Sunday 26 March 2023.

Sunday 26 March 2023. 2023 Teenage Cancer Trust shows continue at The Royal Albert Hall this week. I have been to at least one TCT RAH show every year since the first event, which was in 2000. Sunday 26 March - Roger Daltrey and Friends of Teenage Cancer Trust including Richard Ashcroft, Far From Saints (Kelly Jones new side project playing only their second ever show, after playing a warm up show at Oslo, Hackney the night before this one), Joan Armatrading and more special guests! ------- The venue is full, but it's not a completely sold out show...maybe because it is a Sunday. A few faces are spotted here tonight... Legendary booking agent Rod MacSween (looks after The Who, Richard Ashcroft and many more) Legendary manager of The Who - Bill Curbishley Celebrity hypnotist - Paul McKenna A close friend of The Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook was here, and told me they went to see Killing Joke at The Royal Albert Hall a fortnight ago and Suede in Bexhill the night before this show. FAR FROM SAINTS arrived on stage at 7.30pm for their 30 mins set. Kelly Jones seems to play a TCT show every other year , whether playing solo or with The Stereophonics, and he performed at the first one in 2000. The 7 piece band open with a Stevie Nicks cover and actually have nice hints of Fleetwood Mac. Full FAR FROM SAINTS setlist played tonight... Stop Draggin' My Heart Around (Stevie Nicks cover) Screaming Hallelujahs Let The Light Shine Over Turn This Back Around Take It Through The Night The Ride JOAN ARMATRADING & band arrived on stage at 8.25pm for their 25 mins set. The big screen showing live footage kicks in from Joan onwards. A good set including a couple of her big hits. Full JOAN ARMATRADING setlist played tonight... Into the Blues Down to Zero Mama Mercy Empty Highway Drop the Pilot RICHARD ASHCROFT arrived on stage at 9.25pm for his 30 mins solo acoustic set. A great set as he played all The Verve classics. Full RICHARD ASHCROFT setlist played tonight... Sonnet (The Verve song) Lucky Man (The Verve song) The Drugs Don't Work (The Verve song) C'mon People (We're Making It Now) Bitter Sweet Symphony (The Verve song) LOLA LENNOX arrived on stage at 10pm for her shirt 10 mins set. Lola is the daughter of Annie Lennox. She should really come on in the first half of the show , as Roger Daltrey kept talking about the venue curfew of 11pm and looking at his watch throughout his set. ROGER DALTREY and his eight piece band arrived on stage at 10.15pm for their 45 mins set. The legendary singer of The Who is now aged 79, but he is still a great front man. An excellent set. Full ROGER DALTREY & band setlist played tonight... Let My Love Open the Door (Pete Townshend cover) Squeeze Box (The Who song) After the Fire Who Are You (The Who song) Giving It All Away (written by Leo Sayer who also recorded it for his album) Tattoo (The Who song) Days of Light Substitute (The Who song) (with Kelly Jones) Baba O'Riley (The Who song) --------------------------------- --------------------------------- Saturday 25 March 2023...I went to two events today... 1pm to 6.30pm SARACENS 36 HARLEQUINS 24 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium,North London. The Showdown 3 - The London Edition....the game was 3pm to 5pm... Some scorelines can in fact be unflattering because in this kind of form it is hard to see who is going to stop Saracens from lifting the Premiership trophy at Twickenham for the first time in four years when the season wraps. The post-match celebrations might have focused on Saracens securing a home Gallagher Premiership semi-final but to get that far and no further would be catastrophic given the quality they displayed here. Always relentless and abrasive, now they have an attack which can overpower the very best, even the league's great entertainers in Harlequins. No team this season has beaten more defenders or produced more offloads and how it shows - Saracens began with an offload from Ben Earl to set up Alex Lozowski and three of their five tries feature the kind of quick handling defence coaches hate. ---------- Plenty of good tv coverage of quality rugby these days, is always worth watching, but I was thinking when was the last rugby match I went to in person?....certainly many ,many years ago. I think it was just over 20 years ago when a French friend was visiting London and French club Lens were playing Wasps at QPRs Loftus Road Stadium. Thanks to John at City Index for the tickets which included full hospitality. A near full house of 55,000 folks are here, to create a great atmosphere. Saracens are leading the Premiership Rugby Table. We had a great view behind the teams dugouts. A high scoring game , so very entertaining. Great to see England's Owen Farrell live in action. Hospitality - we had Steak and Ale Pie with Horseradish Creamed Potato & Gravy, Roast Pork Bap with Sage and Onion Stuffing and roast potatoes, and dessert was Salted Caramel Tart. Drinks were Guinness, Lagers, Ciders and wines. The ground was cleared out , but we were allowed to stay in the hospitality area until 6.30pm, so the train stations were a lot quieter when we left. A very enjoyable afternoon. then 8pm to 11pm. NO 17 DICKENS YARD - showcase - Longfield Avenue, Ealing, London W5. This bar is one of several venues around London that are owned by Neighbourhood Bars. This newish restaurant and bar is situated near to Ealing Town Hall. My band Gun Control played Ealing Town Hall in Oct 1980, with me on drums. The bar looks great from the outside , with a nice selection of flowers and plants. It has an alfresco area along with an outside terrace balcony. We are in the upstairs area , where around 40 are seated in comfy sofas and chairs. There is a female DJ playing some well known older tracks. We had complimentary drinks and food including three different vodka cocktails, wines, beers and lots of nice food including cartons of calamari. A very enjoyable evening.

Posted 26th March 2023