Gigs with Ivan

Gig Venue: O2 Academy Bournemouth

570 Christchurch Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth BH1 4BH. Last visit/update 19.11.2025

This is not a bad place at all to have as a local venue and it’s been a regular destination for me since the mid-noughties. The more recent gigs here that I’ve covered in my blogs are listed in the links at the end of this blog. These experiences have led me to gather the notes and pics that follow. A special one was Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds on 18.3.2024 and last visits included Gary Numan on 19.11.2025; Declan McKenna on 14.4.2024 and Blossoms on 8.11.2024.

If I was only allowed to go to one venue for a year it would probably be this one – the O2 Academy Bournemouth – it’s in Boscombe. The bands coming seem to be more up my street than they have previously. It’s a great mid-size venue.

The O2 Academy isn’t in central Bournemouth but slightly out, in the the main shopping precinct of Boscombe. I usually end up driving and the Hawkeswood Road main car park nearby is fine, over the road from the rear of a Sainsbury’s just a couple of hundred yards from the venue – via choice of dimly lit alleys, or indeed through the bright lights of Sainsbury’s itself.

The train link is not that handy, a 1.3 mile walk from Bournemouth main station. The nearer station is Pokesdown, pretty eerie at night, and not such a regular service, which is a straight 0.7 mile walk. There is The Bell pub opposite Pokesdown Station – a useful waiting room I’ve used when training it to AFC Bournemouth.

The M2 bus goes near, and via Bournemouth town centre, and it’s a night bus route as well. Getting/ meeting a cab after isn’t easy. Busy and not a great place to hang about or get stuck in given the street night life characters. The venue is within a pedestrianised high street.

View down Christchurch Rd from the queue

This, the old Opera House, is a lovely venue inside – not totally without its shortcomings but generally it has a decent programme of touring bands, in an attractive historic building with a good sound. The downside is the lack of pubs in the immediate area and the druggie and beggar honeypot the high street can become, especially on a busy night at the O2.

Nearby Chaplin’s is a great place in its own right and the only close pre-gig place for a pint I am familiar with – I’m all ears for anywhere else. It’s quirky, busy and worth a visit. Give yourself plenty of time as a ‘swift one’ maybe ambitious for big gigs.

If looking to stay over, within walking distance there is a Premier Inn further down Christchurch Road – not their finest example but you get to go to Chaplin’s bar after the gig eh (I did that after Public Image Limited a couple of years ago). I guess if you’re coming to stay over you’re going to be better staying in central Bournemouth or on the sea front and getting M2 bus or cab, if not driving.

One thing to watch for is the variable start times for gigs – as with all of the O2 Academy venues (there was a time when main bands were always on at 9ish). They sometimes have early curfews, especially at weekends and so start promptly, maybe with a nightclub session opening for ‘the kids’ after the oldies have been cleared out and packed off home to bed.

At least with ‘Twitter’ (X) and Facebook these days we can look up the support bands and usually get an estimate on stage times.

There is the O2 Priority queue which can help or irritate, depending on if you have an O2 phone account.

Since July 2022 the bars have been card only.

This O2 Academy is a beautiful and ornate structure – it opened in 1895 as Boscombe Grand Theatre. The capacity is 1,800, with all of it open (including the 200 seats up top – ‘the Gods’ – and 600 on the first floor standing area – hard to imagine 600 up there). It’s almost always standing everywhere downstairs, bar the small accessible chairs down on the left beyond the usual merch stand site. The accessible area and the merch stand can disappear occasionally – one time a handy cans only bar appeared.

I was told of a seated layout on the main ground floor in October 2023 (for Lloyd Cole and the Commotions), but I’ve never seen that.

There is a small standing balcony (one deep unless you don’t want to see) on the first floor, with some lounge sofas and low tables behind which you can’t see anything from if it’s even remotely busy. On the second floor there is a higher seated balcony called ‘The Gods’. Three rows deep and a provide a surprisingly good view if wanting to dodge the mayhem downstairs for a busy gig or leg rest. It’s unreserved seating, when available.

For the busier gigs, when this top tier is open, a wristband is issued to ensure it doesn’t overfill. No charge for this in my experiences. All upstairs is shut for less busy gigs.

One idea tried at The Wailers was some tables and chairs set out near the downstairs rear bars. This was with the upper two floors shut and a significantly less than capacity crowd. Not seen the downstairs tables since but it was welcome as with upstairs shut there is nowhere to sit bar the accessible seating area.

When the upper floors are open there is a quieter balcony bar open on the first floor, and also the least busy toilets. The larger seperate bar upstairs is only open for busier gigs. Shame. Met Gary Numan and his band up there once when it was open after a show.

It was open for my last visit in November 2024 though and what convenient bonus it is. You can even sit down in a lounge like set up if you don’t fancy the support band.

The Gods seats at the top, standing rail in the middle

View from The Gods top seated balcony area – Wolf Alice 2021

When it’s busy here getting a drink is pretty tortuous particularly early on, whether queuing nicely for the smaller corner bars or bundling in at the side bar – those are the traditions. It’s almost tempting to buy one of those dreadful beer bucket two pinters 🙄 (..ok I did have one recently.)

Friends at The Libertines illustate the appeal of the two pinter

The beer choice was limited for long time to lager or horrible lager on the taps. Occasionally there used to be bottles of ales (Wychwood for example) or more lager in cans, stashed in the metal fridges – need to ask. None recently. The addition of Shipyard Pale Ale on tap was been good to see. It is expensive – I suppose all the big venues are.

