Dan P

Dan P
Originally uploaded by fred pipes.

A speaker at the Catalyst Club once tried to sell the idea of going to church (and the doomed St Peter's in particular) by saying it's a place you can sing at the top of your voice and nobody cares (have I used this intro before?). You can also go to an acoustic punk gig, like the ones organised by Pog. Last night it was The Station, a pub with a fine selection of real ales but a schlep to get to (unless you come by train - it's right by Preston Park station). I'd missed Wob by waiting for the rain to abate, but caught the aforementioned band, who did a new song about a cafe but didn't do 'Go vegan' because Paul apparently has gone vegetarian! Had a good la la sing-song to 'In heaven' nevertheless. Next up were The Flying Marrows, who seem to have a fixation on Japanese girls. They performed many new songs and were joined on stage (the pool area of the bar) by the headliner Dan Potthast. I'd never seen the bespectacled one before (he's from California and in MU330) but it was like stumbling upon a private party where everyone else knew all the words to all the songs and sang along with gusto. They were eminently singalongable to however so a good time was had by all. Give him a listen. I came away with 3 CDs, 2 stickers and 2 badges, having consumed a pint of Harveys and 2 pints of dark Arundel. Dan thought it highly amusing to be playing in a pub in Preston Park with the rain belting down outside and wondered what the regulars thought of it all. Big contrast with Santa Cruz I expect! There was no admission by the way just a greasy hat carried round by Andy. The lighting was crap, so my photos are not much cop...

I've just finished reading 'Pies and Prejudice' by Stuart Maconie which I can highly recommend to ex-Northerners like me who couldn't wait to get away from the place but feel slightly nostagic about the rare returns - me, I always play The Smiths on my iPod as the train approaches Manchester Piccadilly! Must get up to the North East sometime - and Barrow! Great cover too, by Grey318.