Great Uncle Bulgaria

Snap. Rak-Su - supporting Ollie Murs (who one of the young wombles was very keen on for several years so I took her to see him). In fairness, both put on a decent show and she loved them. That said, Dimelo and two of the Ed Sheeran songs are the only ones I know here and I can't be bothered to listen to a load of songs I'm almost certainly not going to like particularly, so I'll pass on this round.

Unsure if stand up counts as a gig but the man himself described it as one so I thought it must be. Anyway, saw John Bishop (as in professional scouser, doer of difficult things for charity, comedian and of Dr Who for a while). GAB's idea not mine. He was quite good, although Milton Jones and Tim Vine (both of whom I have seen in the last couple of years) were more to my taste. He was unlucky in that a long and moving story got interrupted when 2 people in the audience had a row with the words 'fuck off' being very audible. Bishop immediately made them put the lights up, swore at the offenders and wouldn't carry on until they had been evicted. Understandable, but it killed the atmosphere during a long section which involved talking about the death of his mother from dementia. Given the number of F-bombs deployed and the occasional groping for words I did wonder whether he had had a pint or two of Dutch courage before he went on. Overall, not great but reasonably good, certainly better than I expected.

15/11/2024 68 Hozier — Take Me To Church 65 Taylor Swift — Shake It Off  61 James Bay — Hold Back The River 34 Years & Years — Shine -6 34 Maroon 5 — Maps 22 Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne — Real Love +4

14/11/2024 62 Hozier — Take Me To Church 56 James Bay — Hold Back The River 56 Taylor Swift — Shake It Off 35 Maroon 5 — Maps 32 Years & Years — Shine -6 22 Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne — Real Love +4 14 The Vamps — Last Night 12 Philip George — Wish You Were Mine 10 One Direction — Perfect 08 Zedd ft. Hayley Williams — Stay The Night 05 Major Lazer ft. MØ & DJ Snake — Lean On How many are we keeping this time?

13/11/2024 56 Hozier — Take Me To Church 54 James Bay — Hold Back The River 49 Taylor Swift — Shake It Off 32 Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne — Real Love 30 Years & Years — Shine -6 25 Maroon 5 — Maps 17 Major Lazer ft. MØ & DJ Snake — Lean On 16 Calvin Harris & Disciples — How Deep Is Your Love +4 16 One Direction — Perfect 14 The Vamps — Last Night 14 Philip George — Wish You Were Mine 11 Zedd ft. Hayley Williams — Stay The Night

Wed 13 Nov 33 Nigel Starmer-Smith 31 Esther Rantzen 31 Linda Nolan 31 Noam Chomsky 31 Joanne Woodward 30 Roberta Flack 29 Norman Tebbit 29 Gene Hackman 28 Denis Law  28 Cleo Laine 28 Dick Van Dyke 27 Alan Greenspan 27 Pete Murray +4 26 Ted Turner 26 Patricia Routledge  26 Dennis Skinner  26 Jean-Marie Le Pen 26 Stanley Baxter 26 Sandy Gall 26 Tom Brokaw 25 Jimmy Carter 25 Sonny Rollins 23 Mel Brooks 22 Vanessa Redgrave 20 Josef Fritzl 11 Hans Blix  10 Raul Castro -1 00 Imelda Marcos -5 Not a shoe-in for next year.... Eliminator Score: 18/20

12/Nov/2024 50 Hozier — Take Me To Church 44 James Bay — Hold Back The River 43 Taylor Swift — Shake It Off +1 36 Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne — Real Love 32 Years & Years — Shine -4 30 Maroon 5 — Maps 28 One Direction — Perfect 23 Major Lazer ft. MØ & DJ Snake — Lean On 21 Calvin Harris & Disciples — How Deep Is Your Love +3 20 Philip George — Wish You Were Mine 20 The Vamps — Last Night 15 Zedd ft. Hayley Williams — Stay The Night -2

12.11.2024 31 Noam Chomsky 31 Jimmy Carter 31 Joanne Woodward 30 Roberta Flack 30 Ted Turner 29 Linda Nolan 29 Sonny Rollins 29 Patricia Routledge 29 Norman Tebbit 29 Dennis Skinner 29 Nigel Starmer-Smith 29 Esther Rantzen +2 28 Cleo Laine 26 Denis Law  26 Stanley Baxter 26 Tom Brokaw 25 Gene Hackman 25 Alan Greenspan 24 Dick Van Dyke 24 Jean-Marie Le Pen 24 Pete Murray  23 Vanessa Redgrave 23 Sandy Gall  22 Mel Brooks 17 Raul Castro -2 16 Josef Fritzl 15 James Whale 14 Imelda Marcos -2 13 Hans Blix -2 11 Pope Francis +2 09 Buzz Aldrin  

