was in my front room. Jack, the organiser of the Mic, asked if I was going to play and I confirmed I would. At least once I’d bought a second drink.

He played a couple more songs on his semi acoustic and then I stepped forward to play. The set up was actually in the corner I usually sit in too. It must explain why I was relaxed enough to chat a bit on the microphone; I rarely chat between songs when I’ve done Mics before. Weird. So with my glass sat on the carpet I proceeded to play four songs. Usual suspects for me – I really need to get a new set or two – and they were, in order:

Oh My Sweet Carolina (Ryan Adams)
Heart Breaks Like The Dawn (Chuck Prophet)
Splendid Isolation (Warren Zevon)
You Couldn’t Get Arrested If You Tried (Green on Red)

HoS-om
Playing in my usual corner of the HoS - who'd have thunk it?

A couple of mates came in and caught me playing which was nice. Hadn’t seen either of them out for a while, and they’d been to a show down the road and popped in on the off chance. Went down okay for me I think. First time I've played an Open Mic in a different pub and therefore with a totally new crowd. Was nowhere near as nervous as when I played the first new Sanctuary one the other month. Got the usual comments I get with my use of these songs, along the lines of “Did you write those?” My CD collection must be a bit different from other peoples I guess. Still, as I said whilst I was playing, the use of songs that people don’t know is a good call as they can’t tell how badly you’ve interpreted them (or what verses you’ve inadvertently missed out).

The party for the Head of Steam moved off not long after I’d finished. So maybe I can become the official bell ringer for time gentlemen please? Me singing could be one way of emptying a place out.

Well done to Jack for arranging, playing and hosting the event. Think the next one scheduled for a months time (first Thursday of the month) and I hope I can make it again. Maybe with more of my excellent (apparently) obscure songs.


Onwards and Strumwards.
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What Is It With Thursdays?

Last Thursday the second Open Mic of the post lockdown era was on at the Sanctuary and I decided to go down again. The last one was packed, but this time there was only five of us there. But I enjoyed it as much – maybe even more – than the last one. Not because of not being busy but because the host, Barry Sutton, was good to talk to – and some of the evening was as much a guitar lesson as me playing a few songs.

To be fair they only announced on Twitter that they were having an Open Mic the evening before, which ain’t much notice for people who may need to organise anything or just plan their week. Hopefully next time there will be a bit more notice and it will be a bit busier. It's either that or I'll end up with another lesson.

SanctuaryOM1
Open Mic in the Sanctuary

Incidentally it is great to see that there are other places starting Open Mic events in the coming fortnight in – and in a couple of my favourite real ale pubs to boot: the
Head of Steam, and the Denbigh Castle. At the moment I understand that the Head of Steam one will – at least initially – just be a monthly event on the first Thursday of the month i.e. first one will be on October 7th. And coincidentally the Denbigh Castle one will also commence (downstairs in the pub) on the same date. The intention is that this one will be each week.

I’m not sure how often the Sanctuary one is intended to be. But just like the two upcoming ones it is on a Thursday too. What is it with Thursdays?
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Sofar

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.

Sofar_Mix
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).

HeavyNorth
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
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Back to Gigs

The Magic Numbers gig on Friday was just brilliant. Oops, I’ve gone straight to the end there. First things first: I walked into town to get my steps in (without my usual rucksack for a change) and listened to the Numbers all the way - on my really crap headphones. Had read so much about how poor the beer is in the venue: the Arts Club, on Seel Street – operated by O2 Academy (not to be confused with the Arts Bar on Hope Street) - and how expensive it is too. I hadn’t been in the Arts Club since it was the Masque, many moons ago.

So I walked the 4.8 miles from mine to the
Keystone first with the aim to get a nice pint and fill myself up with a burger from Boffo Burgers (who operate out of the Keystone from Friday to Sunday). Sat outside in the garden cooling down from the long walk and had a couple of pints of Chapter BrewingThe Hay is Waiting’ and a cheeseburger and fries from Boffo. Top choices both.

Whilst I was in the Keystone I discovered I needed to prove either a negative
Covid test or that I’d been double vaccinated. I haven’t had a test for a while, but I have been double vaccinated. Unfortunately I’ve never checked whether the NHS App was up to date with that - I’ve heard many people have gone on and found one or both of their vaccinations not showing. I had a fear therefore that if that was the case I wouldn’t be seeing the Magic Numbers at all. In the end I gave my app the appropriate answers so that it could find my results and hey presto both vaccines were showing so I was good to go. (I was a bit perturbed that this ‘all clear’ is only valid to sometime in October!?! What happens then with any gig going?

Said my farewells and headed for one in the
Coach House. Ended up rushing a second (hey, the gig venue was going to be crap for beer). The walk took me past the Grapes so I had to go for a quick pint of NeptuneEzili’ in there, didn’t I?

And then finally, after my pre-loading with beef burger & fries and some mighty fine ales, it was time to head to the
Arts Club. There some people queuing outside, some of who were going through the process I’d gone thru trying to dig out their ‘I’m relatively safe’ proof before showing a ticket too. Then I was in. Huzzah! This was my first post lockdown gig with a non-socially distanced requirement (I’d been to the post-lockdown gig of Frank Turner in Top Rope Brewery, but that was with a socially distanced exclusive ‘crowd’ of 60 people). I was unsure how it would be.

Obviously it felt a bit strange (somewhere between good and ‘oh should we be doing this?’). The fact that everyone has to show their vaccination or latest test status though is at least a bit reassuring. I walked straight past the queue for the bar and headed for a bit of space on the left hand side to watch the stage (my fullness with quick beers and meat & fries worked!). Ren Harvieu was playing with Romeo and Michelle from the Numbers. I caught three of her songs before they left and the Numbers came on. The atmosphere was lovely.

The atmosphere just grew and grew and became eye poppingly good. The vibe perfect. Chatted to a few people who were along a straight line measurement between sober and not so sober - but all were in an equally mighty fine place. I couldn’t wait for the Numbers. Which was handy as there wasnt long to wait…

The tour was arranged to celebrated the fifteenth anniversary of their first, eponymous, album which was released in 2005. As the gig was on its third iteration due to covid cancelations then it was really the 16th anniversary. But if we can have the 2020 Olympics and 2020 European Championship this year then I dare say another event with a stretched out date is neither here nor there. In any case it was very much a celebration of their first, much loved, album. In fact they played the songs from the album in the order of it.

The audience loved it. Raising hands, glasses and voices along with the all of the songs. It was joyous. And I’d forgotten to be ‘not quite sure’ about being in a crowded indoor venue. I’m not sure whether it was sold out or not. It seemed pretty full to me, though not too bad to get to the bar when I finally decided I was in need of hydration again. Choices for an ale drinker were limited (and they didn’t even have any
Guinness – my go to drink where ale is not about) so I ended up drinking Somersby pretend cider. Which did a job.

The music and atmosphere hardly took a dip; the album is one classic after another after all. And I enjoyed everything about it (if not the bar). They ended the gig (which included the hidden song at the end of the album) with a saxophone player joining them to play ‘
Sweet Divide’ which was a beautiful epic song to end with.

Yes, all in all, a mighty good night. Can’t beat live music, can you? That’s rhetorical. You can’t.

___________

Talking of live music I ended up getting a ticket the next day for a gig next week in Liverpool. It’ll be my first time going to a
Sofar gig. They don’t tell you who will be playing or where! All they say is that it’ll be arrive for 7:15 and it’ll be in Liverpool. Then 36 hours before the gig they inform you about the venue. You only find out who is playing when they step up to the microphone. An interesting concept. For £10 it is not much to gamble with and I am looking forward to this week’s event: and yes I know now I have a record of my double vaccination status. Huzzah!

If it sounds up your street (it is a worldwide thing) then take a look at the website to see if there is anything coming up where you are:

www.sofarsounds.com
www.sofarsounds.com/cities/liverpool
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A Walk To Neptune

Neptune Brewery opened up their taproom on Saturday for the first time this year. And so I had to go up to show my support and to get a great beer. As I’m behind with the walking this week I decided too that I would kill two birds with one stone by walking there from my house. It was 5.5 miles. It proved a good walk and actually despite being slowed down by having to doubling back at one point where a path wasn’t clear and then having to cross the infamous Switch Island (where the map was trying to direct me on a footpath which didn’t exist).

There was a footpath shown both on the map and on signage by the A59 too for a cross country bit (former railway line) but this proved to be not as nice as it could be as the path was periodically inundated by brambles and other vegetation. And the narrow cut of the path meant it would be very easy to twist an ankle or two. Anyway I persevered with it and got through to a better path and then roads less than half a mile to the brewery. And then I was there!

Walk55
A nice afternoon stroll

As I walked up to it I was overtaken by a couple who I know and then when I got in I bumped into several friends and acquaintances. The taproom’s reopening was definitely something that people had been really looking forward to. They do so many great beers and the service from the staff is boss too.

Ezili
Ezili time

They only had one cask on, but it was Ezili which is an easy drinking favourite so I had a few of those. But I had some keg too. Shocking but true. Had good chinwags with several friends and the last few beers with Neil (who I last bumped into when I’d also walked to a brewery (Liverpool Brewing Company - how spooky). We walked to Maghull Station and caught a train, in Neil’s case to go to my ‘relatively local’ Jaxons Micropub and in mine to town for the Head of Steam so I could watch Emma Raducanu win the US Open. And how fabulous was that!

In summary though it was great to see Neptune reopen their bar and to see so many familiar faces. And it was great for the brewery too as I’m sure they weren’t too sure what to expect on the first opening. Well played, people.

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Football and Bloody Technology

Forget VAR as the bane of a football supporter's life, sometimes it's something all together everyday and more personal. And this week it's bloody mobile phones. I was offered a ticket for the Liverpool v Chelski game at the weekend. A great game to go to. I used to go to all the home games but haven't been for a few years now, so the offer was gratefully received. But my oh my, what a waste of my time it has proven to be.

Tickets are no longer issued, nor
LFC fancards etc. Nope, you need to scan in with your mobile phone with the ticket in your Google Pay or Apple Wallet. And that means your phone needs to have NFC capabilities. I didn't even know what NFC stood for: it's Near Field Communication, which is for transferring information to nearby phones or affiliated devices - which includes using your phone for payments and/or holding tickets on. Inevitably my phone doesn't have NFC; despite the technology being out for years before my phone was made (I've got a Motorola G8 Power Lite). I was really keen on going to the game and have tried multiple attempts to get other older phones working, one of which was a Blackview 5500. It had NFC on it but the phone wasn't very well. The battery was virtually dead and the programs on the phone were no were near as rich and encompassing as the ones on my current phone. I'd have had to have days struggling with it and at least half expecting it not to work properly; not ideal when I am trying to sort stuff out.

I even considered buying a new phone with the NFC on. However I've also broken the screen on my iPad which will require changing at some point: there goes the mobile phone then. All in all I must have spent three or four hours messing about with things and have basically achieved nothing and still won't be going to the game.

It's the third time that me and Liverpool FC have struggled due to technology and/or ticketing changes. The first two were worse in the long term - rather than costing me the chance to go to just one game. One was removing my name from the waiting list for a
Season Ticket: I was overseas when the wrote to me (why the hell not email?!) and only gave a short time when you needed to reply to the letter and pay a nominal fee (as I remember it) to remain on the list. I think I had been on the waiting list for about 8 or 9 years at the time. Taking me off the list when I was overseas for a month or two and couldn't react to a letter was very poor; and since then people I know who were on the list after me have now got season tickets - so I'd be going to every game right now if it wasn't for that. * Deep breath… relax *

The other time was when they stopped the
Priority Ticket Scheme. My friend and I got to nearly every game (league and cup) when that was operating. Once they stopped the scheme the opportunity to get tickets was reduced to minuscule chances. Argh.

If only you could just have a season ticket like in the old days. Until this week I didn't even know what NFC was, so if nothing else I've learnt something.
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The Tooleys and the Local Historians

The Tooleys and the Local Historians (and Pringles)

Met some lovely people the other day in the Lion Tavern including a couple of old regulars and we talked about so many topics. Three others followed who sat next to me. One of the guys asked if it was okay to earwig as he was enjoying our conversation. Of course. Pubs are social places where interactions of all sorts occur both with strangers, acquaintances and mates. It turned out the three of them were on a wee pub crawl, though not a beer one (well not in the sense of ale anyway). They’d used a book to outline a walk around some historic pubs. They’d already been in the Poste House, walked to Ye Hole in Ye Wall (which was closed) and found themselves in the Lion. I was to leave them to walk down to the Pig & Whistle next.

Everyone was really laid back and enjoying a couple of hours (even with their chosen glasses of lager and wine in the case of the historians). They were all relatively local; coming from areas between Crosby and the Wirral. It was nice to talk about local history and the lovely pubs and breweries in the area - and music too as one of the guys was a session bass player with some excellent acts. Cool conversations all round.

I went on to meet a couple of mates half a mile across Liverpool in the Bridewell. They’d chosen to sit inside and were in one of the cells. As well as my two mates on the table at the back of the cell there were three others on the second table. We didn’t know them but chatted to them a little as it was impossible to get in and out of the cell without dislodging at least one of them so conversation always has to break out a little other than pleasantries. Then the power went out for a couple of minutes (I know not why - maybe there was a jail breakout) and we got talking a little more as you usually would. Lots of toilet humour in case the lights were down for too long. We wondered if there was bucket in the cell and I pointed out that a packet of Pringles would do the job too. They were nice people - and I’m sure they’ll always carry an empty packet of Pringles with them in future just in case. It was just the usual chit chat and banter we’d get involved in (or I would at any rate). They left not too much longer after that (probably to get to the Tescos before it shut for a certain cylinder).

Wouldn’t normally mention such chit chat but what came next was a bit of surprise to all three of us: the barman came around with a tray of drinks for us. ‘It’s from the Tooley’s.’ ‘ Who?’ ‘The people who were in here before wanted to buy you a drink.’ Well blow me down. It was the Pringles that did it I am sure.

So thank you, The Tooley’s. We raised a glass to you.

Anyway, pubs are social places. Treat them as such. They are not places to just drink and get drunk. Get involved if you are in the mood to. Put a song on the jukebox, chat to the barman, chat to the people on your table - or sharing your cell. And just enjoy it. Cheers!

——-

PS if you are camping and using the Pringles packet to avoid heavy rain and mud during the night don’t do the trick my mate did the following morning and knock it over in the foyer of your tent (or worse inside!). It was he who told me about the handy trick and then showed my the hazard too. Such a teacher! (The lad will remain nameless)
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A Liverpool Brewery Stroll

A Liverpool Brewery Stroll

Was very lucky on Saturday that after the wettest morning I can remember in a long time somebody suddenly turned off the tap. And it coincided with a day that Liverpool Brewery were having one of their open days with beer and BBQ. So I decided to risk a walk to Bootle.

It was about 3.5 miles and a bit of a risk in terms of fluid in the clouds if not the glass. I put it on Google Maps and set off. I was soon provided with an issue as a mile and half from my house it took me to a path at the edge of a housing estate which was no longer a path and fenced off. Argh! So had to have a bit a detour to find another access point to the path into Walton Hall Park. Oh well, more steps was positive; even if I was worried about the additional time giving rain more of a chance to catch up with me.

It was an interesting walk going along roads I’ve never walked along. A mix of semi-detached and terraces, but largely the latter. Bit rough in some places with lots of waste spilled along the street and others spick & span. Ended up in the industrial estate where the brewery was located and got there without a drop of rain falling on me. Result.

As I got to the brewery I bumped into Neil, a fellow ale fan (it is a brewery after all) and we spent a pleasant couple of hours together with three casks from
Liverpool Brewery (Big Juicy, Tropical Pale, and Modern Bitter) and even one keg (Armstrong Avenue) from Team Toxic. Even managed to sit outside for three of those before the rain returned.

They had a BBQ on whilst there, which smelled good - though I didn’t partake. There had been music planned but the awful weather which hit the most of the day put paid to that. Next time!

Recommended to pop down there when you can: and maybe mix it with a couple down at the
Top Rope Brewery if they are open at the same time. Then again it’s next to Bank Hall so a visit to nearby Waterloo or town could easily follow too.
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Walking: Keeping It Up

Walking: Keeping It Up and 80,000 Bodies

Did alright with my steps last week after a very short Monday. My quest for an average of 8k steps per day (56k a week) was hit with four days above 8 and 3 below. The week hit a little over 60k despite a few off-puttingly wet days at the back end of the week.

