Sunday 5 March 2017
a place of welcome
a church should be a welcoming place, a place where anyone can come to find a listening ear, a cup of tea and a few precious moments of companionship.
That's why our church runs a weekly 'Place of Welcome' on a Saturday morning when people can pop in and stay as long as they like.
These are very special times in the life of our church.
Best regards,
electrofried(mr)
Friday 3 March 2017
elbow
Dear Sheddists,once more we're back in the O2 Birmingham to see one of our very favourite bands.
Sometimes it's all too easy to knock those that succeed, but with commendable determination Elbow rarely move far from their roots. Boasting a vocalist of some considerable substance in Guy Garvey, a man who could easily secure a second career as the back-up goalkeeper at Sutton United, they enjoy a virtually unprecedented connection to their diverse and highly enthusiastic fan-base. Which is why it's even more special to see Elbow play a comparatively small venue - the O2 has a capacity of just 3,000.
The band are on form for their second night in Birmingham, running through a seamless blend of new material from their latest album, 'Little Fictions' and much loved hits from their highly impressive catalogue. The likes of 'Mirrorball', 'Lippy Kids' and 'One Day Like This' are all greeted with rapturous applause.
Guy Garvey must surely be one of our greatest modern poets, capturing the joys and sorrows of life in what at first-sight appear little more than throw-away lines to catchy pop-music. And behind him, a highly disciplined and tight band of musicians that have been together now over quarter of a century.
Birmingham salutes you, Elbow!
Best regards,
electrofried(mr)
curry, beer and the gentle pleasures of a fine conversation
another terrific afternoon in the company of my dear friend, Clive - a very special gentleman indeed!
We feast royally at the legendary Asha's a cheeky pint of refreshing Kingfisher being the ideal accompaniment to an Executive Special Lunch. Neither of us lays the remotest claim to being an executive, but it's cracking curry all the same and is dispatched with customary gusto.
Suitably replenished we make our way across the road to Birmingham's finest real ale emporium, the The Wellington. Possibly the only pub in town to have no food available bar nuts, crisps and pork scratchings, the fact it's full by the end of the afternoon is testament to the expansive range of fine keg beers on offer from around the country, the names of which are helpfully displayed on a screen by the side of the bar.
We begin with halves of Brother Rabbit, a delicious pale golden brew with a light frothy head perched precariously atop that is reminiscent in certain lights of the new President of the United States. Regrettably, the former is capable of recycling in the adjacent Gents whereas the latter is not, much as one might wish to be the case.
Brother Rabbit goes down a treat, as does the following halves of Masterwork. At 5.6% it's the strongest beer on offer which sets us up nicely for ....
Ruin - a beer the young bar-tender assures me is a fine choice, being brewed with native botanicals. I should have spotted a 'ringer' when he goes on to observe it is the beer equivalent of gin. We taste it, look at each other with shocked expressions before replacing our glasses on the table.
"Washing-up liquid", opines my learned colleague and I find little cause to demur. We pass on this one and a swift return to the bar is made for halves of Fireside, an ever-dependable Black Country brew and two bags of salted nuts to remove the last lingering taste of Ruin.
Conversation flows throughout the afternoon across a wide range of topics that include the origin of the God gene, bereavement, the trials and tribulations of our beloved Aston Villa, the importance of family life and the current position in Sierra Leone.
Time for our last halves, the coffee-coloured Simcoe Stout and then it's out into the light once more as we go our separate ways. All in all a fantastic way to spend an afternoon!
Best regards,
electrofried(mr)
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