retiredmartin

Where am I ?

Oh, I’m back in Manchester last Wednesday, which is more-up-to-date than BRAPA who’s still on Rugby World Cup Final Day.

When I say last Wednesday, I mean nine days ago, of course. If I meant this week I’d say this Wednesday. Hope that makes sense.

Kathryn Joseph at Band on the Wall, which Stafford Paul will remember as McKenna Brothers’ George & Dragon from the 1860s.

No new GBG pubs left in the centre, so time to admire the bustle of the Northern Quarter once I’d got back from Mobberley.

Five points for identifying the England star.

It’s impossible to not get decent real ale in central Manchester, except before 8am.

WhatPub promises Hyde’s in the public bar at Band on the Wall. It’s even better than that.

Manchester venue, Potteries beer, Glaswegian noise from Rick Redbeard.

Plum Porter in a thick plastic glass, but still a solid NBSS 3.5. Mmmm.

But what do I know. Only this week someone on CAMRA Discourse said “it’s not actually that good“, the first step to having a CAMRA approved list of officially recognised bad beer.

Telling people that Doom Bar, Bass and now Plum Porter aren’t “good beer” is a great look, isn’t it ?

In the interval I contemplated the Rose & Monkey,

but succumbed to a repeat visit to the Smithfield, a bit quieter than on matchday.

The cask range was spot-on.

So of course I went for the keg house Blackjack Pale, cos I can now I’ve ticked the cask. It was, and I’m sorry to get all beery on you, a superbly made beer. And their staff are lovely.

As is Kathryn Joseph, who the even lovelier Chris Dyson alerted me to last year.

Band on the Wall had found Kathryn a Steinway, something even London couldn’t manage. The crowd said not a word for an hour of beautiful but harrowing music, one of my Top 5 gigs (and I’ve seen Cliff Richard).

Only one thing can end a night of craft and songs about infant death and soiling, and that’s crispy beef and noodles from Heaton Moor’s Boho.

But it’s the waving cat you want to see, isn’t it ?