Unless it’s absolutely rammed it’s quite easy to wander down particularly the left hand side to get a closer view. The sound is lost a bit under the balcony though so I wouldn’t hang about under there all gig.

View from left under balcony – Sleeper 2021

A wander upstairs to the first floor standing balcony can also get you a different glimpse of the stage, through people.

First floor balcony view of The Libertines 2021

As usual right in front of the mixing desk is a good standing, even leaning, place if you don’t want to be down the front. No one behind you either so holding a camera/phone up isn’t irritating anyone and a beer shower is less likely.

View from in front of the mixing desk – Fontaines DC 2021

I’ll update this as I go – things change. I am a regular Boscombe gig visitor 😎

Lights up – chucking out time after The Libertines

Links to some of my previous blogs on which these notes are based:

– Stiff Little Fingers

– From the Jam

– The Wailers

– The Charlatans

– The Libertines

– Fontaines DC

– Sleeper/ Bluetones

– Wolf Alice (post Lockdown)

– Blossoms (as Lockdown hit)

– Shed Seven

– Wonderstuff

– The Enemy

– Death Cult (December 2023)

–Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds (March 2024)

–The Reytons (February 2025)

–Gary Numan (November 2025)

Martin Rossiter: ‘Farewell Show’

Martin Rossiter 20.11.21 O2 Forum Kentish Town

Is this the end of all things Gene? This has been billed as a farewell show by frontman Rossiter – well the farewell show – and all this started a few years ago as a Shepherd Bush O2 Academy booking, before the non-productive coughing started. Now we head for Kentish Town to say goodbye.

Saturday night gigs round here in recent years have always been good trips. So many options. In my suburban London school days or later in my Reading years I never came up to Camden and beyond much. I can’t remember going to places like Dingwalls, The Roundhouse and the various incarnations of Kentish Town Forum until the last 10 years or so.

I’m on a bit of post-Lockdown roll (or is it inter-Lockdown, nooo!) at the moment. Whatever…. I’m making the most of it. Stopping in Camden with gig buddy Dave and after a Camden Pale Ale in All About Eve, we plot a course north, forking right at Camden Town tube station (rather than forking left up to The Roundhouse) up towards Kentish Town.

Next a stop at The Abbey, up on the right for one. Liverpool v Arsenal is in full swing on the TV – quite an atmosphere (no don’t say better than the Emirates ) – they started letting the goals in after we moved on. Then on a little futher to The Oxford – it’s good to sample these places eh and some novel ales in here, a nice draught porter and Siren craft ale cans in the fridge.

A little further and we’re near the venue. Just around the corner is the spacious Assembly Room. From here you can pop across the road when it’s time and leave the queues in the Forum to others for a while. A good boozer within spitting distance of any of these O2 venues is a winner (I must check out The Pineapple nearby next time I’m up here.)

O2 Forum Kentish Town

The venue was built in 1934 and has traded under many banners, including The HMV Forum; The London Forum and the Town and Country. The capacity is 2,300 with standing downstairs and seating upstairs. Beautiful ceiling.

Downstairs it’s a strange layout. There’s a lower part accessed through quite narrow steps to either side of the main floor. When full, getting in and out is a bit of a pain, and near impossible carrying pints. If on the upper tier you’re a fair way back and there is a wide central island where the mixing desk is and photographers can go to start off. It’s a bit in the way really unless you’re tall. Right up against that central island is OK. The right hand slope to the steps was our perch – right at the bar for when the early queues cleared. All in all I’d recommend getting down in the front bit if you don’t plan on going anywhere.

Tonight’s view from just up the steps near the right hand bar

My previous visits here were in October 2010 and September 2017 to see The Psychedelic Furs and a year later in August 2018 to see a Steven Tyler solo gig (Aerosmith man). I can’t remember any others.

Previous Gene encounters

I’ve not seen Martin Rossiter solo before but I did get to see Gene several times – I found my old tickets. I think that was it: Warwick University, The London Astoria and lastly Reading University. They must have held some student appeal eh. I was at V97 in Leeds when they played but I can’t recall if I watched them – well it is half a lifetime away. There are are a few other festival possibilities but festivals decades back can be a bit of a blur.

They’re one of my favourite bands that emerged in the 90s, especially with those first two albums: Olympian and Drawn to the Deep End (Both got to no.8 in the UK album charts.)

After that last gig I didn’t notice them pop up again…until now. They split in 2004. Enthused by the prospect of this gig, during Lockdown I bought a greatest hits double vinyl album on one of the Record Store Days. A wonderful selection.

They did get a lot of Smiths comparison at the time, even critisism for that 🙄. Rossiter has his own unique and beautiful voice but yes I get the comparisons. I could never understand why they weren’t massive. With this gig coming up and mentioning it to people just occasionally a spark of joyous recollection results but mostly blank faces.

The faces here tonight are those of indie rock enthusiasts. This is no casual Saturday night out. We’ve bumped into people who’ve travelled here from Newcastle, Leeds, even Saudi Arabia. It’s not part of a tour just a warm up gig in Brighton, where Welshman Rossiter now lives, and this farewell gig in London. That’s it.

Martin Rossiter live tonight

There’s no support. 8.15pm kick off. This is a big Rossiter show – a 25 songs set list over a few hours that flow by easily. It’s mostly Gene material bar six of ’em.

It’s a well paced set, with some big songs interspersed throughout. Be My Light Be My Guide second one in got the arms up and twirling early.

Rossiter’s got a young band (he’s 51 now himself) with him and therein lies some controversy. The rest of Gene issued a statement a while back expressing their displeasure at Rossiter announcing the farewell gig and the end of Gene, apparently without forewarning, albeit they hadn’t played together for years.

