Let's Wrap This Thing Up

It was a brave new blogging venture to switch from pure music to a wider world of the live experience of extended culture and sport. Alas this project has finally joined the worldwide bonfire ignited by the pandemic of Covid-19 and now all that remains are the embers of what was salvaged from the first few months.

There has been minor movement in very recent times with live music briefly springing back into action via the Beardy Folk Festival and the hope of perhaps one or two more socially distanced gigs taking place before the year end. On the sporting front, any hopes of attending a professional football game has probably been extinguished with the latest developments. Although all has not been lost with fans allowed to attend games in the 7th tier of the football pyramid leading to a re-acquaintance with the non-league game, specifically watching Stourbridge in the Southern League Premier Division Central. 

While any developments in the final quarter of 2020 are very welcome, the flame to document the year in 2020CMS has finally burnt out and this will be the final post. Sad, but inevitable, and we rarely got our teeth into theatre with one sole production being covered. 

However, all is not lost and a significant move in July re-ignited the blogging bug. My original and longstanding music blog Three Chords and the Truth UK had been mothballed at the end of 2019. A little fatigue had set in and this was a major factor in searching for a renewed writing assignment. With the new project grinding to a halt in mid-summer, a flash of inspiration led to the old blog being dusted down to see if there was any life in the old dog.

Since that day in July, twenty two album reviews have been published alongside a reflection piece on attending the Beardy Folk Festival. The blog has also been the home of sharing information on many other albums that were outside the review remit and has truly arisen from its slumber. 

So I'm going blogging home, and from now on my writing is going to focus on music, with the tried and tested gig and album review. Anyway farewell 2020CMS and long live Three Chords and the Truth UK. Of more concern is what the landscape is going to be like for the live events industry post-pandemic. My view is that it will rise like a phoenix, but who knows what format. 

Keep it live and keep blogging. It's good for the soul. 

We're due to return...sort of

No live gigs or sport since March, but something is on the horizon. This blog is set to return for a brief period as three upcoming live events have been entered in the diary. 

The summer sports content was due to revolve around county cricket with many an hour intended to be spent at Edgbaston watching Warwickshire rather than following the successful conclusion of West Bromwich Albion 's promotion bid from the enforced position of in front of the telly. Although the initial cricket fixture list has been ripped up, a revised four day competition is due to start at the beginning of August. As part of the government's plan to explore ways of bringing some element of spectator attendance back to sporting events, the first two days of Warwickshire's home game versus Northamptonshire is one of the chosen pilot events to test socially distanced crowds. Therefore expect a couple of blog posts to re-live the experience of being a guinea pig, or from a more positive perspective, watching some cricket in person rather than on the small screen.

There are also tentative plans to bring back live music with some outdoor festivals starting to spring up in the dying embers of a curtailed British summer. One of these is Beardy Folk in Shropshire, an event attended for a day in 2018 and 2019, and now set to be joined by the Saturday of 2020. The original date in June was one of the early lockdown casualties, but the ambition of a September re-staging looks like paying off due to a relaxing of strict guidelines around the staging of live events in the presence of an audience. 

So look out for three blog posts capturing the live experience in the next month or so. It is still unknown whether there will be too many more in 2020 as largish crowds in football and indoor gigs appear to be a long way off. Small steps are sometimes the most important. 

UPDATE: County cricket spectator pilots for the weekend of 1st and 2nd August were cancelled as part of holding back on lockdown relaxing. So it looks like the spectator sporting summer is consigned to the bin. At this moment Beardy Folk Festival is still on. Watch this space. 

New Normal

This blog's most recent post on March 21st was at the start of lockdown and read somewhat as an epitaph to the experience of attending live music, sporting and cultural events in 2020. Phrases like 'see you on the other side' were used without any real hindsight of what this kind of reality will look like. Two months on and the landscape is still opaque. The anxious punter is armed with only knowledge of what has been removed from the diary and very little on what will, or more to the point can take place in the remaining months of the year. New phrases like 'social distancing' and 'guided by science' are at the forefront of leisure planning alongside the indisputable notion that this aspect of our lives does have a lower place in the pecking order of society's return to some remnants of normalcy.

Out of all the buzzwords to emerge in the Covid-19 pandemic, the phrase 'new normal' is the most fascinating and the deeper you ponder its meaning the more your mind wonders to what the effect will be on attending live sporting, music and cultural events in the future. The antithesis of attending live sport is the concept of 'behind closed doors', which is the only available roadmap for elite sport to make an immediate post-lockdown return. On the other hand, some aspect of culture has been able to continue in a stripped down form using a digital platform, although some may say that virtual interaction is the antithesis of attending a live event, albeit the artist is still practising the art of generating spontaneous content. 

It is fairly certain that virtual artistic performance and 'behind closed doors' sport are likely to be at the forefront of what is going to dealt in the foreseeable future, or at least until the summer months of 2020 subside into a seasonal change. Who knows what role these two concepts are going to play in the 'new normal', but it is going to be intriguing finding out. On the arts side, virtual performance kicked into gear from day one, mainly from a position that it did exist as an alternative mode of accessing entertainment, be it in a limited capacity. 'Behind closed doors' sport is playing catch up from day one and is mainly driven from the commercial pressure of maintaining multi-billion pound industries in a media funded world. The latter is untested in the UK with the only guiding point being Germany's ability to get their Bundesliga football underway.

From the perspective of an active live entertainment junkie, response to these two developments has been pondered over the last two months. Accessing live online music had never been entertained pre-lockdown, mainly on the premise that there was so much of the real thing on offer. This carried over during the first six weeks of lockdown until the gig and festival cancellations mounted up alongside the reality that this could well be a long term thing. So a change of attitude emerged to the extent that I am ready to resume the music side of 2020CMS with reflections of what the experience is like digging deeper into the world of online live music. Maybe it won't be as highly structured as the intended scope laid out at the outset of this blog, but then again we are in unchartered waters and likely to be sailing to a 'new normal'.

The sports content is a little hazy at the moment because in effect you are just duplicating watching a game on the TV. Also the prime driver for the football content was watching my team - West Bromwich Albion - and it is far from clear whether they will even return in a 'behind closed doors' capacity to complete the 2019-20 season. However, as stated in music, the world is changing and the whole concept of watching televised sport in lieu of being prohibited from attending live may be one worthy of reflection. So I fully anticipate some football and cricket content in this 'new normal'.

