A benefit concert - see [N.I. Childrens Cancer Unit].

Cliff writes :-

I first heard about this gig in the summer but with my impending shop opening it was not a realistic possibility to go, I'd wait until Xmas. I knew it was for charity but that was about it. Manus's message somehow made it much more personal, now we knew what the gig was all about. I expected something was probably already in hand regarding t-shirts but when I spoke to Manus he said nothing had been planned but he liked the idea and that was all the incentive I needed. To design t-shirts for an actual Undertones gig is as good as it gets for a fan, unless they ever ask me to do backing vocals- but thats unlikely.

Everything was starting to fall into place. I checked with ryanair and I could go for half the normal price, Thu evening to Sat morning and so would only miss one and a bit days work. Of course it still had to be smoothed over with my wonderful wife but after we'd sat together and read Anthonys story on the website in complete silence she simply said 'you go and have a good time'. The shirts were delivered to me at work on the morning of the gig and I was well pleased with them. I also wanted to take some Celtic shirts and asked my friend who stores them for me to bring a handful along. Not being a football supporter he asked 'which ones are they?' 'the green and white hoops'I replied. (or should I say horizontal stripes as the seem to nowadays?). He then arrived with some Plymouth Argyle shirts- D'OH!! not much call for them in Derry.

I wished the hours away and headed off to Stansted, Undertones blasting in the car, thats a great feeling when your heading to a gig. I arrived in Derry and there was Manus his wife Majella and daughter Kate. Manus obliged by putting the 'tones on but I don't think the girls were to pleased with the speakers closest to their ears. We arrived at the B&B where I would quickly check in and then round to Manus's to watch the film(thE FILM!!). But where was my bag? no sign of it! how embarrassing,back to the airport and there it was on the floor in the car park!! a security guy came out and said he was about to phone the police, so I was lucky-. what a great start! Manus gave me a guiness and left me in a room on my own with a large TV screen and a film I'd waited 18 years to see- arrggghhhhh heaven! I won't go into what I saw but it was pure class and as I said previously a more than fitting tribute to our favourite band.

The next day I walked into Derry to pick up my ticket from 'Soundsaround' and popped into 'planet soccer' to say hello to Eddie Mahon who I'd met on my first visit there. He's the one who'd secretly managed to get me on the radio on my first visit so I went to thank him for that and we talked football for 20 minutes. I had a quick look round his shop and discovered an old football shirt of-. Plymouth Argyle!! By this time I'd met up with Vince and we had a beer. Horse racing was on the TV and he told me there was a 'good thing' running in the 2:30 at Hereford- 'Damians Choice'. With a name like that it had to be worth a go so I popped round the corner and had a tenner on it. It was looking good, moving up smoothly with half a mile to go. I decided to buy Doina a big boquette of flowers with my winnings. Unfortunately it then decided to run through the next fence rather than jump over it and finished last. Oh well,Doina likes a £2. 50 bottle of wine too.

Arthur had arrived and it was time to show both him and Vince the film, although on a small screen at the B&B it wasn't quite the same. We arrived at the Nerve Centre at 7ish hoping to get the banner up but the band were doing a sound check. (I know, bloody cheek!!). After they'd finished we tried to put it behind them but with the lights and the height we had to climb to,it wasn't gonna be easy. The whole idea of the banner is to be there when there's nobody around, put it up a bit sharpish and be gone. Quick and painless. But the other band had arrived(Bam Bam and the calling) and I felt we were in the way, being a pain in the ass frankly. Arthur made a brave attempt but we'd lost the moment and decided to abort mission and go for a drink.

We met up with Vinny and his wife Debbie, then on to the 'Gweedore' bar and some other familiar faces, including Linus who gave me a 'positive touch' metal badge. (thanks Linus!). Then on to the Nerve Centre and laid out before my eyes a pasting table covered in my t-shirts- at an Undertones concert. If somebody had told me that in 1980 it wouldn't have seemed possible. It's not something I can tell people about in everyday life coz they'd probably say 'big deal', but to me it is and thats all that counts. We took some pictures of another legend, Vinny O'Neill who was more than happy to give an embarrassed 'what me?' sort of smile for the camera.

