IDWAL FISHER: Confessions of Faith : 30 Years of Purgatory

I'm glad that my badge containing the ashes of the artist John Bailey has turned up. If indeed that's what they are, for there appears to be no end of John Bailey the artist via an internet search most of whom appear to be very much alive. I'll have to ask the giver of said badge Dr. Steg when next we meet.

I shall be wearing it in Birmingham on Saturday when I steer myself towards the Wagon and Horses in Digbeth for the above gig. The last time I was there was for Mike Dando's 50th birthday party and a similar looking line up - a good time was had by all. I half remember getting a lift back to Phil 'Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee' Taylor's house at about three in the morning and trying not to be violently sick at a cafe in Birmingham New Street station seven hours later as I waited for my train to take me back to Leeds. The joys of overdoing it on real ale.

The venue stands alone in an area populated by garages that cater for taxi firms and storage units that used to be warehouses. Its only about a 15 minute walk from the city centre but it feels as if its marooned in some kind of Ballardian cum Eraserhead landscape populated only by shady figures trying to find their way to a power electronics gig. But once inside I found an array of quality hand pumped ales, familiar faces and a glowing coal fire.

Here's some pictures from that gig four years ago.: