One score year and six ago, the young lady who would later become my considerably better half impressed me by announcing her liking of the popular Manchester punk combo, The Buzzcocks. So much so, one of our first nights out together was to see them play at Edwards No.8 in Birmingham City Centre: a gig which we will never forget (some great fighting in the crowd and a bloke so drunk but friendly on the No.51 bus home that he stayed chatting to us about the band all the way to Walsall when he was getting off at Perry Barr). Oh those where the days my friends, I thought they would never end.
They did, however with the onset of middle age. Going out gigging every other night is no longer possible without a good sit down and a cup of tea afterwards: and even then, only with a large amount of cake to top up my energy reserves.... honest. Most of the time, not even that works, sadly.
However, having had a couple of hours sleep mid afternoon (one of the benefits of working at home), I felt energised to head out with my considerably better half to see Pete, Steve and the other two play a great hits plus quite a few new ones set at the Robin 2 in Bilston. Now we have visited just about every venue in the West Midlands over the last 25 years including some right toilets (The Hummingbird carpet comes to mind...yuk) to some really great places to see bands play: Stoke Sugarmill comes to mind, but we have never been to the Robin 2 before. How we managed to miss it is beyond me as, well its rather nice being just about the right side of large without being massive. Also, the sound quality; often something I moan about, was first rate.
The band itself was, as normal, tighter than a tight thing with added tightness; while I want some of whatever Steve is taking as how can a man heading towards his late 50's have some much energy? I guess he really likes what he does, something which will always keep you going. We had a real shock however when some bloke with a large grey beard took centre stage..... “what on earth,” I thought, “is our erstwhile breaded correspondent from South East Essex doing on stage?” Not sure Pete, that a grey bread works on an ageing punk.
Talking about ageing punks, there were more beer guts there last night than people in skinny jeans, while bald heads outnumbered spiky hair cuts a 100 to one..... as my considerably better half commented it: “that's you that is....” Sigh. Yes, middle age and balding is me!
Overall, an excellent night out what with an great band playing, a nice venue, an acceptable curfew (half ten) and a 25 minute drive home. Blimey, I was in bed by 11.30! For an old(ish) bloke, that's first rate!
