Blog: The Sheffield Pop Weekender

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Yesterday I headed up to Sheffield once more, for the The Sheffield Pop Weekender. There's already been a club night on Saturday and an ELECTRICAL gig on Sunday, I was heading over for the Acoustical All-Dayer in The Rutland Arms.

First, however, I needed to check into the Ibis (USUAL SUITE) and then popped to a pub nearby there to meet Ms S Jenkins for a) beer b) NATTER. We got onto THE OLYMPICS and thus slightly more beer than predicted was required, which MAY explain why I spent the next 20 minutes trying to get from the Roebuck Tavern to The Rutland Arms - it's about a five minute walk normally but I got HOPELESSLY LOST and ended up, I think, going round in a massive circle TWICE.

EVENTUALLY I got to the pub to find a PACKED room enjoying the end of The Sunbathers (who were doing a song about why nobody writes songs about living in the East Midlands!) and then to watch Owl And Mouse, who were ACE. There was beer, there was DISCUSSION, also HUGS, and then it was time for The Bobby McGees. I was on after them, and KNEW that they're ALWAYS a hard act to follow ... but this time they not ONLY pulled out all the stops for a GRATE show, but halfway through Jimmy said "It's ten years to the day since me and Eleanor played our first gig... so I thought this would be a good time to ask her to marry me." AND THEN DID!

Everyone sat there a bit stunned - was this STAGECRAFT we wondered, but NO! It was all entirely real and DELIGHTFUL - she did say yes! - and LO! there was much cheering and HALLOOING before the finished off the set. It was AMAZING!!

"Follow that!" I thought to myself, as I set off for the bar to get my In-Gig PINT. "Follow that!" said Mr P Green, and about TEN OTHER PEOPLE in the space of two minutes. I got the message! Here's what I did to attempt to fulfil my duty:

The Peterborough All-Saints Wide Game Team (group B)

Don't, Darren, Don't

Strangely Attractive

It Only Works Because You're here

Billy Jones Is Dead

Do The Indie Kid

The Lesson Of The Smiths

Easily Impressed

Hey Hey 16K

The Gay Train

Boom Shake The Room

It all went EVER so well - well, apart from about halfway through when I thought it would be a good idea to involve everyone in a heated discussion about Which Star Trek Series Was Best, despite nobody even MENTIONING it or, really, wanting to talk about it that much. Otherwise it turned into a bit of a SINGALONG. I was stunned to find that nearly everyone there knew ALL of the words to MOST of the songs - which was very helpful, as the long afternoon of Fine BEER meant I did forget a couple of bits. I'm sure nobody noticed!

It was ACE, and I ended up getting over-excited and doing a THREE SONG Request-led ENCORE, and managed to finish by half-nine, which allowed for another HOUR of sitting around downstairs with a huge mob of DELIGHTFUL people, YAKKING.

It was a fantastic day out for all concerned, really, and a huge feat of organisation to have it STILL be working to time on Day Three. Do it again next year chaps, GO ON!

posted 28/8/2012 by MJ Hibbett

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