Hebburn, We're In Hebburn...

A very rushed start to the day - I wake up late by my standards - just 90 mins to get up and into Kings Cross for our 8am train.  This is more than enough but it means I'll have to get a move if I want to squeeze in a breakfast as well.

When walking round Kings Cross the other week I noticed that our usual breakfasterie - Da Vincis - is no more.  It has been revamped and is now part of the Best Mangal chain which seems to be glorified kebab bars.

We tried a cafe I 've been in before - the Station Sandwich Bar - the breakfast is perfunctory with mediocre ingredients - not very enjoyable, especially after all the rush. I suspect we'll try somewhere else next time.

It is my first train trip for quite a few weeks - nice to be back on-board, watching the world go by and providing some company for Martin. Tony joins us at Darlo and then we meet Trev, John, Rich and a few others at Newcastle Central station.

After dumping my overnight bag at left luggage and getting our Metro tickets, we wander through Chinatown to the Newcastle Arms where the landlord was busy washing the front steps. 

Not a bad choice at the bar - Big Lamp Prince Bishop, Full Mash IPA, Gundog Pale Ale and one smokey beer, Anarchy Smoke Bomb, that looks a bit odd but tastes really nice. The Gundog Pale Ale is tasty too.

After a couple of rounds, we wander down to the Bridge Hotel where we meet Ian Swalwell.  Not long after that yet another of my old University chums, Chin (Andy), turns up for a reunion.  Rocky (Dave) turns up too. Interestingly it seems I'm the only one who still calls them by their nicknames.

At the bar we have an excellent choice featuring Abbeydale Deception, Marble Bitter, Williams Midnight Sun, Hadrian & Border High Level, Outstanding Selling Out, Salopian Hop Twister and, on keg, Three Towns St Erics Pale Ale (which is excellent but doesn't last long).

We then head off back to Central station and take the Metro out to Hebburn. On arrival I check my map and take everyone the wrong way, eventually having to ask for directions. Whatever!

A small-ish ground, just one stand that straddles the middle of the pitch and then two standing ends. The fourth side is for us by officials only.

It looked like Hebburn were carrying on from where they left off a few days earlier - a defeat to Darlo at Heritage Park that some saw some very enthusiastic tackling - and by the 25th minute they were down to nine men.

The pitch was not one that encouraged good football - it looked more like hiking terrain than a playing field - and from the off, Hebburn were determined to knock Darlo out of their stride.  Dowson was fouled in the penalty box after ten minutes and Galbraith scored from the spot.

Hebburn though were level within minutes after some poor defending in the Darlo box as they failed to clear a high ball into the box. Totally against the run of play.

We've not had a gratuitous floodlight
shot for a while so here we go

However Darlo had soon regained the lead when Dowson was brought down outside the box - defender Harrison was deemed to be the last man and so he was shown the red card.  From the free-kick Gott scored via a deflection from the Hebburn wall.

It wasn't long before Hebburn were down to nine men after Forsyth - booked for the initial penalty - received a second yellow.  Credit to Hebburn though as they frustrated the Quakers for the rest of the half and it remained 2-1 at the interval.

Hebburn continued to make it difficult for Darlo in the second half - not surprisingly Darlo dominated in terms of possession, making inroads down the wings. but failed to make the most of their chances. Hebburn keeper Regan also made some excellent saves.

After sixty minutes the Hebburn resistance was finally broken as Purewal slide in to poke home a cross from Galbraith. 

The Quakers visibly relaxed, pressing continually for the rest of the half which saw them add four more goals to the tally in the final ten minutes.

As well as a welcome three points, Darlo looked to have escaped without any major injuries - their refusal to get involved in the rough-house tactics employed by Hebburn was no doubt a major factor.

In all other respects the Hebburn officials and fans seemed a decent bunch - there was some excellent on offer though the (chinese) curry sauce was rather thin for my liking. I'm fussy about such things.

We were all back in Newcastle by 5:30pm - Martin and Iain headed off to catch the train back to London - whilst I checked into the Royal Station hotel.

Tony had stayed on for a few beers and I joined him in the Town Wall.  The Saturday night crowd was beginning to gather but we had a chance to try a couple of really good beers - Portobello Porter (a new brewery from west London) and Allendale End22 Simcoe Single. Both are excellent.