One flat cap and bearded guy nearby wandered around muttering and suggesting to his mates it was ‘too cabaret’. I’m loving it and everyone else seemed happy. I can sense his frustration is born of passion for the old Gene as opposed to just another chattering fool, so a brief questioning moment. No. Lose yourself mate if you don’t like it. His mates shake their heads and roll their eyes in my direction. He must have ‘form’.

The voice is great and the top songs keep coming: the Smithsesque Sleep Well Tonight, and the more truimphant We Could be Kings for instance.

Rossiter takes to the keyboard for the odd song. I’ve not explored his solo stuff (there’s a 2012 album – lots of piano). I feel I should delve more after this top drawer finale. Surely he’s enjoying this too much to turn his back on live performances like this?

Haunted by You was just about the best of the set for me but perhaps the more obvious choice of Olympian marginally pipped it.

It’s back to the keyboards to finish, for a quiet end of I can’t Help Myself, this preceeded by London, Can You Wait. London has waited patiently. Now it’s over. Gene is over. Really?

Shiiine On Weekender 2021

Shiine On 3-day indoor festival at Butlin’s Minehead 12-14 November 2021

After a couple of successful alternative punky weekenders at Butlin’s Minehead it was time to jump on a decade or so and take in a 90s version. It was bigger – around 7500 capacity – using the ‘Skyline’ big top type arena, in addition to the more club like ‘Centre Stage’ and ‘Reds’ venues, along with a very atmospheric small ‘pub’ stage at the Inn on the Green.

Friday

Late afternoon darkness arrives and The Pigeon Detectives are first on my sheet of scribbled notes – my Shiine On shopping list. “We’re The Pigeon Detectives – we’re from Leeds – dirty Leeds!”

Very impressive. I have seen them once before but only know the singles and the stage antics of lead man Bowman keep the interest. Great start and some very proficient mic swinging.

The Coral were next but I was towards the back of this echoey arena. (I was here with Plymouth Dave and we awaited the arrival of our Butlin’s flatmate Glasto Nige: hence we were hanging at the back.) I’m wondering after seeing them again if The Coral are better on record than live – it could just be this venue.

My next ‘appointment’ was with Welsh indie rockers Feeder. Boisterous and loud and again it’s the singles I know that are the highlights – Buck Rogers in a big crowd – love it.

Then later it was over to the Reds venue for The Neville Staple Band.

They open with Gangsters. Great start and the set rolls out various Specials classics, finishing with Ghost Town. Not quite in the Shiiine On genre but music I’m more familiar with. Their set spans midnight and the crowd are dancing.

That was it for Friday. There was stuff on until way into the night but a bit of restraint was needed if I was going to survive three days.

Saturday

Saturday lunchtime and it was off to the Centre Stage. This is the best of the venues here, whether seated on the spacious rear tiers or standing down the front. It even feels like night time during the day.

Stones and Roses first, from San Diego. A comedy hotchpotch of covers all mixed up – clever, and weird – switching between songs and styles such as Blur songs mashed with Oasis. They had an exhausting 90 minute set as Nirvarnot had a Covid problem.

Next a more conventional tribute band: Oas-is. The place was packed and it provided a good early afternoon singalong with a lead singer really playing up his Liam acting.

Back over at the Skyline it was The Farm. Decent..but this was cranked up to something special with the introduction of the last song, Altogether Now. It was dedicated to Andy Barker of 808 State, who died earlier in the week, and another lifelong friend of lead singer Peter Hooton. The last post start set the tone. An emotional rendition of a great song and that was really uplifting. (Shiiine version)

Black Grape are the archetypal Shiiine On band. The Adidas trainers and bucket hats were down the front in numbers. Shaun Ryder ambles and vapes his way through it all – how has he managed to find 2021. I retreated to sit on an arcade game to listen to the second half. of the set.

Cast are more my thing and they were my band of the day although the echo of the arena wasn’t helping them either. Walk Away Walk Away Walk Away…..

We wandered over to the Reds venue after that for Ned’s Atomic Dustbin. I’d misread the line-up though: it was Ned’s Acoustic Dustbin and after a few songs we left as they were lost in the big room. NAD are about noise surely – they were really good when I saw them a few years ago.

Back upstairs to Centre Stage to see what we could see. Dance music of the boop boop variety with Sunscreem. Bit of a taste of Ibiza. But then as midnight approached it was over to The Inn on the Green for a nice surprise: The Chesterfields.

People were packed in with a small stage area in one corner. This was reminiscent of a pub gig in the mid-80’s and the band had that classic John Peel session jangly guitar sound which I enjoyed immensely. Worth a YouTube look for Last Train to Yeovil or Ask Johnny Dee. They had a great song, which I will seek out*, that listed loads of old bands… can’t find it yet. (Yes thanks to Andy E for pointing me in the direction of The Chesterfields.)(*Songbird, a new one – thanks David Rose for that update.)

Sunday

Day three and I’m still in the game. A bit of live comedy in Reds first then it’s Sunday lunchtime in the Centre Stage venue with Chris Helme, of one album wonders The Seahorses. A set peppered with self-deprecating humour and all the songs a Seahorses fan could have wanted. Blinded by the Sun is one of my tunes of the year, old though it may be.

Then it’s Republica, fronted by ever smiling Saffron, and who really looked to be enjoying themselves in front of a bumper lunchtime crowd. Their big singles stand out a mile: Drop Dead Gorgeous and Ready to Go.

