Sinister: The Show Mustn't Necessarily Go On!

[PJMiller]

Those of you who were lucky enough to be at the Freddie
Mercury tribute concert at Wembley will no doubt remember
how disconcerting it was to see Queen without Freddie, even
though they had replacements with the talent and charisma
of, for example, George Michael and David Bowie. Surely it
is a little churlish to expect Belle and Sebastain to play
without Isobel Campbell, the nearest thing they have to
Freddie Mercury? The Rolling Stones cancelled a huge stadium
gig in Bilbao in July due to Mick Jagger's illness, and I'm
pretty sure nobody expected them to perform in some kind of
Mickless limbo, like a bunch of defecating elephants on
downers. That's what Belle and Sebastian would be without
Isobel, a bunch of defecating elephants on downers. Imagine
Mick's tortured trumpet wails as he suddenly recalled poor
wee Isobel's hospital plight. I dread to think what lyrics
Mad Dog Murdoch would have come up with in his twisted state
of advanced dementia. Illness already plays a major part in
his deranged mindset, so if his thoughts were to wander to
tiny little Isobel's predicament we could have ended up some
kind of stream of healthcare consciousness ramble like Dylan
'66 pondering NHS cuts.  I'm sure Sarah would have trouble
manhandling all the wierd watermelons on her lonesome,
possibly resulting in a cocophonous death rattle from Peter
Cushing's worst nightmares. On acid. In short, I have every
faith that the band's democratic decision to not play was
the correct one. Huzzah!

Having said that, the wailing and gnashing of teeth on the
list has been instructive at the very least. "Strike one",
isn't that some kind of baseball terminology? What would
have happened if B&S had cancelled in Leeds? Fluffy Sarah
shouting "LEG BEFORE WICKET, BELLE AND SEBASTIAN, LEG BEFORE
WICKET!" Somehow, I doubt it, but it's a charming thought. I
would also like to agree with the person who would have
liked to see David performing a few acoustic songs.
Preferably with Katrina banging away on the tambourine. I
would also like to salute those of you who had the good
sense to make the best of a bad job and have some poptastic
fun with fellow listees and The Mouse Ran Up the Clock. You
will all be getting a Sinister Scout Badge from Der
Honeymeister for Lisa-like Services to the Blind. And
believe me, a cancelled B&S concert is better than a
not-cancelled Mark Lanegan shindig, if that's any
consolation.

My major worry at the moment is that Sparkly Orange McRagtag
might not get to share a herring or two down by the wellside
with our very own Genevieve.....I've been secretly looking
forward to it for ages, you know.

Yours in trembling anticipation,

Peter

PS. The WHO carried on when Keith Moon collapsed at the Cow
Palace. They invited some dude from the audience to take his
place, didn't they Keith? But apparently it was shit.
Perhaps B&S should play the Cow Palace and Tanglewood Music
Shed. They certainly have a ring to them.

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