Inspiral Carpets

                                                                            
I don't really know where to begin with this blog. I really don't.

When it was announced in March that the Inspiral Carpets were touring with Shed Severn and the first gig was in the Villa Marina, I just had to go. I find it hard to put into words the why I like the Carpets, I just do. It might be swirling organ riffs of Clint Boon, it might just be the music. Anyway tickets were purchased and a nine month wait ensued.

I wasn't sure how to approach this gig. I really wanted to see them play live but would it be as good as I wanted it to be? All I can say is "Hell yes". They kicked ass.

When I got to the Villa the crowd looked a little thin but was the clock ticked round to 8 the hall started to fill. The crowd was made up of half forgotten faces from long ago closed pubs and clubs. All a bit grey and thin on top; possibly both.

Then the music started. First track Dragging Me Down. The band hit it from the B of the Bang. The sound was out but they didn't let that hold them back. Already the price of the ticket was money well spent. Particularly impressive throughout the set was bassist Martyn Walsh. With a thousand yard stare he wields the bass well. When needed slung low in the style of New Order's Peter Hook otherwise pointed at drummer Craig Gill.He's got the chops. The rhythm powerhouse of the band.

As with many a gig the running order escapes me. From memory the next three songs included Joe and This Is How It Feels. Classic Inspiral tracks. The firth song was just a wall of noise. They hit it from the beginning and powered through. Fantastic. I really should know what it was but I was caught in the moment. There followed a few more tracks , often with the Boon organ intro before the rest of the band kicked in.

It was only a short set, more's the pity. It ended with Saturn Five. No Mark E Smith but ..... still great.

I should probably go to a full show.

Plates

                                                                    Food on a plate
Plates, they normally have food on them although some people like to hang commemorative ones on their walls. It's a simple concave design with the purpose of keeping the food together in one place, making it easy to eat. A lip or rim keeps sauce in place rather than running everywhere. The plate has been in use for centuries with much success.

Most plates are circular but there has been a trend over more recently for square or oblong ones.  These were initially found in certain restaurants but are available for civilian use these days. These days places serving on non circular plates have moved on.

A clog, frying basket, even a dog bowl have been used to serve food recently. I feel the rise of the gastro pub and hipster chic have led to this. Gimmicky to say the least serving food on anything that comes to hand has led to bit of a backlash with a We Want Plates campaign. You can see plenty of examples at @WeWantPlates of the weird and wonderful examples of things used to serve food these days. There is a downside to using unconventional serving dishes:

Heaven 17

Over a year has passed since my last gig blog. To keep up the theme it was Sheffield synth again. 

First an apology. In my review of the Human League I might not have too complimentary about the support act, Jules Verne Theory. They were supporting again this time. Having heard the whole set I would recommend giving them ago. The vocalist held his notes and synth ebbed and flowed as it should.

Anyway, on to the main attraction. Heaven 17. Formed back in the late 1970s after a split in the Human League these boys were part of the Steel City synth movement. They started with a track which I would describe as "industrial synth"; it was an early Human League track from before the split so right on that front. It was followed by one of their stand out tracks; Fascist Grove Thang. The crowd were pulled in by this. It was one of those gigs where I'm not 100% on track names but when you're there does it matter? 

It was around this time Glen introduced us to the rest of the band. We all know Martyn Ware, on additional keyboards is Berenice Scott and backing vocals: Rachel and Haley. After introducing Haley as newly wed and with a convoluted crossover we were into "Come Live With Me" Tune. 

After some more synth classics: Crushed By The Wheels of Industry & Who'll Stop The Rain; Glen started working the crowd. Name checking the two kid at the front. ( who takes 9 year old to a gig?) helping with selfies and generally encouraging the audience. All I can say is we come to see the band, not the stupid. Anyway, Temptation. Probably their best know track. It was fantastic. It started off with Rachel getting all over the vocals with Glen leaving the stage. In what I can only describe as a live re mix she kicked ass with the vocals before Glen was back to sprinkle his magic dust on the track.  It was a great end to the set.

After the normal chanting there was an encore. Glen came out with Berenice and a moving cover of Bowie's Life on Mars. The rest of the band came back for another Bowie cover, Boys. They finished with an early Human League track "Being Boiled" or Voice of Budda. What a way to end the show. 

