1478b. Sat 4/3/23: The Bear Club, Luton

Beer: Three Brewers Classic English Ale 4.0%

I missed last week at The Bear, on account of being double booked. So this is my first visit back since the place was reprieved. It’s a double guitar led quartet.

There’s a complete set of new staff, though otherwise, very little seems different about the place. Yes, the ticket prices have gone up, though you’d expect that. The beer hasn’t, however, and the menus and seating and lights are all the same. Oh, and look, here’s a load of regulars, including Nigel Price, who’s playing for the umpteenth time here. Shame there aren’t a few more in…

But still, Steve and A are in. We’re joined by Party Pete, who engages in chat and is cheerful enough. David L’s also in, though I don’t manage to get to speak to him much. In fact, I don’t get a chance to talk to anyone much. Which might be all the best for people, given that I’ve been out all day, getting ready for, watching, then drinking after the football.

Gig’s fine. Looking forward to the 17th….

1434a. Sun 22/12/22: The Bear Club, Luton

Beer: Pope’s Yard Quartermaster 4.4%

Christmas party. Justin’s off soon, but the Bear will live on, so the atmosphere is more happy-cheery than whimsical-beery. 

Just me and AS down. There’s another farewell, pre-hibernation event on New Year’s Eve, though it’s great to see so many people in the place. Ginger John’s spinning the Gadget of steel, and manages to slip in some TV Personalities and Bats into a set which, otherwise, is all new to me. Pretty much.

Anyway, no live music tonight. That, the holiday period, and the love and respect for Justin seem to have pulled numbers in. We’re sat up by the sound desk, have a brief natter with a few people, but then feel a little crowded out. We’d only come for a couple – lovely to have dropped in; great that the place was doing well on a Thursday, but also great to get back in time for some Christmas telly.

1439. Sat 31/12/22: The Bear Club, Luton

Beer: Adnams Ghost Ship 4.5% (bottled)

The Bear Club is remaining open, but it’s Justin’s last hoorah tonight. The fellow is a Luton legend. Are we cats hep enough to have warranted an invitation? I’d have thought not, but JD is an extremely generous bloke.

We’re in early and sit at the back – not wanting to take the best seats from the regulars. It’s nice and cosy back here, mind. Pretty soon we’re joined by Steve and A and AJK and A. Paul Jolly’s band play the opening set.

One hardly feels qualified to write up this evening, given that my own attendance at the Bear has been patchy at the very best. I do, however, manage to catch up with Justin as I slink off to the lav. He’s wonderful and gracious, and he knows we’ve got to leave early but… I end up thanking him for the FANTASTIC club, for putting it here – Luton surely isn’t worthy – JD would disagree, it’s a beautiful thing and he’s a wonderful fellow. I convey those sentiments, as best I can. I remember calling him “man” a lot – an irksome affectation I thought I’d ditched sometime ago (maybe it’s a jazz club thing). We have a hug. That’s nice… frankly he’s got better people to embrace but, as I say, he’s a beautiful individual.

Justin, and the band he’s assembled, do a rock and roll set. During the interval, we nick off.

Happy New Year Everybody – and especially Justin Doherty.

1265c. Thu 5/5/22: The Bear Club, Luton

Beer: St Albans Three Brewers Golden 3.8%

Another ‘maybe the last’ Slow Night. For reasons beyond our control but within our understanding, this could be it.

It feels a bit gloomy. I couldn’t find my excellent Slow Night bunting and am off on the 7am Eurostar in the morning, so perhaps not as invested as I usually am. About halfway through, my iPod packs up. Bugger. There are some overbearing people knobbing on about the raffle, too. Are they obnoxious? Truth is, maybe I’m feeling a bit tetchy.

But for all that, it’s still a great night. Always is. We’ve come back from one ‘last ever’ Slow Night, and Justin’s happy to consider other events we might cook and come up with, but things aren’t quite as bouncy and upbeat for me.

Naomi wins the raffle, which is nice.  

1227. Thu 3/2/22: The Bear Club, Luton

Beer: 3 Brewers of St Albans Golden 3.8%, Pope’s Yard Club Hammer Stout 5.5%

First Slow Night of the year at The Bear, nay first night at The Bear since winter hibernation.

Slow Night, of course, features Clod Magazine’s knot of DJs – Steve, Andy and me brother – hunched over their equipment. Steve, at least, has records to flick through (and pass around, our admiring the handsome sleeves).

It’s as convivial as ever. CJ’s in, as is Phil and Pete. The great AND the good of Luton’s cultural scenery are in (according to my notes, which don’t go on to name names). Notes suggest that we’re not on their level of community worthy – but we’re on nodding terms. My notes don’t really make sense on that score; they may belie a chip on my shoulder.

Anyway, it might just be me, but I prefer the back bar of the Bricks.

