First, I have to confess it was my birthday yesterday. It used to be on the Calendar. Then one day I locked myself out (read: forgot my password after accidentally logging out!) and in the ensuing chaos got myself registered three times. Of course this meant that the next time my birthday came around there were three of me and at my time of life, seeing one's age mentioned once is bad enough let alone in triplicate. Particularly when some unruly part of one's brain decides to add them up.

Anyway, the thing is, what I really mean: For my birthday present this year, my son (bless him) went and ordered two tickets for Brian's concert at Kenwood House! Two premium deckchairs, would you believe. Unbeknownst to me, of course.

So now I've got to see him. Part of me has always balked at the thought of seeing a Brian show. I've always had a horror of live performances (concertos, solo stuff for piano etc) where things could go wrong. Needless to say, the word "chicken" come to mind.

Perhaps this is a better way of looking at it: At long last, I'm going to see my idol.

On a more frivolous note, it just struck me that you can sing the title of this topic to the tune of "Jingle Bells"...

Looks fantastic John !! I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Be sure to take lots of photos !!

Well can I be the first to wish you a happy 39 th birthday:) You might ask how I know you are 39 ??? Well there was a great Yank comedian called Jack Benny that decided that 39 was the age he was always going to be for the rest of his life. He lived to be a ripe old age for many decades after his announcement but he was always 39. I know you can google to see how old he really was and yes he was really funny. I usually don't care for a great deal of American comics. But Benny was a classic like you, outstanding in your field. No John you haven't developed bovine qualities, your just a special type of gentleman. So can I ask your wonderful wife to give you a transatlantic hug from me and remember next year when you become 39 again, it's better than been 40

Thanks, SG. I now have less than three months to learn how to use a camera.
I got an espresso machine for my birthday and I'm determined to learn how to use that first.

He of The Jack Benny Hour no less, where Brian decided that perhaps acting wasn't for him.

Thanks for the greetings and yes, for some reason 39 does sound a lot younger than 40.

You could even say you are still 21 - I do !!

First of happy bday for yesterday, hope you had a great day. So your coming to England and London ganna be great for ya.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

Hey, hope you had a happy birthday.

Sorry I missed your birthday... hope it was a happy one.

What the hell... since you said you accidentally REGISTERED three times...

Brian Margo, maybe we should register three times and then we'd have a chance to see the great one ?

Thanks in triplicate, BM. And thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes.

wooo! ive just booked tickets for this! soo happy, im acctually going to be seeing brian!! 3 rows from the front!!

..as you can tell..im not excited at all....

nice one John - what a wonderful birthday present! I am sure it will be brilliant - i think (if the weather holds off) the best way to see Brian or the Boys has to be in the open air...

Pack a lovely picnic with plenty of wine

Now that sounds like a great time! Do take photos, please!

It's all very well everyone saying take photos (even if they add please ). Photography, like a lot of things technical and state-of-the-art, just isn't my forte. And please don't say anyone can work a camera - it's simply not true. While I'm f@rting around trying to get the thing to work I'll be missing the show! Anyway, I'll have my time cut out for me setting up my deckchair.

I shall certainly takes Landy's advice and pack wine. Now that is my forte...

I'm interested to see if any of you folks bump into each other. I assume that Mr Doe will be there ? So thats three members. CCW probably will be there with the Ladykiller Contingent ? Landy might be there but will be hanging over the fence with a fag in his gob (unless he's been a good fellow ?). The Hat might be there selling I Like Mike shirt's
Whatever and whomever goes, I'm more interested in the set list. If any one wants Brian pictures send me a personal e-mail and I'll provide you with some, John with a camera brings back memories of Blow Up

Congratters, s*b. What can I say? Enjoy!

We'll see. I should be easy to identify as I'll be continually pinching myself.



With me blowing up instead of the photos.

Rumour has it that The Hat has been hired to recite passages from The Beard Of Love during the interval. Bound copies of said epic will be on sale at the gate.

Don't forget whilst you're at Kenwood House to visit Ken's Museum of Kitchen Appliances. Apparently Mr Wood not only invented his famous patented mixer there, but also tried his hand at toaster technology [with his pals Mr Morphy and Mr Richards]
The scorch marks are still there to see on the ceiling of his shed apparently.

Perhaps I should stay home and listen to the concert on this...

The product description is a hoot: "One could say this is a toaster with a built-in radio or a radio with a built-in toaster. [...] The Kenwood TT756SL goes where other toasters and radios have gone before but it can also venture much farther."