Tony finally had to drag himself back to Darlington for the race night so I popped up to the Trent House, near Leazes Park. This is where I I used to drink in the early 80s, about the time that the first copies of Viz used to be sold here.

Rich, John and Andy were here, going through the card, so I had a couple of halves. Other than acquiring a soul music-theme, the place hasn't changed much since I was a student (though my graffiti in the gents has finally been painted over).

My next port of call was the Crown Posada where I had a quick pint - the place was very full with nowhere to sit so after supping up, I popped outside and caught a taxi to the Cluny.

Brian Bond - in your face

As soon as I walked though the door I bumped into Keith Newman, from Radio Northumberland. He has a show called New Wave With Newman where he plays new wave and punk favourites as well as some new stuff.  He is a big Punilux fan too and has featured them heavily on his show. 

We meet Alan Crawthorne who, like me, is a big Bill Nelson and someone I've communicated with via the internet in recent years. Nice to finally meet him at last.

Also there is former Mission Impossible editor and, more recently, music impresario, Steve Harland, who has come up from Teesside with a load of his mates.

As well as bumping into Steve and Jimi from the band, I'm introduced to Rob Blamire who is bassist in Ferryhill's finest, Penetration. It was through seeing Penetration at the City Hall in 1978 that I first heard and saw Punishment of Luxury so I have cause to be thankful.

As on-stage time approaches we head towards the gig hall - not completely full but a decent crowd.  I have my camera but decide to just take the odd shot so that I can concentrate on really enjoying the gig. Which I do.

The set is much the same as usual - all based on the Laughing Academy album rounded off with a storming version of the Brainbomb single. 

I pop into the dressing room with Keith for a chat with Nev and find a teenage girl collecting autographs - go younger generation!  We leave the band in peace after a while and Keith drops me back at my hotel.  It has been a long but very pleasurable day and I'm ready for bed.

Zwanze Day! And Nevilluxury too!!

Originally Martin and I should have been heading to Darlo for our home game against Guisborough but the match had been moved forward to a Friday evening as Heritage Park was booked for a function on the Saturday.

Needless to say both Martin and I were mightily annoyed by this - the club had known about this issue since the start of the season but had kept the fixture in the programme even though they knew there was no chance it would go ahead on that date.

I switched train tickets for Martin so he could travel on the Friday - incurring further expense that I wasn't prepared to consider - only for the game to be called off due to a frozen pitch. Not a happy bunny.

As it was Liz and I wandered down to Ken's Cafe on Green Street as the early match was West Ham -v- Chelsea.  The place was the busiest I've ever see it, full of Hammers queueing for breakfast. This  included a bus load of French Hammers, some of who we'd seen peeing in a side street.  Zut alors you filthy French people!

After my not-so-petit-déjeuner, we wandered past the Boleyn Ground and bumped into one of our old chum, Stuart Clarke, he of Homes of Football fame.  He was there with his TV producer mate, Dan Gordon.

Stuart was looking to take some shots of fans as they arrived for the game - we suggested he popped into Ken's. Once he was done they were racing off to Kenilworth Road to do the same before Luton's FA cup game.

Duly fortified by my fry-up, I left Liz to watch the game, caught the tube into town and took a stool at the bar in the Euston Tap.  London Miller Chris joined me before we headed up to the newly opened Craft Beer Co bar in Islington where we meet our beery chums, Jackie and Simon.

The Craft Beer Co. is the latest part of the chain and unlike the other outlets, this feels much more like an actual pub.

We don't stay too long though - we head over to the nearby Earl Of Essex which is hosting Zwanze Day. This sees the opening of a barrel of Cantillon rhubarb gueuze in just 32 bars worldwide and this will be the only barrel in the UK.

Not surprisingly there is high demand among the lambic lovers of London and so they're selling the beer in thirds and to do so you have to buy a ticket in advance.

We're there at 4pm to get our tickets as the barrel won't be opened until 8pm. Thankfully the Earl of Essex has an excellent range of beers so we stay put.

I have somewhere else to go for a few hours though as Nevilluxury - guitarist in Punilux - is supporting Alien Sex Fiend's at their 30th anniversary gig at the Boston Dome in nearby Tufnell Park.