The luckiest days was Saturday when the deluge seemed to be constant for hours and set in. Suddenly stopped and I got a 3.5 mile walk in: to a brewery. Win-win. Second only to the ale was staying dry for the entire walk. Oh and bumping into some friends. Win-win-win.

WildFlowers
Wild Flowers at Walton Hall Park

CootAndAlgae
Green Algae and a Coot

BankHall1
Bank Hall Station

One of the things about making sure I get the distance in is that I am walking down roads or in areas I wouldn’t normally go. Once this week I got off the bus five stops early as I could see the rain and stopped and it looked like it would stay dry for a bit. I took the opportunity to walk onto Grant Gardens for the first time. I only discovered relatively recently that the small grassed park was actually formerly a massive cemetery called Liverpool Necropolis and that within it’s relatively small confines 80,000 people are thought to have been buried. There is little evidence of its history there now. There is one small monument which states “In Memory of James and Mary Johnson’ but doesn’t have dates on it or any information in relation to the ‘Gardens’. As a flat grassed area with a road through the middle of it ‘Gardens’ harks back to a past when it really was. If I wasn’t trying to walk more then I wouldn’t have got off the bus at the point and wouldn’t have walked onto the park. Does make you think about what we don’t know about the areas we drive or walk past every day.

From what I’ve seen on Wikipedia and a couple of other sites Liverpool Necropolis occupied about 5 acres and operated between 1825 and 1898. It was reopened 16 years later (1914) as a park: ‘Grant Gardens.’ It was closed in 1898 as it had reached capacity (80,000 bodies) and was creating ‘unsanitary conditions’ to the surrounding area: Victorian terraces backed straight up against it. It was named Grant Gardens after the Alderman for Parks and Gardens Committee at the time of its creation. A bit egotistical if you ask me.

GrantMemorial
Memorial at Grant Gardens

GrantGardens2
Grant Gardens

Anyway, where ever I am walking it does give me the opportunity to take some photos - always a bonus. And maybe learn more about the places I walk through.


Week’s details:
Distance:
28 miles
Steps
60.3k
Average Distance:
4 miles
Average Steps:
8,600

Onwards and Alongwards.
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All Hail

I still haven’t decided whether to put up a section on the website on Real Ale or (more likely) or Real Ale in Liverpool. It needs a little bit more thinking about.

I think it would be quite nice, and would be quite easy for me to do. It would fit well with my second Twitter account “RealeLiverpool” too. But I am conscious that I don’t want to create much work for myself. Ideally if I was going to do it then I wouldn’t want it to take much more than an hour or so a week to keep updated (it’d obviously take longer to set it up originally, but that’s okay if the later thing works). So I would need to think about the form of it to make it work. I write flash fiction regularly e.g. for #MidWeekFlash every week and that is a circa 750 word fiction story based on a photo prompt. In some ways if I set myself a similar target purely in terms of word count it should be easier (i.e. I would not have to go through the process of coming up with a fiction story from scratch in my head and then moving it onto a page).

But then if it was to just be a weekly 750 words what would it be about? What would it take for me or a reader to be invested in it? I mean I wouldn’t want to read (much less write) that much about any particular week of mine. So it would have to be about the pubs, the breweries and the beers - and even more something about the people. It couldn’t be something like a Pub of the Week or Beer of the Day. It’d need to be sincere yet fun, and not a monologue or diatribe. So maybe it would be closer to a diary - or at least influenced by it - than I currently think. Arhhhh, what would it be?

Okay, basically it needs some thinking about. I also need to consider what it does to my website. The most obvious thing would be to get rid of the “Class Song of the Day” pages and replace it with the “ale” page (but not Class Beer of the Day: promise). That’s a crying shame for me, but it’s not like those pages are getting visited anyway. It’s so sad that the effort and my heart that went into creating CSOTD can simply be dispensed with by the act of pressing the Delete button once. It will be a sad day. And ultimately if no-one is any more interested in the Liverpool real ale scene (or my version of it) than they were in brilliant songs maybe it’s a waste of time.

But it will not be a complete waste of time as if I do go for it then every act of writing something new will be a creative act and help me (if not the reader) in becoming a better writerer; and I didn’t do that with the CSOTD. Maybe I’ll write the fucker, even if you won’t read it. Well that’s the theory.

Watch this space…
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Eng-er-land

Very much enjoyed the England v Ukraine match on Saturday. Had a brilliant table at the Head of Steam, on Hanover Street, for the match. On Tuesday there had just been the two of us watching the Germany match in there (i.e. I was with a mate, not that there were just two of us in the place). This time, for the Quarter Final against Ukraine, there were the maximum of six of us sat together. Seeing England score early goals in both halves was great - and highly unusual. So roll on Wednesday and the semifinal vs Denmark. The other semi on Tuesday between Spain and Italy will be fascinating too.

I have a strange relationship with England. I mean I’d rather they won than lost but ultimately it would be water off a duck’s back when they lose too. Basically I think the correct term is ‘
not that arsed.’ Some people around here wear it as a badge of honour not to support England - the “we’re not English, we’re Scouse” thing - but it’s not a Liverpool thing for me - at least I don’t think it is. I think it is a mixture of growing up as a kid in the 70s and 80s and seeing so many dire (or just uninspiring) performances under Don Revie and Ron Greenwood years (especially when compared to the mighty Reds of course); and seemingly a generation of players not showing that much pride in pulling on that shirt. It's also all the friendlies. I mean who cares? A player may be happy winning a cap, but ultimately what does the result in a friendly matter to anyone? - and if you can't get excited why even tune in to watch it. At least we did have the British Championship back then which gave players some fear of losing - and desire to win. It was a shame when that had to go. The feeling is exacerbated by the whole hooligan and associated nonsense vibe too particularly back in the day. Football violence and racism and all that doesn’t really get me all gooey inside.

I understand jingoism but it’s not a nice thing when it’s channelled as it is towards anti-this and anti-that. I mean at the same time as not being that arsed by England football team I'm mad for England cricketers winning in the Ashes. And winning the World Cup against New Zealand a few years ago was one of the best things that I’ve seen on TV. Sport at its very best. I love the Brits doing well in the Olympics or when Murray won Wimbledon. And the Brits doing well in the Tour de France. So yeah, it’s not the supporting England thing (or Britain or UK) it’s the way jingoism in relation to the national sport has been corrupted for years by people who actually love the shit that goes with it more than the football itself.

I’ve never seen England play - and I don’t really have the desire to. I had tickets for an International match once: Italy v Russia at Euro 96 at Anfield, but ended up working on a project in Mexico so missed it (as excuses go that’s a fine one ). On our first night in Villahermosa (Tabasco) we went to a night club (we’d been told to keep a low profile prior to going - and we did) but the locals all knew about us and rumours spread like wildfire; it says it all about our nation’s sport and how we are viewed overseas (or were in 96) that on the giant screen in the club it suddenly flashed up “Villahermosa Welcomes Los Hooligans.” I mean FFS. It transpired that the limited view of the UK at the time involved three main things: The Beatles; Lady Di; and Mad Cow Disease. I am only remotely interested in the band. We were presented with a wind-up dancing plastic cow - or La Vaca Loca - as an apparently funny and sympathetic joke. It was good job
Los Hooligans were thick skinned. In the nightclub they obviously also knew about football hooliganism as a famous export to rank alongside these luminaries.

At least if we can play a few decent matches now, and win something, then the years of bore draw nil-nils can fade a little into the distance of my youth. Maybe we can bring back the British Championship too and not play so many pointless friendlies (which is another thing that puts me off England - I mean I have no interest in watching any team play friendlies!). Ultimately it would be nice if they won something in my lifetime and they can get that 1966 monkey of the back.

So come on England. I'll shout at the screen if you score. I'll probably just shrug if you lose.
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Stood Up

Stood Up, Deffed Out and Desperate

Well I was stood up, deffed out and desperate when I met this girl from Tuam. That’s how it starts. But how does it go after that?

Good question. I was going through a file with some music in the other day. And when I used to play a few songs in a band of mates in the early 90s I always needed some notes to remind me (if not the full lyric) to play through the song without bailing early. In ones I knew I would just put a key word or so from the start of the verse or the last words of some lines. That is what I found for the song “Stood Up, Deffed Out and Desperate.” This was a fun song written by your’s truly, so you’d think it I’d know the words. Well, I did. In 1993. Having found the sheet last week with the keywords on it I could only remember a couple of the verses completely. The other bits were fragments.





So it was that on Saturday I sat down with my guitar and notes and tried to fill it out. Needless to say, as well as not having the words written down I didn’t have the chords either. Yeah. Lost in the mists of time and all that.

Picked a few chords and worked on some lines and Hey Presto (or something like it), “
Stood Up...” was back. There was no #ReadMeSpeakMe this weekend so I decided to strum and sing these ancient (if amended) lyrics once again. It was the only song we did that wasn’t by someone else. Amazingly sang it at a Christmas gig we did at the Irish Centre where my mum and dad came. As well as singing Fairy Tale of New York with my cousin “You’re a bum.. you’re an old slut on drugs...’ etc I wonder what me mum thought?

Assume this is Stood Up’s last stand - after a 28 year break - and it won’t see the light of day again. Dare say it shouldn’t. But it was fun to see an almost familiar face again - even if it “
looked just like me mum.”

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Glory Hallelujah

Glory, Hallelujah!

Well bloody hell, I got a great email: won tickets to see
Frank Turner in Liverpool. Now as you may well have spotted, or if you know me even a little, he’s been my favourite singer songwriters for heading towards ten years now. And I’ve been lucky enough to see him several times including the sold out Wembley Arena gig in 2012, Liverpool Academy, Bath, and two sets at Glastonbury Festival.

Strummerville-FT
Watching Frank at Strummerville, Glastonbury (day before his Other Stage appearance)

And this gig in Liverpool is at a top local Brewery. Literally top:
Top Rope Brewery. They have a beer out now with Frank Turner all over it. It’s called ‘The Gathering’ which is Frank’s recent release celebrating all things about the end of lockdown and singing and getting together and having a good time and all that. It’s honestly the first time I’ve drunk a beer out of a can: and then kept the can. Hell, I told you I’m a fan.

It’s a gig by my top singer songwriter playing at a brewery. I mean come on “If Carlsberg did gigs...” well, not Carlsberg. But you know what I mean. Funnily enough last time I saw him in Liverpool it was the Academy i.e. the Carling Academy and there was a Frank Turner beer out then: '
Believe' a wheat beer brewed by Signature Brew. Because it was the Carling Academy they wouldn't stock it, so we were directed to Mojo to grab a bottle there before the gig - which I did of course (and it was Movember).

MojoBelieve_FT
Believe (Signature Brew) in Mojo (with a Movember tash)

The Gathering is about the end of lockdown and we’re not quite there. Things won’t be normal until all restrictions are gone. Not sure when that will be now. But hopefully we are heading that way. The location and the restrictions means there will be fewer than 100 people at the gig. I mean that will mean I’ve seen him play at a packed Wembley Arena first and my latest time seeing him will be in front of 100 people. How bizarre is that? He loves gigging more than any other band or person I’ve seen. He itemises all his appearances: yesterday’s show at Download Festival was show No.2562. That is A LOT of shows. And it must have been such a release for him to perform in front of a crowd again.

TopRope-FT
At Top Rope Brewery with a can of 'The Gathering'

Wonder how many bands and singer songwriters have winked out of existence because of not being able to play live for over a year? In an industry where time is of the essence we could have lost a lot of seriously good artists. They don’t make money from plays on
Spotify or YouTube, they need gigs and merchandise to survive in these days of no longer selling physical albums.

This will be my first gig since seeing
Romeo Stodart at the Liverpool Philharmonic Music Room in March 2020 (I’ve also got tickets to see The Magic Numbers in Liverpool in September), and I can’t fucking wait!
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A Kilo of Beer and The Auld Enemy

Watched the England v Scotland match at home last night. Usually with a big game like that there would be a few of us out in town to watch the match. But with the current situation we were of the opinion not to go in as there was too big a risk of getting into town and then not finding anywhere to watch it. The current restrictions mean that all customers have to be seated and it’s table service etc. So most pubs were anticipating quite a high demand for the game (let’s face it, in normal times they would have been packed - especially on a Friday night) and they therefore operated a system where many, if not all, tables were bookable from earlier in the week. A few had ‘some’ walk-in availability too. But it’s a Friday night and the walk-ins could easily fill up quickly from people coming out of their offices and making a decision on the night to stay out.

I did consider popping into town and going with the flow, then coming back home if I hadn’t found at place to watch it by 7:30. But going into town for 2 hours only to come back with 30-40 minutes each way waiting for buses didn’t make sense to me. So i was that the England v Scotland match became another victim of the Covid-19 situation for me. At least all the Euro games in the UK are on terrestrial TV - that makes such a difference. That said it was on ITV, not BBC. But beggars can’t be choosers.

2 pints

As it transpired a) The Fly were calling out for ‘walk-ins’ at 7pm, so I could have got a seat to watch it, and b) it was a shite game. I was simultaneously disappointed I hadn’t gone into town for the game and happy that I hadn’t gone into town for the game. Oh, yeah... it finished 0-0. And the Scots celebrated the 0-0 like Everton would do against Liverpool.

I had a couple of beers at home including a mega (1000ml) can of
Faxe Royal (5.6%) beer I’d picked up from B&M, which I drank from my dad’s old 1 litre German glass. Dad was a Scot and he’d have been up for the match against the Auld Enemy, of course. And on a Friday night he'd have been watching it down 'the club' with his usual posse. Though I suspect my dad never actually drank anything out of this glass. He must have picked it up in one of the trips he had with my mum over to that neck of the woods. He was more likely to drink a pint of mild than two pints of lager. A litre of mild sounds a bit heavy in all respects. Not sure he’d have been too happy about the result (or the game itself). But I suppose being a Scotland fan is like supporting Everton: it’s not about winning anything, it’s about taking two points of your biggest enemy.

Faxe

There's been a few good games in the Euros so far, but personally I can’t wait for the Premier League and Champion’s League to be back. Also I need to do some work on my arms if I’m going to be drinking a kilo of beer again. It's Father's Day today, so maybe I'll drink out of his old glass again; then again I also have his old tankard too - a much more manageable size.
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Covid, Bars, Risk and Reward

As many of you know I do have as couple of Twitter accounts, namely: @zevonesque and @RealeLiverpool. And the latter one is almost entirely Liverpool and Real Ale related (there’s a clue in that name I think) whilst I mention beer and beer related trips on this website from time to time I haven’t really blogged about it much for years. Though if you look in the previous couple of months I’ve done a couple of blogs on the pubs that were open in Liverpool City Centre, both when it was outdoor opening only and just afterwards. I’m wondering whether to do a more regular blog, however short, on related subjects. Perhaps it’d need another section heading on the site to keep things all together; like my Health section - which I only introduced after my MS Diagnosis earlier in the year. We shall see. Could get a bit “samey’ though unless I come up with an effective list of subjects and plans for it. Or if samey turns out to be called for.

We are living in strange times and there appears to be such mixed views and reaction to the virus and all that it entails. This range of lockdown and post lockdown strategies has been messy. And of course it is warranted. There are too many people who happily write off ‘only the old’ or ‘at risk’ in the community. Bloody bastards the lot of them. And of course in reality we still don’t know what the actual long term affects of the disease will be - we can’t know what damage
Long Covid will leave us: people of all ages. Incidentally I know a couple of people (including fit people in their 20s) who got over Covid-19 in a few days: then Long Covid came out of nowhere around the corner and hit them and has left them with severe currently life affecting issues. But we can’t know how long these effects will last, nor if the current impacts will go away and then be replaced with different ones. The NHS could very well be dealing with this impacts of this pandemic for decades. In short, whatever age you are you don’t want to catch it and risk your long term health (including as yet unidentified impacts); or risk passing it on to one of your friends or family members

In the UK the currently rife
Delta variant has rapidly changed the situation here from one of finally being all sunshine & light to one of doom & gloom. The opening up of shops and bars & restaurants and the improvement on options for other social occasions beyond your single “bubble” has surely been a positive thing for people in terms of the return of some normality. But things haven’t returned to normality - and looking at how the current stats have been going (in the North West of England in particular) nor should they. Each step does need to be risk assessed on a global level right down to the individual person. You don’t cross a road without assessing the risks and addressing them and nor do you stand in traffic. And if you cross the road without doing what you should it’s not the government’s fault: it’s yours. Much of this is not “rocket science” but common sense. And while much of the UK has been vaccinated - particularly the older bastards like yours truly - not everybody has.

