I had spent most of the day (a Saturday) at home in front of one of my computers trying to catch up on my various commitments to the likes of Ham Amenities Group, Kingston upon Thames Society and the British Czech and Slovak Association, as well as struggling to order opera tickets for Glyndebourne and Ghent. I had not got as far as I had hoped at 10pm and faced the options of carrying on (despite being quite tired), collapsing with some comics, or going down the pub. Comics were winning the argument until I read the review of my previous (and first) encounter with Bungles Finger and that swayed things in favour of the pub.
The 65 bus conveniently arrived at the bus stop at the same time as me and I was in the pub just before 10:30pm.
The band were on their break then which made it easier to get to the bar and order the usual pint of Doombar (it was the only draught bitter they did) before finding a place to settle. That turned out to be one of my usual spots near the band just where the bar curves away towards the loos. It was a bit side on there but it is generally a fine place to watch bands from unless the dancing gets too manic. I later moved to the main standing area by the main door just to see the band from a different angle.
Bugles Finger do not have, or did not bring, their own lights so the only illumination for the stage was a basic table lamp on the shelf behind them. This is exactly what I did not want for my photos and this picture was about the best that I could do.
The band opened the second half of their set by saying that they would be playing some livelier numbers. Livelier than what I did not know but lively I like. I took no notes but some of the songs that I recall from their eclectic mix were Teenage Kicks, Ever fallen in love, Walk like an Egyptian, Sex on fire and Highway to Hell.
They ended the evening on a singalong note with I'm a believer, Can't take my eyes off you (!) and Delilah, which I tried to sing to in the style of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band when everybody else had Tom Jones in mind. Their loss.
The band finished just before the midnight curfew which gave me just enough time to catch up with some of the regulars in the sports bar before being nicely asked to leave. And I left very happy.
Bungles Finger ended my busy and tiring day on a welcome high note thanks to their good playing and interesting mix of unusual songs. Next time they play the Fox and Duck I'll try to get there for the first half of their set.
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