Cardiff…got there, amazingly for British Rail, on time. After negotiating a rather over friendly taxi driver, met Mike ‘Dukie’ Anderson, his wife and their son, Jake, outside the Coal Exchange. Jake, aged 7, hadn’t been told he was going to see ‘Love’ and was quite overawed by it all, which was really sweet. We were supposed to be meeting Mike (Randle, too many Mikes) in The Packet (the same pub we met last year) so we went round there (after ascertaining there is nowhere else to eat in Cardiff Bay at 5.30pm on a Friday, if you have a child and/or vegetarian) and settled down in the ‘No Smoking’ area (where someone, of course, proceeded to smoke!) Jake filled the area with plastic dinosaurs and we waited, and waited and waited. Yep, Mike was a no-show. After far too much alcohol gave up and went back to Coal Exchange. Still no sign of the band (worrying) and we’d missed The Keys (a pity, so I hear, must try and catch them on Wednesday) Caught Micky Gee’s set though and he was a totally entertaining guitarist who got me dancing even though I was planning to save myself for ‘Love’ (Me – save myself – probably years too late for that?!!) Towards to end of Micky Gee’s set we noticed ‘Love’s’ equipment appearing at the back of the stage and Mike R bounded up and said something about the equipment bus breaking down and nearly having to borrow ‘The Keys’ stuff. Thankfully they got there and the panic was over (though it was bloody late by the time they got on, well, after 10pm anyway). I’m nothing for gig reviews so I’ll just say it was amazing, lots of songs (well, what did you expect) which I’m sure the ever-efficient Dukie has now posted up on Torben’s website. Got ‘Rainbow in the Storm’, which is becoming a real grower, also ‘Message to Pretty’ and some blistering versions of ‘August’ and an extended ‘Signed DC’, which even seemed to surprise Arthur by how long it went on. Noticed ‘Feathered Fish’ was on the printed set list but it wasn’t played, actually the set list wasn’t stuck to at all. After best part of two hours it was done, I was knackered and well ‘bounced’ out (you don’t want to know!!) Finally got to say ‘Hello’ to Mike, who introduced me to a guy from Cheltenham who’s doing his new album and said a quick ‘Hello’ to Rusty, who also made Jake’s day by posing for a photo, Mike having done so a little earlier (looking forward to seeing them) Surprise of the night, just as I wa going (my long-suffering lift home was waiting) I saw Arthur was in the corner chatting to people and signing stuff, I had nothing but the ‘ever-resourceful’ Dukie saved the day by letting me have one of his ‘Arthur photos’ to get done, so now I’m happy – also got a photo but, sadly, rather washed out by the flash – must get some of this ‘new-fangled’ digital technology then I won’t have those problems. Was blind (contact lenses couldn’t cope with the very friendly but chain-smoking guy standing next to me at the front) and deaf (too near the speaker) all the way home and, very slightly, pissed so must apologise to everyone who I spoke to at the end BUT it was great fun. Roll on Wednesday, 5.30pm in The Hatchet, across the road from the Academy(Bristol) if you are coming. It’s a lovely old pub only marred by it’s freqenting by 15 year old goths but there’s worse people to be in a pub. See you there?

All Pix By Dukie Anderson, here havin’ a Beer with Mike! the one on top, that’s Caryne’s, and the “Beer” shot by Dave Chapple

Mike Randle