10 things almost as overrated and underwhelming as New Year's Eve

Going out for New Year’s Eve is overrated isn’t it? A surprising number of people seem to know this deep down and yet so many of us feel the need to drag ourselves out, pay over the odds to get in somewhere distinctly underwhelming that’ll be free on any other day.

Staying in, maybe with a few friends, is what a lot of us would rather do, so why embrace something so utterly pointless and underwhelming as watching our clocks all night in an overpriced and overhyped environment with people too drunk to know what year it is anyway?

With 2016 about to begin, here’s ten other things that I think are almost as naff as New Year’s Eve…

1. Halloween. I’ve always felt it was a bit naff but it’s even worse than ever now. Most people’s outfits aren’t remotely ‘spooky’ and it’s largely just an excuse for adults with more money than sense to pretend they’re kids again.

2. Black Friday. How many people here celebrate Thanksgiving? No? In which case, why get caught up in the day after, which is traditionally where electrical retailers woo in not-at-work shoppers to spend on bargains.

 3. The X Factor. Has anyone even heard the winner’s song? Time for a break Simon.

4. The Apprentice. Since Old Sugar isn’t even looking for an apprentice any more isn’t it about time this was brought to an end? People who show a flair for selling spuds in round one get to the final ahead of those who might actually have an entrepreneurial idea that is worth investing in. Pointless.

5. Formula One. Rich kids squabbling over which has the fastest car? Not for me.

6. Adele’s new song. Yep, there you go, I’ve said it. I like Adele, she’s a great character and I’m pleased with the success she’s had. But that song? Yawn. I wouldn’t fancy paying over the odds to see a concert full of that fare.

7. Sports Personality of the Year. I love the BBC – and we should all fight to keep it – but this is Auntie at her worst. A silly backslapping charade.

8. The Honours System. Another year, another round of uproar at ill-deserved gongs handed out to vaguely famous people for ‘doing their job’ or mates of whoever is in power. The worst thing is that this discredits the worthy efforts of the folk who get the ‘lesser’ awards for community work that really does deserve an honour.

9. Superhero films. Haven’t we reached fatigue with these superhero franchises? How many more Batman tales are there to tell? How about some new characters and storylines? Just a thought.

10. US TV dramas. Don’t get me wrong. There are some cracking shows from the US but too many people start with the assumption that because it’s from America and on Netflix it’s instantly better than a British programme. If Sherlock or Luther were American they’d probably be hyped beyond recognition, and spun out over a too-many-episode series to boot. The Americans are good at big budget, but we are good at tight, well-written drama too. It’s time for some love for our shows too.

Ok, that’s enough grumpiness for now. I’m sure that’s upset plenty of people! The point is that plenty of things are, when you strip away the hype, just a little bit naff aren’t they?

 It’d be nice if we approached life by forming our own opinions, rather than liking things because we’re told to and they’re popular. I appreciate that other people do like the ten above but it’s fine not to go with the flow. It’d be boring if we all agreed and it is boring when people like things because it’s the done thing.

I know that some people think the things I like – football, cricket, politics, history – are naff but I’m fine with people not agreeing with me.

So, Happy New Year, and here’s the end of bandwagons. Cheers.

Mumford and Sons gig was a musical feast

Sometimes the best things in life are unexpected aren't they? That was certainly the case when I saw Mumford and Sons' tour-opening gig at the Capital FM Arena in Nottingham. It was thanks to a good friend and a stroke of luck that I went on Saturday night and fortunately those circumstances resulted in a cracking feast of music.

You can't help but admire anyone with a musical flair and there's no denying that Mumford and Sons have got that in spades. This was a two hour guitar, piano, banjo, horn, drum and double bass frenzy. Visually stunning and musically rich.

This was a band on the top of its game, three albums - and plenty of awards - in to their career, they were confident, consummate and looked to be having fun. We certainly were in the crowd even if the praise for Jamie Vardy nearly backfired in Nottingham.