Of course the year may end on a totally different note and many promoters and venues have either re-scheduled shows or booked new ones for the latter months of the year. There is probably a greater chance of attending a live music gig in the presence of 20 other people than being in a crowd of 20,000 at a football match. The overriding factor in any public event being held is the reaction to regulation and both the practicality and viability of anything taking place. So it may well be the case that the landscape of 2020 will remain either virtual or 'behind closed doors''

Ultimately, and rightly so, sport and culture must be put in perspective as the world deals with a pandemic that has cost so many lives, caused great economic destruction and is likely to need major re-shaping in the the future. The reality is life does go on and both have the resilience to bounce back. The key question is: what form and what will be the 'new normal'. Some may wish the 'new nomal' to be exactly like the 'old normal'. I think that may be optimistic and the remaining months of 2020 will at least provide some pointers to what the future will be like.

So far from the mothballed expectations of darkest lockdown, 2020CMS is set to continue with a different scope. Here's to a new chapter.

The Other Side

Between January 1st and March 10th, nineteen live events accrued a blog post in the pages of 2O20CMS. This was the growing momentum of a twelve month live journey through the worlds of culture, music and sport. One cruelly curtailed leaving a major question mark on when number twenty will appear. Writing this post throws up many thoughts ranging from: will West Bromwich Albion reach the Premier League in 2020 and are the summer delights of leather on willow destined to never make an appearance on these pages, to what live music will re-surface once some element of normality returns. As an unspecified period of fallowness is entered, these questions will remain unanswered. Positivity and optimism can help sustain this period of isolation. There is a determination to be there on 'the other side' in whatever form it takes. Take care and stay safe. 

March 10th: Caledonian Soul: Blue Rose Code - Kitchen Garden, Birmingham

With a headline of Caledonian Soul there only has to be one artist - the one and only Blue Rose Code. The set started out as Ross Wilson on his own, but it wasn't long before the touring companion for this trip - Eliza Wren Payne - was invited to join him on stage and the gig eventually panned out to be one in a duet format. We had already been introduced to the music of Eliza when she opened the evening with a thirty-minute set under the guise of her recording name Wrenne. It soon became apparent that Ross and herself go back a long time with fifteen years being quoted, and a period when they both lived in London active on the open mic scene.  

Times have certainly changed for Ross and his now well-known Blue Rose Code moniker, to the level where he is one of the most respected Scottish musicians plying their trade on the ever widening alt-folk circuit. The Kitchen Garden have been fortunate to host him on several occasions over the last few years often in different formats. It was only twelve months ago when a three-piece line up appeared at the venue to promote THE WATER OF LEITH album. 

This time the gig had a smaller scale element to it with Ross using the set to road test a couple of new songs due to appear on the upcoming next record. The slimmer set up does nothing to diminish the stylish temperance groove to the frequently lo-fi music of Blue Rose Code. Ross has never sounded better and holds an audience in the cusp of his whispering vocals, one adorned with a hypnotic Scottish brogue. 

Ross was certainly in a chipper mood this evening. Adept at mixing wit and just holding back on a self-admitted over candid exterior, he was thankful to the inner editor within, but you feel Blue Rose Code is a stronger outfit when the whole travails of Ross Wilson are poured into it. Those present would without doubt concur with this view.

Blue Rose Code flew on the periphery of my radar for a number of years. Reeling in the music to an accessible point has been a wise manoeuvre in what can be a crowded room. Evening's like this, and any format Ross Wilson chooses to represent Blue Rode Code in, fully justify the decision to take a closer look at someone so respected. You leave the show with the impression that this feeling is mutual between artist and fans. Roll on new Blue Rose Code music and more Birmingham shows. 

Nb. Fascinated to see the Hibernian on tour sticker complete with British Rail sign and 1875 branding never leaves Ross's guitar. A proud Hibee to the core. 

March 5th: The Stage: Bronwynne Brent - Kitchen Garden, Birmingham

With due respect to Bronwynne Brent, the night she returned to the Kitchen Garden may have to take second place in the memory vaults to the birth of the infamous/famous stage. Yes, after a dozen plus years of hosting gigs on the floor of a daytime converted cafe, a new addition has sprung up in the guise of a temporary performing platform. So no more stepping over leads, instruments and any other assorted bric-a-brac, as a part-metaphorical/part-literal barrier now partitions the artist and the ever attentive front row. The end of an era or the dawning of a new one. 

On one hand it's a sign of progress, and logistically it may improve things all round. On the contrary, quirkinesses is at the very heart of the Kitchen Garden gig experience and maybe a little part of that will evaporate with the new addition. Time will tell whether the stage becomes part of the fabric thus consigning the flat floor area to the canyons of history. So please front row, no beer glasses placed on it, and you may even hear yells of joy from those at the back twisting their necks to get better views of the artist. 

Apologies to Bronwynne Brent for the very brief mention, but the night belonged to the stage. By the way our visitor from Mississippi and her touring companions from Brazil and Canada gave a first class performance. Worthy artists to grace the stage on its opening night. 

March 3rd: Fifty Years and Counting: West Bromwich Albion v Newcastle United

Between 1966 and 1970 West Bromwich Albion reached four major English cup finals sharing the spills with two wins and two defeats. Following this FA Cup fifth round defeat to Newcastle, the half century mark has been reached since that last final in 1970 with pointers suggesting the wait for a Wembley return on such an occasion could be an even lengthier process. It can hardly be said that Albion have been continually knocking on the door in the intervening years with only three FA Cup semi-finals and a solitary League Cup last four appearance reaping the rewards of an annual pursuit. 

It is an often mooted statistic that around half the teams in the league have graced a final since the Albion last did, and it has not always been down to the club having a side incapable of surging on a deep competition run. In fact for approximately half of this time, the club has been a top flight team, but still progress seemed to be allusive. This year's FA Cup run ended at the fifth road hurdle with a three-two home defeat to Newcastle, so it is hardly a disgrace to go out to a team from a higher division. 

Despite the difference in league status, a shock would not have been unexpected with Albion riding high at the top of the Championship and the visitors currently on a bad run seeing them slide down the Premier League. The priorities of each club were represented in the line ups with Albion using a keen eye on promotion as a reason to rest a large number of first team regulars, while Newcastle fielded a fairly strong first eleven giving the signal that a prolonged cup run may re-ignite their season. 

The game panned out as per the starting team sheets with Newcastle cashing in on a slightly lacklustre Albion performance by racing to a three-nil lead just after half time. A few adjustments later, Albion began to show why the gulf between the two sides may not be that wide and narrowed the deficit to a single goal before time ran out. 

Post match analysis raised the issue of what would have happened had fewer changes been made at the start, but this was countered by those stating that incurring injuries to key players with just ten games remaining of a promotion challenge would be madness.

