STRAIGHTEN OUT, HOPE AND ANCHOR REVIEW

[jbinblack]

I know there are several threads about the gig and about future gigs...they all seem to be in the H&A threads...so i'm starting a fresh one to talk about the actual gig.

Arrived at the Hope and Anchor at around 5:30-ish, greeted by an abundance of buds and babes in black out in front and pretty clogged inside. Just the sight of the legendary building from a distance gave one a thrill just to see it! I know everybody else felt that way too. It seemed as though I had an awful lot of catching up to do drink wise, a few tipsies tripping about and slurring their speech even that early (that which I won't get into). But what a beautiful day! Did you see that full moon?? Wow, it was perfect for lunatics!

Fabulous turn-out for Straighten Out, there was great banter happening everywhere, all geared up for the juice to come, I missed the warm up band unfortunately, also from Sheffield, and I'm ashamed to say I forget their name too.

Straighten Out came on about 10:15 I think, to thunderous cheers as they began Something Better Change, but no sooner had they begun, the crowd swelled/surged so fast and furious to the front that the top keyboard nearly took a nose dive and the keyboard rack nearly fell off the stage, (which was barely a few inches off the floor.) Shaggy's monitor also took a tumble so he stopped playing and asked everybody to get back a bit, as they barely had room to play their instruments what for all the arms and gyrating bodies and thrashing heads coming at them. I think he had to stop twice and appeal again as the mike stand too kept getting knocked.

The tiny 'stage' was right at the end of the room as soon as you came in from the staircase...so if you were the last person to enter the room, you had the best spot in the house! INSTANT FRONT ROW!

Interesting were the tag team of extremely friendly happy bouncers, (the likes of which I've never seen of that particular breed in my life) a big friendly DINO Rogers look-alike (...the iconic Dino from JJ's 'Dino Rap'..I know most of you should know who he is, I'm only explaining this for newbies) also on hand were a couple of cool Druids bikers from Sheffield, Fatbus Jim and someone fill in the blank..sorry, name escapes me, and then our trusty Rodders stepped in for a turn at crowd control too, as well as giving us an eyeful with his impromptu strip tease! Photo's should be circulating in the 'underground' by now!

Sound was good, songs were GREAT, atmosphere was fabulous, crowd was totally into it and I'm pretty sure that NOBODY went away disappointed for any reason other than not pulling. (Is it mating season? Cruising was rampant--but then maybe it always is) It was a verrrry cosy place. It's true tho, if you had a spot near the exit or stage, you didn't have anyone pushing from behind. You even had air, tho not very fresh.

Set list:
SOMETHING BETTER CHANGE
GRIP
NUCLEAR DEVICE
RAVEN
SOMETIMES
THROWN AWAY
PRINCESS OF THE STREETS
HANGING AROUND
BURNING UP TIME
PEACHES
GOODBYE TOULOUSE
WALK ON BY
PEASANT
UGLY
TOILER ON THE SEA
DUCHESS
5 MINUTES
TANK
CURFEW
STRAIGHTEN OUT
LONDON LADY
NO MORE HEROES.

NUBILES
SEWER

Just before the encore, Shaggy gave a few words of thanks to Paul in London, without whose help the gig wouldn't have happened. Paul stepped up to say a few words and every bit the spokesman, surely said what we all heartly FELT.

Next wave in Swindon!

[Claireinblack]

Brilliant review jbib, thanks for posting.

What a great night !!!!!
Got home about an hour ago, totally knackered but looking forward to the Swindon gig.

Great to catch up with you all, as ever at these events it is the prer and post gig socialising that really makes the night.

And Strippers at the end...

[jbinblack]

Brilliant review jbib, thanks for posting.

And Strippers at the end...

Nudge nudge, wink wink. Nice it was a man for a change!

[Frank Castle]

No pictures from the nights festivities?

[APOLLO79]

Always been dubious about tribute bands. But this seems to be something completely different. I'll make the effort the next time they're in Glasgow. Great review and a great time had by all by the sounds of it.

[leskei]

