Who
Half Man Half Biscuit
Support
The Humdrum Express
Where
Bilston The Robin 2
When
7th November 2019
Price
£20.00
Who with
No-one
Position
In the middle
Comments
I got tickets for this straight away of course, it being my 16th time seeing The Biscuit, and incredibly I think my sixth time seeing The Humdrum Express, which means he has sneaked up to become one of my most seen acts ever. Unusually the date was promptly moved to November, and after initially thinking I had a large crew joining me everyone bailed out for typically lame reasons, and as I was working until 6pm I just figured I'd leave them to it, rather than a last-minute recruitment drive to avoid attending solo. The way it should work is that I mention the gig, people write it down and then they join me, I'm never quite sure why the onus is always on me to remind everyone! My car had failed its MOT due to a dangerously bald tyre and it was most fortunate this had been fixed without any problems ahead of my long drive to Southampton that weekend. I was continuing to fall behind on my TV and organising photos, but as I was intently writing up this review as I went along I was determined not to fall behind in this department, although it has taken me nine days to write up the extensive notes off my phone. Also I still have that pesky Kraftwerk review to do! It wasn't all bad though, I was finally reading the Harry Potter And The Cursed Child script book, plus I had got my music up to date and updated on my iPod, including some ludicrously delayed Glastonbury setlists that I'd recorded over the summer. I heard through my HMHB hits compilation a few times, and on the day I got changed into my thick coat as it was rather cold and wet, plus I was sporting my "take car, go to Mum's..." t-shirt from Shaun Of The Dead rather than modelling a Biscuit number.

Wolves were still playing in European football incredibly and as Bratislava were their opponents I thought that it wasn't the best time to visit my favourite Lithuanian restaurant, which is extra sad writing this as it has suddenly closed down, throwing my plans to visit it twice that month into disarray. It sounded like the council wanted to chuck them out and all the other empty units in the city were too expensive to rent, which is a disgusting waste as a beautiful and successful restaurant had to close due to incompetence and a lack of support from the authorities. What the hell? I got the tram into Bilston, the extension of which to Wolves train station was almost done, then I walked further than I remembered it being to reach the Wetherspoons in town. I'd chosen to eat in Bilston rather than Wolves to avoid the football crowds and it definitely seemed to be a smart choice, as this branch was much emptier and also rather pleasant. It was curry night so I got an unnecessarily large one, as well as a generic pint of English beer because there wasn't any Punk IPA on tap. Despite my late work finish I was doing great for time so I even indulged in a dessert, not drinking more as I was conscious that I still needed to drive the last part of my journey home. I wandered to The Robin, taking a few pics of Bilston by night and withdrawing some cash just in case I fancied purchasing something. The venue was nicely lit up outside in red and was pretty quiet, as it seemed everyone was in the entrance bar or the one to the side. I sat down in a quiet corner, drafted a few initial notes on my phone and caught up with my internet. Doors had opened at 7:30pm and time had really seemed to be on my side as I arrived shortly after this, with the DJ playing quite an array of classic tunes, the first I noted being That's Entertainment. The merch stand had been replaced with a cosy sofa and the rear bar was also open, with the stand now on the side near the bar, and unusually Geoff was nowhere to be seen. I stood in the middle and spotted the King Of Hi-Vis (I mean how couldn't I?), and to my shock and horror there was a second, counterfeit guy who'd come dressed this way, which was not on at all!