Therein lies the conundrum. As much as fans would love a cup run, priorities for the management and the club are in the league especially when you are team like Albion forever hovering between the top of the Championship and bottom of the Premier. So year on year evidence gathers of not taking the cup competitions seriously by continually playing a weakened team and sowing the seeds of always looking like concentrating on the league. Seemingly absurd to the outside, but wholly representative of the make up of modern football and its financial structure.

Is this likely to change in the future? As a football fan you never give up hope. Good luck to Newcastle and their vociferous army of 5,000 travelling fans making an awful lot of noise on a Tuesday night over 200 miles from home. For Albion it is the hope that the jinx may end at fifty one. In the meantime it's fifty years and counting, although the immediate future focusses on that all important promotion push and the proverbial 'ten cup finals' remaining of the 2019-20 season. 

February 29th: Fantastic February? - West Bromwich Albion v Wigan Athletic

Fantastic February was a pre-written headline for this final West Bromwich Albion reflection of the month, though the question mark was added after the team lost one-nil at home to relegation threatened Wigan on the last day of a month extended by one day courtesy of its four-year leap cycle. The word 'leap' only applied to the day and not any league table movements as Albion still head the table, although the lead had been cut to one point from Leeds and six points to Fulham in the all-important third placed position. 

After a successful points haul of sixteen from the month's previous six games, it stalled at this figure as Wigan replicated their recent resurgent form by producing a sterling performance good enough to stifle Albion's attacking potency, and significantly clinical to take the main chance they were offered in the second half. All in all it was a fair result and one maybe reflecting the glut of games teams have to play in a clogged up EFL championship campaign.

This was probably a game too far in February for Albion as both the midfield and strike-force spluttered into only a shadow of their pristine previous performances. The defence was mainly resolute, but keeping a clean sheet was ultimately beyond them. 

The result of this game will likely be large chunks of the first team taking a week off playing duties, leaving a bunch of second string players appearing in the midweek cup match at home to Newcastle. A sad but realistic indictment of the FA Cup in these modern times. 

Of course set backs are going to be prevalent in even the most successful of championship campaigns. So the fact that this was only Albion's fifth defeat of the season with just ten games left is a testimony to how well they played as a whole. Social media reaction to this defeat was philosophical in the main with much credit given to Wigan's set up and execution. Although this was pitched with the warning that this cannot be a common occurrence over the last ten games otherwise the chances of getting caught by Fulham in particular would increase, especially with the two meeting in the third from last game of the season. 

No player mentions in this post game reflection, also probably an indictment on the afternoon. League action now moves into the major month of March with the first home game set to be covered being the local derby with Birmingham on the 14th. In the meantime, it's time to put on our FA Cup hats and rosettes and welcome the Geordies from Newcastle to The Hawthorns on Tuesday night. Will it be 1974 all over again. Check in on Wednesday to find out. Fantastic February? yes, despite today. Marvellous March? that would all but seal it. 

February 28th: Off Piste: Wasteland: Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome

Wasteland is a dance production presented by the Gary Clarke Company, and scheduled in its UK wide tour were two dates in the Patrick Studio - a performing theatre housed within the prestigious Birmingham Hippodrome. Just prior to the second performance commencing on the Friday night, the audience were greeted by the aforementioned organiser and choreographer to explain the circumstances behind the previous evening's cancellation. The bottom line was that the show had to go on and adjustments were made to go ahead this evening with a plea to be kind and sensitive to the performers. What followed over the next hour and a half was a marvellous performance from the assembled cast, primarily featuring though not exclusive to five dancers, and the challenge to any causal observer of what could have been different to the original planned piece. 

This production is rooted in the resistance people politics of the eighties and nineties focussing on the effects of the pits closing in Yorkshire and how the next generation seemed to hotfoot it into further controversy with the rave culture that spread across the region as the decades bound together. A huge slice of multi-media is incorporated into the performance with video clips used, in addition to the fleeting presence of twin brass players and the vocal content of four more cast members. This helped set the scene for the blistering movement performance of a solo dancer representing an afflicted miner losing his job in the mid-eighties and four younger performers, including the miner's son, encapsulating the next generation and their response to a dearth of opportunities. This culminated with the exposure of the Criminal Justice Bill in the mid-nineties and the reenactment of the new found 'enemy-within'. The politics of this show were quite explicit, just as the energetic way that Clarke choreographed his troupe to project the story in a totally high octane manner.

The core of the ninety minutes was housed within an extensive segment of rave music, perhaps a little off-piste for someone who viewed this musical phenomenon at that time of existing in some alternative universe. While it was essential in telling the story through movement and expression it still sent signals of a genre probably best left to the likes of others, with its in-your-face presence and sound. 

The rousing reception greeting those on stage at the end was full justification of the hard work, endeavour and certain amount of speculation required to make the adjustments successful. Making the effort to sample this exciting production from wherever you exist on the dance appreciation spectrum had its ample reward. Even if rave music was not and never will be your cup of tea, there was still something enriching to take home from Wasteland. Off-piste in small doses can energise artistic experience, though the nature of the term denotes that maybe some exposures are best kept to a minimum. 

February 25th: We're on Our Way: West Bromwich Albion v Preston North End

The chant 'we're on our way' reverberated around the vociferous areas of The Hawthorns as Albion extended their lead at the top of the EFL Championship following a two-nil victory over Preston North End. This took their February points haul to sixteen, a very healthy accumulation at a time of the year where key promotion drives tend to kick on. The overwhelming view on this latest win was that all areas of the team are functioning well and the signs are getting stronger that the Premier League is on the horizon. There may well have been a routine nature to the game, which Albion dominated from start to finish, though helped in the latter stages when a straight red card reduced the visitors to ten men. In reality, Preston produced a very tame effort, even with a full eleven, for a team lying in sixth place with a firm eye on challenging for a play-off place. 

The football served in the first half was as slick as the greasy surface watered by wintery downpours with sublime elements especially found in the midfield play. Matheus Pereira pulled the strings as the Brazilian has done all season, and he continues to gel with rejuvenated fellow loanee Filip Krovinovic. Jake Livermore, christened 'Captain Fantastico' by the supporters crowned another domineering and strong impactful performance with a rare goal, while Rekeem Harper showed glimpses of what made him a highly rated young player only twelve months ago when deputising for the suspended Romaine Sawyers. 

