We're putting on a gig

In the last couple of years of The Word's life the Word In Your Ear gigs were one of the most popular things we did. These were generally put together by Alex Gold, who managed to persuade bands that they could make a few pounds for playing in front of an attentive, discriminating audience at the Lexington, which is just over the road from the old office on Pentonville Road. Among the people who said yes were Wilko Johnson, the Blockheads, Neil Hannon, David Ford and Eliza Carthy. A good time was had by all. Just ask anyone who went.

It's now a few months since the magazine folded and Alex and I have decided to have a crack at continuing the tradition. The idea is to put together balanced bills with the accent on variety. On Tuesday December 4th we're bringing back Skinny Lister, the young band who were a sensation supporting the Blockheads back in June. They've done more than most to explore the pop music possibilities of sea shanties, they're the gamest young band around, as their videos attest, and Lorna Thomas has been known to come jigging into the audience offering people rum from the band's communal jug. Their video for Seventeen Summers (see below) demonstrates well the nothing-can-phase us attitude it takes to get the top - or at least to the Lexington.

There will be a full supporting bill to be announced in due course, I'll be MC-ing and fronting my world famous Annus Mirabilis disco, in which all the records come from 1971. We hope to see as many old friends as possible and anyone else who wants to come is more than welcome. We'll be announcing the other "acts" in due course, but meanwhile I'm in a position to offer you, as a valued reader of this blog, special "early bird" rates. That's just £12 a ticket to you. Hope you can come.