I completely understand, but at least try to take one picture! You'll be so glad you did a few years from now when you look back at the photos.

I may ask my wife to. She's less of a BB fan than me and much more adept with a camera. Can't promise anything, mind.

I'm sure surfer*babe has an excellent camera.

Yes, please ask the misses and tell her it would be greatly appreciated.

well luck has it, i got a really good digital camera for my birthday . which u can film on too! so i'll be taking lotsa piccys! and i'll upload them on to here after! and prob put the vids on youtube.

What seats have u got JK?

I don't know!!!!

The tickets have yet to arrive. My son ordered them for me for my birthday. All I know is that they're "2 PREMIUM DECKCHAIRS", which sounds okay.

I'll let you know...

Looking forward to seeing them!

I was going to ask S*B how she knew she had front row 3. As i just imagined it to be like a big field, which no doubt it will be, but where you just arrived and throw your blanket down, opened up the piccy basket and popped the champers. But now i am glad i didn't ask. i am guessing now that your area is pre-marked out. I just hope the Germans don't arrive very early in the morning and put their towels down near the front of the stage.

John, your 'Premium Deckchairs' probably have a cushioned head rest and that extension that comes over the top to keep the sun out

Landy I believe the seating area is set up like Europe . So watch out for the Maginot line and the Froggies pouncing on the pond

I wouldn't be surprised if Landy's right about the towels! Priceless.

I think I've discovered what they mean by Premium Deckchair. It's a computerized deckchair on wheels that's programmed to get you to the nearest pub during the interval and back in time for the second set.

Only trouble is, it's programmed to travel as the crow flies (to ensure maximum drinking time), so generally it's quite a bumpy ride.

Remember the old deckchair's in Blackpool and other resorts ????? Is it like those except with wheels on it ???? I hope your NOT on a hill You'll need an ubermenchen with a towel to rescue you

Me too ! Would love to see any pictures you (or your wife) take.

I think you're confusing me with surfer*babe. First time that's ever happened.

I was going to book online, and when you do it gives u a choice of where u want to sit, like premium deckchairs, standard or standing, then it gives you the best seats avalible, for the amount of seats you want, so you can book it. I tried ticketmaster at first and it gave me row x right at the end of the row, as best avalible, which i thort wasn't very good. So i went on to the 'see tickets' site, and they offered me row c. I called them, just to make sure it was row c, 3 rows from the front...not that there was any other row c and booked them on the phone. so im assuming all the deckchairs have numbers on.
so if anyones planning on booking tickets, use the 'see tickets' site rather than ticketmaster, as it offers alot better seats.

I think I'm about three rows behind you (not sure yet, it's all very hush-hush). Perhaps I can do a Murry and shout whenever you should take a photo: "Okay... now!!!"

From the way this is starting to sound almost everyone on the beach is going. I will be left alone to find Miller Kales footprints and call him Friday. We will sit together singing the tomes of Brian drunk on goats milk, god I hope he bathes before I find him

Almost everyone, Mark On the nite we should go for a virtual Italian together - your place in SF - and we'll get them to stick the 'Today' LP on the sound system... I'm having the chicken marsala

It's cooking on the stove right now...truly. I've been taste testing it and it's de-lish!

yummy in my tummy - forgot to add...fresh basil leaves; chuck 'em in right at the end.

right....while everyone else is watching The Man, me Mark and BT are eating

I didn't read this until after making the chicken marsala, but it came out wonderful. Thanks much!

In a nice dream I thought it would be brill if all the members of the board who wanted to go to this event went. All the Chefs could bring their dishes to sample and vino to vindicate to the succour of the Beach folks. Miller and I could be your Jeeves and serve you with aplomb considering the music following
The Ladies would be decked out in their finest wears and the gentlemen also. Miller and I would of course wear fresh pelts so no distress would be evident. A large Hookah would be brought in for Landy to wean his lips off the dreaded herb of Sir Francis Drake. This could be the first official Beach Party and no one would have to be Frankie or Annette

A fine dream if I may say so. I like the bit about fresh pelts.

Upcave-downcave and a servent should always answer his betters requests in a clean pelt I actually liked the idea of a Surferhedgehog pie and a Blueness casserole and a Landy marsala as entree's before the feast of songs that the Hawthorne prodigy dishes out.

what a wonderful dream. I'll defintely be there