Tuesday

I never have problems sleeping, except on one day each year. That is the day when I travel to Austin for South By South West. The route is Southampton – Manchester – Chicago – Austin, and the flight is very early in the morning.  I have booked a taxi and set the alarm, so that should be sufficient, but no. What if the alarm fails to go off? What if the taxi driver’s alarm doesn’t go off and he fails to turn up? Best not to risk going to sleep then, but in this case it’s immaterial, because I have such a savage cough that sleep is out of the question anyway.

That cough. For days, I’ve been worrying on behalf of whatever poor person will have to sit next to me on the eight hour transatlantic flight. Now I am sure I have the answer. I have bought a bottle of cough mixture and cleverly decanted most of it so that less than 30 ml is left. Unfortunately that cuts no ice with the officials at Southampton Airport, who insist it is thrown away. They assure me, though I don’t believe it, that cough mixture is on sale in the departure lounge.

Astonishingly, I am wrong, and purchase a replacement bottle which enables me to spare my germs from the businessmen who make up the entire passenger list of the commuter flight to Manchester. I look around and confirm that I am the only person present who is not wearing a pinstripe suit. I feel rather proud that my next few days are not going to be as dull as theirs will be.

Transferring to the next flight makes you feel good, as you are fast-tracked to the front of the queue. To my relief, the security gentleman doesn’t make me throw away the cough mixture again, and I board the plane. This time last year, it was a huge jumbo which allowed me to stretch out across three seats, just behind Jarvis Cocker, who was doing the same. This plane, however is much smaller and inevitably I am squashed next to someone of enormous girth who spills over on to my seat. Boarding is an hour late because – get this – the incoming flight has had to be diverted round Iceland because of an erupting volcano. Then, we sit for a further hour and a half while engineers try to supply the plane with water, not for the radiator as I naively assumed (I suppose jet planes don’t have radiators), but for the loos and the tea. In the event, the tea tastes as if the water came from the loo anyway. My handy pocket book of crosswords comes in useful in passing the time, in contrast to two truly terrible Ricky Gervais Hollywood films which are played back to back on the neckache-inducing screens. I find myself star struck when I find that my vegetarian lunch is labelled “Rachel Unthank”. I wonder if she is just as thrilled to find hers is labelled “Oliver Gray”. I’m sure hers tasted just as crap as mine did.

The lateness means a quick stopover in Chicago and before I know it I’m in Austin, where my friend Paul collects me from the airport. By way of explanation, Paul is my best mate, even though he now lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We became pals back in the early eighties when both he and I were managing bands in Hampshire. He emigrated a decade ago and our annual treat is a visit to sxsw, where I write articles and search for new bands, he takes photos and we generally drink and laugh ourselves into oblivion for a glorious four days of musical overdosing (much like everyone else there). So from now on, most references to “we” and “us” will be shorthand for “me and Paul”.

Wednesday

It dawns warm and sunny, and my cough is in full retreat as we stroll from our conveniently-situated Super 8 Motel along Red River and towards the Convention Center, where our badges are to be collected. This used to be a tedious and slow experience but technology has helped enormously and now it is sorted in a flash, with the customary American welcoming politeness which is a hallmark of the entire event. They give you a huge bag of merchandise which weighs a ton and demands to be jettisoned immediately, so it’s straight back to the hotel with that before anything else can be undertaken. The hotel is pretty basic but has the merit of being affordable even though it is central. It does triple its prices during sxsw week, and its “complimentary breakfast” consists of donuts, muffins and coco pops and thus you’re not missing much when you sleep till midday, which is of course inevitable after each late night.

My request for the afternoon was to re-visit a place I went to with my wife when we first visited Austin ten years ago. The Oasis is an extraordinary restaurant built into a series of decks overlooking Lake Travis. It recently burned down and is in the process of being rebuilt as something much more posh. We chomped burgers and revelled in the sunshine.  I couldn’t believe I’d forgotten the sunscreen.

That was it for the car. From now on, beer was going to be a major part of our diet, so the car remained behind and it was down to feet and the very occasional taxi in time of need. Just for the record, I am suffering from a very painful foot. This kicked in more or less immediately and remained agonizing throughout the four days, so anything I describe as “walking” should actually read “hobbling”. This is significant, as any visit to sxsw entails many, many miles on foot. I’m going to attempt to describe the scene.

At first glance, everything seems reasonably reachable. There is a slew of venues on Sixth Street, and on thoroughfares like Red River, which cross it. There is nothing to stop you just staying in this temporarily pedestrianised area, the most crowded, but you’d miss out on an awful lot if you did. Some bigger venues, such as the open air one at Town Lake, and also La Zona Rosa and the Austin Music Hall are quite a serious hike away. Here is where big names are likely to appear (examples this year being Smokey Robinson and Ray Davies), but we have bitter experience of long journeys followed by fruitless hours standing in queues, and now ignore these events. Some of the best shows are in venues such as Opal Divines or the Continental Club, both of which are a long way from the main action. A few places, such as the improvised venues on South Congress (Home Slice Pizza, Yard Dog Gallery), the Mean Eyed Cat (home of Mojo magazine) and the Hole in The Wall (out by the university) are actually quite a hefty taxi ride, but normally worth the effort. One or two bars (very few indeed) actually choose to opt out of sxsw altogether:

That badge thing: Most people have badges, which don’t actually guarantee you entry to anything. There are also wristbands, which put you in a different and slower queue. Some people try to get by without paying at all. This is pretty hopeless in the evenings, when the official showcases are taking place, but during the day parties, you can go almost anywhere you like and, with patience, will get to see virtually any band, because they all play several shows, some managing as many as ten or more over the four days. The main difficulty is finding out who is playing where and when. I am embarrassed to say that it took us two years to discover that the daytime scene exists at all, since the officially documented events only run from 8pm to 1 am. This is, of course, the teeniest tip of the iceberg.

Sometimes you will find out what’s what because you are on a particular band’s mailing list. Sometimes there are posters which give you clues. Word of mouth is very active, plus nowadays there are all sorts of social networking devices which I don’t comprehend. Sometimes you can strike lucky by spotting a long queue and attaching yourself to it (a couple of years ago, I got to see the Flaming Lips in a tiny club by doing this). One thing which it is honestly worth ignoring is when word gets out that a big, unbilled band is playing in a small place (this year, it was Muse at Stubbs). You are in severe danger of standing in the queue for five or six hours, missing a load of other good stuff, and still not getting in.

It’s not really like Glastonbury at all (for a start, most of sxsw is indoors), but one thing the two do have in common is the problem of awful clashes. With nearly 1500 on the bill, when you search the schedules, you sometimes find a certain time when there is absolutely no one you want to see, followed an hour later by five or more acts you are desperate to see, all playing at the same time in different places. Or, in a variation on the theme, someone at six o’clock followed by someone else at seven o’clock but unfortunately five miles away. If you’re not careful (and I’m not careful) you catch the first few songs of Act A (you know, the unfamiliar ones from their new album), miss the rousing climax and arrive at Act B just in time to catch the immortal words “Thank you, good night”. You then listen to the crowd discussing what an incredible set it has been.

Wednesday

I started sxsw 2010 in the same way as usual, the Canadian Blast, which takes place in a tent in Brush Park outside the Convention Center. Canadian music is government supported and usually this event is great, but this year I was unfortunate enough to encounter a series of rather nondescript bands, with the exception of You Say Party! We Say Die!, who were actually quite good, but I couldn’t take them seriously because their singer reminded me too much of Miss Jones from Rising Damp.

It was time to head for Lamberts, a far-flung upstairs venue which is actually a smart restaurant in normal life. Here you can find the most expensive beer of any sxsw venue, but it is very good beer. By contrast, the toilet was one of the very worst (and there’s lots of competition). The seat was broken and the floor awash with urine.

Mark Mallman, from Minneapolis, is one of my very favourite US artists, his melodies presented in a wild and eccentric stage act which comes across as a mixture of Elton John and Alice Cooper. On this occasion, he was performing with his other band, bouncy electro-poppers Ruby Isle. I wanted to talk to Mark about a possible UK tour with Chuck Prophet, but the news was bad. The proposed fee would mean a big deficit for Mark, and he doesn’t have record company support. Despite that disappointment, the show was great (how many bands feature a step ladder?) and Mark is always ideal for a good photo opportunity.

Opal Divines is a long way from Lamberts but I had promised to visit Welsh singer songwriter Christopher Rees, who was excited to be playing with the South Austin Horns. It was a flying by the seat of the pants show, but a nervous Christopher came across really well with a soulful performance, quite different from his normal more country stylings. The only problems were the lugubrious concentration of the sidemen and the almost complete lack of an audience. I had to set off before the end on a hike to see someone who, no offence, beat the horns hands down in the beauty stakes.

Asteroids Galaxy Tour is a Danish band we stumbled upon by chance at last year’s sxsw.  Their claim to fame is having their tune Around The Bend used in a TV commercial, but they are fantastic fun, with the stunning Mette backed by what amounts to a soul band, complete with horn section. In truth, they haven’t moved on for a year. They are still great entertainment but you wonder what the future holds for them. It’s a miracle that industry types haven’t tried to transform Mette into a Gaga-style electro-Diva, but she seems the sort of person who wouldn’t take kindly to attempted manipulation.

Just up the road is Club De Ville and my next plan was to see a band I’d wanted to see for a while, namely Bowerbirds. It turned out to be an object lesson in the Unacceptable Face of sxsw. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it’s infuriating. Along with a couple of hundred other people, I stood for over an hour as a completely hopeless excuse for a sound crew failed to enable the extraordinarily patient band to conduct a sound check. The crew were communicating over the PA, which revealed that they genuinely had no more clue what they were doing than most of the crowd would have had. Along with many other people, I eventually gave up and left without hearing a note, sad that we had potentially missed something good round the corner. That’s why I was headed to Stubbs, to try and get in early for Austin’s finest (equal) band, Spoon. It was a big deal for them to be headlining the prestige (if quaint) venue and they pulled it off with aplomb, aided by the fact that they only have a few members and instruments and therefore don’t need complicated sound checks. Plus, bless them, they do a sweetly lugubrious cover of the Damned classic “A Love Song”. As usual at Stubbs, we nipped down a secret side alley which heads to the stage and got a deafening ringside view and the traditional telling-off from the bouncers for using flash photography.

Thursday

Yesterday, I had made the embarrassing error of heading to a Shearwater show 24 hours early, having mis-read the schedule. The Galaxy Rooms is a strange place which seems to change hands and name each year. It is currently up for sale and completely empty, which actually makes it great for gig-going. They have brought in a stage and a PA, which is pretty well all you need. I make no bones about adoring Shearwater (prog roots revealed) and they delivered as usual. They all look so blissfully happy, it’s no wonder the music comes out so brilliantly. In the wrong hands it could be pompous, as it is, it’s sublime.

The afternoon panned out in perfect style. At two, we were at Headhunters, a homely metal dive which annually plays host to the Six Shooter Hootenanny, a label shindig for Toronto’s finest. With free Tequila and lovely tacos and salad, the atmosphere is fantastic and the music invariably great. Each act does just a couple of numbers and lots of cross-pollination goes on. Each year, I find something new and fun here, and this year it was Hot Panda.

Long-time favourites Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland entertained next, before we had to head off for an hour.

What could possibly drag us away from the Hootenanny? Probably the best band of the festival, that’s what, namely Rhode Island’s The Low Anthem, who had triumphed at the End Of The Road Festival back in September, and who triumphed again at the Galaxy Rooms. How lovely that such quiet, slow, intelligent music can hold an audience so rapt amidst all the mayhem on the streets outside.

Back to Headhunters in time to catch the wonderful Justin Rutledge rocking out to a much greater extent than usual with backing from The Beauties, newly signed to Six Shooter.

I was on a mission by now, doubtless fuelled by the Tequila, and needed to see one off my favourite artists, Jason Lytle (previously of Grandaddy). Lytle famously hated the pressures of fame and now has gone so far as to assimilate himself anonymously into a band called Admiral Radley, which played six times during the festival. Unfortunately we chose the wrong show because (are you seeing a pattern here?) they had trouble sound checking and by the time they got going, only had time for three songs, ignominiously playing behind a flickering projection of a sponsors’ logo. But I would later encounter Jason again.

After a quick peek at the excellent Besnard Lakes at Stubbs, I was off on a hunch. A friend had recommended Nive Nielsen, a singer from Greenland, to my knowledge, the only artist from that country ever to play at sxsw. Also, she was playing on the eighteenth floor of the Hilton Garden Inn, a plushy oasis where the beer is surprisingly cheap and the seats unusually comfortable. I like to go there at least once a year for a rest from excessive volume. Nive was enjoyable but suffered from a condition afflicting many this year, namely an inability to resist using loads of unnecessary musicians. Many of the songs got lost in the convoluted arrangements and it was always a relief when she did something solo. Plus, ahem, it entailed very lengthy soundchecking.

Everyone says how brilliant the Drive By Truckers are, so in the spirit of supporting local music, we headed back to Stubbs. Last time I saw them I found them to be lumbering, bog-standard alt-country with few redeeming features, and this time I found them to be – er – lumbering, bog-standard alt-country with few redeeming features. Surrounded by a crowd of Truckers fans, we survived five songs before heading off to a far more important Texan band.

Centro-Matic have been a highlight of all the “South Bys” I have attended apart from last year’s when they unaccountably didn’t play. After the disappointment of the cancellation of Will Johnson’s tour with Jason Molina (owing to Molina’s illness), it was essential to see them this time and, of course, they never disappoint. Even in the characterless Emo’s Annexe, the trenchant rock and Johnson’s soulful vocals underlined their uniqueness. It was terribly sobering when Johnson dedicated one song to the memories of Alex Chilton, Vic Chesnutt and Mark Linkous. That is way too many dead geniuses.

Buffalo Billiards is normally one of my favourite sxsw venues. Situated upstairs, it tends to host the hottest shows. This was where I was in the front row for Franz Ferdinand’s breakthrough show, one of the most exciting experiences of my life. Here, too, I shared the ladies’ toilet with Ricky Wilson of Kaiser Chiefs, but that is another story. This was where I rushed to after Centro-Matic, to catch another bunch of heroes from Denton, Midlake. Surprisingly, there was no queue, but a musical problem for me. Despite their “The Courage Of Others” being one of my top albums of 2010, they also suffer from having too many extra members. Because most of their instruments, including non-rock and roll items such as flutes, are acoustic, they – guess what – soundchecked forever and then gave a muted and, oh dear, I’ll have to say it, rather boring performance. Oh well, bed time anyway.

Friday

This is a good moment to add that the bands mentioned here are only a sample of those we saw. Nipping in and out of bars, you catch snatches of scores of bands you never identify, plus others you fail to remember. And while it isn’t really a street festival, you do come across gems on street corners, such as the Coal Porters, playing their hearts out outside a bank on Sixth Street.

Whenever I am at South By South West, I keep my eyes open for Hampshire bands. This is a strange thing to do in Texas, but I am aware I’ll be doing reviews for Hampshire publications and that they like a “local angle”. It’s normally quite a hapless task because, although half the musical population of the UK is present, there seldom seem to be any Southampton musicians around.

So it was with a certain amount of joy, not to mention surprise, that I spotted in the programme a reference to Southampton. What’s this? Band Of Skulls? God, it sounds like some horrible hardcore band, but I’d better investigate.

Investigation proved fruitful. They sounded great, they seemed respected and they were about to tour with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. But – my blood ran cold – it seemed I knew them after all. It dawned on me that this was a band previously known as Fleeing New York, about whom I had once written a stinking review. Now I may not have been wrong about that particular band, but obviously things had changed in a major way.

So in Austin, I was determined to find Band Of Skulls and make amends. The show I had decided upon (out of several) was to take place at the Cedar Street Courtyard at 1 pm, an outrageously early time by sxsw standards, but the alternative would have entailed going to something called the British Music Embassy, a nastily jingoistic establishment populated by freeloaders and the rump of the music industry. The Cedar Street Courtyard, on the other hand, is the ultimate place to see A Big Band In A Small Venue. Last year, I stood through four acts I didn’t want to see in order to be in the front row for Primal Scream on a stage the size of a pocket handkerchief, while in previous years, I’ve got close to the Kaiser Chiefs, Embrace, Billy Bragg and many others. The intensity is very rewarding, but this time there was a problem. There was only one queue, and it was plain that hundreds of hopefuls were employing my “get there early” technique in order to see BRMC, scheduled for later in the afternoon.

On this occasion, someone had decided to roll all the queues into one, which was not exactly fair for people like me, who not only had a badge but had also gone though a lengthy online rigmarole to reply to an invitation and acquire a confirmation. Well, I’m not proud, but I wasn’t going to miss this band, so, in an entirely uncharacteristic Margarita-fuelled attack of bravery / aggression, I barged past the doorman and charged into the crowd before anyone could stop me, rather startling the smartly dressed delegation from the Hamburg Reeperbahn festival, whose promotional stall I knocked over in the process.

The reward was ample, though. Sneaking through the side bar to prime position in the front row, I felt a warm glow of pride as the compère announced that he was a radio DJ and that Band Of Skulls was the most requested band on his station. A Southampton band making it big in the States? How exciting is this? And how could it be?

Well, how it can be is that this is not just a band name change, it’s an entirely new and very American sound. You know how the White Stripes and the Black Keys have that spare, bluesy earthiness but sometimes you wish they had a bass player? That’s the trick that Band of Skulls pull off. Bassist Emma Richardson looks and sounds great, cool in a Hynde way but somehow rather English Rose-like. Guitarist Russell Marsden is more unkempt but wrestles out abrasive squalls of sound and makes a grand job of that most excellent rock and roll tradition of kneeling on the floor, extracting groans and screeches from his effects pedals. Plus drummer Matthew Hayward, with his minimalist style, outshone at least two thousand other drummers in town. The hooks on many of the songs are almost chants, simple yet not obvious. Wow! For a second, I toyed with shouting out “Go Southampton!” at the end of the set, but resisted, for fear of being branded a football hooligan. And, for obvious reasons, I chickened out of trying to speak to them. I would have apologized for my age-old petulance, of course.

I had already booked Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles to play in Winchester, so wanted to make sure it had been a good idea. The Belmont is one of the most salubrious sxsw venues, and I have to admit that, lolling on the patio in the blazing sunshine, eating a “cone of shrimps” and nursing a Dos Equis (the most glorious Mexican beer), I felt all was very good in the world. So it was that, when I spotted the notoriously shy and un-showbizzy Jason Lytle in the crowd, I simply marched up and started talking to him. I don’t know what came over me, that’s just what sxsw does to you. Luckily, the mood seemed to have got to him too and he was charm personified, allowing me to feel that I hadn’t entirely made a fool of myself. Sarah Borges was great, too, so visiting the Belmont was a good result all round.

Paul, meanwhile, had adored Low Anthem so much that he insisted on trying to get in to what turned out to be a private media showcase, and had lengthy and unfruitful negotiations with an unbending security team. So we met up again to try to get to the Hole In The Wall, a distant venue where Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express were playing the first of their many shows. The taxi we eventually found was driven by a militantly gay chain smoker, maybe not the kind of thing people associate with Texas, but this is Austin. On the return journey, the driver was an outspoken and vile homophobe. Ho hum.

The Chuck show here was intensely vibrant, maybe not one of their tidiest (he told me afterwards that he “didn’t know what the hell was going on”) but with all the unique excitement that a full-on Mission Express show can stir up. Here, as all over town, the spirit of Alex Chilton was palpably present. Alex had been billed to play at Antones with Big Star but sadly passed away in New Orleans on the Wednesday. Chilton songs are always a feature of Chuck Prophet shows and this was no exception. I was so excited that I forgot to take any photos, but I did manage to film one song:

http://www.youtube.com/user/oliver794?feature=mhw5#p/u/3/b6Th0FvMMZE

A long walk and a nice meal later, it was time to hit the Central Presbyterian Church, one of several ecclesiastical venues brought into sxsw service. Just as well we arrived early, because they can’t just pack more and more people into the pews, so there is a more finite capacity than elsewhere. A long and friendly queueing procedure (with no alcohol or loos available) was eventually rewarded by Band Of Horses, playing melodic, Eagles-ish music which seemed entirely appropriate. Hard on the bum though.

For some reason, I thought it would be a good idea to see Boxer Rebellion at Maggie Mae’s but I was wrong, as they turned out to be a bombastic, sub-Muse affair. Entertainment was to be had, though, observing one gentleman pouring beer from the balcony into the upturned mouth of his mate on the ground floor below, with quite impressive accuracy. It seemed like an ideal opportunity to get early into the line for Red Eyed Fly, a venue where queuing is very dangerous because it is in a busy car park. Fruitless, too, on this occasion, as after forty minutes of immobility it was clear we were never going to get in to see Deer Tick. So time to trouble the shoe leather again in a challenging trek to the Continental Club. This is one of the most atmospheric Austin venues. Someone once told me that Elvis played here. It’s probably apocryphal but I choose to believe it. This journey was teeth-grinding as it was, because it meant missing Chuck Prophet’s “official showcase” at the same time, but Elliott Brood were only doing one show and I wasn’t going to miss it. I arrived in time to decide I loved the Deadstring Brothers after all. I’ve had an on-off relationship with their music over the years, but this environment suited them perfectly.

Elliott Brood is a hellraising trio from Canada, whose wild stage show is renowned. On certain occasions (for example, this one), they supply the audience with wooden spoons and baking trays, employing them as a vast percussion section. The show lived up to expectations, complete with stage invasions, collapsing equipment and the aforementioned mass culinary accompaniment.

After that, something calming was required and that was provided once again in the sanctuary of the 18^th floor of the Hilton Garden Inn. I can take or leave Tom Brosseau, but his decision to dispense with all forms of amplification was a blessed change from the rowdiness of the day.

Saturday

The best-laid plans … The idea today was to amble out to the Mean Eyed Cat for the Mojo day party, but no one had anticipated the weather intervening in such a dramatic way. Overnight, the temperature had dropped by forty degrees fahrenheit! In the morning, there was sleet in the air. All day, the whole of Austin was remarkably quiet, the queues non-existent and the few brave souls around the place were wrapped in blankets and cagoules. Most of us, of course, had no such gear with us. I ended up buying three tee-shirts during the course of the day and wearing all of them on top of the two I started out with. Thank goodness for the sanctuary of the Six Shooter House, where we had been kindly invited to spend the  morning but ended up spending hours, because everyone there was so convivial, the endless Margaritas and quiches so irresistible and the music so wonderful (they set up a studio in the cellar and do impromptu live recordings).

Luckily, the house was a stone’s throw from Home Slice Pizza, a mine of cool music, and the inimitable Yard Dog Gallery, where we caught Jon Langford, followed by yet another Chuck Prophet show. Goodness knows how any of them managed to play any chords without their digits falling off.

At this stage I had planned to see Athlete, but had been saddened the day before to see a snatch of them reduced to an uninspiring acoustic duo. When their first album came out, I’d have bet on them being a world-beating band, but it’s been pretty much downhill from there. So it was off for a final visit to Red Eyed Fly (this time no problem about getting in, for obvious reasons) to listen to a few great new songs by Ben Weaver. When I shook his hand it literally felt like a block of ice, so goodness knows how he managed to play the banjo. Wrapped up in his hoodie, he had the air of a benevolent monk.

Now this is pretty shaming, but at this stage, I chickened out. On my list of unwatched bands for Sunday evening, I find Gemma Ray, Drums, Ian McLagan, Grant Hart and Swervedriver, but not only was the cold unbearable, but I was back into “panic about waking up” mode. What if I don’t hear the alarm clock? What if the taxi driver doesn’t hear his / her alarm clock? Oh god, how will I ever get home (etc, etc)? But the next day, remembering previous years when I have partied till 2 am and then had to get a morning flight feeling completely shit … well, I didn’t regret it.

And the best thing about the return flights? Waving goodbye to my bag at Austin Bergstrom airport and seeing it pop out in Southampton. It always seems like some kind of miracle, to be repeated next March (of course).

Eels

Royal Festival Hall, London

23 / 5 / 05

Since Eels concerts have been known to feature fist fights because of E’s insistence on a seated, silent audience, the RFH must be his ideal venue. And the “special guests” turn out to be a Russian animated children’s film. Eels’ unpredictability is almost becoming predictable.

To be fair, he couldn’t turn up at some rock dive with this Butch-less (i.e. drummer-less, not really Eels at all) band, complete with nubile string quartet. Hardly a song on “Blinking Lights” is more than two minutes long, so there’s very much a “classical” feel, with each brief “movement” being politely applauded. With his crumpled Charlie Chaplin suit, cane and ever-present cigarette, it’s purely the E Show, although sometthing that is new and works brilliantly is the blending of strings, pedal steel and saw.

Apologizing for maybe disappointing us (he even disguised “Bus stop Boxer”. “Birds” and “Dog Faced Boy” as rquests for the Queen), E really needs to learn that he can actually do what he likes and we WON’T MIND!