Up front there were once again vital contributions from Callum Robinson and Hal Robson-Kanu, with the former setting up the latter for the opening goal following a pinpoint accurate pass. The defence was just as effective in their own way with another clean sheet, the fourth of what is turning out to be a 'fantastic' February. While Kyle Bartley has been a revelation at centre half all season, you get the impression manager Slaven Billic is finally blooding his preferred central defensive pairing with Ahmed Hegazi showing his true mettle at this level alongside the ever consistent Semi Ajayi. The biggest plusses in the defence have been the ever improving performances of Connor Townsend and Dara O'Shea. Townsend has not looked back since scoring the winner in the cup at West Ham and you can even hear the whisper, is Kieran Gibbs going to get back in when fit. A few have queried replacing Darnell Furlong at right back with O'Shea, but this shrewd move by the manager is reaping dividends from the strong defensive and assured displays given by the young Irishman. 

In fact on another successful evening, the only player who didn't shine was goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, by virtue that Preston failed to trouble him with hardly a memorable shot over the ninety minutes. It was that comfortable a win. 

'We're on our way' may not be the most original chant to emanate from the singing sections, but you can't deny its accuracy. Wigan Athletic next up at home on Saturday followed by the fifth round FA Cup clash with Newcastle in a week's time. Busy days at The Hawthorns but hugely satisfying ones at the moment. 

February 22nd: Journey or Destination: Bristol City v West Bromwich Albion

The phrase 'journey or destination' is one used many times in my writing and has fascinated me for a long time. This concept has no clearer definition now than the feeling among West Bromwich Albion fans as they watch their team make an increasingly likely pursuit of a return to the Premier League. This pursuit took a major step towards realisation after a three-nil win at Bristol City on Saturday that left Albion nine points clear of third placed Fulham with only twelve games of the season remaining. This was a third successive triumph on the road and an impressive points haul of thirteen out of fifteen since emerging from a slight mid-winter slump at the start of February. So with a rosy outlook beaming from the club and its positive (at the moment) fanbase why should such a concept as 'journey or destination' shine a light.

An overwhelming sense of joy and exhilaration was abound in the away section of Ashton Gate on Saturday with three thousand travelling fans lapping up every minute of a promotion drive that not only delivers winning football, but one matching expectation and attacking ideal. Indeed a long distance from some of the more conservative fare served up when trying to remain in the Premier League during our most recent eight year tenure up there. This pattern has largely been in place since relegation in 2018, moving Albion from underdog status in the top flight to one of serious challengers in the Championship. For many fans this is a total release, and an excitement that many feel can only occur for a club of our size in the second tier. Thus lies the conundrum, is the journey of promotion far greater than the prize of reclaiming a place in the top league and rubbing shoulders once again with the elite of English football.

On one hand this is an absurd notion. You should always strive to at least compete with the best. Also the revenues accrued from being in the Premier League ensure a certain calibre of player is recruited along with enhancing the financial stability of the club. There is also the matter of parachute payments upon the eventual relegation to bolster any subsequent promotion challenge. Since first gaining promotion to the Premier League in 2002, Albion have been relegated four times. On two of those occasions they came straight back up and a third they endured only two seasons before promotion, although the unsuccessful attempt only occurred through a play off final loss at Wembley in 2007. While no-one connected to the club is going to preach complacency, the signs are looking good at this point of time to make the return in two seasons. 

To counter this argument, the second tier of English football has been kind to Albion over the last twenty years. Since Gary Megson revitalised the club in 200, they have never finished below sixth in the seven seasons spent in it, and in 2008 claimed only the second league title in the club's history by winning the Championship. Each of these seasons have created an incredible sense of excitement and arguably some of the club's finest moments in recent times. 

In contrast, life in the Premier League is a different kettle of fish. All of a sudden survival is the name of the game and memories are afresh of Tony Pulis adopting a rather pragmatic mode of football to stay up. An air of negativity hung around the club during large parts of the recent eight year period in the top flight, one that seems to get blown away as soon as they slip into the league below. Of course this is conditional to quickly adapting to life in the new division and mounting a promotion push straight away. The club have generally accomplished this over the last two decades, so newer fans are removed from the darker days when the team perennially struggled in the lower levels. 

As we sail past the three-quarter mark of the 2019-20 season, we are clearly on track for another of these highly exciting championship football seasons, adored by many of the fans who are hooked in not only by the more purist nature of football at this level, but the pre-match anticipation of going into matches as favourites. There is nothing like watching winning football whatever the level. 

The destination may well be the Premier League in May, but many fans are savouring this wonderful journey. Yes, there is mileage in debating this concept. No, we can't win the league and stay down! 

February 20th: Energetic Nostalgia: Home of the Wriggler - Birmingham Rep

One of my favourite paradoxes in artistic evaluation is the concept of journey versus the destination. Quickly grasping the intended phase of a performance is often key to getting the most out of it. The pace at which Home of the Wriggler set off signalled seatbelts on and for everyone to settle down for one hectic ride. This ultimately led to a journey devoid of chronological substance as we flittered from the future to a past of varying proportions, mainly steeped in 80s/90s nostalgia, but not averse to once stepping back to 1957, with its associated local and worldwide commentary. 

In essence, Home of the Wriggler (the title had its relevance referenced in the closing stages) is a rambling sortie into the lives of many, many characters entwined within the fabric of Birmingham's iconic Longbridge car plant, and its ultimate demise in 2005. From a cast of four, we were introduced to literally tens, twenties or even more names, some recurring at different stages of their life without any intention to provide the ultimate link. 

The major elements of this production (resurrected by its founders the Birmingham based theatre company Stan's Cafe and first staged in 2006) were the perpetual self generated contrasting light from the characters continually applying pedal power and other forms of manual motion. All sparking an intense form of nostalgia, mainly of a localised nature. 

It largely helped that this evening's audience in The Door performing space of Birmingham's Rep theatre likely had little difficulty tapping into the nuances and references. Outside the locality, the jury may have been out on the effectiveness of the script, but good art can transcend literal relevance, especially when applied in a sense of varied creativity. 

Following this 100 mile per hour, word laden, seventy-five minute production presented the odd challenge until you worked out that applying your own mental interludes alongside a couple of in-built respites re-energised the audience experience. Indeed cottoning on to the notion of the journey meant short concentration lapses didn't rub the shine off any appeal. 

It wouldn't be theatre without the odd twist, and our well-worked on-stage quartet delivered a neat one as the lights finally went down or up. At this point, the impact of light, energy and authentic real life appeal had collided into a summation of the production nailing the intent. Birmingham lost a major way of life in 2005, but re-invention keeps things just above the water line, even with the presentation of new challenges. 

