Ghirardi Family Website

This years gigs have started off in style! - The first of the year has kicked off with a double act from Drongos for Europe & Resistance 77. We arrived late, after having stopped off at the Durham Arms for a quick snifter (It still hasn't closed down!) ... we do love that place! Our late arrival meant we missed all but the last song from Terminal Damage so I can't really comment on what they were like. The next band up were 2 Sick Monkeys, this was a 2 piece (Bass & Drums) from Swindon and were excellent! They even did the worlds fastest version of the Yobs 'Worm Song'. We really enjoyed them and it would be good to see them again sometime. The last of the support bands were The Yalla Yallas from Leeds. Unfortunately they weren't very good! The band itself made good music but they really need to ditch the singer, he was appalling. Finally, the first of the headline bands, Resistance 77, came on. They were very good and had brought a lot of Northern support with them. They blasted out tracks 'Far Away', 'Pass Me the Bottle', 'True Punk & Oi' and 'Nuclear Attack'. They ended their set with the rousing single 'The Spirit of St.George'.
Last up for the evening were the Drongos for Europe, they belted their way through 'Untamed', 'Punk Rock Radio', 'Don't Need a Gun', 'They Lie to Us', 'Whose Army', 'Fight for Your Rights', 'Contaminated', 'Wake Up Call', 'Freakazoid' and 'Who the F?!$ are You'. The Drongos were by far the best band of the night, even though a lot of the support had drifted away after Resistance 77 had left the stage. Still, this did not stop the Drongos from playing to the crowd and made a great end to a really good gig. Next up? .... The Stranglers in Brighton, see you there.
Note: Thanks to Steve, without who, there would be no track listing on this page!!!

A sad goodbye to Austin - Our male cat, Austin, was today run over and killed by a motorist, who decided he was not important enough to warrant a stop and check to see if he was still alive! We are heartbroken. Luckily a family across the road saw and heard it happen and rushed to try and help him ... they also saw where the driver went and the car he was driving!
So, to the motorist who did this ... Thanks! I hope the same happens to you some day, so you can experience the hurt you have caused my family.

2009 & 2010 - That's another year gone, and what a good one it was!
Last year was a good year for gigs, we saw The Buzzcocks, GBH, One Way System, Cockney Rejects and Abrasive Wheels. Tom and I also went to see Lily Allen at the Brixton Academy.
Holidays: We took an early holiday in Cornwall (and Devon) introducing the Dog to coast and beaches, then we visited again and spent Christmas there .. Ahh, Christmas dinner overlooking St.Ives harbour, very nice!
For our summer break we spent a few days in the New Forest, we were so lucky with weather as we had managed to coincide with a heatwave! Fantastic for us .. Luca thought differently.
Tom and I managed to get away for a night in Oxford to see Al Murray .. a very very funny night.
So, what has 2010 got in store for us. Well, gig-wise we have Resistance 77, Drongos for Europe and the London Rebellion headlined by Cock Sparrer. In addition to this, we will be taking young Tom (and the 'Quo-man') with us to see the Stranglers again .. not sure what he'll make of it yet. Also a surprise is to be planned for later in the year ... more news on that as events unfold. !
Melinda, Tom and myself have at least one comedy act lined up as well for the year, so make sure you come back and read how it all goes ...