Back over to the big top.. the Skyline with its echo and the tale end of Dodgy. I’ve seen Dodgy and lead singer Nigel Clark play this year already so Republica won that clash. (Clark with Chris Helme playin

I didn’t give Jim Bob (Carter USM) my full attention with aching legs flagging but an enjoyable mix of old and new – he has a new album.

Next another surprise inclusion in this three day feast: The Chameleons. Dark 80s rather than 90s fare but very welcome and one of the bands of the day. Original singer Mark Burgess delivers a great sound.

The Chameleons on the main Skyline stage

Then a second go of the year for Glasvegas. The sound is horrible. More than most, Glasvegas are losing themselves in the echo chamber surroundings. I’d like to give them a try in a normal indoor venue. I saw them at Victorious Festival earlier this year and was unmoved but like them on record. We retreat before the end to muster for the final band of the weekend, well our final one… there’s hours more in the smaller venues but I was done. New ankles and legs required.

This finale from Peter Hook and the Light was fitting. Wonderful set. Packed arena and a pumping bass sound that beat the venue echo… well nearly. Ceremony, She’s Lost Control, Ceremony, Shadowplay, Blue Monday, Transmission… so many classics.

My third Peter Hook set this year and the best, the longest and a brilliant finish… a euphoric Love Will Tear Us Apart. Not sure it should be euphoric but it was. A celebration of being back and a big two fingers up to Covid.

These Butlin’s weekenders are a great way to spend some time with friends wandering from band to band, setting out your own playlist from the huge array on offer, immersed in an endless supply of ale – which could do with some improvement – Guiness default kicked in. With the self-catering accommodation you can keep the lid on the unhealthy horror show of food on offer…. and even grab a very un-rock’n’roll afternoon nap 😎.

Heaven 17 live in Bristol

Heaven 17 + Pete Wylie 6.11.21 at Bristol O2 Academy

A tortuous five hour train journey to Bristol Temple Meads, changing twice and going via Southampton and Reading, from Poole, and before I know it a day had gone and was sat in the Hatchet Inn in Bristol, over the road from the O2 Academy. It’s a 67 mile journey by car. Perhaps a focus on public transport is the sort of thing to think about up at the climate conference going on right now.

Some notes on tonight’s venue and facilities nearby can be found here in my blog on the O2 Academy Bristol.

Heaven 17 are a band I liked back in the day but didn’t see them or have any albums. They would get a lot of play while out and about. It wasn’t until 2018 I saw them, twice on The Luxury Gap anniversary tour, at Bristol and Bournemouth O2 Academies. Then they supported Squeeze in 2019 at Bournemouth Pavilions. These induced second hand vinyl purchases of Penthouse and Pavement and The Luxury Gap albums.

We are in early for the soundcheck which is a novel treat and enables me to take a few snaps with ease.

Glenn Gregory and Martyn Ware pre-gig at O2 Bristol Academy

Posed pre-gig socially segregated photo opportunity: Heaven 17 + 1 grey haired gig goer

Tonight Pete Wylie of The Mighty Wah and the various versions of WAH! was the support act. I was pleased to see him live at last – don’t think I’ve ever seen him. Some great 80s singles which get an airing: Sinful, Heart as Big as Liverpool and the excellent Story of the Blues.

He’s funny and talks through his song selection. It’s him and a backing track and, as he points out, the only guitar in the building given Heaven 17’s presence.

Not much spent on illuminating his performance and he appeared in a gloomy blue light. I’d like to see one his own gigs sometime.

Heaven 17 open with Height of the Fighting. The band are originals Martyn Ware and Glenn Gregory accompanied by two backing singers and a second keyboardist (a different one to a few years ago) to keep Martyn Ware company and heighten the 80s electro beat.

Tonight’s setlist, given it’s a greatest hits tour, is a top selection of electro-pop tracks – ones I knew so well but forgotten I did. Fascist Groove Thing was introduced as having its 40+1 year anniversary in five days time…. good ole Covid has screwed around with a lot of anniversaries eh.

Come Live With Me remains something of favourite for me with its eyebrow raising opening line ‘I was 37 you were 17’.

There’s a cover thrown in mid-set: ‘Heaven 17’s cover of Human League’s cover of You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling‘.

The last three songs of the main set underline the strength of their material: Let Me Go, Penthouse and Pavement and Temptation… so brilliantly 80s.

For an encore it was Bowie’s Let’s Dance and finally Being Boiled, the debut single by The Human League which Martyn Ware wrote while in The Human League….a cracker. Another good night of electronic pop hits with Heaven 17.

An early curfew and it’s all over and out by 10.30pm. Time to for more live music up the road at the Smoke and Mirrors bar. 😎

Gig Venue: O2 Academy Bristol

Frogmore Street, Bristol BS1 5NA (Last updated 11.11.2024)

These are my observations from my experiences of various visits to the O2 Academy Bristol over recent years. (There are links to some of my blogs from gigs here at the end of this piece.)

I’ve only ever known this venue under it’s O2 Academy banner, having been travelling here over about the last 5 years. As well as those visits featured in my blogs (links at the end), I’ve seen Heaven 17 here a few years back; The Psychedelic Furs and The Hunna.

Once inside, the merch stand is set up on the left. There is a small bar beyond the merch, and an area with a few seats around which can be shut off sometimes – it’s just beyond a wall of historic notes.

Usually as you enter you will swing right and through the heavy glass doors that keep the sound in and into the main auditorium. It holds 1,650 people – all standing – and that’s if the balcony is open. It isn’t always.

