It’s a little while since my last post, primarily because I’ve had Covid for two weeks and felt that I didn’t have the wherewithal to form words into sentences.  I’m much improved, thank you.

Tru80s are mid-way through their Spring 2026 Tour with a run of 10 gigs in 8 weeks.  I’ve not been at a gig for a few weeks due to my trip to Peru and having Covid so I can’t comment first-hand, but I’m assured that all is going better than could be hoped.  As the nominated documenter of band activity, I’m feeling rather guilty about my absence and will do my best to make up for lost time.

Last Saturday’s gig at The Crown Inn in Lower Peover turned into a memorable sing-along party when a coachload of footballers turned up halfway through. They were allegedly the Blackburn Rovers players returning from a fixture with Stoke City, but possible though this may be, no conclusive evidence exists.  One of the senior members of this party did ask the band to perform at a cricket club in Blackburn.  No formal offer has yet been made but as we know, all cricket clubs are the home of virtue and hospitality so this would no doubt be a wonderful experience.

Spike’s keyboard “blew up” during setup at the Fox and Hounds gig on 14^th March, but still being under warranty has been replaced free of charge and with a better instrument.  Fortunately, Spike’s sonic omissions were covered by Vinnie Manyhands and his battery of keyboards, so much so that a somewhat inebriated but totally serious punter told Brian “He’s amazing, especially when he plays three keyboards at the same time”.

A few new songs have made their debut, Head Over Heels (Tears for Fears) and Only You (Yazoo) to name two.  More are in the pipeline including Howard Jones and OMD, although they may not put in an appearance until June due to frequent gigging meaning fewer rehearsals.

Feel free to get in touch if you have a song from the 80s you would like the band to include in the set and which fits the genre.  No Guns ‘n’ Roses or AC/DC please.

I had an odd encounter on the plane back from Lima last month.  I found myself sitting next to a young woman, and we fell into conversation.  It transpired that her name is Helix Leiva de Trejo.  I thought Helix an unusual name, but she did send me a link to her Instagram profile, and I did check it out and it did exist because we chatted about a particular photograph she’d posted a few days before.  However, I can no longer find the account, nor her Facebook or LinkedIn accounts and I’m getting no response from her on WhatsApp.

This seemed a little odd, but I felt a disturbance in the force when Spike told me (via email) that he’s in the process of replacing his current pedalboard with a super-duper new thing.  The pedalboard he’s replacing is called a Helix LT.

This sort of stuff seems to be happening to me all the time over the last couple of years and Tru80s always seem to be at the epicentre.  Where next?