I pop into the venue early and catch ASF sound checking,  I meet their guitarist, Simon, who just happens to be a colleague of John Wilson. It really is a small world.

Nev finally arrives with friend Polly - they've come on the train carrying a guitar and an amp - very rock and roll. Cue Nev's sound check.


Nevilluxury

As the doors open and the ASF fans trickle in, Nev starts his 30 minute set - mainly his solo stuff which nonpluses the audience somewhat until they're on his wavelength.

Set over, we retire to the kitchen for post-gig pizzas and a quick chat before they have to rush off for the last train to East Anglia.

I return to the Earl of Essex where Chris has kindly kept my third of the Zwanze safe and sound - it is really good and you can certainly taste the rhubarb.  Sadly it doesn't last long.

We have a few more beers - some of my favourites have come on since I left including a couple of Kernel beers.  In fact, the Kernel maestro, Evin, is here too to taste the Zwanze but it is far too crowded to chat.

Chris and I leave before 10pm - he has had more than enough even by his standards - I'd like more but the place is simply rammed.  Time to head home for a curry and the FA Cup highlights...

Darlington & Stockton Times

Despite the Kidderminster game being called off well in advance - not a huge surprise to anyone living in the north-east as the Arctic conditions , both John W and I were in the north and decided to have our pre-match session. It was either that or shopping.

I was a bit worried about getting through there from Northallerton - many trains had been cancelled - but Trans-Pennine trains were running a severely reduced service which only went to Bank Top.

The town centre was extremely quiet when I arrived with not may shoppers braving the conditions and I popped into Alfie's above the covered market for a very good value breakfast - the best I've had in Darlo.

The Quaker was open on time and so I started making my way through the card - quite a few Christmas beers but thankfully some were not the Xmas pudding-style that some brewers seem to thing we want.

(left) Brian Bond - no socks? In this weather?

John and then Tony arrived and it was quite noticeable that there were quite a few unfamiliar faces in the pub today - we wondered whether they were refugees from the Tap & Spile which appears to have closed it's doors, at least for now?

Tony was not in good drinking form though he joined us for a short while at Number Twenty-2 before decided to call it a day. John and I persevered and had a few more before we both headed back south, he to London and me to Northallerton.

Later that evening I went to the Georgian Theatre at Stockton with my sister and niece to see Punishment of Luxury.

The event was being put on by the Rock Garden Revisited team - including our very own Steve Harland - who are dedicated to celebrating the history of that iconic music venue as well as bringing some of the bands back to the area for gigs.

Thankfully the roads were clear and it was a nice easy run for us up the A19. It was probably over thirty years since my last visit to Stockton - delivering an injured heron to a bird sanctuary - and it was quite dead.

It was nice and lively (and warm) when we got to the theatre - Steve on the door to welcome us as we arrived - and we headed for the bar. No real ale but they had some bottles of Keltek King which made up for it.

Two local bands were on the support roster - openers British Lichen Society had similarities to Joy Division whilst Russell & The Wolves had overtones of garage rock and rockabilly - they reminded me of the Batfish Boys, a grebo-band from Leicester that I used to see back in the mid-eighties.

They were quite a number of old punks in the crowd - they don't age well though some of them admired my niece's pink hair - very punk.

As usual, Punilux came on to Puppet Life - their 'hit' single - which got the crowd jumping around and then they went through their usual set taken from the Laughing Academy album and early singles.

(right) Jimi and Neville rock out to Brainbomb

The highlights for me were Obssession, Fracture - a number that has been developing over the past year or so - and closing the gig, Brainbomb. Fantastic.

If you want to see some of the live action, you'll find it on Youtube - you may even see me "dancing" (shuffling side to side arrythmically is probably a closer description) but don't check it out too closely.

Many thanks to Steve H and his compadres for putting this gig on and good luck with their future shows, bringing back those bands that time almost forgot...

The Boys Are Back In Town

I normally hate going out on Sunday nights but this is the bank holiday weekend and so I convince myself that it's more of a virtual Saturday.

Liz has gone off with her chums to see Rotherham battle it out with Dagenham at Wembley for the right to play in League One. I've had a few texts asking if I was going and wishing Liz luck but for me the season is well and truly over and I'll not be there. Besides, I have other plans.

