Mike came over from Manchester and we trundled over to Bingley with Lee and the kids for the free day of the Bingley Music Festival. There was lots of mud around which made it feel like a real festival. We got there in the rain in time to enjoy The King Blues who had a great ska sound with an anti-BNP stance (plus swearing).

In the break before Natty we popped up to the fair rides to giggle at drunk teens going green whilst being thrown around. Natty tried their hardest to bring a little sunshine with them and gave a good account of himself/themselves.

Id previously seen the Alabama 3 at Glastonbury in 2002 when they were early on the bill and didnt really take off, but tonight they were fabulous. Sir Eddie Real came on first and drummed on a wooden box along to a loud, heavy electro beat and eventually there were 9 bodies on stage rocking it out in style. Rev D. Wayne and Larry Love commanded the stage and got the crowd going. Devlin Love, their female singer was slight in build but had a massive voice. Woke up this morning, Hello.Im Johnny Cash, Monday dont mean anything to me, You dont dance to techno anymore.everyone a winner.

Lee took the kids home then Which band did you like the best Matty? The last ones, they were cool!

The last time Mike and I saw The Bunnymen together was 23 years ago at Glasto and they were just as good tonight. They started with Rescue, they went on to do Villiers Terrace, The Killing Moon, Bring on the Dancing Horses, Seven Seas, The Cutter and the couple of new ones they did were excellent too! My personal fave was a blistering version of The Back of Love. The band were really tight with a big coated, shades wearing Macca in good voice – he did his thing of singing cover versions in the middle of their songs, including a version of Walk on the Wild Side singing Hey Babe, Take a walk on the Merseyside. An Encore of Lips like sugar sent us home very happy indeed what a great day out!

2008 and 1985…..spot the difference….

Upstairs at the Library is a very civilised place for a gig get there early to grab a comfy chair. A wet Tuesday night brought together two wonderful acts.

Bob: I first became aware of The Lodger after Si brought along their debut LP and singles along to the Favourites of 2007 meeting and instantly fell for ‘Many thanks for your honest opinion’ (the last tune in tonights set). Live, they don’t disappoint. Ben Siddall, lead Lodger, was wearing indie-issue red check shirt and thin cardigan (I felt out of place until the guy taking the cash complimented me on my ‘Come on feel the Illonoise’ T-shirt) and played a great set featuring a lot of new material “I wrote the lyrics for this one this morning”. The band were tight and I for one look forward to holding a copy of their new CD

Lee: Lodger intense guitar. Great lyrics, occasionally swamped by guitar but moments of clarity left you wanting more. Backing trio of drum, bass and guitar was faithful in its combination to some of the great indie tunes of the past, all the more appealing because of that.

Bob: The Wave Pictures are indie gold. Lead singer Dave Tattersall asked the crowd to move closer and then beguiled with his superb lyrics, spilling out whilst he gazed longingly at the rafters, with the spot light accentuating the effect of his blonde mane. My favoutite tune seemed to be a stream of consciousness including a section that catalogued the contents of his fridge Awesome.

Lee: Wave Pictures – no intro. No need. Lazy but interesting guitar drew the audience in to the stage, and soon had them toe-tapping. Having enjoyed the perfect indie combo, we were now challenged to listen to eccentric lyrics that demanded our immediate attention. Just like their opening guitar, the Wave Pictures words drew you in to the stage and what started as interesting became indispensable to the evening. Singer charismatically ruling the microphone as well as the audience, whose toe-tapping had evolved to head-nodding and body swinging by the time the third song was introduced.

“If there’s anything anybody wants to hear just ask us…” Someone at the front does “….Oh, I don’t sing that one anymore, but our Drummer does! He’s a local Huddersfield boy!”

Drummer singing, Johnny Cash died today – absolute gem.

– Bob the Chiropodist + Dr Lee PhD

Yesterday we went to ellend road stadium to our first gig, with my dad A.K.A. bob. We got on the shuttle bus and we could have sworn that several people were already drunk!!! When we arrived at around 4, there were at least 5000 people already there. We came just as the first band started playing, they were called the Friendly Fires. There were brilliant but extremely loud. So we asked a security lady near us (we were sitting in the right-bottom-left corner and had a great view) if we could have some earplugs & when she handed them to us we put them in straight away! We could still hear the band but it was more like on a loud stereo than booming at us with its massive speakers so we went up really close!

As the second band came on we went out to get some chips. The queue was very long and we waited for about 20 minutes till we actually got served! In front of us there were these lovebirds, it was GROSS!!! Finally we got our chips and went back to find dad with a friend -jay- chatting away! We waited with dad there for a bit meeting another two of his friends, Jill and Micelle.

By this time the team were getting ready to put Kate Nash on so us two went down too get good spots to see her. After ten minutes of waiting we realised that we had forgot the camera so we were rushing and that was when I, Marisa fell over OUCH!!! But I suppose I was to exited to really gather the pain. Anyway we got the camera and walked, yet again, to the stage. There was now about ten to twenty thousand in there. And Kate Nash gave her songs out, we took many pictures and this very kind woman took one for us too!!! Both of us thought Kate Nash was ace, unlike bob

after a while of watching her we went on another buying look-around it was then when we found a little sweet stall at the side. We also found that it did pick and mix! Bet you cant guess what happens next!!!!!! So, we got back and we listened to Kate Nashs last song, foundations then we moved forward for the enemy and it has to be said they were FABULOUS everyone was cheering them on and shouting out the lyrics, the whole 30000 people must have made a racket!!!

The atmosphere was brilliant, but it kinda spoiled it when people started chucking plastic cups of beer everywhere! Eww! After Kates last song foundations the enemy started playing at that point the atmosphere was brill everyone shouting out the chorus especially on we live and die in these towns and away from here. After the enemy everyone near us was convinced that it was the Kaisers next but NO it was mark ronson djing. The best song he played was Chelsea dagger but we quite enjoyed Valerie.

As he was playing we noticed a big sign saying KAISER CHIEFS on the stage (mark ronson was at the side) so after he finished his last song the sign was pulled down and the Kaiser chiefs started with everything is average nowadays we were near the tech box in the middle so we sat on the rail to see or my dad would lift us up.

We went back to a easy to see the stage spot just as ruby started. The atmosphere wasent as good there but at least we could see them with not much effort they played some new tracks that were quite good. Our favourite track was angry mob because everyone was singing along to it! Modern way stuck out as well also because of everyone cheering them on.

At one point the camera changed the screen to these people dancing and only after a minute did they notice they were on screen. As soon as they started noticing and waving at the camera the camera crew switched it back to the Kaiser chefs during the next song they switched it back to the group of people. They noticed a lot more quicker but it was still funny to watch. We left when the Kaisers were starting the chorus of oh my god my dads friends offered us a lift to where our parked car was but there was a new bus coming in so we decided to take the bus back to our parking spot. It was lucky we did too because by the time we were home they were still in the car park trying to get out!!! We were shattered at that point so it was beans on toast and straight to bed!!! Lucky again that we did the sheets and the duvets before hand!!!

Overall we are really happy that this was our first gig as it was a great one!!!

Marisa & Charlotte