John Gibson: Noddy will be in his jammies

May I, yet again, remind you that Slade played their valedictory gig at Leith Town Hall, before an albeit sparse Saturday night audience (their star by then had lost some of its twinkle) and that Noddy Holder and the lads asked me to join them for a refreshment in their dressing room?

Noddy has just celebrated his 65th and, his habitually happy-go-lucky self, he’s warbling: “We aim to spend this Christmas Day in our pyjamas, taking it easy and eating my roast turkey in the afternoon.” Wife Suzan is 45.

If you’re having a pyjama party, Noddy, count me in. Or just send me a turkey sarnie in the post. Regardless, Merry Xmas everybody!

The latest gigs

Edinburgh City Council’s formidable brochure for December/January for the Usher Hall a tad tardy, arriving through some letterboxes on Monday. Too late to get to the Usher for, among others, the RSNO Shostakovich (December 2), Kate Rusby (5), the John Wilson Orchestra (7), the Bootleg Beatles (11), Lindsey Buckingham (12).

I’d have to ask Kate, as pictured here and in the brochure, why the long face? Merry Christmas to you, too.

Nigel Kennedy has promised to do something about his hair before he gets here with Vivaldi on January 12.

Afterwords . .

. . . Got my Grandad’s Army tin hat on. You could call it a reckless moment of clarksonitis. The Argies are coming on strong again, blockading our fishing rights round the Falklands. We mustn’t tolerate their impudence.