Review – Page 2 – Middle Age Fanclub

Review: ‘Pride and Prejudice’* (*Sort of) at the Leeds Grand Theatre.

Funny isn’t it? You think you know someone and then all of a sudden they do something that leaves you just completely and utterly taken aback. No matter how many people you meet and how well you know them, every so often there’s one of them that will do or say something that you would never have expected.

Well, the very same thing happened to me on Saturday. Not with a person I knew as such, but with the characters in a much loved piece of literature. Having first read it nearly forty years ago and then every so often since then, I thought I knew as much as was needed about Pride and Prejudice. I’d even read an updated version with added zombies not long ago, so surely nothing was going to come as a shock. Then, along came Pride and Prejudice (Sort of).

I’d been given tickets as a birthday present a few months ago and although I knew that this was a different take on the classic, I hadn’t really looked at how different the take might be, which made it all the more of a treat when the play started.

Pride and Prejudice (Sort of) tells the traditional tale of the Bennet sisters and their somewhat complicated suitors. Just with added pop classics often provided by a karaoke machine. And some swearing. Actually loads of swearing. As well as a great big lump of anarchic humour and a noticeably feminist outlook on that whole looking for love thing. And the best thing is that it works perfectly!

As well as following the young Bennet sisters and their love lives you can look forward to singing along to the likes of Carly Simon’s ‘You’re so Vain’, Candi Staton’s ‘Young Hearts Run Free and even ‘Something Changed’ by Pulp near the end. You’ll no doubt end up laughing like a drain as well, especially at Rhianna McGreevy’s Mrs Bennet who at times felt like equal parts Peggy Mitchell and Catherine Tate’s Nan, delivering unexpected pearls of wisdom such as “Being a fucking smartarse is unladylike” to her daughters!

There are five actors in the all female cast and all are superb, taking on what must have been the exhausting task of playing every character. Every character including the Bennet’s domestic servants who are sometime narrators of this tale, but excluding Mr Bennet who is simply an armchair with a newspaper attached that’s wheeled on and off the stage and mocked mercilessly for its obvious silence on all things matrimonial. The cast are incredibly talented though with all of them taking on some kind of pop classic as well as turning their hand to the odd instrument along the way. They add brilliant comic timing to Isobel McArthur’s pin sharp, clever script and come up with a riot of a performance.

Pride and Prejudice* (*Sort of) is without doubt an absolute triumph and I’d go as far to say that if you don’t enjoy it then it might just be you that’s the problem. The show is just really clever and a shedload of fun. If you get the chance, I’d definitely recommend that you go and see it!

I give Pride and Prejudice (Sort of)…

Middle Aged Gigging: Stereophonics at John Smith’s Stadium in Huddersfield.

A funny one this gig. Beforehand, I was slightly reticent about going and not for the usual reason of being middled aged and living life in an almost permanent state of tiredness. No, this was different. This was a stadium gig and I really couldn’t remember the last time I’d been to a gig in a stadium. In fact, if anything I’ve been going to gigs in smaller and smaller venues of late. I needn’t have worried so much though, as first Blossoms and then headliners Stereophonics served up a cracking night that may well have taken the roof off the place if it actually had one!

The first time I saw Stereophonics live was around 1996, before their first album came out in what was a glorified pub in Hanley, Stoke-on Trent and it still amazes me to see what they’ve become. Don’t get me wrong; they’ve always had the songs and talent to deserve to be selling out stadiums, but it’s a hell of a leap from those early days!

Tonight, we arrive (fashionably) later than planned and after a mix up over stage times, realise that we’ve missed the first support act. In fact, we’re still trying to get into the stadium as the night’s other support, Blossoms, take to the stage. So, while I’m a big fan of their song ‘Your Girlfriend’ it’s difficult to enjoy it while your being squeezed through a small gap to get into a stadium and then precariously edging down some stairs towards the pitch. Tricky to sing along to when you’re trying not to take an almighty tumble!

Blossoms look and sound great though. Singer Tom looks amazing in flared jeans, striped shirt a loose tie and there’s more than a little bit of Mick Jagger about him. Tonight, he also brings to mind Faces era Rod Stewart and even a little bit of Prince at times, which is surely no bad thing?

Their set is superb and songs like ‘Gary’, ‘I Like Your Look’ and ‘Charlemaine’ have the whole stadium grooving along. It’s a great start to our night and the perfect set up for the main event.

