Blog: In The Amphitheatre

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I had a bit of a trip down memory TRAMLINE on Saturday, as I was back in Sheffield to play at the University Students' Union. I used to play there about twice a year for AGES when my friend Ms P Blackham was Ents Manager, but it's over four YEARS since I was last there, as Penny has since left. HOWEVER it just so happened that she was back again for a month and so I got BOOKED again, to appear at the Late Lunch Sessions all-dayer. This was the all day climax of a THING they've been doing at lunchtimes to launch "The Amphitheatre", a new BIT they have built on the side of the Students' Union, where BANDS come and play in it.

The Trams Of Sheffield were part suspended so I had to WALK half the way and as I did MEMORIES flew in of all the other occasions I'd been there. I found the Amphitheatre by following the noise of guitars being tuned up, and arrived just in time to see Mr Matt Abbott of Skint & Demoralised introducing The Mini Skips.

I plonked myself down on a deckchair and had a delightful half hour watching them, before getting up for HUGZ with all and sundry. After a short gap between acts it was my turn to go on - Matt gave me a choice of poems, a "fumble" or an "epiphany" so I chose the LATTER. He did a poem, and then I was on, doing THIS:

The Peterborough All-Saints Wide Game Team (group B)

Get Over It

The Perfect Love Song

My Boss Was In An Indie Band Once

(You Make Me Feel) Soft Rock

It Only Works Because You're here

Billy Jones Is Dead

The Lesson Of The Smiths

Easily Impressed

Boom Shake The Room

I had a LOVELY time - there wasn't a HUGE amount of people there (it was Saturday lunchtime, I assume most students were in BED) but those that WERE there seemed to like it. I'd broken a string just before starting so borrowed Vinnie from the Mini-Skips's AXE and was wearing my new ZENITH t-shirt under a raincoat. I looked like i WAS Zenith, doing a very low key comeback gig!

Afterwards two young first year ladies came and offered me a BANANA - they'd bought far too many - and I had a chat to pals various before we relocated to the Interval Bar. As we entered EVEN MORE memories flooded in, not least the time I played there with Frankie Machine and I did my cover version of "Stan", which had been BANNED by the Student Union. Nobody noticed, but it's the thought that counts.

I've just looked that gig up - it was OVER TWELVE YEARS AGO. Crikey!

There were beers, there was a MASSIVE burrito (it took me half an hour to get through it!) and soon it was time to wobble off homewards again. I'm back in Sheffield in a few weeks, playing at The Rutland Arms on November 16th supporting Helen McCookerybook - it can't come too soon, Sheffield is GRATE!

posted 22/10/2013 by MJ Hibbett

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