great review from last nights gig jbinblack as it sheds a bit of light on what we missed [we were there]
i feel i must let you all know about our day after driving down the A1 and parking up at cockfosters tube station paying £1for overnight parking [who said london is expensive] walking into the tube some random woman gave lesley a zone 1-6 rail card so that was her fares sorted out, worth at least 3 pints that,so with that bit of luck we feel were in for a great day, booked into the hostel gave shaggy a quick call as he was staying just around the corner,arranged to meet up the venue straight away so we set off to kings x to get tube to highbury and islington on our way we bump into john tania and ladp, some how on these away trips andy is always the 1st person we see anyway they walked we tubed got to the venue just after three there are 3forumsters there kathinboots dave+1 and missus clad in the wonky bus t-shirts must say owen they are ace, so now its cider,cider,cider at pace a little later the band van arrives but theres nowhere to park so we offload it about 50 yards down the street, the guy at the pub tells us we are not allowed in to the room for an hour he eventually relents so the equipment is taken downstairs just one problem micks massive swelling organ will not go down and around the half landing after much consulting,persuasion from about 8 of us we manage to get it down[it reminds me of the laurel and hardy film "the removal men" i think] we now let the band set up and head back to the bar and give the cider a hiding, the wife reminds me we must have food before we drink to much,yes dear more cider, its now getting on to 5-30ish the forum members now arrive en masse what happened to the 3pm meet at the venue anyway great to see you all again to many names to name or remember as the cider is taken effect , so after a few more rounds the wife gets her way and we go for food so its down to wetherspoons two meals and a bottle of wine for a tenner with the wine being so cheap we decide to have another and stagger back to the venue bar for some more banter and cider dont know what time it is now but the support is now playing so we stagger down the stairs i can sort of remember arguing with the two bits on the door eventually let me in after getting a big black stamp on the hand which i still cant get off, the support play thier last song we sit down and wait for the main event and thats it we both pass out pissed as farts and miss the whole fucking set
so thanks again for the review
see you again soon

keith and lesley
ps no alcohol will pass our lips today

[Kathinboots]

You missed a good one, Sleeping Beauties.

[jbinblack]

Holy Hilarity Leskei! What a day you guys had! I too have scrubbed that hand stamp and my skin is too sore to have another go for now, I think it's best to just put a bandage on it til it wears away...or pretend it's a tattoo that went very wrong.

[Alias]

...Fatbus Jim and someone fill in the blank..sorry, name escapes me,

I see what you did there, nice one!

..... if you had a spot near the exit or stage, you didn't have anyone pushing from behind. You even had air, tho not very fresh.

Yup definetly sounds like Phil was there

NIce review, cheers.

[Alias]

great review from last nights gig jbinblack as it sheds a bit of light on what we missed [we were there]
i feel i must let you all know about our day after driving down the A1 and parking up at cockfosters tube station paying £1for overnight parking [who said london is expensive] walking into the tube some random woman gave lesley a zone 1-6 rail card so that was her fares sorted out, worth at least 3 pints that,so with that bit of luck we feel were in for a great day, booked into the hostel gave shaggy a quick call as he was staying just around the corner,arranged to meet up the venue straight away so we set off to kings x to get tube to highbury and islington on our way we bump into john tania and ladp, some how on these away trips andy is always the 1st person we see anyway they walked we tubed got to the venue just after three there are 3forumsters there kathinboots dave+1 and missus clad in the wonky bus t-shirts must say owen they are ace, so now its cider,cider,cider at pace a little later the band van arrives but theres nowhere to park so we offload it about 50 yards down the street, the guy at the pub tells us we are not allowed in to the room for an hour he eventually relents so the equipment is taken downstairs just one problem micks massive swelling organ will not go down and around the half landing after much consulting,persuasion from about 8 of us we manage to get it down[it reminds me of the laurel and hardy film "the removal men" i think] we now let the band set up and head back to the bar and give the cider a hiding, the wife reminds me we must have food before we drink to much,yes dear more cider, its now getting on to 5-30ish the forum members now arrive en masse what happened to the 3pm meet at the venue anyway great to see you all again to many names to name or remember as the cider is taken effect , so after a few more rounds the wife gets her way and we go for food so its down to wetherspoons two meals and a bottle of wine for a tenner with the wine being so cheap we decide to have another and stagger back to the venue bar for some more banter and cider dont know what time it is now but the support is now playing so we stagger down the stairs i can sort of remember arguing with the two bits on the door eventually let me in after getting a big black stamp on the hand which i still cant get off, the support play thier last song we sit down and wait for the main event and thats it we both pass out pissed as farts and miss the whole fucking set
so thanks again for the review
see you again soon

keith and lesley
ps no alcohol will pass our lips today

Brilliant!

Though, not for you and the missus mate, obviously.

Still, another cool tale to tell, it's what it's all about, innit.

[Bubba]

the support play thier last song we sit down and wait for the main event and thats it we both pass out pissed as farts and miss the whole fucking set
so thanks again for the review
see you again soon

keith and lesley
ps no alcohol will pass our lips today

Legendary!

[C r a s s !]

if you had a spot near the exit or stage, you didn't have anyone pushing from behind. You even had air

Not only did I have a good spot (on my chin) and hair (on my head) I had no one pushing me whatsoever cuz I happened to be last in as the band took the stage: I had an unfettered view of everything next to the speakers watching my crushed pals in various shades of the pain spectrum a few feet away. I;kll remeber that next time they play there.