After a quick set change Stereophonics amble on to the stage to a great welcome. There’s the odd wave from the band, but it’s a pretty low key entrance. And before we know it we’re into opener ‘Vegas Two Times’ and it feels like the whole place is up and moving. It’s a great track to open with.

This being a ‘Stadium Anthems’ tour there’s plenty to enjoy. Lots of singalong anthems and lots to make even the most curmudgeonly and dancephobic music fan (that’s not me, by the way) shuffle their feet. And singer Kelly Jones looks the epitome of cool in shades, black jeans and a black leather jacket. Oh, to be a rock god!

Stereophonics prove themselves to be as tight as it gets and this is just a brilliant rock and roll show. The visual production – in the form of screens – is pretty good; videos accompanying some of the songs and the odd bit of pyrotechnics as well as some massive pink balloons sent out into the crowd later on in the set as night falls. However, it’s the music that counts here; a stand alone reason to come and see the band.

Singer Kelly Jones has always been renowned for his incredible voice and it doesn’t let him down tonight as he’s absolutely note perfect throughout. My fears about a stadium show are quickly allayed as Stereophonics fill the place with a great big dollop of good old rock and roll. There are the usual irritations about this kind of show – people barging through to get closer to the stage when ‘their song’ comes on, people chatting – but none of it manages to get in the way of this being an excellent gig. Stereophonics do indulge in the odd bit of rock posturing, the odd pose here, a showbiz point or wink there, but then maybe they’ve earned the right to call on the odd cliche having sold over 15m records! It certainly doesn’t spoil anything for me, anyway.

There’s barely a dull moment tonight. As I mentioned earlier, it’s a set of stadium anthems so you’d have to be a fairly miserable fan of the band to not be enjoying what’s on offer. For me though the standout tracks are ‘Geronimo’ complete with it’s enormous saxophone (a baritone sax, I think?), ‘I Wouldn’t Believe Your Radio’ with Kelly on ukelele, ‘Mr and Mrs Smith’ and ‘Mr. Writer’.

As we edge towards a close – and my knees and feet begin to grumble – we’re treated to the ever brilliant ‘Local Boy in The Photograph’ and ‘C’est La Vie’ before an encore comprising of blistering versions of ‘The Bartender and The Thief’ and ‘Dakota’. Stadium anthems indeed!

As they exit stage left, Stereophonics leave behind a very happy bunch of Yorkshire punters. It’s been a brilliant night and a gig and band well worth coming out for. Makes me think that I shouldn’t leave it as long between shows next time!

Book Review: ‘The Rise of The Ultra Runners’ by Adharanand Finn

For a while now, ultra running has both appalled and fascinated me. We’re talking ridiculous distances and conditions – running 100 mile races is fairly typical and often involving mountains and other such treacherous terrain. The idea of putting myself through such torture, despite my love of running, appalled me, but the idea that people chose to test themselves to the limits in such events absolutely fascinated me.

‘The Rise of The Ultra Runners’ had been on my ‘to read’ list for a while. It had sat there in one of my book boxes idle, occasionally popping its head up and briefly grabbing my attention before losing out to something shinier. And then one day, I decided that the time was right. It turned out that I really should have picked it up earlier!

The book plots the rise in popularity of ultra running; basically the pursuit of running ridiculous distances over many hours, sometimes days and often in ridiculous conditions. It would seem that there are now plenty of perfectly sane humans getting bored of the shorter distances, you know, like a marathon! For the uninitiated this means that ultra runners are taking on anything from 50k to 160k. In fact, the longest ultra is actually 3100 miles!

As with the last book of his that I read, ‘Running with the Kenyans’, Finn immerses himself in the world of endurance running. In order to write the book, he doesn’t just search out ultra runners, he becomes one and it’s an interesting read. Finn not only runs the races, at one point he even moves in with one of the world’s best ultra runners living in a cabin on a mountain, training with him and generally just trying to absorb everything he can about this world that he’s joined in with.

The adventures of ‘The Rise of the Ultra Runners’ take us all over the world in the pursuit of the ultimate test. Finn talks us through each agonising step in a world where things can change from one minute to the next. It seems that as an ultra runner you never quite know when disaster might strike.

