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This Charming Man
Oct. 11th, 2021 09:11 pmTo London on Saturday to see Rick Astley and the Blossoms play the songs of The Smiths. Arrived outside the O2 Forum 20 minutes before doors open to find the queue snaking round into an adjacent back street. My ticket was for the balcony. I found what I thought would be a nice quiet seat in the back rows.
For over two hours we were treated to a lively, if rather loud, 80s disco by an attractive young lady with a big smile. By halfway through the disco, every row of seats was full. Happily, the penultimate record of the disco was Sit Down - the place resounded to everyone singing along. Sweet Caroline followed and the crowd raised the roof at each chorus complete with the extra "So Goods".
Rick and the Blossoms appeared on stage and opened with What Difference Does It Make? The place was full of hardcore Smiths fans who belted out all the songs word perfect. Rick and the lads performed brilliantly, and, to my delight, half a dozen songs in they did Cemetry Gates. Their renditions of my other favourites Ask, Girlfriend In A Coma and Panic were equally superb. Rick effusively praised the Blossoms a few times between songs, then near the end he said "I'd like to thank my big brother, who when I shared a bedroom with him as a teenager force-fed me Smiths music until I loved it. And ever since, it's been my dearest wish to play the O2 Forum in Kentish Town singing the songs of the Smiths, backed by the handsomest bastards in Stockport!" Roof-raising cheer.
Behind me in the queue for the tube were an American couple. The husband couldn't believe there was a long queue to get into a tube station. An English lady next them said it was the same at Wembley Park station after gigs there.
On to Soho Square yesterday for the Kirsty MacColl fans' annual gathering. Numbers were a bit thinner on the ground this year, with no-one travelling from abroad and, no doubt, some people still reluctant to attend large gatherings, but it was nice to meet up with early Kirstyfest veterans Terry, Caroline and bench originator Chris Winwood, another old pal Paul, and Facebook Kirsty fan group organiser Ruby.
Alex, this year's Kirstyfest organiser, said a few words at the bench at noon, then Terry stepped forward with guitar to lead us all in Soho Square and Don't Come The Cowboy With Me Sonny Jim. Then we headed for the Spice of Life where the basement room, with its own bar, had been prepared for us with a portrait of Kirsty on display. I sat at a table with Caroline and Stewart. Terry joined us for a while. We all ordered food - excellent - though the 3 of us all eating at once created space problems on our tiny table. Alex opened the open mic session with a rendition of Free World then Paul stepped up with his guitar to sing There's A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis. A lady called Chloe, with a friend accompanying her on guitar, did half a dozen songs, leading us all in a singalong, with an excellent version of Treachery the high point.
Chris came on stage to talk about how the bench and Kirstyfest started, how Kirsty loved her fans and how he liked to believe we were giving something back to her by keeping her remembered with our efforts. Ruby introduced the quiz, about Kirsty's life and music, going round handing us all answer sheets then reading the questions from the stage. Caroline came up with our team name, Caroline's Cowboys (a nod to two Kirsty songs). Chris, who'd joined our table when Terry had to leave early, was on the ball with most of the answers for the early questions then I came into my own for the second half. Our total of 26 out of 38 turned out to be the winning score and we were presented with the Kirstyfest Kup, an inscribed tankard, and each of our team members received an original Kirsty CD advert framed in cardboard. I was initially given a Tropical Brainstorm ad; as that's Caroline's favourite album, I swapped it for the Galore one she'd been given. Kirsty's younger son Louis came over to talk to us, wanting to meet the quiz winners.
Then it was back to open mic. We discussed who was going to take the Kup home. Caroline said it should be Chris or me as we'd got most of the answers, but she ended up taking it herself as she's definitely coming again next year (so can bring it back) while Chris wouldn't commit and, looking at the Women's World Cup qualifiers schedule, I confessed there's only a 75/25 chance of me coming.