Looking back up – the balcony and bar below – handy raised platform for a good view

It is one of those balconies which is fine if you are hugging a place at the rail – otherwise it can be difficult to find a gap to peer through. There is a bar upstairs also. People tend to try clutter the stairs for an elevated view but security put pay to that these days and all in all I’d rather be downstairs. The best spots I find are the slightly raised platforms to the rear left and rear right of the main floor of the auditorium.

It’s ‘side on’ to the stage, if you get my drift, so no one is that far back, even if opting to stay on the raised part in front of the long bar at the back.

Lightening Seeds at Bristol O2 Academy 2021

The array of drinks is fine – O2 Academy usuals but fridges have some decent bottles of ale usually.

This venue always has the appearance of being busy which does often make for a really good atmosphere.

Amyl and the Sniffers – November 2024 atmosphere at its best

It’s one of the better medium sized venues I’ve been to and they are a circuit regular for many tours. Unfortunately it’s not that convenient by car or train from Poole.

If coming by train it’s a 1.1 mile walk from Bristol Templemeads and a three hours job with changes. If driving, the large old multi-storey Trenchards car park is just next to the venue….if you can navigate to find it. Parking on upper floors near the exit floor can speed your way out afterwards – I’m usually staying over when in Bristol as the drive is tortous and extends to 3½ hours too often. Rush hour Bristol is chaos. Parking is expensive and then there’s the Bristol congestion charge so diesel car drivers may think twice.

Pre/Post Gig

The obvious spot for a pre-gig pint is the oldest pub in Bristol, The Hatchet Inn, handily just over from the O2 Academy. Deceptively spacious but often busy of course on gig nights. A wide variety of ales on tap. They do food also.

More recently I have enjoyed a trip to The Golden Lion Hotel beforehand – Bristol’s smallest pub.

A regular pre-gig meal spot is the practical and speedy Wong’s Chinese restaurant round the corner, up Denmark Street from the Hatchet Inn.

If you’re hanging around afterwards, especially when at one of those early curfew weekend gigs – where they get the grey haired gig goers out early and let the kids in for a second sitting – then I recommend a visit to the Smoke and Mirrors bar further along Denmark Street from Wong’s, away from The Hatchet. Late licence and more live music.

That’s my O2 Academy Bristol round up. I’ll update this next time I visit.

Some of my visits are covered here:

–W.A.S.P. 2023

–The Stranglers 2022

– Heaven 17 2021

– The Lighting Seeds 2021

– Gary Numan 2019

Bauhaus return – Live at Ally Pally

Bauhaus + Hope 30.10.21 at Alexandra Palace, London

Bauhaus return to London on the night before Halloween. Just one UK date. This is huge. My most anticipated gig of the year. One of my favourite bands of the early 80s – as a student in Birmingham I wore my Bauhaus Ziggy Stardust t-shirt to shreds – but after a few years of doing their dark stuff, Bauhaus split. The bats left the belltower. Tonight they returned.

There was a 1998 ‘resurrection tour’ which passed me by and the band worked together again prior to a last 2008 album (Go Away White), which I only found out about recently (I like it on a few listens). Tonight was their resurrection in my eyes.

Bauhaus in my youth

I was in my last year at school when Bauhaus released their first album In the Flat Field, in November 1980. I remember exactly where I was when Bauhaus were first brought into my consciousness – I was sat in a Maths lesson next to my friend David (Chelsea fan DBa) when he revealed records he’d recently purchased. (X-Ray Spex was another revelation at the same time).

By June 25 1981 I was squeezed in down the front of the Lyceum, on the Strand, waiting for them to come on stage, after seeing Nick Cave’s Birthday Party, and Subway Sect support. I still have my scrap book of tickets and cuttings, freezing the moment in time.

I actually thought they got much better with later albums and tours and I remember being uncertain about this more artistic and dark performance, at a time when I was happier with a good old thrash from The Ramones, The Undertones or Buzzcocks.

By the time the 1982 The Sky’s Gone Out album arrived, with full goth pomp and dark glam rock, I loved the whole thing. Three gigs in quick succession, relatively for me then: Birmingham Odeon July 1982; Warwick University five days later and back at Birmingham Odeon in July 1983.

At the first Odeon gig I remember Peter Murphy peering out into the stalls dramatically and exclaiming ‘It’s a long way back there’ in his best ghostly voice. It was indeed. We were in row HH.

My old Bauhaus tickets plucked from a scrap book page full of Brum Odeon tickets

Shortly after, Bauhaus split up. I never got into Peter Murphy solo stuff in the same way – bought the odd single – but started enthusiastically absorbing it when I booked tickets to see him 30 odd years later in a disused mortuary in San Francisco, The Chapel, in February 2017. As the trip approached Murphy, then living in Istanbul, failed to get a visa to enter the USA after an anti-terrorist clampdown. Updates on Twitter built hopes up after early shows were cancelled but these then evaporated and I was long gone elsewhere on my US trip by the time Murphy was allowed in to play.

I did make the long drive one December night on my own in 2019 to the home of Bauhaus, Northampton and the legendary Roadmenders venue, to see Murphy with David J in his band. It was the night Pete Shelley (Buzzcocks) died – I remember seeing the news in a text as I waited for Murphy to take the stage. A dark but brilliant night. I stayed in a dreadful pub in smoky ‘cell’ that night. Glad I did it though.

On to Ally Pally

Alexandra Palace: not a venue I’ve been inside before. I did go to an all day Beat the Blues Festival back in 1980. That was outdoors…The Pop Group, The Raincoats, The Slits and John Cooper Clarke (I got him to sign my ticket afterwards – it too is in the old scrapbook).

