I've been a Deaf School nut since I was sixteen, and so when I found out that they were doing a fiftieth anniversary show in their home town of Liverpool, well, I decided I needed to be there. One only lives so long, after all.

I combined it with a Madness and Lightning Seeds show in Sheffield--two great bands that have intimate ties with DS--but, since I was up in the nosebleeds, I really didn't get into the groove so much. Anyway, glad I went.

Lightning Seeds (if you squint...):

Madness (somewhere down there...):

I was in and out of Sheffield quickly, and so barely got to see the town. The real highlight for me was that friends-verging-on-family Gary and Karen from Edinburgh were driving down to Somerset, and we got together for a few beers.

Bizarchitecture in Sheffield:

I like stairways. This one was in my hotel. The staff here were terrific, really.

On to Liverpool. Deaf School bassist and all around fantastic guy Steve Lindsey ("Mr. Average") invited me to bandmate John Wood's (aka The Reverand Max Ripple) little caberet show at Liverpool's historic Cunard Building (one of the waterfront's "Three Graces") the night before the big do, and so I greatly enjoyed an evening of humor, music, good cheer, and spiritual guidance! John has been deploying his alter ego since the earliest days, and I told him afterwards that he seemed as dedicated to his character as was Barry Humphries to Dame Edna. That really thrilled him, and so that made me happy.

The Reverend Max Ripple, orating:

Steve, and Deaf School wind-and-reed man Ian Ritchie, performing Steve's solo single "Mr. Average":

And another:

And here's a clip of their lowkey version of Deaf School's Room Service, perhaps my favorite DS song. DS's Steve Allen (Enrico Cadillac, Jr.) came up on stage for a vocal turn.

Room Service

Actually, before the show, I gathered the gumption to introduce myself to Deaf School's Clive Langer ("Cliff Hanger"). Mega-star producer of Madness, Elvis Costello, Dexys Midnight Runners, and many others. He was extremely gracious, and I was thrilled and honored to meet Rock Royalty (as Gary characterized him when I told him about it later).

Here're Clive, me, and Steve during intermission, along will the wonderful Ken Testi mugging in the back. Ken put Queen on the map; he was buddies with Freddie from the beginning! He also opened the world famous Liverpool club Eric's, and has been a prime mover in the Deaf School camp since their inception:

And another:

Next night, Liverpool's It's Immaterial opened the show. Look! There's Yachts' Henry Priestman, second from right:

And a drumroll please...it's Deaf School...and I was on the guest list! Thanks so much, Steve:

Taxi, DS's magnum opus:

Taxi

Take a bow, lady and gents: Ian, Greg (the new kid), Clive/Cliff, Steve A./Enrico, Ann/Bette, Steve L./Avo, John/Max:

It was a stellar show. The band were on fire, the crowd was too, and I loved every second of it. A dream fulfilled.

Not only that, but Steve invited me to the aftershow soirée back at the band's hotel. I was in friggin' heaven!

I had a great talk with Enrico, who provided all sorts of insights and anecdotes about the band and their artistry. Amazing! Here're "The Enrico Variations":

Enrico and Ken, shmoozing away:

Max/John and yours truly. Max regaled me with stories from his genuinely renaissancical career: musician, art historian, inventor. His wife, daughter, and son-in-law were on hand as well. Lovely folks:

I also got to meet Deaf School and solo chanteuse Bette Bright (Ann Martin) (no picture! Damn!! Sorry!!). Bette also sang with Gruppo Sportivo back in the day, rendering her an affiliate of my two favorite bands ever (after The Fabs, of course).

What an incredible evening! What a total thrill!

A few from around Liverpool...

I like barbershops:

The Legendary Eric's (new location), along with a little club across the street, where some other band got their start:

Two shots of Liverpool's Three Graces. The middle building is the Cunard, where Max performed:

From the ferry cross the Mersey. The view of the Cunard is now marred by the ferry building itself. Shameful.

And one more:

I do like barbershops:

Slumming in a divey hotel lobby:

Capaldi's Cafe was immortalized by Deaf School in their outrageous rocker with its Roxy Music outro "Capaldi's Cafe". The original cafe had just closed the month before, alas. The sale was finalized on the very day I visited. Here is their other location:

Here's the charming and gracious Daria Capaldi, proprietor:

Mr. Capaldi himself, out in front of the original (photo courtesy of Daria):

In Temple Bar (actually, I was so sick I barely made it out of Temple Bar the whole time):

At the Fleet Hotel. I do like stairways:

Around the corner from the Fleet Hotel:

A Temple Bar alley:

A Temple Bar side street:

And another:

Dear old friend and concert pianist extraordinaire Anthony Byrne (Tony was my brother's buddy back in their Juilliard days):

Tony and his Mean Machine:

A few at Trinity College, just across the street from my hotel:

Steve Average Lindsey has made his home in Dublin for many years now, and he graciously invited me out for an evening of beering and dining, and mostly talking about music and life and music life; just a terrific time. Really, what a great guy!

And what a great trip!

Erev Christmas, Dublin Airport: