HALF MAN HALF BISCUIT (London Shepherd's Bush Empire, 21/03/14)



















The last time I saw Half Man Half Biscuit was at a Christmas show in 2006, where they pointedly didn't play "All I Want For Xmas Is a Dukla Prague Away Kit". This, of course, was profoundly upsetting and led to a life long phobia of defunct Central European football teams. Tonight, however, finally rectified that. Not only did they perform the world's best paean to Subbueto, but they immediately preceded it with "Vatican Broadside" (the best sub-30 second song by anyone ever) and "Joy Division Oven Gloves" ("DANCE! DANCE! DANCE! DANCE!"). Add in a bit of "Fuckin' Hell, It's Fred Titmus", "National Shite Day" "A Country Practice", "Bob Wilson, Anchorman", "Running Order Squabble Fest" and a myriad other shining examples of Nigel Blackwell's peerless wit, and you've got a gig that somehow transcended the Empire's frankly shoddy sound.