But tonight it’s 2021 – 41 years later and we are getting on the Bauhaus Shuttle Bus up to Ally Pally from just round the corner of The Nag’s Head pub, opposite Wood Green tube station.

Tonight I’m here with Andy (a fellow Brum Bauhaus-ite) and Dave (DPa), the orchestrator. We’d spent the afternoon on stationary double decker bus serving craft ale with pizza from an adjacent wagon. (The Earth Tap, Bluehouse Yard. Excellent spot.)

Ally Pally stands in the middle of a very dark Alexandra park. Up the wide steps, Covid jab apps flashed, and it’s into a huge entrance hall, a beer and food hall where we calm our excitement with a few pricey beers.

Tonight’s Gig

What a magnificent selection of fans have been arriving – a spread of ages but overwhelmingly Bauhaus fan originals. Even in my unusual Lockdown studded trouser aquisition, I still feel I’ve blended into the darkness compared to many of the ornately adorned that arrived passing us in the entrance hall.

The main auditorium is very large, wide rectangular, high ceiling hall – an exhibition hall but with some character – the building is old (1870s) with a refurbished inside. The hall can hold 10,000 and as set up tonight they must have around 6,000 in with a bar and toilets to the rear.

The crowd file in during Hope, the support band: an excited, expectant crowd. It’s a big one. I paid little attention to the support band, unusually, but they complemented the build up.

It’s the original four back on stage: Daniel Ash (guitar); David J (bass); Kevin Haskins (drums) and the master of the darkness Peter Murphy (vocals).

From the opening words of Rosegarden Funeral of Sores this was going to work….the grand surroundings, the simple lighting, the wait and Peter Murphy’s stage presentation. Fantastic.

“Virgin mary was tired; so tired
Tired of listening to gossip
Gossip and complaints…“

A wander down the front right to see Peter Murphy

Tonight’s Set List link.

The set builds and not long after first album title track In the Flat Field * we get to Spy…in …the Cab. It’s so familiar now but it seemed so mad when it was released. (*YouTube clip from tonight’s gig.)

The set moves into a string of classics: Terror Couple Kill Colonel; She’s in Parties and Kick in the Eye before the peak of the darkness: the immense goth anthem Bela Lugosi’s Dead… 10 minutes worth. I have a wander an try and get some snaps and some different views.

The bats have left the bell tower – Bela Lugosi’s Dead

It’s hard to take your eyes off Peter Murphy, not that David J and Daniel Ash are any less cool – but Murphy is the master.

It’s all going a bit quick but a wonderful set. Not much chat from Murphy. It’s not needed. It’s a very visual presence he has to accompany the songs and they need no introduction. It would break the flow.

Murphy disappears up behind the drums for a while and fiddles with an unusual instument he picks up from the wings at some point.

The main set ends with the frantic Dark Entries. (YouTube link.) Excited chatter – what next?

The first encore is three songs including the longstanding Bauhaus covers Telegram Sam and the unmistakable ripping Bauhaus version of Ziggy Stardust – one of the best cover versions ever in my book and it has grown with the decades of live absence.

That’s it. Off they go. “This is NOT the last Bauhaus tour” is hanging in the air… ‘what did he say?’ people ask each other for reassurance.

Will they come back on… what more can they do? They do return once more with a calming All You Ever Wanted was Everything – we near as dammit got it. (YouTube live clip) A wonderful performance that absolutely met the nostalgic expectations.

The Ramonas – live at the Wedgewood Rooms

The Ramonas + Slady 31.10.2021 at The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea, Portsmouth

Back at the Wedgewood Rooms again. Third gig in three days so flagging a bit. I came down from London direct after train chaos enveloped Waterloo connections.

Bit of time to explore some more places to eat and drink pre-gig in Southsea. The Merchant House craft ale bar first with a huge choice (glad we have a hotel. Wife Sally has driven to meet me). It’s only a few hundred yards east along the main road, Albert Road, that the Wedgewood Rooms is on. Next and about 100 yards west from the Merchant House is Nicholsons for tapas… very good. Smart but reasonably priced.

We are in the venue quite early and it doesn’t fill up much tonight even later on. Maybe 150 in by the time the bands are on. Easy to wander around taking pics.

It’s all female tribute bands tonight, Slady (Slade) and The Ramonas (Ramones) and Slady are up first. Their sound has some problems that irritates the lead singer over several songs.

The vocals weren’t that clear and while I’m no Slade aficionado, I know the extensive hits, I’ve seen Dave Hill’s Slade in recent years and I wasn’t recognising much. Given they were advertised as a double bill they were a bit of a disappointment. Anything was a bonus though – I was here for The Ramonas.

I was a big Ramones fan and The Ramonas (band website link) bring an alternative way to enjoy it all over again, while having their own material as well – I’ve bought their albums and there’s a new one out this November.

They won the new band competition with their own material in 2019 at Butlins Minehead Alternative Music Festival which gave them a main stage slot the following year (linked). As well as those two gigs I’ve seen them at The 100 Club in Oxford Street, in the tiny Winchester Gate pub in Salisbury and at Bournemouth Anvil – more times than I saw The Ramones then.

Rohnny Ramona (Maxine) and Cloey Ramona (Lisa)

They put so much energy into their shows. Every bit as frantic as an old Ramones gig and before long we are punching the air again to those classic Ramones choruses… ‘Rock Rock..Rockaway Beach‘… ‘Sheena is…a punk rock-er‘ etc etc.