11/11/2024 44 Hozier — Take Me To Church 40 James Bay — Hold Back The River 38 Taylor Swift — Shake It Off 36 Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne — Real Love 32 Years & Years — Shine -4 32 Maroon 5 — Maps 32 Major Lazer ft. MØ & DJ Snake — Lean On 26 One Direction — Perfect 24 Calvin Harris & Disciples — How Deep Is Your Love +4 20 Philip George — Wish You Were Mine 20 Zedd ft. Hayley Williams — Stay The Night 20 The Vamps — Last Night 12 Duke Dumont — Won’t Look Back 06 Felix Jaehn ft. J Thompson — Ain’t Nobody -2 02 Natalie La Rose ft. Jeremih — Somebody

11.11.2024 31 Roberta Flack 30 Noam Chomsky 29 Ted Turner 29 Sonny Rollins 29 Jimmy Carter +2 28 Linda Nolan  28 Dennis Skinner 28 Cleo Laine 27 Norman Tebbit 26 Patricia Routledge 26 Esther Rantzen 25 Joanne Woodward -3 25 Stanley Baxter 24 Jean-Marie Le Pen 24 Pete Murray +1 23 Dick Van Dyke  23 Imelda Marcos 22 Denis Law 22 Raul Castro 22 Alan Greenspan 22 Vanessa Redgrave 22 Sandy Gall 22 Nigel Starmer-Smith  +1 21 James Whale 21 Gene Hackman 20 Hans Blix  20 Mel Brooks 20 Tom Brokaw 20 Josef Fritzl  17 Pope Francis 13 Buzz Aldrin  12 Desmond Morris 12 Clint Eastwood 11 Willie Nelson 10 Robert Duvall 08 Sly Stone  05 Brigitte Bardot -3 

11/10/2024 28 Noam Chomsky 27 Dennis Skinner 26 Joanne Woodward 27 Roberta Flack 26 Esther Rantzen +1 26 Patricia Routledge 25 Jean-Marie Le Pen 25 Stanley Baxter +1 24 Linda Nolan  23 Cleo Laine  23 Ted Turner 23 Dick Van Dyke  23 Gene Hackman 23 Sonny Rollins 23 Raul Castro 23 Norman Tebbit  22 Pete Murray 22 Alan Greenspan 22 Josef Fritzl  21 Imelda Marcos 21 Nigel Starmer-Smith  21 Sandy Gall  21 Tom Brokaw 21 James Whale 21 Jimmy Carter +1 20 Denis Law 20 Willie Nelson 20 Hans Blix  20 Vanessa Redgrave  20 Mel Brooks 20 Pope Francis +1 18 Brigitte Bardot 17 Desmond Morris 17 Buzz Aldrin 15 Sly Stone 13 Clint Eastwood  13 Robert Duvall 12 Tom Baker 11 Daniel Barenboim 06 Prunella Scales -5 04 Louis Farrakhan -1 

10/Nov/2024 38 Hozier — Take Me To Church 34 James Bay — Hold Back The River 34 Taylor Swift — Shake It Off 32 Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne — Real Love 32 Maroon 5 — Maps 32 Major Lazer ft. MØ & DJ Snake — Lean On 32 Years & Years — Shine 22 One Direction — Perfect 22 Duke Dumont — Won’t Look Back 22 Philip George — Wish You Were Mine 20 Zedd ft. Hayley Williams — Stay The Night 20 The Vamps — Last Night 20 Calvin Harris & Disciples — How Deep Is Your Love 15 Felix Jaehn ft. J Thompson — Ain’t Nobody 15 Natalie La Rose ft. Jeremih — Somebody 10 Lunchmoney Lewis — Bills +4 10 Will.I.Am ft. Miley Cyrus, Wiz Khalifa, French Montana & DJ Mustard — Feelin’ Myself -6

9th November  38 Hozier — Take Me To Church +2 30 Years & Years — Shine 30 Taylor Swift — Shake It Off 28 Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne — Real Love 28 James Bay — Hold Back The River 27 Maroon 5 — Maps 27 Major Lazer ft. MØ &DJ Snake — Lean On 22 One Direction — Perfect 22 Duke Dumont — Won’t Look Back 22 Philip George — Wish You Were Mine 20 Zedd ft. Hayley Williams — Stay The Night 20 The Vamps — Last Night 20 Natalie La Rose ft. Jeremih — Somebody 20 Calvin Harris & Disciples — How Deep Is Your Love 20 Felix Jaehn ft. J Thompson — Ain’t Nobody 17 Will.I.Am ft. Miley Cyrus, Wiz Khalifa, French Montana & DJ Mustard — Feelin’ Myself 16 Lunchmoney Lewis — Bills +2 12 Nick Jonas — Jealous 11 Union J — You Got It All -6 1 diego reacted to this

