Most women went to see The Streets at the 02 Academy Birmingham last Friday because they want to shag Mike Skinner. Myself included. I wish as a journalist I could now go on to to write a kiss and tell.
Unfortunately, I can’t. What I can also tell you is that, to a packed and bouncing auditorium Mike Skinner celebrated his final album as The Streets – titled ‘Computer & Blues’ – with aplomb.
While there was nothing blue about the performance, the atmosphere was indeed electric, just like a wheezing reformed laptop. Singing along together and blinded by the lights, we were united as a bunch of Mini Mikes: jumping around, chatting each other up and spilling beer on the floor.
And to the crowd’s credit, there was one nice chap called Chet who I met in the excruciatingly long queue at the auditorium’s main bar (which annoyingly doesn’t take card payments).
But of all the destinations on The Streets current UK tour, this one in Birmingham was money well spent. Because it also proved something of a home coming for Michael Geoffery Skinner who began writing hip hop and garage music in his home in the second city.
The crowd here loved him for it, and they showed the love even more when playing his classics including, Don’t Mug Yourself.
The night unfolded to be redolent of a “superclub” night from the early 90s (very now). Added to that, security on the VIP room was tighter than Broadmoor Hospital and I left with no clue as to the mega celebrities residing in there.
But being a Streets fan, VIPs didn’t matter. Instead it seemed in the spirit of things to leave a little early and head into town to wash back some “shit in a tray” with a bottle of rose from a local off-license before the last train home left.
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Being Erica 