Pet Semetary is a particular winner tonight given it’s Halloween, which the band have got made up for. It gets better and better that one: ‘I don’t wanna be bur-ied, in a pet sem-et-ary…‘

They slot in some new songs – must be from the new album – into the middle of the set but it’s mainly Ramones covers tonight. A great way to round off the week… or is it starting the week off.

Nick Lowe – Nell’s Jazz and Blues Club

Nick Lowe + C C Adcock 29.10.2021 at Nell’s Jazz and Blues Club, West Kensington, London

Nell’s Jazz and Blues Club is a new venue for me. A short stroll up the street from West Kensington tube station, out of the station, turn right and head for the Sainsbury’s Local.

Go a few hundred metres beyond the club entrance and in what appears to be something of a pub desert and you find The Cumberland Arms. Great food and decent ale selection – I was taken with the Timothy Taylor’s Landlord Bitter.

Pub postcard – the original is on the pub wall

A good find by my gig buddy Dave. After a few pints (plus fish cakes and padron peppers) we return to join the queue for the doors opening at Nell’s. This is worth doing as it is unrestricted seats that need to be grabbed. We manage to rock up at one end of the front row in the polite scramble.

This is one of a series of Nick Lowe gigs here throughout the Autumn. This guy is such a legend, as much for his producing as his performing.

My lack of Lowe history

I was first interested with his Stiff Records years and production of Elvis Costello’s This Year’s Model album in 1978. I bought the Cruel to Be Kind/ Little Hitler single back then and have a Stiff Records live compilation with Nick Lowe on but I just admired from a distance.

In June 2019 I finally went to see him with masked backing band, Los Straightjackets, at The Engine Rooms, Southampton. Shortly afterwards his biography was published which I read to further expand my appreciation of his musical influence and history.

….back to tonight’s gig

There is a raised area to the rear, where the bar is, and the prime seats seem to be several tables that can be reserved at the front of the raised area. I’m thinking the 350 stated capacity must be if the rear standing area is packed. All the seats are full anyway.

The support act tonight were a really good watch but depite numerous references to their home city of Lafayette, Louisiana by the main man I didn’t find out who it was until looking up the next day. It was CC Adcock with Jason Burns on double bass and … ah yes.. the young lad on the drum Roy Lowe. I thought he had a familar face – it’s Nick Lowe’s son!

A good start which grips the audience – no idle chat here, it’s a jazz and blues club. Their blues rock genre I see is described as ‘swamp rock’ or ‘cajun rock’ so I see the regular mention of ‘Lafayette Lousiana’ holds some importance.

And so to the master – the headmaster of UK rock ‘n’ roll – Nick Lowe. Just him, with his guitar. Lovely set …. Set List will tell you.

Lowe is so cool. Cool is an often over used word but he really is just Mr Rock ‘n’ Roll. Great to be here. I don’t know all of it but it doesn’t matter. My favourites are the big hitters like Cruel to be Kind and Peace Love and Understanding but there’s so much more…Bee Gees cover Heartbreaker, Tokyo Bay, Blue on Blue and Trombone.

Relaxed, rock ‘n’ roll. This is good.

A hugely enjoyable set and the highlight of the encore was When I Write the Book. I enjoyed it.. Mr Rock n Roll.

Afterwards we met Nick and got some merch signed… it’s that sort of casual place. What a lovely night.

I bought an album – a 20th anniversary re-release which he signed

..and when I mentioned the biography I was pointed in the direction of the author. Will Birch…that was a bonus.

So there was a good night. See you again soon Nick.

Fontaines DC – live in Bournemouth

Fontaines DC + Altered Hours 26.10.2021 O2 Academy Bournemouth

If I was only allowed to go to one venue for a year it would probably be this one – the O2 Academy Bournemouth, or Boscombe rather. The old Opera House is a lovely venue – not totally without its shortcomings but generally it has a decent programme of touring bands, in an attractive historic building. The downside is the lack of pubs around and the druggie and beggar honeypot the high street has become, especially on a busy night at the O2.

This is a biggy. Fontaines DC on top of their game, two albums in and a sellout Tuesday night. That extra expectation is there.

The queue to get in the only bar I know in the area (Chaplins – a good spot) and no desire to start wandering these intimidating looking streets tonight means it’s in early through the phone fumbling Covid app and ticket checks – I’m obviously looking too old and infirm to warrant a search tonight… but then my gig buddy this evening was waved through unpatted also (I’m with Ben who I think may be classed as my step-son which seems quite an amusing label…best behave ourselves). We’ve already been spat at by a woman whose begging approach we dodged.

Inside, the new addition of Shipyard Pale Ale on tap is good to see but just a pint this evening so we can hold our place in the centre with the mixing desk barriers to lean back on. Bar queues are always bad here after everyone is in.

Support band tonight are Altered Hours from Cork. A five piece with vocals interchanging between a male and female. Thumping rumbling drums. There is mention of The Velvet Underground in their on-line blurb and I can see that in their slightly chaotic ‘rough’ and roll approach. There’s a bit of early Jagger in there as well.

I can hardly see them the lighting is so arty…but it works. I haven’t delved. They finish with ‘Fuck the Police‘ ..really?…..not looking for radio play then, but keen to announce that one.

The place has filled up now… to the third floor ‘the gods’ seating and the rafters above. Lads and dads. Students, old John Peel disciples, curious and supportive Irish. Worn Dr Martens, Idles t-shirts, Irish sports kits, hoodies, wild beards and all ages 20 to 70. The boys from Dublin are in town.