Even at 8pm it was still very quiet, and yet again I'd failed to take advantage of the interesting array of food and drink at The Robin, including a seemingly fancy new restaurant onsite that was being advertised on the drop-down video screen that was covering the front of the stage. The pre-show tunes continued with Blitzkrieg Bop, Pinball Wizard and This Charming Man, and as I'd worn my winter coat I was getting rather hot, trying to wear it as a cape to avoid the indignity of putting it around my waist, although I ultimately couldn't avoid wearing it this way. The Humdrum Express took to the stage and quickly shushed us, which was in line with the new advertised rule that talking during any of the bands was "not allowed". As I was by myself and not drinking tonight I didn't really have an alternative to listening in any case, and it is bizarre that I still don't really know his material after so many viewings. I'm not sure if it never sinks in or if he keeps mixing up his setlist, but I suspect it's a bit of both! Amusingly he immediately handed away his setlist to the front row, I think to one of the guys who meticulously documents the songs played. I hope he had a second one handy! Humdrum was in his trademark cap and smart suit, and as he had my full attention I did enjoy his set a bit more than usual, especially some of the banter. He does suffer from being in the shadow of the masters of bants and wit, but at the same time he absolutely does his own thing and certainly can't be accused of being a copycat act! Humdrum talked of being in a 1950s skiffle group which ironically featured Alanis Morissette, before clarifying that in fact it was just bad luck and not irony at all! He had a new album coming soon and drew our attention to the "emporium" selling his material, and also talked of an Ed Sheeran duvet at Dunelm which came with an AC/DC pillow case, explaining that obviously this only was sold as a single!

One song was falsely introduced as a Hungarian folk song and I did recognise it vaguely, plus I enjoyed his one dedicated to lookalikes, little realising it wouldn't even be the best tune on this subject tonight! The song was about a Lookalike Bond and was most satisfactory. Humdrum seemed to have our attention a lot more than usual for whatever reason, and drew a big laugh when he declared that the last time he'd been here he'd been heckled by someone who looked like Steve Bruce, and he wondered if SHE would be here again tonight! He described himself in three words as "highly efficient", as well as asking us how many hipsters it takes to change a light bulb. The answer? An obscure number we've never heard of! Now Crackerjack was before my time (apparently it finished in 1984), but tonight I learned that mention of its name demanded it to be shouted back, and Humdrum enjoyed doing this several times. I think it's his big tune and I seem to have made a bizarre note that The Day My Career Died sounded like the Macarena! I can't vouch for this observation now, but Humdrum had done well, so he took a couple of bows, shook some hands and then vacated the stage. The DJ cranked up Mr Brightside and I returned to making notes on my phone of the gig experience so far, then the advertising video screen came back down and Highway To Hell was played too. Neil was behind this setting his gear up, and the decent run of hits continued with Living On A Prayer, reminding me of the wonderful imagined Bon Jovi musical I'd attended, which was pretty much entirely focused on this one song! There seemed to be record numbers of Dukla Prague Away Kits in attendance and I could really feel that I had curry breath from my meal earlier. Unusually it appeared that The Humdrum Express had played later and longer than normal, and HMHB didn't take to the stage until 9:15pm, although it felt even later than this! The pre-show tunes had continued with Another One Bites The Dust, and their entrance was preceded with a second blast of the venue-relevant Rockin' Robin, then the official intro tape of the very classy First Piano Concerto by Tchaikovsky, which I just about recognised.

This gave ample time for the guys to plug in their instruments, before a moment of confusion as Nigel tried to figure out how to turn the music off and start the set. A shambolic intro is perhaps the only ever-present in the set besides the wonderful Vatican Broadside! I never regret attending HMHB concerts because they always mix it up massively and every show is a unique event as opposed to a repetitive tour. I am frustrated that there is a hardcore of songs that they never seem to play (as detailed in previous reviews and below), but there is always enough innovation, entertainment and the occasional surprise to keep me totally sold on coming back for more. And the set opened very, very strongly with an incredibly loud blast through She's In Broadstairs. The guitar and singing were totally in our face, and it was a great choice and not one I'd ever have expected. After the inevitable request for sound level adjustments came Corgi Registered Friends and Bob Wilson: Anchorman, then as they played Renfield's Afoot for my first ever time I realised that I'd pretty much forgotten about the existence of the new album, the wonderfully titled No-One Cares About Your Creative Hub So Get Your Fuckin' Hedge Cut! Terminus was another new tune, and Ode To Joyce continued its transition from an ok album track to a welcome favourite of the live show. I feel that there are joys I've yet to discover from all of the albums from CSI: Ambleside and onwards. Neil had a face on his t-shirt of Count Arthur Strong apparently, and Nigel questioned what capo meant, then once he got an explanation he just gave the guy in the front row a mic so we could all hear it, then declared him the Google Master! The standout new tune was definitely What Made Colombia Famous, and somehow Nigel forgot the opening line of Monmore, Hare's Running. There were a few doubts throughout of who was starting which song, along with the traditional peering at the setlist by Nigel between songs.