They started with a visit to the Southampton Arms in Gospel Oak, an area of north London stuck between Kentish Town and Hampstead which I'm not very familiar with.

The pub has recently popped up on the beer radar recently as having a great choice of beers and ciders - so Steve Duffy and I popped in earlier last week when he was in town and we were impressed. I decided to make another visit with Geoff, our Argyle chum, who was also keen to try it.

Five ciders were available including the lovely Yarlington Mill from favourite Gwynt y Ddraig plus about six beers from various microwbrewers including Whistable Oyster Stout, Otley 01 and Runner, a beer from the Truman Brewery.

Truman's was a major brewer based in Brick Lane but after over 200 years of brewing it closed down in 1989. Now a couple of East End beer enthusiasts have resurrected the name and their recipes and are brewing at the Nethergate brewery (though they aim to return to London). Runner is their first production run - a darkish session beer which was very nice. Watch this space.

For me, there are a couple of minor niggles with the Southampton Arms - unless you ask for a straight glass you'll be served in a jug and they also seem to encourage piano players to come in and tinkle away annoyingly.

From here it was a short walk to the Junction Tavern which was having their 13th beer festival over the course of the long weekend. The place was packed when we got there and all but one barrel on their stillage had been drunk with just five beers on draught.

After a couple of pints I leave Geoff and head on down to Camden for the main event of the day - the mighty Punishment of Luxury are playing the Underworld.

My sister and niece have come down to stay with me for the weekend so that they can go to the gig but they preferred shopping and a tapas bar to drinking with me so we all meet up outside.

This is the band's third London gig in less than a year and I still can't believe that they're back together. They're busy setting up as we enter - no roadies to help them out, they've got to do their own humping.

(left) Jimi Giro and Nevilluxury

I have a quick chat with bassist Jimi Giro who tells me he hadn't got home to Newcastle until 4am that morning after playing in Southport with another band. That's rock and roll, I tell him sympathetically.

The set-list is much the same as for the other gigs though they've clearly been rehearsing as they've tinkered around with the arrangement of a few songs.

There didn't look to be much of a crowd at first but people soon started to move down to the front of the stage and towards the end the crowd were really jumping.

Someone threw an empty plastic glass that bounced off singer Brian Bond's head but he barely flinched and carried on like a true pro. I'm sure he's had much worse thrown at him 20-odd years ago.

The band encored with two of their singles - Jellyfish and what the band described as their one ballad, Brainbomb, which was anything but. The only way to finish their set.

During the gig Brian announced that their album, Laughing Academy, is to be re-released later this year which is great news.

They have another gig in December this year - this will be in Stockton and has been arranged by Mission Impossible editor, Steve Harland, who is also a huge fan of the band. I only hope it coincides with a home game or something will have to give...

Obsession

The main reason for my visit to Newcastle was to see Punishment of Luxury, one of my all time favourite bands, who were playing in the east of the city. The band hail from Tyneside so this should be a good place to see them live.

Before then, I spent some of the day wandering round Leazes Park and Spital Tongues area of town where I spent a year in a hall of residence. Not much has changed other than the sheer size of St James' Park which now dominates the skyline.

After a quick visit to the Newcastle Arms and a chat with the tickers, I met up with an old university friend, Cath, and her husband in the Forth Hotel pub.

It was good to see them both again and we caught up on all our news over a meal and a few beers. It's almost thirty years since we started university - where did all the time go?

I retired to my hotel for a couple of hours before meeting my sister Becky at the station and we wandered along the quayside admiring all the new developments. I had thought it would be good to walk to the gig but I'd misjudged the route so we caught a taxi.

The venue for the gig was the Cluny - another Head of Steam establishment but a world away from the Central Bar.

This is more like a venue with a big bar added on. Still, they had a healthy selection of beers plus some Belgian fruit beers for Becky.

(left) Punishment of Luxury

We wandered into the gig itself about 10pm, missing any support band that may have been on, and settled down the front.

After some problems with the keyboards the band came on with their usual opener, Puppet Life, which got everyone moving.

The setlist was mainly gleaned from the Laughing Academy album, plus a few singles, plus the odd song which never made it onto vinyl (as it was then).