Perhaps the biggest challenge to the car industry is the future, maybe the overriding subliminal message of the show. Home of the Wriggler, and the team from Stan's Cafe, left a successful mark of linking the past, present and future in one intense wheel turning journey. A Brummie one, mind you.

February 15th: Back on Track: West Bromwich Albion v Nottingham Forest

Dennis and Ciara may have dominated the last two sporting weekends, but West Bromwich Albion are negotiating this stormy season quite serenely as the promotion charge is firmly back on track. While playing conditions were rather tricky both at last weekend's win at Millwall and this latest clash with fellow promotion challengers Forest, it has coincided with Albion largely returning to the autumn form that blew a massive hole in the race for Premier League. Since the last blog post where a long awaited win was recorded, Albion have gone on to amass a further seven points, and have now restored the margin over third placed Fulham to that aforementioned points haul.  

If we had clung on to the narrow two-one lead as the added time board was raised, the lead at the top would have been even healthier, almost reaching the point where you can start to cross off the required wins to get over the line. Despite the quality finish that salvaged Forest a point in this two-two draw, it was Albion who made most of the running during the game, dominating play and creating enough chances to more than see off their East Midland neighbours. 

There was almost a further unexpected twist at the last kick of the game where Albion had a goal ruled offside. A fitting end to a game which literally rained with controversy, much contributed by some officiating which was deemed questionable at times. Still the most pleasing thing from attending this lunch time televised game was the extent that Albion mastered the conditions and generally played some lovely football on the ground with impressive performances from a number of players in this now settled side.

Manager Slaven Billic named an unchanged eleven for the third successive game which included a midweek win at Reading. It was pleasing to see new on-loan recruit Callum Robinson get on the scoring sheet for the first time as he has hit the ground running since joining the club at the end of January. Punctuating Forest's last gasp equaliser and Robinson's opener were a couple of own goals, mainly the result of quality balls put into the box on a tricky surface ensuring that this game was not going to end goalless. 

Later in the afternoon, Albion's promotion challenge was further strengthened by rivals Fulham and Brentford dropping points, a theme from the midweek games as well. In fact only Leeds of the top six recorded a victory, but recent results have contributed to them trailing Albion by four points in second place. 

While the recent three game winning streak was halted by this draw, the statement that Albion are now firmly 'back on track' can be confidently conveyed. There are now only thirteen games of the season left and the race is definitely hotting up. Storm Dennis and Ciara may have left destruction in their wake elsewhere, but their winds have blew West Bromwich Albion a lot nearer the Premier League. 

February 10th: Kitchen at Last: Amy Speace - Kitchen Garden, Birmingham.

A few years ago, Amy Speace appeared in the upcoming listings for the Kitchen Garden, but circumstances curtailed the tour and this date floated into the ether. The wrong of then has now been suitably corrected as, at last, the Kitchen Garden has hosted an Amy Speace show. Not only any old show, but one where the intuition of audience, venue and performer were perfectly aligned leading to the unravelling of a highly successful evening, to the extent where promises of an instant return should be held to account.

My awareness of Amy Speace traces back to her 2013 album release How to Sleep in a Stormy Boat. Around the same time she appeared on the bill of the Maverick Festival. In the subsequent period her name has cropped up on numerous occasions without the intensity of association that really came to the fore last year. It's probably harsh to say 2019 was a breakthrough year for somebody with the artistic experience of Amy Speace, whether in her theatrical life in New York City or the songwriting calling that took her south way past her Baltimore home to the music Mecca of Nashville Tennessee. However, the release of the excellent album Me and the Ghost of Charlemagne and a re-commitment to tour the UK as a solo artist has projected her into new territories as far as the UK is concerned. It helped that the album got a release on Proper Records thus widening availability and coverage. The touring has also leapt forward to 2020 with the promise of two further trips to this country before the year is out. To crown this purple patch, the title track of the new album has just been successful in the International Song category at the recent AMA UK awards ceremony. 

Anyway enough of the background, and a return to the long awaited Birmingham debut. First and foremost, we got incredible value of money at this gig with Amy playing for two and a quarter hours, all for the princely sum of a tenner. In another boost, the amiable guys at the Kitchen shifted the often dormant piano from one corner of the venue to centre stage with Amy grasping the opportunity to share her award winning song on its main choice of musical accompaniment. 

In some ways time ran away with itself during the gig with Amy enthusiastically sharing a barrage of stories, anecdotes and tales, often very personal with an expression of candidness. These interludes far from overshadowed the song content as she delivered a hearty slice of her material including a liberal sprinkling of tracks from the new album, thus putting an informative spin on listening to it solely in its recorded content. 

To say we got to know about Amy Speace is an understatement. Whether name checking an incredible plethora of talented compatriots, many of whom are her neighbours in East Nashville, or delving into her own fascinating background, we were furnished with an entertaining scope to what forms Amy Speace - the songwriter, the artist, the person. It added to a very comprehensive evening of song and chat of the highest quality, all delivered by a person born to be an entertainer.

The Kitchen Garden is built for evenings like this and the wait for Amy Speace to sat-nav her way through the backstreets of Kings Heath was rewarded with a show stamped with the hallmark of what makes the venue tick. Another Nashville artist won over by the 'Bluebird of the Midlands'. 

February 9th: Battling the Elements : Luke Jackson - Kitchen Garden, Birmingham.

Storm Ciara blew into Birmingham this evening, but met its match in music's very own force of nature: Luke Jackson. A veteran of tender years, this hugely talented singer-songwriter-musician-prime vocalist from Canterbury has been furrowing his own route on the UK's acoustic circuit for a few years, never ceasing to amaze with his output and engaging mode of performance delivery. There has always been an independent streak to his presence on the circuit, choosing to cultivate a growing entity rather than cling to a scene. To further hone this impression, and hammer home the dedication of an independent touring musician, Jackson had driven to this evening's show straight from a house concert in Bolton, then making the long journey back to Canterbury right after signing the last CD and preparing to immediately leave for a short tour of the US. Of course, in the middle of this was a superb performance in Birmingham.

Pinpointing the style of Luke Jackson throws up some complexities. Folk music has frequently put a claim on him, but there is a far wider remit to how he can be summed up. On-stage revelation sheds light of being heavily influenced by his dad's collection of folk, blues, soul, classic singer-songwriter and specialist music now housed under the ever expansive Americana banner. To Luke's credit, all of these styles embed into his music alongside shades of gospel and a little peep of a possible rock direction with a new song previewed this evening.

