Cleethorpes and all rest of going ons

[Mike]

Just back in from a great weekend at sunny cleethorpes...thanks go to all involved in putting it on, more on this and other news when head gets back together

Heard Lowton on Friday was a good one, from main room muckers gave a big thumbs up to Bob Hinsley and Alex Jones spots, anyone else there or in other rooms?

Event guide says was another busy weekend, someone once said a good review is worth 100 flyers

So if out and about this weekend do us a favour let us know how ii went for you

[Mike]

Here we go, always seems a good idea at first to bash out a few words, and then later on, especially after reading what you have wrote it doesn't seem that good idea. Still as main aim of this is to pass on thanks to many, (and also act as a reminder for me to never go with out accommodation jacked up) thought throw it up anyway

Make of it what ever you want

Cleethorpes had always been a enigma sort of thing to me, which has a sort of meaning along the lines of never been to that far flung part of the world, in 70s when it was at its peak, as on other side of world it was out of reach for us youngsters and since moving back to uk as usually means having to book a year ahead always a bit of a "never got round to it). Any way when annouced a few weekend passes avail, and a bit of arse kicking from Nick g managed to get one sorted ... just and thinking was could get away with doing it off the cuff. A 4 hour drive, Nick g was knocking around the door when showed up. (When realising 5 mins away that no accommodation may be a bit of a problem, my "on my toes" plan was to convince Nick that I was technically his guest so he was morally responsible for my health and welfare for weekend, this failed as the essential keystone of the plan was to first get his chalet number, which no matter what I tried I couldn't get it out of him...seasoned vetarn or what:))

Two o clock ish got there, first impression place seemed packed with a good buzz going. Main hall seemed going well, Dave Rimmers and Keith Money early morning spots sounded good to my ears. Upstairs managed to catch parts of David Flynns set which got off to a busy floor reaction and also later That Girl Lynnes set which seemed to be going well.

Modern room seemed to be good one. Have given up trying to make comments on modern rooms, as with so many regional differences on just what is modern nowadays think leave it to someone better qualified to comment. So apart from it was kicking, full and people enjoying themselves will say nought

Bit suprised at the 6am finish, by now there was a fair few of us homeless refugees mulling around, though had left the dogs on string and bundesweir parkas behind. Suprisingly we all knew each other:) Decided to do early morning tour of streets of cleethorpes, managed to find a car boot sale after sight seeing in Grimsby

Funny enough while walking into boot fair first thing we saw was, Backdoor Kenny walking out with a couple of lps under his arm, funny thing was if anyone else would have had a bit of banter aimed at him, but as it was Kenny it just seemed a normal occurance to see him walking out of a car boot around 7am

Got back to the camp and we got invited into caravan, have to take time to say, many thanks to Graham and Liz Foster for their hospitality, actions above and beyond the call of duty be a good term to describe how they looked after us, many thanks owed to them and the rest of the chalet occupants, so good was their hosting that missed most of sat afternoon sessions.

Sat nite approached and of course the highlight had to be live apperance of Diplomats, looking forward to this as always enjoyed the soul with a attitude feel of "honest to goodness" and of course later skullsnaps efforts. Enjoyed the live show, dressed in suits with black cloaks which at a guess is something to do with how diplomats dressed, they come on and dished out a great live act, was great to hear "perfect love" "honest to goodness" then a quick off stage and get back on and into I'm Your pimp - never in wildest excesses of youth did I think that in the 21st century be hearing the skullsnaps delivering that chant live , My hang up is you of course as well, then a bit of audience partcipation sort of thing, then one they had been holding back - Cards On the Table, encore time, a great semi vocal/instru of honest to goodness showed off the backing bands talent and sound and sounded great, possibly "cards on table" being the finish finale.

Back to the djs and the nite cracked on, Pat Brady, Butch, Bob Hinsley, Ginger , Mick Smith, Roger Banks, Carl Willingham all pushed out a fine selection of sounds, think the order had changed from programme for some reason, and memory says Carl Willingham finished the nite with a great set and "Can't get over these memories" being final one,

Time for some kip, managed to drag Neil m's chalet number out off him earlier on, so went there to try and blag somewhere to doss, only to find some bemused couple never seen before doing the Sunday morning papers on the lawn thing, who had never heard of him or regonised my description! Leaving a very confused couple behind my alt plan kicked in, didnt work that well, sleeping in a car on hottest day of year on the prom for some reason didnt quite come off.

Sunday afternoon, normal weekend plan , a quick goodbye and drive home, normal occurance - one beer, two beer, sack plan and end up staying nite followed by having to send 22 letters of apology for behaviour the next day, well almost due to form, apart from glad to say that no need for any apoligies.. I think. Afternoon had likes of Kennys Car Boot special spot, Jody, That girl Lynne and Yann Vatiste doing enjoyable main room spots before the quiz.

The quiz kicked in and seemed like was enjoyed by many teams, had a look at q's and it was a testing one, winners were annouced... Janine, Chalkie and Jessica on roll of honour as winners! .Afternoon seemed extremely busy, though by now was hitting melt down myself, and time to mention yet more big thanks, this time to Janine and Chalky who rescued me with offer of a shower, bed for nite and food. This was a lifesaver and led on to a great Sunday nite. The football was funny! The sunday nite was most enjoyable, and went on to a late finish, stuff such as djs humilitaion contest went on involving running spinning, drinking falling over and so on. mmmm sounds familar. Nite finished with a visit to chalet where yet again hosted to excess. Thanks to all involved! Managed at long last to finally be able to lie down horizontally for first time in a few days around 430 monday morning, many thanks to Janine and Chalkie again

Sounds wise - not a lot to report as somehow was hearing other versions that didnt make sense, convinced heard another version of vips, then another vocal to alone with no love, another version of a Larry Williams okeh flip, but as was even getting ones I got at home wrong, put it all down to the fatigue. Record room seemed very busy Sunday, my low key atempts to offload certain lps all failed.

Main sound that stuck in my head from this weekend was Soul inc's Teardrops

Lots of catch ups meet ups and sort outs and so on, great to see some havent bumped into for a fair while, and as always now have a fairly lengthy list of things to do, so if waiting... will all get sorted soonest

end of game view

Well I said was most enjoyable and thats what it was, hats off to all involved in every way, fact that was so enjoyable despite my own lack of planning just shows how good it was...if know what i mean