The highlight for me was the rendition of Obsession, a tale of a man who stalks and kills a girl he fancies. Sounds jolly doesn't it? But it's a wonderful dark song which was often the last thing I heard as I went to bed as a youngster - it never fails to raise the hairs on the back of my neck even after all these years.

They'd not played it for a while and guitarist Nev obviously wasn't very confident of his memory as he had his lyrics for this track printed out and put in front of his mic stand. I suspect it was more of a mental crutch as he didn't need to use it. The whole crowd knew the lyrics anyway.

(right) Lyrics to Obsession written out for Nev

And then the gig was over and we were out in the cold Tyneside air where we got a number for a taxi from Jimi Giro's daughter. I don't think she was very impressed when our taxi arrived first.

On the way back to our hotel it was interesting to witness the nightlife in the centre of the city - every bit as stereotypical as you'd expect - scantilly dressed women tottering around in high heels defying the wintry winds blasting across the city.

We were delighted to see one young lass, eating her chips whilst sitting on a tiny window ledge - her arse slipped and she fell off, legs in the air and chips everywhere. I think it's fair to say she was more upset about losing her chips than her dignity...

Show No Mercy

I've not been to Cleethorpes for a few seasons now - I have to say it's not one of my favourite away trips even though there a couple of middling pubs. I think I just find the place depressing (which is odd since I don't mind visiting Luton - I suppose the trip home is shorter though).

And this season would be no exception as once again I was having a late night out on the Friday to see one of my all-time favourite bands and decide to stay in bed and miss the game against Grimsby.

Now you'd all probably heard of Hawkwind who I went to see a few weeks ago but how many of you have heard of Punishment of Luxury? Few, if any, of you I suspect.

Well let me tell you that they're probably the best band that never made it to the big-time - I know the list of such bands is endless but in this case I'm right!


(left) Punishment of Luxury


Punilux hail from Newcastle and are generally described as a post-punk band. I first saw them at the City Hall in Newcastle as support to Ferryhill's best known export, Penetration, and they blew me away.

Their first single, Puppet Life, is know to most fans of post-punk and their first album, Laughing Academy, was critically acclaimed.

And there's the rub. Their music and gigs were lauded far and wide but they seemed to suffer from a lack of support from label United Artists who spent more of their time and money promoting the Stranglers.

Eventually the band split up in 1983 after various record label issues - plus a little too much of the rock'n'roll lifestyle according to bassist Jimi Giro - and although guitarist Nevilluxury had a version of the band going in London for a few years in 1984 - which neatly coincided with my arrival there - this also petered out after a year or so.

So for the past 20-odd years there's been very little happening - the odd CD release of old demos but that was it. And then they all got back together for bassist Jimi Giro's 50th birthday and before we know it they were making their first appearance in the capital for about 25 years when they played Kilburn's Luminaire in the summer.

And then we get another gig in Camden a few months later - what did we do to deserve this? I met up with three-quarters of the band outside the venue - old chum Neville running late - and joined them for their sound-check which is always fun.

They're a great bunch and are quite surprised at the level of interest that there still is in the band. They were even covered in an article in the Guardian by a fellow fan who shares my memories.

In recent years there's been a huge increase in the number of bands reforming and going on tour - from the likes of Spandau Ballet to little known punk bands. Is it because today's music is so bland or simply a way of re-living our youth? Probably a bit of both but I'm quite happy to see these bands again.

There are a couple of young bands supporting this evening - fresh-faced things starting out in the music biz, quite in contrast to the time-worn figures of Punilux - who more or less matching their fans who've turned up in droves to re-live those far off days.

However the years drop away as the band hit the stage - vocalist Brian Bond theatrically acting out the songs in a style reminiscent of Genesis-era Gabriel (but thankfully without the masks) whilst Jimi and Steve providing the pounding rhythm and Nev the cordantly discordant guitar sound that is their trademark.

(right) Brian Bond - the dungarees still fit

The sound is tight as a drum and they're getting better with each gig - and clearly having fun. I just hope they hang on for a few more years as it's clear we've not had enough yet.

So what has this got to do with Darlo? Very little but if there are many more gigs like this then my loyalty is going to be divided.

Punilux always deliver - not so the Quakers. There only so much punishment I can take you know!

Don't worry - a normal football and pub-based service should be resumed soon...