Friars Again - Ever Fallen In Love With Someone ..........

So we have been off to Friars again, this time it was for punk royalty (if there can be such a thing) Buzzcocks, Eddie and the Hot Rods and 999.  The Buzzcocks really do deserve their place at the very top of punk hierarchy as they can honestly say "they were there", they were at the legendary Sex Pistols gig at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester in 1976.  It was also the start of Friars Phase 4 when it moved to The Waterside Theatre, just a few hundred yards away in distance but millions of miles away in many other ways.

The new theatre is a fantastic venue, part of The Ambassadors Group, so will be much more used for traditional theatre and comedy than as a music club.  It was also the first event to be held in the theatre, just ahead of the glittering and star studded opening event a couple of days later.  The theatre itself looked amazing, both inside and out. It has a rather innovative floor, which raises and falls to allow access to the stage and differing heights for different performances.  Backstage and in the dressing rooms, everything was brand spanking new, even if there were one or two problems with the loos!!

I really wasn't sure what to expect, but enjoyed the evening, meeting up with friends old and new, highlight of the night was of course "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone etc)", a true classic and best band were Eddie and the Hot Rods, watching any band from the wings is exciting but they were for me the best band of the night.  Other highlight would be Mike interviewing Pete Shelley and one of 999 for Bucks TV and of course his now customary role of presenting awards.  As always much more about the gig, reviews, set lists and loads more (and much better photos) can be found on Mike's site at http://www.aylesburyfriars.co.uk/.

Some pictures of the day and night, starting with the brand new pristine dressing room ....

a view of the new interior which looks amazing, lots of wood and texture, gives it a really unusual look, it looks as though it will be a great place to watch a play or a musical .....

the stage, dropped to allow access for loading in........

999 as seen from the side of the stage .......

Mike with the legendary Pete Shelley

The Buzzcocks - I watched most of their set from the balcony .....

Steve Diggle of the Buzzcocks - he had some interesting opinions towards the end of their set!!

Oh no !  Not again, he's even managed to get into the new venue, it's that man again lurking waiting to present a Heroes Award!!

and a couple of additional photos taken from Mike's Friars website where you can find a lot more details, reviews, set lists etc from the gig - photo credits  for the following photos  Russ Naylor and Michelle Needs ...

Eddie and the Hot Rods

The legendary Kris Needs with David Stopps - great photo  (I did have to have a quiet word with Kris due to his being responsible for getting my husband hooked on 'Jingle Jangle Jewellery' - once it gets into your head it's there for days!!)

Robin Pike receiving his Friars Founding Father's Award

Kris receiving his Friars Founding Father's Award

Eddie and the Hot Rods, arguably the best set of the night.

Ciao

Sue
XX

Reading challenge 15/16 - currently reading If I Was by Midge Ure

Bowling for Noodles - A Great Night Out With Friends

We had a really enjoyable night out with friends, heading out for a night of bowling, a noodle bar and then the pub.  It was girls v boys in the bowling and despite Debs getting the first strike of the night the boys beat us, well and truly!!  Even when we were getting extra coaching from the manager and he had given the boys a 30 point handicap - they still beat us.

After bowling we headed all the way next door to Noodle Nation where we had an enjoyable meal, we just managed to get seated and order ahead of a birthday party of about 30 teenagers!!  After that we headed to a couple of pubs in Aylesbury and then settled into the Kings Head where we chatted long into the night.  Very enjoyable, here are some photos of us bowling.

Mike in action

Mike and Stu

Mike checking his score and Debs in action

Rick choosing just the right bowling ball

and again

Judy in action

and yours truly in action - great fun!!

Ciao

Sue
XX

Reading challenge 15/16 - currently reading The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

Cottesloe Art Installation

Friars has over the last couple of years taken Mike to some interesting places, has presented him with the opportunity to meet some heroes and has now given him the chance to be involved with some artwork which is on permanent display in Friars Square in Aylesbury in a facilitating sort of way (if that makes sense).

