Going Rogue

I do my first cycling in five weeks on Monday and they bring out the Derny as there are only eight of us in the session. So, it’s bloody hard work. 

Tuesday is the first of my two gigs this week as I go see Belly at the Rescue Rooms. 

L’s Wednesday is typical of her week - a run, a gym session, a stretch class and a swim while the Lad and I have dog training. 

On Thursday, L runs with Daughter who is now on a training plan to pass the Police Bleep Test in April. While L is then in Derby, I go rogue and go to David Lloyd on my own using L's guest pass to do the gym over lunch. 

In the evening L swims at Colwick with her new neoprene booties and gloves which come in a nice shade of dayglow orange while the Lad and I do a 8.2k training run for the Leaf Kick next weekend. 

On Friday, it’s the second of my gigs and for this we drive up to Leeds where we stay in the Holiday Inn Express. L is with me and so is the Lad. I am going to see Feeder at the Academy and it’s a 20-minute walk to gig from the hotel. On the way I dine out in Morrisons. 

After the gig I meet them in the hotel bar where we chat to a couple of other Feeder fans but we don’t speak to the crowd who have arrived back from seeing Simply Red at the First Direct Arena. 

There is no coincidence that L is with me on Friday night because the next day is obviously a Saturday which is Parkrun day. We run at Roundhay Park where we also grab coffee and a croissant because they hadn’t got much else. 

Then we head back home where I drop L in Borrowash. She heads home on the Indigo bus while I shop for my dad and make it to Aston halfway through the first half of Derby’s 12:30 kick off at Wrexham. The game ends in a 1-1 draw. L and I go to Stapleford on the bus later with the Lad. 

Sunday is the Robin Hood Half which we go and watch. Then later we head with Daughter to Coventry where me meet Son and his wife in the Red Lion where we actually get a Sunday Lunch although they are out of beef, so I have gammon. They also have Landlord Dark to drink which was formerly known as Ram Tam. Unfortunately, no one knew what Ram Tam was, hence they changed the name to something more boring.

(Sunday 28^th September) 

Feeder

I arrive at the Academy and the queues are massive. It takes ages to get in which is inexcusable really but I eventually get in, get down to the front and even get a pint. However, I have already missed half of the support band. It was 7pm doors for a 7:30pm support act. That never really works until your venue is tiny. The Academy is far from tiny. It’s only at this point that I realise that I may booked through 02 Priority. Which I thought was just priority for getting a ticket and not queueing but I think I may have been able to queue jump. Next time! 

 

The support band are called Everyone Says Hi and are a super(ish) group named after a David Bowie song. They feature Nick Hodgson the former drummer from Kaiser Chiefs, Pete Denton the former bass player from The Kooks, Ben Gordon from The Dead 60s, Glenn Moule from Howling Bells and local Leeds guitarist Tom Dawson. They are decent, extremely competent but very dull. 

And so to Feeder playing their 2002 album ‘Comfort In Sound’. This is the first night of the tour and therefore their first ‘album in full’ show after constant nagging from their fanbase. Although I must say not particularly for this album but it’s an understandable choice for a first stab. This is the album that finally catapulted them into the big time and the arenas. The record has been remastered for the occasion and there will also be a live album, which is another first for the band. 

It is also an emotional album for everyone as it was the first one written and released after the suicide of the band’s drummer Jon Lee when we weren’t even sure that the band would continue. It’s a fragile record about lived experiences and tonight they turn this into an almighty attribute to Lee. 

 

We’re in order so that means we’re straight into ‘Just The Way I’m Feeling’ for which having the lyrics up on the big screen makes it even more moving. Meanwhile the band remain mute as regards talking to the crowd for the duration of the album. A decision that makes it even more dramatic and emotional. They simply get on with it, with no fuss but plenty of style. 

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m no great fan of full album shows, as all bands have albums with stuff we want to hear again but also stuff that are fillers. I’d much rather bands just dig out the rarely played oldies that people are asking for but I also get this is about savouring a whole body of work and tonight their performance of it is flawless. 

 

Among the ones that everyone has been wanting to hear again are ‘Find The Colour’, which comes with great visuals of Jon Lee, and ‘Forget About Tomorrow’, a potent reminder to appreciate every day. Both of which were singles back in the day. Personally, I am particularly stoked to hear the glorious ‘Helium’ played again. 

The last track on the record is ‘Moonshine’ and, at its conclusion, we are left with a huge photo of Jon amid loads of claps, cheers and chanting until the lights finally go out. Once again, I’ll use that word - emotional. 

The playing of the album was much better than I expected and, to be fair, totally blew me away. So that shows you how little I know about playing whole albums. However just when you think they can’t top that, the encore steps things up a level. 

 

It starts predictably enough with a totally acoustic solo ‘High’ from Grant which is as sublime as ever, followed by the ever present ‘Feeling a Moment’ and a pumping ‘Pushing The Senses’ but then we get two never played b-sides from the ‘Comfort In Sound’ era. 

