Face Of Cheam

Friday Night in London and off to see a band I know little about, The View. After a beer and a game of darts in South Wimbledon, we got a tube up to soho and went in the Pillars of Hercules. At the back of the bar were all of the band we were about to see! At least we knew they weren’t on stage yet. When we did get in to see then perform, I was impressed. Short bouncy punk songs, though the ones sung by the bass player weren’t so strong. Good hair though. This could be my penultimate gig at the Astoria before they knock it down!
The previous Wednesday my brother & I saw a Who tribute, the Wholigans in Shepherds Bush. They have been going for 26 years which must be a record for a tribute act. Their set ended with them smashing guitars at the climax of My Generation. All good fun!.

So The Alarm part two. There was good reason to arrive early as original alarm guitarist Dave Sharp was supporting. His solo acoustic set included ‘Looking This World Over’, ‘Hard Travelling’, The Alarm’s ‘One Step Closer To Home’ which prompted a mass singalong and ended with a cover of ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’. The venue was more packed than last week, with many choosing this date because of Sharpy. It was disappointing though that he did not stick around to join Mike Peter’s on stage later on. Presumably as Sharp was there the first set concentrated on mainly the new Alarm songs with only two proper pre 91 songs aired. However, that is not to say they are worse songs, Right Back Where I Started From has a huge audience participation ‘ello’ chorus, and Drunk And Disorderly has a drum roll with guitar feedback in mega Who style akin to Kids Are Alright! Mike then did what he did last week by appearing at the merchandise stand and doing an acoustic set in the round whilst walking back to the stage. Some of these songs were requests with a couple only played for a verse and a chorus. Still, a full version of The Ravens Left The Tower and Walk Forever By My Side made the admittance worthwhile. The second set included some rarities such as Regneration from an old Mike Peters solo album and the return of Knife Edge which was very heavy. However, Sold Me Down The River, just sounded a noise being played far too fast. As they were running short of time just the 7” version of 68 Guns was played at the end, but all in all a good gig. However, it was a late night as the show ended at 11.15pm and the northern line train was held up just outside morden meaning I missed my bus by a couple of minutes.

Set One – Three Sevens Clash / Rescue Me / Kill To Get What You Want / Deeside / Right Back Where I Started From / Rat Trap / Without A Fight/ Drunk And Disorderly

Acoustic – The Day The Ravens Left The Tower / No Frontiers / Permanance In Change / Rain In The Summertime / Love Hope And Strength / Walk Forever By My Side

Set Two – Blaze Of Glory / Absolute Reality / Superchannel / Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke / Alarm Calling / Knife Edge / Regeneration / Something’s Got To Give / Sold Me Down The River / Declaration / Marching On / Spirit Of 76 / 45 RPM / Spirit Of 76 (reprise) //// 68 Guns

Had a long day Saturday. The reason was my staying down in Southampton to see Feeder at the Guildhall there. In view of this got a later train than normal to Southampton, only getting to the Royal Oak for the second half of the Sky game, after doing a quick bet in bet fred to cover a stupid bet with a Fulham fan a couple of night before. (I said Fulham would not score two goals against spurs). They did but my thinking of doing a correct score bet of 2-1 and 2-2 means I am 50p up on the deal!
Saints game against Wolves sums up the season. We play great attractive football but defensively are shocking. The ref’s nightmare performance didn’t help though to lose two one was unlucky especially given the second half performance.
After a quick Subway and a return to the betting shop to collect the winnings, I return to the Royal Oak to watch Chelsea comfortably beat West Brom. You always end up talking to people in this pub whether you recognise them as Saints fans or not and towards the end of the game I chatted to a lovely Finnish girl, Annouka?, who had only been over in Southampton for two weeks. A shame I had to move on to the venue for the gig. I had already been tipped off that the show would end around half ten giving me plenty of time to get the last train at eleven, so I entered the venue at half eight. A strange venue, like a large room, with elevated seating at the back. A separate bar area was on the left selling Tuborg, albeit at £3.50 a pint. Strangely the floor in the standing area was carpeted. Feeder came on just before nine and played the excellent ‘Tumble And Fall’ second in. Promoting their new album they did ignore a few obvious choices but did play ‘Buck Rogers’ which was apparently brought back for the festivals, and Yesterday Went Too Soon, which they ignored when last I saw them eight years ago, despite being one of my favourite songs at the time. The encore included High, a song they ended with years ago and Seven Days In The Sun which was the last song, and the best one to mosh around to. Time was had to get a pint in The Encore pub and also a bottle from there for the last train as annoyingly the Spar opposite shut at half ten. A long journey got me to Wimbledon at 00.47 just missing a 164 bus meaning another twenty minute wait here. Probably worth it as I was in the area anyway but wouldn’t do it a normal midweek unless the band playing were not doing a London date.

Mike Peters on the first night of a Tuesday night residency at the Islington Academy. Strangely alighting at Highbury tube station two guys with Arsenal scarves on legged passed me, clearly fifteen minutes late for the game. A quick beer in the Vineyard where they had the game on I got down to the Academy with plenty of time to spare. Could have had one more outside though as the place was only a third full and it was quite easy to get to the front. They did two sets both mixing the new stuff from the Guerilla Tactics album with old alarm tracks. To be fair they are two different bands and the songs sound like that with the new songs like Superchannel and Three Sevens Clash seemingly a lot heavier, as the old alarm were more acoustic. In the interval Mike turned up at the merchandise desk to sign things and answer questions before being miked up to do an acoustic set in the middle of the crowd. Back on stage they did the full versions of 68 Guns and Spirit Of 76 before ending with Love Hope & Strengh dedicating it to everyone who supported his charity efforts in playing Mount Everest earlier in the year. Good stuff and I am back next week, though I may miss the third as Saints are at home. Though is he radically changes the set next time you never know......