Mike was approached by an art teacher from The Cottesloe School in Wing, where some of the students, as part of their GCSE course, wanted to create some artwork with Friars Music Club as the inspiration.  As a result of his help and assistance the amazing art work produced by the students was first displayed at the final Friars gig in the Civic Centre and was then turned into an art installation in the Friars Square Shopping Centre in Aylesbury.

Mike name checked at the bottom!!

The artwork is brilliant and Mike was thrilled to have been able to play his minor role in putting people in touch with one another and supporting the project as and when he was asked to assist.  The students were, quite rightly, very proud of their achievements - and I am looking forward to seeing the larger version although Mike was presented with a framed copy of the design which has now joined a lot of other music memorabilia which adorns our staircase and looks perfectly in place and totally awesome.

Mike with his framed copy being photographed by David Stopps, being filmed by Bucks TV !!

Here are some photos from the unveiling of the artwork by David Stopps, founder of Aylesbury Friars.  More information on this story can be found on Mike Aylesbury Friars website by clicking here.  One game you may like to play is working out which famous Friars bands past and present are featured in the design, a particular favourite of mine is  Gary Numan and of course Freddie, although the Ian Hunter and Siouxie are particularly good.  The whole story even made the BBC news and Bucks TV were there to cover it too check it all out on Mike's Friars site.

Ciao

Sue
XX

Reading challenge 15/16 - currently reading The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

Aylesbury Friars Phase Four ...... The Next Chapter

Just a reminder that tickets for Phase Four of Aylesbury Friars are now on sale - full details and all the usual gossip can be found at the Friars website here.

The line up is Buzzcocks, Penetration and 999 which should be an interesting line-up.   Further comments on the night and line up can be found here.

Ciao

Sue
XX

Reading challenge 13/16 - currently reading If I Was by Midge Ure

Friars June 4th - Paul Weller and John Otway

A good night!  Not much to say just lots of photos from a good night!  Lovely to see lots of friends old and new and Bob - I love you - what you did in NL truly one of the funniest things I have ever seen!!  Big thanks to Martin for driving and putting up with some drunken passengers!!  And finally apologies to my neighbours for my husband's outburst when we got home - he drunkenly walked into Martin's boot - nice gash and lots of blood!!  My apologies to my neighbours for my hysterical laughter and total incapacity when he did it!!!!!  It was a fun night.

So not much else to say just lots of photos courtesy of Mike's website where you can find the appropriate credits for each of the photos.  My camera broke, the battery cover final gave up (thankfully now repaired - how would I live without my camera)

David Stopps being interviewed by BBC Oxford

The Merch stall

Paul Weller

Timetable

Friars old and new

The Legendary John Otway

who was amazing to see

and will be seen again

Paul Weller

Weller

Otway after the gig

Getting his Friars Last Night Phase III Award

The End

it was incredibly sad to see this after the show and to know there would be no more gigs or events in this venue

One of the bar staff I had met when doing my work placement - small world

Sold out!!

Speaks for itself!!

All jumbled up but this is earlier in the day - setting up - Paul Weller was playing huge venues - Albert Hall etc on this tour and then diddy old Friars - a real coup for them

The trucks

The cake

The crowd, Mike meeting and greeting (ha ha!!)

Paul Weller

Paul Weller

The legendary Kris Needs - DJing

Rick and Judy working hard on the merch stall and celebrating their 33rd Wedding Anniversary

A face or two oh and Mike and I

John  and Judy

The end of an era - literally

Mike and the lovely Don

Kriss Needs on the decks

Mr Webmaster and Mrs Blogger

Some of the HJ crew - we'd met at the Here and Now last year

The packed venue

Stuart getting a piccie of the cake

Simon Bettinson  of the Young Punx - look for him behind Dizzy Rascal

David Stopps

Would you please make your way to the exits!!

Ciao

Sue
XX

Reading challenge 10/16 - currently reading Songbird by Josephine Cox