Tuesday 17 April 2007

I had a fantastic weekend!
On Friday I did the long awaited gig with Niall Quinn. The branch that was hosting was based in Langley Park, County Durham. But on the night it was obvious the whole of the Durham Coalfield had turned out. There were some hitches along the way, Niall couldn't arrive until after 9.30 and with 300 Sunderland fans waiting to see their idol I had a bit of work to do to keep them entertained. We stopped for a drink in Chester Le Street beforehand where we bumped into Alex Stepney and John McGovern (both European Cup winners!) drinking in a little back street working men's club....priceless. Arriving at my gig (well, Niall's but you know what I mean) I was taken aback by the amount of people crammed into the venue. The organiser was fantastic if a little worried and harassed. We all got a table at the front and my nerves kicked in. I needn't have worried! Lorri assured me that I would storm it and storm it I did. it was a wonderful feeling doing a great gig in front of your own people. I then compered a question and answer session with the great man himself. he is so passionate, honest and positive, he wowed the crowd and I managed to make him laugh once or twice. I then got very, very drunk. One of the best nights of my professional life.
We went to the match the next day, bumped into some friends I'd not seen in over ten years, enjoyed another Sunderland victory and some rather nice chips and curry sauce!
On the evening we went to see 1977 a punk covers band from Sunderland. Brilliant night, saw some old friends and me and Lorri sang along to every song, feeling "like we're almost 16 again"
However disaster struck on Sunday! The Bungalow Cafe in Roker, somewhere I've whiled away the hours since I was a little boy, is now called Cafe Bugalow does funny coffee, panninis and has become ever so chi chi. No more bacon butties and steaming mugs of tea...progress?...you can keep it!
FTM!