Keen readers (if you are reading this, that means YOU! Congratulations! You are the last one left) will notice that once again I am a day late in the online publication of this weeks jibber-jabber. I’d love to offer some manner of excuse, but I simply can’t be bothered to think of one. Just as yesterday I simply couldn’t be bothered to remember to click “send” on the email, and just noticed it still sat here this morning. Sorry.
There is a fair bit on this weekend, but first I’d like to say how thrilled I am that once of the finest and longest running pieces of broadcasting, Gardeners Question Time, is coming to the Yorkshire Event Center on the 10th of September… The Yorkshire Event Centre is one of them buildings down on the Yorkshire Showground innit? Anyway, I would go to this myself and to try to monopolize the question asking, with repeated inquiries about how to get cats to stop doing their dirty dirt in my garden; however, since all the cats in my neighborhood have mysteriously vanished recently this will not be necessary. So instead I will be outside selling my home made kebab meat – it’s Purrr-fect!
Also somewhat on the horizon, Straightshooter are playing the Den in Harrogate on the 19th September; I realize that is some time away but these guys don’t play in Harrogate very often… which is kind of like me, apart from the fact that they are actually good.
As it goes, it is in fact true that a) I’m not very good, and 2) I now play much less in Harrogate than I used to, for personal reasons (see point a). To be fair, it took 18 years for people to suss out I’m not really that good… that is because I am “intellibad”, kind of like latterday Radiohead albums. Anyway, to keep talking about me, would be entirely natural for me, so I shall continue: the Facebook massive may have noticed that I am going to stop doing Saturdays on the top floor of Rehab soon. This is because I have got a residency in Manchester. Seeing as this page is meant to be about what is happening in Harrogate, it would be churlish of me to go on about me taking my Saturday-night-mad-skilz to Manchester, save to say that it is a bit of a challenge and I’m looking forward to it. I quite enjoyed my stint on Saturdays at Rehab and will continue to work there whenever they will let me, but basically the opportunity of going over to Manchester seemed too good to pass up… particularly if I am going to meet my self imposed target of being able to retire by 40 and exist on an exclusive diet of King Scallops, Champagne and collectable Star Wars figurines. As it is, I’ll be playing Saturdays at rehab for another couple of weeks, culminating in a “farewell” night on Saturday 13th September incorporating “Pussy’s Penthaus” burlesque night. After that I’ll be going back to doing Bottom of the Bottle there, the Rock night I run, once every month or so, with the next one being the Pre-Hallowe’en Party on Sunday 26th October. If I’m brutally honest, I really need that night to be a good one if I am gonna carry on putting Metal, Punk and Rock bands on in town. Running gigs for the love of it is all well and good but writing this column doesn’t buy me king scallops, and whilst it IS true that I put bands on for the love, it is the love of Star Wars Collectable figurines, and they don’t pay for themselves.
Into the more immediate future then: I don’t know that the Fatback Five – who play at The Blues Bar on Sunday in the evening – ARE good but I have been TOLD that they are GREAT and I trust the guy who told me implicitly. I mean, I wouldn’t trust him with my collection of Victorian Scud Mags, but I’d let him use my bathroom, it’s that kind of trust. They are on at 9pm and seriously I’ve heard they are fantastic. I will be playing at rehab that night so won’t be able to go, someone tell me if I can trust my correspondent, or if I need to break his sexy nose.
This coming Tuesday, being the first Tuesday of the month, has The Fat Badger’s Beer Club. This month it is hosted by The Pennine Brewery. As ever it includes canapés and 2 courses, with paired beers, all for £20pp. I’ve been to this loads of times and it is a good and inexpensive night out, freeing up more of my disposable income to invest in things like Victorian Scud mags and collectable Star Wars figurines.
Friday (that being tonight) has got loads of stuff on, so without further preamble here are my favorite picks of them:
Henshaws Arts & Crafts Centre in Knaresborough holds their monthly “Friday Night Mix”. This month it features live music from The Shades, Impyus and Greetings From The Future. Whilst f you are in Harrogate The Den has live music from Set Sails & Hell Fire Jack. Both of those gigs are really good line ups, so that’s the Rock kids happy. Meanwhilst if you are into house music Retro Bar has got Playtime House Night on, with Playtime Residents plus guest DJ John Ward. So that’s the dance kids happy and the Rock kids… if you class yourself as being into R’n’B however, I suggest you stay in and listen to A LOT of other music and perhaps you will be able to work out where you are going wrong.