Nigel's guitar strap briefly broke during a tune but he just about caught his instrument, and the newest member Karl Benson seemed a little older than I recalled, although it is wonderful how he has slotted into the band and knows all the songs, and his willingness to sing has livened up the shows, even though the presence of Ken is missed as line-up changes are always sad. I couldn't remember the song title just as had been the case last time they played it, but the cool early tune was Floreat Inertia, and the setlist continued gradually feeling its way back in time as the night progressed. Nigel joked about going to an Indonesian restaurant and ordering the Pelican curry, which was ok but the bill was massive! He also confused me a bit by saying that the manager of (the non-existent) Bilston cinema had died recently, but this was just setup for the quip that his funeral is on Tuesday at 1:30, 5:15 and 7:45! A funny joke but one that has been made by the band before! Nigel also kept pretending to spot obscure celebrities in the audience, as well as working on a concept about vegan cannibals, who won't eat apples but will eat humans, and don't like eating clowns because they taste funny! He also kept munching on some crisps and delving into a blue carrier bag, which we were assured contains everything that a sleek live act needs! A quiet song Fuck All The Perfect People by Chip Taylor was played, which I correctly surmised was the build-up to the glorious Vatican Broadside, and I was standing next to a guy who was live tweeting the setlist as it went along, which is good for record-keeping purposes but must be pretty boring content for his followers, especially when I couldn't help noticing that he'd somehow forgotten the name of A Lilac Harry Quinn when it was played! Oven gloves appeared for a storming take on Joy Division Oven Gloves, and Nigel lost the guitar and embraced some cabaret on a few numbers, including the never-heard Urge For Offal, which sounded fabulous. Losing the guitar felt like a new thing but definitely worked and let him shine as a frontman!

It felt like the set was being wrapped up prematurely with energetic romps through The Trumpton Riots and National Shite Day, but the gig trundled on and on, and the fab tunes kept on coming. There was some strange banter about McVities bringing out a Brexit bar, made from marshmallows and chocolate, followed by some chat about marshmallow actually being derived from a plant, which seems hard to believe and I don't think is true when it comes to the modern creation! Nigel also surprised us by saying that they'd skipped the A41 this time due to fear of being stuck behind a tractor at Whitchurch, so had arrived via a complex array of motorways instead. I'd used the A41 to get to Chester Zoo and I must say it would be the route I'd have taken! For What Is Chatteris... remains a welcome mainstay of the set, and it was a pleasant surprise to hear Gubba Look-A-Likes, as well as a bit mind-blowing to think that the tune was 20 years old, and itself came along 15 years after the debut album. Although far from their best work I will always appreciate Trouble Over Bridgewater for being the current LP when I first got into the guys, and this tune was good, although lacked the brass section this night. A charming blast of Busy Little Market Town was a lovely surprise, but a slightly miscued intro for Time Flies By (When You're The Driver Of A Train) heralded the arrival of perhaps their most famous song, which unusually hasn't become the set mainstay in the way that The Trumpton Riots has done. The other oldie mainstay was played next, namely All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit, and it was a great little section celebrating their early days and fulfilling the quota of super-old tunes for the evening.

