Sinister: Are You Festive? (II)

[David Moore]

Hi All,

A great long, rambling diary post - sorry! but hey, no-one is reading
tonight anyway so what the hell.


THURSDAY - Gig Day

To The Tap for pool, drink & silliness before

The Concert
Not much of a review I'm afraid, Neil, more a succession of images retained
by my memory.

After support band Suckle (who I didn't see and didn't miss) Alasdair Gray
made a speech about War, full of passion, sometimes at the expense of
coherence. A large part of the audience made their position clear for the
rest of the evening by heckling & chattering throughout his words. Most of
the kids around me seemed determined to talk all night, if necessary
shouting to make themselves heard above the noise of the band. Students for
you.

Clothes: I can't remember it all now. Stuart in tight white tee & slacks
(surprise), Bobby in Elvis tee, Richard in ? Advertiser tee (don't think it
was that Perthshire one again, though)

Bob on 12 string during Turn, Turn, Turn

Stuart said that The Magic Of A Kind Word was about John Phillips from The
Mamas And The Papas

(non-gurning) Richard reading a copy of Razzle whilst singing Cool For Cats.
Stuart pretended to be offended & embarrassed when Richard showed him one of
the pictures. Towards the end of the song Isobel started doing the bump with
Richard, eventually hitting him a right belter with a mighty swing of her
hip but he still managed to stand up. Top Man.

Please Don't Let Them Make Me Be An Orang-Utan Butler
Isobel wore an Orang-Utan around her waist whilst performing the song
(arsemonkey!) & someone dressed in a similar costume (Tony Doogan again?)
ran around the stage.

The drawing of the raffle & prize giving took a little too long: Mick whiled
away the time by practising his 70's heavy metal bass lines: I recognised
Dazed And Confused (Led Zeppelin) & Black Knight (Deep Purple) - were there
any more?

During Space Oddity Stuart was doing the background countdown & seemed to
have some trouble holding the correct number of fingers aloft.

The Boys Are Back In Town was grate: introducing the song Stuart said that
his bass (that perspex one) used to belong to someone else & that it played
itself during this number. Phil Lynott would have been proud of the poses at
least that he struck during the song. B&S play it with three lead guitars,
one more than Thin Lizzy's original. Thin Izzy, Sarah & Chris appeared
onstage dressed as "terrorists" (Lucy) or more possible primary school
Nativity Play shepherds, Isobel with full beard & Chris with droopy
moustache. Beans pretended to play electric guitar, going back to back with
Mick, who did Townsend windmills, & Hendrix playing guitar behind head &
with teeth poses.

The Strange Fruit posse joined the band onstage for Merry Xmas (War Is
Over), Monica Queen was there for Lazy Line Painter Jane.


All the band looked like they were having fun of stage (that's right, all of
them!) & I know we all did too. Thanks a lot. I hope you transported all of
the gear to Belfast OK.

Present: Sally, Carey, Chris, Lucy, Ally, Lixi, Mark, Vicky, Honey, Linda,
Chris & Julia, Keith Watson, Ailsa, Calumn, Sarah, Jo, Richard (thanks for
the TalkBox info), *** **** (mightily pissed), Jeremy, Matt, Amy, Martin,
Tania, Paul, Idleberry, Iain Radcliffe, Will, Sweetie. Usual apologies to
anyone I've omitted or don't know.

Missed:
The geezer Brooker (writing The Book?), The Petefox (sadly, due to a prior
engagement shivering in Druidic robes celebrating the Winter Solstice at a
henge in Wessex)


I see that the B&S website has just been updated with the following:

"Plans for Next Year

The band are in the midst of planning some gigs for the first half of next
year. Details to follow. The soundtrack album for 'Storytelling' is looking
like an early spring release date. "

I'll certainly be up for some more!


FRIDAY - Drinking Day

Following lunch at Jack McFee, Fresh From The Sea, we perused the
Kelvingrove Museum & Art Gallery for a bit of culture, then walked through
the dark park. I found out that Cabbage is a great (& tidy!) cook. Then on
to Bacchus, where Gav was playing records, and what's more very well indeed.
A great selection of tunes, accommodated most requests, kept a fantastic
pace up which resulted in us drinking a lot. Who was it who said "Oh, look,
they do Shooters!" & was guilty of making us consume over a dozen different
liqueurs in several combination, some in stripes?

Spirits were too up for bed so off to the Scotia Bar/The ? Pool Hall with
Biff Starlet: being checked out through the grille before being allowed in
four at a time, Elvis & The Eagles on the jukebox, blood all over the
bouncer's shirt, all the guys extraordinarily respectful & polite, a bloke
mopping up after he had puked on the floor, Robbo being compared to
Morrissey & Quentin Tarantino (for a change).

Chippy for chips with curry sauce (num num), then home, passing Strathclyde
Uni on the way, The Stone Roses being played so loud inside the walls were
rattling. Watching B&S & Camera Obscura videos & then falling into bed.


SATURDAY - Lilly, Carey & The King Of Partick

Carey took both Chris & I up the Necroplis, great views on a cold but bright
sunny day. Back home for tea (Stuart Pudding!), Lucy, Honey, Linda, Ally
coming round, then off to the best pub in the world in Woodlands.

Horseshoe bar, closed booths in the corners, *amazingly* cheap booze, free
80's party food, 80's music, a raffle (Honey won an enormous Luxury
Christmas Pudding), Christmas presents for all (I got Irish coffee glasses
with a GOLD rim), Richard, Kenny from Avalanche Records, Gav & John
Henderson also there, latter two telling tales from their Christmas Carol
appearance at Peel Acres. Great fun, especially the girlie popfan
discussion. The landlord shook all our hands & thanked us on the way out (!)

Really knackered, ready for bed, so off we trooped to the Art School for a
dodgy late 60's English style R&B band & Divine's great Northern Soul.
Beans, Aidan Moffat & Calumn & Debbie also present.


SUNDAY - Cookie Jar

Lunch wi' lovely Lilly, followed by drink, sit & listen in the 13th Note.
Excellent customer service skills demonstrated by the bar staff by turning
off the jukebox when full of your choices in order to play their Leonard
Cohen album.

Goodbyes, bus for the airport, (bus stance = bus stop), looking forward to
seeing family again, very regretful at leaving nice times & nicer people
behind. Must get some sleep.


OK, I'll let you all off now.


Love & Merry Christmas,

David Moore
Chelmsford, UK


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