I'm not sure how the band's change of style for the latest album has gone down among hardcore fans, with the synonymous banjo sidelined for the electric guitar. I reckon they've  managed to stay clear of slipping into a generic sound and the new songs blended in seamlessly, adding variety to a gig that still delivered old favourites such as The Cave and Little Lion Man. The only slight disappointment was the lack of Winter Winds from Sigh No More but you cant have them all can you?

Singles Believe, Ditmas and The Wolf were gratefully lapped up while I'm a fan of Tompkins Square Park. Cold Arms, meanwhile, was part of an intimate one-microphone two-song set with Timshel that brought proceedings right in front of us.

A brief diversion into Eurythmics' Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) was entertaining and made use of the talents of up-and-coming support star Jack Garratt.

This might not have been a planned date in the diary but it was certainly a memorable one. Here's to more pleasant surprises...

Starsailor's superb show delivered the goods

It's an odd thing being a fan isn't it? You spend all of your time looking forward to seeing your favourite football team, TV show or band and following their fortunes. Yet, when push comes to shove, there's a moment of doubt. That moment when worry sets in.

You'd have been forgiven for a pang of worry coming to Starsailor's greatest hits tour, could they still nail that back catalogue?

Yet, barely seconds in to the gig at The Waterfront in Norwich any fan worry clearly dissipated. James Walsh strode onto the stage and powered out Poor Misguided Fool, one of seven tracks from debut album Love Is Here to be performed in a true treat of a show.

Really loving our UK tour so far! pic.twitter.com/1wwn07zBit

— Starsailor Official (@Starsailorband) October 5, 2015

A good gig often encourages me to appreciate a good song even more - and that was certainly the case with the hideously underrated Way To Fall, tweaked a little here to add an effective bit of audience interaction. Lullaby, Fever, Alcoholic all formed part of a set that should remind casual fans just how good Love Is Here really was.

The band's other three albums also contributed to a generous set list - which also featured the new track Give Up The Ghost, a welcome new addition to the fold.

Walsh kept the banter to a minimum, with the odd bit of natural charm thrown in as he paused to take on water in the sweltering atmosphere of this intimate venue. For the most, though, he let his voice do the talking. None of the power of the record had waned and he left you hoping that the band has even more to offer.

There was certainly no better way to bring the curtain down that with Good Souls, the track that gave its name to this greatest hits tour.

Great memories, great tracks and a great performance - you couldn't ask for more.

From now on, it's all Jeremy Corbyn's fault

Rejoice nation, rejoice. For we have a new scapegoat on which to heap all of our misery. We have Jeremy Corbyn.

"Corbyn snubs Queen and Country" - Jeremy Corbyn dominating today's papers. http://t.co/3cF6YoKovI Pic @suttonnick pic.twitter.com/2ojDILYrqW

— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) September 16, 2015

This is a man who failed to recognise that the Second World War was fought and won so that we now have the freedom to force people to sing songs that they don't agree with.

The new Labour leader shall, it seems, be forever pre-fixed by the term 'hard left' in the same way that 'so called' is added to Islamic State. We disagree with them both so much that we don't really think they deserve to have a name. As a result we act as though not talking about them properly might make them just go away so we don't have to deal with them.

This, let us not forget, is a man who fails to dress properly. By not doing his top button up he, clearly, might as well be wearing Bermuda shorts and walking around bare chested as public events. As one man rightly put it on the news - if he can't dress himself properly then why should we listen to him on the way the nation dresses? Indeed. And we haven't even touched on his taste in socks.

It'd be preposterous to have a politics where people didn't dress like the elite wouldn't it? If politicians don't all dress, talk and think the same then what excuse will we all have for not getting off our backsides to vote every five years?

Jeremy Corbyn has won the #LabourLeadership contest: http://t.co/SoyYobeOiL pic.twitter.com/Vhrs5TH1w9

— HuffPost UK (@HuffPostUK) September 12, 2015

This is a man whose victory was clearly a sham because it was only based on winning a large majority of the party he's leading. It's not like the Prime Minister was elected leader of his party in a vote where the entire turnout was less than the amount Corbyn polled, having finishing second to David Davis in the first round. That definitely didn't happen.

