Face Of Cheam

Went to the Beer Festival at Earls Court this year. As well as the hit & miss of the beers (one german bottled bier was suitably rank but the awarded winning ale was very drinkable) the Hamsters provided the music. An established pub band, this was my first experiance of them and did an average show. Reliant on Hendrix and ZZ Top mostly, their originals lacked a certain something and they were dependednt on the main singer guitarist making it obvious that it is his band! Still was an excuse to grow a beard for the week and examine a few drinks you wouldn't normally have!
Got the updated Kingston guide and a shame to read about the Cambridge estate pubs all now vanished with the Bull & Bush finally sucumbing to the recession. Also got the North Surrey one and looks like Shepperton and Chertsey could be worth a visit (places easily accessible but I've not done before).

A rare UK show by legendary artist Leon Russell. Now in his seventies he has collaborated with nearly everyone and has an album out later in the year with Elton John. No guests tonight though as he journeyed through his solo hits and a few covers. He opened with Delta Lady, the song Joe Cocker turned into a smash in the early 70s. The covers included the Stones Wild Horses and a rocknroll medley to climax the set. Now well and truely a pensioner the vocals were not great though his fellow bearded band were compontant enough to carry him through for a good show. However, it didn't leave me enough in the mood to rush back if he suddenly snnounced more dates later in the year.

Four pound on the door, or seven pound and you got their new album as well. Shame I had pre-ordered it. Hippodrome is the club previously known as Volts in Kingston. Bargain beer to at £2 a pint / bottle.
Second time I've seen Sky Larkin and again it was excellent. Katie Harkin's vocals were excellent as was her guitar playing (using a white Fender Stratocaster a la Quo). Sensibly they did not overload their fifty minute set with too many new songs concentrating on tracks from their excellent debut, The Golden Spike. Beeline, Fossil I and Matador were the stand outs here. New Slang (the name of the club) plays really good music too and I must therefore get round to getting a day off work on the Friday to experiance it more.

A free festival in Croydons Lloyd Park. We got there halfway through The Damned's short set. We got to hear Eloise and Smash It Up which were good. Captain Sensible was dressed in a Crystal Palace shirt and asked the audience not to smash up the park as it's quite nice. Obviously outgrowing his punk status. Martha Reeves was next and just her and two backing singers sang karoke to her old hits including Heatwave and obviously, Dancing In The Street. Bit of a let down she did not have a band. Lightning Seeds headlined and were excellent. All the greatest hits, a couple of new songs and a cover of Be My Baby. Marvellous shone and they ended with Pure, an all time classic.

to be honest I can't be arsed to do a full write up so shall let the photos do the talking. Must get round to updating this blog frequently.

This was a warm up for Joe Elliots covers band appearance at the High Voltage festival the following weekend. We got what was expected - a run through of seventies tracks largely Mott based - though we did get some Elton and a version of Good Times made famous by Inxs and Jimmy Barnes over here. Ian Hunter appeared for the second verse of the last song, All The Young Dudes, in a similar manner Joe Elliot comes on at Hunters gigs for the same song. Bearing in mind Ian Hunter was supposed to be playing half the set at High Voltage its a shame he hadn't made himself availiable a little earlier in proceedings, although as it turns out that may have been a waste of his time after what happened in Victoria Park!

Haven't commented on the world cup here. To be honest I didn't really get into it that much. The lunchtime and three o'clock kick offs didn't help but the football never really got going for me. Germany & Argentina played the best I thought but Spain were resilant and won the tournamount without really dominating. England were poor but I do feel had Lampards goal been allowed it may have been slightly different. Only made the pub a few times to watch games, the atmosphere down the Fountain (pictures above) was fantastic for the South Korea Uruguay game though the result went against them. Went to the New Inn for Engalnd Germany which was not over heaving and watched the Ghana Uruguay q-f in Wallington which was also fun and dramatic with the Uruguayan defender winning the game with a delibrate handball resulting in the last minute missed penalty. Didn't really see much of the final due to a christening but what I did see (the second half onwards) it was predicatbly drab. Shame the modern manager goes out with a view not to lose or ocncede goals instead of the attitude "We're going to score more than you".