However, these athletes, Finn included, are ridiculously dedicated to their craft. So whether, it’s an injury, the terrain, the weather or just the fact that the climb just doesn’t seem to want to end, these people just don’t seem to ever want to give up. Given that the distances can stretch into the hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles, this is an illuminating read, to say the least. And there was me congratulating myself on keeping going for the final mile of a particularly tough uphill 5k the other night!

‘The Rise of the Ultra Runners’ is a fantastic read whether you’re a runner or not. If you run, it’s about our world, but multiplied by 100 in most cases. If, like me, you often struggle to drag yourself around a 10k then you’ll be amazed at the physical and mental feats described here. The fact that not only can humans push themselves to their physical and mental limits over what feel like obscene distances, but also while they’re literally climbing mountains or battling with ridiculous extremes of temperature will never not fascinate me. But it’s not just that that’s so interesting. With this book, the devil is really in the detail in terms of exactly what we’re capable of.

The further I got through the book, the more fascinated I got. And the more fascinated I got, the more I thought about trying an ultra marathon myself. The reality is that I most likely won’t ever have the time, but it’s an idea that I still can’t shake and I’d love for there to be a time where I was able to train for one and make it happen.

And for me, that’s the genius of the book. It tackles something that will seem utterly ridiculous for the majority of us and yet, we’re still compelled by what we read. This reader, despite the onset of middle age, a pacemaker, asthma and a terrible habit of eating crisps and chocolate and drinking red wine read it and genuinely thought he’d be able to run a 50k race. And let’s not get started on my genuine fascination with a 100 miler in South Africa!

I give ‘The Rise of The Ultra Runners’

Film Review: Sisu

They say that it’s always the quiet ones you’ve got to watch, don’t they? Well, there’s never been a truer word spoken when it comes to Finnish film Sisu. The film’s hero is indeed quiet and you can’t help but watch. It’s just a shame the bad guys didn’t seem to hear what ‘they’ said!

Directed by Jalmari Helander, Sisu is set in rural Finland at the back end of World War 2 where the Germans have adopted a somewhat scorched earth policy to their retreat. They’re defeated and almost broken, but not quite finished with all that Nazi stuff. Determined to leave their mark and inflict just a little bit more pain, they trundle along looking for trouble as they head towards their extraction point.

Meanwhile, not too far away an old miner has finally found gold in them there hills and bagging up the bounty from a rich seam, he’s setting off for town to presumably trade it all in for a big bag full of cash. It feels like it’s inevitable that he’s about to be the next victim of this rag tag band of super villains. But, when they meet things don’t quite go to plan for the bad guys and their tank. This is not just any old miner; this is the legendary Finnish commando, Aatami, nicknamed ‘Immortal’ by the last army to cross his path and who doesn’t take the attempts to steal his gold too lightly.

What follows is brutal, entertaining mayhem and at times is thoroughly hilarious. There’s violence aplenty, much of it unbelievable, some of it ridiculous, but all of it the kind that will keep your eyes firmly on screen. Think Tarantino, think Rambo, think John Wick and think Clint Eastwood’s man with no name from the spaghetti westerns and you’ve got a fair idea of what to expect from Sisu. A film not to be taken too seriously that will seriously entertain.

The film seems heavily influenced by Sergio Leone’s work and the spaghetti westerns like Django that followed. The location is bleak, the dialogue minimal and the violence ferocious and gory. And as far fetched as it gets – and it really stretches the imagination here – you’ll find yourself willing Aatami on. You may well be laughing uproariously at times, but he’s not. Nor is he saying much and yet such is Jorma Tommila’s portrayal of our good guy, especially when set against the almost cartoonish Nazis, that you find yourself desperate to see him killing them in evermore brutal and unbelievable ways!

If you don’t mind a bit of gore and your after a thoroughly entertaining film to watch then I’d totally recommend Sisu. A captivating watch that will make you wince as much as it’ll make you laugh and cheer. Suspend that sense of disbelief and I promise you won’t be disappointed!

I give Sisu…

Film Review: ‘Marcel The Shell with Shoes On’.

