Hands off he's mine

Let me cut straight to the chase.  

I have hugged Ranking Roger.  

Yes I have.  

That is all.

OK, that is not all, but I like to dwell on it……

The Beat Friday 15th May 2015

Getting 2-tone ready 

I was short of one dance happy girl for Friday night, but luckily you don't have to try too hard to persuade someone to come to The Beat with you so I found myself at Fulham Broadway station (Can you actually say those words and NOT hear Ian Dury???) waiting for honorary dance happy girl Sue "Doris" Morris.  Sue and I were Saturday girls together in days of yore, and I have never, ever been on an uneventful night out with her.  But this was a reunion and thus bubbles were the order of the day in a bar on The Fulham High Road.

I could insert stuff about bubbles and barmen called Ben, notes scribbled on the back of receipts and weirdy beardies but this is a music blog - so best get to the gig!

I have to admit that I felt a bit 'dirty' walking into Stamford Bridge, and not in a good way - let's just say that I am not a Chelsea fan and leave it at that.  But hey-ho a couple of bottles of prosseco had done the job and I made it through the gates.
Now, unfortunately my tickets had not arrived and thus we were channelled into a short queue to see if our names were 'on the list' but fortunately it was whilst in the queue that I spotted none other than RR having a crafty smoke (really RR - how can you look after your body in every other way and yet still smoke?) and it was an opportunity not to be missed.  I ran over and gave him the hugest of hugs, I thought to say something intelligent or witty, something cliched might have done 'Hands off he's mine'?  but no I just made a noise akin to an insane purr.  I was too overwhelmed to even selfie it - so you just have to take my word for it.  Old school!  He had a smile and a word of greeting for everyone.  Ranking Roger, you are a gentleman sir.

Inside, Under The Bridge was a revelation, a great sized music venue with good use of space and just a sprinkle of Spearmint Rhino in the black and silver finish.  The women's toilets are without doubt, the best gig toilets I have ever used!  Sparkling clean, gorgeous soap, plenty of mirrors and NO toilet attendants offering lollies for cash….Under the Bridge, I salute you and your luxurious loos.



We took up a spot, right at the very front, and right on time, as the clock struck 9, The Beat took to the stage.

Ranking Junior

Ranking Roger

I love The Beat, I love the fact that they are still fresh and politically and socially relevant.  Being at a Beat gig is like being at the best school disco in the world….ever!  The fans are loud and proud and friendly, the music is the sound track of my youth and they look and sound amazing!  But this was a subtly different version of The Beat.  

Whereas in the past Ranking Roger's son Ranking Junior appeared as side kick to his dad, eye candy certainly, but 'in addition to', tonight he seemed fully integral.  A musician in his own right, performing alongside his Dad as equal partner.  New songs fit seamlessly into the set alongside The Beat classics 

"Stand down Margaret"  

"Hands off she's mine"

 "Too nice to talk to" and of course…Mirror in the Bathroom.

It was a set that worked on every skatastic level and was the very definition of dance happy.  We danced, we sang & we made friends who INSISTED that we go to the pub with them afterwards where conversation was punctuated with the odd rousing chorus of Ranking Full Stop.

Doris - you were BORN to be a dance happy girl.