28 November 2004

Some strange gigs this weekend, all different and all pretty successful in their own way.
The gig in Halifax was a funny one, the nightclub in question has decided to open on a Thursday as a cafe bar, to attract custom they've been holding comedy nights using mainstream comics. The last couple were resounding successes, with an almost full house. When Roughy rolls in to town, what happens? We had to wait until late for an audience to turn up, I've been to bigger orgies! However they were a great crowd (?) and I worked my bollocks off for them. Result? Booked back in January for a larger fee if I handle the publicity etc.
Catleford was a very different affair for lot's of reasons. The evening started nicely as I took in a pint or two at one of my favourite pubs, The Elephant and Castle ("The Nelly") in Wakefield. It's managed by a good friend of mine and possibly the most miserable landlord in the world! I did cheer him up by taking a copy of the long since deleted "Chords" album from 1979. Strangely enough we'd known each other for 8 years before we found out we had a shared love of Mod revival music from the late 70's. The Nelly is one of those pubs that you often find opposite a main train station that has a an incredible way of reinventing itself as the day progresses, from casual passers by and people waiting for their connecting train to business people grabbing a sandwich and a pint oh and an awful lot of prison officers, as Wakefield top security prison is just down the road. I did actually meet one of my heros, Lord Longford, in there and carried his bags to the station. What a brave bloke he was, drinking for over 20 years in a pub full of screws all refusing to acknowledge he was there! As the night closes in the place starts to fill up with groups of lads, full of hair gel, crap ahirts and too many hormones as well as scantily clad young ladies out for a night on the infamous Wakefield "Westgate Run". Quick journey to Cas. I was doing a sportsman's dinner at the Rugby League club. Strangely I wasn't asked to be there for dinner and so hung around like the spare prick for three hours before I went on. The people were lovely though and I soon met many kindred spirits on the fire escape where we gathered to smoke. Whilst the speakers were speaking I did notice the noise level from a couple of the tables was rising.The compere, some Rugby League commentator from the BBC wasn't strong enough. By the time I came on I had to really lay in to them to get some order, including destroying a table of business women who thought that because they'd spent a fortune on the auction, that that gave them the right to talk through my set. A few choice words from me and the result was a round of applause from the real crowd and a table of red faced female executives! I had a storming gig and have been asked back to do a fund raiser for the supporters club. It was lovely being back in Cas. I have some fond memories of teaching there in the mid nineties, lot's of Vaux beer and shagging a prison officer's wife in the back of his Metro...something tells me despite his faith that Lord Longford would've approved!
Had a long journey to Leicestershire and to a great little working men's club in a delightful village. They were having a cabaret evening, me and sixties band called "Stranded In The Sixties". They were a smashing set of fellows and I sat with their various wives and girlfriends. I was concerned, as this was the first cabaret night the club had held for a long time and it was a full house, unfortunately it was like doing a gig to the cast of "Cocoon". I had to have a rethink on the act I had planned and went on to do squeaky clean, cheeky act that had them pissing themselves (literally in some unfortunate cases!). Re-booked for November next year!
To cap it all Sunderland AFC continued their fine form with a great win away to Stoke.
FTM