If someone was to recommend a film to you where the premise was that a man discovers a talking shell and makes a documentary about it, you would be forgiven for deciding that this wasn’t the film for you. Furthermore, no one would question you doubting that someone’s sanity. And yet, here we are…

The idea behind ‘Marcel the Shell with Shoes On’ is ludicrous to say the least. To be fair though, nobody’s telling us this is real life and there have always been ludicrous ideas in some of our most loved films. ET, Star Wars, The Hobbit…it’s a list that could go on and on. And it gets even sillier though when you realise that Marcel the shell lives in an Airbnb with his grandma…also a shell. That said, I can only write about the film in glowing terms and say that you have to see ‘Marcel…’!

Having moved into an Airbnb, documentary maker Dean stumbles across Marcel the shell, who of course already lives there. Being only an inch tall, however, he’s thus far survived without being discovered. Somehow, a friendship of sorts is formed and Marcel is quick to introduce the aforementioned grandma as well as Alan, his pet ball of lint.

The film documents Marcel’s life and the friendship between him and Dean. We learn that Marcel used to have a whole family living here, but following a break up of the people who were renting the house, the family had disappeared. Marcel’s only clue as to their whereabouts is a picture of the man’s car and suitcase. Marcel is sure that his family were bundled up into the suitcase.

It’s a ludicrous idea at first, but you can’t help but warm to Marcel, almost immediately. He looks cute, he sounds cute and as the film goes on we find out that he’s both funny and caring as well as being vulnerable, which I guess you might expect of a shell.

When Dean then uploads a video of Marcel to the internet in order to help him find his family, the results are exactly what you’d expect. Marcel goes viral and the world becomes obsessed with finding this talking shell…and his grandma. Luckily, Dean is very protective and careful about who he lets into this world and soon the hunt for Marcel’s family is quietly on.

‘Marcel the shell…’ is just a lovely film. The relationship between Marcel and Dean is a real feelgood thing and the film is done in such a way that it all seems perfectly natural and dare I say it, believable. At first, I found myself kind of scoffing at the whole thing, but before too long I was completely under its spell. I won’t spoil things with any more detail, but suffice to say there’s a lot to take in.

Laughs, sadness, happiness, internet fame; what more could you want from a film about a shell who lost his family? If you’re after a film that will invariably make you smile and take you away from the troubles and seriousness of modern life, then ‘Marcel the shell with shoes on’ could well be for you.

I give ‘Marcel the shell with shoes on’…

Middle Aged Gigging: Ellur at The Square Chapel, Halifax.

It’s not often I get out to see a new artists anymore. I’ll sometimes watch someone new supporting one of my favourites, but the days of getting out and watching new bands and unproven talent have long gone, I’m afraid. Tonight is slightly different though. This is actually my third time of seeing Ellur live, but while on the other two occasions she’s performed with a band, tonight it’s just Ellur, a guitar, a couple of plants and around 150 people in the audience. So, no pressure then!

Pressure or not though, when you’re being compared to Joni Mitchell and Sam Fender in the same night, you really must be doing something right. And believe me, Ellur is definitely doing a lot of things right. I hear both of these comparisons from people around the place tonight though and in truth I can’t help but agree. Ellur really is one to watch.

Tonight, as stripped back as this gig is, Ellur truly thrives. Right from the off, she’s got the audience eating out of the palm of her hand, asking us if anyone here is actually from Halifax and then, when she finds out that no one is, she tells us it’s ok, as ‘it would be a bit shit without you’! There’s a presence and charisma that belies her years but then of course, the key ingredient is that she also has the songs to back it all up.

Tonight is just a short set, but it’s still superb and while the comparisons I mentioned are completely valid, for me there’s also something a bit reminiscent of Suzanne Vega about Ellur in this performance. She’s got a fantastic voice and songs like ‘Yellow Light’ and ‘Your Dog’ absolutely soar with the latter being introduced as ‘a song about this guy I was dating who was an arsehole’. I mean, it’s fair to say there’s a few of them about! A bit later, there’s also a brilliant sing along during ‘Thank God You Tried’ where we all get to feel like part of the act!

However, tonight it’s powerful closer ‘God Help Me Now’ that really showcases Ellur’s talent. There’s a wonderful subtlety that’s coupled with moments of sheer power in her voice here that you can’t help but be hooked by and the song itself is just superb. And then, having enthralled us all for far too short a time, she gives a couple of curtseys and is off.

As small as this gig has been, it feels like we’ve all been in on a bit of a moment. Apart from anything else, to put yourself out there with no one else and just a guitar for support is perhaps as brave as it gets for a performer. And yet tonight, Ellur absolutely smashes it.