The opening up has in particular been good for the oldies who have been isolated to one extent or another: finally they can go out and meet & chat to other people (not everyone had or wanted to use Zoom). Meanwhile the youngsters who feel indestructible (we all did once you know) are certainly meeting in larger groups and without socially distancing AND without masks. I’m not saying that to get at the youngsters. I was young once and there are things I did when I was younger that I would think (and were) risky now (racing up scaffolding anyone?). But it is these very “indestructible” people who are told they don’t need to wear masks at school and then go on public transport without masks, then go shopping in Primark or in Next, then head to Maccy D’s and hang around town for a few hours before heading home on public transport unmasked again. Honestly I’m not getting at them. They’ve been told they don’t need masks in school with hundreds of people in: why would they think that they need one in an airy bus with twenty people on it?

Now the graphs for Covid-19 in Liverpool (for example) look horrendous in some ways - the very illustration of “exponential.” This largely comprises the younger people and either unvaccinated or “only vaccinated once” peeps. Us oldies aren’t getting it anywhere near as much - thanks to vaccination - but maybe also because we’re still trying to keep doing the distance thing and are following masking rules too (less so the over zealous sanitising hands and all that: it’s airborne and it’s indoor air, people). Hopefully these youngsters aren’t going to get too ill from it - either right now or in the months or years to come (but we can’t know). We should do all we can to limit the potential for this damnable virus to spread, whilst at the same time allowing companies to survive and ultimately flourish (or at least allow people to make a living out of it). Which leads me to pubs (yes, this was supposed to be a blog about pubs)...

My experience since pubs have reopened indoors has been good and bad in very different respects. Firstly the good: it’s good to go back to places that have been shut for five or six months and see (some) familiar faces. Been great to drink some nice beers; both local and national/familiar and unfamiliar. Been nice to increase the options of going to other places and having the different experiences on offer from them. And boss to have increased the options for meeting mates. All the real ale pubs I have been going to in town have been brilliantly run in terms of getting people to scan in to the NHS App or fill in contact details; wear masks when traversing around the pub; not letting too many people congregate or stand up in groups; and decent table service under difficult circumstances.

The bad: people... in terms of some robbing bastards either running away at the end of the night having accrued a bill on their table (horrible bastard chancers) or even lowlifes stealing glasses; these businesses (in your local community) don’t need another expense due to your obnoxious thievery. Then there’s the not letting too many people congregate or stand up in groups, and decent table service etc. Hold on, that was above in the positive bit, wasn’t it? Well yeah, it’s been good from a risk and fear factor and all that for potential customers. But the other side of that coin is that these things (just as much as stealing bastards) have significant costs for businesses just when they don’t need them (or can’t survive them):
you won’t be catching a virus in an empty pub, but they won’t be making money to survive either.

Quiet pubs may be good for me and others in the short term at least in terms of risk and getting served, but these hostelries and their suppliers can’t survive on almost empty “
but safe” rooms. The virus needs to be beaten by vaccination and short term sensible, risked-out, options, and ventilation (and maybe even masks for kids hey!?). But surely in the short term hospitality businesses need to be FULLY supported by the Chancellor. A business that can’t open fully can’t survive for long without it. There is no business model for an empty pub.

I can’t have a car accident if I don’t have a car, I can’t get a virus in an empty pub: I can’t get a drink in a pub that no longer exists: and the people who own the pub, the people who work there, and all their suppliers are out of a job too. That’s not risk management: that’s insane.

The government needs to support all these businesses. Meanwhile if you can, and are happy to, get yourself down to one of your favourite hostelries - or at least give them with good messages about going back when you are comfortable to do so. They need every bit of support you can give. Cheers and beers, people.
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Kudos

For the first time in an age I submitted a story somewhere. I’d started writing it for a previously mooted anthology which later passed away, as so much has in the last year or so. I was late seeing the call for this anthology but I thought the story I’d started may be an appropriate fit and would therefore save me writing something from scratch. I did a little work on it, but not much, and sent it off. I’m not anticipating an acceptance but it was good to finally submit something I’d written again. I’ll be keeping my eyes open for other opportunities over the coming months.

One of the positives that has come out of it already is that a recent acquaintance volunteered to read and comment on it. He’s got a book published himself and has worked on screenplays and the like - and also has another book out for review at the moment. His review of my piece would be too late to impact on the submission but it was a lovely offer and he has now fed back comments to me. I’m not going to name him as a) I haven’t asked him if I can, and b) I don’t want him to be inundated with other works - as I may want to use his time again!

His feedback was great: asking a few questions and making some suggestions; including extending the story from the current ‘short’ (5k words) to a Novella length piece. I certainly think the story would be much better with more depth and some extension of the ideas within it. So at some point I think I will indeed extend the story. I’ll let you know if and when I do. In the meantime I think I will re-edit the first two or three chapters of my current novel (
The Wobbly Odyssey) and see what my lovely new reviewer thinks of it. The story he’s read was a horror short so seeing how the comic novel compares will be interesting. The reviewer himself deserves my grateful thank yous (and many of them). One day I may name the gent. Kudos!
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Long Long Covid and All That

As we aim to get out of this virus nightmare and we see things trying to get back to some sort of normality it leaves us in a strange position of being cognisant of the risks whilst continuing with life. As someone who along with a third of the population or so who is ‘double jabbed’ up (a member of the AZ Club) it is strange. I mean this protection has been afforded to us yet we must continue to wear masks and sit in smaller groups – and not hug uncarefully.

I am happy to do this. I bought more masks this very week (and will have to get more as the ones I got were shit) and am going to wear them everywhere that I should i.e. in enclosed environments when walking around and on public transport etc. And don't get me started on the
Covidiots and Plandemic people.

When you are out and about, especially on public transport, it is clear that many people - particularly the young - do not wear masks at any time and are not attempting any kind of distancing: be it outside or on the train or bus. Of course these are the people who are almost entirely unvaccinated at the moment. There are multiple reasons for this attitude and allowances that are made, but now of course as schools are back and there is a more virulent variant of the virus (and whatever ones are coming next) it should not be presumed that these young people around us are free to catch the virus if they want, or they don’t care. There definitely is complacency in a variety of groups of people.

We should be trying to protect everyone not just the old, who are more likely to suffer dire consequences of catching it, but the young too. The catch all term of ‘
Long Covid’ is an unfortunately bland and almost meaningless name. Of course it is early days and it is impossible to know what the myriad range of issues Long Covid may leave on people: both young and old. If a youngster gets the disease now and may not even know they have it, then they could pass it on to someone who very much does get impacted, but they themselves could end up suffering consequences not now but in the years to come. These unknowns should not be shrugged off. We owe it to the children, indeed everyone, for their well being - but also what will be the long term costs of dealing with these unknowns for the NHS? It is impossible to know.

The more virulent Indian/
Delta Variant currently doing the rounds and winning in all the big statistics leagues may or may not be of genuine concern but who’s to say the next variant wont be worse still. Complacency can only make the potential impacts on us worse.

My feeling is that while there has to be a ‘life goes on’ reality that doesn’t mean that it goes on without consideration of what we do to reduce the risks for one and all; we don’t light cigarettes up on a petrol forecourt and we dont smash up asbestos cement sheets in our homes. Everybody needs to be vaccinated as soon as it can be done - and that is the one and only thing we seem to doing okay at in the UK - but it’s not a matter of clicking our fingers and it happens, and in the meantime risks can continue to be mitigated. Clearly the main issues are not the cleaning surfaces rigmarole: there is next to no evidence of anyone picking up
Covid19 from a contaminated surface. It is an airborne pathogen and mitigation is through ventilation, masks and distancing. So please continue to wear your masks, open the windows & doors, and keep up with the distancing. AND get vaccinated as soon as you can, both for you and your fellow humans.

Things ARE getting better but that should not mean you are free to get complacent. Stay safe and don’t be stupid, people.
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So Many Things

My sister and myself have finally got around to trying to clear my parents old house: our own family home we grew up in. It should have been done many months ago but this horrendous Covid year seems to have took the winds from our sails for it. But we are where we are and we are slowly getting stuff to do.

Of course it is an horrendous thing to have to do. The time it takes to look through everything. The time that stops you progressing anything - looking through old photos and documents both brings back old memories and highlights things that we really don’t know. I mean who is it in this photo? Where is this? Is this a relation or a friend or anything to do with us at all.

Thankfully back in the days before Smartphones and Digital Cameras photos were rarer and were often treated with care. The handwritten notes on the back of many of the tiny black & white photos are priceless. There will be so much to got through at some time. I’m thinking we need to box up all the photos and documents and go through them in detail at some later time: AND get scanning.

As well as the documents there are the possessions from massive tables and chairs, sofas and beds, to porcelain services, glasses, paintings, and even a grandfather clock and all the general bits required for life from cutlery and cooking gear to TVs and computers. There is a lot isn’t there? It’s time consuming and you question yourself about every little thing that you look at binning. It’s a brutal nightmare. I guess most people go through it at one point in their life and I envy not one of them.

xhair

The saddest thing this weekend was saying goodbye to my dad’s old Chesterfield chair. I think it has found a good home. I certainly hope it has. But the space it has left in the house seems to shout at us now.

Anyway it is onwards and upwards getting the other stuff out of the house - one way or another - and then doing whatever we end up doing with the house.
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In and Local

Well the pubs are open now for people to sit inside. Still waiter service and max of six and all that but it’s better than none at all I guess. May had been cold and wet so anyone having an option to get inside to survive the onslaught is positive. Now we’ve had some good weather this week so the inside or outside question can be asked for those few Liverpool pubs that had outdoors as an option. And in the meantime pubs that didn’t have outside as an option have had the chance to open their doors for the first time this year.

In the last couple of weeks I’ve called in at the
Sanctuary, Lion, Denbigh Castle, the Angus, Head of Steam and the Fly in the Loaf. It is good to have them all back: walls, roofs and all.

One of the best things in this reopening has been seeing how many of the pubs are selling beers from the local breweries. There’s been plenty of excellent cask ales on offer from
Neptune, Top Rope, Chapter, Carnival, Brimstage, Black Lodge, and the like. This has to be good for the local breweries after this horrendous year; and it’s also good for the customers.

It’s amazing how the local beer scene has changed in the recent years. It really wasn’t that long ago there was Cains and nothing much more in Liverpool. And while the mild, FA, and raisin may be missed they have been more than replaced by the options from these breweries.

So whenever you’re back in (or out) the pub then raise a pint of local beer and drink to the brewers as well as to the pubs (and all those that work at them).

Cheers.
Comments

Vaccine #2: The Return

Vaccine #2: The Return

It’s a been a strange bitty week for me. Got some things done and got some things to do. But the highlight was very definitely getting my second jab. As I said in one of my last blogs I had the first (Astra Zeneca) jab a couple of months ago so I was anticipating getting the second any time within the next four weeks.

The way I was allocated the first jab was just a text from the GP through to a link to book it. It wasn’t the NHS website one where you booked both the first and second jab so after having the first it was a question of waiting for the second invite to come through. I was hopeful I wouldn’t have to wait the whole month. As it happened it came through at 4:49pm on Wednesday afternoon and when I clicked through five minutes later I found that they had availability the very next day. I can’t tell you how happy and surprised I was at that. Anyway I was happy and surprised at that.

So at lunchtime on Thursday I was back in to Aintree Community Centre for my second vaccination. My appointment had been booked for 12:50 and I’d arrived at 12:45 with not one person in the queue. I was quickly processed and ushered through and after a quick jab at my left arm and, without a drop of blood or the need of a plaster, I was straight out the door again. Incredible. Apparently in the morning they’d already vaccinated around 400 people in the small centre. Hats of to the guys and gals there. Great organisation. Smooth as a very smooth thing that’s been through an extra smoothness process.

So now I’m fully vaxed up. Well until they decide we need boosters in the autumn. As I’ve said previously I’m still very much in the ‘use a mask and keep your distance’ camp. Not so much because I’m worried about myself, but because until the vast majority of people are vaccinated–and we won’t know on public transport or in a bar or restaurant who is–the message to everyone should be that the virus is still here and can do you. or someone you come into contact with damage.

From tomorrow we can go into a pub or restaurant which is great, but they are not going to be right and fully comfortable until we can go about establishments without too much consideration–or worry about other people taking liberties with the rules (well basically doing what is morally right for everybody). It will continue to be a difficult time for these businesses. The business model for a pub kinda expects people to be stood around in groups and at the bar buying drinks and packets of nuts (or better still Snyder’s Jalapeño Pretzels), they are not based on people sat down in groups of a maximum of six requiring table service. Not to mention requiring herding around and being talked to for not following the rules on mask wearing or numbers sat a tables etc. Just be kind to the people working at these places. And remember, even if you are jabbed up, the majority of the people working in the bars are lucky enough to be so young they haven’t even had their first jab yet.

In summary, I’m made up to be fully vaccinated but I’m looking at buying some more masks–maybe with nice logos of pubs or breweries or some bands on– for the coming weeks and maybe months. We need to continue to act correctly, be nice–and avoid the dicks (unfortunately there always be some). Hopefully the vast majority of people will be vaccinated sooner rather than later and the NHS can go back to treating other people for other conditions and our world can go back to some sort of normality..

Onwards and Upwards.
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'In'

Are we ready for 'In'?

If there’s one thing the last couple of weeks has shown us it is that we have neither the weather nor the infrastructure for year round outdoors drinking in the UK. Okay that’s two things, but I’ve bundled them together like a beer with a scotch egg.

AJW Cheers
Cheers! from the Key Stone

OutOut
Cheers! Cheers!! at the Coach House (nee Hard Times & Misery)

Of course the virus is still here albeit happily currently decreasing. It’s just over a week until the pubs can actually let people inside. Oh happy days; a beer with friends without feeling unduly uncomfortable. When the pubs and restaurants first open it is with restrictions in place: seated at tables, and table service, and the fabled Rule of Six and all that. But at least we’ll be protected from the vagaries of the British weather.

NeshSte
Bring your own insulation if the sun's not round your way

TheBridewellWritersGroup
The Inaugural Meeting of the Bridwell Writerers and Twitterers Group
(under cover and with a heater)


I am a little concerned that people in general will be too relaxed about the rules. Not just in the hospitality sector but with public transport in particular. Yesterday when I went into town on the bus it was school kicking out time and the driver let far too many people on the bus. He didn’t seem bothered that all the seats with the crosses and Not In Use signs were well in use. I’ve already witnessed several people close bus windows whilst they watch their TikToks and Facebook too.

Stagecoach17X
The Stagecoach #17 was a little overcrowded at school chucking out time

Like most of my mates I’ve had just the first (AZ) jab so far. It was about seven weeks ago so I should be getting my second jab in the next few weeks - I can’t wait.

Yesterday the CDC in the States finally announced what most people suspected/knew; that the virus is airborne and can be passed through the aerosols i.e. way in excess of 2m. It is not just close contact that results in passing on the virus: it is Enclosed Spaces that it loves. While we are outside getting soaked and wind blown we’re more likely to get a chill and a little annoyed rather than pick up Covid. But indoors is a different proposition. Most pubs though are fairly breezy affairs with doors opening and closing and people moving about. Air changes/ventilation really shouldn’t be a major problem, particularly while the pubs not at full capacity. Come the end of June though it is expected that the brakes will come off and the pubs can be full once again.

PhilharmonicDoor
Philharmonic pub door. Won't be shut much longer

I’m cautiously optimistic in the main. Hopefully come June the figures will continue to be low. But the sooner everyone is vaccinated the better for everyone. Yeah, what I’m saying is: Get Vaccinated when you can, people. And in the meantime ‘Don’t be a tit.’ Wear a mask, follow the rules (even if the bus driver doesn’t shout at you), and keep your distancing. We’re so nearly there it would be a shame to fook it up now.

TheUsualTable
My current usual seat in the Key Stone is Table 7. Perhaps soon it will be inside…
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Ale M. Banks

It’s a little bit beyond Limboland for some hostelries now. Well for those that have outside areas to utilise - and in cities that is not many. That said the weather for the last few days has not been inviting to all but the hardiest punters and on Monday the rain and wind was so bad many bars and restaurants sensibly decided to shut up shop for the day. During the last few weeks some places have been able to provide heaters which is nice - as the sunshine has been intermittent at best and not exactly cracking the flags. It’s a shame heaters have been needed from the point of view of the bills for the bars (like they need another bloody expense right now) and from the environment. But it’s England not the Mediterranean Riviera so heaters it is.