This can only mean my next gig is Cabaret Voltaire

Television

According to The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy  television is the drug of the nation. If that's the case, I'm gonna need rehab soon. 

A couple of great shows started new series last week and Monday sees the 2nd season of True Detective premier.

First to last week's new stuff. Wednesday on Sky Living saw Hannibal season 3 begin. The end of season 2 saw Hannibal laying waste to several former colleagues who had grown to suspect his involvement in multiple murders, each more grotesque than the last. The new series sees Hannibal in Paris with his former shrink, played by Gillian Anderson (She is in some good shows at the moment, hopefully The Fall will return later this year.) and back into the swing of things by dining on a professor and taking his identity. We are left wondering who survived his bloody American exit.
                                                  Hannibal dinning with (or on?) a guest.

Also arriving on our screen last week was series 3 of Banshee. I hope all small American towns aren't as corrupt.The main character stopped at bar just outside the town of Banshee in the first episode of series one to wet his whistle as did a fellow traveler who got involved in a bar fight with two locals. Moments later three men were dead and a man we would soon know as Hood stole the identity of one of the dead guys; the new sheriff of Banshee, a guy named Hood. Since then he has been handing out summery justice in the town while trying to keep a lid on the warring criminal gangs of off the rail Amish led by Proctor and a native American tribe who get through their leaders at a pace. Throw into  this Hood's criminal past and  willingness to take down scores where he can, it's fast paced and ludicrous. Watch it and enjoy, don't think too hard about the meaning.


                     Hood relaxing.


That brings us to a new starter next Monday, 22 June. True Detective. The first series was brilliant. Dark, very dark. Set in Louisiana it followed a couple of state detectives in their quest to track down a serial killer in the bayou. Brilliantly played by Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson we see their lives fall apart as they track the suspect through a complex web of petty criminals, corrupt local cops and pastors connected to the Governor. Season 2 is by the same writer, Nic Pizzolatto, and see the action move to south California. Corrupt local politicians are to the fore. I'm looking forward to it.

Isle of Man TT 2015 Re-Deux

As I type this, it's been a dramatic start to the TT without a racing being run.

I awoke slightly later than I wanted. The tv was switch on; turning to BBC Breakfast who then ran a short piece on the TT. A nice well balanced segment. Once that had finished I scanned social media. One tweet caught me eye, reports of a helicopter crash somewhere on the mountain. I dug a little deeper, a privately owned a machine had indeed crashed near the 33rd Milestone. That really was a "what the hell" moment. All sorts seem to go wrong but surely this was a first. Early reports are there was only one person in the helicopter.

Normally such an event would have delayed or even cancelled racing on a Saturday. Not the case as winds gusting at over 40 mph are already doing that.

Before it all kicked off this morning Michael Dunlop's very late change of bikes would have been the jaw dropping moment. Originally signed to ride Milwaukee Yamaha's R1 in the supebike race poor performances at the Northwest 200 and in the initial practice sessions led Dunlop to ditch the Yam and switch back to BMW for the big bikes and a Honda in the Super sport class. The bikes were rushed over on the ferry, not sure how he booked them on at such short notice, and were ready for Thursday night's practice session. Wisely he chose not to use a fishing boat to transport his bike. That hasn't always gone well for the Dunlop family.

This clip shows @tweethutchy flying pass a Yamaha mounted MD. Bouncing off walls and hedges not the answer to this problem. Mention of Ian Hutchinson brings me round to news of him teaming up with Keith Flint's Team Traction Control for the super sport on an R6 after his MV Agusta ride fell through.

Let's hope we get some racing.

Part one of my TT blog is here

Isle of Man TT 2015

It's certainly been an unusual start to TT 2015. The weather has played large part in this. What else would you expect on 1 June than gales gusting over 60 mph and heavy rain? This obviously caused that evening's practice session to be cancelled.Tree were blown over in several places meaning road closures unrelated to the racing.
  




Today's practice session has been weather effected as well with the laps un timed due to the strong winds on the mountain section.

Possibly more worrying from my point of view was the closure of Bushy's beer tent. Obviously tents aren't great places in windy conditions and this proved to be no exception. As this picture shows, the tent was in grave danger




Anyway as it should be about the bike, here's one from Saturday. Taken at Creg-ny-Baa by ajs images


Catch my second TT blog here

Tranmere Rovers

I'm returning to one of my regular blog subjects; it's not sausages or scotch unfortunately, it's Tranmere Rovers.