I saw them earlier this year at the Victorious Festival and this is so much more intense and absorbing, as it always is when your audience has paid to see just you rather than passing through on a hopefully barmy Summer’s day.

Grian Chatten paces around, seemingly uncomfortable with the gaps between the songs – frequently walking around in tight circles, mic stand in hand. Everyone is with him, singing, no..chanting, the lyrics back at him but not a word from him throughout unless it was part of the song.

A ‘thank you’ at the end and that’s it. He doesn’t have to do any more to package up the performance, a performance that the audience and its participation is a very important part of. I watched a livestream performance in Lockdown and it was lacklustre without a crowd to bounce off.

The chant of Televised Mind… Televised … Televised Mind, from the more recent album sounds almost disturbing – Joy Division with urgency.

Every song is greeted with similar enthusiasm, some then facilitating more shoulder riding and air punching than others. It’s pretty full on. I’m happy with the mixing desk behind me – I can hold a camera up without pissing anyone off and ankles are protected from a forward surge.

Boys from the Better Land remains the anthem and the one they finish with tonight, returning for an encore of Liberty Bell.

The steamy O2 Academy empties after another top gig and it’s off home to get the Lateral Flow Tests ready. Great to see a full house to see a band on top of their game.

Acoustic Britpop at The Engine Rooms

Chris Helme, Mark Morriss and Nigel Clark 23.10.2021 The Engine Rooms, Southampton

This was intriguing. Three lead singers from different bands play solo acoustic sets and join up for a final set: Nigel Clark of Dodgy, Mark Morriss of The Bluetones and Chris Helme of The Seahorses.

It was only a matter of weeks since my last Bluetones gig in Bournemouth and a few months since seeing Dodgy at a festival in Poole. (Background on those bands in the links.)

The Seahorses though were I band that I’d missed. Formed in 1996 by John Squire after The Stone Roses split up, with Chris Helme as lead vocalist. They made just one album, Do it Yourself, which got to number 2 in the UK charts and I’d probably say was my album find of the year so far.

The Engine Rooms has become a more familiar destination in recent years and rather than repeat venue notes I’m starting to create updated blogs for my more regularly visited venues: Venues – The Engine Rooms.

First on this evening was Nigel Clark of Dodgy. A 35 minute set of 10 songs – five Dodgy, one cover and four from his solo material.

As with all three of these guys, it’s one man and his guitar. Talented, experienced and self-effacing, delivering their songs with some context and humour.

Of course he plays Good Enough and Staying out for the Summer. It would be too much to resist, and If You’re Thinking of Me was another notable Dodgy number. But these solo performances are a careful balance between showcasing some lesser known solo stuff and not losing the crowd by throwing them some hits.

From his solo album, for sale on the merch stand, Make Believe Love, the stand out pick was You Can Hold My Hand.

The level of hum drum chat from the audience, increased nearer the bar, was pretty loud but the PA sound was beefy enough to mask it mostly. I wondered if with artists from three bands most people had one they’d come to see and listen to and thought they’d chunter away irritatingly in the other two….a move nearer the front helped.

Next was Mark Morriss of The Bluetones, someone I’ve seen many times with the band but never managed to catch solo but wanted to. He started by spilling water everywhere from ‘the haunted’ stage bar table and it was upwards from there.

I was more interested to hear the solo stuff but it was a welcome treat to hear the solo versions of Bluetones classics like Marblehead Johnson and that wonderful pop hit Bluetonic.

Morriss openly explained how he had opted for the one Bluetones then one solo track option to avoid people getting bored.. ‘you bastards’ he laughed. Consuela was good enough to prompt me to go looking for it later on a 2013 album and Rimini also very much earned its place in this eight song set.

….and his ‘parting shot’ was Bluetones number Parting Gesture.

The final solo slot – the notional headline role – circulated between these three Britpoppers on this tour. Tonight it was Chris Helme’s turn… perched on a stool, with his guitar.

Helme didn’t disappoint by including the two songs that I most wanted to hear most: the excellent Blinded by the Sun and Love is the Law. The latter he credited as a John Squire Seahorses’ creation before suggesting that it was actually plundered from an old George Formby album, with a quick scratchy guitar strum and a line from the ‘when I’m cleanin’ windows’ song…”turned out nice again”.

You Can Talk to Me and Moving On are other Seahorses tracks I noted. Faces track Ooh La La was introduced with a story of when Helme’s son was working in a bar and Rod Stewart walked in – “are you Rod Stewart?” “All day” Rod replied. Helme’s son said his dad was in a band and liked his songs.. The Seahorses.. doing well at the time. “Never heard of ’em” said Rod. So Ooh La La was dedicated to ‘Rod the nob’.

The final slot was the special bit in this unusual tour… all three of tonight’s Britpoppers: Chris, Mark and Nigel. I don’t think they have a name as such but they announced that they would be supporting Shed Seven (or now Shed 5 as Mark put it – two recently left) together on tour and had been writing some material together as a trio. Interesting.

Mark Morriss, Nigel Clark and Chris Helme at The Engine Rooms

Four or five songs to round off this quite unique evening and Neil Young’s Old Man was a welcome inclusion to finish.

The near last song was introduced by Mark Morriss and I misheard but later listened and learned that it was a John Prine number. Something of a now dead, American folk legend who I knew nothing about but the song they played of his to finish has been my record of week (if I have one): The Speed of the Sound of Loneliness . I found a Lemonheads version I really like as well.

The Acoustic Britpop tour comes to Southampton

A novel evening seeing these three solo and moreso on stage together. I’ll be interested to hear their new collaborative work.