I’ve managed to get to many of the very few city centre places that sell cask and have outdoor spots. When I say many it is a relative term with so few real ale places able to open at all. It’s been a bit of a mixed bag in some ways but largely those that have opened have been very good. My particular favourites have been the
Keystone (on Hope Street), the Coach House/Hard Times (on Maryland Street) and The Bridewell.

If I’ve been on my tod I’ve been happy to let someone come to sit at the table of course: who wouldn’t? And I’ve met some lovely people either as ‘guests’ on my table or others on adjacent tables. To be able to have a chat and a laugh has been quite liberating for a lot of people I am sure.

One of the most surprising outcomes over the last couple of weeks is how many
Iain M. Banks fans, and fans of SF in general, I have met. I have been attempting to read a book of essays and interviews about the Iain M. Banks SF books in these places and the amount of people who have commented on the book and then about their love of the books has been incredible.

Banks and Ale

Obviously fans of real ale are discerning individuals anyway, but it turns out they are even cooler. I’ve not managed to finish the book yet partly due to ending up being in happy conversations about The Culture (and none Culture) books. Looking forward to finishing the book and reading re-reading some of Banks’s books. But I may have to carry this book around with me just to see how many other fans come out of the woodwork.

Here’s to real ale outside of a pub: and even better IN one. And here’s to Iain M. Banks and the fans. You rock!

In the meantime if you don’t know Iain’s books or only know
The Wasp Factory, the Crow Road or Whit or anything from the telly then do yourself a favour and dip into The Culture - apparently all the best ale drinkers are (and me too). These are his Culture books in chronological order. But there is no need to read them in order:

  • Consider Phlebas (1987)
  • The Player of Games (1988)
  • Use of Weapons (1990)
  • The State of the Art (1991)
  • Excession (1996)
  • Inversions (1998)
  • Look to Windward (2000)
  • Matter (2008)
  • Surface Detail (2010)
  • The Hydrogen Sonata (2012)

Happy reading.
Comments

Got a Haircut for the ReadMeSpeakMe Party

Haircut

This week was the 3rd Anniversary of ReadMeSpeakMe which meant it was party week. As I said last week I wasn't going to do RMSM until I had my hair cut - as the barbers finally were allowed loose with their scissors on Monday 12th April. Huzzah. My last haircut was in the first week of November so I'd gone fully five months - and some - between cuts. Even if RMSM wasn't having a party, getting a cut felt like I deserved one. Happy days.

HaircutBefore
Before the Haircut

I'd got on the 17 from Fazakerley full of hope if not expectation. As it happened I managed to get in the barbers I've used for the last three cuts (which lets face it is most of a year now):
Istanbul Barbers on Dale Street. It didn't require booking or anything so strange for us of the 'boy' persuasion. Just turn up and wait in turn.

HaircutAfter
All light headed: Haircut after shock!

With haircut done there were three things to do 1) see if I can get in the other newly permissible places (pubs) 2) attend the #ReadMeSpeakMe Party and 3) do a reading of the prologue from Kathryn Williams' 'The Ormering Tide.'


Outdoor Beers

I managed to do 1) pretty much off the bat with being one of the first two getting a beer at the
Dispensary and also being one of the first served at the Coach House (Hard Times). Read the blog on Pubs to find out more on my feelings about this and on pubs in general.


ReadMeSpeakMe Party

Next up, a few days later, has been attending the
ReadMeSpeakMe Party. The call was to read a recipe for food or drink. Well as I always have a beer with my wee recordings then it had to beer really for the party. Unfortunately from a reading perspective four basic ingredients didn't make for compelling reading:

Malt Barley
Water
Hops
Yeast


It'd be short and sweet, which may have its attractions but it ain't suitable for our party.

Anyways whilst I was reading a book about alcoholic drinks, '
Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks' jam packed with great recipes and details, I found the first part of a poem about beer written by Thomas Warton in 1750. Two hundred and seventy years ago and they were still extolling the virtues of a nice pint over the, 'Riot stirring wine. Unwholesome draught!'

RMSM Invite
#ReadMeSpeakMe 3rd Anniversary Party Invite

Thomas Warton was an Oxford Don lecturing and writing on poetry and became the Poet Laureate for a time. He liked his beer and smoking too. Cool poetry dude. So I decided I'd read the first section of his '
Panegyric to Ale' (originally 'Oxford Ale').







The Ormering Tide

So that was 2 of 3 sorted. The third part I had pencilled in to do was a short reading from '
The Ormering Tide.' Kathryn Williams, who hails from Liverpool, is a brilliant singer-songwriter who I last saw her perform on her Anthology Tour at the Liverpool Philharmonic Music Rooms. She performed some great songs and told some excellent anecdotes. I couldn't not buy her book when it came our this year. When I tweeted it was so lovely that I felt like I should be reading it aloud rather than to myself she tweeted back 'Do It' (although I may be paraphrasing there). So I have to, don't I?

OrmeringTide
'The Ormering Tide' by Kathryn Williams

Hope I can do justice. But hey, I'm ain't a professional. It's a beautiful book and I loved every page. I can wholeheartedly recommend you getting into the Tide and finding yourselves on the cliffs or beaches of the Channel Islands - or even in the pub. You won't regret it. And don't miss listening to some of her songs. Like all the best people Kathryn is on Twitter too @kathwilliamsuk so give her a follow.

KWHumanContact
Kathryn Williams 'Monday Morning' from Crown Electric

I will record my reading of the prologue tomorrow and get it up on the YouTube thing - I bet you can't wait. Watch this space: or better still just listen to some of Kathryn's songs.
Comments

Pubs Pubs Pubs: Closed/ Outside/ Inside

Pubs. Pubs. Pubs. Closed pubs - outside pubs - inside pubs. God, they are such an integral part of my life. It’s not a daily thing or anything like that. And it’s not bad ones - these days anyway. No, it’s real ale pubs. I suppose many youngsters would call them “old men’s pubs”. Hell sometimes I do too. Generally though it’s just pubs that sell real ale. Ale on hand pulls. So the last year has been a wee bit disappointing on that front.

They’ve been closed several times over this pandemic year. The last time they were open the rules rather (completely) arbitrarily required you bought a main meal with your drink. Like the virus would go for you if you didn’t have a burger, but would avoid you if you did. Ludicrous ill thought out concept. Of course at one point that was partly in conjunction with the “
Eat Out to Help Out” idea too. I’m sure there were good intentions there somewhere. But maybe not much in the way of thought.

During those strangely open/not really open time I was out every so often. And asking questions of whether the guy or gal serving me thought a) was a plate of chips classed as a “substantial meal” and b) how slowly could I eat them from a legal perspective i.e. could I get in two or three pints with one plate of chips. Nonsense of course. If you watch any "end of the world" dystopia films there’s never been a scene in it when people are seeing how little they could eat in order to get a pint in. But hell, it was dystopian.

CloserToThePub
One step closer to normality. So close but so far.

That ended on the run up to New Year when the pubs were closed for the next lockdown. And here we are over three months later before they could open again. This time the requirement for eating with your drink has been removed. Instead the rule is that you can only drink outside a pub. With April weather that is full on roulette territory. On April 12th this limited opening came in, with the next change pencilled in for May 17th. At that point the inside of pubs can open, but still with restrictions like the ‘rule of six’/two household thing and such like. The unrestricted opening is lightly HB pencilled in for June 21st. Oh my, how good that will be?

As I say, I like pubs and pubs and pubs. It’s a social and aesthetic thing. Drinking at home for me doesn’t do it. Don’t get me wrong I do buy beer regularly. It’s just that I’m more inclined to have one or two bottles or cans rather than the pintage I would get to whilst out and about. I’ve lost weight during this pandemic and that’s partly down to work being mad but I mainly down to fewer beers passing my lips and getting to my hips.

Dizzy1
First pint up was an Oakham 'Citra' at the Dizzy

Ale for me is very much a mix of the taste of the stuff, the environment and the people I’m drinking with - including the sometimes fabulous staff (hey, I'm not gonna say they all are). Maybe the ale will get me drunk, or happy - or into whatever mood it wants to get me to - on a particular day, but getting drunk is not the be all and end all for me. I’d rather read a few chapters of a book with a couple of pints in one place, then chat to someone in another place, than get drunk. If I just wanted that I’d be happily drinking cheap plonk or vodka at home and not going for mini pub crawls in town. It would be less hassle too without messing about with buses.

But no, for me, having a pint is about going on a wee pub crawls to take in various beers available in different places and seeing a few people. I’m quite happy whether I meet people I know well or not: happy to do a spot of a people watching with the best of them. Most real ale drinkers I know prefer to visit three or four pubs on a night out rather than go to one. But flexibility is key. After all if the first pub you’re in has your favourite beer on and some of your fave people in then there’s no need to roll that dice for the next place. Like going to a music festival you've got to enjoy where you're at and not worry about what you're missing.

CoachHouse2
Not so Hard Times at the Coach House with a Neptune 'Mosaic'

Can’t wait to get back to doing a few mini crawls. The Fly, Roscoe Head, Dispensary, and Grapes. Oh yeah! Then there’s the Lion, Rigby’s, Denbigh Castle, Excelsior, and the Ship. Or how about Baltic Fleet, Bridewell, Head of Steam, Hard Times, Belvedere, and the Caledonia. Or how about the… well you get the picture.

We’re going to have to wait until June until we can do these properly. The May reopening will be constrained in terms of numbers and therefore the ability to wander between pubs and expecting to get in. I mean the demand for the Grapes... it doesn’t bear thinking about.

Right now the reopening this week has allowed pubs with outdoors to give it a go. For city centres this means many pubs can’t even try or those that can have severely limited options for customers. In Liverpool many of the best pubs will not be reopening until May.

I made it to a couple on Monday after first getting a rather crucial haircut. First up was a pint of
Oakham 'Citra' sat outside the Dispensary, which had a nice circularity to me. My last pub pint was in the Dizzy between Christmas and New Year where I was rung at 7:30pm in the pub by my GP to be told to go to A&E to get an MRI scan; it was not the usual night out. As it happened I wasn’t to get an MRI for another couple of months. I’d had to eat a portion of Scouse with my drink that time, this time no food was needed - but a coat was definitely required: the early afternoon sun doesn’t get to the outdoor area. Brrrrr.

CHcheers
A pint in the sunshine at Hard Times

Second pub up was the Coach House. I’d seen the managers working on it on Saturday when I walked into town. I’d sat outside with them in the cold - without a beer. I suppose it was a dry run. It’s the third name for the place and like anyone I dare say I’ll stick with the original name: Hard Times & Misery. In between it was called Dickens and King. They’ve created a nice seating area outside and I think the capacity out there is more than inside the place. I was one of the first customers and it became busy in no time - but not overly so with the whole rule of six thing at the tables and all that. Had Neptune ‘Mosaic’ on which meant nice options all around - especially as there was sunshine on me too.

HotchPup
Hotch having bar snacks - even though now they aren't a requirement of entry (beware those sharp teeth)

Met some people I knew and chatted to some I didn’t too (and met a puppy I’ll see again over the coming years). It was great. But it’s not normality yet. It won’t be until all the pubs and bars are open and you can get inside without significant restrictions. I can’t wait. Though I rather suppose I must. Roll on June 21st -
HB pencil notwithstanding.
Comments

Last Zoom Open Mic?

We last had a Zoom Open Mic on New Years Eve, which is apparently about three months ago but definitely feels like a year or so. At the time we said it’d be a regular event especially with the lockdown which just arrived the day before. As it happened it did not become a regular thing at all. I’m out of the loop as I don’t have Facebook so I miss the chat about it and get a handle on whether it’s almost taken place a couple of times or not. And can’t really help in the organisation of it if I don’t have FB.

Finally last Saturday we did have our first Open Mic of the year. And hopefully the last one to be done using Zoom - if the lockdowns have finally worked their stuff along with the vaccinations. In theory the pubs will reopen indoors from May 17th, although events like the Open Mic won’t be permitted until another month or so after that (21st June). Fingers crossed for that.

The Open Mic was accompanied by a good portion of a mini keg of Mosaic that I’d picked up at Neptune Brewery the day before. I took the keg out the fridge and brought it into the spare room so I didn’t need to go up and down all the time to top my glass. Certainly helped with getting through a few pints.

Cloud Mosaic
Cloud Strife watching over the Neptune Mosaic

In the end I was on the Zoom call from about 7:45 through to 1.00am. So it wasn’t much of a wonder that a few beers were breached.

As it happened there were quite a few missing regulars, who’d kind of indicated that they would/may be there but didn’t turn up. It was a bit of a shame really not to see everyone’s familiar faces - and hear their songs. There were only three of us playing songs using guitar or keyboards, and Matt telling us stories. I only sang four songs as if I’d done any more I’d have felt like I was taking it over a bit. I’d have happily sung six or seven if others had been doing the same. Never mind.

Open Zoom
Not many of us online this time. Think there some good repeat on the telly.

I sang Chuck Prophet’s ‘Somewhere Down the Road,’ Ryan Adam’s ‘Sweet Carolina,’ Bright Eyes ‘Landlocked Blues’ and Barenaked Ladies ‘It’s All Been Done.’

It was good to see the familiar faces that were there - on what may be the last weekend of the year that we couldn’t be in (or at least outside) a pub. Roll on the next Open Mic: wherever and whenever it may be. It’ll be a while, I dare say, but it will be fucking great.
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Doing the Loop

Living in the north of Liverpool walking options with nice vistas or architecture are decidedly limited. If you are trying to walk daily do you really want to circle the same park multiple times just to have a nice environment? It would get a bit much to walk the same walk all the time. I’ve been walking to and around Walton Hall Park quite regularly lately. And it’s nice enough, but it’s nice to switch it up.

From the direction I come from I walk under an old rail bridge and enter the park at the corner beside it. The bridge, over the East Lancs road, is part of the old Loop Line. Like so many railways in the 60s it closed down (in 1964). The way it sweeps from the south from Hunts Cross north to Aintree it in some ways mimics the Queens Drive circular (or quarter circle in reality). It has been turned it to a footpath/cycle way which forms part of several routes. Work started on the path in 1988 with the last section by Aintree finished in 2000.

LoopLineSelfie
Walking on the Loop Line (remain vigilant for bikes when taking selfies)

Part of the northern section (which I am yet to visit) goes through railway land where I used to walk with my grandparent’s dog, Patches, in the 1970s. There’s probably a blue plaque for that somewhere there.

Anyway, on Friday I went for a walk starting at home with no real plan of where I would end up. But I did think I’d take a look at the Loop. Really glad I did. Makes such a refreshing change in North Liverpool walking around so much greenery and away from busy roads or housing estates. I kept walking and walking, eventually getting to a point where it would have been as far to walk back as it would to finish the whole thing. Of course I could have got off somewhere and worked out how to get (multiple) buses home. It was lovely day though, the sun was out, there were lots on people on bikes and a running event. It was Good Friday.

WestDerbyPlatforms
Platforms at West Derby Station

It was lovely to see the trees and greenery, to see the sandstone cuttings of the railway and the old station and platforms at West Derby. In the end I got to Hunts Cross which was a 9.2 mile walk from my house without getting hit by any of the bike riders (although there were a couple of close calls) or runners (many of who were running at my walking pace). Pretty good few hours.

WestDerbyStation
West Derby Station

The age old problem with linear walks of course is getting back. From the end of the walk it would be a minimum of three buses (as far as I could tell on maps) or a train and a bus. I went for the latter option as a train was just due in as I got to the station. A train to Liverpool Central and then a No.17 back. Sorted. When planning (or in this case not planning) a walk the time built in to get back is potentially important. All in all that 9 miles with transport back took me around 4 hours, which is a fair chunk of anyone’s day. But it was a Bank Holiday: and it was definitely worth it. I’ll be in the Loop again soon. I'll have to do the bit to the north too at some point. It's shorter than going to Hunts Cross and while I wouldn't anticipate it being as nice an area to walk I can turn the walk into a circular and save on the wait for trains and buses.

LoopLinePath
The path is long (just under 11 miles from start to finish). Rare is the moment there's no-one around.

________

Subsequent to doing the walk I read some things about it online. The path forms part of the National Cycle Network - Route 62. The whole route goes from Fleetwood to Selby. That would take a few pairs of socks. The worst thing I read was that in 2012, somewhere near where I got onto the walk by Walton Hall Park, a body was found on the embankment by a dog walker. The body was of a missing woman, Paula Hounslea and the murderer has never been found. The case remains open. I only want to find bluebells, crocuses, butterflies, and mushrooms, please. No bodies.
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Gardens: Homes and Festival

After going out to do a shop down the Asda today I decided to go around to a mate’s for a coffee - now that we can go around to people’s gardens. Tried calling and didn’t get an answer, but I knew if he wasn’t in there was a good chance he’d be back in a while. And in any case, even if not, I could go for a nice walk through the Festival Gardens to Otterspool Prom. A nice change of route. Turned out my friend wasn’t in so the walk option was a good call.