Set One – My Town / Absolute Reality / Fightback / Superchannel / Breathe / Rain In The Summertime / Rescue Me / Blaze Of Glory
Set Two – Third Light (acoustic) / The Deceiver (acoustic) / What Kind Of Hell (acoustic) / Bells Of Rhymny (acoustic) / Walk Forever By My Side (acoustic) / 21st Century / Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke / Alarm Calling / The Stand / Cease And Desist / 68 Guns / 45 RPM ////// Marching On / Spirit Of 76 / Love Hope And Strength

Ventured down to the Crawley for the first night of Mr Wellers uk tour. The K2 leisure centre’s first ever gig. Basically it was a large basketball court with a stage at the end. Frustratingly you could not take drinks in meaning the two beers I had purchased just minutes before he came on had to be necked in record time. This was the first time I had seen Mr Weller since Finsbury Park over ten years ago. He hasn’t changed that much though he has started to explore his past a bit more and included a storming version of the Jam classic Eton Rifles. The Stanley Road album also provided a lot of the set with Porcelin Gods, Changing Man, the gorgeous You Do Something To Me and in the encore Broken Stones and set closer Whirlpools End with apocalyptic footage of September 11th and other wars on the screen behind. I haven’t got his 22 Dreams album but the stuff fhe played seemed quite good. Thankfully he only played one from Heliocentric and ignored the Heavy Soul album completely. Ignoring the smoking ban completely he did a ‘house’ version of Wild Wood and early on did a great version of Shout To The Top the Style Council song. Two hours and you can’t complain that I am now back in the modfather’s brethen!

Although I’ve seen him several times before (40-45 maybe) this was the first Bryan Adams gig that I’ve attended for over three years. With a new album out, Eleven, I did not really know what sort of set to expect. I haven’t got the album and by all accounts it is nowhere near his best. However, out of a two and a half hour show he just did three songs from it. He opened solo on his b-stage towards the back of the arena doing an acoustic Can’t Stop This Thing We Started. Not one of my favs to say the least but at least I hadn’t heard an acoustic version before. He made his way to the main stage during The Best Of Me by which time we had already made our way to near the front. Probably the closest you’re going to get at a venue like this. Somebody was next which featured a rap from guitarist Keith Scott wishing Bry a happy birthday! A highlight followed, Hearts On Fire, a song I’ve not heard live for many a year, though the band did manage to mangle the ending somewhat. Instead of picking a girl out of the crowd for When Your Gone, someone bid for the slot in a charity auction. Whilst they were ok, they were no doubtably surprised when a pregnant Mel C appeared on stage for the second verse. Wow I have now seen a Spice Girl, having turned down the opportunity to see her at V98.
Thought I’d Died And Gone To Heaven was another classic not played for a while and things got even better when he launched into Take Me Back. The last time I heard this was as a result of my banner aimed at Keith Scott many moonsets ago. Alas it did appear not many in the crowd were aware of the genius of this song but I was well happy bouncing away (obviously I am one of the hardcore). In the encore the last band song was C’mon Everybody before Bry finished acoustically with four songs, one of which was When The Night Comes, where for the first time he didn’t namecheck London (or wherever he is playing). All in all a solid return to form though there was probably one too many ballad in the set, though this does draw in his female audience of which there were many!
A quick word on the pubs we entered before in the Maze Hill area. The Vanbrugh was a pleasant enough Gastropub. The Castle an oldmans classic boozer, the Royal Standard look dilapidated but was ok inside and we could have a game of darts. However, the Ship Billet was one of the worst pubs I have been in. Horrible smell, drunk dirty workmen and rank beer. Things redeemed though by going to the Pilot, no our regular haunt before the o2 with nice barmaids, nice pint of Kronenberg and a nice setting!

Can’t Stop This Thing We Started (acoustic) / Please Forgive Me (acoustic) / The Best Of Me / Somebody / Hearts On Fire / 18 Til I Die / Let’s Make It A Night To Remember / Back To You / I Don’t Want To Lose The Fight / Summer Of 69 / Everything I Do / Cuts Like A Knife / When You’re Gone (with Mel C) / Thought I Died And Gone To Heaven / She’s Only Happy When She’s Dancing / Heaven / It’s Only Love / Take Me Back / Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman / Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You / Thought I’d Seen Everything / Run To You ///////// Cloud Number Nine / C’mon Everybody / Straight From The Heart (acoustic) / When The Night Comes (acoustic) / Walk On By (acoustic) / All For Love (acoustic)

A quiet week last week in comparison to gigging for the previous fortnight. Had my eyes checked and have moved back to the daily disposables contact lense wise. Boots where I used to get them from said I had to be on monthlies at £66.00 plus solutions every three months, whereas the new independent optician say my eyes are fine for dailies which cost £25.00 for a thirty day supply which will last me about three months! Mmm, corporate scam by Boots? They do do a good meal deal each month however, with a sixth meal deal free (sandwich/salad, crisps / dips and any drink) when you buy five in a calendar month. So a negative with a positive there.
Went to a Halloween / 21st Birthday party on Friday through a music acquaintance. As in Mean Girls with Lindsey Lohan, fancy dress is a chance for girls to dress like sluts, so some fantastic outfits on the females on view. Alas also being a 21st birthday it also meant most of the blokes were idiots so only stayed for a few drinks rather than try my luck!
Saturday I watch the mega money Stanford 20-20. What a let down. England hardly turned up and as such it was not a great advert for the game which is what Stanford wanted. As my Spurs mate said, they needed Harry over there. He is now another reason to detest spurs. Keep quiet in case I write anything libellous now!