Hooray - they're back in the UK!!
Lizzy and I both have offspring who are students in York, and today fortuitously happens to be the last day of term for both of them - so we can combine clearing out student room trips with going to see Mike's gig as support for Chris Helmes at Fibbers. Neither offspring is coming to the gig however, but then they have their own mates to go out with.
I arrive in York mid-afternoon and spend some quality time with Jim, wandering round ancient York. Lizzy arrives at about 6pm and we meet up at our hotel, the Ramada Encore where we stayed last time. Hotel reception is full of ladies on a hen weekend with pink furry things sticking out of their heads.
We do a bit of catching up and then head into downtown York, first to a pub called the Last Drop (we had a drink in one of them in Edinburgh) which has a definite hanging theme, and sells great beer and cider, Lizzy's favoured tipple. Then on to Fibbers - and as soon as we get in the door, there's Mike and Rusty with their respective ladies, Hannah and Lucy. Its great to see them, and they're pleased to see us. Hannah is actually manning a table near the door selling Mike's CDs. with some success. Ringo and his wife are also there, as well as a number of the crew we met on the previous visit to Fibbers. Also Chris Jones arrives, the guy who took the brilliant pictures currently being used to publicise the new tour.
Mike is on at about 8.45 - he's very relaxed on stage, and a lot less hesitant then he was when we saw him in London last year. He does a brilliant version of Madonna's "Borderline", which is one of my favourite songs, and also an acoustic "Aloneagainor" , alternating between Arthur's and his own vocal lines, which shows off his amazing guitar skills. He's not on for long but then he is the support act.
Chris Helmes of the Yards comes on at about 9.30pm - now a number of folks will have seen Chris when the Yards toured as support to Love, but this guy is just amazing. He has a brilliant voice and I don't know why he's not a big star - I talk to Ringo later, who manages him, and he reckons its because he's not fashionable/new (he was a member of the Seahorses that were a fairly successful band some years ago).
The venue has a club night from 10.30 so Chris is off stage by then. A few drinks and chats with Mike and Rusty and Chris Jones, then we head down the road with Mike and Hannah, who are staying with Ringo. They stop at the nearest kebab van for a death-doner - I taste a bit and it is not nice at all. Lizzy and I decide to go to the decent kebab house on Micklegate near our hotel instead for fresh cooked kebabs, which we take back to our room and consume with a bit of a night cap.
Next stop Sheffield a week on Sunday!
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