FlyawayHairMerseyAJW
Flyaway pandemic hair

It was a very nice walk. Bit wind blown with my hair being a little bit much at the mo. But it was a blue sky day. Lots of people about especially at the Otterspool end. The queues for the cafe were mad! Grabbed a coffee at a van half way along. - on the edge of the Garden site.

GardenSculpture
Sculpture in the Garden Festival site

FestivalHeron
Heron contemplating lunch
Picked up a few nice photos along the way.

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The choppy Mersey

Ended up being a 3.62 mile walk according to Runkeeper. So I blitzed my 8k steps by lunchtime. Result.

FestivalGardensAJW
End of a nice walk in blossoming trees

It was good to the car at my mate’s. They had just returned. So I got a couple of cups of coffee and a butty and had a good chinwag. It was good to see my mates for the first time this year (not counting Zoom). And good to show them I’m okay so they hopefully aren’t over worried by my situation. No doubt will do it again soon. Great to have the option. Onwards and upwards.

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Rather Random Target

Over the last few weeks I've been off work. Work is a very intensive day and involves lots of walking, some stairs, some panicking and a lot of thinking 'how the hell can I find another job'. So not being in work makes it dangerously easy to stop the exercise inadvertently.

With the issues with my health at the moment being a little unknown I'v set myself the rather random target of
8000 steps per day. It's lower than the arbitrary 10k steps cited by multitudes of people. Of course those targets are as made up and pretty useless as the 5-a-day nonsense. Basically you know if you are doing enough each day or you're just pushing the sofa indentation to its limits, just like you know if you've only eaten crap all day. So I am happy with my current unscientific Rather Random Target.

Canada Goose WHP
The Canadian Geese like Walton Hall Park too

Over the last twelve days I've achieved this each and every day. In fact my average daily steps are over this time has been 11k steps - which in old money equates to about 5 miles a day. I've been lucky with the weather in this time. There's not been any days with incessant rain, and some days have been lovely. Taken to walking to Walton Hall Park, where I used to do my 5k jogging practice, which is my nearest at about a mile away. If I do just one lap of the park my walk to and from the park is longer than the walk in it. But if I feel like it I can do a couple of circuits, which gets the numbers up whilst giving me nice vistas of trees, and water and the sound of birds - which has got to be better than walking around housing and industrial estates - for the head if nothing else.

Back in the day when I used to do the 5km Park Runs and whatnot I started using
Runkeeper. I've gone back to this now. Handily, whilst it's called Runkeeper it is great for any activity which may involve you moving from A to B - including walking. It's great to keep track of the bigger activities with it mapping out where you went and giving you your time and splits etc. Could help some people with motivation but in this instance it is just a recording tool really (which makes nice maps). On top of that for the entire day record my £40 smartwatch shows me what my total daily steps are too.

RunkeeperMapWHP

I've also been going to the B&M and Iceland around the corner on foot. It's a round trip of a mile and in the past I'd (sadly) have driven it rather than walk it. Though I'd have put off going until I need a few things. Now I'm happy to walk all the way to B&M for a loaf of bread, just to keep the legs going and get the fresh air (that said I can also pick up bottles of Oakham 'Citra' or Wickwar 'Platform 6.1' too).

SpringSprungWHP
Spring has sprung in Liverpool

Podcasts have accompanied many of my walks, though my last couple I've gone without the headphones. Though with my flyway hair yesterday it was worth putting the headphones on just to control my hair a little; I was seriously considering
Brylcream or gel yesterday - God, I can't wait for the barbers to reopen. Thankfully it IS only three weeks until they can return. Hallelujah!

Flyaway-WHP
Flyaway hair aka Pandemic Hair - one side effect of lockdown

Anyway. May my 5+miles per day continue. It will be interesting to see if I can force myself to do it in the rain. Though I suspect I may just wear a hole in the carpet walking up and down. In the meantime feel free to use my RRT if you think it'll be more useful to you than that 10k nonsense.
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Cool Club to Join: Vaccination #1

This morning I had my first COVID-19 jab: like a lot of people I know this week seems to be the week for getting jabbed. A few of my older mates, or those with other medical issues, have already been done, but this week so many of my mates, acquaintances, and Twitter buddies seem to have been marching around with one arm of their shirt up, whilst marching through doctors' surgeries and community centres up and down the country.

My vaccination place was just 3 miles away in Aintree Community Centre. I got up there in under 15 minutes and was in and out even quicker. The whole process was quick and seamless. I was told they were vaccinating 450 people there in the one day, which is pretty impressive for the wee place.

AJW AZ2

It was an Astra-Zeneca jab of course. I think most of them are at the moment. After all the bloods taken in the last couple of weeks - and the COVID tests up the nose & through to the back of my brain - the jab was nothing. Not had any issues with pain or flu type issues yet, but guess it’s only 8 hours ago and that’d be tomorrow if at all. Given my other problems at the moment a bit of temporary flu would be neither here nor there. That said, I’d prefer the issue to bypass me if it’s feeling kind.

AJW-AZ1

Next up for me will be the second dose, which will be due some time over the next twelve weeks - which means by early June. In some ways that doesn’t seem that far off. Time is playing some mighty strange games at the moment though.

Good luck to those of you who haven’t had it yet. Hope you get it soon (apart from those idiots who were celebrating Paddy’s Day in Sefton Park yesterday. Fucking idiots, the lot of them).

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Walk into Town: Onwards Downhill

Since my diagnosis of MS less than two weeks ago I have been conscious of my movement and the requirement to keep some miles in those legs to keep them going - even if I've nothing in particular to do. My standard aim for those pesky 'steps' prior to MS was 8000 a day. With work I was always doing between 12 and 17k steps, and on days off in these Covid days a lot lower (no pub crawls to walk). The average though would be well over 10k. I'm going to keep the aim at 8000 now and I don't feel any reason to change it. Indeed it may be more important than ever.

I decided to go on a walk yesterday with the aim of exceeding 10k and I did easily - finishing on 15k. The main thing was a long walk into Liverpool from home taking in Anfield Cemetery, Anfield Stadium and the walk down to the Adephi via Everton Valley Park. The walk was about 5 miles.

Anfield Cem2

The walk took me along the East Lancs and Walton Road before I ducked into Anfield Cemetery, as it's always nice to walk through where all the dead people are, and then on past Anfield. I was a season ticket holder back in the 1980s and in more recent times a Priority Ticket Scheme member, but I haven't gone to a match at Anfield since they built the fantastic new stand. God it's enormous.

We Are Liverpool

Anfield Stad1

After Anfield I decided to walk on, trying to get some more miles in. Thought I'd go to Everton Valley Park for the vista over Liverpool. The skyline along the Mersey looks great from there. In the end I decided it was al downhill from there into town so I'd continue and get the 17 or 19 back. It was a good call. Met a nice bloke walking his dog who chased after me to tell me my laces were undone on one of my trainers. I couldn't hear him with my headphones on. I thanked him, as there was no way with my current lack of feelings in my legs and feet I'd ever have felt them being loose. Got chatting to him, and despite his Everton hat he was a sound bloke. Explained about my numbness and he told me about his son dying at 19 and daughter at 24. Bloody hell. There is always someone else worse off out there isn't there. Had a good chat about all things cheerful, and football (which is a mixed bag for both of us at the moment).

Liverpool Skyline

Town was an absolute mess with so many roadworks around the centre. Hope they are timed to be sorted by the time everything has opened up - if not it is more disaster for the companies that have been shut for months. Sod's Law and bad planning dictates that the works won't be completed in the next couple of weeks. I saw hardly a workman anywhere along the hundreds of metres I walked past. Fingers crossed though.

Adelphi 1

Didn't fancy walking back - it's uphill. So hopped a No.19 and I was sorted. It was a nice day and a good walk. It's good to know I can walk five miles with no ill effects. Though my feet were sore.

Onwards and upwards.


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A Solo Christmas - Ho Ho Ho

Well in Liverpool we are in Tier 2 at the moment and that should be the same until at least the New Year. This means there are some places open that aren't in Tier 3 like museums, galleries and some hospitality. Which is good, but then again not that great for many people. If you are going to meet someone indoors it is a maximum of six people and they should be from your household and/or bubble. Now I've not been in a bubble until last week, when I went to my mate's house. Unfortunately I have not had the chance to go back to see him as he's ended up being in hospital since then (nothing to do with me being there, he's just quite ill). I must have one of the shortest tenured bubble.

So if I want to go to a pub or restaurant I have exactly zero people I can go with - in accordance with the regs and guidance. Great. I haven't even been to the pubs in Liverpool since they reopened a couple of weeks ago tomorrow. On any day I've had off from work I just have not had the desire to go into town to spend money and time eating something in a pub just so I can have a couple of pints. Normally if I went into town I'd go to three or four pubs and at the moment that would mean three or four things to eat. Even where there are 'cheap' options you can be looking at a fiver for a pie & peas or a ciabatta. So straightaway you can add that £15-20 to the price of your beer - as well as the calories to your waistline and the anguish of the whole experience.

You can think, well hey this is great for the virus. I mean I ain't gonna catch or spread a virus if I just don't go out. So well done with this legislation. Then again, that business and its suppliers won't be selling any beer to keep themselves going either. How many people haven't the money to spend or the inclination to go out in the current circumstances? The real ale pubs in Liverpool have all gone the full mile to provide Covid safe environments and the whole NHS track thing. I've never felt anything but safe in them (even when I didn't have to eat food). But I just don't have the money to spend on three multiple meals or the desire to eat them either. It is a nonsense for the individual and the business. The pubs that are trading aren't doing what they could be doing in terms of custom (especially at Christmas).

The virus is still here and we need to be doing the best we can to control its spread: I completely agree, but with distancing, cleanliness and masks then we can do a fair bit just being sensible. The virus is still here and if we do things wrong or relax it will grow in the community without a doubt.

And then we have Christmas. My god, the government in their wisdom tell us not to mix and keep alert etc but for five days at Christmas we can throw our caution to the wind and not be in any danger: of contravening any law. But it's not a football playing WWI truce, the virus isn't putting its weapons down for the event. So the virus can do nothing but spread more over that five days. How can they justify this? I mean if I can't safely meet with a couple of the family or friends indoors this weekend then how can I the following weekend? It is a bad decision. Of course we'd all like to meet up with whoever we want at Christmas, and every other damn day. But we understand why we can't at the moment. It is just one Christmas. It'll be nice next Christmas if everyone could look back at this one and think that they hadn't caused people to get ill - or die - due to the need pass out a few presents, eat a roast dinner, play a sill game or two, and then fall asleep in front of the tele.

The weeks around Christmas last year were bad for family reasons, but the actual day itself - at my sister's - was really nice; and she did a fabulous job. But this year I'm not going to go around. Because the right thing to do is not risk spreading the virus. My sister works hard in a food environment and has not been ill this year, and has been very conscious of the risk, and me similarly. If I went I'd be there with at least five people all of who have friends or family they bubble with, and people they work with, which soon makes the risk substantially higher. We all see people on the TV or via Social Media who are a little more relaxed (or don't give a damn about the whole thing). I'm sorry not to be going, and I do feel pressure to go because the government says we can. How many people will be pressurised this year to go to houses and meet with people who may be infected and two or three weeks down the road be 'a statistic'? And of course after the inevitable rise in cases in January how long till everyone is in Tier 3 again or even a full scale lockdown for the sake of a stupid decision made about Christmas?

Don't feel pressurised to go. Do what's right for you at this time. And also don't pressurise your friends or family to do things that they don't want to do this year, or is outside the regs and guidance - shit I'd love to go down the pub with me mates. But I'm not going to. Boy I can't wait until we can.

So on Christmas day I'll be watching a boxset, or a film or two, and making a roast dinner for one - Ho Ho Ho! But I know it is the right thing to do. I will be trying to get a mini-keg or two of local beer in for Xmas and Boxing Day too to make it feel at least a little better - and to support the local breweries (it's a true win-win).

Cheers.
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Liverpool: Reopening Crawl

So over three months after all the pubs, bars and restaurants (and hairdressers) closed pubs were finally allowed to open again to sell beer to people to drink at their establishments. This has become a thing of dreams to some, but no doubt a thing of nightmares to some people. I wrote a piece previousl about the closure of pubs back in March which you can read here.

The media called it Super Saturday along with other crass headlines. Personally I was looking forward to it with the understanding that it would not be the same and I was intrigued how it would work. But more importantly my hair really needed seeing to as I was looking like a cross between Michael Hestletine and Alan Partridge. I hadn’t booked anything. As I go to a little barbers I wasn’t sure how they’d do it.

PPEROC
Ready for the bus

First up after putting up the Seedling Challenge page was to get ready to go. I had my bandana of course. It was strange putting jeans, a shirt and my leather on. I don’t think I’ve left the house not in shorts and T-shirt for a couple of months (though recently with hoody or other top due to all the wind and rain). Then it was of to get the number 17 into town. It was my first time on a bus since March 19th.  From the seven people on the bus the only two who didn’t wear masks was what appeared to be a granny and grandson. She seemed mortified as we got on and she realised they had nothing and she told the boy to pull his hoody down over his face.

With stickers on the window indicating which seats were open for use and which weren’t it was interesting to see. I saw a couple of women sat next to each other which wasn’t in accordance with the rules. But in the main it wasn’t too bad and the windows were ajar too.

Got some cash out at a machine on London Road with the intention to walk down the hill past my usual barbers. If it was quiet my aim was to get a haircut. It wasn’t and the customers waiting were sat elbow to elbow in there: not for me!

With a haircut put on hold I was ready to head into a pub or two to see what was going on and to support them. I walked past the Crown towards the Dispensary first. There was a last minute adjustment being made to a rope barrier by the front door, and I asked when it was opening. I was told “Now” if you want. And so it was that I went into the Crown as my first pub for reopening. But as I looked across the floor to see the markings on the and was guided to where I should go and sit I couldn’t see any cask on. “Any cask on, mate?” “There’s only Doom Bar–you’ll be lucky to find any cask in town today, mate.” “I think I know a few places...”

And so it was, my first pub post reopening was left before I got 2 metres from the door, let along 2 metres from another customer. 

I reverted to my original plan to head to the Dispensary, but had to pause to take a photo and genuflect in front of the Sanctuary. Very depressing.

First thing at you spot at the Dispensary are the smart new (and large) tables and umbrellas. A great addition for an outdoor drink or two compared to the ad hoc wee table and chair arrangement they had previously. Indoors I was directed to a single chair to sit at near the fireplace and told before I could order I needed to text a phone number and then when I got a reply text my name. For groups of people only one person in a group would need to do it. It was an interesting way to do it and I wondered how much texting I’d be doing after another few pubs. Service was at the table.
Dizzy1ROC
New Dizzy Seating

There were only three cask on, which is fair enough given the unknowns and the smaller number of people they can get in the pub–with no standing. So my first reopening pint was an
OssettSilver King’ and my second was a RatWhite Rat’. Other than the signing in the only issue I had was the seating. Drinking alone as Billy No Mates you of course don’t get offered a table but a standalone chair without a table. The chair was rickety, so I moved to a second chair. A group of three sat on a nearby table which eventually became six. Once there were six there then they were right on top of me (not 1 metre) so I had to return to the first chair again. Ultimately everyone is on a learning curve. The landlords, the service staff, and the customers. 

DizzyROC
First Reopening Pint: a Silver King in the Dizzy


Bumped into a couple of CAMRA guys who were similarly looking to support the pubs and see what was happening.

Next up I’d decided to head down to the Bridewell. The service is always great with Dom works so table service would be right up their alley anyway. And his ale is always good too. This time the pub was pretty full and I ended up sat outside in the mizzly rain. Not ideal but not the end of the world either. This time there was no texting. Just write down your name and phone number on a record sheet by the door. Less messing about.

BridewellROC
Bridewell Pint: note damp (and long) hair

Read a couple of pages of a book on my Kindle but the rain wasn’t helping. Ended up with two pints once more, this time KirkstallThree Swords’ and ‘Pale’.

Third up was another pub I knew from Twitter/Instagram was open: the Baltic Fleet. Here I picked my beer at the bar and then it was brought around to me. I didn’t fill in any sheet or text anything. At least I got a table inside this time. Had a BrimstageTrapper’s Hat’.

