Brighton x 2

Even the afternoon of Thursday's exhibition was nice. Gaye Black's friend Eric had bought all the paraphernalia for hanging the pictures in advance, and there was no scrapping about who hung what picture where. with a pair of ladders and a lot of good will, we got six pictures each up on the wall. It was lovely to see Dominic Warwick of Rebellion Literary Festival fame sitting at a table when we got there, too.

After a fish supper on the seafront, we went back to the Pelirocco and people started filtering in, including Pauline Murray and her daughter, and Tracy Preston from The Smartees. Caryne and Dave had driven all the way over from Frome, en route (sort of) to a Loft concert in Newcastle. Pete Chrisp and Lisa came, Neil from Oldfield Youth Club and his partner, and Steve Clements. It was well busy, as they say. Ably aided by Del Strangefish on sound, I played a short set of songs, followed by Charlie Harper, who brought the house down with his versions of Streets of London and Wild Rover.

It's such a nice hotel- small, perfectly formed and eccentric: a great place to start performing again after  along break.

Next day, we met Pauline and Grace for a late lunch. I spent the rest of the afternoon rehearsing the Asbo Derek songs that I was playing on that night. It's impossible to describe the Tribute Night for Bob Grover. There were members of The Ammonites, Midnight and the Lemon Boys, Theatre of Hate, The Objekts, The Lillettes, The Golinski Brothers and many more in the audience. Nick Linazasoro\s review here gives a bit of an insight: https://sussexonlinenews.co.uk/2025/03/30/boring-bob-grover-of-the-piranhas-gets-a-wonderful-send-off/

And here I am guesting with Asbo Derek. Ric Blow took over for the rest of the set. It was really good fun, but also very sad.

I had a great chat with the Piranha's bagpiper, who hailed from Oban. Zoot had flown over from New York for the night and there were other long distance travellers. The Prince Albert was packed. I didn't last the night because it's going to take a while to get match-fit again, but jumping in at the deep end like this was a bloody good way to start gigging again.