‘Feel It Again’ is in many peoples Feeder top 10 but has only been played once ever at a festival. It sounds amazing tonight. While ‘Opaque’ has never been played before and is just awesome. Both tracks were b-sides to ‘Come Back Around’ which was the opening single from the album and their comeback record after Jon Lee’s death. So, all very appropriate and now I can die happy. 

One finally twist tonight is that while they finish with the usual tumultuous ‘Just A Day’ they don’t play ‘Buck Rogers’ and, you know what, nobody dies. 

Despite my misgivings this has been their best set in years. Comfort In Sound, it’s all around. Indeed. 

Belly

Tonight Belly are at a sold-out Rescue Rooms as part of the 30th anniversary celebrations of their second album ‘King’. 

There is no support act and as we wait for the band to play the first of two sets we listen to an oddly Kim Deal heavy selection of warm up music. 

Then they come on stage to play the first of two sets which sees them perform ‘King’ in full in its original order including the likes of the very rarely played ‘L'il Ennio’. 

‘King’ was released in 1995 and was meant to be the album that built on the success of their first in 1993. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen for them and Tanya Donelly broke up the band a year later. 

It wasn’t until they got back together ten years later that their third album ‘Dove’ was recorded in 2018. Which was the last time they were in Nottingham and as bass player Gail Greenwood says there seems to be plenty of repeat offenders here tonight. 

The songs still sound great today and while I’ve always thought I preferred their first album, now thirty years on I’m not so sure. The likes of ‘Puberty’, ‘Superconnected’, ‘Now They'll Sleep’ and ‘Seal My Fate’ all sound amazing this evening. 

After just a 15-minute break they come back on to play a second set throughout which Donelly repeatedly apologises for messing up and starting songs in the wrong key. Not that we’ve noticed. 

 

The set opens with the b-side ‘Thief’ but thereafter leans heavily on their debut album ‘Star’ as they rattle through ‘Dusted’, ‘Gepetto’, ‘Low Red Moon’, ‘Slow Dog’ and ‘Feed the Tree’ with ‘Human Child’ from their third album ‘Dove’ in the middle. Then they close the set with another off ‘Dove’ in ‘Shiny One’ 

They return for a one song encore, the slow building ‘Full Moon Empty Heart’ and then that’s it for another bunch of years. 

Post-Holiday Fitness Campaign

L and the Lad both start the week moping around with post-holiday blues. She has also either picked up a cold or is simply allergic to being back at home. Despite this she declares, as she always does, that the post-holiday fitness campaign starts now and heads off to two Pilates in one day although she isn’t impressed with either of them. 

Personally, I thought we had a pretty active holiday, it’s not as if we sat for two weeks on a beach. I mean, look at the state of the Lad. He’s exhausted. 

I open the week with a committee meeting which means I miss my post-holiday fitness campaign track cycling. Then I come home and binge watch other people cycling e.g. La Vuelta. 

L’s post-holiday fitness campaign ticks up a notch on Tuesday with a gym and another Pilates class that goes down better than Monday’s although she says she aches from those tame ones that she didn’t like. The Lad has a shock to his system when he’s back at dog training for the first time since July. 

Wednesday... up another notch with a stretch class and a swim. Then on Thursday all three of us run 6.5k on the park. I’m impressed with us! Then Friday she has her PT. 

Daughter has a wellbeing afternoon on Friday which she is due to spend playing indoor golf. Unfortunately, her wellbeing is not looking forward to it. I have an entire wellbeing week next week and I’m not looking forward to that either. 

Saturday’s parkrun is at Alvaston which is their 250^th and the first one for while with no mid-race dip for the Lad. Then I watch Derby lose at home to Preston with my Dad. Normal Saturday service is resumed in the evening as we’re back in the Plough. I hope it missed us.

Sunday is our usually trip to Colwick and then L comes with me and the Lad to visit my Dad as it’s his 97th birthday. We take him for a drink at the New Inn where my Dad celebrates with a Tia Maria chaser. He’s happy with his day so we take him home for a nap and then just the two of us head to the Clock Warehouse for a meal where the Sunday lunches have run out but we still get a decent meal.

 (Sunday 21^st September)

Shetland

On Sunday we start our summer holiday, a two-week trek including five days on the Shetland Islands somewhere L has always wanted to go. It has only recently been possible to take your dog without consigning them to twelve hours either in a kennel or your car. So we though we’d give it a go. 

We meander our way north via the Errington Coffee House, a former pub near Hadrians Wall before staying at the Holly Bush Inn at Greenhaugh. Our small walk makes it rain so we revert to the room, feed the Lad and dry off before heading down for food in the bar. 

 

We do a walk, in the dry, at Kielder in the morning before visiting Hawick to get an anniversary card for Son. Then we roll into Stirling where we check into the quite posh Stirling Highland Hotel for two nights. There’s no beer to speak of at the hotel and they are also unforgivably short on scotch whiskies but the nearby Settle Inn close to Stirling Castle has the legendary Wee Jock on draught. So, I cope. 

 

Tuesday takes in two bookshops and a walk out to the Sterling Old Bridge and the Beheading Stone (yes, really) but we spend part of the afternoon back in the hotel room as the new Cormoran Strike book The Hallmarked Man is released and we do the first hour of the audiobook. 

