Saturday 23 August 2008

... of pronking, Spearhead, Thirsk and more

What a week!

On Monday a mate of mine came to me and asked me to give him and his missus a lift the next day to Sheffield to see Spearhead and Michael Franti at the Leadmill. He had been let down through no fault of his 'lift' and was trying to give his lady her first night out in over six months. I decided to say yes because I had already watched Michael Franti's film about Beirut and loved the idea of seeing him live.

I also had another reason. I have a beautiful daughter who has recently married an good man who is in the army. They moved in June up to his base and we sort of lost touch. I recently got an email from her which worried me.

This trip gave me a chance of 'popping' in to see her.

... so, Tuesday came and at two o'clock in the afternoon we finally set off. It was a good drive and we arrived where we were going to sleep over with friends of my mate, In Kirkby-in-Ashfield.

We sat and had a 'paned' -welsh for a cuppa - then set off to Sheffield. We got to the Leadmill late - about 7.45pm. Parking was a pain until we found the station car park - almost next door to the club.

7 Leadmill Rd
Sheffield, S1 4SE
0114 221 2828
Get directions

2 reviews and more »
Open Mon-Wed 10pm-2am; Thu 9:30pm-2am; Fri 9:30pm-4am; Sat 11:30pm-3am

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So park the car, dump all the crap I usually carry in my pockets, and enter the club.

Black painted walls and ceiling, lights, sounds, bass throb, two bars and belligerent looking bouncers - a fairly standard club, not that I know anything more recent than some of the clubs I went into When helping with a show at the Edinburgh Fringe a few years ago.

There were not that many people there when we first walked in although that changed pretty quickly. After about half an hour The DJ finished his thing and Spearhead started setting up.

Franti, Michael and Spearhead
  1. The music and recordings of Michael Franti and Spearhead. Download MP3 audio files, check out the latest tour dates, and come pursue social activism through ...
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Then they started...

... and didn't stop at all for more that two hours!

Superb! Michael Franti and Spearhead kept us all jumping, singing, laughing and sweating... so many of those at the front of the audience were drenched.

Then out into the relative warm of a late August evening and back to the car park... which was just about to shut completely... with lots of Spearhead fan's still inside. Luckily an official man type person was there to sort it all out and we got out with all our fenders intact.

Back to K in A where our host were chatting. Eventually everyone went to sleep apart from C***** and I who, for some reason, stayed talking until 8.15 the next morning.

I then tried to call my daughter but got no answer. I then texted her with a 'Want a visit?'. I got back a when so I got driving... little realising that she was nearly a hundred miles away!

The M1 on a Wednesday morning at rush hour is fast, slow, and ok as long as you don't let it fluff your attitude.

When I could I drove like the wind in order to spend some time with my daughter before I drove us all back to Wales later on that afternoon - The lady wanted to be back in time for her three young children's bedtimes.

I got to see my lovely daughter and we had a short but useful time together.

........ then I drove back to K in A and then 178 miles back to children, sleep and a head full of amazing thoughts!

What an on the spur of the moment buzz.

More please.

.... as for the project?

... exactly!

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