Course you can Malcolm : Saturday 10th September

After a pause for breath, Course You Can Malcolm will be back under the SMRE before this Saturday’s game against South Shields. Our band this week will be the excellent Mundane Faces, who were individually scouted by Malc’s veteran and people’s poet, John Darwin. He came to us raving about after a recent gig in Prestwich. Think Ten Hag & De Jong, except John always gets his man. Fresh out of Whitefield — Philips High School to be precise — they combine rock, indie, funk and psychedelic influences. John even reckons he heard a bit of The Doors in there. "Get in quick," he told us, "They're off to Uni in a few weeks." With immaculate timing, they’ve penned a song for Andy Burnham; “The Devil That Makes the Buses Late” was released just 48 hours ahead of the Greater Manchester cheaper bus fares velvet revolution. We're hoping to get it onto the half-time playlist, but you can hear it first live at Course You Can Malcolm.

Speaking of hearing, we’re still working with our in-house acoustic engineering expert (no, really) to get the sound right in the new space. It’ll be better this time round, but we’ll have to wait and see if it’s that much better that we can bring back the quiz. If not, soon come.

One thing that won’t be there this week is the tater ash as unfortunately our resident mushy pea wrangler has not been able to take the time off from his job on the railways. [Ed: Insert always on strike joke here]. Instead, we’ve been hearing good things about the curry (with copious sides) available in the Main Stand. If it’s a hot drink you are after, Coffee Bean Dream will be situated in front of the turnstiles next to the SMRE stand and will be selling Worker Bee teas and coffee. Worker Bee is an independent Manchester tea & coffee brand. 

Two other volunteers have also been taking advantage of the Back to School fill your boots until half term travel prices, by arranging trips to Berlin and, err, North Norfolk (Linton Travelodge are doing a great all-inclusive rate at the moment, with bottomless salad bar) so there won’t be any muffins either. (It’s also why you have me filling this preview with poor and inappropriate gags). Normal service will be resumed before the next event. Which may be before the Curzon Ashton FA Cup match, so watch this space.

Doors at One. Mundane Faces are go at two fifteen. Join us.

One further matter, while CYCM and the match are happening on our side of St Mary’s Road, something we heartily endorse will be taking place over at The Miners. Many of you knew Mark Stopford, who left us in 2021, and his dedication to punk rock. This has led to the creation of Doomfest – a nine band jamboree - in his honour. He was certainly helpful in spotting bands for CYCM, from the Gigg Lane days onwards and we hope that the event does him proud. It’s running from 1pm to midnight, so will be an ideal post-match destination.