New observers to Luke Jackson would straight away be drawn to his vocal prowess where range and control are as much a feature as depth and versatility. Quite simply the vocals possess the magic to move a listener and leave them surfing in a sense of awe. Acoustic guitar is the choice of instrumental mode, aided and abetted by a sole kick drum for this evening's solo performance. His picking is another trait to cherish and provides a canvas for a wave of self-penned primarily folk-style songs to flourish.

There are a handful of album releases already in the back catalogue for a performer barely into his mid-twenties. The latest record came out towards the end of last year and has been the focus during the current run of dates. We were close to hearing the entirety of Journals during the brace of sets played to a healthy gathering at the Kitchen Garden, and listening to the songs live along with the many fascinating back stories really illuminated the recorded content.

As an entertainer, Jackson is edging up the ladder, and this evening was probably the finest performance seen since first seeing him live in 2014. All the credentials of an engaging and highly effective crowd pleasing performer are solidly in place, without a trace of superficial content replacing the substance. 

On a challenging night weather-wise plus the added sound effects of torrential rain pounding the plastic outer surroundings of the adjacent patio, there was no finer place to be than in the warm and dry listening to the premium talent of Luke Jackson.

When first encountering him a few years ago, a thought crossed the mind of what would be the outcome if he spent an extended period living in a shack in the Delta soaking up all the influences. Any subsequent homecoming would blow all Americana pretenders out the water. In fact while other artists wear the badge of Americana in this country, Luke Jackson doesn't need to. It's just there in his DNA. 

February 5th : South American Rehabilitation: Sam Baker - Kitchen Garden, Birmingham

The word rehab in music usually refers to a stint escaping the ravages of excess. In the case of Sam Baker the word in its longer form is more akin to a lifetime in music coming to terms with a traumatic event of unimaginable proportion. For close on twenty years this highly respected Texan singer songwriter has trod the boards of a rehab vocation and it would not be remiss to state that the underpinning framework of his art are the events of a distant day in Peru back in 1986. There is unlikely to be a Sam Baker show where he doesn't recall the bus bomb that somehow decided to spare his life and take many of those around him. The Sam Baker we see in 2020 is a product of rehabilitation and living proof of how greatness can spawn from utmost adversity. 

What makes Baker tick as an artist is the sheer aura and commandment that comes from his rhythmic story telling. This is beat poetry set to a simple soundtrack recounting stories that spin in many directions, though we are rarely more than a couple of steps away from Peru 1986. There is a certain charm to his onstage personality that straddles the boundary of warmth and eccentricity, maybe even cashing in on alteration adjustments that likely have formed the Sam Baker coming out the other side of 1986. 

Listening to him live is an intoxicating experience and it is easy to slip into a transfixed zone. This evening we enjoyed the added bonus of the most beautiful piano accompaniment from his travelling partner and the guest appearance of a local cellist providing some complementary bliss. Baker thrived in the confined surroundings of a sold out Kitchen Garden, on an evening where every crevice of this quirky performing space was full of inquisitive ears. 

Sam Baker live is a phenomena. His shows seen over the last few years rarely stray from the core point and it is the effect that seeps into the memory rather than the detail. To counter this assertion we were left with a couple of gems from the evening in the phrase "the narrow blade of life" and showing disdain for inner rage. Yes, Sam Baker can get deep and philosophical, yet always in an alluring way. 

When Sam Baker pops into your town, open your heart to the most emphatic rehab you can come across. Fulfilment is a likely departing gift along with a special experience of being in the exalted company of an extraordinary artist forever grateful to music acting as the best rehab available. A union one suspects that will be around for a long time yet. A South American rehabilitation stretching a lifetime. 

February 1st: Relief at Last - West Bromwich Albion v Luton Town

How can relief be an emotion when your team has just returned to the top of the league? Perhaps it is the case of context and how the modern world revolves around the immediate rather than the bigger picture. Back on the distant day of December 14th 2019 West Bromwich Albion came from behind to win a local derby at Birmingham and were so far clear of the chasing pack it would not have been remiss to think that one foot was already in the premier league. A preposterous notion when there was still over half the season left, but you couldn't deny the air of optimism and confidence.

The caveat was that a blip was always round the corner and true to this precedent the team went winless for the next seven league outings. The term 'must win game' is one of the most over used and ludicrous phrases in football, give or take the odd elimination game, and yet it was yelled from the roof tops as bottom of the league Luton Town rolled up at The Hawthorns for a game on the first day of February.

On the day after the transfer window closes, you know the hand you've got to play with for the remainder of the season and of Albion's three new recruits only Callum Robinson featured in this 'must win game'. Not only did we finally end the winless run with a two nil victory over the hapless visitors, but results elsewhere saw us return to the division's summit. It was a measure of the magnitude of the early season results that not too much ground had been lost. If you were starting the season now with a four point lead of third place and sixteen games to go, optimism would be soaring and maybe this will return on the basis of the relief sensed from this victory.

To Robinson's credit he hit the ground running in his club debut and was amongst a clutch of players giving a performance more than sufficient to beat the bottom of the league and offer hope that there will be enough in the squad to acquire the required number of points over the next three months.

Last week's blog post of the cup match at West Ham was the first success published during this year of 2020CMS and now with a league win under the belt things are looking back on track. For the record an early own goal settled the nerves in this two nil win with the second coming just at the right time to see the game out. Essentially, upon reflection the win was rarely in doubt and could have been by a greater margin. But when you haven't won for seven games, a nagging doubt still lingers as you sit in the stands.

Onwards and upwards to the next game set to be featured in this blog when high flying Nottingham Forest visit in two week's time. In the meantime, focus will switch back onto the music with a handful of upcoming gigs.

January 25th: Up for the Cup - West Ham United v West Bromwich Albion

Thirty eight years ago almost to the day, a left back scored the winning goal for West Bromwich Albion in an away FA Cup 4th Round tie. A vision still clear in the mind many years later. Now, there is no Albion fan of relevant vintage that is going to link Derek Statham and Conor Townsend in the same conversation, but you can't deny the synergy between 1982 and 2020. Statham's winner at Gillingham all those years ago inspired a cup run that ended at the penultimate hurdle of a semi final defeat to QPR. Time will tell how far we will progress in 2020 but for now we can just bask in the glory of Townsend's spectacular winner at the London Stadium that dumped Premier League West Ham out of the cup. 

Back in '82, Albion were a top flight side denying plucky Gillingham a cup upset. Although Albion were the clear underdogs in status this time, a team from the top of the championship winning at a Premier league struggler is hardly a cup shock for the ages. As you would expect in these times of a watered down FA Cup, changes were aplenty, but you could argue that Albion rested more first team regulars than their hosts. In fact the one-nil scoreline was a more comfortable experience than the slender margin it seems as West Ham failed to create many clear cut chances and arguably were the second best side on the day by a considerable margin.

