EIS 04 | Erasure Show 05 | Erasure Acoustic 06 | Reunion Street 06 | Crackers 06

What a better way to write a review then record it in diary form, so here goes!

Saturday 2nd December

00.00
I should be in bed but instead I have to endure my parents and their friends drunk around the house with Dad putting fake tits on his head and trying on my wig.

00.15
Alan becomes victim to the Robin Hood arrow as Dad gets him with it.

00.30
The living room erupts in song as every one sings “Robin Hood riding through the glen”

00.45
Eventually I go to bed but all syched up inside and I can’t sleep.

01.30
This isn’t good. Still not asleep. As Marc Almond sang, “I toss and turn I can’t sleep at night.”

01.50
Dropping off and Craig conveniently texts me to ask if he can borrow my camera tripod. Bang went my efforts to falling asleep again.

02.15
Decide to watch the Wallace and Gromit film from the middle where I left off earlier, and by the end I’m feeling sleepy

03.05
Everything blurs and I fall asleep

07.00
Wake up to “I Should Be So Lucky” and go online to the forums first before getting ready.

07.20
Feed the cat and have a cup of tea and then it’s off to the bus.

07.30
Yay! This hill is steep and with my wheelie suitcase it’s flying all the way down.

07.40
Now on the bus and I can relax on the first leg from North Wales into Chester

08.15
Arrive in work to see the gang and Jo and Jade are desperate for me to wear my high heels on lobby. I refuse, much to Craig’s amusement.

09.10
Get a taxi to the train station nice and early. See Charlotte and Steph there and soon see the other Charlotte too. They’re off to Anfield for a guided tour.

09.40
The girls go for their train and soon I am joined by Simmo who is his usual whacky self wearing Superman t-shirt. Haha!

09.50
We get the train and it’s PACKED.

10.05
The train leaves five minutes late for no apparent reason. We only have 11 minutes exchange in Stockport and we’ve already behind schedule. A lovely elderly woman tells me that the usual Manchester Arriva train isn’t running.

11.00
I begin to stress as the train starts going slow now. Simmo tells me to chill and checks his phone to see that the next train would get me into Donny an hour late, which succeeds in stressing me more.

11.30
We arrive at Stockport and my worst fears are answered, the Donny train has gone. I phone Phil and he says don’t worry and to ring again when nearer Donny so he can pick me up.

11.55
We get the Sheffield train and sit with two nice elderly ladies and a girl from Sheffield uni.

12.40
Into Sheffers and Simmo finds his “girlface” and off they trot together. I have a quiet sit down with a bacon double cheese burger in Burger King.

13.10
The Donny train pulls up and I get on it, relax, take out my Doctor Who novel and settle down.

13.25
I phone Angie to let her know I’m nearly here and she tells me Phil will be coming to pick me up shortly.

13.35
Into Donny station and after hauling my suitcase up and down stairs I see the Erasure gang there. Give Debs a massive hug, great to see her again. Also see Lostone, Cathy, Watty and Watty 2.

13.50
Phil picks me up and it’s off to theirs!

14.00
We arrive and Angie shows me my dress, which nearly causes me to have a connary. She does some final size alterations and then shows me her stock! Wow!

14.30
I feel very honoured as I finally get to meet the legend that is Mr Smithy the famous gnome.

15.00
I change into my “Robin Hood” get up as we’re going to the venue but it’s Angie’s 7 year olds party first.

15.20
In mooches mOOger and soon finds a spot at the bar!

15.25
They are re-united! mOOger finds Mr Smithy!!!

15.45
A white van pulls up at the rear and it is non other than Stew and Andy of Eraser and they begin setting up.

16.05
The kids party starts but the Erasure folk remain at the bottom end of the room leaving the kids to their own devices.

17.15
Ewan and Donna plus Swanny and Wayne have now arrived and we all sit and chat. mOOger pops back home to pick Ann up.

17.30
I get a text message from one of the girls I work with called Sarah who tells me she has just given birth to a little baby girl!

17.45
The DJ plays the song I loathe, Rhianna’s ‘SOS’ so Eraser Andy leans over and says they have ‘Tainted Love’ programmed and would I like them to do it on their sound check! I agree instantly.

18.10
The kids party is over and as the kids begin to leave Eraser begin their sound check preparations.

18.25
Andy gets the music to Yazoo’s “Only You” playing and I sing along enthusiastically.

18.35
Stew begins singing and the song they do is “Ship Of Fools”.

18.45
Yes! They do “Tainted Love” and it’s brilliant and I love Stew’s slightly altered vocal arrangement and it sounds so amazing!

