Thursday 25 December 2025.

Wednesday 24 December 2025. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY. Just looking at gigs I was at this time 50 years ago. Nov 1975 and Dec 1975....me aged 16 and a half . Both Bruce Springsteen's debut UK shows, two shows from The Who with Keith Moon , four shows from Queen who had just hit the jackpot with ' Bohemian Rhapsody' and other legends like The Four Tops , Lynyrd Skynyrd ,Status Quo , Thin Lizzy , Alex Harvey Band etc. --------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- Tuesday 23 December 2025. 7pm to 11pm. Christmas drinks with over a dozen chums in Hammersmit -------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------- Monday 22 December 2025. 7pm I got off at Bond Street station for a wander down Bond Street . It's the Monday before Christmas , so the tourists and shoppers are everywhere. I have seen some West End Christmas displays this year already, but always good to see them again. Some of the Bond Street luxury stores have stunning displays , as does Fortnum & Mason itself. Big crowds taking photos. then 7.30pm to 10pm 3'6 bar at Fortnum & Mason , 3rd Floor, 181 Piccadilly , London W1. Always nice to visit this historic luxury multi - floor store that dates back to 1707. A visit here to use up some complimentary cocktail vouchers, that I got in a couple of goodie bags events . A good time to go as gigs and drinks events now go pretty quiet for two or three weeks. Expertly made cocktails were all very yummy. I had six different ones , including Old Fashioned and Espresso Martini. A piano player is playing in the corner . It only holds maybe 30 people. It is a late 10pm closing tonight , compared to the usual 8pm closing. A hidden gem in Piccadilly for sure. On the way back along Park Lane I saw the huge crowds at Winter Wonderland Hyde Park. Yep , Central London really is buzzing this time of year -------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------- Monday 22 December 2025. Sad news that CHRIS REA has passed away....age 74. I saw him perform live a couple of times. Chris was well known for his Christmas song and others. He recorded 25 studio albums over his career. He had health problems the last few years. ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- 22 December 2025. Hard to believe that punk rock legend JOE STRUMMER died 23 years ago today. Lucky to have seen The Clash 20 times and Joe & The Mescaleros 10 times including The 100 Club. These were his last two London shows...both benefit shows, but very different venues, but both still superb. 10 Nov 2002. Bryan Adams with Brian May + Joe Strummer And The Mescaleros Royal Opera House , Covent Garden , London benefit concert for Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund .This was the first ever proper rock concert at the amazing venue .There were a few famous actors who made speeches between the acts . The first set included 3 songs by the lovely looking and sounding Opera Babes then Joe Strummer And The Mescaleros did a great 5 song set which were 3 Mescaleros tunes + Rudie Dont Fail and a stunning White Riot . To see and hear it in this venue was unreal .Afterwards i said to Joe " a nice surprise to hear White Riot" in this venue..Joe Strummer replied to me "Well it had to be done " In the second half of the show Bryan Adams did a 10 song 45 mins set and was joined by Brian May for the last 5 tunes with a mega finale of Queens Crazy Little Thing Called Love.the sound for the whole event was just crystal clear and the aftershow in The Vilar Flora Hall was very 5 star with free champagne and drinks for 500 guests for a couple of hours .Superb 15 Nov 2002. Joe Strummer And The Mescaleros Acton Town Hall , London .This was a low key benefit show for the striking fireman in a venue that has not been used for rock shows for years .Fantastic atmosphere as a fair amount of the 600 here were firemen and the rest were hardcore Strummer fans .Andy Gilchrist the firemens union leader made a rousing speech .Joe Strummer And The Mescaleros did a really great 75 mins set but the 3 song encore was unreal as Mick Jones came on stage to play with Joe on stage for the first time in over 15 years for Clash anthems Bankrobber +White Riot + London's Burning an amazing night but sadly less than 6 weeks later Joe Strummer died of a heart attack aged only 50 .

Posted 22nd December 2025