Blog: Brighton

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It felt like AGES since I'd last journeyed to foreign lands, there to ROCK, as I set off for Brighton yesterday, and I've missed it a bit - sat on the train south, reading some comics, listening to the MyPod (I bought "Hunky Dory" by Mr D Bowie last week, it's BLOODY GRATE, honestly, i think that young man may do well) I thought "Aah, this is nice!" For LO! It was.

I got into Brighton and as soon as I stepped off the train I was surrounded by people going "BRIGHTON! BRIGHTON!" Not literally, I mean in their appearance and actions - the lady who was taking over as train driver had a mohican, the streets were awash with knitwear, and every other person seemed to be carrying a guitar. BRIGHTON!

I'd left work a bit early so I could get there in time to visit the Vegetarian Shoe Shop. I like their shoes but I must say the High Street Retailer side of the operation could do a bit of work - unlike last time, when we were SCOWLED at, the staff did actually speak to us this time, if only to apologise for not having ANY of the shoes I liked the look of in my size... or, indeed, ANY over a size 9. Call me crazy, but surely the point of visiting a shoe shop is to try on SHOES, and therefore it might be an idea to HAVE some?

Slightly disappointed I strollled off through the gentle rain until I found myself at my hotel, where they seemed to be having some trouble sorting my booking out. I got out the printout from laterooms, who I'd done the booking with, to see if that would help, and then noticed that I had INDEED booked the room for Thursday the 19th... but Thursday the 19th of MARCH. Oops! They were very nice about it tho, and found me a room a little further along the seafront at a sister hotel, which was CHEAPER. PHEW!

Duly check in and WASHED i was soon back off out again to The Komedia, where I was playing. Walking past earlier I'd been a bit alarmed to see how HUGE it was - I mean, I like The Lovely Brothers, I like The Bobby McGees, but we'd never fill THAT would we? I was thus somewhat relieved to discover that no, nobody was expecting us to - we were in the tiny room round the back. PHEW (part two) !

I helloed The Lovely Brothers, did my soundcheck, and thought I might as well find a nice pub for a nice PINT and found one that was so nice that LOADS of people had gone, and SAT on all the seats. I lurked around for a bit before going and sitting outside where it was a bit cold, also too dark to read in comfort, so headed BACK, bumping into Ms E Kawasaki and Mr C Wood, who were heading to the gig. I've known the various memebers of The Chemistry Experiment (of whom Emily is a member) for EONS, since they did their first gig in fact, and as they were SO VERY YOUNG back then I've always felt slightly UNCLEY towards them all. THUS I have always looked upon young Craig as a sort of FAVOURED NEPHEW-IN-LAW and most times when I see him i have to prevent myself from giving him a farthing and a bag of toffees. I held back and dealt out HUGS and PINTS instead, fighting back the urge to buy them both ice creams too.

The Lovely Brothers had put out little FORMS on all the tables, saying "This Is A List Of..." and then five numbered spaces to list things in. OH THE HILARITY as we did our various lists, forcing Jimmy of The Bobby McGees, who'd just arrived, to join our LARKS. I was particularly pleased with one i did saying "This is a list of... NUMBERS" and leaving the rest blank. When I say "particularly pleased" i mean, of course, DELIGHTED WITH MY OWN GENIUS.

Soon it was time to get going and kick the gig off, which I did as follows:

I Did A Gig In New York

It Only Works Because You're Here

All The Good Men

We're Old And We're Tired (and we want to go home)

Do The Indie Kid

Being Happy Doesn't Make You Stupid

The Lesson Of The Smiths

Easily Impressed

I tell you this - I really MUST try and keep a close watch on certain HABITS gained from doing Comedy Shows. Even I thought "Come on Hibbett, stop showing off now" at some points as I SHAMELESSLY milked it for laughs. It was good fun though, and I was especially pleased with how well All The Good Men went down - I never really considered that song as a candidate for the solo set when we were writing and recording it, but I think it may find itself a HOME for this year's gigs.

After me Jimmy went on a GRABBED the ENTIRE ROOM. Watching him do a gig like that, it's a MASTER CLASS in HOW TO DO IT RIGHT. He's brilliant - everybody should go and see The Bobby McGees at EVERY opportunity, there's nobody working a crowd as well as they do, be it solo, as a duo or EN MASSE.

And then it was The Lovely Brothers, a band I've seen SO many times but yet always manage to surprise me with just HOW EXCELLENT they are live. They are VERY EXCELLENT and were on top form last night, especially that "It Makes Me Happy For The Rest Of The Day" one (I don't think that's the proper title) which made me HOOT with laughter this time.

It was a LOVELY evening, and there were several HUGS before I set off back to the seaside. This morning I woke to sunshine and had a BRACING wander along the BEACH on the way back to the station, it was GRATE.

posted 20/2/2009 by MJ Hibbett

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