Hard to say Hoosiers without smiling :)

Pain that has become so much a part of my life it is too monotonous to talk about - but it is still there and impacting upon my enjoyment of the gigs that I can get to.  However the trend is my friend and I will attempt to record without becoming bitter and twisted about feeling 100 years old.

So, Thursday 29th May saw the hobble happy - oops sorry DANCE happy girls (Janie is not hobbling in the slightest I might add - although her shoulder….) head North to Angel - the Islington O2 to be the oldest swingers in town at a Hoosiers gig.  We kid you not, these tickets bore a reminder that children under the age of 8 would not be permitted!!!

Doors opened at 7.30 - we arrived by 8 to find the support well underway.  A sweet but distinctly underwhelming man in an alice band, who invited us to buy or steal his CD.  Neither option appealed although a sneaky peak at the flier declared him to be Mike Dignam.

He has a tour coming up - tickets are £9 (pocket money prices) and are already sold out in Norwich!  Catch him quickly - his Mum said that he has to be home before August.





There was a great deal of waiting around after young Mike before the second support of the evening - Ariana and the Rose.  Forget small boys with floppy hair, this was girl crush territory as a diminutive and utterly gorgeous Ariana sang her heart out with a series of melodic and spunky songs she had penned herself.  There was a bad moment for Janie when they performed a cover of The Eurythmics 'Sweet dreams' but the girl did good.  She's no Annie Lennox but had the benefit of performing to an audience too young to know who Annie Lennox was!


'
'In your Bed' loved it!

After Ariana there were endless sound checks, many many guitars to be strummed by gawky roadies prompting a  "They're not the f***ing Rolling Stones' from a slightly disgruntled Janie.  I was in full agreement - didn't they realise that it was after 9.30!  Luckily it wasn't a school night - most of this audience were up past their bedtime ;)

However, from the moment a grinning Alan Sharland clasping a pint of something that wasn't evian took to the drum kit the audience were willing to forgive them anything.  Monochrome Set take note - these guys are BORN to perform and they took us with them through a jolly wheeze of a set which had even doubters like me bopping and singing and grinning from ear to ear.

The Hoosiers - set list

• 1. Somewhere In The Distance 
  2. Unlikely Hero 
  3. Make or Break 
  4. Fidget Brain 
  5. Worried About Ray 
  6. My Last Fight 
  7. Rocket Star 
  8. Cops And Robbers 
  9. Weirdo 
  10. To The Lions 
  11. Made To Measure 
  12. Encore:
  12. Choices 
  13. Handsome Girls and Pretty Boys 
  14. Goodbye Mr A 
      
      
      
      
      
      

Irwin Sparkes gives good frontman.  He fully engages with the audience - leaving the stage on occasion to wander amongst us.  But this is no one man band, the uninitiated such as myself were surprised to discover how often other members of the band took lead vocals.

I loved Fidget Brain from the New LP, a perfect anthem for the girl who never sleeps and of course you cannot hear 'Worried about Ray' without joining in.  This was a class act from a band who take themselves seriously without taking themselves too seriously.  I defy you to say 'The Hoosiers' without smiling. 

Punk for Gentleman

I had been out of gigging action for several weeks due to being struck down with back trouble, so Janie let me back in gently with a local gig at the Half Moon in Putney on 24th May.  It was my first time at the Half Moon but being a short bus ride away (The bus LITERALLY stops right outside my door) and a thoroughly cool place to hang out, it won't be my last.

We had time for a quick beer in a small but perfectly formed beer garden before heading in to the music venue, a fabulously intimate room which despite being a non-smoker myself, really should be full of cigarette smoke.

This was an entirely different crowd to our usual haunts, not the fat middle-aged bearded men of synth nor the jovial hatted and booted ska crowd but a different beast altogether.  This was a uniquely dapper audience; predominantly, but not entirely, male; well dressed in an elegantly edgy way; an undeniably loyal group of music minded folk!

The support were a revelation and I fell a little bit in love with The Fallen Leaves.

Rob Green, lead singer of The Fallen Leaves, proclaimed his music to be 'punk for gentlemen' and he is the consummate mixture of the two.
The perfect illustration being when he drew from his pocket a lit cigarette and proceeded to blow perfect smoke rings mid song.  Electronic of course - it's against the law to smoke in a public place!

