Goldie's Fab Four #24

My highlights and recommendations

Belle and Sebastian (O2 Institute, Birmingham)

Vocalist Stuart Murdoch reckoned this was Belle and Sebastian’s ‘best ever’ Birmingham show. I beg to differ, having caught a storming set at Symphony Hall a few years ago, but let’s not quibble about grades of brilliance. This was certainly another fine performance, with Murdoch on top of his game, bouncing around the stage with spring-toed energy, embracing the crowd with his effervescent good humour.

The fact that B&S incorporate ‘school orchestra’ instruments (recorder, cello, violin) into their always melodic sound is mark of distinction, likewise Murdoch’s wordy narratives. With nine band members on stage, there’s always something to look at, especially as they swap instruments with ease.

The singer mentions the inspiration of punk rock when he spots a ‘Dennis The Menace’ T shirt being worn by one of the audience members he invites on stage for a bop. That may have been the original impetus for the band’s formation, but musically, you can hear the influence of sweet 70s soul and the swing of country music more than Johnny Rotten’s snarl.

The band have been in prolific form, turning out a couple of albums in the space of six months recently, including this year’s ‘Late Developers’ but they respect the heritage and dot classics like ‘The Boy With The Arab Strap’ throughout the show. Quite right too.

This gig had been postponed (I think) four times because of the pandemic and then illness, but it was well worth waiting for.

Henry Normal

It’s difficult to imagine a less starry ‘star’ than comedian and poet Henry Normal who I interviewed last week for the Made In The Midlands podcast.

As one of the founders of the Baby Cow production house, his creative hand helped bring sitcom classic ‘The Royle Family’ to the screen. He’s a long time collaborator with Steve Coogan, helping write the Paul and Pauline Calf series, and was Executive Producer on Coogan’s hit movie ‘Philomena’.

All of which might swell a man’s head as well as his bank balance. Yet onstage on off he exudes a down to earth niceness that is all too rare in life, never mind on the stand-up circuit.

There were plenty of laughs during the podcast recording at the Palace Theatre in Newark, where he recalled growing up in the inner city ‘slum clearance’ district of St Anne’s in Nottingham.

He said that people there really didn’t lock their doors, such was the strong sense of community.

He also recalled the funny side of football hooliganism on the Trent End at Nottingham Forest, where skinheads would sing bizarre songs like “I’m a knock kneed chicken of a bow-legged hen” whilst looking hard.

The best moment was a story about one of the most important lessons he learned at school - and it had nothing to do with passing exams.

It brought me and Henry to tears and might just do the same to you.

Newark, Nottinghamshire

I’d never been to this quirky Notts town before interviewing Henry last weekend, but I’ll definitely return. It’s got a stack of history, some fantastic old buildings, a book festival, a beautiful theatre and several handsome pubs. What it hasn’t got - yet - is gentrification, which means that bar prices are still reasonable and the locals are friendly and down to earth. Lovely place.

WBA season ticket

I threatened not to do it, but here I am. New season ticket to the Albion for me and one of the kids. Not sure if we’re all ‘bonded by belief’ or just ‘dogged by delusion’, but the new season is nearly upon us and I’m excited again.