With an E.P. out soon and then a debut album next year, Ellur could and should really take off and if there’s even a small shred of justice in the world Ellur’s star will be allowed to shine brightly in the coming year. What a privilege to see such a genuine talent up close! If you get a chance in the new year or indeed any time in the future, get out and see her perform, with or without the band. You can thank me later.

Review: Rhod Gilbert at the Grand Theatre in Leeds.

Rhod Gilbert is a notoriously dour comedian. A bit miserable and matter of fact. Funny though, but cynical and blunt. And tonight we’re promised that things will get beyond blunt.

Rhod’s latest tour – Rhod Gilbert and the Giant Grapefruit – is all about his battle with cancer over the last 3 years. Well, they do say that we can find humour in anything.

As he takes the stage he’s quick to warn us that things are going to get dark. But we know why we’re here and exactly what the circumstances of the show are. Gilbert has fought and beaten head and neck cancer, after the discovery of a growth – that’ll be the grapefruit – on his neck. Ironically, this was found during a trek in South America to raise funds for his local cancer hospital. And as the man himself says, when life throws you lemons, you make lemonade. But when life throws you grapefruits, you’re never going to be sure quite what to do. But, like comedians are inclined to do, he made a joke out of it and took it on tour.

It’s a very different night of comedy that begins with the comic asking if there are any people in the audience who’ve also had cancer. But it works. There are, I suppose as you’d statistically expect, a fair few audience members who have gone through and recovered from cancer. A couple of people have even had the same cancer as Gilbert and so some of tonight is spent discussing what they’ve been through. It’s never indulgent and always funny (which feels like a weird thing to write even now).

It’s a brilliant show. Gilbert is, as ever, engaging and forthright. Nothing is held back, meaning that a few thousand of us are treated to tales of cancer based constipation that we probably could have done without! But, even when we’re cringeing about it, we’re laughing. Along the way, we’re treated to tales of John, Rhod’s driver while he was unable to drive himself, who is ridiculed mercilessly.

As promised, there are lots of darker moments tonight. It’d be impossible to avoid after a 3 year cancer journey. But it’s actually uplifting. Brutally honest and all the while searching for a bright spot, but it’s dark. I find myself wondering whether or not it’s ok to laugh at times, but realise that the whole room is laughing so it’s probably the whole point. Sometimes, when the chips are down, if you don’t laugh, well you’ll probably cry and I know which I prefer.

There’s a brilliant section near the end of the set where Rhod gives out awards for those who’ve featured in his battle against cancer. I won’t give the game away as some of you might go to see the show in the coming months, but there’s a brilliant tale involving a trip to get treatment that almost ended up in Aberdeen of all places. And remember, Gilbert lives in Wales! There are also awards for those who reached out to Rhod during his last 3 years, some with wise and beautifully written, sage pieces of advice…and others where it’s just plain weird.

The show ends with Rhod now offstage and a video that was made during his treatment. Keeping with the themes of the night, it’s funny while also being really sad at times and we’re given just that extra little bit of insight into Gilbert’s character. Thankfully, it’s been a happy ending and I dare say that there was more than just me in the room who was choking back a few tears as Rhod rang the bell to signal that he’d beaten cancer.

Welcome back, Rhod!

Review: Russell Kane at the Leeds Grand.

It’s 10.40 on Sunday night and I’ve just got home. My face aches, particularly across my cheekbones and I think I probably need a go on my inhaler. I feel genuinely knackered, but it’s not a bad thing though…just the result of spending some of my evening laughing like a drain in Russell Kane’s company.

I last saw Russell probably over 10 years ago and so, given the amount of time, I’m not entirely sure what to expect. What I do know is that it’s going to be a very physical kind of gig. A bit like Lee Evans but with a better sense of style and far more up to date references.

First up tonight is Jack Skipper, a comedian I must admit that I’ve never heard of. But that’s part of the treat here. I mean, us middle aged types aren’t often out on a Sunday night anyway, but as far as a bit of mystery is concerned, I’m restricted to the pub quiz, the meat raffle and a bit of ‘open the box’ if I’m lucky! So a mystery comedian is fine with me!