The Hollies

Basingstoke Anvil

20 / 10 / 05

View: From the Bus Stop (only kidding, folks)

Stylish threads, snappy guitars, cracking tunes and cool haircuts … it could only be Franz Ferdinand. Or, indeed, the Hollies. With a new deal, their first original album in two decades due in February, and offical endorsement from the likes of My Morning Jacket and Fountains of Wayne, the Hollies are on quite a roll.

Peter Howarth might have been born to front the Hollies, so perfectly does he fill the role. In among all the hits (many now expanded from three to four part harmonies), he unexpectedly inserts solo acoustic adaptations of “Here I Go Again” and Springsteen’s “Sandy” which contend with any of today’s singer-songwriters and knock spots off James Blunt (ironic, in view of the fact that their best new song is called “So Damn Beautiful”).

Both Bobby Elliott and Tony Hicks have drunk from the fountain of youth, and the new young Hollies members have rejuvenated the band. To be chucking in vital-sounding new songs and reinterpreting most of the old ones is pretty energetic stuff after 42 years on the road. And as Hicks launches into a spectacular Lynyrd Skynyrd style coda on “Look Through Any Window”, you wonder why they’ve never been treated with the respect they deserve. Michael Eavis, put them on the Pyramid Stage on Sunday afternoon at Glastonbury 2007. Imagine that lot singing along with “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”.

Cerys Matthews

Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

21 / 7 / 06

Cerys claimed that she’d been the first band member to reach the hotel lobby, so keen was she to get onstage after a six-year absence. How pleasing it is to report that what seemed to be one of the UK’s lost treasures is back in style, beauty, good health and fine voice. A small frisson passed over the crowd as, three songs in, Cerys and her crack band of long-haired instrument-swopping Nashville musos treated us to “Lost Cat”, but it was the only reference to either her Catatonia past or her more recent country dabblings. Clutching a guitar for most of the hour-long set, and with the occasional false start and nervous glance revealing that this was the start of a new project, she proved she certainly hasn’t lost her way with a tune. With both the little girl lost falsetto and the Rhondda Roar fully intact (albeit with an accent which combines Tennessee and Swansea), a good-humoured Cerys gave notice that her new “Never Said Goodbye” album is going to be a cracker and that her new career is going to be as exciting as the old one. Who’d have thought it?

End Of The Road Festival

Dorset, UK

17 / 9 / 06

View: Scrumpy-addled

Just when we thought there was no gimmick left to plunder, we realize we’d overlooked tap dancing. The unfairly pulchritudinous Tilly On The Wall are certainly the first band since Mungo Jerry to feature miked-up stomping boards. It would scream “short-lived gimmick” were it not for some super Abba-style tunes and harmonies.

Howe Gelb can be either slick or shambolic. Today (sans moustache and gospel choir), he was in semi-shambolioc mode, but that’s when he is at his most endearing.  His version of PJ Harvey’s “The Desperate Kingdom Of Love” squared the circle between Arizona and Dorset.

Despite (or probably because of) Ryan Adams “drumming”, Jolie Holland was a major disappointment, but Richard Hawley’s modern-day crooning cheered things up a lot, as did the harmony pop of Jim Noir, by no means as bleak as his name might imply. Plus, he had stolen Howe Gelb’s moustache.

As Ryan Adams carpet techs hit the stage (don’t ask), the word was that he was being “an arse” backstage, but this turned out to be a measured and incident-free performance. Neal Casal has brought equilibrium with him and traded extended licks with the main man on “Cold Roses” and on numerous examples of what Adams terms his “new jams”. Inspiring stuff, and a great coup for a new festival which, in the words of Chris TT, is “run by human beings and not a beer company”.

Steve Winwood

Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

25 / 4 / 2007

The warm atmosphere and the billing of this three-hour show as “An Evening With Steve Winwood” revealed Steve as a man comfortable with all stages of his career. In no particular order, we were treated to Spencer Davis hits (a throwaway “Somebody Help Me” and a monstrous “Gimme Some Loving”), Traffic classics from early (“Medicated Goo”) to later (“Light Up Or Leave Me Alone”) via Blind Faith (“Can’t Find My Way Home”). Landing at the Winwood solo years, his most commercially successful period (“Higher Love” etc.) now sounds his artistically weakest, while the latest album shows an artist at the peak of his powers (his cover of Timmy Thomas’ “Why Can’t We Live Together” being an unexpected highlight of a set with may highs). The evergreen Winwood can afford to surround himself with the cream of sessioners, and by any standards, saxist Paul Booth and stand-in guitarist Tim Cansfield are sensationally funky. From the very first note, the silken Hammond, the glorious work on the bass pedals and that voice – seemingly unchanged since he was sixteen – caused the audience to pinch itself at being so close to a legend. Dear Mr Fantasy indeed.

Spencer Davis Group

100 Club, London

3 / 2 / 07

View: Very close

The current version of the Spencer Davis Group has been together far longer than the original one, and contains such great musicians that it’s a mystery why their profile isn’t higher. The answer is, of course, No Winwood, but Eddie Hardin remains as excellent a replacement as he was in 1967, teasing out the huge Hammond sound to accompany the towering guitar of the evergreen and ever-dexterous Miller Anderson. The genial Colin Hodgkinson on bass gels nicely with the newest member, drummer Stef Porzel, while Spencer … well, he remains Spencer, the catalyst figure, still addicted to life on the road when he could well have been forgiven for slipping into a comfortable retirement. Warmed up by a fantastic London mod trio called The Turn, SDG’s act is the hits and more, of course, with my favourite being Hardin’s reflective interlude “Deep In My Despair”. As they blasted out “Gimme Some Lovin’”, the sweaty R & B atmosphere was probably much as it was when they were playing such subterranean London clubs in the Sixties. How nice to know that some things never change.

The Twang

Joiners Arms, Southampton

March 28 2007

View: Unimpeded

This should have been a lot better. The Twang is the new buzz band – front of the NME after just one single, for goodness’ sake – but there was a surprisingly low-key atmosphere among the mostly male and – whisper it – largely middle-aged audience. The sparse instrumentation and Brum-accented spoken vocals attempt to give a 2-Tone feel but the effect is more The Streets played by Duran Duran. Yes, the dated guitar effects are pure eighties and laughable if we weren’t convinced that these are cool dudes. They aren’t even convinced themselves, with front man Phil Etheridge only waking up two songs before the end and the guitarist and bassist looking terrified throughout. The audience only recognized one song, unsurprisingly the single “Wide Awake”, and there wasn’t much in the set of similar quality. One doesn’t like to be pessimistic, but a long and successful career seems unlikely.

Isle of Wight Festival 2007

The festival started with a tenth-rate Supertramp (The Feeling) and some music for TV ads (Groove Armada). Snow Patrol’s anthems were too squeaky-clean for their headlining slot.

Saturday featured the original IOW troubadour, Donovan. The mass singalong to “Sunshine Superman” suited the mood perfectly. The impressive funk and ska of the charming Amy Winehouse had the whole field jumping. Total fun, as were Wolfmother, who brazenly usurped the approach of the island’s honorary patron saint, Jimi Hendrix.

Ash blew it by trying out new material on an inappropriate occasion, while Kasabian came close to stealing the show with a set of deceptive subtlety. Sadly, this competed directly with the island’s own brilliant Bees. Muse’s preposterous pomp-rock triumphed because of its sheer bravado, the Persil-white Matt Bellamy being second only to Jagger in the showmanship stakes. The plan was to blow the audience away, and it worked.

Sunday was a delightful mish-mash of contrasts. Country Joe followed by Melanie C, anyone? The distressingly bland James Morrison caused mass dozing, but more exciting was cheery Scotsman Paolo Nutini, with his sideways approach, cool image, daft demeanour and willingness to rock. The frantic Fratellis seem to be in a career cul-de-sac like the similar (but better) Supergrass. Keane’s huge singalongs and undeniable quality made them a perfect warm-up for the rock and roll maelstrom that was to follow (see this page).

Wonderful music, great organisation, nice environment; this was one damn good festival.

End Of The Road Festival

Dorset, England

14 – 16 September 2007

Voted Best New Festival of 2006, this year’s End Of The Road reaped the reward with a hugely increased audience and fine weather conditions. Being entirely about music, there are no big stars or egos, as artists jam with each other and pop up for impromptu sessions all over the place. The setting, in the beautiful Larmer Tree Gardens, is surely one of the loveliest festival sites in the world, and the line-up of mainly Americana, indie and folk artists was adventurous and clever.

The most exciting things about EOTR this year were the unexpected surprises. Here are some of the highlights: Jeffrey Lewis’ multi-media show featured wall-to-wall covers of songs by Crass. Dawn Landes concluded her set with a joyful duet with the unbilled Josh Ritter. The good-natured genuineness of blues plucker Charlie Parr succeeded in trumping the less subtle excursions of flavour-of-the-moment Seasick Steve. On a noisier note, the three-piece Charlie Bronson Outfit almost equalled the mad eclecticism of Yo La Tengo, who rampaged between the quietly melodic and the sonically insane. Howe Gelb curated the first day, guesting with every artist he presented, including the crazy but sensational Albini-prouced Scout Niblett, PJ Harvey collaborator John Parish and the magnificently atmospheric Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter, arguably the best band of the weekend. Howe Gelb’s own set on the main stage featured gorgeous lounge piano excursions. The grooviest, most danceable band of the festival was undoubtedly the Isle of Wight’s Bees, whilst new discoveries included My Brightest Diamond, a Drugstore for the 21^st century, the Flaming Lips-lite of Sweden’s I’m From Barcelona (beaten in the quirkiness stakes by Misty’s Big Adventure), the Proclaimers-like harmony anthems of King Creosote and the ethereal beauty of Midlake, all the way from Denton, Texas. That’s just for starters, and all of them put the bigger names like Super Furry Animals and British Sea Power, both of whom seemed to be over-egging the “professionalism”, in the shade.

EOTR 2007 was a non-stop feast of music with no pretensions and no airs or graces. What a privilege to have been there. 

Richard Thompson Band

The Brook, Southampton

9 / 8 / 07

“What a band!” enthuses Richard Thompson at the end of the first song. “What? A band?” adds double-bassist Danny Thompson, sardonically. Yes, it’s rare for RT to tour with a band nowadays, so this sold-out performance was a thrilling way for the Brook to announce that it’s back in business. All the real and would-be guitarists in the audience were in ecstasy, and it’s true that there can’t be a guitar player in the world to match Thompson today, playing all those extraordinary sequences of notes which shouldn’t work, yet are somehow perfect. The emphasis was very much on the new album “Sweet Warrior”, standouts being the Iraq war song “Daddy’s Gonna Kill Me” and the less serious but equally engaging “Too Late To Come Fishing”. There’s something for fans of all aspects of Thomson’s career, from the acoustic whimsy of “Al Bowlly’s In Heaven” to perennial favourite “Vincent Black Lightening 1952”, but he’s always at his best on the twisted electric guitar ballads like “I Still Dream”. The evening climaxed with the irresistible sing-along of “Tear Stained Letter” which turned into a Pete Zorn saxophone wig-out. Thompson is a national treasure and never lets us down.

Joseph Arthur

Talking Heads, Southampton

22 November 2007

Panicking about a PA buzz and adding a six-song encore are all part of the show for Joseph Arthur, whose live performances go on sale in CD form at the end of each gig. A DVD might have been a better idea on this tour though, as his band consists largely of enthusiastic supermodel rock chicks (one of them pricelessly called Sybil), who contrast dramatically with the downbeat, greasy-haired, trilby-hatted image of the man himself. Looking like a younger Richard Ashcroft and sounding like a mixture of Jesse Malin and David Gray, Arthur’s voice is certainly striking, even if the lyrics and some of the song structures are disturbingly AOR in style. The most enjoyable moments, apart from the Stonesy “Diamond Ring” and “Let’s Just Be”, were his solo acoustic efforts and when, for a momentary relief from the onslaught of echo and extended codas, he handed over the vocals to guitarist Kraig Jarret Johnson. The response to the show from the assembled Arthur fans was surprisingly muted, almost as if the intended spirit hadn’t made the journey from stage to audience in the way his solo performances can.

Andy Burrows

Union Chapel, London

28 May 2008

Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows’ charming new charity album “The Colour Of My Dreams” is a charity record in aid of children’s hospice Naomi House.

The full-scale launch of this initially low-key idea came out of left field, elevating Johnny Borrell’s co-writer to a pre-eminent position, yet it is typical that the project is altruistic, self-effacing and unpretentious. It’s a measure of Andy’s popularity among his peers that the Union Chapel’s stage was occupied by the likes of Fyfe Dangerfield (Guillemots), Dom Howard (Muse), Tom Smith (Editors) and the Bluetones’ Mark Morris, whilst the hot dogs were served by Jamie Oliver.

Harmonizing with each of the guests, Andy’s songs came across as concise vignettes with little to do with rock and roll and everything to do with empathy and humanity. He displayed unexpected guitar skills and a voice which makes comparisons with the late Elliott Smith not as unlikely as they may seem. In the “secret” Razorlight finale, even the unfairly maligned Johnny Borrell seemed perfectly content to be playing second fiddle to his mate (and the raffle).

In short, a magic evening.

Johnny Flynn

Railway Inn, Winchester

13 / 5 / 08

Frank Turner, Andy Burrows and now Johnny Flynn: Respectable young gentlemen from Winchester are the cool new thing – who would have thought it? Whoever decided to invest in the young charmer with the folksy vibe, the Prince William good looks and the already faithful following has made a wise move. The age of the multi-instrumentalist is back (Johnny displays skills in guitar, banjo, mandolin, violin and some pretty spectacular trumpet, while sister Lillie looks after flute). Johnny’s songs are wry and lyrically unconventional and he has a pleasingly un-showbiz manner, the only current problem being an over-busy drummer turning almost every song into a shuffle. When he moves to keyboards and the cellist tackles the drums (are you following this?), more open possibilities immediately open up. If you thought “new folk” was a passing fad, the imminent success of Johnny will extend its currency.

Hop Farm Festival

Kent

5 / 7 / 08

Only Rufus Wainwright singing Leonard Cohen’s “Halleluja” could make you feel warm and cosy during a monsoon in Kent. My Morning Jacket’s silken amalgamation of Crosby, Stills and Nash with Lynryd Skynryd was well up to following Rufus, and ideal for this audience. Jim James finished the show as a demented, caped falsetto vampire.

Flatteringly introduced by Steve Lamacq as “a national institution”, Supergrass (who, like everyone else, sacrificed much of their sound to the wind) were their usual selves: tuneful but unexciting. By this time, a serious chill was setting in, so the cockle-warming rock and roll of the ever-reliable Primal Scream was spot-on. They may be old-school but they’ll be cool forever.

Uniquely brilliant and worshipped by all, Neil Young’s lengthy set included a pleasing number of favourites like “Needle and the Damage Done” and “Heart of Gold”. One moment, he’s wrenching out astonishing guitar effects, the next he’s sitting at a pipe organ like a cross between Rick Wakeman and the local parish organist. The jaw-dropping climax consisted of a 25 minute version of  “No Hidden Path” with an endless coda that you genuinely didn’t want to stop, followed by a truly mind-blowing take on the Beatles’ “A Day In The Life”.

Apart from the car parking fiasco (organisational incompetence, basically), this was a great day out.

White Denim / Micah P. Hinson

Borderline, London

15/7/08

In this battle of the Texan titans, it was a points victory for the self-effacing flat-capped romantic over the sonic bully-boys. White Denim certainly are impressive, incredible virtuosos rather wasting their talents on screamed rifferama with few hints of a tune. Guitarist and singer James Patralli is obsessed with wah-wah and double-tracking, making the overall effect a cross between the Jesus and Mary Chain, speeded-up Explosions In The Sky and Motorhead. At the end, you felt satisfied with the short set and generally bludgeoned into submission.

The solo Micah, on the other hand, apologized for sounding like Simon and Garfunkel compared to the lush instrumental depth of his “Micah P Hinson and the Red Empire Orchestra” album, but he  still held the room spellbound with his quietly emotional songs, sparse yet still full of resonance. It was ironic that, afterwards, his was the performance you remembered.

Ash

Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

4/6/09

It seems like no time since Ash were pipsqueak upstart sixth-formers, yet already their audience consists of paunchy middle-aged blokes like me. They can still innovate though, with their schedule of 26 singles in a year. New songs like “Space Shot”, “True Love 1980” and “Return Of White Rabbit” cleverly spruce up the Ash sound without straying too fear from the traditional template, which is basically just a fine way with a tune. You realize what an amazing back catalogue they have when they can launch their set with the killer double whammy of “Walking Barefoot” and “Girl From Mars”, with Tim Wheeler still looking like a teenager and lanky bassist Mark Hamilton, despite illness, doing his admirable double-jointed stick insect impersonation. Masters of the singalong anthem, songs like “Oh Yeah” and “Shining Light” mark Ash down as the ultimate summer band.

Juliette Lewis

Talking Heads, Southampton, UK

19 / 5 / 09

Five dates into a year-long world tour and Juliette Lewis is already looking the worse for wear, not to mention profoundly scary.  The disappointing truth is that she doesn’t sing very well. The last person to perform so consistently flat was Louise Wener of Sleeper, although Louise wouldn’t even have attempted Juliette’s Janis Joplin-style blueswailing on “Hard Lovin’ Woman”. She still puts on an entertaining show, though. With a new band (the New Romantiques) which wouldn’t look or sound out of place in your local pub, she has audience empathy in abundance, leaping into the crowd as often as possible, removing and replacing sunglasses and sparkly veil, leering suggestively and sweating like a waterfall. Featuring a raft of not very tuneful new songs from the Terra Incognita album, it certainly is rock and roll, and the sardine-like crowd does indeed love it.

White Denim

Talking Heads, Southampton

5 / 7 / 09

A pleasingly young audience belied a distinct seventies vibe on this evening, heads shaking and dandruff cascading. Some of us old lags were trying to find a reference point for a noodling power guitar trio like White Denim. Taste? Similar energy but more bluesy. Groundhogs? Similar attitude but a bit more psychedelic. Spirit? That’s more like it. In the figure of bandana-ed guitarist James Petralli there’s even a hint of Randy California.

A White Denim show consists of three “medleys”, in which songs from their albums “Workout Holiday” and “Fits” merge into each other in a bewildering series of time signature changes which keep the head shakers on their toes. In great jazz tradition, there’s strict discipline in the arrangements, leaving room for improvisation between musicians who are impressively attuned to each other. Ugly Betty bassist Steve Terebecki and elaborate drummer Joshua Block are a powerhouse rhythm section very much in the mould of Bruce and Baker, while Petralli yelps enthusiastically in a mix of soul and garage styles.

Sounds unlikely? Well, this band sure is different and it makes for exciting viewing and listening. Whether the general public will become so enthused remains to be seen.

Joe Jackson

Shepherds Bush Empire

2 / 3/ 08

Three songs in, the incongruous sound of  “Chinatown” with completely inaudible piano and bass led to fears of the show being slaughtered by the soundman. Luckily Jackson (together with the faithful and fantastic rhythm section of Dave Houghton and Graham Maby) remains one of the most thrilling live performers anywhere in the world. His persona – a strange mixture of lanky, lugubrious, serious and convivial – draws in the crowd and the songs are allowed to blossom in the sparse trio setting. Irresistible oldies like the cold war commentary of “The Obvious Song” and “Stranger Than Fiction” (with the brilliant line “love shows God has a sense of humour”) mingle comfortably with a selection from the new album “Rain”, of which the finest track is the first, “Invisible Man”.

An inspired choice of covers (“Knowing Me Knowing You” – really – and “Scary Monsters – honestly), plus the obligatory climax of  “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” and the tear-jerking “Slow Song” insured that victory was indeed wrested from the jaws of disaster.

Jason Lytle

Islington Academy

28 / 5 / 09

What a relief it is for Grandaddy followers that Jason Lytle sounds exactly like his ex-band. He’s on record as saying he was uncomfortable with the sheen of professionalism forced on them by major label status, but with his current band of downbeats, it’s right back to the seat-of-the-pants glory days of early Grandaddy, The only slick item on show was the lengthy and dramatic intro tape, leading into probably one of the lowest-key shows this venue has ever seen. Shoulders hunched, with head down and obscured by the omnipresent cap, Lytle crouches stage right, seemingly joined at the hip with main cohort Rusty Miller. It’s hard to equate the figure with glorious songs like “Yours Truly The Commuter” and “Brand New Sun”, eccentrically glittering gems from his new album. What with the between song backing-track mayhem, the gear all held together with pink gaffa tape, it took a good kicking administered to a recalcitrant synth to finally allow them to splutter into their rapturously-received original greatest hit “AM 180”.  Thank goodness there are still a few true rock and roll characters about.

South By South West Festival

Austin, Texas

18 – 22 March 2009

Each year you think sxsw can’t get any better and each year it confounds you. Where else could you wander in the sunshine between the hillbilly folk of Justin Townes Earle and the studded leather jumpsuits of Hot Leg, Justin Hawkins’ post-Darkness parody? If you wanted, you could queue for Metallica or Kanye West, but as usual, the most fun was to be had stumbling on unannounced gems on the fringes. Here you could find the two drummers of a crazed And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead being outgunned by the five bass guitars of Shout Out Out Out Out in the multiple instrument stakes, or the pomp of the Decemberists being outclassed by the sublime shoegazing of Shearwater.

Ah, Shearwater. They made me fear the alcohol had finally taken too much of a toll on me. Having heard their late-night performance at the plushy Hilton Garden Inn, I walked the next morning the hour and a half to the Mean Eyed Cat, to find them in the middle of performing the same (very good) show to a different audience. Talk about Groundhog Day.

AUK readers are well aware of Toronto’s Six Shooter Records and their artists. Equally legendary is the Tequila-drenched annual afternoon hootenanny they host at Headhunters Club, where their artists, hung-over but still buzzing from their label showcase the night before, play short sets of their favourite songs. The likes of Luke Doucet, Melissa McClelland and NQ Arbuckle spread the fun around. The previous evening, Elliott Brood had issued the audience with baking trays and wooden spoons, creating percussion mayhem.

Other oddities were the surreal experience of Bauhaus goth hero Pete Murphy, complete with uncool bald patch and eccentric speechmaking. In a similar vein, the Blue Aeroplanes’ Gerard Langley was reading his lyrics from a printed crib-sheet, much like a politician with an autocue. Portland’s Peter Broderick is the first virtuoso of the saw since Mercury Rev’s Jonathan Donahue. And of course, there were the inevitable disappointments. I waked miles to catch current vogue bands The Soft Pack, Black Lips and Delta Spirit, and all of them were nondescript.

Selecting highlights is tough, but here goes. Best new discovery: Copenhagen’s Asteroids Galaxy Tour, who have charm, beauty, cool pop songs and funky horns. Most exciting moment: nearly being asphyxiated in the moshpit for a gloriously decadent Primal Scream in a venue the size of a matchbox. Most moving music: A massively hung-over Jason Lytle making his post-Grandaddy comeback at the Mohawk Patio at Saturday lunchtime. Best show: A knockout blow by PJ Harvey and John Parish, completely flattening the capacity crowd at Stubbs, previously baffled by a washed-up Razorlight.

Now surely sxsw 2010 can’t get any better?

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour

Luminaire, London

15 / 5 / 09

The likes of Little Boots and Lady Ga Ga had better watch out, because in the pulchritude stakes, they are about to be obliterated by the extraordinary Mette Lindberg. Copenhagen’s finest ever band have the lot: funky horns providing Stax riffs, some pleasingly catchy and irresistibly danceable songs and the knockout blow of a riveting visual and vocal presence. Mette can warble Bjork-like but doesn’t over-do it, instead sweetly avoiding Mariah Carey-style woah woahs in favout of brief and punchy ohs and heys. It’s unique and totally charming. Nominally a duo of Mette and Lars Iversen, live, the band is a nicely analogue six-piece collective with an eccentric dress sense. Among a treasure trove of songs, “Push The Envelope” and the iPod commercial, “Around The Bend” are that rare phenomenon, tunes that you go home singing after just one hearing. This Tour truly is heading for the stars.

PJ Harvey and John Parish

Bridport Arts Centre

12 / 3 / 09

Among family and friends in this quaint converted chapel is the traditional point of departure for all PJ Harvey world tours. Addressing the wardrobe issues caused by her belted shroud with good humour, Polly was on sparkling form, safely surrounded by some of the world’s most outstanding musicians. Sporting more trilbies and mafia suits than a Leonard Cohen convention, John Parish and his colleagues helped Polly to take flight on almost all the new album and, pleasingly, a good chunk of 1996’s Dance Hall At Louse Point as well. Extraordinary variety was the keynote, from the gentle falsetto of “Leaving California” to the expletive-laden lunacy of “A Woman A Man Walked By” and the genuinely barking “Pig Will Not” (yes, she barks). Particularly exciting was the revival of fantastic older songs like the lugubrious “Rope Bridge Crossing” (one of this duo’s finest hours) and “Circles Around The Sun”, but most thrilling of all was the confirmation that music of this outstanding quality can still command a large and enthusiastic audience. A satisfying triumph all round.