My last blog on them was written waiting for a delayed flight at Melbourne airport. Micky Adams had just been appointed manager. While hope didn't spring eternal, it certainly gave us beleaguered fans a straw to clutch at. Since then things have not improved. Adams has used his football contacts to raid the loan market. He brought back Iain Hume and Jennison Myrie-Williams all to no avail. Results have been poor and the team currently sit 23rd in league 2 looking the relegation gun firmly down the barrel.

I took a trip over last week to watch the Super White Army play Luton Town. Although the form of the later matched our own the omens were not good. My normal pre match watering hole has been renamed The Birch Tree from the Mersey Clipper. It wasn't the change in name, it was the change in colour: orange. Matching the colour sported by most of the away fans. The match won't last long in the memory. The first half was dire and the second not much better. Luton won 0-1 thanks to a goal scored from a rebound penalty save. Tranmere had a few shots in target and played with more purpose in the second half. From my vantage point in the Bebbington Kop, I got to see the magic spray in action. Possibly a high light of the day.

                                                         Magic Spray

                                                    First half action

Today Rovers travel to Southend, a place best known for the longest pier in Britain. They currently sit in the play off spots but our form against the top teams is better than that of the clubs around us. I live in hope but not expectation.

At least this season's wows have been football based and not betting scandals and match fixing allegations of last year.

Sausages & Sheds

Well, its Sausage Saturday and mine are cooking in the oven. Pork with leek and chive. They will be placed in a bap with some bacon. Happy days.

With spring in the air, apparently, a young man's fancy turns to gardening. So far I've only managed to trim some hedges which was a larger task than first anticipated as they hadn't be cut back in years.
I'm a bit limited for storage space at the moment; no one likes a lawnmower in the hall, so gardening tools have been left unpurchased. This should hopefully change when the shed I've ordered turns up. I'm looking forward to having a shed. Every bloke should have one.

Happy shedding. 

My 2014

I've probably missed the boat with my personal 2014 retrospective as I should now be looking forward to 2015 but I'm not one to follow convention.

As one reaches a certain age in life many years can sort of merge into one but I will try and pick out a few high lights from the sausages, scotch and walking debris.

The first half of the year was quite quiet with only a trip to watch Tranmere Rovers breaking me from the routine. The plight of the once mighty Rovers did keep me preoccupied but as it was all of their own making sympathy is thin on the ground.




One the best things of the 1st six months was attending the Human League gig at the Villa Marina. It was fantastic. I've blogged at length on this already so click on the link if more details are required.

I suppose if you have ups there must be downs. The sudden and very unexpected death of a good friend during July brought me down to earth with a bump.


                                                            Hot as balls.

There's not a lot I can say about Scott that hasn't already been said. A good friend and good company at the track, on the hills and at the pub.

In what was a period of distinct lack of planning I brought a new house and arrange to go on holiday to Australia at around the same time. The back end of the year was certainly busy. The house purchase dragged on for ages as the advocates from the previous sale hadn't done their thing properly. Once the house was mine as was also packing for Australia. This gave me time to do some decorating but not move.

Then Australia. Always wanted to go but I just thought it was a pipe dream. Luckily Tony from TGF Photos and Stephen of AJS Images were heading down under to cover the Australian round of motoGP round at Phillip Island. "Want to tag along?" the snappers asked. I did and an itinerary was devised. 

Sydney, Manly, The Great Ocean Road, Twelve Apostles, Melbourne, Phillip Island itself and a two days in Kuala Lumpur as that's where the guys were heading for the next round. I swerved that one as I have work commitments and 100% humidity is not my thing. 

I can't thank those guys enough, especially Stephen, for driving me around and showing me a few on the sights in that vast land. And thanks to Tony's other half for recommending both lemon bitters as a drink and barramundi as the fish course.


A few more snaps from Australia. I loved the place.

           Twelve Apostles


    Cowes Beach, Phillip Island

Valentino Rossi celebrates his win at Phillip Island


    Melbourne and the Yarra river at dusk


I'm new homed and hose so thanks 2014 and I look forward to 2015.