The next day we head to Aberdeen via Forfar and a walk along the promenade. Once in Aberdeen, we go to queue for the overnight ferry to Shetland and listen to more of the book as we wait. On the boat we have a dog friendly cabin that only has two beds, so the Lad has to share with me which means neither of us gets much sleep. That apart the boat is good although I find the fact the restaurant closes at 8pm, only one hour after the ferry departs, a little odd. 

 

We arrive in Lerwick at 7:30am and find a café to indulge in a full English\full Scottish. We then drive around the south part of the Mainland with a takeaway coffee at an old Watermill before arriving at our accommodation in Scalloway a little early at 1pm but our room is ready. So, we head to our room for more book. 

We drive around more of the island on Friday and we even hit the beach where L swims. We find a bookshop for L but it’s all second-hand books, so she’s doesn’t buy anything. Back in Scalloway we try the Kiln bar which is the only other pub apart from our hotel but I have to drink keg Greene King, which is obviously very un-Scottish. 

We eat in the hotel for the second night in a row but this time they won’t let us have the restaurant menu in the bar as they did on the first night. So, the lad goes in the car so we can eat in comfort and I can consume their expensive but very nice scallops. The beer is better in the hotel as they have Shetland beers but mainly in cans and they have the local Norn whiskey. 

On Saturday we skip breakfast, because it’s parkrun day, and head to Lerwick from where we get another ferry to the island of Bressay where Parkrun is held. The Lad isn’t impressed that he’s on another boat and hides under the table. 

There is a bit of a delay until Parkrun starts because it’s so popular they wait for a second ferry to bring more runners across. Once that arrives, they walk us down to the start of an out and back course that doesn’t come all the back to the ferry terminal because it ends at the local cafe. The course is all tarmac, surprisingly un-flat and not unsurprisingly windy. 

The Speldiburn Cafe is great, busy but well planned with instant coffee, breakfast cobs and cake. We indulge in all of those things. Then we get the ferry back and visit the Lerwick Distillery which is open and the Lerwick Brewery which isn’t. Then another coffee in the Cornerstone cafe back in Scalloway and a pint outside our hotel before heading back to the room where I offer L a choice of me or Cormoran Strike or a bit of both. 

That was our last night on Shetland. We check out on Sunday morning, drive to the west of the island and visit the cake fridge cafe, which is closed of course, like most things in Scotland in September, but their cake fridge has an honesty box so we have £10s worth. 

Then we board the boat in Lerwick to head back to Aberdeen. We are pre-warned of rough seas and they are not kidding. It was a rough crossing but we calm our nerves with more book. It's character building they say and the three of us survive the night and the trip. 

Back in Aberdeen we park up and walk long the front taking in a Halal breakfast, which is novel, nice and the only place open so early. Then we drive to Cove Bay and then Stonehaven for what is shockingly the first ice cream of the holiday. We then head into the Cairngorms along a remote but scenic valley to Glen Clova. 

We appear to be literally in the middle of nowhere and it’s feels very Langdale-esk. We check in to our hotel and walk up to a small local loch before visiting the hotel bar where we return later for an evening meal and I have the local deer steak on my plate, L has a rather nice veggie Jalfrezi. We return the following night and I have the deer chilli! They also have an Orkney beer on the bar. 

 

During the day, on Tuesday, we attempt to follow a route called the Ministers Path but it is frequently blocked by fallen trees and is not well marked, so we end up turning around halfway. Then on Wednesday we walk from nearby Glen Doll towards the Balmoral Estate but there’s no sign of good King Charlie. Then we drive to our next stop at the Old Aberlady Inn in Aberlady. 

This is just a one-night stopover as we head next to Peebles via the Scottish Bird Watchers Centre and then North Berwick where we have coffee and cake in the Doughnut café before another stop at Stow for the bookshop. We grab a decent pint from Loch Lomond Brewery in the Bridge Inn before eating in the Cross Keys where we are staying. 

We cross back into England on Friday via Traquair House which is thankfully closed on Fridays and therefore doesn’t cost us £15 per head just to buy beer from their brewery which is why we went but that is also closed. We arrive in Amble, which is our next and final stop, and visit the ex-Tourist Information Centre which is now a pub called the Cock n Bull. We check into our apartment at Amble Harbour Retreats and then eat in the Schooner which finds us a table at no notice. We both have the Thai curry. I also have Scallops which are a £3.50 each here and not the £5 each they were in Scalloway. We are impressed enough to rebook for Saturday. 

Then it’s the second parkrun of the holiday and another one on L’s extensive wish list. This on is at Druridge Bay Country Park which is two laps of a very handy lake or so the Lad thinks so. He then also gets a romp on the nearby beach before we indulge in bacon cobs and coffee back in their cafe. We head back to the room then as the pressure is on to the finish the Hallmarked Man before the end of the holiday. 

Sunday is our last day and after finding a cafe for breakfast, we head home and finish book on the way. 

(Sunday 14^th September)