“It’s all a dream, an illusion now” – The Wonder of Wallasey

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I’m home from my epic crawl round the UK now. The new A14 bypass did the job.

After a week away, even Mrs RM may be pleased to see me (EDIT : She is, I brought flowers).  Matt is cutting James’ hair in the kitchen, all is peace and harmony.

I bet you’re expecting me to wish you Happy Christmas, aren’t you.

Bah

Tomorrow I’ll bring you some highlights from my favourite blogs, but tonight I’ll jump ahead to share the best bit from my birthday.  22 December, every year, make a note.

Everyone should finish their birthday at Stanley’s Cask in New Brighton.

Stanley Cask
Or is it Wallasey ?

It’s not been in the GBG for a few years, but as I rolled back from the Wirral coast with a tummy full of beer and on the lookout for the Chinese takeaway with “Lucky” in the name, I knew I had to go in.

Yes

I’m never wrong. As POTUS would say “Trust me“.

Unremarkable boozer, locals congregated at the bar,

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What are they looking at

and hard rock band Legion Green hammering away in the corner.

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This video is priceless.

At the bar, the John Smiths Cask was long gone, replaced by those local beers the CAMRAs like. Oh well, here goes.

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I picked the Liverpool one, what was I playing at
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Proper Head

and found the table in the corner.

Whatever they were playing, it was causing a sensation on the “dancefloor“.

 

My pint was sublime, all was well with the world (my chosen Chinese had closed early but I wasn’t to know that yet).

And then they stopped.  A riot, a white old age riot ensued and somehow Legion Green were persuaded to play overtime with this corking version of Sweet Child o’Mine.  And you know my musical tastes by now.

The house came down.  Not since Lone Justice rocked the Marquee back in ’87 have I seen a band so rapturously received on a wintry Sunday night.

Then, at the exact moment they walked off, THIS came on the speakers at a volume normally reserved for Motorhead.

Look closely and see the singer wipe away a tear. So did I.

“You’ve got to feel, you’re on solid ground” sang a dozen Old Boys in unison.

Only pubs can do this, folks.

 

Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

33 thoughts on ““It’s all a dream, an illusion now” – The Wonder of Wallasey”

  1. Well this Wallonian (or is that Belgium?!) enjoyed this post very much.

    If only New Brighton were still in the league at Sandheys Park this could be one of the great football pubs.

    All the best for the festive season to all here.

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    1. That comment shows wisdom beyond your age, Dave.

      You’d both have loved it. It was the enthusiasm of the drinkers as much as the live music (which was great). I’ve heard top quality live music around Liverpool (Stamps Too in Waterloo springs to mind). Odd that, as Liverpool hasn’t produced any great music over the years, has it?

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      2. “top quality live music around Liverpool” – but not in the White Star when we’ve just gone in for a quiet pint of Draught Bass.
        It was actually nicely quiet a fortnight ago.

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      6. That they were from Caernarfon – and the third one was from Llandudno – was by no means all that they told me about themselves.
        And I had only gone in for a quiet pint of Draught Bass.
        It was two pints after the couple from Jersey insisted on buying us all another drink.

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      7. When I read these comments out of sequence I sometimes wonder what people are on about.

        I’ve just realised you’re talking about your trip to Liverpool rather than my trip to Caernarfon last week!

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      8. Martin,
        Well yes, I was mentioning my trip to Liverpool earlier this month rather than your trip to Caernarfon last week.
        But I could have confused you further by mentioning that during my trip to Liverpool earlier this month I also used the Carnarvon Castle pub where I drank Timothy Taylors and a local ‘mature’ woman got talking to me and introduced me to other regulars.
        My stays in Caernarvon, at the Black Boy and the Anglesey Arms, were a few years ago,.

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  3. Martin,
    Mention of “22 December, every year, make a note” makes me realise that Sunday 22nd December 2024 will be the next time we’ll be in the Anchor on your birthday – and with a diary as busy as yours you had best make a note of it now.
    There’s no guarantee that it’ll still be in the GBG then but the jugged 6X should be as good as ever. .

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