It can be quite awkward seeing any new comedian though. I’m always immediately aware of the chance that they might just die on their arse and I was brought up to always try to be polite. What do I do if he’s just not funny? Happily though, Jack raises some decent laughs early on before then dropping a C bomb and really warming us up.

Starting off by talking us through how he’ll pay his kids back for all of the early mornings that they provide him with when he’s hungover, he then moves on to the fact that we’re out on a Sunday night – a miracle for some of us if it’s not on the calendar! Particularly true in our house! He’s an ex carpet fitter, so gives us some jokes and stories about his time in that particular trade as well as his take on his school days and the fact that he feels that he’s just not that bright. Bright or not, Jack Skinner leaves us all with a warm glow and the feeling that we’ve just seen a future star. There’s a hint of Micky Flanagan and a touch of Jack Whitehall, while also having something akin to Russell Kane himself in there, yet Skinner definitely has his own way. He’s funny, relatable and likeable and deserves his success when it comes.

Now normally when reviewing any kind of gig I’ll have some points of reference. So, if it’s a band it’ll be notable songs and if it’s a comedian, it’s the topics they talk about or just a great gag. Russell Kane is very much a different kettle of fish though. I swear tonight feels like it’s 100% off the cuff and it’s all the more brilliant for that fact. It’s obviously not off the cuff at all, but for someone to meander through as many topics, views and stories and still get back to the point time after time, all the while making the entire room laugh uproariously, is a real skill.

It’s not hard to work out why this is called the ‘Hyperactive’ tour. If you know Kane’s live work then you know his style; perpetual motion at what feels like 100 miles an hour. And anyone who just bought tickets for a good night out is left in no doubt as to the name when he bounds out and proceeds to just do circuits across the stage as he talks. Kane is a phenomenon; he never seems to stop and his delivery is incredible coming as it does on the run, during a dance, lying down or just crouching in front of us. Even taking a drink is done while wandering!

Whether there’s a plan or not, Kane’s material is superb tonight and I find myself wondering ‘Is this the funniest show I’ve ever seen?’ about halfway through. The answer is that I don’t know, but that’s the fault of my memory, not Russell Kane. Tonight is very definitely up there though.

In a way, Kane is hugely unprepared for tonight’s show as when he takes to the stage he’s only actually been in the building for 10 minutes or so. Apparently he was stuck in motorway traffic, which not only leads to a glorious bit about Slaithwaite – a place Kane discovers that the locals pronounce as more of a noise than an actual word; Slaawit – but lands him in quite an agitated mood. In turn, this adds even more to the energy of the show!

Quite a chunk of tonight is related to the audience. Kane ‘picks on’ the front row from the off and much fun is had at the expense of Yorkshire folk and their accents and attitudes. There’s nothing at all malicious in this and Russell judges the tone brilliantly so that the whole theatre is laughing as one. Even when he does a brief section about Geordies later on, I can’t take offence. It’s just very, very funny and stingingly accurate!

Kane says himself that he doesn’t tell jokes. In fact some of tonight seems dedicated to almost giving us a sermon about enjoying life, but it’s just hilarious at the same time. There are a good ten minutes spent on gently mocking ‘Gen Z’ as he asks questions of a 17 year old near the front and I find myself veering between wiping tears of laughter away and feeling dreadfully sorry for the lad!

Further down the line, there are riffs on his working class roots, his family, his wife and also the joys of living up north. All of it is priceless, hence the aching face and struggling lungs when I get home.

Only when Russell starts talking about limiting his show to 70 minutes, do I realise that we’re nearing the end. So relentless has he been that it feels like time has flown. Maybe somehow, with his dancing and speed walking around the stage he’s managed to find a way to speed up time? He admits to being worn out and I think every last person in the room feels exactly the same. But we’re all smiling.

Kane leaves the stage to rapturous and well deserved applause and much acclaim. There’s no chance of an encore, but nobody seems to care. This has been a wonderful night spent in the company of someone who appears to be a wonderful human being. And boy, is he funny!

If you get the chance to catch any of the rest of the tour, then jump on it. If not, start preparing yourself for next time!

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Russell Kane; perhaps the funniest stand up in Britain.

Book Review: ‘Freak the Mighty’ by Rodman Philbrick

Max and Kevin shouldn’t get along. They’ve got nothing in common apart from being outsiders and neither seems to have the personality or simply the willingness to make a friend. In fact, they both seem to have a certain distaste for other people. They’re fine on their own, thank you very much. However, they’ve both got a level of curiosity too and it’s not long before they give in to it. And thank goodness they do.

