Fast approaching is the smoking ban on the 1st July, and I for one am mighty glad! Actually I'm not one of those people who abhor the dreaded weed and all the stuff that goes with it. At one time I got through 80 Dunhill International a day.
I stopped about 5 years ago 'cos I was going in for a major op and I haven't looked back since. I could eat one sometimes though, and I miss the regimentation of preparation, lighting up, having a drag and supping my pint. I did it with will power alone (that's not strictly true - Guinness helped too) Lots of my friends are die hard roll up merchants who blow smoke into my face, onto my clothes and in my hair. Their ash goes into my beer and onto my clothes and the seat I'm sitting on. Their loud intense coughs break up interesting conversation and they seem to have endless colds. Their eyes are dull and their skin is pallid. Their flotillas of roll up gadgets, lighters and accessories clutter up the table. But I never complain. these are my friends. Am I going on a bit?

The thing is, no smoking in the club is going to be a fact of life from 1st July. it's no good looking at me as a member of the Committee and blaming it on me. Although I welcome the new Law, it wasn't my idea, and we must all enforce it.
Offenders will be dealt with ruthlessly in just the same way we deal with other illegal drugs and substances in the Club - with ZERO TOLERANCE!!!

Sad to see that more of you didn't attend the Wilko Johnson concert on 23rd of July as it was a great evening.
The Suspects were really cruising in their support slot and we've had many compliments. Wilko was just fantastic as usual. This is the third time I've seen Wilko at the Club and this was easily his best performance. He had some old R&B in the set and the band were freely improvising and having a great time. Norman Watt Roy on Bass blew me away as usual.
The hundred or so fans who were lucky enough to be there were treated a to a fine performance by two great bands and ambassadors of traditional R&B. But it's probably going to be the last of the big concerts organised by the Club while I'm on watch, and this is for two clear reasons as I see it;

One : The logistics of organising something like that event are huge. Professional organisations employ a dozen people and sub-contractors to put on a gig like this. Credit to Garry who booked the gig, but the rest of it is now largely down to me as nobody else on the voluntary management Committee has the experience or the time (or the inclination) to help. They always help out on the door when they can. - Thanks for that guys - I have to design tickets and posters and arrange to get them to and from the printers, and put ads in the papers and on web sites. I set up the PA and lights, sorting out the problems that always occur on the way, re-arrange the furniture, get both bands through the sound checks, deal with temperamental artistes , engineers and hangers-on (and committee) and then clear everything up afterwards.

I finally woke up this afternoon (Monday) at 2.00 p.m. having slept right through the morning Three full days of activities at the Club and I'm truly knackered. But hey, that's just hard work for the love of your Club and a few quid in your pocket.

Two : It seems to me that putting on these types of concerts is not what the members of the club truly want -
because if it was the room would have been teeming with them on Saturday night! Although many of these concerts (including Wilko's last two) are a great success and bring in welcome revenue and nationwide recognition for the club, that very success relies almost entirely on the participation of NON-MEMBERS. When the members and Committee
of The Albany Club vote with their feet, the event doesn't show a profit, as was the case last Saturday.
I have reached the conclusion that it's not the quality or cost of the artiste that determines whether the clubs event
will be a success or failure, rather it's the general apathy of the venue and its inhabitants.

And of course all eyes now look to me and say "What Happened?"
Well bugger that for a game of soldiers. Not on my watch.

In some ways it's probably the end of an era - the traditional pubs and clubs where a bloke could go out for a pint and a fag with his mates without being surrounded by screaming unruly kids and people eating food are all but gone
The thriving music scene in Earlsdon which was the reason why I located here 14 years ago and which was once the pride of the City is heading the same way...