BalticFleetROC
The Baltic Fleet

I decided I’d head into town. I knew the Ship & Mitre, Rigby’s and Dr Duncan’s was open which were all worth a go. But as it happens I saw a couple of people walk out of the side street by the Cornmarket and found it open. Here I bought the beer at the bar and took it to a comfortable leather sofa by the window. Again I wasnt asked to fill anything in. The pub was quiet, the moment: nice.

CornmarketROC
Cornmarket beer, Alan Partridge hair

Just had the one and headed next to Rigby’s. Incidentally I’d heard earlier that they’d laid of the manager of the Fly in the Loaf which I was incredibly disappointed to hear. The Fly has always been run very well since Dom and beyond. Not sure who or when the Fly is reopening, but it is strange that one of the Okell’s pubs was opening and not the other.

As it turned out I had a mixed blessing at Rigby’s. I was told to wait by the entrance while they found a table for me. I could see an empty table with one chair in front of me. The pub was quite busy though. Whilst I waited some guy came in and walked straight in and sat at the table (there was a couple behind me too). I was then told there was no room at the Inn. I was not a happy puppy. After a bit of a harrumph I left only to find it had been a wonderful conjunction of events, for I walked past a barbers a few doors down which was large and empty. I ended up being the last person in getting a haircut. No issues with social distancing: in and out, and a bloody great haircut. Hallelujah!

HaircutROC
Forget Accidental Partridge, I got an accidental haircut!

Having calmed down I thought I’d try Rigby’s again. I failed to get in again (and the bastard who’d taken my table was still there reading some crap tabloid... grr). Like I said; we’re all on a learning curve. Deep breathe.... ahhhhhh.

After finding Cornmarket was open the next one I found that I hadn’t spotted on Social Media was the Vernon–I knew the Lion wasn’t open yet. Was directed to an uncomfortable position in the back room. Definitely an issue for solo drinkers: if you don't get the choice you’re gonna get given the worse places to sit.

Nearing the end of my Reopening Crawl I headed into the Excelsior. It was pretty quiet. Picked an okay seat and had a Titanic 'Plum Porter'. It was dearer than the last time I was in there–when they were selling it off at £2 a pint on the last day I’d been out before the lockdown closures. It felt symmetrical. The Ship & Mitre had an early closing (and was closed on Sunday to evaluate how it went) so I never made it in there.

Excelsior1
Titanic Plum Porter once again in the Excelsior

When I’d gone out that day (19th March) Dr Duncan’s had been closed. It may have been a bit early closing but it was open again the first chance it could. Hence my last pint, back by Queen’s Square buses, was Dr D’s. Had a nice chat with the staff and a couple of customers. Suitably distanced off course.

All in all a nice crawl and good to see so many pubs open.

Key findings (other than the actual beer):

  • Everywhere is doing the name taking (or not) differently (it is currently guidance, not a legal requirement).
  • Fewer beers on (fewer customers and fewer beers available so no issue with that).
  • Prices had gone up considerably in one pub (I’ll let you discover which one). That may be a difficult balancing act with drinkers used to drinking at home now, but these guys have been shut for ages and need to make money with a smaller number of customers allowed in.
  • A bit random getting seated. And being on your tod, or maybe in a group of two, you can anticipate being hidden in a corner or in an awkward area of the pub where they cant fit a group.
  • It’s not the same having to be seated and not roaming around as and when. But you can still socialise a little with the nearby customers and anyone you spot from your seated positionwhich after over three months not seeing anyone is bloody marvellous.
  • Everyone is on a learning curve - us–the drinkers– and them–the guys and gals serving the stuff. Be good, be calm, be patient.

I had no issues with social distancing other than having to move myself away from a group in the Dizzy, but that was easily dealt with. Everywhere staff were cleaning regularly and there was hand sanitizer available.

Great to find these pubs open–and for me to drink in seven of them:

  • Crown
  • Dispensary
  • Bridewell
  • Baltic Fleet
  • Cornmarket
  • Rigbys
  • Vernon
  • Excelsior
  • Ship & Mitre
  • Dr Duncans

Looking forward to the Grapes, Head of Steam, the Lion and the Fly reopening: when they are ready.  Still absolutely gutted about the Sanctuary

And the best thing about Super Saturday? Accidentally getting a haircut. Get in!
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A Pilgrimage To A Real Sanctuary

Note: This article was featured on the GetIntoThis website which I've reposted here following the closure of that website. It is about the last visits to the Liverpool pubs as closure approached in late March and a dream of a crawl after reopening. It is made even more poignant following the news that the Sanctuary is to close:

A Pilgrimage to a Real Sanctuary

I don’t know about you, but I rarely remember my dreams or my nightmares. Sometimes I wish that I did. You know those cinematic ones that you can kinda control in some way? It’s like going to the cinema for free - and with you as one of the main characters. Still, if it’s a nightmare maybe it’s best not to remember, hey? But in all my dreams I have never had one where all the pubs were closed for days, then weeks on end. I mean I’m not sure I could sleep if I knew there was a risk of that. 
And here we are. In that real life nightmare. The pubs are shut. The beers are getting flushed down the drains. And it’s already weeks in. Forget the lockdown bollocks, I want lock-ins.
Of course we could see it coming. Each day, each meeting, the Government reeled out their stats and their methods: how we’d beat Coronavirus. Meanwhile Italy, Spain and the like all closing down. It couldn’t happen here, could it? Damn straight.

Crown1

In the final week of open hostelries, as the inevitable approached, I had to go out to support them: to see them one last time. So it was that on the Wednesday and Thursday, before Boris and His Boffins said social distancing needed to be extended to the closure of pubs, bars and restaurants, I went into Liverpool for beer. I really did go out without wanting to, just so I could say my farewells; and cry a little into a pint glass in-situ. On the Wednesday evening I went into the Head of Steam. It was only 9pm and tellingly they’d already rung last orders to the six people there. I headed up Bold Street next to the Dispensary - for a White Rat of course, then a quick one in the Roscoe Head before heading up to the Fly in the Loaf. The Fly was already shut for the night; it was ten o’clock. My heart was heavy. I ended up with two pints in the Caledonia before the bus home. As crawls go it felt a wee bit painful. It was like someone was lying in bed for their last hours and we were waiting for the inevitable (sorry, bad analogy, but it was).

Roscoe1

I’d only visited a few pubs and there was a couple of telling omissions. I wanted to go into town even less on the Thursday. But felt duty bound to show my support. Or was it to hold the hands of the grieving? I headed a different way this time, around Dale Street. The Ship was quiet, with barely double figures in there: social distancing was not going to be a problem and the Excelsior was quieter still, despite selling their cask off at stupid pence a pint. I helped them out by getting rid of one of their pints of Titanic Plum Porter I’m nice like that. I chatted to the bar man as he wiped the bar with disinfectant. The pub was pristine. Too clean. Any worse and it’d have stung your eyes. Third up was across the road to Dead Crafty. Now I’m a cask man, but I recognise good beer and good people, and Dead Crafty have both, so it had to be visited. Besides, it was clearly open and there was no telling how many other bars would be. The Lion Tavern was open but deader still; Liverpool’s only just crowned CAMRA Pub of the Year - what timing for the award. I had a pint but wasn’t even in the mood for the free juke box. I needed to head to the Sanctuary on Lime Street. It’s one of my regulars and I didn’t want to miss it in case the pubs would be closed before I made it out again. The staff and regulars are friends; even if I do my best to put them off with the odd open mic performance. On the way I noticed Dr Duncan’s was closed, so I popped in the Crown instead. All this talk of social distancing and responsibility was getting to me. Was I being reckless going to pubs in a time of the virus? It’s less than four weeks - aka ‘a lifetime’ -ago and I didn’t feel so, though I still felt a bit guilty. They kept saying the youngsters were ignoring it and would get the oldsters killed. Well hell, I’m in my 50s and in the Crown I was the younger demographic that night (apart from the stoic bar staff). And so it was that I made it finally to the Sanctuary for a couple. There were three of us there, plus two bar staff. A suitable end to my two day wake.

Lion1

And so iIt came on Friday. The 20th March: the announcement that all pubs and bars would be expected to close that night. It still sends shivers down my spine. All those lovely days and nights; the great people who work in the bars and make the beer. All those empty buildings. It’s haunting. I didn’t go out on the Friday, I’d done my bit. One landlady contacted me via Twitter to ask if I wanted a cask which would otherwise go to waste. I turned it down. I couldn’t drink it in a week - not without taking the week off anyway. Me turning down a cask of beer? Strange times indeed.

The two day pilgrimage around some of my favourite (and even the not-so-favourite) pubs of Liverpool was an unusual affair. Not exactly uplifting. But I was glad I’d done it. It was like my own version of ‘Last Chance to See...’.

I’ve hardly mentioned the beers. And of course they are integral to the way of life of a real ale fan, but they are not the be all and end all. I’m not a ticker. I love the pubs, the ambience, the people - customers and staff alike. AND the beer. I’m of the view that if I’m spending a few quid on a beer it’s got to be nice. Like many ale drinkers every time I go out it is not to go to one pub, it is to got to three or four. And boy, I am missing them. I’m still working as usual. My job has not been affected by this virus yet, but my social life obviously has. Jeez, I feel for anyone who is properly locked down. At least I get out five times a week to work. I’m going crazy just missing the damn pubs.

As I say I love beer. Anyone who knows me probably has that as a (the?) defining feature of me - I’ve got a damn Twitter and Instagram account devoted to it. But it’s not the beer I miss. It’s the pubs. I don’t drink much at home at all. A bottle here - and sometimes these days - a can there. It’s not the same drinking at home. It’s probably a good thing for me that I feel that way. 

SanctuaryAJW1

Well that was my pre-closure pub pilgrimage, what will the return be like? Firstly, let’s really hope that all the pubs survive this. Margins are tight at the best of times, and this is as far from the best of times as I could have dreamt. But when they do reopen I for one will be taking a couple of days off to undertake the return pilgrimage. It’ll be difficult as I’m sure they’ll be heaving - though many will be nervous about being in crowds again. And of course, when they first open it could be a 2m distancing thing. And a one in one out. Who knows? But all things being equal my first days back will take in the Head of Steam, Dispensary, Roscoe, Grapes, Fly, Dickens & King, the Caledonia.... and the Sanctuary. I can’t wait. Then maybe on the second day I’ll return to the Dale Street for the Ship, Excelsior, Dead Crafty, Vernon, Lion, Hole in the Wall and Rigby’s. They’ll all need supporting when they come back and I for one will try and do my bit. 

Look I can but dream - I just wish I could remember them.

Finally, that’s just the pubs, what they sell to us is the beer and we are lucky in Liverpool now to have so many good breweries on our doorstep. If this had happened a few years ago we’d only have had a couple to miss, but these days there are so many great little ones around Merseyside and the Wirral. My favourites are Neptune, Chapter, Top Rope, Black Lodge and Peerless, and then there’s; Brimstage, Love Lane, Melwood, Rock the Boat, Scrapyard, Southport, Parkers, Red Star. I mean with these breweries you are spoiling us. Sorry if I’ve missed yours off, but you get what I mean, we have so many good options to keep it local - beer and pub wise. 

So whilst I don’t drink much at home I will do a little bit and there are local supplies of local beers for lockdown. So whilst you are waiting for our locals to reopen, if you want to go beyond Oakham Citra from your B&M (which ain’t a bad option though), there are some options out there to slake your thirst. It’ll have the bonus of supporting local businesses too, so you can feel good twice. Here are a few: 


Black Lodge - Delivery only. Online order: www.blacklodgebrewing.co.uk

Carnival - Cans via online store: www.carnivalbreweing.me

Cask micro pub - Bottles and Cask cartons. (Deliveries 5-7:30pm). Check out their Twitter feed: @LiverpoolCask

Craft Taproom - Online store: crafttaproom.myshopify.com

Dead Crafty - Online order for delivery. Check twitter and Untappd for menu. Orders via email: deadcraftybeer@gmail.com

Londis, Penny Lane - Shop. Get yerself down there. (Check stock updates on their Twitter account: @LondisPennyLane

Love Lane - Online shop for delivery or click and collect: lovelanebeer.com/

Red Star - Range limited: www.redstarbrewery.co.uk

Rock the Boat - Boxes available for delivery: www.rocktheboatbrewery.co.uk

Scrapyard (Wallasey) - Beers in a box (£20 for 5l). Check out their Twitter feed @scrapyard_bar

Top Rope - online shop for deliveries: www.topropebrewing.com 



Happy drinking. See you on the other side. Sweet dreams.
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The New Normal (Not So Much)

What's the new normal going to be like? Clue: it’s not.

So this weekend, on the 4th July, a normality is to return. With pubs and restaurants to reopen. And almost more importantly... barbers. I for one can’t wait. 

Or can I? It’s been over three months since the pubs closed the door because of Covid-19 and one of my major pastimes was given the heave-ho. Have I got into drinking at home instead? Will I stay in and save money with a few bottles rather than going down the pub for a couple? Will I hell.

I love my beer, don’t get me wrong. But beer comes with the pub, it's not for watching the TV. Not in my book at any rate. Can’t wait to get back to doing little five or six pub crawls around Liverpool city centre. Or getting on the train for the Southport run, or a CAMRA coach trip to Derby or Leicester (?).

Apart from it’s not going to be normal yet at all. If you live in a village with a lovely old coaching inn with big gardens then you’ll be okay, maybe you won’t notice much difference at all. But for the 99% of us who live in an urban area–particularly a city–we are going to be buggered. Or, more importantly, the pubs are. 



The rules are such that there can’t be more than 30 people in a pub–however big it is. I mean one size does not fit all. Asking pubs to serve outside where it is safer is all well and good, but how can a little pub on a city street accommodate that? Taking names and details from all the customers is going to be fun. Minimise contact with the staff, but take their life story (okay, not life story–and it does make sense). No live music, or football to be shown: nothing to get the customers excited lest they spit out their germs everywhere. Then there's the PPE, the hand-washing and the one way system and one in/one out to the toilet. No standing at the bar chatting to the staff. No... well no anything.

So pubs are reopening and normality is returning. Apart from the pubs can’t attract enough people to survive. Can’t generate atmosphere. Can’t entertain. Can’t make their customers feel comfortable. Oh yes, definitely back to normal.

How can the pubs survive with so few customers? Without the joy of a group of friends out for the evening? How can the music economy (the proper gig economy) survive this? It's all a matter of time before more and more establishments fall at the wayside. This will damage individuals who work or own these businesses and harm the towns and cities we live in. The impact of this virus is going to go on for years even if a cure falls into our laps this year.


We put a lot of faith in everyone not to catch and spread this most strange of viruses. And seeing the recent footage from parks, beaches and of course our Pier Head, that faith is not held tightly. If we look at what happened in the US where hardly anyone wears masks, and they opened up businesses as if there was no virus, it is rampant like never before. Trump's inability to say 'Wear a mask' has fucked them. They opened bars like they were normal in many respects so it was no surprise what has happened, and we are not doing that so maybe we will be a lot better of in terms of the virus. But in terms of the business it is untenable without government support.

Whenever you do go out, be sensible. Follow the guidance. Because if the Covid-19 numbers get out of control or even just take longer to come down then it'll be a longer time before the new normal becomes the old normal. It's simple folks:
keep your distance; keep your hands clean; limit touching your face; wear a mask in enclosed areas or in close proximity to others. That's it. It ain't rocket science. Be calm and patient and be very, very nice to all the staff looking after you.

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So far I’m not sure which if any pubs are open on Saturday–obviously when I say pubs I mean real ale pubs and not the Concert Square or Wetherspoons variety. I want to give my custom to my favourite pubs that I used to go to: they deserve it, even if I don’t. I am going to head into town first thing though to see if I can find a barbers to deal with my problem and then I’ll see if I can find a pint in an environment that doesn’t make me want to cry.  I may well come back with no luck on any front at all. Watch this space.
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There Is No Sanctuary Anymore 

Well this weekend brought the news that the Sanctuary on Lime Street is to close its doors permanently. One of the first confirmations of pubs in Liverpool to be closing as a result of the damnable pandemic: it won't be the last.

It goes without saying that I wish the owners and all the staff all the best at this time.

It has been a great little boozer for the last few years for me. One of my most regular haunts. Often I would pop in at the start or the end of a wee crawl–or even both ends of one. It was always laid back. There was always music on (I’m not saying it was always to my taste, but hell yeah. Music!). The decor was ‘interesting’ if built-in distressed is your thing. From outside if looked like it could be a wine bar with the logo on the window, whilst inside it was spit & sawdust. It was a contradiction in many ways.