He can't possibly be legitimate because he forced an attention-seeking weasel - who no-one has ever heard of - to resign during his acceptance speech. That too was followed by the resignation of several other people who just led their party to defeat. They must know better surely?

He even asked for questions from the public to put to the Prime Minister at PMQs, as if the people who vote really deserve to have their opinions and suggestions aired in the Commons. Crazy.

Most frightening of all is the fact that this man, who can't dress, sing or ask questions properly, is, at the same time - and in a position that is in no way contradicTory - ruddy bloody dangerous.

Don't believe me? The Prime Minister said so himself.

The Labour Party is now a threat to our national security, our economic security and your family's security.

— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) September 13, 2015

Yep, he's coming for your families folks. It's your duty to hate him and blame him for everything.

----------------

In all seriousness I don't yet know what I think of Jeremy Corbyn. Bizarrely, I actually believe in giving someone a fair hearing and have been left unsettled by the hysteria so far.

He might be old (another stick to beat him with) but he has fresh ideas and a fresh team, let's at least hear their policies and see what they try to do before shooting them down in flames.

He might turn out to be a disaster, as many predict, but if we never let someone who sounds or looks different have a chance then we're pretty sad and intolerant as a nation.

10 thoughts on the Labour leadership race

What a joy the Ashes has been this summer. Not least because it has been a welcome break from the General Election politics binge. Still, the fallout from the ballot box battering continues for the Labour Party and, with the contest to find a new leader STILL not over, here's ten musings on the race to replace Ed Miliband...

Why The Labour Leadership Race Is Now Wide Open http://t.co/vYXT50nkOA pic.twitter.com/jSzjee9fWr

— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 7, 2015

1. Why the hell is it taking so long? 

Yes, I know the party said it wanted to have a full debate about the future after the election night disaster but this is ridiculous. We are still more than a month away from the winner being announced. It'll be 128 days since the election by the time it comes out. The message sent the to electorate is that they don't know what they're doing. I know Parliament is off for its usual lengthy summer off but, given that the candidates have been known for some time, couldn't this have all been wrapped up by now?

2. Why so nasty?

Maybe the inordinate amount of time take has led the contest to becoming so bitter? It certainly has looked more fiercely and angrily fought than the election itself, even if this has largely been from the respective 'camps' rather than the contenders themselves. The criticism of Liz Kendall for being 'childless' was shameful. Whatever you think of her that was poor and, again, gave the electorate more reason to see the party as being out of touch.

3. Any ideas?

It's not enough for the other candidates to shout and bellow at Jeremy Corbyn for being 'unelectable'. How about explaining which of his ideas and policies won't work - since there are legitimate debates on this front - and countering them with different suggestions? Too much of the talk from the other camps has been about throwing negatives at Corbyn's door while trying to avoid promising bold policies that can't be defended in an election manifesto. 

4. Can Corbyn win?

I never actually thought Jeremy Corbyn would come remotely close to winning but the veteran MP finds himself in front. I still get the impression he might be overtaken but his rise has been a surprise. Perhaps it shouldn't be though. Having someone like him on the ticket was always likely to show the others up for spouting too many soundbites. He represents genuine change in a way that none of the others have come close to doing and he hasn't been afraid to throw up some bold ideas. As things stand Yvette Cooper and Andy Burnham seem to be mopping up supporters with similar outlooks. You feel that one of them will have to surge ahead to knock Corbyn out of the race.

5. Clause 4 mistake

Corbyn did make a big mistake when hinting that he wouldn't be against a return to 'Clause Four' in this weekend's Independent on Sunday. Yes, he actually referred to coming up with something new in the same spirit but bringing it up by name simply gave ammunition to others of a return to the past. Labour should look for a snappier more modern way of defining itself - but not in the form of the cheesy soundbites attached to the leadership campaigns or retreading the steps of the past.

6. Heir to Blair

Labour has a huge hang up about Tony Blair but surely it's about time it dropped it. I know many of the party's members can't look past Iraq (and granted that's a massive issue) but the failure to accept and celebrate any of the positives from his era paved the way for their opponents to paint the entire time in a bad light. Labour has to admit Blair was an electoral success and learn why.