Albion were bouyed by a fervent 5,000 away following making the trip from the Midlands down to the capital. The London Stadium may well have been packed to its capacity for this cup tie, but this soulless shell of a pseudo-football ground was hardly a cauldron of fear. In contrast to Staham's last ditch winner, Townsend's decisive strike came in the first half and there were few heart-in-the-mouth moments for the remainder of the game.

This was Albion's third visit to the capital in the month of January after a couple of trips to Charlton including the 3rd Round tie that yielded the same score and result. All three trips remained unbeaten and it is full fingers crossed that the cup run will inspire a return to winning ways in the league. 

You have to expect in these modern times for teams to prioritise the league over the cup. It will not be music to the ears of the club's accountants, but many fans would trade a failed promotion bid to lift the FA Cup in May. The chances are a lot less for the latter, especially with the big guns dominating the competition more now than in the past, but dreams are what keeps a football fan in optimistic mode. 

The 5th Road is inexplicably held in midweek this year, so a blog post is determined by a home draw or a Midlands away tie - the winner of Coventry-Birmingham would be nice. In the meantime let's just reflect on a successful trip to West Ham and the flame of a promotion and cup double to repeat 1931 still alight. 

January 24th: Quality Crumbs: Milk Carton Kids + Ryan Bingham Birmingham Town Hall

One of the richest times of the year for high quality American touring artists to hit our shores is the period straddling end of January-early February. This is primarily down to the prestigious Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow and in recent times the staging of the AMAUK festival in London. Touring artists may tag a couple of other dates onto their schedule, but it's a rarity to have an extensive tour this time of year. 

There is always a tinge of envy when perusing the schedules of these two events, which tend to be off limits for winter gig road trips. There is always the hope that Birmingham or the wider Midlands region can snap up one of these tagged shows, but this is definitely the exception rather than the norm with Manchester often being the city of choice for those scheduling extra dates. 

However in 2020 there has been a twist of events. One show may be construed as small crumbs, but when you get a pairing of the Milk Carton Kids and Ryan Bingham at Birmingham Town Hall on a Friday night they are definitely quality ones. 

The gig was billed as a Milk Carton Kids headline with Ryan Bingham as the special guest, but set times of 70 and 60 minutes respectively suggested we were heading into twin bill territory. The former had the slightly higher profile in the city having performed at the Transatlantic Sessions annual staging a couple of years ago. So in effect it was a full Birmingham debut, which was certainly the case for Ryan Bingham.

2019 was a re-introductory year for Bingham in the UK as he toured his latest album with a full band in tow, including a slot at the Black Deer Festival and a super gig in Oxford that settled in the upper echelons of my favourites of the year list. For this lower key mid winter visit, he left the band at home and played a solo format that I had not seen him in before. While it was a little different, especially when he played the old favourite 'Southside of Heaven', it still came across as an exceptional performance with a focus more on sharing his origins and influences. Covers of Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle and Terry Allen hardly shook the earth, but when you're steeped in the Texas songwriting tradition you might as well celebrate the best. There is no denial that Bingham gargles lone star dirt and creates an authentic aura when spreading the art of his homeland in far away places.

Following an hour of Texas earthy grit, the dial turned to pristine north eastern harmonies as Kenneth and Joey aka the Milk Carton Kids shared their innate prodigious talent with a Birmingham audience well versed in the wide expanses of the Americana genre. Satire fed the inter song exchanges including a response to their latest 7-track album that they only went into the studio to a record a 5-track EP. Just like Bingham exhaled an intoxicating aura, the Milk Carton Kids did likewise in a style rinsed with Greenwich Village nostalgia. It was purely magical listening to them in full flow followed by a reflection of how blessed it can be to tune in to such special artists executing classic styles.

For two hours on this Friday night, envy of Celtic Connections and AMAUK Fest evaporated in a song-filled haze and full appreciation of how good Ryan Bingham and the Milk Carton Kids are. Quality crumbs - nah, a fully artisan loaf!

January 20th: Blog Jinx or Crisis - West Bromwich Albion v Stoke City

Well, three Albion games into this blog and still no win to report. Of course this venture only charts games seen live and to be fair they did record a success at Charlton in the cup which sets up a decent tie with West Ham this coming weekend. However the league games haven't gone to plan with the first two matches ending in draws before slumping to a one-nil defeat at home to Stoke City in this Monday night match. 

In yet another match relieved of its Saturday 3 o'clock kick off for the benefit of Sky TV, Albion were buoyed by nearest rivals Leeds dropping three points a couple of days earlier. A win would have seen the lead at the top of the division extend to four points and a further convincing healthy margin from those leading the chasing pack. Unfortunately a flat lifeless performance followed and we never recovered from conceding an early goal to a Stoke side on an upward trajectory in terms of resilience and organisation. 

Of greater concern is a winless run of six league games stretching back to mid-December and a period where the chasing pack are quickly closing the gap to the extent of snapping at the heels. While some perspective requires seeking in this age of a social media landscape where instant reaction supplants the bigger picture, there are still visible signs of the early season key ingredients missing. 

Perhaps time has come for manager - Slaven Bilic - to repay the adulation relentlessly bestowed upon him since joining in July with some effective adjustment. Player staleness and system malfunction requires addressing along with maybe a little injection of new blood before the transfer window closes at the end of the month. 

There will always be a slice of scepticism when Albion do well and many long-term supporters brace themselves for a tumble when a lofty position is reached. In essence this is not a crisis, but a massive sense check that things will have to change for the promise of the first half of the season not to filter away. 

Not all games between now and May will feature in 2020CMS, but there are enough that any blog jinx will impact greatly. Let's hope this is just a myth. 

January 18th: Kentucky Crusade - Tyler Childers at Manchester Academy 2

Back on the gig wagon after a short break over the Christmas and the New Year period with the first reflection on live music for the 2020CMS project. While the majority of gigs attended is within the locality of the West Midlands, taking a road trip is not an uncommon practice and something that has frequently occurred in January when a wealth of top notch American artists visit our shores for invited events. The majority of these artists tend to miss out the midlands region at this time of year often necessitating the aforementioned road trip where practical. This year the perfect opportunity occurred when a double bill of Tyler Childers and The Local Honeys was announced for Manchester on a Saturday night, thus making travel relatively feasible. 