Beer choice could be a little up and down, but usually there was one or two–sometimes even three–that were worth staying for–or else I wouldn’t have, would I?

There wasn’t a big turnover of staff. And all of them were friendly and outgoing. Going out of their way to look after the customers (even giving me control of the music on several occasions. Yeah, an evening of Frank Turner, Wilco or Magic Numbers anyone?). One of last year's highlights was going in there for a few pints whilst waiting for the parade for the European Cup. We watched the progress of the parade on my phone so knew exactly when to leave to catch the buses, got some fab photos and then went back into the Sanctuary within about twenty minutes or so. A perfect afternoon, which unfortunately we won't be able to repeat for any parade for winning the league.–more's the pity.



Best of all I was in one Thursday evening reading a book when I noticed someone walk upstairs with a guitar and found out it was Open Mic. I popped up to watch, telling myself if they weren’t all shit hot I’d get up and play a song–partly on the basis that I didn’t know any of them and I need not show my face again if it all went tits up. I nervously strummed a couple of songs in super fast time and sweated like a pig… and since then I’ve hardly missed any. I hadn’t played in front of anyone for about twenty years. Unfortunately I hadn’t been practicing much either. But rediscovering the guitar was great and it has been the highlight of many a week since.









The continuation over recent weeks of the Open Mic online has been a lovely way to break up the week, especially the monotonous evenings (so much TV watched). Our little Zoom Sanctuary has been great, but it’s not a pub. It’s not the same.

It won’t be the last pub to go and I’m fearful for which of my other favourites may not survive this most painful of years. I’ll miss meeting up with the Open Mic crew at the Sanctuary. I’ll miss the banter with the staff and customers. I’ll miss sitting there reading or writing. Hell, I’ll just miss the Sanctuary.

RIP The Sanctuary. It was good to be in you.
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A Very Good Evening

Last night was Open Mic #4 of the Sanctuary Zoom Open Mics. It was the oddest one. Lots of people couldn't be there due to life commitments and/or watching Chelski v Man City. So as it was there were only three of us online rather than the usual nine or so. In addition to myself there was Matt Holland (.author.com) and Rebecca. Matt does stories and Rebecca does audience–and does it very well. Yeah, I was the only 'musician'. At least until the end of the night.

It was almost nine when I logged in. Despite the low attendance there was never the question of cancelling it and we had a good night. Matt read a couple of old stories and gave us a trial run of a new one he's working on. And I did at least eight songs, which I'll list below. Other than that we reminisced about pubs and drunken exploits and talked about if and when we'd go back to the pub again.

All this with one eye on our phones to see how the footy was going. When I left the commentary after twenty odd minutes City had been on top. But football is a funny old game and if they failed to win Liverpool, after their 4-0 thrashing of Palace the day before, would be Champions for the first time in thirty years. As the designated old git at Open Mic I'm one of the only ones who was alive and going to watch Liverpool back in the 1980's when we won all that came before us. I could understand the excitement of the youngsters not there at the evening's possibilities.

As it was, of course, Chelski scored first and it was 1-0 at half time. City equalised with a worldy free kick… and then a sending off and a penalty gave Chelski the game. Liverpool were fucking Champions of absolutely everything (currently holding the European Cup, the Super Cup, the World Club Cup and now the Premier League Champions): it's not been a bad year. If you discount the coronavirus (or indeed only count the footy).

At this point the Zoomers all left to go to their doors or windows to hear the singing, watch the fireworks and hear the street noise. It was brilliant. I just wish my dad was here to have shared in it. A day so long in the waiting. Back in the early 80s before I had a Season Ticket myself my mum and dad would take it turns to take me to the game with the parent and child ticket. As well as going to several games with both mum and dad. Mum was a red, dad was a fans of the Sons (Dumbarton to you). He'd have enjoyed the day and celebrations immensely.

Getting back onto Zoom it was time for another bottle of beer (I was drinking Platform 6.1 and Oakham Citra) and I played another song or two.

Niall came on from Dublin looking suitably very happy and gave us a rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone–which the rest of us did our utter best not to wreck, but probably failed. The night ended after much talk about football, beer, celebrations, fireworks, car horns and the wish to be able to celebrate it properly at some point.

Open Mic 4

We all decided 1:30am was late enough and called it quits. We'll probably change the day next week as next Thursday it is the Man City game–guard of honour and all that. So maybe it'll be on Wednesday or Friday. Either way I'm sure there will be more than three of us (with a late a guest appearance). We shall see.

My setlist (for it must be as set once you're over five songs, surely?) comprised:

  • Homeward Boud
  • You Ain't Going Nowhere
  • Down By the Water
  • Congratulations
  • N17
  • Hotel California
  • Somewhere Down the Road
  • Sweet Carolina
Comments

Footy is Back (and I need to watch some)

Well hello, it’s 17th June and it’s been so many long days since the last Premier League game (they say it’s been only three months but bloody hell it seems much longer). This morning I was thinking I’ll get Sky Sports for the month. Liverpool are on Sky a minimum of three times and at the moment just the first one - the derby on Sunday - is Free to View. 

Assuming that there will be at least four Liverpool matches on Sky over the month and then there are other interesting matches so I may end up watching six to ten games for £18 not bad; so £2-3 is a no brainier really. I’m not one for using dodgy streaming sites unless I’m full on desperate.

It’ll be strange to watch without an atmosphere from the fans. But we are in a strange place in all walks of life. I’d rather the league continued this way than  it be sorted by Points Per Game.  

We’re going to win the league one way or another but not being able to celebrate it like we did last year for the Champion’s League will be the strangest thing. Having a parade when it is safe to do so will be well weird. Can you postpone euphoria?

So it’s not going to be normal but boy I can’t wait for the build up, the matches and the post match autopsies of every game. Bring it on.

FirmSal

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Update: looked up offer and it’s £18 for Sky Sports and then
another £18 for the football. And the website is so damn unclear about it all. Grrr. Maybe I’ll just for for a Now TV pass when I want one instead. Umm,,, then again that’s £10 for a day pass, or £25 a month, but for that you need a three month subscription. Grrr… Maybe I’ll go for the NowTV mobile phone option, which is £6. Can only watch on phone - and not cast it anywhere.
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Decision made. Went for the phone option. Went smoothly enough adding the pass and app to my phone, so I'm good to go. It'll be just like being there… not. Better than nowt and all for the price of a pint and a half. Wonder whether the sound will play through my bluetooth speaker. That'd be a bonus.

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Calexico and Iron & Wine Gig

Calexico-1

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)

Calexico-5

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.

Calexico-3

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).

Calexico-2
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.

Calexico-4
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'.

DancingHorses

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.
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The (New) Dispensary

HaircutMe

It's been an interesting couple of weeks seeing how the Dispensary transitions after the long reign from Pauline and Dave came to a quite abrupt end. It is understood that the tenancy came to an end on the 15th September and they decided not to renew it. The Dispensary under their stewardship won the Liverpool CAMRA branch Pub of the Year on multiple occasions and the beer choice and quality was never less than exceptional. They kept their decision to leave pretty quiet and it was only in the last ten days of their rule that it became common knowledge. Wherever they end up going and whatever they end up doing I wish them the best of luck.

In the meantime the new managers of the Dispensary require luck and hard work to maintain the tradition of the excellent cellar here, lest it become just another pub. I've been in a few times since the change of the guard and although it's very early days things are looking good. There have been a few changes which are mostly positive or at least neutral. The board with the beers on now has prices on it which is always handy in decision making and getting your money ready at the bar. And talking of money they have entered the 21st century and like many of the other nearby pubs now take card payments. Yay!

The beer choices so far comprise the same breweries that Dave and Pauline took, including Titanic, Ossett and Rat. Definitely a great big plus. Got to be good to have White Rat still available.

DizzyBoard

WhiteRat

There is now no fear of the answer at the bar if you ask for a coke (not that I ever would) but sometimes people require a soft drink. Here is my mate with half a coke…

Coke

They still have TVs and the footy channels (BT and Sky) for those interested. And Liverpool are still winning. They've retained the bar staff too.

They also now sell Guinness. It is a drink from my past, but I have often heard people ask for it here and been disappointed not to find it. Not a big fan these days but hey, at least they've got themselves a nice old school pump display for it. They also have a small heater perched at the end of the bar for pies and whatnot. Food in the Dizzy! What next…?

Guiness

… well, toilet roll in the toilets for a start which is nice.

In the last few days there have been returning customers who were previously banned or at least felt unwelcome. No doubt the customer base will settle down in the coming weeks when the novelty value has ended.

So, in summary, a positive start for the new guys. The key to its continued success will be all about the cellar and the bar staff.
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Eight Pubs

On Saturday, as I mentioned on my previous post, I decided in the absence of the North Wales CAMRA coach trip to go on a local jaunt around many of the Liverpool hostelries I enjoy. Here is how the afternoon transpired.

I got the infamous No. 17 into town and got off on London Road. My route for the day was undecided at that point, but it was best place to get off and get some cash out by the Tesco. I took out thirty quid and then made the happy mistake to go into Henry Bohn's - a wonderful second hand bookshop at the bottom of London Road by the Empire.

Twenty minutes later I came out with a much heavier bag (and eleven quid lighter) having bought two Terry Pratchett's: The Wee Free Men and Nation, and an Olaf Stapledon: Last and First Men. However the day transpired this would make it a good one.

8 Pubs1

I was in the process of reading 'Moscow Drive' by a local guy, Mark Porter, who I'd met on the aforesaid infamous 17, in which he name checks lots of Liverpool hostelries I have been know to frequent, including the Raven at Walton Vale, and in town the White Star, Lion, and Ma Egertons (which I'd just got up to in the book). Ma Egerton's is behind the Empire so it seemed the obvious place to start in a way. Unfortunately it hadn't crossed my mind that it was only around an hour or so before kick-off and Everton had their first home game of the season at 3pm. Egerton's was an obvious meeting place, being next to Lime Street Station and a taxi rank. So it was packed. I walked in and then out. Ma, I'll catch you another time. Instead I went to the Crown. It too was busy with a fair few fans, but I'd timed it to perfection as far as service was concerned. Sizing up the selection I went for a beer (and brewery) I hadn't had before, a 'Sunshine IPA' from Wooha Brewing Company. A decent, hoppy, low abv pint for the start of a session. I drank it in the backroom, the only place I could find a seat, and perused my new old books surrounded by people eating massive coronary inducing platters (looked good).

Next up was only a hundred metres down the road and one of my regulars, The Sanctuary. Here I bumped into a Twitter friend I've never met before, but knew was a regular at the Sanctuary, Stephen Ackers aka @beefynets. He has got into doing VSS365, which - as well as liking ale - makes him mighty fine. Here I went for an Adnams 'Mosaic'. Whilst it is a bit of a large brewery for me I do like the single hop brews, and it was a nice (hoppy again) choice. After bidding farewell to Ackers, whose bags were heavier than mine thanks to Lidl's 'beer festival', I went on to number three. The area of attack was now clear - I couldn't be out for too long (having work on Sunday) and I never want to miss the Grapes, when I have the choice, so basically I knew I was bound to continue around the Hardman group of hostelries. Therefore next up was the Dispensary.

Say what you like about the Dizzy (and boy people do) the cellar is the best kept there is. They had White Rat and King Rat on from Rat Brewery. Whilst not ideal for a session I went for the stronger (5%) King Rat for the extra oomf. Was not a mistake. Gorgeous. Got into conversations with Dave, the landlord's husband, about things football and CAMRA related. We agreed to disagree on some and agreed to agree on others. Liverpool scored against the run of play whilst I was there (not on telly) whilst Archer was beating the daylights out of Steve Smith (also not on telly).

TheEightPubs

Next up was the Roscoe Head, one of only five (who knows, maybe fewer now) pubs in the entire country to have been in every edition of the Good Beer Guide. I'd bumped into Carol (the landlady) on Wednesday in the Fly and said I'd pop in soon. She wasn't in, but I bumped into a couple of people I knew. After the heavier abv. in the Dizzy I went for another light one and the Red Willow Brewery 'Effort Less', whilst I continued to read some more of Moscow Drive.
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(the Strawberries and Cream was from a different day - these images are from my @realeliverpool Instagram account)

Got a quick bite of something and nothing from the Co-op before heading on to The Grapes. It's a wonderful pub and one of the most improved over the last couple of years - just be careful if you are visiting Liverpool not to mistake it for the aberration (at least from a beer perspective) for the Grapes on Mathew Street. Here it was time for a local brew from Neptune Brewery (I think the best brewery on Merseyside, but there are lots of great ones these days) and another new beer for me, the Cabo Baja Sur. Sat in the bar on the right I got chatting to another reader (she was reading the Time Traveller's Wife, but was not over enamoured with it). Good beer, nice chat. Excellent. But I couldn't be resting up, as I'd intended to make eight different pubs and time and beer was of the essence.

I headed next back over Hardman Street and up to the Hard Times & Misery, which is now called the Dicken's and King. I was happy to see they had another Mosaic on and, even better, it was from Neptune. It was lovely. Probably my Beer of the Day, if I was handing out awards. Again bumped into a couple of people for chats about things beer, football and writing related.


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The late kick off was Man City v Spurs and as a Liverpool fan I had a little interest in it, even if it is so bloody early in the season (Liverpool had beaten Southampton in the 3 o'clock kick off, after apparently playing pretty poorly). Anyway, it made sense to head next to the Fly in the Loaf and catch a beer and the end of the game there. It was 2-2, then Man City scored in injury time to get the winner. A big cheer went up as there were Evertonians in the house post their game and they already want City to win the league - can't think why. Thankfully VAR stepped in (ridiculously) and disappointed blue noses of several persuasions. I enjoyed it muchly with an Ilkley Brewery 'Summer Golden Ale'.

That was pub number seven. So where for eight? There were plenty of good local options including the Pen Factory, the Belvedere, even the Phil, but I went for the Caledonia. They've had an Americana festival on all month, and there was a chance I could catch some music. As it happened I did catch a couple of tunes from Alex Gavaghan all accompanied with another local brew a 'Session IPA' (words that really shouldn't go together in my view) from Liverpool Brewing Company.

Good beer, fine music, interesting conversations and reading. All in all a damn good crawl.

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Alex Gavaghan in the Caledonia
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Pub Crawl

Time has been a bit short this week, with the new routes in Wales I've been given one of the short straws with Llanwrst and Trefriw. Bugger of a route with narrow roads, one ways, wrong geocodes, named houses and some very isolated properties – even deeper into Snowdonia, past old lead mines, deep in forest and into hiking territories. With up to 80 drops a day a single drop that takes 30 minutes is very frustrating - however beautiful the locality. I was lucky to just get back in time to watch the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday, which has been the highlight of the week.

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Isolated walking territory, Snowdonia

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Hafna Lead Mine, Snowdonia

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Maenan Hall Folly

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Gwydir Castle, Llanwrst

Was originally hoping to be on a real ale trip to Conwy and Colwyn Bay today with the Wirral Branch of CAMRA, but the coach was booked up. Meanwhile my usual couple of cohorts went on a last minute holiday up to the Isle of Bute, which looked lovely. So I have been left to my own devices. Um'd and ah'd about going to Manchester, or doing the Southport Run or maybe Chester or a Wirral trip. But hell I've opted for closer to home and a go-with-the-flow wander around Liverpool hostelries. Will try to get to a few more than usual, which means shorter stops and quicker drinks. Unfortunately I'm working tomorrow, which means I can't be out this evening.

Will see how it goes. Will try and take some photos and make a few notes to turn into a blog - partly because I haven't done any blogs this week. I'll also try and do my
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Have a good weekend folks.
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Fantasy Footy's Nearly Back

The football season is almost upon us–I know, it already is for some none Premiership footy fans, but I'm talking Liverpool. Anyway, I'm also talking Fantasy Footy. I've done it the last few years. Generally the better Liverpool do, the better my team does. Stands to reason with the reliance on three players from Liverpool every time. Just put up my provisional team and the most difficult thing was picking which Liverpool players to pick (on the Fantasy Footy League I'm in you can only pick a maximum of three from any one club; I do the fantasy.premierleague.com one).

How could I not pick Robertson or Allison? I ended up going for Salah, Firmino and Keita. I wanted Mane but couldn't afford him, and maybe Origi is worth a punt or Ox; this football management lark is quite difficult.



It asks you to select colours for a kit. Of course you could ignore it. But then again you could just select: red, red, red, red.

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May set up a league for VSSers. But not sure how many would be interested. Need at least eight to make the league look like a league and not just a match.