Elegantly dressed in cravat and waistcoat Rob Green plays with the concept of the observer and the observed.  Disconcertingly his set included moments of staring out at the audience, reminding this primary school teacher  of Anthony Browne's 'Zoo'.

Who's watching who?

Whilst at other times pouring himself a 'nice cup of tea' from a thermos.

Intriguing man that Mr Green.
(Picture by Paul Hughes)

A taster of The Fallen Leaves.












Who are the Monochrome Set?

I still don't know and I really didn't know what to make of them.  The drummer arrived on stage with an air of joie de vivre and a fez perched jauntily upon his head a la Madness circa 1982.  He set off with an impressive, almost tribal beat and the rest of Monochrome set appeared on stage - a singularly miserable looking bunch who gave us the ubiquitous Monochrome Set as an opening number.  This was a number that even the uninitiated could chant along to.




Why not give it a try!

I don't know what to make of The Monochrome Set (I think it's worth saying twice)  I have an inkling that some of the lyrics are really clever in a dry sardonic way but I was utterly mesmerised by two key factors; the fabulous suit and f***ing miserable demeanour of Lester Square




and the antics of the two cuddly bunnies in the front row.  An woman of indeterminate age had brought two soft toys to the set, secured herself a spot right in front of the stage and proceeded to dance the bunnies from the first song to the last.  It was entrancing, not necessarily in a good way.  There was the distinct impression that this was not the first time the bunnies had been to a Monochrome Set gig and despite my desire to drown them in my pint, it probably won't be the last.



This was an interesting gig - I was left with a greater desire to see The Fallen Leaves again than I was The Monochrome Set, yet I will definitely go and listen to more music from The Monochrome Set.

Rewind

So, for four days in August 2013 the dance happy girls returned to Henley upon Thames for the Rewind Festival - with some changes to the usual routine.  




The previous year in the wee small hours, in a tent colder than the arctic, with the faint whiff of the festival toilets on the breeze and the sound of snores from the tent next door Janie had muttered darkly "If you make me camp again - I will kill you"  So this year saw us safely ensconced in a room in a pub, with hot running water, soft beds and soundproofing.  Bliss



Another change was that we had finally accepted an invitation to a VIP pre-party and it was there that we had an opportunity to enjoy a small and intimate set from Go West.



















Richard Drummie from Go West caught the eye of the dance happy girls at the pre party on Saturday and again on Sunday, clearly amused to see two 80s clad girls amidst the suits and ill fitting shorts of the corporate guests.  I was lucky enough to meet him after his official set on Sunday night at Rewind and share a moment of mutual admiration me of his music and he of my audacity in wearing a frock that made me look like the love child of Bonnie Tyler and a Russian prostitute called Olga.

It wasn't a stellar line up for me, the two headline acts being major disappointments, although Janie would kill me for not saying that the B52s are all things wonderful and quirky and she LOVED seeing them live with a deep and burning passion.

This is for you Jani

Saturday Running Order	Sunday Running Order
Steve Augeri (former lead singer of Journey) The Flying Pickets Chesney Hawkes The Blow Monkeys Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel The Sugarhill Gang Heaven 17 Then Jerico Nik Kershaw Billy Ocean Kim Wilde The B-52's	Cutting Crew Sonia Imagination (featuring Leee John) Matt Bianco Aswad The Orchestra (former members of Electric Light Orchestra) Belinda Carlisle Go West Blancmange Paul Carrack ABC The Pointer Sisters

My magical, musical moments came from Steve Harley. Nik Kershaw, Heaven 17,  Aswad,  The Orchestra, Go West and Blancmange.  And the prize for act of the weekend for sheer nostalgia and bloody feel good factor, goes to The Orchestra.  Bet you can't press play and not smile like a loon.

Aside from reliving our youth worshipping at the feet of minor 80s pop stars, we were able to spend time hanging out with The Swedes, to whom we owe our nom-de-plume and probably a great number of beers!!!

And dancing on tables, yes on tables, to the absolutely fabulous Rewind resident band Junior Guevarra.  These guys have been a key feature of Rewind Henley and have incredible energy and passion, heading up the Friday night party and successfully drawing crowds away from the main stage on Saturday and Sunday night.  If you find yourself in or around Reading try and catch them at a local gig.  You won't regret it.
junior guevarra Facebook page here

Ho-Jo and The Human League

Summer 2013 saw us take our new found fetish outside.
So Kew the Music (see what I did there) it was time to join the champagne set for a picnic in Kew Gardens. 