Gary Revilo’s Gigs

If you can’t be bothered to read VOLUME (and who could blame you), the gig list provides a summary of the horrors contained within. Just read this instead.

This selective list is far from being exhaustive. Several hundred were crummy pub-rock bands which have not been listed because they were not of sufficient merit. Lots of gigs have got lost in the mists of time. For example, I know for a fact that I saw the Blue Aeroplanes at least eight times but I can’t identify a single precise date.

For bands like The Time, the Outsiders and the Agency which I saw repeatedly, only a few selected shows are mentioned.

Gigs by the bands I “managed” (Thieves Like Us and The Secret) are not listed.

Festivals include only some of the bands I actually saw at them.

Sudden gaps indicate managing bands, bringing up children or sojourns abroad.

* indicates that I can’t remember the exact date.

I calculate that this list represents about 75 percent of the actual gigs I have attended.

Complete accuracy is not guaranteed. Anyone spotting errors is invited to correct them.

1964

*The Hollies, Cheltenham Town Hall

Quiffs intact. Graham Nash played an unamplified acoustic guitar.

*The Sharks, Schöningen, Germany (several times)

Unfeasible trousers but great R & B.

1965

*The Hollies, Cheltenham Town Hall

We sat on chairs positioned round the edge of the dancefloor and didn’t dare ask anyone to dance.

1966

*TJ – Tours, France

TJ, a black American organist, played in the same club every night for a month. He claimed to have written “Night of a Thousand Dances”.

1968 – 1969

*The Young Tradition, University of East Anglia, Norwich (13.2.68)

Early exposure to finger-in-the-ear folk. Peter Bellamy had the longest hair I’d ever seen.

*Wynder K. Frogg, University of East Anglia, Norwich

Hammond Heaven.

*Mike Cotton Sound with Lucas, University of East Anglia, Norwich

Better than Geno Washington but not half as famous.

*Herbie Goins and the Night Timers, University of East Anglia, Norwich

More of the same: UK soul.

*Jimmie James and the Vagabonds, University of East Anglia, Norwich

And again, but with a white singer.

*Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera, University of East Anglia, Norwich

Getting near to psychedelia now.

* Bonzo Dog Doo-Da Band / Roy Harper, University of East Anglia, Norwich

The original line-up. Not as funny onstage as on record.

*Third Ear Band / Ron Geesin, University of East Anglia, Norwich

Everyone sat on the floor, including the band.

*Jeff Beck Band, University of East Anglia, Norwich

Rod the Mod long before he was crap.

*The Move, University of East Anglia, Norwich

A truly great band. Even Carl Wayne acted the part.

*Savoy Brown, University of East Anglia, Norwich

They got big in the States because the Americans have such good taste.

*The Pyramids, University of East Anglia, Norwich

Innocent, up-tempo reggae.

*Spooky Tooth, University of East Anglia, Norwich

“Sunshine Help Me”.

*Moody Blues, Royal Festival Hall, London (29.6.68)

They did make a good album, once. Pity about the moustaches.

*Tyrannosaurus Rex, University of East Anglia, Norwich

“Elfin-like”, that’s what they always say about Marc.

*Cream Farewell Concert, Royal Albert Hall, London (26.11.68)

Didn’t they go on.

*Deviants, Progressive Club, Norwich

Yes, but could they play their instruments?

*Pink Floyd / Fairport Convention, University of East Anglia, Norwich

Some double bill!

*Joe Cocker and the Grease Band, University of East Anglia, Norwich

I predicted he would go solo. He did.

*Free, University of East Anglia, Norwich

One of the most perfectly-formed bands of all time.

*The Nice / The Idle Race, University of East Anglia, Norwich

Never mention Roy Wood to Jeff Lynne.

*Fairport Convention, University of East Anglia, Norwich (8.3.69)

We’d seen them at Colchester in the interim. Sandy Denny told me to fuck off.

*Roland Kirk, University of East Anglia, Norwich (11.7.69)

Or rather, Rahsaan Roland. Never did get into jazz.

*Fleetwood Mac, Industrial Club, Norwich

They almost made our ears bleed and Mick Fleetwood wore a pair of wooden testicles on a string.

*Chris Farlowe and the Thunderbirds, Teacher Training College, Norwich

I think Albert Lee was in the band.

*The Barbecue, Earlham Park, Norwich with The Hollies, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky Mick and Tich, Soft Machine, Marmalade and others. (10.5.69)

“What did the students think of us?” – “Er …”

*Blind Faith, Hyde Park, London (7.6.69)

If I hadn’t rescued Stevie from the pond, this band would never have been formed.

*The Rolling Stones, Hyde Park, London (5.7.69)

“Okay, see you in Hyde Park then.”

*Arrival, Rolle College, Exmouth

They had just had a big hit with “Friends”: “We all have friends who have friends by the river”. No we don’t.

*Mogul Thrash, Rolle College, Exmouth

A bit like the Average White Band with guitar solos. Probably the best band John Wetton was ever in.

*Osibisa, Rolle College, Exmouth

“Don’t talk about my girlfriend like that”, I should have said.

*Blossom Toes, University of East Anglia, Norwich

Jim Cregan, later Rod Stewart’s guitarist, was the leader of this sweetly-named combo.

*Bakerloo, University of East Anglia, Norwich

Well-smoothed Dave Clempson’s priceless trio.

*Jon Hiseman’s Colosseum, University of East Anglia, Norwich

Too much in the way of soloing, especially the old “double saxophone” bit.

Late 1969

4. November: Spooky Tooth, Mensa am Westring, Kiel, Germany

Luckily, rugby songs are a rarity in Germany.

15. November: Ten Years After, Chicken Shack, Ernst-Merck-Halle, Hamburg

He’s fast, isn’t he? And that Chistine Perfect was a bit of all right.

12. December: Bach Weihnachtsoratorium, St-Johanniskirche, Lüneburg

The only classical concert I’ve been to in my life. I coughed all the way through and a nice old lady gave me a sweetie.

1970

3. January: Aspidistra Flying Blues Band, Blue Note, Wilhelmshaven

Who? Well, I was there and it was bloody cold.

7. January: Hardin and York, Mensa am Westring, Kiel, Germany

The World’s Smallest Big Band.

21. January: Soft Machine, Mensa am Westring, Kiel, Germany

Robert Wyatt did his funny falsetto bit.

10. March: Steamhammer, Mensa am Westring, Kiel, Germany

Whatever did happen to Steamhammer?

10. April: Renaissance, Mensa am Westring, Kiel, Germany

Rather nice pastoral sounds from Keith Relf and his sister Jane.

15. April: The Flock, Ernst-Merck-Halle, Hamburg

“The Sound of the Seventies”, said the ticket. Jerry Goodman ended up in the Mahavishnu orchestra.

22. May: Hardin and York, Mensa am Westring, Kiel, Germany

The ticket price had gone up by 2 DM in four months. This can happen when you’re Big In Germany.

28. May: Deep Purple, Ostseehalle, Kiel, Germany

The support was Alex Harvey. I thought he was brilliant but the audience hated him. A sign

of things to come?

21 / 22 June: Hamburg Big Gig Festival: Colosseum, Black Sabbath, Famiuy, Rare Bird, Humble Pie, Uriah Heep, Gentle Giant

We slept under that stars and woke up covered in dew.

10. July: Free, Spektrum Club, Kiel, Germany

Paul Rodgers pinched a bottom to celebrate the band’s first hit.

25. September: Caravan / Jackson Heights, City Hall, Salisbury

An outing from the farm. The support was Lee Jackson from the Nice, but there was hardly anyone there.

21. December: Strawbs / Hardin and York / Al Stewart, Royal Albert Hall, London

A benefit for the “Conservation Society”. An ill-matched bill failed to create much atmosphere.

1971

March 23: Yes, Norwich Lads’ Club

What was the name of that irritating acoustic solo Steve Howe used to do?

April 4: Bronco, University of East Anglia, Norwich

It may be a loo roll to you, but to me it was my introduction to Jess Roden.

April 30: Michael Chapman, Norwich Folk Festival

And he’s still on the road right now.

May 12th: Traffic, Norwich Lads’ Club

It looked like members of this band would soon start to die. They did.

1972

*MC5: Edo-Osterloh-Haus, Kiel, Germany

“Excuse me, what means ‘Kick Out Ze Jemms, Muzzerfuckers?”

*Man: Edo-Osterloh-Haus, Kiel, Germany

You thought the Manics were the original Welsh windbags? No, Man were.

*Alexis Korner: Pupille, Kiel, Germany

I couldn’t afford to go but I heard it through the floor.

*Frumpy, Förde-Hochhaus, Eckernförde, Germany

Inga Rumpf, Frumpy’s singer, is now a Christian evangelist.

*Brian Auger Trinity / Status Quo, Stadthalle, Neumünster

Quo were cool. No longer a pop band and not yet a joke.

1973

*Free, Colston Hall, Bristol (15.10.73)

Heartbreaking performance to promote “Heartbreaker”.

*Rory Gallagher: Colston Hall, Bristol (31.10.73)

A nice line in lumberjack shirts.

1974

*Stackridge, Victoria Rooms, Bristol

“The Stanley is for you and me.” Mutter Slater wisely declined to take part in 1999’s misguided reunion.

*John Entwistle’s Ox, Bristol University

However did they get all that equipment up to the first floor?

18. September: Deep Purple, Stadthalle, Bremen, Germany

I’m afraid I always thought that Ritchie Blackmore was over-rated.

27. October: Nektar, Stadthalle, Bremen, Germany

Deutsch-Rock vom Feinsten.

4. November: Gong, Post-Aula, Bremen, Germany

Featuring Steve Hillage in woolly hat mode.

12. December: Mungo Jerry, Revolution, Bremen, Germany

Fantastic! Someone in the audience kept buying the band Jägermeister and they kept drinking and playing until they could no longer stand. The next night, the club burned down.

16. December: The Sweet, Stadthalle, Bremen, Germany

My snobby friends refused to attend on the basis that the Sweet were a “teenybop” band. Nonsense! Fabulous glam rock, with the drummer having a drum battle with a back projection of himself. They beat the Flaming Lips to this concept by 25 years.

* Alice Cooper, Stadthalle, Bremen, Germany

This was the classic Steve Hunter / Dick Wagner line-up featuring a guitar battle that drew blood.

1975

29. January: Soft Machine, University of Bremen, Germany

Robert Wyatt did his funny falsetto thing (again).

12. March: Country Joe and the Fish, University of Bremen, Germany

It wasn’t exactly Woodstock revisited.

9. May: Genesis, Stadthalle, Bremen, Germany

The Lamb Lay Down on Broadway.

18. August: Kevin Coyne, Post-Aula, Bremen, Germany

Andy Summers was in this band.

27. September: Camel, Reithalle, Cloppenburg

I put up posters in Bremen to advertise this. We had to sit on bales of hay and pick our way carefully though the horse shit.

29. October: The Who, Stadthalle, Bremen, Germany

Just what the doctor ordered! The main story in the local paper detailed how Moonie smashed up Bremen’s poshest hotel.

1976

8. February: Status Quo, Stadthalle, Oldenburg, Germany

Third time lucky (?) after the previous two shows had been cancelled.

27. February: Uriah Heep, Stadthalle, Oldenburg, Germany

I had a row with Birgit’s sister-in-law after she falsely claimed that David Byron was a good singer.

14. March: Udo Lindenberg, Stadthalle, Bremen, Germany

What a shame this great character didn’t catch on outside Germany. At one stage, he even recorded an album in English, but to no avail.

4. May: The Rolling Stones, Stadthalle, Bremen, Germany

I recall that they had a giant penis.

2. June: Smokie, Dorfhalle, Ritterhude, Germany

Sometimes, one gets desperate.

21. June: Rolling Stones, Knebworth

I think they were there somewhere.

23. July: Heavy Metal Kids / XTC, Brunel Rooms, Swindon

I don’t remember what I was doing when JFK died, but I do remember what I was doing when Gary Holton died. XTC played “All Along The Watchtower”, incidentally.

August: Reading Festival 1976 with Rory Gallagher, Gong, Van Der Graaf Generator, Camel, The Enid, Black Oak Arkansas

The year the Enid took the festival by storm! No, honestly.

17. October: Jess Roden Band, Southampton University

Funky British soul. His backing band came from Southampton, you know.

29. November: Kiki Dee, Gaumont, Southampton

She was briefly able to fill theatres like this. Kiki had an appealing vulnerability.

1. December: Caravan, Southampton University

For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night.

10. December: Steeleye Span, Gaumont, Southampton

They should have kept it under their Hat.

17. December: Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, Gaumont, Southampton

Big In Germany.

1977

28. January: Supercharge / Ultravox, Southampton University

This was the original Ultravox with John Foxx (better than any subsequent versions).

9. February: Jethro Tull, Gaumont, Southampton

Flamingos can stand on one leg as well.

13. February: SAHB without Alex Harvey, Top Rank, Southampton

Clever name, eh? Quite good even without the main man, because of Zal Cleminson.

5. March: Pat Travers Band / Doctors of Madness, Reading University

The doctor had a bassist called Stoner who dressed up in a skeleton suit.

9. March: Graham Parker and the Rumour, Guildhall, Portsmouth

Brinsley Schwarz is a cool name, don’t you think?

15. March: Gordon Giltrap, Southampton University

There must be better things to do with a guitar.

21. March: Bandit, Village Bowl, Bournemouth

I went because dear old James Litherland was in the band. The singer was Jim Diamond, who later had a hit with “I Should Have Known Better”.

13. April: Tribo, Mirandela, Portugal

Hiching though Portugal, I was befriended by this band which specialised in Camel covers! They gave a performance specially for me (which can happen if you are an Englishman abroad). The bassist Manuel is still a good friend today.

4. May: Widowmaker, Souhampton University

Super-cool, motionless Luther Grosvenor had turned into crazed glam-rock axeman Ariel Bender.

7. May: Ian Gillan Band, Southampton University

I got to interview the man who has more brain that meets the eye.

11. May: Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, King Alfred’s College, Winchester

I’m probably prouder to have been at this gig than at any other ever. The appeal escaped most of the assembled student teachers, however.

20. May: The Damned / The Adverts, Southampton University

Mark Eitzel of American Music Club was at this gig. Not that I knew that.

27. May: Queen, Gaumont, Southampton

The tickets cost £2. What a rip-off.

4. June: Caravan, Farnborough Recreation Centre

Never go and see a band at a recreation centre.

16. June: 10CC, Gaumont, Southampton

Apart from Eric Stewart, they just couldn’t look the part.

21. July: Weeke Jokes, Henry Beaufort School, Winchester

My band, man.

30. June: Roger Ruskin Spear, Southampton University

He had a Kinetic Wardrobe.

3. July: Bad Company, Earl’s Court, London

The end of the affair. Paul Rodgers was already putting on weight and wore a stetson, for goodness’ sake.

6. July: Crawler / Boxer / Moon, Guildhall, Portsmouth

What they call a package show. Roll on recycling.

21. July: Roogalator, Winchester Art School

Chunky R & B from Danny Adler.

12 August: Freshly Layed Band, Queen Inn, Burley

The introduction.

August: Reading Festival 1977 with Thin Lizzy, Graham Parker, Nazareth, Ultravox, Electric Chairs, Racing Cars, The Enid, The Motors

The Motors had some of the most expensive promotion any band has ever received. It didn’t help them much.

25. September: The BA, Riverside Inn, Winchester

“Bus Garage Café, well it’s okay.”

29. September: Camel, Southampton Gaumont

Well, I honestly thought the Snow Goose was good.

30. September: Kursaal Flyers, Southampton University

Not very exciting pub rock promoted above its station.

1. October: The BA, King Alfred’s Boys Club, Winchester

First and last gig at this youth club. (There was a minor riot.)

2. October: The Pirates, Glen Eyre Hall, Southampton

Who’d have thought dear old Mick Green would end up at the Cavern with Macca? Good choice, though.

4. October: Ian Gillan Band, Guildhall, Portsmouth

Their bassist appeared to be a heavyweight wrestler.

8. October: Freshly Layed Band, The White Buck, Burley

First of many trips into a forest hippie enclave.

11. October: Throbbing Gristle, Winchester Art School

I remember it well. Not many tunes, but Cosey Fanni Tutti looked a picture.

12. October: Phil Manzanera’s 801, Southampton University

Good album but he never followed it up properly.

18. October: Dr Feelgood, Portsmouth Guildhall

Got to interview Lee Brilleaux, now in the Great Travel Lodge In The Sky.

19. October: Racing Cars, Southampton University

They had some kind of hit.

26. October: Caravan, Southampton University

Still out to pasture. Do you know that Pye Hastings is now a sales rep?

27. October: Wishbone Ash / The Motors, Gaumont, Southampton

We got in on account of the aforementioned massive promotional push being given to the Motors. (Push the Motors, geddit?)

15. November: Status Quo, Gaumont, Southampton

At the end of the show, their leads were all tied up in a knot in the middle of the stage.

26. November: The Ba, Winchester Art College

Someone took a great photo of this.

28. November: Wilco Johnson, Village Bowl, Bournemouth

It surely can’t have been worth the journey?

6. December: Freshly Layed Band, Riverside Inn, Winchester

Watch those floorboards.

7. December: Thin Lizzy, Gaumont, Southampton

On the ticket, it said Thin Lizzie.

1978

6. January: The Enid, Basingstoke Technical College

At the time, they seemed revolutionary. They actually played “Land of Hope and Glory” and (blush) I actually enjoyed it!

22. January: Rich Kids, Glen Eyre Hall, Southampton

If only Midge Ure had got frozen in this state. Mind you, they were furious at people gobbing at them, and quite right too.

25. January: Talking Heads / Dire Straits, Southampton University

That is not a misprint. The tickets cost £1 each.

3. February: Tyla Gang, King Alfred’s College, Winchester

That’s Sean Tyla, not Liv Tyla.

6. February: Split Enz, Southampton University

Before they wuz Crowded House. Better, too.

11. February: Colosseum II, South Stoneham Hall, Southampton

Gary Moore was in this band.

18. February: Krazy Kat, King Alfred’s College, Winchester

In perfect harmony (but not with the Ents Officer).

19. February: The Enid, Victoria Palace, London

Did we really do this?

24. February: The Soft Boys, Winchester Art School

Wading through a ventilator.

27. February: Rush, Gaumont, Southampton

What about the voice of Geddy Lee, how does he sing so high?

11. March: Freshly Layed Band, Riverside Inn, Winchester

Slight return.

15. March: Eddie and the Hot Rods, Top Rank, Southampton

Barrie Masters did some good acrobatics on the lighting rig.

17. March: David Coverdale Band, Basingstoke Technical College

This is definitely a misprint.

22. March: John Miles, Village Bowl, Bournemouth

Music is my first love, and it will be my last.

30. March: Freshly Layed Band, White Buck, Burley

For the sake of the rainforests, an editorial decision has been taken at this stage not to mention the rest of the Freshly Layed gigs we attended (17 in all).

2. April: The Soft Boys, Nashville, London

Robyn Hitchcock didn’t recognise me.

17. April: Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, Guildhall, Portsmouth

Still big in Germany.

25. April: Graham Parker and the Rumour, Mecca Ballroom, Portsmouth

Hold back the night.

26. April: Rory Gallagher, Gaumont, Southampton

Not a lot different from last time.

29. April: UK, Southampton University

That Bill Bruford, he can play a bit.

5. May: The Tubes, Gaumont, Southampton

A novelty band which can really play, that’s rare.

12. May: Lesser Known Tunisians, The Saints, Southampton

First encounter with Wickham’s answer to North Africa.

18. May: Steve Hillage, Poole Arts Centre

Surely it wasn’t the same woolly hat?

19. May: Lesser Known Tunisians, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

We promoted this one.

3. June: Black Sabbath, Gaumont, Southampton

Another misprint.

4. June: Sham 69 / Stratejacket, Top Rank, Southampton

Like Madness later, Sham 69 didn’t deserve their awful fans.

17. June: The Blades, Riverside Inn, Winchester

Previously the Amazorblades.

29. June: Lesser Known Tunisians, Old Mill, Holbury

The night of the Sounds review.

30. June: Artemis, Cricklade College, Andover

Greg Watkins was still playing Camel covers.

15. July: The Picnic, Blackbushe Airport, with Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Joan Armatrading.

First ever laminate on a string!

16. July: Whirlwind, Jumpers Tavern, Christchurch

Got a rather nice free T-shirt from this rockabilly band.

26 – 28 August: Reading Festival 1978 with Spirit, The Motors, Status Quo, Sham 69, The Jam, Patti Smith Group

A rather unpleasant atmosphere reigned, as the line-up might lead one to anticipate.

16. September: Staa Marx, Winchester Rugby Club

The sons of Mrs Aardvark. They were great.

20 September: The Polar Bears, The Cricketers, Winchester

Support came from the Erections, one of whose members was called Dr. R. Slicker.

21. September: 10CC, Gaumont, Southampton

I decided that “Dreadlock Holiday” was a dodgy piece of racism. I’m not in Love with 10CC any more.

23. September: Camel, Gaumont, Southampton

The “Breathless” tour, first sticky Backstage Pass!

26. September: The Stranglers, Gaumont, Southampton

Now that’s what I call a band.

29. September: The Warm Jets, Riverside Inn, Winchester

Nothing to do with Brian Eno and nothing to do with the Nineties Warm Jets either. There you go.

6. October: Thieves Like Us, Riverside Inn, Winchester

Literally a life-altering experience.

11. October: Climax Blues Band / Fabulous Poodles, Southampton University

This was the sort of strangely mis-matched double bill which was around in those days. I am certain that the other support was Elvis Costello’s Flip City, but I can’t prove it.

20. October: Press-Ups, Riverside Inn, Winchester

One of our less wildly successful promotions.

21. October: Identical Strangers, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

They begged me to review the gig and then moaned when they didn’t like what it said.

27. October: Staa Marx, Riverside Inn, Winchester

Bognor rock.

28. October: Boomtown Rats, Gaumont, Southampton

It must be said, he didn’t look like a future knight of the realm.

3. November: The Enid, Basingstoke Technical College

Oh, come on.

25. November: The Aliens / Hazzard, Theatre Royal, Winchester

The first show for a decade at this un-renovated theatre. When people danced, they stirred up so much dust that you couldn’t see the stage. Or it could have been dry ice.

6. December: Ian Gillan, Southampton University

The all-in wrestler was still there.

23. December: Tours, Brewer’s Arms, Poole

Something stirs in Poole. Tourist Information, please.

1979

10. February: Supercharge, South Stoneham Hall, Southampton

There was a bloke with a beard who played sax.

14. February: Gruppo Sportivo, Southampton University

They didn’t sound Dutch, but they were.

3. March: Fischer-Z, Southampton University

Big In Germany, but this time deservedly so.

4. March: Van Morrison, Portsmouth Guildhall

Peter Bardens was playing with Van this time around.

16. March: Screeens, Salisbury Technical College

Yes, that’s three “e”s. Thieves Like Us supported.

21. March: The Hollies, Portsmouth Guildhall

There is a place for nostalgia.

22. March: Graham Parker and the Rumour, Southampton Guildhall

My friend Volker called him a little weasel. A tad unfair, I thought. Possibly a stoat.

23. March: Freshly Layed Band, Bournemouth Town Hall

This was their last ever gig. “Come and get the rest of the Ploughmans!”

24. March: Identical Srangers, Crown Hotel, Eastleigh

They wanted me to re-assess them. There were only two other people in the audience.

4. May: Mark Andrews and the Gents / The Lens, Top Rank, Southampton

Charity show. The Lens became IQ, a quite well-known prog-rock band.

5. May: The Enid, South Stoneham Hall, Southampton

Backstage was fun for a change, because they were breaking up and yelling at each other in a most ungentlemanly way.

11. May: XTC, Glen Eyre Hall, Southampton

I could see that Andy Partridge had stage fright. No, really. It takes one phobic to know another.

15. May: Mark Andrews and the Gents, Portsmouth Polytechnic

Although the personnel kept changing, this band was always great.

19. May: Piranhas, John Peel, Gosport

First of many sightings of these dangerous creatures.

30. May: The Tubes, Gaumont, Southampton

Still good musicians. Still high heels.

7. June: 64 Spoons, Old Mill, Holbury

I think they had a famous guitarist.

8. June: Writz, Bishop Otter College, Chichester

We went to check out the venue for a forthcoming Thieves gig. It turned out to be a formal ball, so we stood out a bit!

9. June: Mungo Jerry, King Alfred’s College, Winchester

They were sober. How disappointing.

23 June: Eric Bell Band, Theatre Royal, Winchester

Grand re-opening of the venue. After The Fire cancelled and this was a poor substitute.

5. July: Joe Jackson, Locarno, Portsmouth

A meteoric rise from the John Peel, Gosport

13. July: The Stranglers, Gaumont, Southampton

They didn’t exactly have a charismatic stage show.

26. July: Lip Moves, Knight’s, Eastleigh

Local band which might have made good.

12. August: Nightshift, Jumper’s Tavern, Christchurch

The new band of Roger “Fatman” Hunt from Freshly Layed.

