Merry Mickelmass!

I've just returned from a bloody lovely couple of days in sunny Sunderland with some of my favourite folks (and a few new ones).

I couldn't blog about this poster before because it was all top secret and Mr Mick might have seen it and the game would have been up. Matt Stalker of Matt Stalker and Fables - who, you may remember, I've blogged about before - held a gig entitled Mickelmass for his big brother Mick, who was back from NZ for the first time in two years for Crimbo. I've known Mick for yonks and I've also met their eldest bro Chris before too. So there were three very good reasons to haul my ass down to Sunderland to surprise Mick and see Matt and the band play live.

Well they didn't disappoint. I've said it before, but that Matt Stalker is a talented bastard and deserves bloody great things. The set was completely mesmerising, and while I'm in awe anyway of people who can play instruments and sing at the same time, there really isn't anything like standing a few feet away from a cello, a double bass and a guitar (and occasionally more esoteric instruments!) while they are played by folks who really know what they're doing with them. Absolutely awesome.

Mr Matt even got me a bit choked up by dedicating a beautiful cover of Radiohead's 'Let Down' to me and thanking me for doing their EP and the above poster for Mickelmass. Matt, you are more than welcome, buster!

And to the lovely Mick, who'll be heading back to NZ for New Year, it was bloody marvellous to see you and your cheeky grin again. Bon Voyage baby! I'll see you real soon. Sniff. Hopefully.