18.55
They do “Love Is A Loser” but as Stew struggles with the words, he tells me it won’t be performed during the set.

18.57
Swanny and I head back off to Angie’s as the rest have already departed, bar Wayne who is setting up lighting.

19.10
I begin getting ready and have a nice shave, after all I don’t want my 5 o’clock shadow coming on!

19.15
I struggle on with my tights and put on my bra thingie before pulling the dress on and zipping it up.

19.17
I zip into my heeled boots and wobble downstairs and Angie offers me makeup so I wobble back upstairs.

19.19
Angie attempts to put on the lippy but it keeps smudging but eventually she manages it and smacks on a layer of lip gloss as well. Wobble back downstairs (should have practiced walking downstairs in boots at home) and Angela gives me some mascara.

19.25
Everyone is ready to go bar Wayne who rushed in late and is hurriedly changing.

19.30
It’s off to the venue. Angela walks behind with me as I struggle to walk the distance in my heels.

19.35
We’re all at the pub now and mOOger’s set is in swing. Everyone cheers at my outfit and I sit with Glynn (yay! We finally meet!)

19.45
I do a bit of mingling with the people there and chat with Debs and Watty

19.57
Notice that the batteries on my cameras are dying so get a couple of photos of Mr Smithy in.

20.15
Angie tells me that there is a Co-Op only 3 minutes walk away but I can’t possibly go like I am so Glynn VERY kindly goes for me! I give him £5.

20.25
I get a great surprise when one of the Erasure tracks for the night on the disco happens to be ‘March On Down The Line’ and despite my 4” heels I dance like the Duracell Bunny on Red Bull!

20.30
mOOgers disco is in full swing and when “Hand On Your Heart” comes on I get to the front and do the dance, because who else would know the moves? Angela conveniently videos it and threatens to put it on YouTube!

20.50
Angie does the raffle.

21.00
It’s time for Eraser who make their entrance to the music of ‘Intro’ before launching into a few slow numbers first including Siren Song and Piano Song

21.15
With Mr Smithy sitting quite happily below his microphone stand, Stew dedicates the next song to Glynn, “In My Arms” which is Glynn’s favourite!

21.42
Stew gets Angie, Phil, Swanny and Wayne to the front to do the dance to “Take A Chance On Me.”

22.05
It’s time for Stew’s costume change during the 12” mix of Oh L’amour and Andy leaves his Casio in the hands of Watty 2, who seems to be really excited about it!

22.06
Stew re-appears in a replica of Andy Bell’s Phantasmagorical trousers, hand beaded and sequined by Angie herself!!

22.15
It’s now seriously party time as Eraser fire into the dancey hits – Love To Hate You, Victim Of Love, Fingers & Thumbs, Stop, Sometimes included.

23.01
Eraser come back on for their encore of A Little Respect with SOS and Lay All Your Love On Me.

23.15
mOOger is back centre stage as the disco kicks into full swing with many eighties cheesy classics but I take a breather, pull off my wig and my boots and chill.

23.25
OK as the opening notes for the Loco-Motion ring out, I throw my wig back on and charge onto the dancefloor, bootless but nevertheless I lead a long conga line around the room doing the actions for the Loco-Motion.

23.35
mOOger carries on with the cheesy hits – Rick Astley, Dead Or Alive … the list is endless. With my feet now recovered I soon have my boots back on and zipped up and back on the dancefloor again.

23.55
mOOger calls me up onto the stage to pass him Mr Smithy. It was fun climbing up in my knee boots and back down again!

Sunday 3rd December

00.05
It’s all over. The disco fades down, Angie says her thank yous and the big clear up begins.

00.30
Off we all troop back to Angie’s house, who runs ahead of us barefoot.

00.35
First things first I unzip and pull off the boots and slip a nice pair of warm socks on before changing out of the dress into my pyjamas.

00.40
The house is full of people drinking and chatting. I plug my camera into my laptop and get all my pictures copied over.

00.50
I sit on the sofa with Shazza, Ann and Debra. Ann is really drunk and is slurring her words.

01.00
mOOger wishes us all goodnight and take a protesting Ann home.

01.30
People are beginning to empty out now.

02.00
Wayne decides to play Guess The Intro