Jim Bob / Brown Hound James

As soon as we enter the venue people are asking us if we have a spare ticket. The gig has completely sold out, like many on Jim Bob's current tour. With him are his constant sidekick Mr Spoons, and doing his merch is the one and only Chris TT!



First up Brown Hound James. Local lad Matt Broadbent is performing solo tonight (he was here with his full band a couple of weeks ago). Heartfelt, raw power from the ex-member of Dugong and Nathanial Green. We are treated to a couple of covers of songs from these much loved Wakefield bands, Including 'Hope St.' and 'Yorkshire Heights'. 'Mary Got Married' is a great future classic from Brown Hound James. There's a sweet moment when Matt sings a song to his fiancée; Tom Waits' 'Picture In A Frame'. Truly beautiful, even if it was spurred on by three pints of Stella!

One half of Carter USM takes to the stage now, starting off by reading from his new book 'Driving Jarvis Ham'. The starting line is "Would you drink a pint of your own piss?". From then on it gets more and more funny, with diary tales of liking a girl in the canteen, complete with that days special thrown in. Jim Bob is one of the best lyricists in my opinion that there has been, and his witty take on life comes across in his book writing too. Onto book number 3, I can't wait to finish reading about his adventures with his childhood friend; the alcoholic, Diana Obsessive fame searcher.

It's not all about the book though, since Carter USM first called it a day Jim bob has been in Jim's Super Stereoworld and more recently tours solo playing tracks from his own six albums, reading from his 3 acclaimed books (whichever he is bringing out at the time) and playing some Carter classics. Of course Carter are still out and about in the winter time (playing Leeds and London this November, both nearly sold out again).



It's straight into a Carter Classic with 'Is Wrestling Fixed?' breaking the crowd in nicely. ‘Victim' is next, with 'The Man Behind The Counter' close behind. There's comedy with the swearing spelling in 'Mrs F*****g MacMurphy (teaches food technology)'. After asking the crowd if they are fans of the Jubilee, it's time for only one song, 'Stuff The Jubilee!'.

Jim Bob enlists Mr Spoons help for the next part. Chris TT has been handing our raffle tickets. The winner gets to choose a song from the menus board or songs (there are so many Carter tunes that Jim Bob has probably had to limit it to remember at least these ones!). This first request is 'Johnny Cash', along with 'Let's Get Tattoos'. More hits follow, with 'Anytime, Any Place, Any Where', 'After The Watershed' and 'Falling On A Bruise'. Mr Spoons looks the part in a chef's hat, and the raffle is drawn from a sauce, which Jim Bob is under strict orders to bring back home! Mr Spoons is on hand to blow some bubbles into the crowd.

After all that excitement and yet more laughs about going off for the encore to come back on (there is nowhere to go in The hop, so Jim Bob stepped behind the curtain at the back of the stage to instantly reappear again) there's time for 2 more songs, 'Angel Strike' and finally 'Only Living Boy In New Cross'. Jim Bob never fails to please; the addition of the seemingly little things like the raffle, book reading and great stage presence are what make for a good solo gig, and split up the act of looking and listening to one guy intently for over an hour, it's loads better for the crowd to be involved. Can't wait for November.

FUTURE GIGS