For those of you who don’t know them, Hot Water Music may be "just another punk band". For me, and those like me, their songs are our songs; they are a part of each and everyone one of us, and every song is from the heart.

This summer, they came from Gainesville, Florida, with the awesome Discount, and over the course of their days in Europe, quite simply altered my life in the same way as a certain Mega City Four had done, some ten years previous. I guess you either get it, or you don’t...either way, the gigs that followed were truly spectacular in a variety of settings, and the travel that accompanied those summer days was equally entertaining.

Saturday August 14th. Bromley 2 v 1 Romford. A fine start to the football season. Nick, my brother and I jumped on a 119 from Hayes Lane and, via Oddbins, hopped on a Thameslink from East Croydon to Brighton. At the Quadrant pub (Belgian beers on draught) I thought I recognised a face at the bar. It turned out to be Smokin’ Si, a fellow roadie from MC4 days. After persuading him to pop down for the show, we left to find the Stars & Stripes, oddly perched between a supermarket car park and the Western Road, above an off licence. Spotting Buzz and Sean, we said our hello’s and grabbed a couple of beers at the tiny bar on the first floor. My buddy from work showed up too, along with Chris and his pals from (of all places) Romford. A day of many coincidences. Nick proudly showed off his new Bromley shirt to anyone who’d pay attention. Hunger was satisfied in the nearby McDonalds (where the picture of my handsome self which is on this page was taken) and we were set.

Hot Water Music were simply great. In my experience, I find it difficult to gauge a band who you are seeing for the first time, as you are always concerned that the expectation will greatly exceed the live show, or that your expectations are too high, and you’ll be disappointed. Being so heavily into all the songs and the energy from the band sort of overwhelmed me a little, I guess, but I had that warm glow, y’know? Discount stepped up next and got me shaking, but sadly we had to leave early for the last train, and missed a little of their set.

Before departing, I paid a trip to the bar for the obligatory merchandise and a copy of the brand new "No Division" CD. I spoke to Chuck too, telling him how enjoyable the evening was, and how much we were looking forward to seeing them in the days to come.

I think it was on the way home that the impact of the evening started impressing itself upon me. The thirty five minute walk over Coulsdon Common had me grinning, even more so when some drunken teenage girls at a bus stop flashed at me.....