Saturday seems to largely be business as usual, but Retro Bar has live music from Selby Green on, which is more or less business as usual for them… I think Selby Green play there like every other week, so they must be doing it right! I’m not talking you through the other listings, you can read them for yourself below, or just skip through them like most people do to see if anyone has left a comment at the bottom saying this was a more dull read than finding out who has joined what local law firm. Seeing as next week I’m starting a monthly quiz night at the Den on the first Thursday of the month, it is likely that this article will be submitted on time so that I can give that a “fair and even handed” amount of coverage.
Here are this week’s Listings:
FRIDAY 29th August
Henshaws Arts & Crafts Centre, Knaresborough: The Friday Night Mix. Live music from The Shades, Impyus, Greetings From The Future.
Retro Bar, Playtime House Night with Playtime Residents & guest John Ward.
Blue Bar, live music from Junkhouse Dog, free entry.
The Den, live music from Set Sails & Hell Fire Jack.
Christies Bar, The Matt Goldberg Band Live, Free Entry.
Lure Bar, Shuffle with Toby Skinner. House, Breaks & Funk.
Moko Lounge, Shakalaka Boom Club night.
Rehab Nightclub, “Electro Circus” dance Night. Free entry.
SATURDAY 30th August
Retro Bar, live music from Selby Green. Free Entry.
Blues Bar, live music with the Jed Thomas Blues Band
Rift & Co. Bar, front bar Dj Tex (Soul & R’n’B), main room Disco Dave (upfront dance and chart) free entry.
Viper Rooms, Angel Lee & Neil Jaques upstairs, Harvey Westwood Downstairs. Door charge applies, or contact the venue for guest list before 11pm.
Moko Lounge, Drop Out house night. Door charge applies, or contact the venue for guest list before 11pm.
Rehab nightclub, two floors of music: Top Floor : Dj Trev (Rock, Indie, Party Rap, Alternative & Guilty Pleasures) 10pm ‘til 4am.Downstairs: Doors open 8pm with Pop & Dance music from Djs Wayne & James. Free entry.
SUNDAY 31st August
Blues Bar, live all day: Wildwind Ghost 3pm, TBC 6pm & the Fatback Five 9pm.
Empress on the Stray, Bank Holiday BBQ.
Rehab Nightclub, Dj Trev’s Sunday Social, whatever music happens to be working that night, interspersed by terrible requests.
Viper Rooms. Peek-a-Boo R’n’B night.
Hales Pub, live acoustic night.
Fat Badger, Cold Bath Road, Pub Quiz.
MONDAY 1st September
The Den: Vimeo v’s Youtube Horror Night.
The Harlow Inn, Otley road, Pub Quiz.
So! Bar, Otley Road, Pub Quiz.
Rehab, late bar.
Blues Bar, fully hosted fully entertaining open mic session, hosted by Pete Oliver.
Moko Lounge nightclub, Karaoke.
TUESDAY 2nd September
The Fat Badger, Beer Club with The Pennine Brewery. 3 courses & Paired beers, £20pp.
The Blues Bar, live music from The Pete Oliver band, Free entry.
The Tap n’ Spile pub, folk night.
Pitcher & Piano Re:Session cheap drinks night.
Rehab nightclub, Dj Max Czernic.
Moko Lounge Nightclub, “Skint” main room upfront dance and electro, VIP Room Rock Box Rock night Dj Jaye Selway.
Rift & Co. Bar, “Back to Rev’s” House Night, Half Price Drinks with Toby Skinner.
Coach and Horses Pie and Peas night with proceeds to Martin’s House Children’s Hospice.
WEDNESDAY 3rd September
The Harlow Pub “Midweek Madness” pub quiz with Dj Tim Paul.
The Regency Pub, big screen quiz.
Rehab nightclub, Dj Max Czernic. Anything goes party set with Harrogate’s next big hair.
The Blues Bar, live music from the Paul Middleton Angst band .
Thanks for reading, drink responsibly and don’t be loose with your affections.
Trev x x x
