Face Of Cheam

Last gig of the year coincided with Saints playing at Leeds so a Yorkshire weekend was planned. Saints lost but the gig made up for it. We ended up in Sheffields rock pub, The Dove & Rainbow where we got the DJ to play Slade's Lock Up Yer Daughters and also some Thunder! Let's Rock.

Went to Annies pub in Kentish Town prior to this where my mate told me I had to go to the toilets. Mirrored walls it was like a game from the Crystal Maze to find out where you needed to urinate!
The Sheds were on top form with Rick Witter hardly putting a foot wrong. Chasing Rainbows ended the set with a mass singalong. Truly outstanding!

Risked being stranded with the snow but fortuanately the trains kept to schedule. It was soft drinks only at the side bars, with alcohol being restricted in the room at the back. This was relaxed just before show time when they let the respomnsible adults take the beer through to the audotorium. Paramore were excellent, with the new album stuff sounding great live. Decode was palyed just before the encore which was truly awesome and they ended with Brick By Boring Brick, an already classic from Brand New Eyes. Hayley has also gone blonde!

Thunder's Luke Morleys new band with Pete Shoulder. Very bluesy with one obvious Christmas number called This Time Next Year. Ended with a cover of Proud Mary. Am looking forward to the album in the new year.

I don't care what time of year it is I'm playing this song Roy Wood yells as he launches into I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday. However, It is actually Christmas time! Perhaps he's had too much of the ale the female singer keeps bending down to pick up to give to him between songs(as Mr Wood is too large to bend over!). We also got the Wizzards classics, See My Baby Jive and Angel Fingers. Mr Wood also keeps reminding the audience which of his hits (with Wizzard and The Move) got into the top ten and number one, often with the number of weeks there were there for when introducing his songs.
Quo as ever did a good set with the addition of the loathsome Burning Bridges not palyed on the earlier date of the tour I went to.

Toby Jepson - She's A little Angel / Boneyard / Ain't Gonna Cry / Don't Pray For Me / Young Gods - Won't Get Fooled Again / Too Much Too Young

Skin - The Only One / Spit On You / How Lucky You Are /You Blow My Mind / Experience Electric / House Of Love / Colourblind / Reunited / Redemption / Money / Take Me Down To The River / Look But Don't Touch / Tower Of Strength - Listening To You //// Unbelievable / Perfect Day / Shine Your Light

Thea has a Christmas album out which could have been dreadful. Thankfully her cynicism remains in her songs and this show did not draw too heavily from it. We still had the old favourites such as Saviours And All and Are You Ready. A grand piano was also dragged out for Nigel Stonier to play Icarus Wind. At the encore, I had a severe impact on the set as I was asked to throw a dart at a dartboard for a random Christmas cover. With Slade and Wizzard at the top there was no doubt as to where my aim was. However the dart sliced to the left and we were left to enjoy a twee version of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. Still better than Silent Night ot Joy To The World which were also on the list! We also had a cover of Elvis Costellos St Stephens Day Murder which is also on her album. Good Stuff indeed.

As it states above, Lily performed her hits from her two excellent 'social commentary' albums and finished with a cover of Britney's 'Womaniser' in avery revealing outfit that she didn't really have the curves for. An enjoyable show different from the rock of the night before!