Fringe proves to be a fun and novel start to the Weekender

For the fourth year the Summer Sundae Weekender officially got off the ground with the Fringe Thursday evening of musical events at numerous venues in and around Leicester town centre. Still expanding, this year the kickstart received some extra welly with even more venues added taking the total up to nine (as well as a photography exhibition), each with a line-up of band and artists performing, all linked together via open-topped buses (under the banner of 'Reach Around The Fringe' - titter ye not) doing laps around the venue circuit, and all for the hefty price of £4 a ticket - all venues and buses included.

It's a bit of a steeple chase mind to get to even half the venues, but it's fun trying - the evening flies by before you know it. Probably the biggest name at the event the New Beautiful South pulled in a large early doors crowd at The Donkey pub to watch them perform a stripped down set of old faves under an (un-needed) umbrella in the beer garden and were justly hauled back out for an encore.

Inside, the band of many genres M48 raised the tempo in good style for 30 minutes or so before we file back outside again to catch a small bite of David Wyatt's always pleasing song-craft. A failed attempt to get on the shuttle bus back to De Montfort Hall to hook up with the tour buses meant a chance to squeeze in a morsel of You Fellows Of All Souls, but it's not long before the old routemaster bus is chugging away outside again so it's adios to the Donkey...

Arriving back at DMH there's one of the open-top buses waiting - yahoo. But it's parked engine off, and no sign of a driver so we eschew the queue to head off on foot down to the nearby Hind Hotel arriving for a session of spoken-word under the banner of Phrased of Confused (to which I keep my back and chat to friendly strangers - sorry!). Aware that just a way back up the road is another venue The Lansdowne I decide to speed-march back up the London Road to see what's cooking and am surprised to find Ambrose Tompkins just taking to the 'stage' who should have played earlier according the program. Apparently this was their last gig ever (citing geographical differences) so I was pleased to be there and they played a good hour-long set of driving tunes to a small audience which was the highlight of the night for me.

Back down the road to the The Hind legendary Leicester bar crooner Kenny Wilson was having a turn - it's a flying visit though and a short taxi ride later I'm in the Firebug bar in the city centre, but it's gone midnight now and there's no more bands - just beer and fags and post-gig chat. My loose plan to head for Helsinki nightclub (another fringe venue) to end the night with a boogy is abandoned as I realise I've been slightly 'done in' by the strong real ale I've encountered in every venue I've visited, it's time for home.

It seems unfeasible for £4/ticket (and a few bucket shakers) but nevertheless the large volunteer effort involved in the fringe means a few thousand pounds are raised for local charity LOROS every year and this year the (sell out) fringe looks set to hit their £6k target as well as providing a fun and novel start to the weekender, and that deserves a hat tip. Thanks to Andy and all who make it happen and see ya next year.

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