27. August: Last Orders, Magnums, Basingstoke

I think I reviewed this one.

August: Reading Festival 1979 with The Cure, Motörhead, The Police, Cheap Trick, Peter Gabriel, The Ramones

These were the Readings we liked.

1. September: The Outsiders, Pinecliff, Bournemouth

This time it was Tim Holt from Freshly Layed who had a new band.

10. September: Patrik Fitzgerald, Melkweg, Amsterdam

The Thieves sent me and Birgit to Amsterdam to recover from the strain. We sat behind Bob Geldof and Paula Yates in the tram.

27. September: Leo Sayer, Gaumont, Southampton

Merely in the line of duty.

28. September: Siouxsie and the Banshees, Gaumont, Southampton

This must have been shortly before the split.

29. September: The Outsiders, Pinecliff, Bournemouth

They wrote songs then that the Agency still play today.

5. October: Camel, Poole Arts Centre

Autographed backstage pass! Unfortunately there were hardly any original members left.

17. October: Camel, Gaumont, Southampton

And it isn’t shome mishtake.

31. October: Caravan, Southampton University

A sales rep. Honest!

2. November: Tours / Martian Schoolgirls, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

Fateful show. We promoted this one and some of the audience abused the venue. My relationship with the venue’s director hasn’t recovered to this day.

18. November: The Jam / The Vapors, Poole Arts Centre

Not that long before, the Vapors had been at the Old Mill, Holbury.

25. November: The Enid, Bournemouth Winter Gardens

They had turned into a parody of a parody.

6. December: The Piranhas, Crown Hotel, Eastleigh

I don’t want my body (’cos it’s so bloody shoddy)

13. December: Last Orders, Crown Hotel, Eastleigh

Definitely reviewed this one for Musicians Only.

16. December: The Police, Gaumont, Southampton

Of course it was me they were screaming at.

26. December: Blondie, Stateside Center, Bournemouth

One of the most joyful gigs ever.

1980

1. February: Merger, Basingstoke Technical College

Thieves supported. There were gigantic day-glo posters, but not a gigantic day-glo audience.

3. February: Tom Robinson’s Sector 27, Poole Arts Centre

A lunchtime gig!

8. February: Renaissance, Southampton University

One of those bands of imposters.

10. February: The Clash, Poole Arts Centre

The backstage pass was quite useful because it was a battlefield out front.

28. February: Joe Jackson, Gaumont, Southampton

I disapproved of the acapella “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” but now I realise it was quite good.

3. March: Gillan, Southampton University

Another interview. Whatever did we talk about?

13. February: The Clash, Top Rank, Southampton

No backstage pass, but a safe spot on the balcony. Below, it looked like the pitch at Twickenham.

14. February: Bobby Henry and the Risk, Knight’s, Eastleigh

They could have gone far. They didn’t.

27. February: The Tourists, Gaumont, Southampton

I couldn’t understand why such a crummy band had such a high profile.

15. March: The Limos, The Saints, Southampton

This was an ambitious musician called Mark Easton. He later joined Mark Andrews and the Gents.

19. March: The HGBs, Railway Inn, Winchester

Chris Willey from Attic Theatre put together this R & B band.

10. May: Inside Story, Jumpers Tavern, Christchurch

Roger Hunt had already moved on from Nightshift.

22. May: Da Biz, Brewer’s Arms, Poole

Ronnie Mayor from Tours with a new but very similar band.

31. May: Mark Andrews and the Gents, Portsmouth Polytechnic

They were so professional they made me jealous.

3. June: Whitesnake / Gary Moore’s G-Force, Gaumont, Southampton

I can’t really explain this.

27. June: John Otway / Wild Willy Barrett, The Griffin, Southampton

You needed to take out personal insurance to be in this audience.

22-24 July: Reading Festival 1980 with Samson, Iron Maiden, Slade, Whitesnake, Def Leppard

Reviewed it for Musicians Only! Favourite occupation: Dodge the Piss Bottles.

8. August: The Blazers, The Saints, Southampton

Good name. Can’t remember the band.

20. August: The Time, Plough, Durrington

The beginning of a long and happy relationship.

22. September: Ebony Rockers, Top Rank, Southampton

Charity show with good local reggae band.

26. October: Joe Jackson, Bournemouth Winter Gardens

I’d forgiven him by then. Shouldn’t have doubted him in the first place.

4. November: Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, Gaumont, Southampton

They were boring and lightweight. Synth-pop, nein danke.

13. November: Sad Café, Gaumont, Southampton

They had a singer called Paul Young. How confusing.

18. October: The Time, Waterlooville Football Club

Big venue. Were they going to break through?

29. October: Exploding Seagulls / Bitter Lemmings: Solent Suite, Southampton

One of many gigs I attended (lost the details of the others) promoted by an enterprising label called Stick It In Your Ear.

13. November: The League of Gentlemen, Royal Exeter Hotel, Bournemouth

Robert Fripp on home ground. Very intense, naturally.

15. November: The Enid, Town Hall, Eastleigh

Down and very nearly out.

24. November: The Damned, Gaumont, Southampton

Yes Yes Yes! Neat Neat Neat!

30. November: The Planets, John Peel, Gosport

Super band which I assume was messed up by the indusrty.

6. December: The Time, Sussex Hotel, Bognor

This one was recorded live.

12. December: The Kinks, Gaumont, Southampton

Eye contact, that’s what makes Ray Davies such a great live performer.

1981

8. January: The Outsiders, Railway Inn, Winchester

One of our promotions. A new venue, still going strong today.

15. January: The Time, Railway Inn, Winchester

This is where Richard Williams was inspired to enter the world of rock and roll.

30. January: The Piranhas, King Alfred’s College, Winchester

They’d had a gigantic hit with “Tom Hark”, which didn’t represent them at all. To show their annoyance, they played a brilliant set of heavy dub reggae, which upset the audience (but not me).

14. February: The Troggs, Rock Garden, London

Valentine’s Day with Reg.

15. February: The Time, Royal Hotel, Guildford

There was a terrible fight.

26. February: The Time, Cumberland Tavern, Portsmouth

Kevin sang one song from the gents’ toilet.

28. February: Camel, Poole Arts Centre

The “Nude” tour this time. Rapidly losing patience!

6. March: The Time, John Peel, Gosport

I stayed the night and got a Chinese takeaway. Interesting stuff, isn’t it?

7. March: Dr Feelgood, Southampton University

This line-up featured John “Gypie” Mayo.

11. March: The Skavengers, Railway Inn, Winchester

One of ours. Good sub-Police white reggae.

16. March: The Who, Poole Arts Centre

With Kenney Jones, the band just didn’t feel right any more.

18. March: Games To Avoid, Railway Inn, Winchester

A serious-minded and really good band from Southampton.

21. March: The Time, Joiners Arms, Southampton.

According to the diary, I proposed to Birgit after this gig. It was obviously an inspirational gig.

25. March: The Time, Railway Inn, Winchester

One of our promotions.

1. April: Exploding Seagulls, Railway Inn, Winchester

Nick Jacobs, later of the Blue Aeroplanes, was in this band.

3. April: The Press, New Queen’s Head, Winchester

Local band which pestered me to review them in this horrible pub.

5. April: Zip Code, The Victory, Southampton

A new venue. This was a new Winchester band.

21 April: Xena Xerox, Gilbey’s, Southampton

They were furious because I didn’t think they were as good as they thought they were.

4. May: Cosmetics, Royal Exeter Hotel, Bournemouth

More like it. Richard Mazda, ex of Tours, had a great band here.

11. May: The Time / The Secret, The Victory, Southampton.

We caused a sensation by getting Tony Oxley (or was it Kevin Robinson?) to announce that we were getting married the following day.

12. May: Duballup / The Secret: Floater’s, Southampton

Oh Lord, forgive me. I went to a gig on my wedding night.

25. May: The Time / The Secret: South Parade Pier, Southsea

Not many people in a very large room.

30. May: The Time, Railway Inn, Winchester

This was Baz Mort’s mate’s birthday party but it ended in chaos when somebody tried to attack me.

3. June: Status Quo, Gaumont, Southampton

Again and Again and Again.

23. June: The Jam / The Time, Guildhall, Portsmouth

On this tour, the Jam selected local bands to support them. In Portsmouth, The Time were the obvious choice.

1. July: Zip Code, Railway Inn, Winchester

One of ours.

8. July: Headless Horsemen / The Secret, Railway Inn, Winchester

First sighting of John Parish’s first post-TLU venture.

15. July: The Skavengers, Railway Inn, Winchester

One of ours.

22. July: The Time, Railway Inn, Winchester

One of ours.

31. July: The Time, The John Peel, Gosport

Home territory.

28-30 July: Reading Festival 1981 with Girlschool, Gillan, Nine Below Zero, The Kinks

I had been relegated to the Hants Chronicle, Musicians Only having closed in November 1980.

1. September: Joe Jackson’s Jumpin’ Jive / The Time, Locarno, Portsmouth

The critics didn’t like this good-time band, but I thought they were fun. Brilliant rhythm section: Graham Maby and Larry Tolfree.

23. September: Cosmetics, Railway Inn, Winchester

A last-minute booking. Richard Furter from Freshly Layed was in Cosmetics by now, making them seriously funky.

2. October: The Bomb, Stowaways, Southampton

What a strange night. This was an unrehabilitated Peter Green, three-inch fingernails and all, playing with local Southampton musicians.

9. October: Cosmetics, Bournemouth Town Hall (with Alternative TV)

ATV were hilariously incompetent.

22. October: The Time, Joiners Arms, Southampton

The venue was completely laid waste by Portsmouth football thugs.

29. October: Exploding Seagulls, Winchester Art School

They were on the Fried Egg label, you know.

30 October: Biz Internationale, Jokers, Bournemouth

First encounter with a storming seven-piece band consisting of Dabiz plus a brass section.

3. November: Madness, Gaumont, Southampton

The ANL leaflets said “Support Madness, Not Racism”. Well said.

13. November: Bad Manners, Gaumont, Southampton

Only because Magnet Records gave me free tickets.

22. November: IQ, Park Hotel, Southampton

I had given a bad review to a heavy metal band called Berlin. Someone pointed me out to their leather-clad supporters, so I did a bunk.

27. November: Rick Wakeman, Gaumont, Southampton

I was very, very rude about this.

16. December: Squeeze, Top Rank, Southampton

Now this really was a band with everything going for it..

19. December: Four People I Have Known, Railway Inn, Winchester

Ex-members of Zip code, including Paul Bringloe, were in this interesting band.

24. December: Tom Robinson Band, Marquee, London

Sweaty end-of-year show, backed by Cosmetics.

31. December: Outsiders, Pinecliff, Bournemouth

Birgit didn’t like the fact that complete strangers insisted on kissing her. I didn’t like that fact either.

1982

1. January: The Time, Cumberland Tavern, Portsmouth

Or maybe this was the one where Kevin sang from the bog.

8. January: Sadista Sisters, Quartier Latin, Berlin, Germany

They were scary on stage but I got to chat to them afterwards and found them charming.

24. February: Four People I Have Known, The Victory, Southampton

This band was beginning to catch on.

13. March: Budgie, Winchester Recreation Centre

Some naive promoters lost their shirts on this one. The curse of the Recreation Centre struck again.

21. March: Haircut 100, Poole Arts Centre

“Love Plus One” is still one of my all-time favourite singles.

28. March: XTC, Gaumont, Southampton

Terrible sound problems and far too loud.

6. April: Headless Horsemen, Cathedral Hotel, Salisbury

The début of John Parish’s Spiderman pullover.

8. April: Graham Parker, Gaumont, Southampton

He had a new backing band and had lost all his sparkle.

11. April: Four People I Have Known, Folly Market, Petersfield

We flogged a lot of cassettes.

16. April: Headless Horsemen, Crispin Hall, Street

A “Sheep Worrying” Showcase. Apart from us, there were two paying customers. What is more, Street, being a Quaker town, has no pubs.

17. April: Biz Internationale, Midnight Express, Bournemouth

A cool new club with a cool new band.

24. April: Cosmetics, Midnight Express, Bournemouth

A cool new club with a cool not-so-new band.

28. April: Headless Horsemen, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Getting around a bit.

5. May: Four People I Have Known, Saddle Bars, Bransgore

Nice venue in a New Forest barn.

21. May: The Time, Pinecliff, Bournemouth

They didn’t go down so well in Bournemouth for some reason.

22. May: Camel, Poole Arts Centre

That was it. I’d had enough.

26. May: Biz Internationale, The Waterfront, Southampton

The single was forthcoming.

1. June: Rory Gallagher, Gaumont, Southampton

Much the same as last time.

25. June: Rolling Stones, Wembley Stadium

I nearly got piles.

26. June: Burnt Offerings Showcase with Four People I Have Known, Headless Horsemen and The Time, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

I’ve got a live tape of this. It was bloody good.

30. June: Ideal, The Venue, London

The best representatives of the Neue Deutsche Welle. I tried to start a roll in Musicians Weekly, but it didn’t catch on.

7. July: High Risk, John Peel, Gosport

Heavy rock with its just about acceptable face on.

6. August: Biz Internationale, The Waterfront, Southampton

Now the single was out.

7. August: Tiger Tiger, Ad Lib Club, Kensington, London

Some stunning girls from Alresford. One of them went out with that blonde curly-haired drummer who’s in Status Quo and we went to tea with them.

12. August: Joe Jackson, Gaumont, Southampton

All eyes were on his superb percussionist Sue Hadjopoulos.

11. September: Chinatown, Theatre Royal, Winchester

An absolutely terrible show-off heavy rock band.

25. September: Gerry Hackett and the Fringes, John Peel, Gosport

The latest incarnation of The Time, playing hilarious Sixties covers to pay off some debts. Quite priceless.

2. October: The Beat, Poole Arts Centre

Margaret didn’t Stand Down, but they gave it their best shot.

4. October: Wishbone Ash, Guildhall, Southampton

Never! But here it is in black and white.

5. October: The Damned, Guildhall, Portsmouth

Rat Scabies. Now that really is a good name.

5. November: Look Back In Anger, Havant Arts Centre

A Goth character called Jim Newby kept pestering me about his band. They briefly looked as if they might go somewhere.

13. November: Two Finger Zen, West End Centre, Aldershot

Performance art from Fred Bolton and other ex-Exploding Seagulls.

18. November: Talk Talk, Gaumont, Southampton

This mincing load of ninnies was later to throw off music biz conventions and turn into one of the greatest British bands of all time.

24. November: Siouxsie and the Banshees, Gaumont, Southampton

They had a brilliant light show.

3. December: Gillan, Poole Arts Centre

Bathing In Safe Water, said the headline. I though Gillan might one day do something interesting, but now he’s back in Deep Purple.

10. December: Whitesnake, Gaumont, Southampton

A Bite To Sicken, said the headline. It’s rare for me to walk out of a gig, but I walked out of this one.

19. December: The Kinks, Bournemouth Winter Gardens

We were in the front row and by the end I felt as if Ray Davies was my best friend. “Low Budget” was a bit of a classic rock song.

11. January: Factory, Forum des Halles, Paris, France

On a course in France and in desperate need of a musical injection.

18. February: Games To Avoid, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Still plugging away.

25. February: Biz Internationale, Midnight Express, Bournemouth

Still plugging away.

3. March: Thin Lizzy, Gaumont, Southampton

It was great the way Phil Lynott reflected the spotlight off the scratchplate of his guitar back onto the audience. Well, I thought so anyway.

6. March: U2, Guildhall, Portsmouth

I thought they were pompous then and I still think they’re pompous now. Bono scaled the balcony and planted a flag. Why?

9. March: Gerry Hackett and the Fringes, The Waterfront, Southampton

The Fareham Creek beat.

11. March: Fun Boy Three, Poole Arts Centre

Someone in the foyer said, “What’s that old bloke doing here?” I turned round and discovered she was talking about me.

12. March: 10CC, Gaumont, Southampton

Hardly recognised a soul.

15. March: Van Morrison, Bournemouth Winter Gardens

What everybody should experience at least once: a terrible performance from a genius who has “off” days.

26. March: Gerry Hackett and the Fringes, John Peel, Gosport

Don Your Moptops.

2. April: Spandau Ballet, The Pavilion, Bournemouth

I thought Spandau Ballet were really good. All their effete followers came down from London and there was lots of tartan in evidence.

30. April: Weapon of Peace, Portsmouth Polytechnic

If it wasn’t for the fact that I reviewed them, I wouldn’t remember a thing.

4. May: Gerry Hackett and the Fringes, Railway Inn, Winchester

Birgit was more than a bit pregnant, so we held a “Quick Before It’s Too Late” Party.

12. May: Roman Holliday, Bournemouth Academy

They wore sailor suits.

21. May: Gerry Hackett and the Fringes, Sparshalt College, Winchester

Unfortunately, the students were all far too young to recognise any of the songs.

8. June: Après Ski, The Waterfront, Southampton

A variation on Biz Internationale with a new frontman. Ronnie Mayor had finally given up and emigrated to Australia.

10. June: Chris Rea, Guildhall, Southampton

Only because Magnet Records sent me free tickets. His allure evaded me.

20. June: Steve Winwood, Théâtre Municipale, Luxembourg

In my Top Ten gigs of all time. After this, he became involved in Corporate Rock and went rapidly downhill.

28. June: Eurythmics, Gaumont, Southampton

Not much better than the Tourists.

30 June: Four People I Have Known, Mash Tun, Winchester

On the way down

8. July: Weeke Jokes II, Henry Beaufort School, Winchester

My band, man (again, but a different one featuring Mr Richard Williams.)

16. July: Steve Winwood, Gaumont, Southampton

Birgit being unavailable, I went with the girl next door. A mistake, since she spent the evening telling me about the Alan Parsons Project.

3. August: Après Ski, Waterfront, Southampton

It just wasn’t the same.

5. September: Gerry Hackett and the Fringes, Cumberland Tavern, Portsmouth

I’ve got it. THIS was the one where Kevin sang from the bog.

24. October: Automatic Dlamini, Bristol Bridge Inn, Bristol

A rare opportunity for me to do a bit of “mime mixing”.

6. November: Gerry Hackett and the Fringes, BBC, Southampton

This was a recording of something called the Cellar Show, presented by John Sessions. He done well, didn’t he?

26. November: The Primary / Big Bear Little Bear, New Bridge Inn, Southampton

Paul Bringloe was in Big Bear Little Bear and I liked them.

1984

3. February: The Hollies, Guildhall, Portsmouth

Tony’s flattened hamster was in good nick.

10. February: Laughter In The Garden, Joiners Arms, Southampton

A spin-off from Lip Moves.

27. March: Views From A Park Bench, Henry Beaufort School, Winchester

Students danced to my rendition of “Watch It” in this Dance production. It wasn’t exactly “Dance Hll at Louse Point” but the principle was similar.

13 and 14 April: REM, Knust Club, Hamburg, Germany

I still have the poster on my wall.

15. April: UB40, CCH, Hamburg, Germany

Confirmed as the most boring band of all time.

8. May: Camel, Guildhall, Portsmouth

Bye!

21 May 1984: The Sound, Marquee, London

I shed tears when Adrian Borland died. A shocking case of unrecognised talent.

2. June: King, La Sainte Union College, Southampton

Pop-art Doc Martens were sported by this lot. Paul King became a pop TV presenter.

11. June: Tim Barron, Greyhound, London

Tim teamed up with an ex-member of Suzi Quatro’s band, but it didn’t work out.

22-24. June: Glastonbury Festival with Ian Dury, Dr John, The Smiths, Elvis Costello

I built up my biceps pushing the buggy around.

9. July: Status Quo, Gaumont, Southampton

… and Again and Again and Again …

28. July: Automatic Dlamini, Antelope Hotel, Sherborne

Aha! Something stirs down in Dorset.

17. November: Lords of the New Church / Wall of Voodoo, Portsmouth Polytechnic

Richard Mazda had produced an album for Wall of Voodoo. That was the connection.

1985

4. January: Rocking Erics, Pinecliff, Bournemouth

A short-lived project by Tim Holt. Not many gigs this year? Having a baby and spending half the year on secondment in France is the explanation.

7. February: Killing Joke, Southampton Guildhall

They were supposed to be terrifying but were loud and uninteresting.

27. April: Richard Thompson, Dominion Theatre, London

This was the one where poor Richard was booed off by rampant Pogues fans. “Richard Thompson, who the fucking hell is he?” Sad. The Boothill Foottappers wre also on the bill.

22-24. June: Glastonbury Festival with Ian Dury, New Model Army, Style Council

“The Year Of The Mud”. We survived, although it took two days to clean up the buggy. At least it was character-building.

6. July: Alvin Stardust / Mud, South Wonston, Winchester

In the line of duty for the Hants Chronicle.

1986

4. January: Sting, BIC, Bournemouth

In his jazzy phase. Andy Summers put in a guest appearance, of course.

1. February: The Bangles, Portsmouth Polytechnic

Now this was a privilege. They were brilliant live.

15. March: Wall of Voodoo, Marquee, London

However did they get their cactuses through customs?

16. March: The Merseybeats / Marmalade: Theatre Royal, Winchester

Rather poor Sixties package tour.

8. May: Talk Talk, Hammersmith Odeon, London

Living In Another World. They were indeed.

20-22. June: Glastonbury Festival with The Pogues, Psychedelic Furs, Robert Cray, Simply Red, Level 42

Extract from review: It’s 3 a.m. and the wind is blowing an icy gale, gusting violently at storm force speeds. High up on the hillside, a lone emaciated figure, clad only in a pair of flimsy underpants, struggles to prevent his flapping tent from disappearing over the precipice. Images of Stone Age Man are evoked as he bravely hammers at the bent tent pegs with a rough hewn flint.

Of course, my wife and one-year old baby slept through the entire thing.

26. July: The Agency, Pinecliff, Bournemouth

First appearance of the Soul Searchers, made up of various Bournemouth stalwarts. The world’s best party band.

12. October: Curtis Mayfield, Top Rank, Southampton

A fine man.

22. October: Mighty Lemon Drops / Pop Will Eat Itself, Southampton University

The support was a tad more interesting than the headline.

27. October: Tom Robinson Band, Salisbury Arts Centre

Our secret weapon to ensure that Lucy would be interested in music. Birgit was seven months pregnant. They played “War Baby” before it was released and I’m proud to say I predicted it would be a hit.

1987

1. February: Robert Fripp, Nuffield Theatre, Southampton

The League of Crafty Guitarists. Fripp seemed to have lost his sense of humour.

29. March: Hollies, Guildhall, Portsmouth

They didn’t get any better, but they didn’t get any worse either.

3. April: The Agency, Twyford Parish Hall

The first of a great many visits to our home village.

19-21. June: Glastonbury Festival with Richard Thompson, Elvis Costello, New Order, The Communards

Christ! A DOUBLE buggy! It was exhausting.

10. July: The Agency, St John’s Rooms, Winchester

Typical bloody Winchester. This Winchester Hat Fair show was ruined by beermonsters.

18. September: Kelly McGuinness Rhythm Method, Boar’s Head, Wickham

A new blues venue which had opened in a country and western club called the Poderosa. It felt like being in an American roadhouse.

28. October: Flik Spatula / Who’s In The Kitchen, Southampton University

Two really good Southampton bands.

2. November: Bad News, Guildhall, Portsmouth

The Comic Strip being comic. The TV joke did not transfer well.

4. November: 10,000 Maniacs, Basins, Portsmouth

A horrible venue at the top of a multi-storey car park voted Europe’s ugliest building. A loss-leading gig for a fine band from the US.

11. December: The Agency, Henry Beaufort School, Winchester

They got lost and arrived late but played a stormer for the staff “do”.

14. December: Automatic Dlamini / Betty Pages, Railway Inn, Winchester

Aha! One of ours. The greatness of this band was becoming apparent.

1988

26. January: Stitch, Joiners Arms, Southampton

This was the first-ever Next Big Thing gig. Stitch had previously been Games To Avoid and[1] had shortened their name from Stitched Back Foot Airman.

3. February: Roachford, Basins, Portsmouth

A promo for “Due South”. Sensibly, the band refused to play until they got paid.

9. February: Blurt, Joiners Arms, Southampton

First of three Joiners appearances from Bristol avant-garde screechers.

24. March: Automatic Dlamini: Railway Inn, Winchester

Back again and more and more exciting.

20. March: FSK, Joiners Arms, Southampton

“I Wish I Could Sprechen Sie Deutsch” sang these John Peel favourites on a rare visit to Blighty.

22. June: M Walking On The Water, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Another groovy German band. I have NINE albums by M Walking On The Water, even though one of them tried to chat up my wife.

23. August: Rainbirds, Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, London

This was where that horrible Chris Evans recorded TFI Friday. Yet another German band, and one that made two really good albums.

17. September: Duck Soup, Twyford Parish Hall

Portsmouth r & b band played at a 40th birthday party for me and Will Thallon.

5. October: Steve Winwood, Royal Albert Hall, London

I got vertigo in the upper balcony. And Winwood had lost it.