Max is a loner by choice. Raised by his grandparents, he’s got a reputation with the other kids around school as being mean and prone to violent outbursts, earning him the cruel nickname Mad Max among others. But he’d known Kevin previously at nursery and been fascinated by his crooked legs and braces. So when years later Kevin moves back to town, an uneasy and unlikely friendship is quickly formed and Freak the Mighty is born.

Max (aka The Mighty) lives in his grandparent’s basement and rarely ventures out. He definitely doesn’t have friends around. But it isn’t long before Kevin (aka Freak) – back in the neighbourhood with his mum Gwen – is spending time there. And from this point on a beautiful friendship grows. Max protects Kevin and doesn’t judge him for the way he looks, while Kevin serves to educate Max and doesn’t judge him for the way he talks. It’s not long before adventure is calling.

‘Freak the Mighty’ is an amazing story. It’s actually aimed at Key Stage 3 kids, so ages 11-13, but I have no shame in saying that I loved every page. It was a book that was recommended on social media; the second one that I’ve picked up because a comedian said so! And what a recommendation it turned out to be! The book was also made into a 1998 film – The Mighty – starring Sharon Stone, Gillian Anderson, Harry Dean Stanton, James Gandolfini and Kieran Culkin and that too is well worth your time. But please read the book first! At under 200 pages it won’t take you long and it will make you smile!

At first, the friendship is mostly about childlike adventures. Kevin is carried round by Max on his shoulders, barking orders and encouragement in his ear as they investigate their neighbourhood. For a while, this is a good news story and the friendship feels indestructible. But then, a dark shadow from Max’s past re-enters his life and his world changes overnight.

It begins to seem very likely that Max will be lost to his grandparents. His life will be changed and for once, he won’t be able to force his way out of things. Mad Max seems sure to return. And this is where the beauty in Philbrick’s writing is. As a reader you’ll hate the transformation in Max, having witnessed first hand what friendship can do for even this most lost of lost boys. And now he’s about to become lost once more. However, there’s always a glimmer of light at the end of this particular tunnel. And it comes in the form of a ‘Freak’ named Kevin. Kevin uses every last measure of strength, cunning and intellect to come to the rescue, hatching a brilliant plan to come to the aid of his friend. So, just when it looked like they might be wrenched apart forever, Freak the Mighty are reunited. But can it last?

I would absolutely recommend you read Freak the Mighty. There are drug references and some violence, so be careful in who you share it with in terms of children. For the most part though it’s downright funny, while also being life affirming and then all of a sudden, desperately sad. At a basic level though, it’s just a great story with a lot to offer in terms of lessons in friendship and humanity.

Literature is full of unlikely friendships – George and Lennie in Of Mice and Men, Huck and Tom from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Bruno and Shmuel in The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and they always make for good reading. Well Max and Kevin might well be one you’re yet to discover. I can only point you in the right direction; read Freak the Mighty!

I give Freak the Mighty…

Middle Age Gigging: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds at Leeds First Direct Arena.

As a child of the 70s and 80s, I sometimes get to thinking that there have been times when I’ve had very little to feel lucky about. Growing up in the North of England I watched heavy industry being torn apart, mass unemployment, a decidedly average football team and all things Margaret Thatcher for around about the first 20 years of my life. It all felt a bit rubbish, to be honest!

However, there was always music, even if that invariably meant mining the past to listen to more of bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. And then, in the mid to late 80s came The Smiths and The Stone Roses amongst other followed in the early 90s, by Oasis. They were right up my street, I was the right age and thanks to the fact that attended a university in the north west, I was in the right place too. Sadly, all good things come to and end and thus the brothers Gallagher eventually went their separate ways, Liam forming Beady Eye and Noel bringing together his High Flying Birds. They would leave a legacy of incredible music and a lifetime’s worth of memories though.

Oasis and the Gallaghers have been a huge part of my musical life ever since and so tonight, despite the time of year and another hard day at work, I’m tingling with excitement at the prospect of watching Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds at Leeds Arena.

