The Monochrome Set
The Islington
Saturday 16th May 2015

We set off from home, heading for the bright lights of London town. The Weather is fine and dry with no sign of rain. After a swift visit into the local convenience store to obtain a couple of Gin & Tonics for the arduous train journey, Lou and I meet up with our good friend Andrea and board the train.

Arriving at Finsbury Park and we obtain suitable comestibles, including fags for the girls and board the number 4 bus towards Waterloo. Which passes Highbury and heads down Upper Street passed Union Chapel and the legendary Hope & Anchor. We get off the bus at The Angel and head into the local Wetherspoon’s for a couple of beers, and meet up with another good friend Mick, who has been with me to see the band before. Mick has to make a swift exit to get to the venue as he does not have a ticket and the reports are that it has sold out.

A short five minute walk to the venue and we find Mick with the lucky sixteen people in the queue to get the last tickets. Another couple of beers later we are sitting outside enjoying the North London ambience when we are joined by the usual suspects that are; Matt, Phil, Domestos and Guildlford Lil. Some more beer is consumed before we are joined by the world champion Pinot consumer himself Lord London and his fellow musician and friend Nigel.

The band take to the stage and we attempt to enter the room through a large curtained door – inside it is rammed, a small room that is full to bursting. I move forward and try to squeeze my sylphlike frame further into the crowd.

The Monochrome set have started with the title track from their last album Super Plastic City, followed by the superb classic Jet Set Junta. The whole set was well played and the highlight for me were Waiting for Alberto and Cowboy Country (the intro to which I blatantly nicked for a recording many years ago). I think they finished with “He’s Frank” but by then I had made my way down to the front in search of the mosh and I could be mistaken as to what they played for an encore as they were so good (The Monochrome Set may have been in there somewhere – EiTC).

Back out in the main bar we assembled to compare notes from the MS virgins and those like me who had seen them many times. The band were milling about and our congratulations were given for a superb gig. The DJ was playing some very good tunes from back in the dim and distant past. The assembled choir sung their hearts out to such classics as; “Guildford Lil”, “Guildford Lil” and the old favourite “Guildford Lil” A word was had and the DJ duly responded with “Toiler on the Sea” which we all had a leap around to.

A great evening was had by all, but it had to come to an end and we all made our ways to our homes. We got a bus (number unknown) to Finsbury Park where we managed to obtain one of the world’s best ever Kebabs before taking the very slow train back to the north.

Rebus Bloggs (AKA Turkey Troter)

Thanks to Kevin Shepherd for the set list picture.
Band picture Courtesy of Mrs Bloggs.