14. October: The Hollies, Poole Arts Centre

Jochen Schmidt and his girlfriend Vicky turned up out of the blue. Oliver: Vicky, what did you think of the Hollies’ version of ‘Purple Rain’?” Vicky: “It was Scheisse”.

27. October: Roachford, Quartier Latin, Berlin, Germany

“Cuddly Toy” sounded good.

19. November: The Agency, White Buck, Burley

New Forest Frolics.

25. November: Billy Bragg / Michelle Shocked / Beatnigs, Guildhall, Portsmouth

The ultimate package tour. The Beatnigs attacked sheets of metal with electric saws, just like Einstürzende Neubauten.

1989

12. January: Wolfhounds, Joiners Arms, Southampton

They were supported by the Mild Mannered Janitors from Portsmouth.

11. February: Throwing Muses, Portsmouth Polytechnic

A great band which opened the doors for a whole lot more great bands.

11. March: The Agency, Mean Fiddler, Harlesden, London

I took Craig Whipsnade, but he wasn’t keen on them.

19. April: REM, Portsmouth Guildhall

Wonderful double bill with the Blue Aeroplanes. Michael Stipe appeared to be wearing a staightjacket.

23. May: Big Dipper, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Good American band. Supported by Strange Fruit, later to become Trip.

16-18 June: Glastonbury Festival with Suzanne Vega, Van Morrison, Elvis Costello

Extract from the review: I observe a curry stall for half an hour and do some sums. Veg curry and pitta costs £4. There are six people serving, on average, one customer a minute each. This means they’re making £1440 an hour. Nice work! One festival a year and the rest of the year on the Costa Brava.

26. July: Senseless Things, River Park, Winchester

Winchester’s pathetic attempt at a “festival”.

6. August: The Templemeads, Mash Tun, Winchester

What a great name. A truly likeable “raggle-taggle” band, which made an album with the marvellous title “Ate My Kitchen”.

26. August: The Agency, White Buck, Burley

More stirrings down in the Forest.

9. September: Flik Spatula / Eat, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Later, Flik’s guitarist actually joined Eat.

14. October: Van Morrison, Gaumont, Southampton

Back to top form. My ribald friend Malcolm Payne pretended he thought it was Jim Morrison.

14. December: Automatic Dlamini, Railway Inn, Winchester

The first ever sighting round these parts of Polly Jean Harvey.

1990

11. January: Automatic Dlamini, Joiners Arms, Southampton

I videoed this classic gig. Support came from ex-Chesterfields the Betty Pages.

15. February: Giant Sand, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Howe Gelb found an old upright piano and spent most of the show improvising blues on it. He couldn’t have hated me because we’d never met.

18. March: Kevin Coyne, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

His hair had gone white but he still had the magic.

27 March: The Brilliant Corners, Joiners Arms. Southampton

First of four Joiners appearances from these under-recognised Bristolians.

7. April: The Hollies, Mayflower, Southampton

Sorry Suzanne.

14. June: Whisky Priests, Railway Inn, Winchester

Bloody typical Winchester again. There was a punch-up, wasn’t there.

23-25. June: Glastonbury Festival with The Cure etc.

On the way home we crashed into exactly the same bridge outside Salisbury that the Rolling Stones had crashed into decades earlier. I promise I didn’t do it on purpose.

9. July: Spirit of the West, Railway Inn, Winchester

An American band at the Railway. Blimey!

28. August: An Emotional Fish, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Hilarious. They brought an articulated lorry full of gear and got it stuck in St Mary Street. Serve them right.

5. September: John Otway, Railway Inn, Winchester

He couldn’t get far up the step ladder because the ceiling was so low.

10. October: Die Toten Hosen, Subterrania, London

Mad German punks. “Dead Trousers” – that’s a good name.

10. November: Van Morrison, Mayflower, Southampton

When he’s good, he’s very very good.

15. November: The Becketts, Joiners Arms, Southampton

John Parish produced this Bristol band which specialised in controversial posters.

24. November: Happy End, Hope Centre, Bristol

Improvised jazz in the mould of Loose Tubes.This was interesting. It was the first evidence that John Parish was a star in Bristol. Every two minutes, people came up to shake his hand.

1991

11. January: The Agency, Bournemouth Pavilion

It was a trifle chilly on the seafront.

2. February: Return to the Forbidden Planet, Cambridge Theatre, London

The return of Tim Barron, starring in this blockbuster musical.

14. February: Trip, West Indian Club, Southampton

They’d just been signed and everything was set fair.

23. March: Maria McKee, Academy, Manchester

Maria can knock Spots off all the Alanis Morrisettes of this wirld.

25. May: BAP / Bob Geldof’s Vegetarians of Love, Hamburg, Germany

A sort of festival. Dave Stewart’s band played as well. All the music was lemantable and I froze half to death.

31. May: Joe Jackson, CCH, Hamburg

The Laughter and Lust tour. Not much of either, unfortunately.

5. August: John Otway / Attilla the Stockbroker, Guildhall, Winchester

Hat Fair Cabaret, compèred by Arthur Smith.

22. August: Trip, West Indian Club, Southampton

Never was a band more “up for it”.

29. August: Thin White Rope, Joiners Arms, Southampton

This was the 200th Next Big Thing gig.

8. September: The Blues Band, City Hall, Salisbury

Chilling. In the audience was the Languages Adviser who for years ensured that I didn’t get promotion. If she was a Blues Band fan, I couldn’t be.

26. October: Runrig, Modernes, Bremen

Christmas in Germany makes you desperate. One good thing: The roof of the venue swung open to reveal the stars.

21. December: PJ Harvey, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Hadn’t we seen this girl somewhere before?

29. December: Cropdusters / Trip, East Point Centre, Southampton

A horrible old school hall.

1992

17. January: Robyn Hitchcock / PJ Harvey: ULU, London

Poor Robyn was upstaged and the press was out in force. I had a nasty experience in the bar. A bloke called Jon Driscoll from Waltham Chase, who years before had successfully hassled me to plug his fanzine “Teenage Kicks”, had become a music media darling by the name of Jon Beast. I spotted him and went over to congratulate him on his success. He blanked me.

15. February: Gallon Drunk, Joiners Arms, Southampton

The support band was Asphalt Ribbons, later to become Tindersticks.

12. March: John Cambell, Boar’s Head, Wickham

In my Top Ten gigs of all time.

13. March: Birdland / Trip, Southampton University

I cycled there and left after my boys.

28. March: The Hamsters / The Producers, Boar’s Head, Wickham

The Hamsters did annoyingly pointless Hendrix covers.

24. April: The Fall, Grosse Freiheit 36, Hamburg

I nearly died. See the book.

5. May: Dr Feelgood, Boar’s Head, Wickham

Farewell, Sir Lee. We shall not hear his like again.

27. May: PJ Harvey, Pyramids, Portsmouth

This was shattering. Got to go again tomorrow.

28. May: PJ Harvey / Automatic Dlamini, Bierkeller, Bristol

So I did. John Parish nearly fell off the stage when he saw me leering out of the audience.

3. June: Automatic Dlamini, The Gardens, Yeovil

A night club complete with palm trees. I scattered flyers to the winds.

26-28 June: Glastonbury Festival with Van Morrison, Lou Reed, PJ Harvey, Shakespears Sister

Watching PJH, my children had their first view of crowd surfing.

14. July: Rolling Stones, Wembley Stadium

Actually it was Wilco Johnson. Some idiot lost the Stones tickets.

24. July: K-Passa, Gosport Festival

“Bollocks”, they shouted.

3. August: The Fall, Pyramids, Portsmouth

Less eventful than Hamburg.

25. August: Eugenius / Urge Overkill, Joiners Arms, Southampton

There was little sign that the American support band would end up in the charts.

7. September: Throwing Muses, Pyramids, Portsmouth

Good birthday present.

9. October: Joe Ely / Coal Porters, Boar’s Head, Wickham

Right, I must go to Austin, Texas. Immediately.

28. October: Guitar Orchestra / Passing Clouds, BID, Berlin, Germany

I attended this in an effort to promote the Dlamini album, and bumped into ex-pupil Adam Green as well.

26. November: That Petrol Emotion, Pyramids, Portsmouth

Another band which deserved to do far better than it did.

8. December: The Sundays, Pyramids, Portsmouth

It was hard to see what made this band at all special.

15. December: Automatic Dlamini, The Cricketers, Oval, London

This was their last ever gig. I was the only paying customer.

1993

12. January: Otis Grand, Boar’s Head, Wickham

He did a guitar walkabout and nearly trampled me to death.

13. January: The Wishplants, Powerhaus, Islington, London

After the band had gone off, they pulled a curtain across the stage and started up a disco.

2. February: Stereo MCs, Pyramids, Portsmouth

They took ten years to make a second album.

23. February: Belly, Pyramids, Portsmouth

Belly had a gorgeous heavy metal bassist.

24. February: Suede, Pyramids, Portsmouth

Concave stomachs a go-go.

3. March: The Auteurs, Joiners Arms, Southampton

They thought they were pretty wonderful. Last time they had played at the Joiners, they had been supporting Suede.

9. March: Birdland, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Funniest Joiners gig ever. They asked Mint to turn out the lights so they could make a spectacular entrance. Unfortunately, they forgot to ask him to turn them on again and thus played their first two numbers in complete darkness.

22. April: The Heartthrobs, Joiners Arms, Southampton

A great band built around the Carlotti sisters. Should have been a lot better known.

22. May: PJ Harvey, Guildhall, Southampton

Support gang Gallon Drunk were destroyed by the soundman. PJH were inspiring.

12. June: The Agency, Twyford Parish Hall

The support band, Moosehead, featured Mark Meredith and his brother Guy.

24. June: Arthur Brown, Joiners Arms, Southampton

No flaming headdress. A poor advertisement for the rock & roll lifestyle.

25-27 June: Glastonbury Festival with Donovan, Barenaked Ladies, Midnight Oil and The Kinks

I have a video of this weekend.

20. July: Underground Lovers / ILA, Joiners Arms, Southampton

ILA was a school band I was looking after.

24. July: Richard Thompson, Gosport Festival

He annoyingly didn’t bring a band with him.

26. July: The Blues Band, Gosport Festival

Phew! No sign of the Languages Adviser.

24. August: U2, Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Cork, Ireland

This involved a lengthy journey though the night. Was it worth it? Was it heck.

18. September: Richard Sinclair’s Caravan, The Gantry, Southampton

They were all in an awful state. Andy Ward, Camel’s original drummer, was unrecognisable.

24. September: Smokin’ Joe Kubek / The Hoax, Boar’s Head, Wickham

Sometimes, a band is just a revelation. The Hoax was such a band.

4. October: Clive Gregson, Railway Inn , Winchester

Some folk is good.

7. October: The Breeders, Pyramids, Portsmouth

The Deal sisters looked like they’d done a few too many Deals.

28. October: The Wedding Present, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Indie cult favourites. Not with me.

21. November: Robyn Hitchcock, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Not many people present. He will never be more than a cult, admit it.

2. November: World Party, Portsmouth Poly

Actually I do Wanna Sail In This Ship of Fools.

1994

15. January: The Soft Boys, Astoria, London

How sweet: a reunion. It sold out, too.

27. January: Cornershop, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

I loved their wilful non-commerciality. What a thrill when they finally got a hit, much later. On this occasion, there can’t have been more than 30 people there.

7. February: The Blue Aeroplanes, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

It looked as if they were finally going to achieve a breakthrough. The place was packed. Almost exactly six years later in the same venue, you couldn’t give tickets away.

9. March: Trans-Global Underground, Southampton University

Everybody appeared to have been taking Ecstasy or something.

11. March: Paul Weller, Guildhall, Portsmouth

He had that bloke from Ocean Colour Scene with him.

18. March: Silver Rattles, Twyford Parish Hall

A Beatles tribute? Why? Because Phil Campbell, from The Time was on bass. I very nearly electrocuted myself.

21. April: Walter Trout Band, Pyramids, Portsmouth

A horrible over-the-top guitar show-off.

2. May: Oasis, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

“Marginally less interesting than a slumbering lugworm”. I don’t feel ashamed of this verdict. It just took everyone else a few years to catch up with the truth.

8. June: Peter Perrett and the One, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Having never seen the Only Ones, this was the next best thing. But he was a bad advert for heroin.

24-26. June: Glastonbury Festival with Nick Cave, The Levellers, Paul Weller, James

Not one of the most memorable festivals.

19. July: The Agency, Twyford Parish Hall

Back again.

16. September: The Steamkings, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Good local band which kept plugging away for years.

27. September: Pretenders, Guildhall, Portsmouth

Nobody can wear leather trousers like Chrissie can.

4. October: Radiohead, Pyramids, Portsmouth

I don’t remember whether they were any good. But they were sniffy about playing “Creep”. Shouldn’t have bloody written it then.

13. October: Sugar, Pyramids, Portsmouth

The trouble with Bob Mould is that after a while it all begins to sound the same.

22. November: Electrafixion, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Effectively it was Echo and the Bunnymen. And it wasn’t very good.

25. November: Tom Robinson, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

Now completely solo. Support was TV Smith from the Adverts.

21. December: The Agency, Twyford Parish Hall

Public demand.

1995

6. January: The Surfing Brides, Boar’s Head, Wickham

They came highly recommended, but they weren’t that good.

20. January: Joe Jackson, Guildhall, Portsmouth

The “Night Moves” tour. It began brilliantly with “Home Town” starting to coincide with the chiming of the Guildhall clock.

9. February: Supergrass / Bluetones, Joiners Arms, Southampton

A typically inspired Mint double bill. I preferred the Bluetones.

14. February: Richard Thompson, Pyramids, Portsmouth

Why doesn’t he ever bring a band? How can you prromote an electric album with an acoustic set?

6. March: Sleeper, Joiners Arms, Southampton

They did several Joiners shows, including a free one in 1993.

11. March: PJ Harvey, Shephards Bush Empire

Tricky was the support act. He didn’t get on with Island Records either.

17. March: John Otway, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

Not exactly the most responsive audience.

19. March: David Thomas and Two Pale Boys, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Almost like having Pere Ubu in your living room.

4. April: Elastica, Pyramids, Portsmouth

Hard to believe that we’d have to wait five years before a chance to see them again.

11. May: PJ Harvey, The Forum, London

We went there via Swindon. Unintentionally.

22. May: Kirsty McColl, Pyramids, Portsmouth

A little Twyford charabanc outing, culminating with fish and chips.

15. June: Bettie Serveert, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Really good band from Holland, who turned out to have a surprisingly large UK following.

24-26. June: Glastonbury Festival with Oasis, PJ Harvey, Portishead, Pulp

This was the year of the pink catsuit.

6. July: Elastica / Gene, The Forum, London

An NME Brat show. They purposely positioned the lights to highlight Justine Frischmann’s breasts.

18. July: Black Grape, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

This was one of their first ever shows. A good moment to catch them, as they were still bursting with enthusiasm and something approaching good health.

19 July: Duffy, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Yes, Steven “Tin Tin” Duffy. An artist who deserved more recognition. The audience kept calling out for Duran Duran numbers! Drummer James Powell (Georgie Fame’s son) had played with, guess who, Automatic Dlamini.

24. July: Tom Robinson, Gosport Festival

He brought a band with him but they weren’t much good.

5. August: The Feile Festival, Cork, Ireland, with M People, Sleeper, The Boo Radleys and Blur

What a shame! There was hardly anyone there, so the girls got to be on Irish TV just by dancing around in front of the stage. In a Guinness-fuelled frenzy, I finally got my ear pierced.

10. August: Kinky Machine, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Later to become Rialto, they played at the Joiners four times.

11. October: Sleeper, Pyramids, Portsmouth

I took my friend Trevor but he wasn’t impressed: “She can’t sing!”

19. October: Echobelly, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Drummer Andy Henderson had been in Automatic Dlamini. Me, I tried to square the apparent picture of innocence that was Sonja Aurora Madan with a lascivious interview with her which I had read in that week’s NME.

1996

17. January: Perfume, Joiners Arms, Southampton

They had five different styles of promotional postcard. Five!

22. January: Björk, BIC, Bournemouth

We first had to sit through the Brodski Quartet caterwauling for an hour.

24. January: Placebo, Joiners Arms, Southampton

My idea of a truly terrible band.

25. January: Catatonia, Joiners Arms, Southampton

First sight of Cerys in action and one thing was obvious: This is a star.

5. February: Northern Uproar, Joiners Arms, Southampton

A lot of fuss about nothing.

11. February: Number One Cup, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Is this a bra size?

22. February: Alan Price and the Electric Blues Company, Bridport Arts Centre

Awful to behold. Here were musicians who had once been worthy of respect.

23. February: The Producers, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

First taste of something very rare: A Brit blues band with taste and flair.

26. February: Echobelly, Pyramids, Portsmouth

They had a fantastic soppy slow song at the end.

3. March: Audioweb / Mansun, Joiners Arms, Southampton

One of those “whoo” moments. Mansun are absolutely my kind of band. “We are destined to be stars and nothing will stop us”.

4. March: Screeper / Velcro, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Screeper’s manager Tony Rollinson reminded me so much of me in Thieves days that I suspected I’d died and been reincarnated.

12. March: The Bluetones, Pyramids, Portsmouth

They found the transition to a big stage problematic.

2. April: Tiny Monroe, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Four piece in the style of Echobelly / Sleeper. Great stage presence.

14. April: Catatonia / Space, The Brook, Southampton

Some Welsh double bill. Unfortunately, this super venue is now used almost exclusively by bloody tribute bands.

17. April: Aimee Mann, Shephards Bush Empire, London

In the audience was Tony Banks, a future government minister. A good reason to vote Labour, then.

27. April: Pete Harris Blues Band / XL5, Twyford Parish Hall

An unpromising name for actually a quite swinging dance band. Dear old Mark Andrews fronted ZXL5.

17. May: Bottomless Pit Orchestra, The Eagle, Winchester

This was Chris Willey back again, playing in a fleapit.

26. May: Essential Festival, Brighton with Audioweb, Bis, Drugstore, Echobelly, Baby Bird, Whipping Boy

I went with Lucy and it pissed all day. Whipping Boy were brilliant, whatever became of them?

6. June: Sleeper, Southampton Guildhall

They failed, like every other band, to overcome the acoustics.

16. June: Freakpower, Portsmouth Polytechnic

This time I went with Annabel and the bouncers were awkward. We had a backstage pass, however, courtesy of the bassist Jesse, who had been in a musical with Tim Barron. Norman Cook is a better rhythm guitarist than a DJ, he was great.

17. June: Mansun, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Headlining now.

5. July: The Agency, Twyford Parish Hall

More soul searching.

17. July: Tiger / Linoleum, Joiners Arms, Southampton

I put my name on Linoleum’s mailing list and for the next few years, I kept receiving bits of lino through the post. I nearly accumulated enough to finish the kitchen floor.

20 – 21 July: Womad Festival, Reading

Lots of good people whose names I can’t spell.

26. July: Bottomless Pit Orchestra, The Eagle, Winchester

More fleas.

4. September: Sneaker Pimps / Screeper, Joiners Arms, Southampton

One of the Sneaker Pimps took a call on his mobile phone on stage. Cool or what?

7. September: Howe Gelb, The Pit, Farnham

My birthday treat. As he was a friend of John Parish’s, we offered to help Howe get to the nearest railway station, but he refused. He doesn’t like me.

9. September: Robyn Hitchcock / Homer, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Someone wrote an incomprehensible letter to the Chronicle about Homer.

18. September: Linoleum, Joiners Arms, Southampton

I spotted a brilliant guitarist in this band, and lo and behold, he later joined Elastica.

24. September: Longpigs, Pyramids, Portsmouth

A Crispin and a Crispian within a fortnight. What’s rock & roll coming to?

27. September: XL5, The Bridge, Shawford

Not even Mark Andrews could awaken the audience in this “Ignore the band” pub.

1. October: Kula Shaker: Pyramids, Portsmouth

When I went to the bar, I looked to the left and saw Richard Branson (record company boss). Then I looked to the right and saw Sir John Mills (Crispian’s grandfather).

2. October: Nils Lofgren, The Brook, Southampton

Quite nice to drive ten minutes down the road and see a legend in a pub.

5. October: John Parish and PJ Harvey, The Cavity, Bridport

The best night of my life.

6. October: The Hoax, The Brook, Southampton

Would they break through? They’d already been on Later With Jools Holland.

8. October: John Parish and PJ Harvey, Fleece and Firkin, Bristol

We stayed at a guest house in Whitchurch called Revilo. It wasn’t very good.

12. October: The Producers, The Brook, Southampton

They kept playing until they more or less had to be carried offstage.

13. October: Nut, Joiners Arms, Southampton

A girl singer briefly touted by some record company. The name wasn’t too promising.

16. October: Audioweb, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

The press hated this band but I thought the combination of soulful vocals and chunky guitars was quite clever.

4. November: Drugstore, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

The crowd was small but the amount of red wine consumed on stage was large.

5. November: Catatonia, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

The buzz was growing fast now.

16. November: Edward II, RKL Club, Gosport

The most danceable band on the planet, it said. Unfortunately, the audience was clinically dead.

18. November: Scheer, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Good band from Northern Ireland. “Head” from Yeovil was doing the sound.

30. November: La Cucina, RKL Club, Gosport / K-Passa, The Brook, Southampton

A trawl for a danceable band to play in Twyford.

12. December: Peter Green Splinter Group, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Cozy Powell was on drums!

20. December: The Hoax, Salisbury Arts Centre

Also in my top ten gigs ever.

21. December: The Producers / XL5, Twyford Parish Hall

Paul Dominy got me drunk and I couldn’t remember if I’d locked up the hall. Had to go back in the middle of the night to check.

1997

11. January: The Producers, The Brook, Southampton

More of the same.

21. January: Super Furry Animals, Kenickie, Astoria, London

This was an NME Brat show. Kenickie were just beginning to attract attention.

2. February: Screeper, North Pole, Winchester

Their manager, Tony Rollinson, wrote a book about music in Portsmouth, not by any means as short a volume as you might think.

5. February: Candyskins, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Oxford band on the way down.

6. February: John Parish and PJ Harvey, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London

Sumptuous surroundings for the Louse Point dance show.

12. February: Silver Sun, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Spunky harmony pop.

26. February: Gene, Guildhall, Southampton

The Supernaturals supported and were better than Gene.

28. February: The Agency, The Producers, Winter Gardens, Bournemouth

A fund-raiser for Bournemouth Football club!

6. March: Rosa Mota, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Certainly the loudest band ever to play the Joiners.

12. March: Pavement, Pyramids, Portsmouth

My favourite US band at the time. Check out the mad drummer.

20. March: Symposium, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Spoilt brats.

25. March: Gorkys Zygotic Mynci, The Brook, Southampton

Gorkys on top form before record company tomfoolery.

28. March: T-Rextasy, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Ugh! A tribute band. Paul made me go.

3. April: K-Passa, The Brook, Southampton

Mass pogoing.

15. April: Goldblade, Joiners Arms, Southampton

My pet goths Gretschen Hofner supported and were more interesting than the self-aggrandising Gold Blade.

20. April: Billy Bragg, Salisbury Arts Centre

Very special Bragg show: It was two nights before the General Election!

21. April: Gorkys Zygotic Mynci, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

An upward trajectory.

23. April: Catatonia, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

And another.

25. April: La Cucina, Twyford Parish Hall

The conga went right the way round the hall. One of those bands where it’s impossible to believe that such thrilling music can’t make a living for itself.

1. May: Mansun, Pyramids, Portsmouth

The perfect rock & roll attitude.

13. May: Ian Hunter, The Brook, Southampton

Not nearly as good as his past had led one to believe.

14. May: Feil Garvie, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Adam Green’s latest effort. Even less likely to succeed than the previous ones.

17. May: Jackie Leven, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

I really wanted to be positive about Jackie. He was good but still a sour-faced old git.

20. May: Kenickie, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

At their best. It wouldn’t last long.

21. June: Pete Harris Blues Band, Twyford Parish Hall

This was Birgit’s 40th birthday party. Support was the first (and sadly not the last) performance by Revilo and Ricardo. I demonstrated my love by forcing myself to go on stage and sing “Stay”, “The One I Love” and “Don’t Ask Me”. We got an encore.

23. June: Ash, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Glastonbury warmup bedlam.

24. June: Primal Scream, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Every Sister is a Star. What a brilliant, brilliant band.

27-29 June: Glastonbury Festival with Sting, Radiohead, The Prodigy, Primal Scream

I fail to see the charm of Radiohead. It seems I am not in the majority.

4. July: World Party, Guildhall, Portsmouth

Hello Jumbo.

10. July: Vex, North Pole, Winchester

They got “Indie Album Of The Month” in MOJO.

12. July: La Cucina, The Brook, Southampton

All their families were there.

19. July: The Agency, Twyford Parish Hall

They brought the hall down as usual.

26 – 27 July: Womad Festival, Reading

We had a go at a drum workshop.

6. September: Paul Jones and Dave Kelly, The Pit, Farnham

My birthday present again. The food was awful.

