November 2025. Leeds.
My last train back from Leeds to Sheffield would have been a ridiculously early 22:37, with a half hour walk from my gig out in Hyde Park’s student land. Could I possibly make it back ?
I asked ChatGPT for my chances of making that train, based on probable stage times (often a bit earlier on Sundays, as I found out to my cost in 1987 at the Marquee). But ChatGPT only knows the times doors open and doors must close and has no idea what time Annahstasia might finish.
Getting stage times is so difficult. So I stayed over.
Big cities feel different on Sunday nights,
markets closed, pubs and clubs quieter, fewer gigs and nights out.
But the hotels are cheaper, £43 for my windowless, sparse easyHotel next to the lane housing both the Ship and the Angel.
Despite that £43 investment I wasn’t nipping in for pints of Sam Smiths and Black Sheep before my half hour slog in the rain to the Brudenell. Moderation in all things*.
You remember the Brudenell. The best club venue in the UK, all your favourite popsters in two contrasting rooms,
and a Working Mens style room with bargain Kirkstall cask and pies.
But not tonight. Two young American artists for £18 (all in), Cleo Reed with the socialist poetry,
and Annahstasia (not to be confused with Anastasia) with the astonishing torch songs.
The Brudenell’s PR team do a better job describing music than I do;
Here’s the clip.
Nothing beats live music.
*Including moderation. And Chinese takeaways. Though my post-gig trip to Mr Chong’s was a grave mistake.
retiredmartin 
“But ChatGPT only knows the times doors open and doors must close and has no idea what time Annahstasia might finish.”
Wait, ChatGPT doesn’t know everything?
(runs off to sell his Microsoft and Nvidia stock)
“Big cities feel different on Sunday nights,”
To be honest, so do small towns.
“£43 for my windowless, sparse easyHotel next to the lane housing both the Ship and the Angel.”
Nice!
“Moderation in all things*.”
If we could convince governments of that.
“The best club venue in the UK, all your favourite popsters in two contrasting rooms,”
(looks down)
Hang on, that poster doesn’t show Cleo Reed for 23 Nov, unless she’s a warm up for Annahstasia?
“Two young American artists for £18 (all in), Cleo Reed with the socialist poetry,”
Ok, scratch my above.
“The Brudenell’s PR team do a better job describing music than I do;”
I think that’s the job of PR, innit?
“Nothing beats live music.”
I’ll save my rebuttal till later.
“*Including moderation.”
(double slow golf clap – especially for the double entendre)
Cheers
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I think AI will be as important as people think, but that doesn’t mean the stocks in companies like Invidia can’t be massively overpriced!
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😉😁
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“Though my post-gig trip to Mr Chong’s was a grave mistake.” Shades of Alton, perhaps?
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It was a bit too late at night for a takeaway, Paul ! Alton was just disappointing quality wise (I should have gone in the Alton Spoons which just made the GBG).
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