Blog: Party Like It's 1986

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Myself and The Notes In My Chord had a right proper Eighties Weekend this weekend - but the GOOD bits of the eighties, you know, those bits that never seem to get into documentaries.

We started off in a Proper Pub like I remember from my earliest drinking days in that decade. It was The Stag's Head in Fitzrovia, an ELUSIVE pub which it is almost impossible to go to on purpose, only by ACCIDENT whilst looking for somewhere else. We had a pub to aim for but couldn't find it, and then The Stag's Head LOOMED out of the darkness, filled as usual with nice beer, friendly barstaff, a Proper Landlord, and a bunch of REGULARS having Actual Chats And LARFS. It was lovely!

Then we headed up to the road to 229, just in time to get a HUG from the star of that night's show, Mr Phil Wilson. For LO! It was indeed Original Heroes Of Actual Indie The June Brides who we had gone to see, and BY GOLLY they were amazing. I never saw them Back In The Day but have seen them (in both Official June Brides and earlier Phil Wilson Big Band incarnations) MANY times in recent years, and they just seem to get better and better, especially since re-using their proper name. It was a BIG sound, a glorious confident RACKET of tunes and joy, and the WHOLE audience was a) DANCING b) SINGING ALONG right from the very start.

It was bloody fantastic - as ever, it feels a bit odd seeing our pal Phil being AN ROCK STAR but he does it so WELL that we soon forgot and were DANCING, it was ACE! Afterwards we BARGED into the dressing room for a second hug, and pledged to see them all again in a few weeks in BERLIN. I can't wait!

And then on Saturday we had a different kind of eighties nostalgia, when we went to "News From Nowhere", our local CLUB which organises monthly talks by Notable Types. You remember all those campaigners and activists from the eighties, who were always organising things and marching and STANDING UP for THE GOOD SIDE? They all seem to be organising monthly talks by Notable Types now, as they were all there! It was lovely - it always feel like we're part of something GOOD just by being there, and the talk itself was INSPIRING. A local teacher was talking about some of the Political/Historical Activities he's got involved with over the years with his classes - it was all very moving, but the best bit was when this year's kids got up and were a) entirely normal b) ENGAGED c) GRATE! I'd sort of thought they might be the Studious Types who always do this sort of thing (i.e. like I was) but they were a total MIX of kids, all CHATTING and TEXTING but also POLITE and happy to DISCUSS stuff and CONFIDENT enough to give their opinions AND listen to other people.

It was AMAZING, also HEARTENING - and the evening was topped off with us winning THE RAFFLE! HA! That's one thing that NEVER happened in the eighties!

posted 12/11/2012 by MJ Hibbett

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Comments:

A Hugh Fearnelywhirlywall Veggie cookbook - much to the CHAGRIN of pretty much everyone else there!
posted 12/11/2012 by MJ Hibbett

What did you win?
posted 12/11/2012 by Tim

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