Now the album I always used to feel was completely overlooked is Some Call It Godcore, and HMHB continued their strange gradual re-acceptance of Godcore via the back door by playing a tune from it that I would never have asked for, but turned out to be the absolute highlight of the set! I think that the fact Nigel had dumped his guitar again and was pumping up the crowd really helped too, and Faithlift was just brilliant, with the religious chanting at the end being absolutely amazing. I thought things were being wrapped up with The Light At The End Of The Tunnel (Is The Light Of An Oncoming Train), but this was followed by eternal favourite Everything's A.O.R., and by now time was really getting on so as the guys vacated the stage I swiftly made my way to the back of the room. I was well on my way out but the ticket stubs hadn't yet been put out and I saw that there were a good few trams still running, so when the band unexpectedly returned to the stage, even though it was 11pm I just couldn't bear to leave and miss out. I didn't really want the late night ahead of a workday but needs must! A guy was slumped on the floor and someone stepped out to call an ambulance, which seems unnecessary as he shortly got back on his feet and was helped out. You always wonder if it's a genuine health issue or self-inflicted behaviour such as drinking or moshing too much? And obviously I couldn't bear to leave during We Built This Village On A Trad. Arr. Tune and I quite enjoyed having a different vantage point at the back, as in fact the views seemed to be good across the entire room. Nigel dumped the guitar yet again for a cover version of What Do I Get, and he really should stick with this, as he injected more attitude than I remember the Buzzcocks managing when they'd played this classic!

The set just seemed to go on and on, and I was delightfully surprised to hear Fuckin' 'Ell It's Fred Titmus, which obviously triggered the appropriate audience response, and the set finally drew to a close with newbie Every Time A Bell Rings, featuring a closing chant of "get your fucking hedge cut". It was a ludicrously late finish and made me wish that I'd just driven all the way to Bilston, but at least sitting on the tram gave me opportunity to write up the notes that have assisted the detailed creation of this review! It was quite a wait for the tram but I was just happy that they were still running so late, if a little surprised that so few fans seem to use this method of getting to and from the venue. I guess some stay at the Robin hotel and many walk or drive, but the tram is so convenient that I'm staggered that more don't arrive this way! My ears were whistling as it had been extremely loud and the noise didn't leave me for a good few days, although luckily I really didn't feel tired at all. It's difficult and perhaps a bit churlish to list omissions when HMHB have so, so many tunes they could play, but I'd really have appreciated When The Evening Sun Goes Down, and the way that Twenty Four Hour Garage People seems to have completely fallen out of favour is a real surprise. I'm still holding out for Sponsoring The Moshpits, The Referee's Alphabet, Rod Hull Is Alive - Why, Lord Hereford's Knob, Keeping Two Chevrons Apart and a good few more, and I'd really like it if the guys could start delivering on these omissions as I worry that one day it will be the last time I see them and then I'll be gutted by what I've missed out on. However long may my days of seeing Half Man Half Biscuit live continue, and it is a sad state of affairs that after I thought I was building up a Biscuit Collective, that I am back to seeing them alone. But that's everyone else's loss, as this was wonderful as always.
Setlist
She's In Broadstairs
Corgi Registered Friends
Bob Wilson: Anchorman
Renfield's Afoot
Terminus
Ode To Joyce
What Made Colombia Famous
Monmore Hare's Running
Tending The Wrong Grave For 23 Years
Harsh Times In Umberstone Covert
Floreat Inertia
Fuck All The Perfect People
Vatican Broadside
A Lilac Harry Quinn
Joy Division Oven Gloves
Urge For Offal
The Trumpton Riots
National Shite Day
For What is Chatteris...
Gubba Look-A-Likes
Busy Little Market Town
Time Flies By (When You're The Driver Of A Train)
All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit
Faithlift
Mod. Diff. V Diff. Hard Severe
The Light At The End Of The Tunnel (Is The Light Of An Oncoming Train)
Everything's A.O.R.
We Built This Village On A Trad. Arr. Tune
What Do I Get
Fuckin' 'Ell It's Fred Titmus
Every Time A Bell Rings

Mark: 8.0/10