Billy

I found a shoebox of old tickets, stickers and general memorabilia earlier this year. I scanned them all in and then went through my diary sticking in some memorable dates and anniversaries.

So, today, 25 years ago me and my mate Tim (mentioned before in another 25 years ago to the very day gig type thing...) were in the sixth form at school and we went all the way across the Pennines to stay with one of Tim's big sisters in a halls of residence at Salford University, all so that we could go and see Billy Bragg live. And we got to miss the next morning at school too in getting the train back. We walked into the comon room after lunch and some folk (the kind of folk we hung around with) knew exactly where we'd been and for once in our school careers we felt pretty damned cool. And seventeen. And in possession of some recently-acquired student threads from Affleck's Palace secondhand mecca in Manchester - namely big overcoats that made us feel, if not look, like Echo and The Bunnymen, baggy cardigans and desert boots. It was a sign of thing to come. Indie all the way.

Billy was great. It was a few days after his Talking With The Taxman About Poetry album had come out. I loved that album very much, and the lead single was simply ace.

[Reminder to self: book Billy Bragg tickets for his upcoming gig at the [url=http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/shows/left-field-in-motion-featuring-billy-bragg]Queens Hall[/url]. Be rude not to, musical hero and all that.]