13. September: The Cage, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

The grand debut of Richard’s band. I was in a furious mood because of having been refused admission to see Eric Bibb the previous night on account of arriving five minutes late. My ceaseless unremunerated plugging of the Tower had never been acknowledged and that was the last straw.

24. September: Tanya Donnelly, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Considerably less confrontational music than last time round.

2. October: Stereolab, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

I love a band that sets up its own gear.

8. October: Spiritualized, Pyramids, Portsmouth

I hated it. Dunno why. Within a couple of months I’d decided they were brilliant.

9. October: Strangelove, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Fantastic. Patrick Duff was a complete natural. Fail to understand why he’s so unpopular with the press. Maybe because he’s got a brain?

28. October: Seventeen Reasons Why, Hotel Utah, San Francisco

A visit to the home of American Music Club. We ate salsa and corn chips.

13. November: Flaming Stars, Joiners Arms, Southampton

The natural successors to Gallon Drunk. Nice seedy skinny blokes in dark baggy Oxfam suits.

14. November: The Hoax, Salisbury Arts Centre

Birgit’s brother Harald flew in from Germany specially to see them. It was worth it.

2. December: Echobelly, Pyramids, Portsmouth

They had really sweet twinkly lights on their backdrop but all their albums sounded the same.

3. December: Robyn Hitchcock, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Our feet nearly froze to the floor.

13. December: The Producers, Twyford Parish Hall

Xmas special.

18. December: Chris T-T: Railway Inn, Winchester

My brave ex-pupil, striking out on his own.

29. December: The Hoax, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Videoed for posterity. I can see all my friends in it (well, not all of them).

1998

17. January: The Agency, BIC, Bournemouth

Gulp! A Harley Davidson convention!

20. January: Spiritualized, Salisbury Arts Centre

So this is what it’s like to take drugs!

22. January: Richard Thompson, Salisbury City Hall

He didn’t bring a band, only his son Teddy.

29. January: Catatonia, Wedgwood Rooms, Portsmouth

You could hardly get in there.

5. February: User / Screeper, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

“Showcase” recording for a TV show called SFX.

18. February: Colin John, The Cavity, Bridport

I met a couple I’d last seen on the Rochdale canal. We unforgivably chatted in loud voices all the way through the performance.

23. February: Sleeper / Rialto, Pyramids, Portsmouth

“But she can’t sing!”

21. March: The Hollies, Mayflower, Southampton

Please don’t tell me I look as old as this audience.

27. March: Asian Dub Foundation, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

What sprung dance floors were invented for.

28. March: La Cucina, Twyford Parish Hall

They broke up soon afterwards. No connection.

30. March: Bobby Mack and Night Train, The Brook, Southampton

He said the competition in Austin, Texas is so fierce that he can’t get a gig there. We gotta go to Austin!

31. March: Drugstore, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

They have an album out and even the prospect of a hit single with Thom Yorke. Success for Drugstore? That would ruin everything.

18. April: Preacher Boy, The Brook, Southampton

From Tenderloin, San Francisco.

25. April: Catatonia, Southampton University

We took Annabel. She was amazed by the crowd surfers. This band was about to go ballistic.

28. April: Jesus and Mary Chain, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

They seemed a bit bad tempered.

2. May: Creamfields Festival, Winchester with Beth Orton, Finley Quaye, Primal Scream

Surrounded by wild-eyed maniacs shouting “Ello Mr Gray! What’re you on then?”

6. May: Heather Nova, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

She was marvellous and had a really good band as well.

31. May: Kenickie, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

They were terrible and obviously about to break up.

2. June: Embrace, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

I wouldn’t want to cuddle them.

5. June: Billy Bragg, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

The crowd was unconvinced by the Woody Guthrie stuff. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it eventually.

14. June: Eric Bibb, The Brook, Southampton

Got to see him at last but he was a bit too Mr Perfect for me.

16. June: The Cage, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

The plan was to sell lots of CDs. The plan failed.

26 – 28. June: Glastonbury Festival with Blur, Catatonia, Pulp, Robbie Williams

Independent on Sunday! Fame at long, long last!

1. July: Spleen. The Thekla, Bristol

A fantastic noise from Rob Ellis and co. On a ship, as well.

4. July: Preacher Boy, Red Eye Club, London

I don’t recommend wandering round Kings Cross late at night, unless you’re getting paid for it.

5. July: Party In The Park, Hyde Park, London, with Tom Jones, All Saints, Boyzone

I got to stand in a queue with Sir David Frost. Lucy got David Duchovny’s autograph and then spoke to Prince Charles. The music was shite.

11. July: The Hoax, Twyford Parish Hall

The summit of my village promoting career. People said they were too loud and I just didn’t care.

18. July: Noel Redding Band, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

Probably the most depressing gig of my life. How could a rock legend demean himself so?

25 – 26 July: Womad Festival, Reading

I remember dancing to “White Lines” at 2 am.

3. August: PJ Harvey, Bridport Arts Centre

An intimate warm-up for the “Is This Desire?” tour. Great support band too: White Hotel.

10. August: Ian Dury, Dingwalls, London

On great form despite ill health.

11. August: Lodger, Dingwalls, London

Island records showcase for a new signing. Just for once, I looked around at all the journalists and thought, “I’m one of you!”

15. August: The Producers, The Brook, Southampton

You’d think one would get bored. One wouldn’t.

5. September: Thieves Like Us, The Agency, Trip, The Cage, Z.inc, Twyford Parish Hall

Or maybe this was the best day of my life. My 50th birthday party.

19. September: Bop Brothers, Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham

Checking out a Brit Blues outfit for a possible booking. The venue was a school hall. Shudder!

27. September: Jackie Leven, The Brook, Southampton

He told a lot of rude stories.

28. September: Daheebiejeebies, Lucy’s Retired Surfer’s, Austin, Texas, USA

Jet lagged and in heaven.

29. September: Maceo Parker, Antone’s, Austin, Texas

Funk Overload! The Real Thing! And we met someone who had been at Glastonbury.

30. September: Monte Montgomery, Saxon Bar, Austin, Texas

Tequila overdose! The next day, I bought his album.

3. October: R.L. Burnside, House of Blues, New Orleans

Genuine toothless blues.

4. October: John Carey, Tipicino’s, New Orleans

Kill that digital sound system.

8. October: Hurricane No. 1, Joiners Arms, Southampton

One of these ended up in Oasis.

12. October: Rialto / Lodger, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Overblown and over-hyped.

14. October: Ash, Guildhall, Portsmouth

Ash have one of the wildest audiences ever, but the songs were great and Charlotte Hatherley had transformed the band.

19. October: Grandaddy, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

The lowest-fi imaginable. A quiet electric band – how refreshing.

20. October: Mansun, Guildhall, Southampton

Annabel fell asleep.

26. October: Bob Mould / Mercury Rev, Reading University

Just a minute, who’s that support band? The candelabra gave them away. I made the fatal mistake of going to the front during Bob Mould’s set and couldn’t hear for a week.

27. October: Silver Sun, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Well, I like harmony vocals.

11. November: Morcheeba, Pyramids, Portsmouth

Quite pleasant to listen to but not much of a live spectacle.

16. November: Roddy Frame, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Quite a revelation. Just as lively and inspired as in Aztec Camera days.

26. November: Edward II, The Brook, Southampton

Could we afford to book them? No.

28. November: John Cooper-Clarke, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

Bernard Manning lives.

2. December: Drugstore, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Yes, well, by now it had all gone horribly wrong, of course.

11. December: PJ Harvey, Colston Hall, Bristol

We all went down in a gang. We walked out of the car park and someone threw a bottle at us. Thanks a bunch.

12. December: The Producers, Twyford Parish Hall

They stayed over and played a lunchtime gig at the Bugle the next day, despite having consumed the best part of a bottle of whisky before going to bed. Hard livin’ bluesmen.

18. December: PJ Harvey, Olympia, Dublin, Ireland

I stayed in Swords, where Boyzone come from. Howe Gelb still doesn’t like me.

1999

8. January: Orko, Railway Inn, Winchester

Briefly managed by Mint. Probably a mistake.

9. January: Reconsider, Talking Heads, Southampton

A young blues band. So bad that I decided not to review it for fear of being too offensive. Getting old at last.

19. January: Mercury Rev, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Putting in a bid to be my favourite band of all time.

25. January: John Parish, Wedgewood Rooms, Salisbury

A live version of his “Rosie” film sountrack. It really worked.

8. February: Heather Nova, Salisbury Arts Centre

Twyford village outing. Heather is a suitable role model for any teenage girl.

13. February: Miller Anderson, Vintage Inn, Shedfield

And this was the man who wrote all the Keef Harley albums.

20. February: Colosseum, The Brook, Southampton

Oh God! Dave Clempson was half bald and wore glasses. They hadn’t progressed at all in 25 years. No need to insult the audience like this.

24. February: Los Pacaminos, The Brook, Southampton

Paul Young’s hobby Tex-Mex band.

26. February: The Creatures, Salisbury Arts Centre

The audience seemed to have taken a wrong turning from the Rocky Horror Show.

5. March: Wilco Johnson, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

He wasn’t getting any better either.

9. March: Rumdum, Joiners Arms, Southampton

The grand re-opening of the Joiners after re-furbishment. They put the stage against the only wall which hadn’t been tried before.

16. March: Glenn Tilbrook, The Brook, Southampton

You can’t half singalong to those old Squeeze songs.

20. March: Bop Brothers, Twyford Parish Hall

Undemanding blues evening.

1. April: PJ Harvey and John Parish, Improv. Theatre, London

They were sensational. It was supposed to be John Peel’s birthday party but turned out to be the first of many. Echo and the Bunnymen were so bad that Birgit was yelling “Boo, get off” like the guys in the Muppet Show.

9. April: K-Passa, Talking Heads, Southampton

Should I book them?

12. April: Rosita, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Kenickie spin-off, hardly worth the bother.

13. April: Bobby Mack and Night Train, The Brook, Southampton

Southampton, Texas, what’s the difference?

16. April: The Hoax, The Brook, Southampton

Recording their farewell live album.

19. April: Ultrasound, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Fat people being not very good. My unerring antennae for a band about to break up proved reliable again.

27. April: Howe Gelb, The Cumberland, Bristol

He STILL doesn’t like me.

9. May: Handsome Family, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

Murder in the woods. Sylvia Sims is a big fan (You’ll have to read the book).

10. May: John Cale, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

The fact that it was billed as a “Spoken Word” event didn’t put people off calling out for Velvet Underground songs.

12. May: dEUS, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Belgium’s finest. They’d gone a bit “alt-country” but none the worse for that.

15. May: Colin Blunstone, The Brook, Southampton

The Zombies’ “Odessy and Oracle” is one of my favourite albums. Colin was encouragingly elegant and unravaged.

29. May: Homelands Festival, Winchester, with Dot Al

†lison, Asian Dub Foundation, Black Star Liner

More pop-eyed maniacs.

30 – 31 May: Bishopstock Festival, Exeter, with Taj Mahal, Buddy Guy, Magic Slim

It rained and there was hardly anyone there, but it didn’t matter because this weird event was bankrolled by rich people for their own entertainment. There are certainly worse things to spend your money on.

3. June: The Producers, Tower Arts Centre

They’d just been voted British Blues Band of the Year.

6. June: A, Joiners Arms, Southampton

It was very rumbustuous but not much else.

17. June: Scott 4, Joiners Arms, Southampton

An unsuccessful attempt to appear cool in stetsons.

20. June: Tom Robinson, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

He downloaded some of his own lyrics on the internet in the interval.

22. June: Wilco, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Jeff Tweedy wins my vote for seediest rocker of the century. He also hurled himself backwards through the drumkit during the enncore.

25 -27. June: Glastonbury Festival with Hole, Blondie, REM, Manic Street Preachers

But more importantly, Marianne Faithfull.

10. July: The Agency, Twyford Parish Hall

Probably their best ever performance. They wanted to make up for being pissed on my birthday.

23 – 25 July: WOMAD Festival

We handed out 2000 Robyn Hitchcock flyers.

14. August: Chris T-T, Railway Inn, Winchester

Still brave. If I didn’t know better, I’d have offered to manage him.

26. August: Ten Benson, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Loony local support, Rumdum, were better.

27. August: Robbie McIntosh, The Brook Southampton

Desperately disappointing solo effort from Macca’s sideman.

1. September: Death In Vegas, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

One of those wild nights, full of excitement. Spiritualized revisited.

4. September: Willard Grant Conspiracy, Melkweg, Amsterdam

Robert Fisher assured me: “When we come to England, we’ll be visiting some small towns like Manchester, Birmingham and Winchester.” They did.

5. September: Luscious Jackson, Melkweg, Amsterdam

Luscious indeed.

6. September: Sparklehorse, The Garage, London

John Parish wangled me in. People annoyingly talked in the quiet bits.

9. September: Edward II, The Brook, Southampton

We definitely couldn’t afford to book them. And then they split up.

10. September: Llama Farmers, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Trevor’s “stag night”! Forever to be known as a Llama Night.

11. September: Trevor’s wedding, Oxford

A live performance by me of a re-written version of “Clever Trevor”. All because I was too scared to make a speech.

13. September: Arab Strap, Wedgewood Roms, Portsmouth

I didn’t care at all about that ugly Scottish bloke’s troubled love life.

18. September: The Hoax, South Parade Pier, Portsmouth

Nearly the end.

24. September: Robyn Hitchcock, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

All the elements were there: Guest appearance by Kimberley Rew, nearly a fight in the audience and Robyn Hitchcock still didn’t recognise me.

30. September: Chris T-T, Railway Inn, Winchester

No, no, I won’t be tempted.

6. October: Campag Velocet, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Objectively, not a promising format. Subjectively, hugely enjoyable because the attitude was so good.

13. October: The Hoax, Astoria, London

The absolute end. The autograph session continued afterwards in Tottenham Court Road.

16. October: Sonny Black and the Dukes, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

Anaemic Brit blues in a cabaret style.

18. October: Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

Quelle scoop! The old boys and their Do Right Women done good.

3. November: Reg Presley, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

He said he knew where to mine for gold. But since “Four Weddings and a Funeral”, he doesn’t need to bother.

8. November: David Gray, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Good name, good bloke.

12. November: Eugene Hideaway Bridges, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

Hideaway? Good idea.

16. November: The Flaming Lips, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Brilliant performance art. In my Top Three ever.

25. November: Paddy Casey, Joiners Arms, Southampton

A bit like Marc Bolan. Are we coming full circle?

11. December: John Otway / K-Passa, Twyford Parish Hall

See introduction.

26. December: The Agency, Liquids, Bournemouth

Finishing the Millennium in traditional style.

2000

23. January: Bellatrix, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Good point: what happened to Bellatrix?

26. January: Blue Aeroplanes, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

They were even better than ever, if that’s possible. But their following had dwindled.

28. January: Rachel Stamp, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Good point: what happened to Rachel Stamp?

30. January: Freedy Johnson, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

I have fond memories of our cat, Freedy, who was run over by a lorry. But of Freedy Johnson I have no memory at all.

31. January: Elastica, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

This was the period when they were all allegedly on drugs and the press thought they were crap. I though they were fantastic. That Justine was still a bit of all right.

7. February: Savoy Brown, Bottom Line, New York.

How embarrassing. Arriving at what, to a UK punter, would have seemed a reasonable time, I found I had missed not only the support act but all but the last ten minutes of the headliners as well. The doorman took pity on me and let me stay for the second house. Kim Simmonds was still impeccably smoothed but poor old Dave Peverett had died.

26. February: Peter Bruntnell, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

Early exposure to a musician destined to become one of my favourites.

5. March: Day One, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Good point: whatever happened … (Oh, shut up!)

10 March: Eels, The Pyramids, Portsmouth

The funniest gig of all time. The magnificent Mr E insisted that we should all sit down in silence for the duration of the show. Scuffles broke out in the audience when some people refused to comply.

15. March: The Wannadies, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Not bad for Scandinavians.

18. March: The Producers, Twyford Parish Hall

They played a blinder. Voted UK blues band of the year three years running.

20. March: Cay / Crashland, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Cay were kinda krusty.

2. April: Terris / Coldplay, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Aha! It was obvious to all the thirty or so people present that Coldplay were going to be gigantic.

4. April: The The, The Pyramids, Portsmouth

Matt Johnson had gone grunge and it was neither a pretty sight nor sound.

11. April: Hefner, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Sorry, I thought they were twee and over self-conscious. The singer was unbearable.

23. April: The Dandy Warhols, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Nice to see them in the charts about 18 months later.

4. May: Cousteau / Chris TT, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

The first time you see Cousteau they really impress you with their suaveness. Unfortunately, they never seem to learn any new songs.

5. May: Chicken Shack, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

I shook Stan’s had and it was all limp. You wouldn’t think that of a gnarledbluesman, would you?

12. May: The Flaming Lips / Built To Spill / Wheat, Royal Festival Hall, London

The RFH is an absolutely terrible place to see a band. That’s all I’m prepared to say.

20. May: Neal Casal / Peter Bruntnell, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

Guess who blew whom offstage?

27. May: Bishopstock Festival, Exeter

It clashed with Homelands, it pissed with rain and the signs were there that all was not well in the state of Bishopstock. But Steve Earle was a revelation.

3. June: The Agency, Holdenhurst Village Hall

Tim Holt’s birthday. Here I met Tom Oldham, who reviewed the first edition of this book and started a bit of a roll for it. Respect!

8. June: Chris Hillman, The Brook, Southampton

Disappointingly wholesome. In the audience was Sid Griffin from the Long Ryders, who was drunk.

22 – 25 June: Glastonbury Festival

There was a problem with overcrowding and I was caught up in it. Having just seen the Flaming Lips on the “New Band” (!!) stage, my only thought was, at least I’ll die happy.

8. July: John Otway / The Nightporters, Twyford Parish Hall

Oh heck, another of those. Not even the brilliantly entertaining Nightporters could follow Otway.

13. July: Pat McDonald, Abaixadors Deu, Barcelona

Talk about mañana. John Parish was here, producing Sparklehorse, and did this show with Pat McDonald which didn’t get started until so late at night that I only heard half the first song before having to leave to catch a train.

16. July: Eels, Southampton Guildhall

Thankfully a less rowdy audience. Here, we learnt that you must never leave an Eels show until you are absolutely sure it’s over. And I got a crush on Lisa Germano.

17. August: Mansun, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Check out a silver-haired Tommy Winstone doing the tour managing. But Mansun seemed to have come to a bit of a full stop.

24. August: Asian Dub Foundation, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

My idea of a truly great band.

25. August: Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, Gosport Festival.

They don’t come any more dismal than this. Mind you, I got hate mail for saying so.

29. August: Omar and The Howlers, The Brook, Southampton

We missed them in Austin so they came to us.

2. September: The Agency, Ferndown Community Centre

Launching their new album which I daringly helped to finance. It sold so fast that I got the money back in about a week.

7. September: Drugstore, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Who on earth finances them?

17. September: PJ Harvey, The Hope and Anchor, Bridport

This crazy lunchtime gig was the world début of the “Stories From The City …” songs. Too weird to describe, really, but it got me back in the Independent on Sunday. The Hope should be an English Heritage site.

18. September: PJ Harvey, Bridport Arts Centre

The official début, featuring the psychedelic mini-skirt which turned out to be about the most restrained garment Polly wore all year.

28. September: Alan Clayson, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

It was a lecture about the Beatles. Does this count as a gig?

30. September: Naughty Rhythms Tour, Perins School, Alresford / The Gliders, Tower Arts Centre, WInchester

We checked out Otway and co in a school hall before catching half the Gliders show. Sean Lyons, ex-Soft Boy, was in this very good band.

5. October: Elliot Smith, The Forum, London

I was on a total high, having just been on the Johnny Walker Show on Radio Two. I danced round Portland Place, which wasn’t very dignified.

12. October: The Delgados, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

They had the seediest chain-smoking string section imaginable.

19. October: Wishbone Ash, The Brook, Southampton

Paul made me go. (A different Paul, this time).

21. October: Vigilantes of Love, Joiners Arms, Southampton

A pretty good cult band from the States but there were only twelve people there.

9. November: Chris TT, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Chris was getting better and better. His second album contained a great song called “Dreaming Of Injured Popstars”.

25. November: Black Blue Fish … Very Beautiful, Railway Inn, Winchester

The return of Rumdum. Possibly the weirdest band I’ve ever seen, and charming because they aren’t all clever-clever, just mad.

27. November: Grand Drive, The Borderline, London.

My first exposure to the godlike Hawksley Workman. And Grand Drive were wonderful too.

29. November: Willard Grant Conspiracy, Joiners Arms, Southampton

That Robert Fisher is a bit of a character, but you wouldn’t want to spend too much time with him on a tourbus.

3. December: Hardin and York, Café Hahn, Koblenz

The ultimate nostalgia trip. The whole family flew there just for the gig and yes, it was worth it.

9. December: The Agency, Twyford Parish Hall

It wouldn’t be Christmas without them, would it?

10. December: Nine Below Zero / Amor, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

The new band of Jon Amor from the Hoax. We arrived just as he was saying “Thank you, goodnight”, stayed for two songs from the headliners (interestingly featuring the ex-Rory Gallagher rhythm section) , then went home again.

13. December: Vacant / Inner Sense, Railway Inn, Winchester

Vacant were a college indie band who backed Annabel, Hannah and Sara. Yes, my daughter is in a band. Whoopee! The two styles didn’t exactly gel, but the audience didn’t seem to notice.

2001

13. January: Kent Duchaine, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester.

A bit too slick.

31. January: And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead / The Strokes, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

I’m proud to have been at this one, because it was almost the Strokes’ first UK show. The audience was flattened by their refreshingly casual brilliance. The much-vaunted headliners turned out to be a bunch of pussycats.

3. February: Grandaddy / Lowgold, Southampton University

Such tunes, such beards, such surreal back-projections.

9. February: Amor, Mr Smiths, Bournemouth

Still not the right place to see Jon. The sound was awful and his mike stand kept falling over.

10. February: Thirst / Cooper Temple Clause, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Cooper Temple Clause turned up in a gigantic tourbus, to support a local band. Lots of money going into the CTC and I fervently hoped it would all be wasted.

11. February: PJ Harvey, Shepherds Bush Empire

Richard and Sharon, whose views I hold in great respect, walked out and went to the pub. The reason? Those two irritating grunge guitarists ruining the band. It started on a tremendous high with a solo Polly and then went downhill.

12. February: John Elliott, Royal Seven Stars, Totnes

Yes, John Elliott from the Lesser Known Tunisians. He hadn’t changed, I’m pleased to say.

16. February: Inner Sense, Railway Inn, WInchester

Another blinder.

17. February: Joe Jackson, Royal Festival Hall

Before the show, he was interviewed by Barbara Ellen. I was pissed off because I didn’t see why we should pay to experience this, but the actual show was so fantastic that I forgave him completely. What a sublime musician.

1. March: Inner Sense, The White Swan, WInchester

We just about made it out of there alive.

6. March: Drugstore, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

I only attend Drugstore gigs to demonstrate solidarity with their plight.

8. March: Ray Davies, The Anvil, Basingstoke

I’d seen him die a death doing this show at Glastonbury, but it went down much better here.

13. March: Terris, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Poor old Terris. Coldplay had gone ballistic and they hadn’t.

29. March: Sixteen Horsepower / John Parish, Dingwalls, London

A spooky band. Apparently they’re religious, but I found them frightening. JP’s huge new guitar band (thirteen members, I think) supported and Hugh Coltman from the Hoax had travelled from Paris specially to see 16 Horsepower.

30. March: Paul Lamb and the King Snakes, The Brook, Southampton

Their reputation was good but they were absolutely terrible.

2. April: Mo Solid Gold, Joiners Arms, Southampton

These Animal Men, to be exact. One album and goodbye, as usual.

11. April: Spencer Davis Group, Ronnie Scotts, Birmingham

Roy Wood was in the audience. Roy Wood!

12. April: Inner Sense, The White Swan, WInchester

There was a dispute about payment.

14. April: Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent, The Brook, Southampton

There was an unnecessary lead guitarist who spurted all over every song, including, heaven help us, ”She’s Not There”. Poor Colin had to bellow (which of course he can’t do) and Rod Argent insisted on making smug speeches.

16. April: Tom Ovans / The Good Sons, Joiners Arms, Southampton

The smallest audience the Joiners has ever seen. Four people, of whom only one paid.

18. April: Cosmic Rough Riders, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Tuneful but boring. I always thought Alan McGee was a loser, and this proved it.

20. April: Tony Benn, Winchester Guildhall

I do realise that this is cheating and could render the entire gig list invalid, but it was as big a thrill as any rock show. Even the Tories present treated him as a hero.

25. April: Ash, The Pyramids, Portsmouth

Heavy metal for people who don’t like heavy metal. I’d vote for Charlotte Hatherley over Courtney Love as feistiest woman in rock.

29. April: The Soft Boys, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Pretty surreal, huh? But despite the greyness of their locks, they were better than ever and even had some new songs.