Howard Jones  10 July 2013

Now life would be easy if the Dance Happy Girls lived a life of music and leisure but if I can refer you to the first post - we are working girls (steady!)  So we met straight from our respective work places at the gates of Kew Gardens.  Hence our 'picnic' consisted of a tub of pringles, some M&S prawns and a few ready mixed G&Ts .

This immediately set us apart from the crowd of young professionals cracking open a bottle of 'bolly' and tucking into smoked salmon sandwiches.  The other thing that set us apart was that we had  actually heard of Howard Jones and knew more than one Human League song.

I've always had a soft spot for Howard Jones, he definitely has a place in the sound track of my youth.  And it was definitely a dance happy moment as the sun shone low in the sky over Kew and he sang New Song.

Howard, to the masses you may just have been the pre cursor to being able to duet on  'Don't you want me' with their partner of choice for the evening.  But to me you will always be my Ho-Jo, and you made me very happy.  And if you're ever passing through SW19, I'd like to get to know you well! 

 (see what I did there?)

The Human League

The Human League never disappoint but this Kew Gardens gig was something special.  Phil Oakey looked incredible shaven headed, long black coat, leather gloves and black shades utterly incongruous in Kew Gardens - like something from the Matrix.  But it's not a case of style over substance, the voice, so familiar it makes you ache somewhere deep inside, is still amazing.

It was one incredible song after another, little banter he let the music speak and speak it did; or rather it grabbed you by the throat and screamed in your face except when it stroked your hair and whispered in your ear.  From Mirror Man to Electric Dreams he held the dance happy girls in the palm of his hand.

I should mention the rest of the band but hey this is my blog!  Enough to say that Susan and Joanna (?) are honorary dance happy girls, still giving us the same somewhat gawky and naive moves that they did oh so many years ago.

The Human League - in a league of their own.

Set list.

• 1. Mirror Man 
  2. Heart Like A Wheel 
  3. Love Action (I Believe In Love) 
  4. Seconds 
  5. All I Ever Wanted 
  6. Open Your Heart 
  7. Empire State Human 
  8. Human 
  9. The Sound of the Crowd 
  10. The Lebanon 
  11. Night People 
  12. Tell Me When 
  13. (Keep Feeling) Fascination 
  14. Don't You Want Me 
  15. Encore:
  15. Being Boiled 
  16. Together In Electric Dreams 

He Faded to Grey …… badly!

In September 2013 Janie and I set off, not without trepidation for a Visage gig in another new venue 'The Garage' in North London.  I had tried to immerse myself in their new album 'Hearts and Knives' but this was primarily a nostalgia trip. We knew it - we just hoped that they did too.

Does this bus go to the 80s?

Janie in Vintage 80s

Our favourite game of 'Guess who's going to the same gig as us ' was too easy; caps, moustaches, lumberjack shirts…. Visage gig :)

Arriving early as is our general modus operandi we were absolutely delighted to discover the most perfectly named pub in London.  Having had a drink from the famous cock - we were in dance happy mood.

The support was a sparkly horned man and a man with his face painted like a dog and was surreal and shouty in equal measure.

  

I kid you not

OK, so this is a small child but it was the make up of
choice of the drummer.

So, a very camp Steve Strange, looking unsettling like Boy George took to the stage with chutzpah oozing from every pore.  Musical talent - not so much but chutzpah a-plenty.  It was a self indulgent set, ample time to take refuge in the ladies' loos (fabulously clean and empty - God Bless you Steve Strange and your gay following) to rest my feet from the hell that is 80s stiletto boots.  My boots that were, I have to say, much admired by queens and Germans alike.

The set (apparently)

1. Never Enough 
2. The damned don't cry 
3. Shameless Fashion 
4. Anvil (Night Club School) 
5. Hidden Sign 
6. Pleasure Boys 
7. Mind of a Toy 
8. The Dancer 
9. Dreamer I Know 
10. Diaries of a Madman 
11. Fade to Grey 
12. Encore:
12. Visage 
    
    
    Unfortunately chutzpah was not enough to get Steve through 'Fade to Grey' unscathed.  In short - he murdered it, and left us weeping into our beers for Midge Ure.
    
    
    The dance happy girls left before the encore to get something to eat as Visage had left us decidedly unsatisfied.  
    
    
    Sorry Steve, we'd rather have a saveloy!
    
