Blog: To Nottingham!

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On Wednesday afternoon I set off to distant NOTTINGHAM, where Chris and I were due to play a gig at The Grove. COR, I tell you what, Nottingham has certainly changed since the last time I was there, as they appear to have knocked half of it down, planted some trees, and also installed an entire art gallery. As someone who lived in Leicester for many years I am, of course, unable to admit that anything about Nottingham was nice, but if pushed I would say that it was all right!

I checked into the IBIS and then wandered over towards the venue, where I found Chris also wandering around, and together we found The Grove and also Cam, it's owner. It's a really nice place, sort of like a cross between JT Soar round the corner and the old 12 Bar Club in London - a small room with lovely sound, but also with a MEZZANINE which is where the Green Room was. I do like a Mezzanine!

We had a delightful soundcheck and then asked if there might possibly be somewhere to get some food nearby, hopefully with a vegan option. "Oh yes," said Cam, "the King Billy pub around the corner has an entire plant-based cafe on the top floor. HERE IS THEIR CARD!" We thus popped round to Carolina's Texmex to have a MASSIVE pile of DELICIOUS grub, and also some really nice beer, whilst we engaged in our traditional BAND MEETING. This was a really good one, and we ended up with plans for THE SPRING pretty much sorted out, alongside aching bellies from all the grub. All band meetings should be like this!

That done we headed back to the venue to see several lovely familiar faces, not least Mr A Hale who was putting the whole thing on. He had CURATED the evening with acts deemed to be SUITABLE to accompany us, like some kind of ROCK SOMMELLIER, and a very good job he had done too. I was already familiar with Vom Vorton, who I have played with MANY times and who this time performed a whole set of HALLOWEEN-based songs, including some that he MASSIVELY LIED about, claiming they were from an album released 21 years ago. STOP IT TOM! However I was not familiar at all with our other act, Sarah Farrell who was GRATE. She did songs full of heart and humour and also amazing singing and guitar playing, and delivered the lot in a sort of deadpan way that was ENTHRALLING to watch. I thought she was really really good!

Then it was our turn to go on, and we did THIS:

Wrong About Everything

Say It With Words

Chips And Cheese, Pint Of Wine

When You Hear A Bird

The Perfect Love Song

7 Hearts

In The North Stand

It Only Works Because You're here

Timewasters

(pic nabbed from Vom Vorton's instagram)

Earlier on I'd put forward a proposal that this time we should NOT start unannounced with Say It With Words as we have done recently but instead say hello and give some explanation of what we were about. My thinking was that people needed to be aware that there was going to be some emotion and some humour in the songs, but then Sarah and Tom had pretty much already covered this so there wasn't really any need.

Chris was playing a Felted Piano, which has a THIRD pedal allowing you to drop a felt barrier in front of the keys to make them sound EVEN LOVELIER, and he used this appropriately throughout the set. I, meanwhile, was experimenting with MICROPHONE TECHNIQUE - so far I have always taken the microphone off its stand and wandered about, but this time I left it where it was to see how that went. I think it went pretty good!

Once the show was all done we had chats various and then headed round to the old home of Nottingham Indie, The Bunkers Hill Inn, where I had my first pint of BASS in many a year. It was lovely, and a delightful way to end a delightful evening. Touring is FUN!

posted 22/10/2026 by MJ Hibbett

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