Sábado 24 Nov 2007, 9h:58
Fri 23 Nov – Half Man Half Biscuit
Half Man Half Biscuit? At the Tower Lounge, where hapless tourists are charged £5 for a bottle of blue WKD on a Saturday afternoon? Surely some mistake? No, it really happened, and on a bitterly cold November night too.
Sadly, despite good intentions, I arrived at the Tower building after Calvin Party had been and gone. Damn. Walking in, it was a shock to find the place packed. Surely all these people can't have come to see HMHB? Here? Mind you, the £16 door charge would have surely dissuaded the hovering hen parties from coming in. Wouldn't it? There was a big screen in operation above the stage, but for some reason this was turned off after a couple of songs of the Biscuits set. An odd decision, because unless you were right at the front, your view of the low stage would have been terrible. I was still in mid-crowd, finishing my bottle of beer (I wouldn't trust the pumps there) when the Wirral quartet took to the stage. There was a short wait while they plugged in their instruments and tuned up (Neil was ready before the other two and as usual, teasingly played some Joy Division riffs) before they cranked out the first of many classics, Restless Legs. The sound in the middle of the venue was appalling at the start, but I was in the mosh by the second song and so I can't tell if it improved.
Approximate setlist:
Restless Legs
Fred Titmus
For What is Chatteris?
Bad Loser on Yahoo Chess
Running Order Squabble Fest
Lock Up Your Mountain Bikes
Tending the Wrong Grave for 23 Years (strayed into 'Hip Priest' in the quiet bit)
Bottleneck at Capel Curig
Vatican Broadside
Bob Wilson Anchorman
Shit Arm, Bad Tattoo
He's on the 'roids
Them's the Vagaries
We Build This Village on a Trad. Arr. Tune
'Gouranga'
Paintballs Coming Home
All I Want For Christmas is a Dukla Prague Away Kit
Look Dad, No Tunes
Used to be in Evil Gazebo
Outbreak of Vitas Gerulatis
Everything's AOR
Encore (out came the caravan guitar)
A Song from Under the Floorboards
Joy Division Ovengloves (dedicated to Paul Fox)
The Trumpton Riots
Brilliant stuff. For the last few songs I was caught in a human toothpaste dispenser at the front. At least this gave me a bit of a rest from jumping around. Surprise - no "24 Hour Garage People", although I would have swapped this for "Paintballs Coming Home" myself. No "Country Practice", but a welcome return for "Used to be in Evil Gazebo". The two new ones from the recent Radio Merseyside broadcast were included, but "Blue Badge Abuser" wasn't. Nigel Blackwell was as chatty as ever and was keen to show off his new walkers jacket - reversible for scrambling, apparently.
Word from the merchandise desk is that a new album is expected early in the New Year.
Earlier this evening, I was musing to myself who'd I pick if I was forced to nominate just one band as my ultimate favourite. After a night like this, I'd be hard pressed to say that anybody but Half Man Half Biscuit fitted the bill. A wonderful band and another top night.