Josh Widdicombe, Frightened Rabbit and the Europa Laegue

An entertaining and diverse week.

Josh Widdicombe is in the category of up and coming comics. He has done a fair bit of TV work, notably on Adam Hill's Last Leg. But still not a household name, which is why everyone I told I was going to see him asked if he was any relation to Anne. I hope one day roles will be reversed.

The venue was the basement of the Soho Theatre and this was the first night of the run. My two companions enjoyed it too, and I think understood why I waxed lyrical about it, and was so keen to arrive early. We bagged a table near, but not at, the front and so were within 5 metres of the act. And in comfort with a good view and a table for our drinks. And a good hour of funny if not barnstorming material. I still think his strength will be on panel type shows as he is a  bright and witty bloke but perhaps not yet the material or stage presence to sell out Wembley. But the basement was full!



The next night I went with one of our trainee solicitors (on his recommendation) to see Frightened Rabbit, a Scottish indie band, probably even lower in the recognition stakes than Josh, but still enough to sell out the Forum, a sizeable venue in Kentish Town. One of the things I like about getting out is the very fact that there are all these acts out there that aren't mainstream but when you get out they have a real following. Yes there are real people out there outside TV land.

The band had two very decent support acts, Irving Washington, a Scottish folk rock band,

 and Wintersleep, a Canadian band who particularly impressed me.

Frightened Rabbit were good, although I was less familiar with their oeuvre than most bands I go to see.I rather realised that my young friend and I have just marginally diverging tastes as he liked their quieter numbers while I most enjoyed the wall of sound stuff one got from the songs where they played with all 5 guitars at once. It is a definite plus going to a gig with someone to whom one can chat intelligently about the bands one is seeing.

And one overall comment. Probably the least photogenic trio of bands I have seen, or at least the most bearded, which maybe is much the same thing. Might also account for the low profile.



Then Thursday night on to Europa League football - Spurs v Olympique Lyonnais. Not a bad game for the neutral, but the one thing that struck me was just what a one man team Spurs are. Or rather, they are a pretty fair team, but what makes a difference is having Gareth Bale. His two stunning free-kicks were responsible for the 2-1 win. Otherwise they didn't threaten much. But Bale is truly terrific, even in a game where he never really got a run against the defence.