4. May: Errol Linton’s Blues Vibe, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

Only once have I seen a band more stoned than this. It was on December 7th 2001.

17. May: The Handsome Family, The Brook, Southampton

Who’s that support act? Why, it’s the godlike Hawksley Workman again.

26. May: BVI Music Festival with Maxi Priest, Cane Carden Bay, Tortola, British Virgin Islands

The fact that it looks so impressive doesn’t make it any less true.

3. June: Regular Fries, The Brook, Southampton

Whoops! I told a lie on 4. May.

7. June: J. Mascis and the Fog, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Hector was in paradise, but I had to drive. We had a burger on Portsdown Hill.

11. June: Proud Mary, Joiners Arms, Southampton

They were as dire as any review you may have read. And the rest.

22. June: John Otway, Twyford Parish Hall

Someone else was promoting the show, which made a change. Otway did his “birthday set”.

4. July: Inner Sense, Railway Inn, Winchester

I could have been the audience’s great grandfather.

5. July: Larmer Tree Festival with Van Morrison and The Agency

And guess who blew whom offstage?

7. July: Radiohead / Supergrass, South Park, Oxford

It was chucking it down when they finished but Lucy wanted to stay for the encore in case they played “Creep”. I assured her there was no way they would play that particular song and got into awful trouble when we heard its strains wafting over the fence five minutes later.

11. July: Thirst, Railway Inn , Winchester

I want to like them a lot but an indefinable something holds me back.

14. July: Ed Harcourt, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Sorry, but this smelt of hype.

16. July: Haven, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Managed by the Smiths’ manager, apparently. I quite liked them but the music press was doubtful.

19. July: The Blockheads, Bullington Arms, Oxford

An eventful evening. Phill Jupitus took Ian Dury’s place brilliantly. Then (Clever) Trevor got so drunk I had to carry him home. A passing cyclist called out “Fucking faggots!”

24. August: Reading Festival 2001 with PJ Harvey, Eels, The Strokes and others.

We were there to see PJ Harvey and Eels. It felt really strange, because I wasn’t reviewing it … but then, all of a sudden, I was, because of unexpectedly linking up with a super American music magazine called Amplifier.

28. August: Eels, The Forum, London

I’m afraid that E is a genius.

29. August: Heather Nova / Cousteau, Shepherds Bush Empire

This was a bit silly (see 21. October). What’s more, Cousteau still hadn’t learnt any new songs.

7. September: Ben Waters / Rock Bottom, The Pit, Farnham

Annual birthday outing. Something awful happened a week later: Rock Bottom dropped down dead.

9. September: Harry Skinner and Dave Saunders, our garden

Inner Sense supported. It was bloody cold, but it worked.

21. September: Amor, The Brook, Southampton

Finally got to experience a full set and booked him for December 15th.

23. September: Elliott Murphy / Iain Matthews, The Botanique, Brussels

I genuinely thought I was booking to see Elliott Smith! But actually, these two old stagers were good, if not exactly new millenium cutting edge. I would have reflected on seeing Iain Matthews back in 1968, but unfortunately the Belgian beer had already taken its toll.

27. September: Trip, Railway Inn , Winchester

A Trip reunion after all this time. They only played three songs, but the old fire blazed.

30. September: The Music, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Stupid hype.

7. October: Spiritualized, The Pyramids, Portsmouth

I’d gone off them again.

10. October: Inner Sense, Railway Inn, Winchester

Magic but unmanageable.

21. October: Heather Nova, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

I had been to see Heather and her band in London, not knowing that they’d be touring. The London show was okay (with special mention for the grungy female German guitarist) but this stripped-down acoustic version was sensational.

25. October: Eels, Brixton Academy

I finally got to meet Butch and Mr E. Do you know he recorded the definitive version of the Hollies’ “Jennifer Eccles”?

28. October: Thea Gilmore, The Brook, Southampton

She was unmemorable and then there was a fight.

31. October: Mercury Rev, Anson Rooms, Bristol

If they didn’t come to me, I’d have to go to them. There has been no better band in history.

7. November: David Kitt, Joiners Arms, Southampton

See Ed Harcourt. Nick Drake’s already been done, David.

9. November: Handsome Family, Tower Arts Centre, WInchester

The joke was wearing a bit thin.

14. November: Inner Sense, Railway Inn , Winchester

They should be signed for a million quid. They won’t be.

20. November: Lift To Experience, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

A Texan cross between Mogwai and Pavement. The kind of band that Trail of Dead wish they were.

6. December: The Producers, The Brook, Southampton

Farewell, then, guys.

7. December: Peter Bruntnell, Railway Inn, Winchester

Stoned Love.

15. December: The Agency / Amor, Twyford Parish Hall

We had actually planned to stop doing these shows, but temptation is a difficult thing to resist.

17. December: Naughty Rhythms Tour, Winchester Guildhall

Canned Heat didn’t appear because Fito de la Parra had tennis elbow!

2002

10. January: User, Hope and Anchor, Islington

Strange to be back here after so many years. It’s gone a bit up-market but I preferred it when the stage was made of beer crates.

17. January: Pete Yorn, The Water Rats, Kings Cross

Strange to be back here after … hang on, just said that. There was a long and complicated story to this gig, but the main question is: why do record companies put so much into music which, while enjoyable, is such old hat?

1. February: Bap Kennedy / Mark Nevin, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

There was a funny atmosphere and the show didn’t take off.

5. February: Ee-blee / The Sense, Joiners Arms, Southampton

A slightly mismatched bill but a chance for the Gurlz (Complete with name change) to get their live set recorded at last.

15. February: Goldrush / Buffseeds, Joiners Arms, Southampton

More post-Radiohead bands. Thank goodness the Strokes and other Americans are riding to the rescue with some different music.

6. March: Electric Soft Parade, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

They have the same gimmick as … Trail of Dead, in that the drummer and guitarist swap instruments and lead vocals.

7. March: Spiritualized, Southampton Guildhall

Having hated them, loved them and hated them again, this time I found them sort of okay. Probably not a band you ought to see too often.

10. March: Spencer Davis Group, The Troggs, the Yardbirds, The Anvil, Basingstoke

By no means as dreadful as it sounds. All three bands had a couple of original members and were on good form. Afterwards, we hob-nobbed with them in the Basingstoke Hilton. Very Alan Partridge, I’m sure.

13. March: Billy Bragg, Salisbury City Hall

A sublime evening of real warmth and pleasure for all concerned. Watching and hearing Sir Ian McLagen in action was like a dream. If you’re lucky, you can sometimes catch him and Billy jamming in the Three Horseshoes, Burton Bradstock.

14. March: Bill Sheffield, The Brook, Southampton

First visit to these shores by Georgia bluesman, accompanied by ex-Producer Dave Saunders.

16. March: Amor / The Sense, Railway Inn, Winchester.

One of ours, and bloody gratifying. Amor simply ripped the place apart. This was definitely going to be their year.

29. March: Uninvited Guest, Fishbonz, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Definitively the worst band I’ve ever seen. I could describe it to you but it would make you ill.

30. March: Shaking Tree, Fishbones, Tulsa

I felt so sorry that the audience ignored them that I bought two of their CDs (but have never actually listened to them).

11. April: Dem Brooklyn Bums, Fibbers, York

NYC ska-punk. Don’t ask, but drunkenness and cigars were involved.

17. April: Ken Hensley and Free Spirit, The Brook, Southampton

Proud Words, but the shelf had got dustier.

22. April: Mercury Rev, The Event, Brighton

This was a garish disco but not even that could spoil the magic.

30. April: Durango 75, Railway, Winchester

I remember that Richard Williams got cuddled a lot.

1. May: Lambchop, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

A bit quiet for me. I got “sshed” at for creaking the door and allowing my mobile phone to go off.

7. May: Doves, Portsmouth Pyramids

I don’t care what anyone says, they DO sound like Camel.

7. June: The Manfreds, Portsmouth Guildhall

A sort of package show. Not much cop.

11. June: The Somatics, Railway, Winchester

Quite a retro band. I liked them but they don’t seem to have much of a future.

13. June: Stag / The Sense, Railway, Winchester

Supposed to be a showcase for some music industry people. Unfortunately, they turned up after The Sense had finished, much like Wilson Pickett did in the Commitments.

18. June: Black Blue Fish … Very Beautiful: Railway, Winchester

Endearingly bonkers as usual.

20. June: The Bees, Joiners Arms, Southampton

The first band to come out of the Isle of Wight since Level 42. Really, really enjoyable, too.

27 – 30 June: Glastonbury Festival with The White Stripes, The Vines, Faithless, etc., etc.

Oh, and Roger Waters. I got into trouble for being non-complimentary about him.

6. July: The Sense, The Broadway, Winchester

Open-air show. The pinnacle of their career (so far).

14. July: Little Dixie / Billy Bragg, Bridport Arts Centre

Amazingly, this was Mutter Slater (from Stackridge) and his blues band. They backed Billy on “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight”.

18. July: Larmer Tree Festival with Jools Holland and The Agency

Jools Holland’s orchestra were not on form, so guess who blew whom offstage?

20. August: The Sense, Railway, Winchester

The supported themselves, as it were.

30. August: Amor, Mr Smith’s Bournemouth

They’d unexpectedly turned into a 4-piece.

6. September: Goatboy, Railway, Winchester

They were barking mad but really exciting (and very different).

12. September: Goatboy / Black-Blue Fish, Joiners Arms, Southampton

A double helping of lunacy.

24. September: Joe Jackson Band, Wedgwood Rooms, Portsmouth

Quite a night. Astonishingly, they were even better than in their “heyday”.

25. September: Derrin Nauendorf, The Brook, Southampton

Shows how low expectations are in this area. He was flagged up as sensational but was anything but.

3. October: Amor, The Brook, Southampton

I can’t actually remember anything about this, so they can’t have been on top form.

10. October: The Jeevas, Joiners Arms, Southampton

I was never much of a Kula Shaker fan, but Crispian’s new band rocked like hell.

12. October: The Sense, Cherry Jam, Notting Hill

The night the girls were discovered by the manager of All Saints and the Sugababes. Unfortunately, he promptly forgot he’d discovered them.

16. October: The Soft Boys / Mark Andrews, Railway Inn, Winchester

One of ours and probably the most stressful night of my life, as Robyn Hitchcock (who didn’t recognise me) got himself lost in Winchester and nearly missed his own gig.

17. October: The Soft Boys, Mean Fiddler, London

I’d been in too much of a state to appreciate them the night before.

22. October: The Arlenes, Railway Inn, Winchester

Over-rated.

23. October: Serpico, Railway Inn, Winchester

This was the other band of The Sense’s drummer Pete.

28. October: British Sea Power, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Probably among the worst five bands I’ve ever seen. Leave them trees alone!

30. October: Nizlopi, Railway Inn, Winchester

I think that’s how you spell them. They’d be famous a couple of years later.

14. November: John Parish, Columbiafritz, Berlin

A long way to travel, but worth it.

19. November: Bill Mallonee.

Over-rated.

27. November: Amor, The Borderline, London

Their big album launch.

30. November: Peter Bruntnell, Railway Inn, Winchester

Plenty of new songs here. Will the public catch on to Peter?

1. December: The Sense, Rock Garden, London

Their finest gig to date.

14. December: Amor / Little Dixie: Twyford Parish Hall

Jon Amor climbed a step ladder and was consumed by vertigo.

21. December: Rufus Stone, Guildhall, Winchester

This was actually a friend’s wedding. Terrible to relate, the marriage lasted three months.

2003

8. January: The Dawn Parade, Talking Heads, Southampton

Indescribably dismal.

18. January: The Sense, Cherry Jam, Notting Hill

A good one, but no moguls present.

21. January: Jesse Malin, The Borderline, London

Just fantastic and unforgettable.

27. January: The Soft Boys, Zodiac, Oxford

They broke up again shortly afterwards

1. February: Amor / Samo, Railway Inn, Winchester

We packed ‘em in until it was practically impossible to breathe.

5. February: Dave Sharp / Harvey Brothers, Railway Inn, Winchester

He used to be in the Alarm, you know. But the Harvey Brothers blew him away.

7. February: The Thrills / The Polyphonic Spree / Interpol / The Datsuns: Portsmouth Pyramids.

They were all crap apart from the Polys.

9. February: The Warlocks, Joiners Arms, Southampton

They were so pompous they needed a good slapping.

19. February: Echoboy, Joiners Arms, Southampton

All right but not going anywhere.

22. February: Tom McRae, QMU, Glasgow

Such a great atmosphere that I forgot to notice whether he was any good or not.

12. March: Maserati / Kinski / Jungle Brothers / And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, SXSW, Austin, Texas

Heaven.

13. March: Peter Bruntnell / Voyager 1 / The Features / Blur / Kathleen Edwards / Sonny Landreth, SXSW, Austin, Texas

Heaven.

14. March: Peter Bruntnell / Trachtenberg Family / Grandaddy / Grand Drive / Peter Bruntnell again / The Frames, SXSW, Austin, Texas

Heaven.

15. March: Joe Jackson Band / Polyphonic Spree / Pineforest Crunch / Rye Coalition / Camper van Beethoven: SXSW, Austin, Texas

Heaven.

16. March: Guy Forsyth, Antones, Austin,Texas

Got him at last!

17. March: Bob Schneider, Saxon Pub, Austin, Texas

A slacker but fun.

1. April: The Star Spangles, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Over-hyped Americans, an emerging pattern for 2003.

2. April: The 22-20s, Joiners Arms, Southampton

I got into a fury, because this absolutely shit band was being praised in the music press as the big new stars of the year. Is tenth rate pub-blues the Next Big Thing?

6. April: Billy Bragg / Amor, Bridport Arts Centre

What a nice day out. Billy and Jon encored with “I Fought The Law” but we missed it.

9. April: Burning Brides, Joiners Arms, Southampton

A nice exception in the form of a really hot new US band.

11. April: The Coral, Portsmouith Pyramids

Pretty good, but not as good as people say they are.

12. April: Amor, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Not the right venue for them.

14. April: The Bandits, Joiners Arms, Southampton

I stupidly chose this gig rather than the Rapture at the Wedgie. Can’t remember anything about the Bandits at all.

28. April: I Am Kloot, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Super little band from Manchester whom I would love to see succeed.

30. April: Soledad Brothers, Joiners Arms, Southampton

See April 1st.

1. May: Peter Bruntnell / Horse Stories, Railway Inn, Winchester

Richard and I put on this excellent Loose Records package, but we lost money on it.

7. May: Kathleen Edwards, Borderline, London

She’s good. Great night, because Peter Bruntnell, completely bladdered, blagged me and Birgit backstage.

10. May: The Sense, Cherry Jam, London

Another goodie.

11. May: The Raveonettes / Stellastarr*, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Raveonettes: See April 1st. Stellastarr*: Magnificent.

19. May: The Sleepy Jackson, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Barking but fun.

7. June: Amor, Archway Tavern, London

Only about five people there but I had a nice curry round the corner.

9. June: Mark Gardner and Goldrush: Joiners Arms, Southampton

Now balding ex-Ride person. Enjoyable but undemanding evening.

10. June: Peter Bruntnell / Vera Cruise, 100 Club, London

Loose Records birthday party which was marred by people largely ignoring the bands.

12. June: The Kills, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Down with duos … er, but not this one. They show the Raveonettes what they are doing wrong (everything).

20. June: Spencer Davis Group, Kiel, Germany

Does this look mad? It was, but remind me to tell you about Miller Anderson’s Woodstock story some time.

24. June: Sarah Sharp / Rachael Dadd / Kate Stables / The Sense, Railway Inn, Winchester

Our most successful promotion so far. Sarah, whom I had met in Austin, was absolutely brilliant.

27-29. June: Glastonbury Festival with Radiohead, Moby, Manic Street Preachers …

None of whom I saw, but I DID see The Damned, Yes, Grandaddy, The Rapture and Richard Thompson, all of whom were wonderful in their different ways.

12. July: Sparklehorse / Beth Gibbons, Somerset House, London

Sparklehorse re-established themselves as one of my favourite bands, and the setting was incomparable.

19. July: The Holmes Brothers, Titchfield Abbey

These old-stagers could still cook.

20. July: The Barbs, Railway Inn, Winchester

A really enjoyable punky three-piece.

23. July: Steve Winwood, Shephards Bush Empire, London

This was quite a hot ticket and the Hammond man was back on top form with a brilliant band.

25. July: Gilbert French, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Lovely night with re-formed Winchester punks being melodic and good, complete with their extended families.

14. August: Pernice Brothers, The Borderline, London

Featuring James Walbourne from Peter Bruntnell’s band.

15. August: PJ Harvey / Elbow, Eden Project, Cornwall

The best gig of the year, in the best setting imaginable.

21. August: Stellastarr*, The Garage, London

I modestly guess I kinda discovered this band in the UK. Pity the Garage is such a shitty dump.

22. August: Amor, Joiners Arms

This went better but still not the sort of crowd they deserve.

12.September: Amor / The Semi-Automatics, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

The Tower had upgraded all its gear, making it a much better gig experience.

13. September: Amor / The Sense / Trip / The Usual / The Social Club, Twyford Parish Hall

Was I crazy to book five bands for my birthday? Yes.

1. October: The Davey Brothers, The Brook, Southampton

Can’t say what I thought, in case they should happen to look at this list.

3. October: Six By Seven, Joiners Arms

I had to leave on account of not being able to cope with the strobes.

8. October: Lowgold, Wedgewood Rooms

Shoe-gazers.

9. October: Buddy Guy / Amor, Shephards Bush Empire

We handed out hundreds of Amor flyers.

11. October: Frank Black and the Catholics, Wedgewood Rooms

They rocked.

19. October: Jim Bob / Harvey Brothers, Railway Inn, Winchester

Some Railway nights really work, and this was one of them.

21. October: Damien Rice, Wedgewood Rooms

Very good, but far too much like David Gray for my liking.

24. October: Flaming Lips, BIC, Bournemouth

Being smashed in the face by giant rubber balls and showered with fake blood, fun? You bet!

26. October: The Sense, Rock Garden, London

Hmm … They were hung-over.

30. October: Clearlake, Wedgewood Rooms

They were supporting Electric Soft Parade, but I didn’t hang around for the headliners.

1. November: Nina Nastasia / Brothers and Sisters, The Venue, Edinburgh

Nina was depressing and the support band were fantastic, but I don’t think they liked me.

2. November: Chris TT, Railway Inn, Winchester

Andy Burrows’ Stag were supposed to support, but had split up.

7. October: Amor, Railway Inn, Winchester

Completely riotous evening.

15. October: The Blockheads, Zodiac, Oxford

Funky as hell, but we remained relatively sober.

20. October: Jay Farrar / Peter Bruntnell, Dingwalls, London

You know who upstaged whom.

23. October: Ben Weaver, Railway Inn, Winchester

From Minnesota. I think we gave him the best show of his tour, which he described as “shit”. Apparently, the highlight was having his sleeping bag pissed in by a sleepwalker in Manchester.

24. October: Bruce Katz, Black Boy, Winchester

A load of blues musos cosying up to each other.

27. November: Ikara Colt, Railway Inn, Winchester

Big band in a little venue, few things are more fun.

2. December: Grandaddy / Electric Soft Parade, Ancienne Belgique, Brussels

Two fantastic bands, both on tip-top form.

13. December: John Otway / The Agency, Twyford Parish Hall

At last, a band that could follow Otway! A convivial, Pots Ale-sodden evening.

2004

13. January: Fleeing New York, Joiners Arms, Southampton

An alleged “A & R feeding frenzy”. Yeah, well …

18. January: Black Keys, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Brillliant start to the year with magnificently noisy blues duo.

21. January: Primal Scream, Southampton Guildhall

Mani: “Goodnight Portsmouth!” Cue mayhem.

4. February: Spiritualized, Southampton University

Not much of a crowd but they were better than ever.

6. February: NME tour with Franz Ferdinand, The Rapture, The Von Bondies and Funeral For A Friend, Portsmouth Pyramids

Brilliant night out with three of the four bands being outstandingly good. (Work out who wasn’t.)

7. February: The Hollies, Mayflower, Southampton

Nothing wrong with catholic tastes. Quite a lot wrong with Carl Wayne, but I got to meet Bobby Elliott after 39 years and he was a delight.

12. February: Amor, South Parade Pier, Southsea

I took a friend whose marriage was breaking up. He loved all their most miserable songs.

18. February: Battle of the Bands, Theatre Royal, Winchester

This was sweet, because we’d known most of them since they were in nappies.

28. February: The Sense, Neighbourhood, Notting Hill.

One of those endless daytime showcase events where the audience is the other bands.

29. February: The Usual / The Vaults, Railway, Winchester

The Usual is fronted by my GP’s son. Plenty of good reviews for them, then.

6. March: The Phil Beer Band, Arts Centre, Totnes

Against expectations, they were absolutely excellent and defied all my preconceptions.

7. March: Stellastarr*, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Oooooh, I just love ‘em.

17 – 20. March: South By South West Festival, Austin, Texas, with a cast of thousands including Franz Ferdinand, Clearlake, The Sleepy Jackson, etc., etc.

Paradise.

23. March: Gene Parsons / Julian Dawson, South Parade Pier, Southsea

We had hoped to put Gene on at the Railway but it fell through. I went with Andy Burrows, soon to join Razorlight.

24. March: Jimmy Smith, Jazz Café, London

During the interval, Jimmy’s minder selected a girl from the audience to visit him backstage. The interval was quite long.

28. March: Billy Bragg, Southampton Guildhall

A thousand sitting ducks for Wreckless Eric flyers and I forgot to take them.

31. March: NME tour, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

The idea was to re-assess the 22-20s, but they were still crap.

6. April: The Rutles, The Brook, Southampton

Fun to see them at last, but they did seem to be doing it a bit half-heartedly.

8. April: The Creekdippers / Ben Weaver, The Borderline, London

Ben was great as usual but I could only stomach a couple of whingeing Creekdippers songs.

21. April: Wreckless Eric, The Railway, Winchster

Could I possibly be forgiven for going to a gig on the evening of my mother’s funeral? That’s just the way I am. And there was almost a fight.

30. April: Ian McLagen, The Brook, Southampton

Featuring the magnificent “Scrappy” Jud Newcombe. I regretted not being able to afford to book the Resentments for the Railway.

4. May: Franz Ferdinand / Fiery Furnaces / Sons and Daughters, Portsmouth Pyramids

Renewed acquaintanceship with Sons and Daughters but I think they see me as a farty old git (which I am). FF were brilliant and Birgit and Annabel thought so too.

10. May: Explosions In The Sky, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Good but a bit too Mogwai.

12. May: Jesse Malin, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Nice to see the good old boy again, and got a nice interview too.

13. May: Mungo Jerry, The Borderline, London

A long story to this, involving Frankfurt-Hahn airport and the closing of Helter Skelter in Denmark Street. And it was lunchtime!

14. May: Minuteman, Railway Inn, Winchester

One of those “four bands in two hours” gigs. They looked tremendously unhealthy.

18. May: Charlemagne / Chris TT / Kate Stables, Railway Inn, Winchester

One of our shows and a bit of a triumph for this charming Loose act from Wisconsin. “Gig Of The Week” in the Independent! Afterwards, eight people stayed at our house.

21. May: American Music Club, Concorde 2, Brighton

An awayday in the sun to give Richard Williams the biggest treat of his life, as AMC played their first UK show in nine years.

23. May: Jon Amor, Joiners Arms, Southampton

A new name for the band and a very lively crowd for a Sunday night.

26. May: PJ Harvey, Zodiac, Oxford

Another awayday for half the population of Winchester. The warm-up had to take place in Oxford because the good folk of Bridport had been complaining about the noise!

27. May: Peter Bruntnell and James Walbourne, Railway Inn, Winchester

A warm and wonderful sell-out, with Peter and James on tip-top form.

1. June: Jon Amor, Borderline, London

Oh God, they just ripped the place to pieces. You’ll never find a better band anwhere.

2. June: Spencer Davis Group, The Hexagon, Reading

Quite a dismal venue, but people seemed to like Eddie Hardin’s autobiography, which I co-wrote..

4. June: The Sense / The Bluetones, Royal Holloway College, London

The girls on a big stage at last. Another of the bands was a Darkness tribute called The Dampness!

8. June: Razorlight, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Great excitement here, because our dear and much-loved friend Andy Burrows had joined this fast-rising band on drums. Never was success more deserved by anybody.

13. June: Spencer Davis Group, The Anvil, Basingstoke

Well, had to flog some books somehow. This sedate event bizarrely ended in a post-football brawl which spilled in from the street outside!

17. June: Spencer Davis Group, The Pavilion, Bournemouth

I do like them though.

20. June: PJ Harvey, Stadio Olimpico de Tennis, Rome

A blast. This involved getting lost, getting drunk and getting lost again. But it proved that she’s found the perfect band at last.

26 – 26. June: Glastonbury Festival with Paul McCartney, Oasis and my favourites, My Morning Jacket

Very muddy.

26. June: The Sense, Spydafest, Portland, Dorset

Yes, two festivals in one day. Windswept but fun.

