Teenage Fanclub in Belfast and Murcia - an' that

First off...

I'm glad to be singing a couple of songs at Stereo in Glasgow on 16th May. It's an event for thi wurd magazine with writers reading their fiction - headlined by James Kelman. Things kick off at 7pm. £5 on the door.

Teenage Fanclub just played a couple of festivals in Belfast and Murcia. Fun was had by all.

In Belfast I had fish 'n' chips in the beautifully ornate  The Crown Bar.

I visited The Ulster Museum which, amongst other delights, was playing temporary host to some Leonardo da Vinci drawings.

And the cafe passion fruit and carrot cake was a work of art on its own.

I heard Bernard MacLaverty read from Midwinter Break and also a new short story.

I had a Bushmills and a Guinness in the grand old Duke Of York while the one and only Bill Drummond sat a few feet away. 

I visited The Mac and especially enjoyed the video of Seamus Heaney reading his poems Digging and, with its brutal ending (especially to my tender teenage ears) Follower; both of which I remember from Mr. Rooney's English class at Holy Cross High well over 30 years ago. Yikes.  Nice mushroom soup of the day in the Mac's cafe too.

And the gig was a hoot...

We flew on to Alicante. On the drive to our hotel I searched youtube for KLF videos. I also took the notion to listen to some tracks from this Buddy Rich album which I first got (bought?) when I was maybe 12 years old. (Back in the day my drum teacher, Alan Parker at The Drum Shop, Blackie Street (gone but not forgotten - the shop I mean; Alan is very much still with us!) was a Buddy Rich aficionado.)

I love Spain. It never ever lets you down.

Arriving the night before our set at the Warm Up Festival, TFC band and crew had splendid beer, wine and tapas.

Next day we soundchecked:

Then I wandered off to the Museo de Bellas Artes:

Weather was nice, btw...

The gig was muy bien...

I caught up with some old amigos who gifted me some nice wine. Then some of the Fanclub posse headed out for tapas and vino tinto in the shadow of the great cathedral.

On the way back to the hotel was passed a gallery of fine art.

Goya?

And so to bed.

I watched some episodes of Inside Number Nine on the flight home. 

And this is me since yesterday.

#StopBrexit.

PS: You are aware of Camera Obscura's upcoming hometown activity, right?

Tinkety-tonk - and down with the nazis.