105. Tue 30/5/17: The Bear Club, Luton

Beer: Leighton Buzzard Smokin’ Angel Porter 5%, Leighton Buzzard Black Buzzard 5.8%

At The Bear at the invitation of my brother, who has a cameo role in the British Independent film The Same Circles directed by Mark Garvey, written produced and starring Simon Cleary.

Simon is a friend of the KOs/Clod Mag, a Quiet Night (Slow Night - ed) regular and a fascinating, fantastic and wonderfully creative fellow. AJKingston’s part is to ride up on a bike, inform Cleary’s revengeful character that he doesn’t know of the man he is looking for – and ride off. Simon Cleary does almost everything else – with tremendous gusto. I’m not sure what to make of the film, apart from being full of bemused admiration for Simon – and being impressed with some very nice individual shots.

It’s good to see a screening at The Bear, what with Justin’s Filmstock background, and the room is full – albeit of folk who either have bit parts in the film, or know them that do.

304. Thursday 15/2/18: The Bear Club. Mill Yard, 24A Guildford Street, Luton

Beer: Leighton Buzzard Smokin’ Angel 5.0%

Although Steph has deigned to accompany me to the latest Slow Night – it does seem quieter than normal. We put that down to it being half term, and the opening night of the Luton Beer Festival in Hightown.

CJ along too, as is a young fellow from the Vandalism Begins at Home fanzine. There’s issues of VB@H knocking about, there’s issues of Clod knocking about, conversation knocks about who does your printing, how many pages… fonts (probably)… it's Editor chat, largely beyond me.

I tentatively dip my toe into the DJ role again. That involves picking those tracks off my ipod least likely to offend, retain the ambiance, but being just a little bit different. My selections break all those rules – punk rocker that I am – immersing those few present into bored bemusement: the Alabama Sacred Harp Singers off of the Anthology of American Folk. Afterwards I attempt lifting the mood with a bit of Jacques Dutronc (doing his barnstorming “responsible man” bit) but it’s too little too late.

We leave a little bit after CJ, and a little bit before the Slow Night raffle.