The great summer of 2016 has quickly become a flickering memory of a season past, yet there’s still a few surprise sunny days that hurriedly sneak in, however my day out hunting down alternative music at The Charlton arms wasn’t one of them…
Outside my window looked like the darkest days in Antarctica, in full on winter mode, I will be honest it not only made me think not just twice, but about ten times over, if going out in the abyss would be worth leaving my warm surroundings. As it was, I wrapped up (they are always telling me to do so on the telemabob weather) warmed meh cockles with a wee dram (Scottish for occifer I haz only been on the tea –hic) and headed on the Indigo bus grumpier than a teen at a surprise birthday party.
My surroundings greeting me certainly looked the part as The Charlton Arms Chilwell has had a bit of a snazzy make over to the tune of 120k in recent years, making the switch to quite sophisticated decor and boasting a wider adult “pop” selection ( btw kids, I really don’t mean pop). The large car park proved an ideal meeting place as the day was dedicated to a “scooter bash”; I quickly realised that the term meant a daytime soiree or celebration, rather than a kind of metallic whack a mole type of event. Scoots of all shapes and sizes, original and modified, descended in a sea of shiny gleaming chrome to take part in the planned ride out to the Long Eaton Cenotaph with a detour of Chetwynd army barracks, to pay respects to the armed forces there and to lay a wreath over at Beeston war memorial.
On their return an announcement of the competition winners with the awards presented by legendary film” This is England” star, George Newton (he played banjo). Daniel and Jade from Sneinton bagged best mod and modette while Andrew Hart took best vespa and John from Bilborough stole the best mod scoot on show. Keeping up morale inside, d.js Poppa bear and Cynthia B from Ska2soul treated the audience to some cracking tracks from ska, two tone, reggae and northern soul all lovingly played on vinyl records.
Being the sensible sausage that I am I was tucked up in bed way before I turned into a pumpkin
Taking over the stage were The Incredible skank brothers, livening up the crowd with covers of ska classics from Madness and Bad Manners to The specials. The back of the venue held a tombola with all proceeds going to Forces in the community and The British Legion, alongside a merch stall for all trilby, patches, badges and pin needs leaving no excuse to get kitted out.
I hear the event carried on to the small hours with all involved having a fantastic time, raising awareness and paying respects to worthwhile charities to an amazing soundtrack of some cracking ska covers from yesteryear, being the sensible sausage that I am I was tucked up in bed way before I turned into a pumpkin.
Festival twat-isms
Yep as I’ve been away many weekends for festival season, my ear holes have heard some right silly corkers from random passerby’s, this little column filler is like Left Lion magazines notts over heard column but Beeston on the move stylee.
Girl to partner- ‘I am a vegetarian cause I only eat Organic Chicken’
Bloke to woman – (after barging straight into her) –‘I would say sorry but ya know it’s a festival’
Woman enters tent to Marvin Gayle’s iconic original track let’s get it on, she says to first passerby – ‘“excuse me love is this the rave tent?’
Two guys chatting in Matlock one points at the stonewall in Pike hall and says “Isn’t that Hadriens wall?”
Thank you random people for making me smile keep em coming!
Lulu Davenport