Legends at the Southport Beer Festival 2013

The Lunchtime Legends will be playing on Saturday 19th October at the Sandgrounder Beer Festival, beginning at lunchtime, 1.00p.m. The festival is in St John Ambulance Hall, Wright Street, Southport, about three minutes' walk from Southport railway station. Admission to the beer festival: £3.00, but free for CAMRA members.

The Legends at Whitby 2013

The Legends in the Elsinore, Whitby
(Photo: Sam Thomas)

The annual Lunchtime Legends rock & roll party in the Elsinore went well as always, with the pub packed. It was great to see a row of children at the front, the oldest nine, who all sat there throughout the whole three hours enjoying themselves, joining in the songs and the arm waving to the anthems, and in one case even buying a CD. One girl sang the whole chorus of Poison Ivy into the microphone. We are, I was reliably told, better than One Direction - high praise indeed. After a 35-song set, my voice was slightly knackered.

While at Whitby, we learnt that we will  be playing the Sandgrounder Beer Festival in Southport on Saturday 19 October 2013 - at lunchtime, of course.

Whitby gig 2013

Legends at the Liverpool Beer Festival

Our Lunchtime Legends gig at the Liverpool Beer Festival went well, despite a late start due to the sound man, Ash, being delayed by bad traffic. Our usual line-up was augmented by Jez Lowe on bass; he had driven over from York especially to play with us. The late start meant we couldn't afford to have a sound check and we had to rely on Ash sorting it out during the first number and, to be fair, he did a good job. During our second spot, the audience began to loosen up, dancing in front of us and hands in the air waving to anthems such as Daydream Believer and Hi Ho Silver Lining. Because we were running late, we had to shorten our set, which was a disappointment and we had no time to play the encore that was being called for. One woman said how she was so pleased to hear us singing Terry by Twinkle, as no one ever covered it, and she bought a copy of the CD that it's on. We sold a few CDs, which was very nice.

One of the perks of playing at a beer festival is you get some free beer, although for obvious reasons you're expected not to get legless. We were given a George Wright beer first, followed by Liverpool Organic Styrian and then one from Brimstage. All good beers, in good nick too, and after 90 minutes of singing, very welcome. It was good to see some friends there at the festival too, including Harri the real ale drinker from Finland. He gave me a few photos he'd taken of me at the Southport Beer Festival.

After the session closed at 4.00 p.m., we went to the nearby Augustus John for a pint before taking ourselves and our instruments home. Beartown Kodiak Gold was my pint. In the evening, Chris and I went for a few pints in the Guest House in Southport. A good way of rounding the day off.

Whitby August 2012

The anniversary poster for 1992 - 2012:

As usual, the room was sweltering:

Jez Lowe on bass (far right):

From left: Candy, Chris, Nev and Clive:

Legends charity gig

Our Lunchtime Legends gig on Friday (free entry - pass round the hat) raised £120.50 for Queenscourt Hospice. Thanks to all who came along, danced the night away and donated to this wonderful local charity.  I'm still happy to accept donations if you weren't able to be there!  Till the next time then.

Next Legends gig ~ 11 November

20th Elsinore gig

A view of Whitby.

Our annual Lunchtime Legends gig took place on 24 August during Whitby Folk Week in the Elsinore on Flowergate, our 20th in this venue.  It went down well; it was so hot in this small pub that after our 34-song set, I looked as though someone had poured a bucket of water over me. It was good to have Jez Lowe joining us again on bass, and the great Pete Coe opened for us with a very dirty-sounding distorted guitar, singing songs like I Hear You Knocking, I Fought The Law (And the Law Won) and the Kinks’ song Superman.

Although we had no new recordings, we sold 4 CDs - and even 3 old-fashioned cassettes, believe it or not. Candy Rell’s rendition of the Dusty Springfield classic, You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me, got the whole pub singing. Hi Ho Silver Lining and Your Sixteen finished our set as always; the one time we did Hi Ho half way through, they wouldn't let us go until we played it again at the end!

Probable next gig

The gig in Adlington went quite well, although towards the end we were singing to a wall owing to the layout of the pub.  The whole day raised more than £750 for the Firefighters Charity, so it was all worthwhile.

Our next outing is likely to be our annual Whitby bash during Folk Week.  That will be on Wednesday 24 August at lunchtime in the Elsinore, Flowergate, Whitby.  If anything arises before then, it will be recorded here.

Legends gig

The Lunchtime Legends will be playing a gig at the Bay Horse Inn, Babylon Lane, Adlington near Chorley, PR6 9ER, on Saturday 30 April.  It is a fundraiser for firefighters.

Gig postponed

Unfortunately, our gig at the Rivington Bowling Club has had to be postponed until later in the year.  Disappointing, but these things happen.  Pity, as I was quite pleased with the poster, but I can reuse the design!

Poster for next gig