Ah .... Cleator Moor ... one of the - if not the strangest gig venues Ah've ever played.... Wi' ma Pogues trib band, on our June 2006 mini tour. ( 57 kens fine fa got us the gig ;) )
A Celtic Supporters club in the middle o' the naewye part o' England. A standalone buildin, in the middle o' the middle o' naewye ... which looks fae the ootside tae be like a youth club/community centre.
Inside?? Holy ****! Obviously, Celtic memorabilia and paraphernalia adorn the walls, and periodically, there's a message that Bigotry, sectarianism, racism etc will not be tolerated. .... and among all of that, being June 2006, the World Cup is in full swing, every otherwise free space on the walls is cluttered wi' England flags!
Anyway, we played tae a well behaved and enthusiastic crowd there ... and when we finished, after an encore of course, we were given our agreed fee .... and an extra hundred quid (in a plastic bag, from a whip round)if we would play another 15 mins - OK, f**k it ... lets do it.
On completion of said 15 mins, we were offered a further £100 plastic bag .... which we turned down ... being pretty knackered and needing to get packed up and kipped down .... so to leave early and get the van (hired fae Cafe Drummond) back tae Aiberdeen by 10am as agreed (we didna make it).
After packin oor gear, we were invited tae join the 'after-show-singaround' .... which we agreed to for a 'wee while' ... and were treated to some of the most vitriolic head on a spike rebel songs which, if heard on the terraces, would hae resulted in a hefty fine :D
..... Aside, yet relevant .... on gettin oot the van at Cafe D, and stoppin for a fag ootside, Ah saw a delivery van stoppin' ootside O'Brien's Irish Sandwich Cafe..... a place myself and my partner once ( only once) went with the kids for a treat - and nearly had tae tak oot a mortgage tae pey for! ....
I felt that nearly healed, but still tender financial scar being picked at an' pickled as Ah realised their supplies came fae Morrisons - their cheapest, own brand white pan loaf, £4.40 a kilo cheddar etc.
So if yer wonderin' why that O'Brien's place is nae there onymair? It winna be cos they were trapped for cash .... mair like they f*cked
off afore they got found oot or strung up!