Riders, Bolton 1st February 2008
It was a grim winter’s night with a threat of snow in the air and we guessed that only the craziest party people and the coolest hipsters would show up to the weird and wonderful night that is Riders.
So by 8.20pm, when only 14 or so cats had actually arrived, compere Nat Clare suggested that if no one else turned up in the next 10 minutes we could all go to his pad and help with the house work.
He needn’t have worried because then they came, from out of the flophouses, seedy bars and Shiftnall Street they staggered ready, no demanding entertainment. And Entertainment is what they got, including, an early highlights of the evening, Dave Morgan grabbing a heckling punter by the lapels & threatening to banjo the drunken idiot if he didn’t shut-the-fuck-up!
We had Jeff Whitehead literally walking through the door and onto the stage and effortlessly blowing us away with his poetry – what a guy!
And so after a bit of a shaky start the evening blasted along swimmingly with great sets from Bill and Don, The said Dave Morgan, the scintillating singing of the sophisticated Gemma O’Neill, Pete Crompton on fine ranting form and the debut of “The backward poet”, one Rupert Clare, whose hilarious musing took us to the break.
Yes I may be making the order up a bit but hey who took notes? You did – you saddo!
Anyway after the break I seem to remember a showcase spot from James Hartnell which I’d expected to last 20 minutes but only lasted 10 as that’s what I’d put in error in my email to him – sorry James, 10 delicious minutes non-the-less. Followed by thought provoking poet Mel Rees and funny man Gordon Zola who had them rocking in the aisles (with laughter I mean).
Then we cleared the deck for the main guests of the evening an impromptu mixture of poetry, music and mayhem. Led anarchically, by poet, saxophonist and guitar player Alabaster DePlume (“let’s jam kids”) he was joined onstage by the incomparable, virtuoso guitar playing of John Fairhurst, John “Dog Boy” Louie playing spoons and gob iron at the same time and treating us to his hilarious dog song too, Mike on the bongo’s and tabla. Half way through the set and Rachel Appleton suddenly warbled something, jumped on stage, grabbed a drum and joined in to great effect. Yes it was that kind of thing. The band even brought their own excellent heckler (we weren’t good enough apparently) who turned out to be none other than Perciphone Petticoat in Manchester on holiday.
Then it was over, too soon for many of us, though it was mint whilst it lasted. The band went back to Manchester and played for another 5 hours according to the incorrigible Dave Morgan - who went back with them, stayed up all night and has been complaining about the lack of sleep ever since. Hey Dave, that’s nothing – imagine if you lived next door to them!
Yes another legendary event and I can hardly wait for the next one on Friday 4th April and starring one of the North West’s best songwriters, Rachel Appleton. You really must get to that one it will be rotten great.
Photos of this event can be found in Galleries on this site.
So by 8.20pm, when only 14 or so cats had actually arrived, compere Nat Clare suggested that if no one else turned up in the next 10 minutes we could all go to his pad and help with the house work.
He needn’t have worried because then they came, from out of the flophouses, seedy bars and Shiftnall Street they staggered ready, no demanding entertainment. And Entertainment is what they got, including, an early highlights of the evening, Dave Morgan grabbing a heckling punter by the lapels & threatening to banjo the drunken idiot if he didn’t shut-the-fuck-up!
We had Jeff Whitehead literally walking through the door and onto the stage and effortlessly blowing us away with his poetry – what a guy!
And so after a bit of a shaky start the evening blasted along swimmingly with great sets from Bill and Don, The said Dave Morgan, the scintillating singing of the sophisticated Gemma O’Neill, Pete Crompton on fine ranting form and the debut of “The backward poet”, one Rupert Clare, whose hilarious musing took us to the break.
Yes I may be making the order up a bit but hey who took notes? You did – you saddo!
Anyway after the break I seem to remember a showcase spot from James Hartnell which I’d expected to last 20 minutes but only lasted 10 as that’s what I’d put in error in my email to him – sorry James, 10 delicious minutes non-the-less. Followed by thought provoking poet Mel Rees and funny man Gordon Zola who had them rocking in the aisles (with laughter I mean).
Then we cleared the deck for the main guests of the evening an impromptu mixture of poetry, music and mayhem. Led anarchically, by poet, saxophonist and guitar player Alabaster DePlume (“let’s jam kids”) he was joined onstage by the incomparable, virtuoso guitar playing of John Fairhurst, John “Dog Boy” Louie playing spoons and gob iron at the same time and treating us to his hilarious dog song too, Mike on the bongo’s and tabla. Half way through the set and Rachel Appleton suddenly warbled something, jumped on stage, grabbed a drum and joined in to great effect. Yes it was that kind of thing. The band even brought their own excellent heckler (we weren’t good enough apparently) who turned out to be none other than Perciphone Petticoat in Manchester on holiday.
Then it was over, too soon for many of us, though it was mint whilst it lasted. The band went back to Manchester and played for another 5 hours according to the incorrigible Dave Morgan - who went back with them, stayed up all night and has been complaining about the lack of sleep ever since. Hey Dave, that’s nothing – imagine if you lived next door to them!
Yes another legendary event and I can hardly wait for the next one on Friday 4th April and starring one of the North West’s best songwriters, Rachel Appleton. You really must get to that one it will be rotten great.
Photos of this event can be found in Galleries on this site.
Sun, 3 Feb 2008 05:35 pm
Pete Crompton
Paul you drunken maniac
twas I who closed the first half
we all needed the alcohol break.
------------------
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh the band were brill!
lets jam guys!
that was fab and when racheal walked on
it was mania
yep the hecklers the mayhem
loved it
my kind of fun
only one thing wrong
it does not last long enough!
11pm? nah later would be better
we are adults
twas I who closed the first half
we all needed the alcohol break.
------------------
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh the band were brill!
lets jam guys!
that was fab and when racheal walked on
it was mania
yep the hecklers the mayhem
loved it
my kind of fun
only one thing wrong
it does not last long enough!
11pm? nah later would be better
we are adults
Mon, 4 Feb 2008 01:24 am
The band were amazing!
Peter, did you get home in the end?! I checked with Chris and you can technically drive over that road but they made it all cobbly so people wouldn't! Haha!
I want to say thanks very much to everyone for being so supportive. I hate singing in public as myself and not a character and I don't have much confidence in my song-writing abilities either so thanks very much for preventing me from dying of embarrassment (especially Mel who gave me a big hug afterwards!) :)
Also, ta muchly for buying raffle tickets again :)
Peter, did you get home in the end?! I checked with Chris and you can technically drive over that road but they made it all cobbly so people wouldn't! Haha!
I want to say thanks very much to everyone for being so supportive. I hate singing in public as myself and not a character and I don't have much confidence in my song-writing abilities either so thanks very much for preventing me from dying of embarrassment (especially Mel who gave me a big hug afterwards!) :)
Also, ta muchly for buying raffle tickets again :)
Mon, 4 Feb 2008 03:27 am
Pete Crompton
Hi Gemm
I missed the train by 10 seconds.
I attempted to walk back
made up to the other side of bolton b4 I decided it was a drunken bad idea!
y i k es
cab to Southport yooooowch
I missed the train by 10 seconds.
I attempted to walk back
made up to the other side of bolton b4 I decided it was a drunken bad idea!
y i k es
cab to Southport yooooowch
Thu, 7 Feb 2008 12:06 am