The band/Noel have an album to promote, June’s ‘Council Skies’, and have been on tour worldwide for months. We last saw them in Leeds 7 or 8 years ago, so tonight is highly anticipated and walking through the city on the way to the venue the atmosphere gets better the closer we get. There’s a definite buzz, which although is probably partly due to Christmas, intensifies as we near the venue and by the time we take our seats with around half an hour until stage time you can sense that everyone feels exactly the same. Everyone is up for this!

As a middle age gig goer it’s quite comforting to see the age profile of the crowd. In short, there are plenty here around my age and plenty more who look decidedly older. And I have to do more than a few double takes at the amount of families who’ve turned up. Who know that so many teenagers love a bit of Noel?!

With what must be 5 minutes still to go until stage time the lights dim and we’re greeted with a kind of white noise. The screen behind the stage is fuzzy, but as the noise intensifies the blur clears and five minutes later with a backdrop that now reads ‘Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’ the band amble onstage to a heroes’ welcome.

Opener ‘Pretty Boy’ is a personal favourite from the new album, so I’m immediately onside. It’s a blinding version too. Next up is ‘Council Skies’ followed by the brilliant ‘Open The Door, See What You Find’ and three tracks in – all from the new album – the Leeds Arena is rocking!

It’s only at this point that Noel finally speaks, finding just enough time to remind us that he’s a Man City fan (I mean, you would, wouldn’t you?!) and say good evening to Leeds before the band launch headlong into another couple of tracks from the new album, ‘Council Skies’ in ‘We’re Gonna Get There In The End’ and ‘Easy Now’, both of which are excellent. Being notoriously bad with even the lyrics of songs that I’ve been listening to for years, I’ve bumbled my way through this section by joining in with most of the choruses and the odd line here and there, but I’m still having a brilliant time. Noel has just always had a happy knack of being able to churn out amazing tunes. Furthermore, this being an arena gig, we’re sitting down meaning that the middle age knees are having a much needed rest!

The High Flying Birds then raid their back catalogue with five older songs, featuring classics ‘In The Heat of The Moment’, ‘If I Had a Gun’ and a raucous ‘AKA…What a Life!’ before most of the band leave the stage while Noel and long time keyboard player Mike Rowe perform a beautiful version of ‘Dead in The Water’.

Having earlier promised us a “trip back to the 90s” Noel and the band now head further into his back catalogue. It’s time for some Oasis tunes!

Starting with the beautiful ‘Going Nowhere’ we’re then treated to ‘The Importance of Being Idle’, the always amazing ‘The Masterplan’ and ‘Half The World Away’ before the set closes with a superbly noisy and spirited version of ‘Little by Little’.

Undoubtedly, at least three quarters of tonight’s crowd were there in the 90s with Oasis and so, despite the creaking knees, the greying hair and the almost permanent aching back – I’m throwing everyone in with my own symptoms here – hearing those songs live again is quite the experience and as much as we love Noel’s newer stuff, the Oasis tunes will always hold a special place in our hearts.

Within minutes of leaving the stage, the band are back for the encore. Noel, who’s gotten more chatty as the gig has gone on, jokes about the next song; we’ll all know the chorus but only him and Bob Dylan know the verses! He might be right too and as he plays a cover of Dylan’s ‘Quinn The Eskimo’ I’m transported back to the late 80s and chanting the chorus on the terraces at Newcastle United in homage to our number 9, the goal machine Micky Quinn!

Next up is ‘Live Forever’ and more special memories. It’s a stunning version of the song and as it’s one I used to sing to my wife in the early days of our relationship, I’ll confess to a little bit of a tear. I hope Noel would understand! And of course, this is a huge part of the point of tonight for a lot of us. We’re rolling back the years, loving every moment of the hour and a half that we get to spend with one of our musical heroes and remembering what were special times when we were a lot younger. And the man in front of us played a big part in changing the landscape of music.

Tonight ends with the stone cold classic that is ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’. Everyone is up out of their seats and those standing at the front of the arena are now just a swaying mass of bodies all hands held aloft and no doubt singing back every word at the top of their voices. It’s the same all around the arena. It’s been a staggeringly good gig. The band are just superb and Noel has been on top form.

By the end, I’m knackered but blissfully happy as only the opportunity to hear a bunch of songs that mean so much can make you. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds have been perfect and I’m pretty sure that every last one of us would agree. Noel, if you ever get to read this, thanks for another brilliant night…and thanks for the memories. May we all keep making them for a good few years yet!