I've selected a crap team name. And defo need to change that before the season starts–now that's not a problem a manager usually has (unless he's at Hull). Something based around Six probably.
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Some Parade!

Well, what a weekend. Had to go to the parade, of course, to soak in some of the colour and noise, but most of all to welcome the boys back. Town was heaving with something like 750,000 people out to see them, so it was a bit of a headache to decide where best to watch them. The last time me and the lads went to greet them was after we beat West Ham in the FA Cup Final in 2006 and I decided (for it was my call) to watch it around the same place again. That time we had quite a long time waiting around, but this time we the advantage of being able to watch the stream of the parade live, so we could watch it to see where they were up to and leave in good time to watch them.

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As it was up behind the Walker Art Gallery it was only up the road from the Sanctuary, so it was a no brainer to get a nice couple of ales in there then walk up when they looked about ready to make it down the road. My only fear (being the one making the call) was there was a delay on the stream and as we walked up past Lime Street Station I did think it seemed remarkably quiet and wondered for a moment. But I needn't have worried. As it happened we walked off the closed fly-over on to the dual carriageway, where there were plenty of people about but lots of room too. We were only there for a couple of minutes before the motorbike police came down to clear the way, followed by police on foot - we could not have timed it better. We were close enough to touch the buses as they went past. Brilliant.

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The Liverpool boys were all up for it, swinging their scarves, singing, banging the side of the bus. Milner and Robertson looked particularly energetic. Maybe it's the Ribena (or lime and soda) but I don't know where Milner gets his energy. All the guys were obviously loving it - especially Klopp.

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Got some fab photos. Shouted and sung a bit. Followed the bus down to the bottom of the road. And basically loved it.

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Then was back in the Sanctuary within about 45 minutes of leaving it! Win-win-win!!
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Number Six - On The Fly

Oh Happy Days! Yep, yesterday Liverpool got to Number 6 with that loverly cup which we have that love affair with. Not the bestest match but who the hell gives a toss about that?

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I've been lucky enough in the past to go the UEFA Cup Final in 2001 in Dortmund, which Liverpool won 5-4 on a Golden Goal against Alaves, and then again in Istanbul for the miracle, 3-3 and then winning on penalties v Milan. In 2007 I went to Athens but didn't get a ticket (or get in) but had a great time with the build up and watched the match in the Craft Beer Bar (where else?). I also went to Paris for the European Cup when Arsenal got beat by Barcelona as I'd booked flights and a hotel 'in case' Liverpool got there, which I had done for Athens.

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Anyway, I am not in a situation now where I can currently follow Liverpool like that (money - I'm not banned from travelling or anything) so for the last couple of years I've been following Liverpool in the pubs and bars of Liverpool. Usually this is in the Dispensary or the Fly in the Loaf, and this season it's largely been the latter. For the second leg of the semifinal versus Barcelona there was just me and me mate on a table in the Fly. The pub was not heaving at all. Not enough belief in our brand of European brilliance! But yesterday it was bound to be mad in town, and it was. Needless to say we had to get into town early and grab a spot to watch it, whilst leaving enough time to find somewhere else to go if it was already full. As it happened me and Ste got in the Fly for 4pm and grabbed the last couple of seats. Yes! Other mates risked it getting in an hour or so later and we all managed to watch it together perched on tables or against the walls.

In summary, the atmosphere was great. The beer was great. The result was great. And the Fly was great.

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Managed a celebratory pint in the Sanctuary after the match and more incredibly got the last bus home!

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Now got to go off into to town for the parade. There will be oceans of beautiful red everywhere. Bring it on.
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We Are Liverpool

On Wednesday I had to put the van in for servicing. Was a little painful in terms of waiting and finding it wasn't done on the day. In the end I walked bloody miles all the way from Stanley Dock to the Baltic Triangle and back then back again. A lot of walking. Still, it was a beautiful day and I had my camera with me so took a few nice shots around the city. Including talking the opportunity to get the Klopp mural and angel wings in the Baltic Triangle. With beautiful architecture throughout and public art around it's a very photogenic city at any time - but on a blue sky day it's even better. And the start of the this week, including Wednesday, was an absolute belter.

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Klopp, our wonderful manager.

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I put quite a few on Instagram the other day (as you can see above). I also put photos up there from my travels around the north west and Wales - as well as Liverpool. Click on the photos and take a look.

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Former Adelphi Bank Building, Castle Street, Liverpool.
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Liverpool Beer Fest

Made it to the Liverpool Beer Festival last night after work - a little later than I would have liked. Thursday night is the opening session and has the advantage of being the cheapest ticketed session (a bargain £3) and of course all the beers are available - come Saturday afternoon and evening the cask choice will be getting limited.

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It was a nice session, busy but not so much that you couldn't walk around. Didn't have any beers that made me go "Wow!" but certainly had some nice ones. Liked a couple of the local ones including the Ad Hop 'Robusta' and the Liverpool Brewing Co/Team Toxic 'Koheutek'. The Hawkshead '5 Hop' went down well. But I was disappointed with my beloved 'Jaipur.' There was some talk that the beers were not at the best and that that maybe partly because of the unseasonably warm weather (it was T-Shirt weather yesterday, which is ridiculous for February). There is no entertainment on the Thursday which is a bit of a shame (particularly with me missing the Open Mic night). Still, it was a good night. And anyone heading there will no doubt have a great time.

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No guitars, but a Liverpool Supergroup.

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Of Mics and Men

Open Mic at the Sanctuary last night actually had a mic and multiple guitars. Huzzah! There were multiple singers as well as poetry and short story readings. Excellent, as ever. Not sure why but all the open mic'ers are men. Come on ladies, bring your plectrums.

I didn't play Shed a Tear, which I was working on this week, in the end I went for my current favourites:

  • You Couldn't Get Arrested
  • Somewhere Down the Road
  • Sweet Carolina, and
  • Heart Breaks Like the Dawn

I sing most each song with my eyes closed. Don't know why or how I stop that - or even whether I should. That said a brief video has emerged on Instagram showing that maybe they're not quite as closed as I thought they were... click on the photo.

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Couple of mates turned up, including one who doesn't have a musical bone. Not sure he'll be back often unless it's just for the beer (didn't like the stories or poetry either). It takes all sorts to make a world.

I was made 'spare' on Friday so at least it meant I could have a couple of drinks. Unfortunately there weren't extended drinks in the bar so had to settle for one in the Fall Well (Wetherspoon) here I had a lovely Peerless Oatmeal Stout whilst I waited for the bus (not even the last bus).

Plans re the guitar playing include in order: work on strumming patterns; write some songs! Then maybe get into scales and riffs. Strumming and songs very much first though.

In other news I have a beta reader of my first six chapters of the 'book' I wrote for NaNoWriMo in November and it's getting to the point where I should get on with writing the rest of it. I reckon it should be another 30-40k words. If I did 50k in one month then I should be able to do that in a month too should I? It's all about motivation and getting in the groove again with it. Having not touched it since getting to the 50k at the end of NaNo I need to finish reading where I'm up to and get writing.

I'll give myself six weeks (I have the guitar to work with too - which I wasn't playing until the second part of November). So watch this space. Could I finish my first whole book?
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Open Mic 2

Yesterday I went to play a few songs at the Open Mic in the Sanctuary Bar on Lime Street. It was the second time after playing three songs there a couple of weeks ago. Last time there were fewer people in attendance which made it easier to play after I'd heard a couple of people playing. This time there were more singer guitarists I'm not sure if I hadn't played the other week whether I would have got up in front of them.

I was second up and played three songs: Van Diemen's Land, the One I Love and Better Be Home Soon. Struggled a bit with the One I Love which is daft, because its the easiest one to play - or at least the one I've played the most. I think the nerves of like playing probably made me play it too quickly. Still I managed to force myself into the high notes and then did the Crowded House number. It's the first time I've played that in front of anyone and it wasn't too bad.

Following me on to the mic was Dave Glyn Jones, who I've never seen before and bloody hell he was good. If he'd come on before me there is no way I would have gone up and played. Very very accomplished. Great guitar and a gravelly blues voice and funny with it. Damn talented. The next two came up, who I didn't catch the names of, and they were great too. It was an enjoyable night and my mate who had never seen me play before had come along. Surprisingly he really enjoyed the night as he's not really into bands that much, but he found it all excellent (especially Dave).

Dave spoke to me afterwards and kindly told me not to be so self deprecating up there and that I had a nice voice (?) and good musical taste. I'll take that. Just need to play the guitar a lot more often and learn some new tunes. I know if I keep at it and keep throwing myself in front of an audience I should get more confidence and with that get better at the whole thing. It's been a nice distraction to start doing this and I'm looking forward to seeing where it will go.
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Giant's Farewell

I was off on Friday so took the chance to go hunting for Xolo and the young boy Giants in Liverpool's 2018 Giant Spectacular: Dream.

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These humongous marionettes are something else. It's difficult to describe how good they are if you haven't seen them for yourself (a bit like trying to describe what Glastonbury Festival is like to someone who's only ever been to V or Reading). The point is they are incredible and the who shebang that goes with it makes it seem more than the sum of its parts. Liverpool is lucky enough to have had three visits now from these wacky French guys and of course we had La Princesse (the amazing spider) too.

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Last time they were here was the summer and a ridiculous hot opening day, which meant that they ended up running very late. This time the weather was cool, grey and overcast and so the running was not delayed at all. My tardy arrival meant that I got there with a requirement to play catch up and I did over toward the Anglican cathedral. At that point I only caught the rear end of Xolo bouncing up the road and then waiting for the young boy who was travelling up in an open car. He only started walking again further up the road on the way to Prince's Park. After that it was breakfast, reading and writing and a couple of beers before catching them back on the way down.

In the afternoon I caught up with them on Duke Street. I stood on a bit of street furniture for a better view and this time caught Xolo and the lad. Xolo at one point running past before going to investigate a group of people sat atop a container. The controllers of these marionettes do a brilliant job of animating the character out of them. It does really do the movements you'd expect of a dog (giant or otherwise). Once more the boy was sat in the back of a car, but just after he passed me he was hooked up on the following contraption to begin the walk down the lower half of Duke Street.

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The crowds were enthralled and I met and chatted with people who'd travelled from all over the UK to see them. The hotels and restaurants must have had a boss weekend.

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Yesterday I was working (and had a horror of a day). The pictures of the crowds on the Strand looked incredible, but have made me have second thoughts about going down to see them this time - I'll never get a spot like I did last time they were here and in any case I'd have to pop away pretty early to get to a pub to watch the Man City match. So unless I have a last minute change of heart (or the company does and they return) then on Friday I saw the last of these wonderful creations. Incredible art and entertainment for the young and old. Thanks to all involved for this year and all the previous ones. Wonderful.

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The Weekend Starts and Ends Here

I've got me a one day weekend. Back in tomorrow. So will be out for beers later in Liverpool for a wee crawl, after buying a few bits and bobs, then it'll be time to catch some footy. Should be another great game between Liverpool and that Chelski shower with a quick retribution in mind following Wednesday night. May even catch some of the Mancs match. Expect I'll get to five or six top hostelries - you'll have to check out Twitter to see how I do.

Started beta-reading a FlashDog novel this morning. Up to the third chapter and it's really good so far. I shouldn't be surprised by now that there are such accomplished writerers within the FlashDog community. After meeting everyone via the very short stories we composed in Flash Fiction Friday and Angry Hourglass it is with great respect I see all these guys stepping on up and out to novels. Hoping to finish the book this week and get my comments out by next weekend.

In the meantime it is anticipated that 'DeadCades' will be released this week. Exciting stuff. And releasing a horror book in October... seems like it's almost by design. Many thanks to Steph and David in advance for all their work on getting to this point. Definitely top dogs (in a good way).

Went to the PO earlier to pick up a parcel from a couple of weeks ago. Er, I'd been sent me some cheese and biscuits. I wish I'd known I'd have made an effort to pick it up earlier. Not sure if the cheese is supposed to be this stinky. Will report back later... many more thanks for the surprising gift! You know who you are ;-)

Apparently it's World Guitar Day - who the hell makes all these things up? - perhaps I'll strum a little later. Made me think who are some of my favourite guitarists. It's a tough call, and if I thought longer or on a different day, my top picks (no pun intended) would no doubt be different and just as defendable. Here's today's top four anyway: Ry Cooder, Chuck Prophet, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

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Jimi SRV


As for guitars, I have two; a lovely dark green Telecaster (I know three of the four above are on Strats, but hey I love a Tele) and a Takamine 363 semi-acoustic.

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Museum of the Moon, Liverpool

On the morning of the European Cup Final before popping to Southport for a couple of beers with me da I took the opportunity to go and see the Museum of the Moon which was in the Anglican Cathedral. I'm glad I did.

Really impressive considering it's just a big balloon. Made from the Nasa photos it is the whole moon in glorious detail at 1:500,000 scale It is lit from within, which obviously works well in the enclosed space of the cathedral. The 'art' was created by Luke Jerram and has been touring the country and indeed the world. Looking at photos from other locations it has been in it clearly is a knockout wherever it goes.

It's on in the Anglican until the end of the month, so you've a few more days to catch it if you fancy it. Take your camera!

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On the Shoulders of Giants

There was fab news this week in Liverpool about the fantastic French Giants returning once more. Who'd have thought 'big puppets' could be so enthralling and illicit such emotions. But if you haven't seen them live then you'll be in for a treat if you do get to see them this time. We were lucky with the weather in June 2014. In fact it was so hot the puppeteers had to keep stopping to keep hydrated (it is heavy manual work moving these lovable monsters).

Took lots of shots and some came out okay. But it is difficult getting a good position with such enormous crowds. I was made up to get one of my photographs in the official book about the event 'On the Shoulders of Giants' (the fourth photo below).

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Winter(ish)

Not managed any writing this week yet. Been reading Calendark though - it's excellent! Should finish it tomorrow and aim to get a review on to Amazon and/or Goodreads during the week ahead. In the meantime I've been reading Sal's chosen sentences from each story on Twitter. These extra 140 characters are giving her more options aren't they!

The week at work has been a mixture of fences and ditches. Well, cold weather and breakdowns. Was fearful of the snow and ice in Snowdonia today when I was handed that route, but it didn't turn out to be the hospital pass I thought it would be. Ye haw! Just a wee bit of snow and no slip-sliding away into ditches or trees - always a bonus!

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Last night the forecast for tomorrow was heavy, heavy snow across Liverpool and the north west, and whilst I am off for the day I had two concerns 1) it better not bloody mean the Liverpool v Everton derby gets called off and 2) better charge my camera so I can get some nice pics of Liverpool in the snow.

That said, Snowmageddon has now been un-forecast and Liverpool is forecast to be a bit nippy but not under feet of snow. At least that means the game will defo be on, but the chance of getting some nice snowy photos looks to be postponed.

Really looking forward to the match, will get a few choice beers in Liverpool too - and finish off Calendark. At some point I need to do this week's FlashFeed; haven't even checked out the photo prompt yet.

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Photos from a Liverpool Day Off

My one day off this three day weekend and I went into a sunny Liverpool on Sunday to catch a bit of Folk on the Dock around the Albert Dock and popped into the Baltic Fleet to catch some singing there.

Glad I remembered to take my camera with me as it was a lovely day and there was loads of great stuff to see. It helps because this fair city is so photogenic. Here's a few of them. Many more on Flickr of course...


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And then I got to watch Liverpool smash a bizarrely poor performing Arsenal 4-0 in the Dispensary with a couple of pints of Rat Brewery 'Lab Rat'.

All in all a cool day on a warm day.




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A Different Day Today

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Last week I picked my Day to attempt to write a story for, for Shakes' CalenDark and then came up with a germ of an idea - I even wrote some words (really, I did). Today I've changed my mind and chosen another day. As soon as I picked it an idea formed more completely in my mind and it should be easier to write it with the story arc pretty well defined. Of course now I have 'just ' to write the fucker. A month to go: No problem. Err... anyway the aim is to get a couple of thousand words done over the next week - as a minimum. Will report back by this time next week.

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Of course this weekend it's a Bank Holiday and that means more time for writing with a three day weekend, right? Wrong. Worked Saturday and working Monday. So only off today. May get a few words down, but main thing was getting this idea sketched out - an achievement in itself. Liverpool being Liverpool there is loads on at the moment. Disappointed to miss the Mad Hatter Brewery Yard Party yesterday, but today I think I'll go and check out the folk festival at the Albert Dock and/or the shanty groups down at the Baltic Fleet for a bit this afternoon.

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Then of course there will be a few choice ales watching the Liverpool v Arsenal match. Come on you mighty reds!


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