29. June: Stellastarr*, The Zodiac, Oxford

Had a nice chat with the charming Shaun Christensen in the Bullingdon afterwards.

3. July: Arthur Brown, Railway Inn, Winchester

Pleasingly un-ravaged.

7. July: Juliet Turner, Railway Inn, Winchester

Apparently she is a megastar in Ireland but here the audience numbered about ten.

July 25th: Truck Festival, Oxfordshire

This was a bit incoherent and also bloody cold.

July 28th: K Festival, Polzeath, Cornwall

This was amazing: The Fun Lovin’ Criminals playing in a big top in a field. And Huey got in a strop and the band stormed off. And it marked my debut as a live reviewer for Record Collector.

August 2nd: Bo Diddley, Jazz Café, London

I was completely star struck by bumping into Bobby Gillespie in the audience. Wreckless Eric was there too.

August 20th: Athlete, Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Little did I realise that this was a band at the height of its powers and heading for a steep decline.

August 26th: Mark Lanegan Band, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

The tattoos were better than the music.

September 4th: Jersey Live festival with The Thrills, Delays and Razorlight.

The best festival I have ever attended – really. We “hung” with Andy from Razorlight.

September 16th: Richmond Fontaine, Railway Inn, Winchester

Jon Amor supported and the place was rammed.

September 20th: Smog, The Komedia, Brighton

At the risk of being lynched, I found Bill Callahan a pretentious twat. But I had fun getting drunk with Chris TT and his manager.

September 21st: Laura Veirs, Railway Inn, Winchester

Charming people, great music.

October 8th: Goldblade, Railway Inn, Winchester

Wild and woolly.

October 10th: Wreckless Eric, Railway Inn , Winchester

He’s really good, why can’t he draw a crowd?

October 15th: American Music Club, Islington Academy, London

And of course we had an “all you can eat for £2.99” curry first.

October 20th: Richmond Fontaine, Neal Casal, Mean Fiddler, London

Part of the “Spirit of Austin” festival.

October 21st: Giant Sand / Scout Niblett / John Parish, Bush Hall, London

What a nice place to play!

October 23rd: Franz Ferdinand / The Kills: Portsmouth Guildhall

FF were great, but I almost enjoyed The Kills more

November 3rd: The Subways, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Elfin-like bassists a go-go

November 8th: Mercury Rev, Grand Drive, The Bierkeller, Bristol

Another saga. Suffice to say, I nearly got beaten to a pulp by a bouncer.

November 15th: dEUS, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Hard to see quite why they did this little tour. The atmosphere was a bit odd.

December 11th: The Wildcards, Twyford Parish Hall

After a panic over the PA, this Xmas gig went with a swing.

December 19th: Scarlet Soho, Railway Inn, Winchester

Home town band who deserve success.

December 23rd: Jon Amor, South Parade Pier, Southsea

Tears flowed at this final gig for my favourite band of the past decade.

2005

January 16th: Athlete, Portsmouth Pyramids

This band had turned from a quirky and intriguing outfit into a sub-Keane bore. I smell record company interference.

January 31st: The Dears, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

They’re a rum lot.

February 8th: The Bravery, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Glam-bam.

February 9th: K.T. Tunstall, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Hype.

February 10th: Tom Vek, Railway Inn, Winchester

More hype.

February 17th: Mark Morriss, Railway Inn, Winchester

Bluetone on the solo circuit.

February 23rd: Willy Mason, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Aha – worth the hype!

February 24th: Deadstring Brothers / Thee Exciters, Railway Inn, Winchester

Teetering on the edge of a riot.

February 27th: Laura Veirs / Gina Villalobos, Railway Inn, Winchester

Opened by the god-like Karl Blau.

February 29th: Laura Veirs / Gina Villalobos, Purcell Room, London

Gina really needs to buy a new guitar.

March 8th: Bright Eyes / Rilo Kiley, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

Rilo Kiley are my type of pop group. They totally destroyed the whingeing, petulant Mr Oberst, anyway.

March 16th – 20th: South By Southwest, Austin, Texas, with Kaiser Chiefs, Ash, Embrace, Robert Plant, etc, etc.

Bands bands bands bands bands bands bands bands bands

March 23rd: Georgie Fame, Tower Arts Centre, Winchester

He played with his two sons and had some great stories.

Apil 14th: Kathleen Edwards, The Fleece, Bristol

An epic journey to see Peter Bruntnell, who supported, but Kathleen was brilliant too.

April 22nd: Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express / Mark Mallmann, Railway Inn, Winchester

Let’s just say it was intense, but it worked. I decided Mark Mallman was the future of rock and roll and set out on my traditional doomed attempt to convince the music industry of this fact.

April 26th: Ben Weaver Band, Railway Inn, Winchester

Poor turnout on account of it being a torrential Tuesday, but Ben and co were on fine form.

April 29th: Sarah Sharp, Railway Inn, Winchester

Whalebone Polly supported and The Sense re-formed.

May 4th: The Futureheads, Portsmouth Pyramids

I’m not as conviced of their brilliance as everyone else is.

May 5th: Peter Bruntnell, Railway Inn, Winchester

All together now, “We love Pete!”

May 15th: The Resentments, Railway Inn, Winchester

We turned the Railway into the Saxon Pub for this Austin supergroup. Magic!

May 19th: Chris TT, Railway Inn, Winchester

We came from seeing Sonny Black at the Rugby Club!

May 23rd: Eels, Royal Festival Hall, London

Cool, up on the train, a quick pizza, see the show, back on the train.

May 25th: South San Gabriel, Hanbury Ballroom, Brighton

Well, the mountain wouldn’t come to Mohammed.

May 27th: Loomer, Talking Heads, Southampton

As Loomer came on so late, I was able to double up with Babyshambles at the Joiners. At one stage, I was doing the door on my own!

May 30th: Joe Jackson / Todd Rundgren, Portsmouth Guildhall

Joe was great, Todd less so. What was shocking was the small size of the audience.

June 14th: The Cribs, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Support band the Chalets were better.

June 18th: Sons and Daughters, Joiners Arms, Southampton

They seemed to have “issues”, which upset the audience.

June 24 – 26th: Glastonbury Festival, with Coldplay, Keane and zzzzzzz

Mud! Thank God for Brian Wilson, and to set the record straight, I decided that Athlete were in fact the best band in the world after all.

July 14th: Richmond Fontaine, Railway Inn, Winchester

They spent most of the night wrestling on my lawn. Blame the Aldi bourbon.

August 3rd: Athlete, Somerset House, London

They were terrible. It’s not down to my mood, just that their performances vary so wildly in quality.

August 4th: Jon Amor, South Parade Pier, Southsea

The PA was useless, so unfair to comment.

August 5th: The Saw Doctors / Kosheen, Eastleigh Festival.

Well-organised event with bland music.

August 6th: The Secret Agency, Thomas Tripp, Christchurch

Everybody was extremely drunk.

August 19th: The Blockheads, The Brook, Southampton

Not on form at all.

August 23rd: sxsc Summer Party, The Railway, Winchester

Stocks and Powell played and we got through eight carrot cakes.

September 7th: The Sense, CC’s Club, London

A gangsta rap showcase. Lord help us.

September 18th: Max Bona, Horse and Groom, Alresford

Mark Andrews is still a star.

September 22: John Parish, The Railway, Winchester

I get quite emotional thinking about this. He and his band were so good, all our friends were there and … oh sob … isn’t this the happiest you can be?

September 29th: Jools Holland Orchestra, Koh Samui Festival, Thailand

You’re just gonna have to believe it.

October 1st: UB40 / The Wailers, Koh Samui Festival, Thailand

Bet you’re jealous.

October 13th: Mark Mulcahy, The Railway, Winchester

Have you noticed that I don’t go to other people’s gigs any more because I’m too busy organising my own?

October 14th: Richmond Fontaine, Bush Hall, London

I missed half of it because of having to catch the train home.

October 15th: Laura Veirs, Joiners Arms, Southampton

Too big for us now, na-ne-na.

October 20th: The Hollies, The Anvil, Basingstoke

Here’s a turn-up. They’ve got a great new singer and a new album on the way. The best Hollies show I’ve seen since the Sixties.

October 26th: Johnathan Rice, Joiners Arms, Southampton

He can’t spell his own name, he was backed by a horrible pub rock band, but support Eileen Rose was great.

November 3rd: Darden Smith, Traders, Petersfield

How sweet. A gig in a Thai restaurant.

November 5th: The Ralfe Band, Caledonian Backpackers, Edinburgh

Definitely no fireworks. A crap band in a vile venue.

November 12th: Peter Bruntnell Band, The Railway, Winchester

They were on fire.

November 15th: Centro-Matic, Engine Room, Brighton

Sad to experience such a great band, so far from home, playing to hardly anyone.

November 20th: Jon Amor, Three Horseshoes, Burton Bradstock

Jon played in front of a crackling log fire.

December 6th: Amy Rigby, The Railway, Winchester

Hey, she’s going out with Wreckless Eric! And her bassist is Kevin Coyne’s son! And support act Luke Doucet is amazing!

December 8th: Razorlight, The Railway, Winchester

Imagine how exciting this was. Now quadruple it. You’re still not there.

December 13th: John Parish, L’Aéronef, Lille

Afterwards, we all turned into Grappa-monsters.

December 16th: Sarah Sharp / Darren Black, Cecil Hut, Twyford

One of the best nights of my life – I mean it.

2006

January 10: Green On Red, Astoria, London

And of course a pint in the Pillars of Hercules beforehand.

January 12. The Nightingales, Joiners Arms

This was to cheer up Mint, as he was ill.

January 29: Eileen Rose, Railway Inn

She had a stonking band with her.

February 3: Americana Triple Bill, Railway Inn

If I remember, this was Steve Dawson, Bill Mallonee and someone else, and no one came.

February 14: Neal Casal, Railway Inn.

This was quite a coup for Valentines Day.

February 18: The Boy Least Likely To, Joiners Arms.

I don’t quite remember why I took such a dislike to this lot. Probably because they were posh and being hyped.

February 20: Two Gallants, Wedgewood Rooms.

Great new US duo.

February 22: Stellastarr*, Wedgewood Rooms.

I still carry a torch for this band. For their bassist, mainly.

March 9: Nuru Kane, The Studio, Petersfield

Strangely impersonal venue for African star managed by my old friend Pete Holden.

March 9: Delays, Southampton University.

Love ‘em. Probably the peak of their popularity and supported by the ever-lovely Scarlet Soho.

March 16 – 19: SxSW, Austin, Texas.

Bliss and more.

March 26: Clearlake, Railway Inn.

There was a bit of a “mighty fallen” feel about this.

March 28: Mark Gardener, Railway Inn.

See March 26.

April 1: Kirk Brandon, Railway Inn.

See March 26.

April 7: Broken Family Band, Railway Inn.

I flew down from Manchester just for the gig, got horribly drunk and flew back at 6 am. Was it worth it? Sure was!

April 18: The Storys, Railway Inn.

A sell-out crowd for this Welsh band but we preferred opener Jason McNiff.

April 25: Deadstring Brothers, Railway Inn

The Detroit rockers came to our place for tea and table-tennis first.

April 29: John Parish, Railway Inn.

A homecoming of sorts for our friend and his lovely Franco-Italian band.

May 5: Deadstring Brothers, The Lamb, Farnham

Ghastly venue.

May 12: Tom Jones, MGM Grand, Las Vegas.

It was our 25^th wedding anniversary.

May 27: The Agency, BIC, Bournemouth

Big bash for the soul searchers’ 21^st birthday but there were hardly any bar staff.

May 30: Mary Lee’s Corvette, Railway Inn

But more importantly, the godlike Luke Doucet opened.

July 1: Thieves Like Us, Nunhead, London

It was Tim Barron’s 50^th, so a reunion was in order.

July 2: The Who / Razorlight, Hyde Park, London

I objected to the litter and rip-of prices. Plus Townshend having a backing guitarist, what’s that about?

July 5: Volume, Railway Inn

I pretended I was planning to sue them for breach of copyright on the name!

July 7: Chris TT, Blissfields Festival, Basingstoke

A sweet little festival that later got too big for its boots.

July 8: Scarlet Soho, Railway Inn

I did a review for Record Collector, which pleased the band.

July 14: Jon Amor, Bell By The Green, Devizes

Album launch party. I stayed in a crummy B and B and fell victim to a dodgy curry. Avebury was lovely though.

July 18: Thomas Truax, Railway Inn

He was plain silly, but Co-Pilgim opened the show in style.

July 21: Cerys Matthews, Wedgewood Rooms

She was just fantastic.

July 22: Howling Bells, Wedgewood Rooms

Antipodeans, I believe.

August 4: Wickham Festival with Richard Thomson

Who was solo but wiped the floor with everyone else.

August 8: Kate Stables, Railway Inn

Sweet-voiced folk.

August 12: Dead Dead Dead, Joiners Arms

Local band erroneously tipped for fame. Good though.

September 3: Spencer Davis Group, Regent Theatre, Deal

A tortuous train journey was undertaken in a vain attempt to sell some Eddie Hardin books.

September 15: Stewboss, The Railway

They rocked.

September 16 – 17: End Of The Road Festival, Blandford

Now that’s what I call a festival. Ryan Adams – whoo!

October 1: Sparklehorse, Wedgewood Rooms

Astonishing that the room was only about a quarter full.

October 3: Eileen Rose, The Railway

A quick return.

October 8: Patty Hurst Shifter, The Railway

Raleigh’s finest enjoyed their tour of Twyford’s drinkeries. Bassist Jesse is Harry Enfield’s double.

October 12: Bastard Sons Of Johnny Cash, Talking Heads, Southampton

I had expected them to be a whole lot better.

October 16: Patty Hurst Shifter, Borderline, London

Second Helping required.

October 20: The Heights, Railway Inn

Ephemeral indie band.

October 22: Peter Bruntnell Band / Rachelle van Zanten, Railway Inn

Two of my faves.

October 15: Killing Heidi, Melbourne, Australia

Ex-eighties stars playing in a country pub.

October 16: Teddy Thompson, Melbourne, Australia

Promotional lunchtime show in a subterranean record shop we just happened to walk past.

December 9: Charlemagne, Gilbert Room, Twyford

Remember Carl Johns? Back for a Xmas show.

December 14: Rachelle van Zanten, Railway Inn

My Canadian “discovery” back with her ex-Goldrush band.

December 17: Jon Amor, Scarlet Soho, Joiners Arms

I had written Access One Step, the Official History Of the Joiners Arms and this was the launch party.

December 19: Mark Eitzel, Railway Inn

Omigodomigodomigod. Mood swings a go-go.

2007

January 17: Supersuckers, Joiners Arms

Sweaty as hell.

January 21: Dear Mr Fantasy, The Roundhouse, London

Jim Capaldi tribute with Winwood, Weller and many others.

January 30: The Klaxons, Joiners Arms

A great moment to catch this brilliant band. There was a film crew doing a piece about my Joiners book too, so it was all pretty satisfying.

January 31: Rival Joustas, Railway Inn

Can’t remember anything about them.

February 3: Spencer Davis Group, 100 Club, London

The best thing about the 100 Club is the Dyson hand dryers. Very effective.

February 11: Richmond Fontaine / Endrick Brothers, Railway Inn

And now we are friends for life.

February 24: Ed Tudor Pole, Railway Inn

Washed-up old punk, I’m afraid.

February 25: The Black Keys, Old Fire Station, Bournemouth

We had the privilege of seeing Black Kids open the show but the venue was horrible and the bloke next to us ran out having received a phone call to say his mum had died.

February 27: Justin Rutledge, Railway Inn

We would see more of him.

March 1: John Otway, Railway Inn.

Still a genius.

March 6: Richmond Fontaine, Brighton

I unfortunately can’t remember the venue’s name but I did a truly rock and roll thing: puked up a curry in the Travelodge.

March 14 – 17: SxSW, Austin, Texas

I joined a random queue and got the see the Flaming Lips in a tiny club on 6^th Street. Ecstasy.

March 28: The Twang, Joiners Arms

Over-hyped bunch of bruisers.

March 31: Good Time Charlies, Railway Inn

Nish’s Pompey garage band.

April 4: Laura Veirs, 100 Club, London

They wore awful brown suits and the Dyson hand dryer was out of action.

April 13: Hummingbird, The Tower, Winchester

Girl trio destined for … not much, actually.

April 21: John Parish, La Nef , Angoulême

A mad journey but worth it. Pretty much the furthest I have travelled for one gig.

April 25: Steve Winwood, Wedgewood Rooms

No idea why he played such a small venue but it made for an amazing show.

May 12: Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter, Railway Inn

Pretty much fell in love with Jesse’s music this night.

May 15: Elliott Brood, Railway Inn

Brilliant Toronto maniacs who drank the whisky rider before going onstage and tore the place to bits (musically).

May 20: Richmond Fontaine, Talking Heads, Southampton

Plus … lock up your daughters … Bob Frank and John Murry.

May 21: Wilco, Shepherds Bush Empire

Goldhawk Road tube station at midnight is not a good place to be. Great show, though.

June 8 – 9: Isle of Wight Festival

The Rolling Stones. Keef was playing more wrong notes than right ones but they were still majestic. Plus we had some kind of VIP pass.

June 14: Roger Chapman, The Brook, Southampton

Elderly musicians often need the lyrics on a music stand in front of them. It’s the rock and roll lifestyle that’s done it.

June 19: Endrick Brothers, Railway Inn

We loved these Glaswegians but there was no audience.

June 23: The Agency, Twyford Parish Hall

My magnificent wife’s 50^th birthday.

July 4: The Hold Steady, Wedgewood Rooms

I went with Rich and we were only people in the room who failed to “get it”. Would love to give them another go.

July 5: The Dodge Brothers, Talking Heads, Southampton

Southampton’s local hero Mark Kermode (of quiff and film review fame) plays double bass in this rockabilly outfit.

July 16: Silent League, Joiners Arms

Cult US band, not much cop.

July 25: Hard-Fi, Joiners Arms

Crammed warm-up show, the Joiners at its best.

August 17: Max Bona, Eastney Tavern, Portsmouth

Mark and Phil’s covers band.

August 23: Loomer, Talking Heads, Southampton

Canadian country.

September 4: Polly Paulusma, Railway Inn

For some reason this was a tremendously emotional evening. We liked her a lot.

September 9: The Police, Twickenham Stadium

I’m sorry because this was a birthday present from Birgit, but they were piss poor. And we had to sit through Sting’s son’s crap band as well.

September 14 – 16: End Of The Road Festival, Blandford

Brilliant fun.

September 18: Redlands Palomino Company, Railway Inn.

All I can remember is that this is the only band we’ve ever had get lairy on us. It was about them wanting to get take-outs after the bar had closed.

October 3: Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express, Talking Heads, Southampton

John Murry tried to strangle Jan, the tour manager.

October 7: Six Shooter Triple Barrel Tour, Railway Inn, Winchester

Namely Luke Doucet, Justin Rutledge and NQ Arbuckle, troupers all.

October 11: Richmond Fontaine, Luminaire, London

Shhhhh!

October 21: Miles Hunt, Railway Inn

A bit sad, I’m afraid.

October 29: Handsome Family, Unit 22, Southampton

They played in the window as the ocean liners steamed by.

November 6: Damo Suzuki, Railway Inn

Every bit as surreal as it sounds.

November 10: The National, Portsmouth Pyramids.

Not really the place to see a band like this.

November 11: Peter Bruntnell and the Murder of Crows / Ox

Pete’s brilliant new direction plus visitors from Canada = alcoholic mayhem.

November 16: The Bluetones, Joiners Arms

I do have a soft spot for them.

November 22: Joseph Arthur, Talking Heads, Southampton

Wow! His backing band consists of superstar models who I later had the pleasure of looking up on the internet.

November 26: The Holloways, University of Winchester

This was supposed to herald a new era for music in Winchester. It didn’t and the band was sub-Levellers.

December 3: Jesse Owen Youngs, Railway Inn

Annoying people (mainly support bands) talked all the way through.

December 9: SAS Band, The Brook, Southampton

This was actually great fun, with Toyah Willcox in full-on panto mode.

December 22: Sarah Sharp, Gilbert Room, Twyford

Her little boy Alistair was crying, so she did the encores with him in her arms. Not a dry eye in the house.

2008

January 5: Owen Tromans and the Elders, Railway Inn

He’s good, you know.

January 17: Kill Henry Sugar, Railway Inn

Joan Baez’s backing band!

January 24: Carolyn Mark, Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham

She hadn’t worked out the exchange rate and was trying to sell her CDs for £20. Fat chance.

January 25: Steve Earle, Basingstoke Anvil

Awful sloppy stuff with his wife.

February 7: Dead Rock West, Railway Inn

There was even an audience.

February 9: Kathleen Haskard, Railway Inn

Interesting evening, dominated by Southampton newcomers The Family.

February 13: American Music Club, Dingwalls, London

This was the line-up that didn’t work and the sound was excruciating.

February 17: Deadstring Brothers, Railway Inn

Motor City Toughs back again.

February 26: Phil Campbell, The Cellars, Eastney

Confusing. I went with Phil Campbell to see Phil Campbell.

March 2: Joe Jackson Band, Shepherds Bush empire

He truly is a genius.

March 12 – 15: SxSW, Austin, Texas

The most enjoyable one ever, on account of just chilling and not chasing round after hot bands.

April 17: Centro-Matic, South San Gabriel, Railway Inn

And then Texas came to us!

April 22: Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express / Willy Vlautin and Paul Brainard, Railway Inn

Life could scarcely get better.

April 23: Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express / Willy Vlautin and Paul Brainard, Fiddlers, Bristol

Oh – it just did!

April 24: Frank Turner, Railway Inn.

Back to earth. Everyone loves this bloke except me.

May 11: Jesse Sykes and Phil Wandscher, Railway Inn

They had a great barney at the sound check and the tension led to an extra fine show.

May 13: Johnny Flynn, Railway Inn

A tip for the top.

May 28: Andy Burrows, Union Chapel

Charity show by my – dare I say protégé? No, I don’t dare.

June 21: Mia, Goethe-Institut, London

Not THE Mia but a German one. Have you noticed we don’t go to Glasters any more?

July 6: Hop Farm Festival in Kent, with Neil Young, My Morning jacket, Primal Scream etc.

Cold and wet, but joyous music. Don’t mention the car park though.

July 9: Laura Veirs, Winchester Discovery Centre

A really nice new venue, who’d have thought it?

July 10: Eighties Matchbox B Line Disaster, Railway Inn

Another “mighty fallen” scenario. Absolutely terrible.

July 13: The Blue Nile, Somerset House, London

Beautiful music from Scotland.

July 14: White Denim, Borderline, London

I should get a bloody South West Trains season ticket. A bit proggy and noodly for me, but support Micah P Hinson was better.

July 28: Peter Bruntnell, Borderline, London

Plus boozing in the Pillars of Hercules, natch.

July 29: Kylie Minogue, O2 Arena, London

To my chagrin, she didn’t even notice I was there.

August 1: Ian McLagan and the Bump Band, Railway Inn

Words can hardly convey the joy of this evening.

August 27: REM, The Rosebowl, Southampton

I just can’t accept them as a stadium band.

September 2: The Autumn Defense / Plush, Railway Inn

These Wilco members were rather upstaged by the extraordinary support.

September 7: Graystonbury Festival, Twyford Parish Hall, with Jon Amor, Chris TT, etc.

This 60^th birthday celebration was supposed to be an open air event but the weather intervened.

September 12 – 14: End Of The Road Festival, Blandford

We chickened out of some of it because of the mud. Blush!

September 16: American Music Club, Railway Inn

We had emails from people saying this was the greatest night of their lives, and who could disagree?

September 26: Josh Cockerell, Mitzis, Toronto

A good excuse to share Jägermeister with Justin Rutledge and John Dinsmore.

October 16: Laura Veirs, Laurelthirst, Portland, Oregon

A drunken night out with the Richmond Fontaine guys. Laura was doing a Happy Hour residency with Chris Funk of the Decemberists.

October 22: Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland, Railway Inn

A marriage made in heaven. Why aren’t these two huge?

October 25: Deadstring Brothers, Railway Inn

Quite a wild night.

October 28: James Yuill, Railway Inn

Load of old rubbish.

October 29: Adam Ficek, Railway Inn

Babyshambles’ drummer! Really entertaining too.

October 2: The Sadies, Railway Inn

Brilliant Toronto road warriors. I’ve never seen a band sweat so much.

November 7: Peter Bruntnell, Jeb Loy Nichols, Michael Weston King, Winchester Discovery Centre

This one was hysterically funny for all the wrong reasons.

November 12: Mercury Rev, Academy, Bristol

Maybe it was because I had a run-in with a meat head bouncer, but I hated one of my favourite bands this evening.

November 18: Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine, Joiners Arms

An emotional evening for all, as our dear friend Mint Burston was remembered.

November 25: Selfish Cunt, Railway Inn

Well I’m sorry, that’s what they are called.

November 28: Thea Gilmore, The Tower, Winchester