Up The Junction with HMHB in Cambridge

Absolutely superb concert by the only band, that I’d drive 150 each way to see. It was definitely worth the cross-country journey to Cambridge. The Junction is a nice enough venue too, near the railway station. The band were great from start to finish, but when you have a repertoire of some the greatest songs ever written then perhaps it is to be expected.

I was pleasantly surprised to find I wasn’t the oldest person there - it seems HMHB attract folks of all age.

It all began with a rousing version of the band’s tribute to the great “Fred Titmus”, that wonderful Middlesex spin bowler who is a bit short in the toe department. They move from this 1980s classic to the bang up to date “Corgi Registered Friend” and then to an all time favourite “Running Order Squabble Fest” (with that immortal line - You’re going on after Crispy Ambulance. Then it was “Monmore Here’s Running” and “Bad Review”.

Then: a storming version of “The light at the end of the tunnel is the light of an oncoming training”. We had renditions of “Mountain bikes” and “Outbreak of Vitas Gerulaitis” with a subtle word change “Why it's Tomasz Radzinski?” the Canadian ex-Everton striker now with Fulham and still can’t seem to score.

A great version of “Trumpton Riots” and a subdued “Shropshire Lad” and one my personal favourites “Bob Wilson - Anchorman?”. Next up was “Larks” and then it was a version of the Who’s “Substitute” - oh no sorry, it wasn’t. it was the intro only that segued into “Vatican Broadide”, you know the Finger out of Slipknot went to Rome to see the Pope.

Then the guy a few rows behind had his wish fulfilled as he was able to throw his “Joy Division oven gloves" in the air, now where did he get those (£24.99 in Argos, I wonder). We then heard the story of the group “Evil Gazebo” followed by “Bottleneck at Capel Curig”. Then some more crowd pleasers “Tending The Wrong Grave For 23 Years” and that tribute song to one of America’s finest “Bastard Son of Dean Friedman”.

OK, then it went slightly wrong on “24 hour garage people” - the CD player didn’t work as Nigel tried to let us know that the man at the garage was a Boston and Foreigner fan with soft spot for ELO. However, all was restored when he played “What is Chatteris” - one of the greatest love songs: of course, Chateris is a charming village not far from Cambridge.

Well then we had “Hair Like Brian May Blues”, a song I don’t know so well, but one it was pretty good. Then the set closer and the best song of the night “Everything's A.O.R” - Now she’s a big wig in the city, but I remember here when she was reading Jackie, but I can stick a tennis racket up against my face and look just like Kendo Nagasaki.

They came back for an encore with a surprising version of “Shot by both sides” which I believe is a song by Howard Devoto. A nice “Venus In Flares” and the very last song of the night “We Built this Village on a Trad Arr Tune”.

So why didn’t they do “27 yards of dental floss” or “Dukla Prague Away Strip” - especially as the guy in front was wearing the aforementioned football strip, though Nigel did acknowledge him: Respect. Oh and the crowd sung “Albert Hammond Bootleg” - all by themselves, not the most tuneful version that I’ve ever heard.

All in all - a very enjoyable evening. If you get the chance to see them then do it. It is a very friendly atmosphere and the songs are great.