Wilke was also there with his wife so we said our hello's before moving into the main venue. The time drew closer and Manus got on stage to announce something along the lines of, 'A couple of months ago we decided that an Undertones gig would be a great way to end our fundraising. We have raised thousands of pounds, I'm up for it ,you're up for it, the band are up for it, SO LETS RAISE thE ROOF FOR thE UNDERTONES!!.

One of the great things about Derry gigs is that everybody knows 'the crack' and the whole place goes nuts. At some other venues in other towns, there can be an air of uncertainty about how to react. As I've mentioned before, a sort of 'are we supposed to pogo at 40?' sort of attitude. None of that nonsense in Derry, these are veterans and they dont hang about!

During the 'Positive Touch' era I remember Feargal used to get irratated at gigs when the crowd would constantly call for 'Jimmy Jimmy'. I could understand his frustration as the band were trying to move on at that time. I also remember him being interviewed not that long ago and he said he couldn't understand all the fuss about 'Teenage Kicks' until he heard it years after they split up at a party and all of a sudden he understood. 'Jimmy Jimmy' was always the Undertones anthem to me, maybe coz it was the first 'tones song I ever heard. I went through a time in the mid 80's where I didnt play it so much, I'd probably heard it to often. But recently,its regained all its magic,and more, for me. In a nutshell, and excuse me ladies, it's just fucking brilliant.

So on come The Undertones,as nonchalent as if their taking a walk in the park, hey no fuss, it's only us. 'Hello we're the Undertones, the best live band in the world and don't you forget it!'- only kidding,well thats what they're entitled to say but its more like 'Hello, we're The Undertones- and this is Jimmy Jimmy'. I've played it to death in the car these last few days so, confident I have loads of stored up energy, I dive in. It's great, its bedlam, it's slippery,EVERYbody'S SMILING!! It sounds perfect, really hitting the spot, like you're in your front room with the stereo as loud as possible. I counted one elbow in the nose, a couple of stamps on the toe and nearly fell over a couple of times. I can't say I get that in my front room unless Doina wants to watch the other channel when the footballs on. I'm knackered already to my shame and disappointment, but it was worth it for 2 minutes 48 secs of perfection. (I'm only guessing at the timing, no e-mails please!).

Before we can get our breath its on to 'Girls Dont like it' and then the fandabidozee 'Family Entertainment'. When you think it can't possibly get any better it somehow does with the best song ever made 'You got my number'. I'm cursing myself for being 40 and out of shape as I still feel the pains of 'Jimmy Jimmy'. Then on to one of the new ones 'Shut Down'. Unfortunately my memory has failed me already but I know I liked it at the time, it was fast and with a good tune. I think I need to hear it again. 'I gotta getta' came next and I just love this song to death, I HAD to force myself back in there. There cannot be a better example of a great tune mixed with power and energy, its so early Undertones.

I tried to hang around for 'Here comes the summer' but decided to save myself and 'Tearproof' was the best I've ever heard it live. Really- the best ever. Then another new one 'With a girl like you', I cant remember it now but it was very strong,a good tune. 'Wed week' followed by 'I know a girl' they all just sounded perfect. 'When Sat Comes' is another in my own top 5 or so, it was brilliant. The 3rd of the new songs was my favourite, it had a great feel to it. Somebody said after it was 'a bit T-Rex' and that seemed a good ixogy. As usual it was over to quickly, an encore and then an understandably emotional Manus came back on and said, ''If anyone ever asks you what was the best £10 you ever spent in your life tell them it was the ticket for the Nerve centre on the 19/10/01 when you heard the best band in the world and helped children suffering from cancer. Please remember a very special little boy who lived in Derry called Anthony Martin'