BAIBS Monday 21/01/13

I do like a nice brazier. That's brazier. You know, the wood burning thing. Though it's possible the burn your bra feminist movement was just a typo. Walking home, trudging through snow, sleet giving me the damp Bee Gee look again, someone had a brazier in full flow. Warmth and the smell of burning wood. Lovely. I looked across to Cusworth in the hope of seeing sledgers to get the full winter effect. Sadly Cusworth Hall was in a cloud. Hope it's OK in there.

I don't normally moan about the weather. I moan more about people talking about the weather, even though that's what I'm doing now. Why is it with snow everyone's suddenly an expert. 'Too cold to snow', 'The clouds are full', 'Clouds are too high to snow.' What? I just let the weather do what it does and then I venture into it. But today's different. Today has to clear up cos I'm going out tonight and I've hired a tux for the occasion.

Tonight is the Best Bar None Awards at the Racecourse and I've been asked to present the Best Door Staff award (Sponsored by Sine FM). Best Bar None was originally set up in Manchester in 2003 as a Home Office funded scheme. Doncaster's Best Bar None started in 2006 and since then it has widely been regarded as the model that all BBN schemes should be based on. It is officially recognized as the most innovative BBN in the country. Something Donny should be proud of and enormous credit is due to Andy Constantine and the hard work he puts in all year round.

As a former licencee I know how testing the criteria are just to get accredited let alone win an award. It has made Doncaster a more enjoyable and safer night out. Police statistics show a drop of over 50% in violent crime since the scheme started.

The awards ceremony itself is great fun. The town's licencees letting their hair down is always gonna be messy. Last year I woke up at 8am the morning after on the floor of The Hallcross, still in my suit, covered in pork scratchings. If there's no show tomorrow you know why.

So how was your weekend? Mine was quite splendid. Tom Hark in action at The Keepmoat on Saturday as Rovers' excellent run of form continued. I'd say our best home performance this season. Orient didn't play particularly badly. We just didn't let them play. Good to see Brian Flynn get off to a winning start.

Saturday night was another excellent home town gig: Famous Villains, The Penny Lovers and The Coopers at The Leopard. See yesterday's blog for more on that.

Right, I'm off to check the paperwork on my tux hire. See if I'm covered for pork scratching damage.

Laters

SS

Playlist Monday 21/01/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas

Spies - Famous Villains

Never Knew Your Name - Madness

This Is Real - The Enemy

Paper Boat - The Penny Lovers

Antarctica - Sound Of Guns

Won't Get Fooled Again - The Who

Hate To Say I Told You So - The Hives

Adore Me Dear - Bang Bang Romeo

Recover - Dexters

There's No Other Way - Blur

Pure - The Lightning Seeds

Everything Must Go - Manic Street Preachers

International Bright Young Thing - Jesus Jones

Sexcrime 1984 - Eurythmics

Bats - The Darlingtons

Under China - Auction For The Promise Club

This Charming Man - The Smiths

Whippin' Piccadilly - Gomez

Hold On - Don Broco

Barriers - Suede

Hotel California - The Eagles

Back To Black - Amy Winehouse

I Don't Like Mondays - The Boomtown Rats

War - Edwin Starr

Hey Ho - The Beeds

Black Chandelier - Biffy Clyro

A Girl Like You - Edwyn Collins

Kings Of The Wild Frontier - Adam And The Ants

Front Row - The Fallows

She Belongs To Me - Bob Dylan

Best Of Friends - Palma Violets

Transmission - Joy Division

Red Light Spells Danger - Billy Ocean

My Sharona - The Knack

What You Do To Me - Teenage Fanclub

To Be Like - China Rats

Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers