Cracking weekend of gigs finally giving 2017 the kick-start it needed after a month or so of downtime writing and recording.

Thursday night I was proud to play a part in the Rainbow Centre/SNUG Benefit at L’Amour in Scarborough put together by the brilliant Mark Gordon. Massive donations of food and warm clothing, plus well over £2000 in cash will certainly go a long way to helping the homeless and incoming refugees much in need of a warm welcome to our town. Great work by all involved and a massive turn-out.

Then on Friday I hauled over the Pennines to the fantastic Kings Arms in Salford to help launch Trade Union Pale Ale with Boss Caine and Conor Molloy. Another packed house and the pub was literally drunk dry before the singing started….and boy, was there singing! An amazing response from the crowd on what is already sure to be one of my favourite nights when I look back on 2017.

Plenty of highlights, but sharing a stage with Dan Lucas aka Boss Caine, especially after one of our Road Trips, is always very special and to sing ‘Halo’ with him is a magical thing indeed.

Great to see comrades from up and down the country turning out to give the beer its northern launch, and especially great to see Big Sis Pauline Town allowing herself a couple of hours off saving the world one life at a time so I can serenade her with her anthem.

From Salford it was The Red Shed in Wakefield with Bard Company and Simon Widdop. Another top night, and another great turn-out….plus bags and bags of stuff for the homeless as part of my ongoing #SocksAppeal so a MASSIVE thank you to everyone helping with that, especially to my Mum, Mama Solo, who has taken to knitting gloves and hats and socks for Pauline and whose first pair were handed to a young lad called Scotty rough sleeping in Ashton-under-Lyne, who couldn’t believe someone would care enough to go to all that effort. Scotty, you are more than welcome, and when you’re back on your feet I hope you always remember there are plenty who aren’t and hold out a helping hand yourself.

Right. Next stop Coastival, then Dewsbury and then into March….

BRING IT ON!!