The Hope and Anchor

Despite the hangover from Covid affecting advance tickets sales and indeed attendance, we decided to go ahead with this gig, and I'm really glad we did.

This was the best show I've seen from Arrest! Charlie Tipper, who have a whole clutch of ace new songs and who were incredibly well-rehearsed. The sound was really good and you could hear everything clearly, which is great for them because they put so much work into their arrangements and harmonies. In particular their drummer, Simon, who has been really ill, was really on form and put a crisp and rhythmic underpinning to it all. Brilliant. I bought their new album. I never do that. (Well, hardly ever).

It was one of those nights when you feel that the crowd is really on your side. It wasn't bursting with people, but there were plenty of people there and the audience went with the flow even when I was mortified to forget the words of my newest song.  They were a proper listening audience, and laughed at the funny bits in the funny songs and empathised with the more serious ones. So Long Elon went down particularly well; he just keeps on going, doesn't he? Thank you to the friends who came- Mandy and Simon, Joan and Martin, and Valeria who had made the journey from the deep south, and who enjoyed every single moment of every single band. I am setting off on tour from next weekend (Hereford, Sheffield, Shipley) and it felt great to be holding the guitar again and singing my songs: just the right thing to do. Weekends gigging, weekdays illustrating. What could be better for the soul?

The headliners were Karen, who also have new music out. They were loud, Bolan-esque and also full of beans. I am sorry to have been so pleased that Davey Woodward, their lead singer, also forgot the words of one of his songs. It was funny, though, and the audience thought is was too. Davey discovered that someone had travelled from Berlin to see the gig, and rewarded him with a can of beer, checking at various points to see if he's drunk it yet. Michael Tiley Evill was there from Shambotic recordings and there were CD, badge and t-shirt freebies being handed out as though it was Christmas (actually the last time I'd played here). Karen went down very well, and could have played a multitude of encores but the event had to end for a 10.30 curfew.

We all sold records, we all enjoyed each other's sets and it was a very warm-hearted night like a lot of Caryne and Dave's shows are. You get a lot of good craik before and after the gig, and crisps and chocolate biscuits too. What's not to love?

Here's a video of Arrest! Charlie Tipper, who are just about to rechristen themselves in a race to anonymity, a photo of Karen, and a photo of me. Long live live music, long live olderpersonartists, and long live loving audiences who make us feel that it's all worth while!