I take up Pete’s kind offer to buy me the first beer, then pay for it by mistake… then worry about the faux pas I’ve fallen into.

The beer is very good, especially the stout.

The ten o’clock raffle is drawn promptly at nine pm.

It does seem like ten at 9:15 mind.

It’s nice. It’s another nice laid-back evening in The Bear. At 9:30pm I’m looking to rush down one more bottle of stout and nick off home. It is, afterall, a school night.

863. Thu 7/11/19: The Bear Club, Luton

Beer: Pope’s Yard Club Hammer 5.5%

Slow Night indeed. On my arrival there’s the KOs, minus Leightron – and plus me brother’s uni’ mate Guljit… plus around ten others.

The bottled beer is very good, as the bottled beer tends to be here. Shame this one’s brewed in Watford.

Phil arrives, as does Ed from LTFC. I collar him for his thoughts of C&R (Arndale owners) putting in for a judicial review against the Town’s Newlands plan. We all expected they would, the b*stards… hopefully they’ll get short shrift.

By 9pm there’s around three dozen in. Not a bad crowd at all (boosted by a single party of around 18). Not sure how many folk are here for the Clod Magazine DJs’ eclectic mix, but this remains a nice laid back way to while away a Thursday evening.

510a. Thu 1/11/18: The Bear Club, Luton

Beer: Leighton Buzzard Borrowers 3.6%

A quieter Slow Night than of late, though pleasingly, a couple of folks anticipated the new Fold Edition. Business on the Seven Hills of Luton t-shirts also brisk. A good turn out from our crowd; all Clod Magazine staff, CJ, PS, SC, Ben from VBAH, Phil and Mark from CY and Naomi all present and largely correct, wowing to the dashing jazz and associated – and sometimes unassociated – sounds coming out of the big bear mouthy stage area. I made a few dj errors, mainly in not stopping my iPod on time, hence stomping and stamping all over SW’s tracks.

Distraction possibly due to my imminent departure – the following morning – to Czech. TPK and I made a loose arrangement to meet at the Plague Memorial in Hradec Kralove’s old town square, 9pm on 4th November. All very Le Carré.

. 

1565a. Fri 16/6/23: The Bear Club, Luton

Beer: Adnams Ghost Ship 4.5%

I don’t feel I’ve been down The Bear as much as I should have done lately. In all honesty, I’m not especially ‘feeling it’ this evening, although SRW nudges, A-Haitch is up for it and TPK gets a ticket.

The good news is that it’s busy-ish when we arrive. Not sure it fills out entirely, but the crowd’s half decent. All the old jazz regulars. Jazz-gulars. We grab a table next to band leader, local expressive pianist, Marco Marconi. Marco explains how he’s not been well, but it doesn’t show in the set – he grows into the gig and gives full reign to a plethora of expressions, twitches and hops.

Sometimes, I find all this energy a little tiring, this evening, given his health declarations before playing, it’s just about forgivable, and a very decent gig.

1547c. Sun 7/5/23: The Bear Club, Luton

Beer: St Austell Proper Job (bottle) 5.5%

A hastily arranged jazz gig at The Bear. At least, I think it’s hastily arranged. SRW declines to attend, and I feel a bit put out that, as a member, I wasn’t able to get a free ticket, but instead, had to pay the full £15. I suppose I was a bit slow off the blocks, though it’s not as if it’s busy, either…

My slight humpy churlishness, the hear and the resultant lazy, skunky anarchy outside and down the road set the tone for the rest of the evening. More fool me for letting it, but some of the beer’s gone up £6 a pop since I was last in, and the band – when they come on – are a little pedestrian. Still, it’s a gig, and I’m supporting The Bear. Karl asks when the next Clod is out, so it’s not as if he hasn’t got more than an eye on what’s going on, on the local scene.

1286a. Sat 11/6/22: The Bear Club, Luton

Beer: Three Brewers Classic 4.0%

Saturday night down The Bear, with Anj, to see our old mate Simon, aka Sunsinger, do his folky-poppy-Americanary thing.

Not a bad crowd in. It’s not rammed, but then there’s comfortably enough in to give a cosy atmosphere. Dylan’s Nashville Skyline gives a nice country folk type atmosphere. Lots of beardy chins in’n’all.

A co-headliner (what many would call a ‘support act’ in old money) puts in a decent set. Just as well, as the pa seemed to be stuck and repeating a tune which felt like a mumbling cut and shut of Captain Pugwash and The Grateful Dead before he came on. This particular song – I shi*t you not – is played at least three times on a loop.

There’s something of the showman about this co-headliner and he can play a bit. And chat. Dan Raza’s his name; razzering is his game. Simon joins him on a couple of tunes towards the end, to good effect. Simon then does his thing, Anj and I tap and nod along and the Three Brewers goes down very nicely, thank you.