7/Nov/2024 85 Emeli Sande — Next To Me 70 Pink ft. Nate Ruess — Just Give Me A Reason 67 Adele — Skyfall 64 Bruno Mars — Locked Out Of Heaven 59 Taylor Swift — I Knew You Were Trouble +4 49 Bastille — Pompeii -2 26 Nicki Minaj — Starships -2 16 Avicii — Hey Brother 14 One Direction —  Best Song Ever 06 Gary Barlow — Let Me Go -2

6th November 85 Emeli Sande — Next To Me +1 70 Bruno Mars — Locked Out Of Heaven 66 Pink ft. Nate Ruess — Just Give Me A Reason 59 Adele — Skyfall 55 Taylor Swift — I Knew You Were Trouble +3 50 Bastille — Pompeii -4 26 Nicki Minaj — Starships -1 26 One Direction — Best Song Ever 19 Avicii — Hey Brother 12 The Vamps — Can We Dance 08 Gary Barlow — Let Me Go -1

5/11/2024 80 Emeli Sande — Next To Me 66 Bruno Mars — Locked Out Of Heaven 65 Pink ft. Nate Ruess — Just Give Me A Reason 50 Taylor Swift — I Knew You Were Trouble +3 49 Adele — Skyfall +1 47 Bastille — Pompeii -3 29 Nicki Minaj — Starships -2 27 Gary Barlow — Let Me Go 24 One Direction — Best Song Ever 19 Avicii — Hey Brother 18 The Vamps — Can We Dance 15 Bruno Mars — When I Was Your Man 09 Example — Say Nothing -1 06 The Wanted — Chasing The Sun

4/11/2024 82 Emeli Sande — Next To Me 62 Bruno Mars — Locked Out Of Heaven 59 Pink ft. Nate Ruess — Just Give Me A Reason 46 Bastille — Pompeii 45 Taylor Swift — I Knew You Were Trouble +1 39 Nicki Minaj — Starships -6 35 Adele — Skyfall +1 28 Bruno Mars — When I Was Your Man +2 27 Gary Barlow — Let Me Go 22 One Direction — Best Song Ever 21 The Wanted — Chasing The Sun 21 The Vamps — Can We Dance 17 Example — Say Nothing 17 Avicii — Hey Brother 11 Girls Aloud — Something New 04 Dappy ft. Brian May — Rockstar

3rd November 78 Emeli Sande — Next To Me +1 62 Bruno Mars — Locked Out Of Heaven 60 Pink ft. Nate Ruess — Just Give Me A Reason 44 Bastille — Pompeii 42 Taylor Swift — I Knew You Were Trouble +1 38 Nicki Minaj — Starships -3 28 Adele — Skyfall +1 27 Gary Barlow — Let Me Go 26 Bruno Mars — When I Was Your Man +1 22 One Direction — Best Song Ever 21 The Wanted — Chasing The Sun 21 The Vamps — Can We Dance 20 Example — Say Nothing 19 Girls Aloud — Something New 17 Avicii — Hey Brother 10 One Direction — Story Of My Life 10 Dappy ft. Brian May — Rockstar 06 Calvin Harris ft. Ne-Yo — Let’s Go -3 05 Amelia Lily — You Bring Me Joy

Janey Godley a hit, Stanley Baxter off the bench, Sophie Kinsella on to it as 3rd sub.

2/11/2024 73  Emeli Sande — Next To Me 54 Bruno Mars — Locked Out Of Heaven 50 Pink ft. Nate Ruess — Just Give Me A Reason 39 Bastille — Pompeii 38 Taylor Swift — I Knew You Were Trouble +1 34 Nicki Minaj — Starships -4 27 Gary Barlow — Let Me Go 27 Adele — Skyfall +1 25 Bruno Mars — When I Was Your Man +1 21 One Direction — Story Of My Life +1 21 The Wanted — Chasing The Sun 21 One Direction — Best Song Ever 21 The Vamps — Can We Dance 21 Girls Aloud — Something New 20 Amelia Lily — You Bring Me Joy 20 Example — Say Nothing 17 Avicii — Hey Brother 16 Calvin Harris ft. Ne-Yo — Let’s Go 14 Dappy ft. Brian May — Rockstar 12 Calvin Harris ft. Example — We’ll Be Coming Back 11 Bastille — Of The Night 06 Alyssa Reid ft. Jump Smokers — Alone Again -2