    
    
    
    
    

Love is...

Love is also when one of your favourite, guilty secret, bands play an intimate gig for just 200 people and tickets go on sale at 9am just as you start teaching and have sold out by 09.08.  But your bestie uses her planning time to get on line and secure you two tickets despite the fact that she isn't even free to go with you on that day!  

THAT's how I secured two tickets to see Scouting for Girls at the Borderline in July 2013.

Scouting for girls is a bit of a departure for me, the band was formed this millennium for a start, and forces me to forsake the MAFM for the ETFs (emotional teenage fans) but nevertheless who I am to deny the sirens call, their music makes me happy.

So, with Janie moonlighting at a 'Of Monsters and Men' gig on the same night, I did have to bribe my somewhat reluctant next desk neighbour Charlotte to come and brave the adolescent hormones with me.  But what was not to like?  The borderline is an intimate venue and the band performed with energy, enthusiasm and good humour, there was ample opportunity to sing along and…… with the vast majority of the audience under age - NO QUEUE at the bar!!!!  Result!!!

Dance Happy Jude

Evil Work Twin Charlotte

Roy Stride - Forced to look away when I caught him staring at me :)

SET LIST

Make That Girl Mine
Millionaire
Without You (Naked)
Summertime In The City
Love How It Hurts
Take A Chance On Us
Silly Song
Famous
This Ain’t A Love Song
Keep On Walking
I Wish I Was James Bond
It’s Not About You
Heartbeat
Elvis Ain’t Dead

ENCORE

Rains In LA
Posh Girls
The Mountains Of Navaho
Michaela Strachan
She’s So Lovely

Luckily my dance happy partner in crime got to share the love, and be told that she is also 'so love-er-lee' when we caught up with Scouting for Girls again at the Royal Albert Hall in November.   The Albert Hall may have plush carpets, clean toilets  and non-sticky floors but it's no place to get really dance happy.  Seated ticketing only, means the best you can do is stand up in your row and bounce like a demented jack-in-a-box.  There is none of the joy of working your way to the front (by carrying 2 beers and pretending that you are meeting a friend) and you can't even kid yourself that they looked RIGHT AT YOU for that last number.  Fab music and great company but a decidedly sanitised version of the Borderline.

Once we all waved lighters but in these health and safety conscious times we wave our iPhone.  A pretty moment at the Royal Albert Hall.

Too Nice To Talk To

If made school discos.

Remember how exciting the concept of school discos used to be?  You were supposed to feel like you truly belonged, you were supposed to dance with everyone, the music was supposed to be great and your best friend was supposed to be right there living it all beside you - Well, it was 25 years in the coming but welcome to 'The Beat' gig. 

We went to see 'The Beat' twice in 2013 (May and December) both at what would become one of our favourite venues 229 The Venue, Great Portland Street.

The ska sound which epitomises the music of The Beat is one of the most evocative sounds of my youth - having an older sister meant that the walls of our shared bedroom had reverberated with that two tone sound.

  

The Beat gigs were probably the friendliest gigs we have been to - pork pie hats and braces, two tone dresses and Harrington Jackets the dance happy girls lived up to their name and were indeed happy to dance with everyone.   The MAFM were well represented here albeit less hairy!

The atmosphere was one of shared passion yet entirely lacking in sleaze, well until Ranking Roger Junior raised the temperature by taking off his t-shirt and throwing it to the dance (very) happy girls.  

It is at this point that I must confess to it being Janie who caught the T-shirt but who gave it to a pouting me as the gig had been her birthday gift to me.

SET LIST

Hands Off She's Mine

Too Nice To Talk To

Click Click

Rough Rider

Doors of Your Heart

Get A Job/Stand Down Margaret

Rock The Casbah

Side to Side

Best Friend

Dangerous

Tears Of A Clown

Two Swords

Spar Wid Me

Big Shot

Not In This World

Ranking Full Stop/Mirror In The Bathroom/Twist & Crawl

Ranking Junior Free Style

Save It For Later

Jackpot

I cannot leave The Beat without giving a shout out for their support from the May gig.  The Tafijah Allstars were rude, raucous and riotous and got the MAFM and us grinning and dancing.  Janie and I have since offered our services as the oldest groupies in town to the Tafijah crew.  So in that role, I urge you if you are ever in Cardiff look up these guys and tell them that the dance happy girls sent you.