The world famous (in Manchester) HopGoblin Big Band were invited to play for Mike’s birthday bash in Crime Crook, County Durham. We had a right good time…and I think Mike did too.
The crew bus set a course north and off we trundled. We stopped off at Richmond, famous for me & No2 son Nicholas stopping there on our Coast-to-Coast walk (he was 8 years old at the time) getting on for 30 years ago, and having a nice car park by the river. And a public loo.
We took photographs, ate butties, went to the loo, and then continued on our way to the northlands.
Mike had sorted accommodation for the supergroup, HopGoblin Big Band: The Pink House. Which was very pink. And had a hot tub.
We (mostly) arrived on the Friday, and spent a jolly evening eating too much, probably drinking a bit too much, feeding Mike and Lucky, and generally have a lovely time. Mike and Lucky left us at around 10pm, in search of a nice malt….but don’t tell Mrs Pie, she might give him a hard time.
After dinner music and stuff. Notice how cheerful we all are.
Next morning, at stupid o'clock, I nipped out for a nice little 5 mile run. It was only a bit very hilly. Nice though.
Mid-morning saw us (Ho-ho!….see what I did there?) going to Barnard Castle.
The last time I was here was 20+ years ago, on the occasion of the late and lamented Teesdale Thrash.
We had lunch, wandered around the town, played some music, got bitten by midges (in the middle of November!) and generally had a nice time.
Back at the (pink) ranch we prepared for the evening’s fun, games, and dancing. It was good. I ate too much. Some folk drank too much. Most of Mike’s guests danced a lot.
HopGoblin playing an inbetweeny warm-up tune: Jenny Lynd Polka
Wanna buy a guitar? £5 to you.
Anton's Chocolate Cake & Chips, right - on so many levels
Happy Birthday Cake
Rob in dance caller mode
It was lovely to see Geoff & Chrissie for the first time in far too long, and to finally meet up with Li Yang – famous for walking stupidly long distances whilst grinning and enjoying every minute of it.
We all had a lovely, lovely evening. And we sang Happy Birthday to Mike. And I remembered how to play the tune.
It was all good.
The wild after gig party: about to chuck a telly out of the window. We're just so Rock 'n Roll.
Back at the ranch we were all buzzing, it was past 3am when I finally hit the sack.
Next day was Remembrance Sunday, a day I always treat with respect, and I took myself off to observe the two minute silence.
A charabanc outing to Durham was on the cards for Sunday. Only my second visit to the city, it’s quite beautiful. You should go. There had been a Remembrance Day parade earlier in the day, there were lots of ex-servicemen and women still around.
We had lunch, visited the cathedral, busked a bit, and generally played at being tourists. The busking bit ended up earning us enough dosh to pay the car park charge, plus around £1.50 ea – the big time at last.
That evening we met up with Mike & Margaret at a pub. We hoped to play some music but the grumpy landlady wasn’t having any of it. How different to our musical trips to Spain and Portugal where playing and singing in bars and cafés was deemed compulsory.
Next day we headed for home, not directly, but via a Saxon church up the road in Escomb – a fascinating building.
A further deviation to our homeward course was called for, I needed to call in to Leeds to see Lilo & Trish, it was really lovely to see them again – it must be ten years since we last met.
And then I went home, unloaded the crew-bus, and crashed out for an hour – it had been a busy and fun weekend!
Thanks to Mike for asking us to play at his special birthday ceilidh, to Margaret (Mrs Pie) who made sure we all ate far too much and to both of them for making us all feel so very welcome.
Oh, and my thanks to the rest of the wonderful HopGoblin Big Band for venturing north and being forced to enjoy themselves, it’s hard work being in a supergroup y’know.
Now the bad news: we’ll be back.
A few more pics from Rob, who, amongst many other things he's good at, is a pretty marvellously gifted photographer:
If you're not bored to death by now, the rest of the photographs are here.
