retiredmartin

16th April 2023.

Mrs RM came to TWO (2) of my hardcore gigs in mid-April. That string quartet at the Leadmill, and Irish singer-songwriter Ailbhe Reddy at the Brudenell. Can’t get two more ironic venues than that.

Only one drawback, rubbish Leeds trains. So I get to chauffeur Mrs RM to Burley Road and escort her on a guided tour of the cosmopolitan northern suburbs, ghost signs and all.

Now, there’s TWO (2) things to learn before you go to a gig at Leeds’s top venue.

Firstly, there’s two rooms. The one on the left will be housing a gig by some noisy indie kids, the right (or is it east) a more sophisticated affair by a young folkie. Don’t aim for the wrong door, like I did in 2019.

Secondly, know who you’re going to see before the security guy asks you,

and learn how to pronounce it.

“I’ll be ready” I said, pathetically.

“Who ?” etc etc.

Mrs RM was heading for the central bar, anyway, the one open to the public. It’s a GBG perennial and I reckon the Anthology Pale was as good as it gets.

Just a shame Mrs RM was drinking it. And a second pint in short order.

Joy of joys, a seated gig.

Yes, real clubland. Great sound too, and two great support acts (I bought Merpire’s T-Shirt as it had a dinosaur on it to support live music and Mrs RM made an univited comment to Merpire herself about me needing X-L so my gut didn’t hang out. “Oooh, cutting” said Merpire).

Never heard of Ailbhe before Tidal recommended her rcord last month. Now I can’t stop playing her second album “Endless Affair”, or I couldn’t before Mrs RM broke the internet.

But Mrs RM loved Ailbhe’s magic, particularly “Shoulder Blades” and this one,

which starts with the lyrics “Finish your pint”, and therefore enters the canon of great drinking songs, possibly unintentionally.