Course You Can Malcolm returns on 26th August before the match against local rivals Ashton United and as part of the club’s North Manchester Day promotion.
This preview is currently running three days late, but we’ll try to do some catching up between Saturday and Sunday. Course You Can Malcolm returns on 26th August before the match against local rivals Ashton United and as part of the club’s North Manchester Day promotion. Now, those of you paying attention over the years will have noted that a Monday Malcolms, although being alliteratively attractive, is not something that normally happens. It’s usually because we’re low on volunteer numbers and it’s difficult to source turns as they’re all off out to the garden centre. This time however, as it’s a Community Day we thought it appropriate to prove Thatcher wrong. We have also managed to find two great acts, comic Guy Fagan and locally-based band, Midland Railway.
As part of his recent debut solo show at the Morecambe Fringe, Guy investigated some universal posers: "Why do footballers only date soap stars?" "Why are Australian customs officers afraid of a packet of jaffa cakes?" and "Why does a middle aged plastic scouser care about any of this anyway?" Unless he speaks really really fast, he won’t be able to cover all those, but he will reveal which football team he supports. Guy is coming over from The Wirral, possibly by train, although it is a Bank Holiday and services may be limited, so give him the best possible support.
Our band, Midland Railway, will be making a respect-call to Newton Heath Train Maintenance Depot on their way over to the ground. Unfortunately, two of their members cannot make it today, due to the band ahead of them (Hello, Easter!) running late. They are, however making the most of it by bringing in Kat on Bass and running a rail-replacement service for the length of their set.
That set promises to bring a “unique brand of melodic nerd-rock that combines Weezer-inspired guitar sounds with some Bright Eyes-inspired misery, Magnetic Fields-esque dark humour”. Midland Railway are Nick (vocals + guitar), Sarah Kat (bass + vocals, Andy (guitar) and Billy (drums). All the best bands are named after railway companies, and Midland Railway are on track to join this exclusive club. We’re delighted to have them.
Our beers this time round are Where Is My Mind?, supplied by the pixies at Big Trip from Ancoats; a small and upcoming brewer https://bigtripbrewery.com/pages/landing-page. Spyglass (an American pale with ‘hints of citrus and orange’ according to the boffins at CAMRA) brewed in posh Poynton by Neighbourhood Brew Co https://www.neighbourhoodbrewco.com/home . And from just off downtown Cheetham Hill Road there’s Holtses award-winning Fool’s Gold.
We’ll have our hero-of-the-people baker, Rose, busy on a Bank Holiday, just so you can enjoy those delicious cheese or tater ash pies. The mushy peas will be making the short trip from Prestwich, so will be even more ‘fresh from the pod’ than normal. There will be muffins, despite a panic around the availability of muffin cases earlier in the week. Although, two or three may be in “weird and faintly rude” cases. (We’re as intrigued as you are). The muffins may also be Wirral-themed. (Again…).
So, doors at one. Grab a beer and listen to Midland Railway soundchecking. Food from one-thirty. Introductions and ruminations on the theme of community and the abstract notion of ‘North Manchester’ from compere, Baz at 13.55. Our comic, Guy Fagan will be onstage around two o’clock and today’s band, Midland Railway about two-twenty.
See you there.