The Specials in Coventry

EricTheWeary

https://i.imgur.com/OLBKVoo.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/9QfeAKE.jpg

Just a couple of phone photos to give atmosphere, it was a better view of the stage than that suggests. 

Anyway, I have no voice this morning after an evening of standing around in light drizzle singing along. About 1500 people per night for four nights in the ruins of the old cathedral. A different support each night plus a local band playing on a stage outside near to the entrance. 

The live sound wasn't amazing but it was alright. Steve Craddock ( OCS, Weller) has the Roddy Byers role, quite a lot of wah which Roddy wouldn’t have used but the focus really is on the three remaining original members. Lynval was hanging around outside as people were queuing up, talking to the press and to the religious people who were objecting to the misuse of scared ground. Terry dedicated Friday Night, Saturday Morning to The Parson’s Nose which got a big cheer. This was the late night chippy were the young Specials got their sustenance as did I as a student in Cov and this raised a big old cheer from those in the know. Horace bopped around and his basslines held the band together. 

Sophia Khan came on stage to reprise her role off the Encore album and then BVs on You're Wondering Now. 
https://i.imgur.com/9QfeAKE.jpg

The Specials were 30 minutes late going on and 15 minutes late finishing, wether that means we had 15 minutes chopped I don’t know but including encores we had 105 minutes and that was enough I think. Enough for my knees and throat anyway. I think my son enjoyed it, at least the bands gave him some relief from my ‘when I was a student’ stories. 

Kebabkid

Nice one and a great site for the gig

EricTheWeary

Kebabkid said:

Nice one and a great site for the gig

I think they are nearing the end as a functioning band and it's also 40 years of 2 Tone so they wanted to do something special ( no pun intended). Started out as three nights which sold out immediately so they put the Tuesday night on as an extra. 
The recent album Encore has done really well for them so it's been a good year for The Specials. 

EricTheWeary

https://i.imgur.com/rzvA64i.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/cfJiijn.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/y6GMeeo.jpg

I’ll stick in some borrowed photos. 

My throat is soo soar. 

Kebabkid

I didn't realise Steve Craddock was a Warwickshire lad (Solihull)

EricTheWeary

Kebabkid said:

I didn't realise Steve Craddock was a Warwickshire lad (Solihull)

Ocean Colour Scene are all Birminghamish I think, Simon Fowler turned up at the Moseley Folk festival a couple of years ago to do an acoustic set. Craddock changed guitars ( the one in the photo above, a 335 and a Vox Teardrop type)every two songs without fail. I don’t really know why, I don’t think it related to the songs as such. 

relic245

Is the parsons nose still there?

I had many a happy Friday night queuing up to get a puckka pie and chips to eat on the bus home. 

EricTheWeary

relic245 said:

Is the parsons nose still there?

I had many a happy Friday night queuing up to get a puckka pie and chips to eat on the bus home. 

https://i.imgur.com/Sl8KJzo.jpg

I don’t think it still exists. I probably last went there in 1990 so I don’t really have up to date information. 
My memory of it was that it was nearly always open and chips and mushy peas at 2am tasted pretty good. 

The area around the cathedrals is nice and there are some smart pubs and eateries but the more you get into the city centre the more it turns into decrepit sixties architecture and charity shops. Impressive Ikea though. 

mudslide73

I saw a bit of this on the old local news. Sad I didn't know in time to sort some tickets out. Everyone in my band went to see Weller up the Chase on Saturday while we were at that bloody wedding. Had to console myself by over enthusiastically dancing to Gangsters on my own

EricTheWeary

mudslide73 said:

I saw a bit of this on the old local news. Sad I didn't know in time to sort some tickets out. Everyone in my band went to see Weller up the Chase on Saturday while we were at that bloody wedding. Had to console myself by over enthusiastically dancing to Gangsters on my own

I've effectively failed to see them for the last 40 years and still only got tickets on the additional date. About 50% of my band's set were their songs so I knew a lot of them very well down to some accurate air guitar, although the guy in front of me was doing some impressive air trombone( not a euphemism).  

hotpickups

I’m seeing these guys at Glastonbury abbey in August