The ultimate link between these two acts is their Kentucky homeland as evidenced at the end of this show when Childers paid tribute to the Honey's Montana's father who lived in close proximity when growing up. News of the two acts teaming up for UK shows was first heard when seeing The Local Honeys play the Kitchen Garden in Birmingham towards the end of last year. That evening proved a fantastic gig and it was interesting to see how the Appalachian roots acoustic music of the duo would fare in a totally different setting. 

So as the lights went down at the stroke of 8 in a sold out 950 capacity Manchester Academy 2 venue, Linda Jean and Montana set about doing what they do best. A buzzing Saturday night standing crowd is going to be different to playing to 50 in the pin drop intimate surroundings of the Kitchen Garden, but these two Kentuckians did a marvellous job of keeping the audience engaged with a neat selection of informative chat and prime playing.

Unlike The Local Honeys, this was the first time seeing Tyler Childers live, although to be fair his UK dates have been relatively limited as the star of this Kentuckian as soared to levels far above most artists of his country music persuasion. To this extent I was mildly surprised at the turn out and strong rapport the audience had for him. His popularity had been clearly underestimated and in turn he repaid this faith by turning in a captivating performance adeptly supported by a five-piece band. 

Although the sound did stray from pure country into other Americana directions especially soul and rock in places, Childers uses the most compelling of southern vocals to own a transfixed zone and keep a switched on audience in his loop. In a rather unique strategy, he decided to end the ninety minute set with three solo acoustic songs and an encore-free goodnight which hit the right spot on a night where you felt a country artist from the right side of the tracks possessed huge crossover potential. 

£15 a ticket was a great steal for this show (ok any gig road trip has additional costs), but you would have to go a long way find a classier two hours of music than our two visitors from Kentucky delivered this evening. Manchester is not my usual gig stomping ground for the obvious reasons, but the dozen or so times I've made the trip up in the last ten years has yielded some great shows. Tyler Childers and The Local Honeys at the Academy 2 in January 2020 is up there with the best, proving one successful Kentucky crusade. 

Live music is going to jostle gamely with the other activities for 2020CMS, but superb nights like this has set the year on a very promising path. 

January 11th: Capital Conundrum - Charlton Athletic v West Bromwich Albion

On Saturday 11th January West Bromwich Albion went back to the top of the EFL Championship following a 2-2 draw at Charlton. Chants from the travelling contingent of 'we are top of the league' were slightly muted as debate raged between those concerned with recent form and those insisting on the bigger picture. So it was a case of whether the glass was half full or half empty for fans boarding trains, coaches and cars from what turned out to be a second consecutive weekend trip to play Charlton at the Valley.

Heading the case for the concern is the fact that the team has now gone five games without a win since a derby success at Birmingham in mid-December. Also going back a further game, critics point out that the team has failed to register a win against bottom six teams - Charlton, Wigan and Barnsley during this run where standards have admittedly slightly dropped.

It is a long held view that promotion winning sides are often built on a solid defence, and though improvements are evident from last season, there is a still a propensity to concede on a regular basis. Each goal gets scrutinised in these times of hyper fan critique and it can be harsh from a defender's perspective to get lauded a hero one week and then vilified for a crucial mistake the next. Frequently you are only judged as good as your last game.

On the other side of the argument, the positive view draws on the facts that the team has only lost twice this season and that in any successful campaign there is going to be the odd blip. It was probably unlikely that Albion and Leeds were going to maintain the sheer superiority the pair held over the rest of the division for the first half of the season. Inevitably, other teams will make a run with Fulham the likely challengers alongside Brentford, who are the form team of the moment.

Fresh from a cup win the previous weekend over today's opponents, Albion's second trip to the Valley in a week looked at times like reaping similar rewards. They led twice before being pegged back and for a twenty-minute spell in the second half some of the earlier season fluidity returned. However, a draw it ended, a result that has almost proved as common as a win in this season where Albion just don't seem to ever get beat.

Having elected to give the previous week's game a miss (in unison with many first team regulars also rested for a devalued cup competition), this was the first away game attended in 2020. My view is don't press the alarm button yet. There is still a couple of weeks of the January transfer window left to fine tune a squad equipped to make the final push, although business at this time of year is rarely fruitful. The team has a fantastic base from which a revamped return to winning ways will get them really close to the line. Faith is still intact and why not when you're top of the league.

January 1st: New Year's Day Stalemate - West Bromwich Albion v Leeds United

A new year, a new beginning and a new project. One that will saunter around the familiar and the not so. A rich blend of predictability and fascinating surprise. From the sports grounds to the music venues, a twelve month journey that will likely provide quite a few twists. It is often mooted that the journey is more important than the destination and time will tell in the life of 2020cms the extent of this. At the outset, the destination is quite simply December 31st or as soon as the book closes on the sporting and cultural journey of 2020. Chances are quite high that the opening and closing gambits will be in the same arena. One frequented avidly for many years and often the scene of fluctuating fortunes. Consistency is likely to be elsewhere as the year progresses, although it would be nice if such a high level exists this year in the B71 post code. 

2020cms begins its life at The Hawthorns (B71 4LF) and the New Year's Day highly anticipated promotion clash between West Bromwich Albion and Leeds United. These two pacesetters in the English Football League Championship have been neck and neck at the division's summit since August and well clear of a rather inconsistent chasing pack. If you are to put great credence in the assessment of the wise world of the bookmaker, the merry month of May will see both these teams promoted to the Premier League, a lengthier wait for Leeds than the two years since Albion suffered relegation in 2018. Yet nothing is won in January. 

For the record, the opening live event attended in 2020 ended in a one-one draw as Albion failed to capitalise on a dream start of taking the lead in the opening minute. To be fair, a point apiece, which kept Leeds in top place on goal difference, was a just result with the Yorkshire side dominating the play if not the clear cut chances. Albion suffered a slightly stuttering run of form ahead of this billed 'big clash', not helped by a busy festive period of matches that stretch the stamina of clubs unable to rotate a star studded array of international calibre players like the Premier League big boys. Still the performance was a genuine improvement on the last few games and sets up an exciting second half of the season where it has to be said 'promotion is there to lose'. 

The Hawthorns is set to be play a prominent role in 2020cms. Field of dreams or field of nightmares, who knows between January and May, and more so, what level of football will it be hosting from August to December. The journey has started and a project is underway. Wish me luck through the dog days and hard yards. Precedence suggests there may be 150 posts lying in wait. Maybe this stamina test will slightly restrict the quick passing of time that can afflict a twelve month period when you reach a certain age. See you at the next instalment, at this stage another football match before the live music cranks up into gear.