Joined in with a few more singalongs then, with the time just after 4, I said my goodbyes. The guys on the adjacent table queried my leaving but I explained I had to travel back to Gosport with work next morning. And so, nicely sozzled on Rekorderlig, I left with the sound of Fifteen Minutes ringing in my ears.
For over two hours we were treated to a lively, if rather loud, 80s disco by an attractive young lady with a big smile. By halfway through the disco, every row of seats was full. Happily, the penultimate record of the disco was Sit Down - the place resounded to everyone singing along. Sweet Caroline followed and the crowd raised the roof at each chorus complete with the extra "So Goods".
Rick and the Blossoms appeared on stage and opened with What Difference Does It Make? The place was full of hardcore Smiths fans who belted out all the songs word perfect. Rick and the lads performed brilliantly, and, to my delight, half a dozen songs in they did Cemetry Gates. Their renditions of my other favourites Ask, Girlfriend In A Coma and Panic were equally superb. Rick effusively praised the Blossoms a few times between songs, then near the end he said "I'd like to thank my big brother, who when I shared a bedroom with him as a teenager force-fed me Smiths music until I loved it. And ever since, it's been my dearest wish to play the O2 Forum in Kentish Town singing the songs of the Smiths, backed by the handsomest bastards in Stockport!" Roof-raising cheer.
Behind me in the queue for the tube were an American couple. The husband couldn't believe there was a long queue to get into a tube station. An English lady next them said it was the same at Wembley Park station after gigs there.
On to Soho Square yesterday for the Kirsty MacColl fans' annual gathering. Numbers were a bit thinner on the ground this year, with no-one travelling from abroad and, no doubt, some people still reluctant to attend large gatherings, but it was nice to meet up with early Kirstyfest veterans Terry, Caroline and bench originator Chris Winwood, another old pal Paul, and Facebook Kirsty fan group organiser Ruby.
Alex, this year's Kirstyfest organiser, said a few words at the bench at noon, then Terry stepped forward with guitar to lead us all in Soho Square and Don't Come The Cowboy With Me Sonny Jim. Then we headed for the Spice of Life where the basement room, with its own bar, had been prepared for us with a portrait of Kirsty on display. I sat at a table with Caroline and Stewart. Terry joined us for a while. We all ordered food - excellent - though the 3 of us all eating at once created space problems on our tiny table. Alex opened the open mic session with a rendition of Free World then Paul stepped up with his guitar to sing There's A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis. A lady called Chloe, with a friend accompanying her on guitar, did half a dozen songs, leading us all in a singalong, with an excellent version of Treachery the high point.
Chris came on stage to talk about how the bench and Kirstyfest started, how Kirsty loved her fans and how he liked to believe we were giving something back to her by keeping her remembered with our efforts. Ruby introduced the quiz, about Kirsty's life and music, going round handing us all answer sheets then reading the questions from the stage. Caroline came up with our team name, Caroline's Cowboys (a nod to two Kirsty songs). Chris, who'd joined our table when Terry had to leave early, was on the ball with most of the answers for the early questions then I came into my own for the second half. Our total of 26 out of 38 turned out to be the winning score and we were presented with the Kirstyfest Kup, an inscribed tankard, and each of our team members received an original Kirsty CD advert framed in cardboard. I was initially given a Tropical Brainstorm ad; as that's Caroline's favourite album, I swapped it for the Galore one she'd been given. Kirsty's younger son Louis came over to talk to us, wanting to meet the quiz winners.
Then it was back to open mic. We discussed who was going to take the Kup home. Caroline said it should be Chris or me as we'd got most of the answers, but she ended up taking it herself as she's definitely coming again next year (so can bring it back) while Chris wouldn't commit and, looking at the Women's World Cup qualifiers schedule, I confessed there's only a 75/25 chance of me coming.
Joined in with a few more singalongs then, with the time just after 4, I said my goodbyes. The guys on the adjacent table queried my leaving but I explained I had to travel back to Gosport with work next morning. And so, nicely sozzled on Rekorderlig, I left with the sound of Fifteen Minutes ringing in my ears.
