Blog: End Of An Earache

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This weekend just gone was a BIG OLD WEEKEND, and it began by taking Mr F A Machine to The Euston Tap for some Unusual Beer. That was the idea - we ended having some Nice Lager, by accident, but it set the tone for the rest of the day when we would drink THE LAGER. Somehow this became "sensible".

We were due to play at The Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes for the LAST EVER PopArt London show, and it was here that we met Mr Tom "The Tiger" McClure, dropped off our gear, and headed for the PUB... only to bump into The Pattisons, who had some GEAR that needed unloading. They're bought The Girls with them, and had invited many PALS and FAMILY MEMBERS who also had children, which was all very lovely ... until we discovered that children weren't allowed in the venue after 6pm. We were on at 7pm.

Oh! The hassle! The to-ing and fro-ing! The ALARM and UPSET! EVENTUALLY the owner was persuaded to let them stay, as long as they sat to the SIDE, or something, and all was well, but GOODNESS ME for an hour or so there was StRESS!

I was able to MANFULLY COPE with all this by taking part in the (last ever) REES REVIEW, where Mr Dave Rees, compere, gathered a group of us on stage to sit on stools and discuss The Issues Of The Day. This was really good fun and something which I think should be ENCOURAGED at gigs generally, as we dealt with ISSUES including The Olympics, B Springstee, Charity Work and The Twitter. It's basically my ideal gig - me, SAYING THINGS, without needing to worry about remembering the words to songs!

This was only reinforced during our GIG ACTUAL when I DID forget a few of the words - though I'm sure nobody noticed, not really. Here's what we did:

My Boss Was In An Indie Band Once

Theme From Dinosaur Planet

Don't, Darren, Don't

Quality Of Life Enhancement Device

Please Don't Eat Us

Being Happy Doesn't Make You Stupid

Do The Indie Kid

The Lesson Of The Smiths

Easily Impressed

You may noticed a song RECLAIMED from THE VAULTS in there - we're trying to have a policy of adding a "new" (i.e. OLD) song to the set a gigs these days, although Quality Of Life Enhancement Device was so much fun to play we might be keeping it in more regularly now. The whole gig was fun I must say, though the best bit was one of the aforementioned Small Children SCREAMING during The Music Of The Future.

I was less impressed five minutes later to see ALL the children, who we had FOUGHT FOR to get in, playing TABLE FOOTBALL during the grand finale of our set! KIDS TODAY!

Gig done we went off for GRUB - The Pattisons and the teeming mass of relatives went off to basically PACK OUT a Chinese Restaurant, whilst Frankie, The Tiger and I ended up having a CURRY. We must be out of practice at this gigging lark - we were looking for a pub that served food, the idea of a curry took us entirely by surprise! WHAT HAVE WE BECOME?!?!

After tea Frankie set off home whilst The Tiger and I went back to the Bowling Lanes to enjoy the end of The New Royal Family (reformed for approx. the fourth time) and then do the Indie Bingo. This is ANOTHER one of PopArt's GRATE ideas that SOMEONE should copy, and there was HUGE excitement when it came to the prizes. We got a Beach Boys compilation!

I was the last Validator standing when it was time for the PopArt AllStars to go out with a MAGNIFICENT gig, featuring a particularly EXCELLENT version of "Star Man" and me doing the Anglicised version of "Glory Days", which SEGUED into a final performance of "Brimfull Of Asha" by Mr Rees. It was a DELIGHT to sing with them one more time... though my delight was slightly diminished when the soundman said to me afterwards "Have you heard of a band called Art Brut?" I confirmed that I had indeed, and was about to LAUD them when he said "Were they an inspiration for you?" THE RUDDY CHEEK!!

There was a DISCOTHEQUE to follow, but I needed to get home, as we were off to Sheffield next morning. I said many farewells to a bunch of BRILLIANT people who have done a fabulous thing over the years. It's sad that they're packing it in, but I guess if you have to stop it's best to do it with a GRATE day like this one was. Well done, Team PopArt, well done!

posted 23/7/2012 by MJ Hibbett

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Comments:

You'll be able to "SAY THINGS, without needing to worry about remembering the words to songs" on 14th August on croydonradio.com (plug plug plug)
posted 23/7/2012 by Tim Eveleigh

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