Never heard of her

1/11/2024 65 Emeli Sande — Next To Me 45 Pink ft. Nate Ruess — Just Give Me A Reason 45 Bruno Mars — Locked Out Of Heaven 35 Bastille — Pompeii 35 Taylor Swift — I Knew You Were Trouble +1 32 Nicki Minaj — Starships 30 One Direction — Story Of My Life +1 28 Adele — Skyfall 27 Girls Aloud — Something New +1 24 Bruno Mars — When I Was Your Man +1 23 Gary Barlow — Let Me Go 21 The Wanted — Chasing The Sun 21 One Direction — Best Song Ever 21 The Vamps — Can We Dance 20 Alyssa Reid ft. Jump Smokers — Alone Again 20 Amelia Lily — You Bring Me Joy 20 Example — Say Nothing 18 Dappy ft. Brian May — Rockstar 18 Calvin Harris ft. Example — We’ll Be Coming Back 17 Avicii — Hey Brother 16 Calvin Harris ft. Ne-Yo — Let’s Go 14 Disclosure ft. Aluna George — White Noise -1 11 Bastille — Of The Night 10 Jason Derulo — The Other Side 00 Chris Malinchak — So Dead To Me -5

61 Emeli Sande — Next To Me 40 Pink ft. Nate Ruess — Just Give Me A Reason 38 Bruno Mars — Locked Out Of Heaven 32 Adele — Skyfall 32 Bastille — Pompeii 30 Nicki Minaj — Starships 29 One Direction — Story Of My Life +1 29 Taylor Swift — I Knew You Were Trouble +1 26 Girls Aloud — Something New +1 23 Gary Barlow — Let Me Go 23 Bruno Mars — When I Was Your Man +1 22 Dappy ft. Brian May — Rockstar 21 The Wanted — Chasing The Sun 21 One Direction — Best Song Ever 21 The Vamps — Can We Dance 20 Alyssa Reid ft. Jump Smokers — Alone Again 20 Amelia Lily — You Bring Me Joy 20 Example — Say Nothing 18 Calvin Harris ft. Example — We’ll Be Coming Back 17 Avicii — Hey Brother 17 Chris Malinchak — So Good To Me 17 Disclosure ft. Aluna George — White Noise 16 Jason Derulo — The Other Side 16 Calvin Harris ft. Ne-Yo — Let’s Go 12 Bastille — Of The Night 10 Sean Paul — She Doesn’t Mind 08 James Arthur — You’re Nobody ’Til Somebody Loves You -3 03 50 Cent, Eminem & Adam Levine — My (soon to be ended) Life -3 Usually make it a rule to get rid of the X factor acts asap on principle but apart from Emeli Sande (who's already home and hosed and into 'wasted vote territory' by the look of it) there's nothing I particularly like here and some of the aforementioned acts' songs are amongst the best of the rest.

December 30th

30/10/2024 55 Emeli Sande — Next To Me 33 Pink ft. Nate Ruess — Just Give Me A Reason 29 Disclosure ft. Aluna George — White Noise 28 Bastille — Pompeii 27 Bruno Mars — Locked Out Of Heaven 26 One Direction — Story Of My Life +1 25 Nicki Minaj — Starships 24 Adele — Skyfall +1 24 Taylor Swift — I Knew You Were Trouble +1 23 One Direction — Best Song Ever 23 Girls Aloud — Something New 22 Dappy ft. Brian May — Rockstar 22 Gary Barlow — Let Me Go 22 Bruno Mars — When I Was Your Man +1 21 The Wanted — Chasing The Sun 21 The Vamps — Can We Dance 21 Chris Malinchak — So Good To Me 20 Alyssa Reid ft. Jump Smokers — Alone Again 20 Calvin Harris ft. Example — We’ll Be Coming Back 20 Amelia Lily — You Bring Me Joy 20 Example — Say Nothing 18 Bastille — Of The Night 18 Calvin Harris ft. Ne-Yo — Let’s Go 18 Justin Bieber — Boyfriend 17 Avicii — Hey Brother 16 Jason Derulo — The Other Side 14 50 Cent, Eminem & Adam Levine — My Life 12 Conor Maynard — Can’t Say No 12 Chris Brown — Don’t Wake Me Up 11 James Arthur — You’re Nobody ’Til Somebody Loves You -6 10 Sean Paul — She Doesn’t Mind