7. Image matters

One of the lessons to come from the Blair era is the importance of having someone who looks and sounds like a leader. In many respects it's sad that the public cares about image so much. Having strong ideas and convictions ought to come first before the ability to 'sound good on the telly' but they don't. Take a look at the last Parliament. Even when Labour was ahead - during the days of fuel crises and the unravelling budget of caravans and pasties etc - David Cameron was way ahead of Ed Miliband when it came to asking the public who would make the best PM. It's an odd thing that we elect parties and MPs yet focus most of our attention on a presidential style contest between one or two combatants. Until that changes, Labour needs a leader with wide appeal.

8. The wrong contest?

It's easy to forget that Ed Miliband deserved to win the last Labour leadership election. Yes he gained the support of the unions but, actually, he did perform well in the contender debates. The trouble was that it came down to a student debating contest that wasn't necessarily helpful for the role of leader of the opposition.

9. Voting system

It might have seemed like a nice idea, but will inviting people to pay £3 to become eligible to vote backfire? The talk of a joint infiltration of Telegraph readers and the far left - not normally bedfellows - seems to have be overblown but it does seem that if Corbyn wins he'll have to shake this tag off just as Miliband did the 'in the unions' pocket' jibe.

10. Taking on Boris

Theresa May and George Osborne may have their eyes on the Conservative Party leadership but surely the stage is set for Boris Johnson to be the leader by the time the next election comes around? Labour will need a strong candidate to take him on. I can't help thinking that old BoJo might struggle against a formidable female...

First-timer's view of Lord's as Australia power to victory over England

It was a superb innings for Veuve Clicquot. The flashy French bubbly flowed much easier than England's runs and ensured the chaps in the row in front of me made hay in the summer London sunshine. 

Mind you, the £70-a-bottle price tag probably stung their bank balances almost as sharply as the Australian quicks did England's batsmen. Led by a vicious and incisive Mitchell Johnson, the pace attack were the real stars of the show, shining on the hallowed turf of the Home of Cricket and backing up a dominant batting display to deliver a thumping series equaliser for the men in the Baggy Greens.

Our fantastic view from the Edrich Stand Upper

Saturday at Lord's did feel pretty special. It was an honour to be at one of world's most famous venues to soak in one of the oldest and keenly contested rivalries in sport.

Like many cricket grounds, Lord's is a odd jigsaw puzzle of interlocking stands of various sizes and ages, with the pavilion and futuristic media centre at opposite ends physically and historically.

I was surprised at how friendly it actually felt. Lord's has a reputation for being a bit stuffy. The bacon and eggs ties, formality and tradition coming to mind. But, from the moment I stepped from St John's Wood Tube - which for such occasions becomes much busier than it sizes suggests it should be - there were people offering to help in a generally jovial-but-serious atmosphere leading to the famous ground itself.

Once inside I was struck by just how much was going on. The Nursery Ground, museum, outdoor drinking areas and restaurants dotted around the outside meant you barely needed set foot in the stands. Yes some bits do ooze tradition but there was a charm with it too. I guess if you hang around too long near the posher parts of the ground you'd feel out of place but it was fun to mingle with the people sporting the garish blazers for brief novelty value.

Yet, fun as the peripheral activities seemed the cricketing action was what we'd come for and England had a game to save. Resuming on 85-4 after the Australians had posted a mammoth 566-8 declared, it was an almighty ask.

Any Test Match seems to enjoy the same atmosphere before a ball is bowled - a low hum of chatter as spectators settle and ponder the play ahead followed by rapturous response to every ball for a few overs. Lord's was no different although obviously sans fancy dress and musical instruments, the sorts of things that look fun on the telly but that, in truth, you don't necessarily want to be sitting too near on the day.

All hopes seemed to rest on record run scorer and captain Alistair Cook, the man with the patience, resolve and technique to weather the Antipodean storm about to hit him. He was to be aided and abetted by one of the nation's bright new hopes in Ben Stokes - a man who announced himself onto the international scene with a century in Australia amid a dismal whitewash defeat for England.

Mitchell Johnson about to steam in to Ben Stokes

It all went to plan at the start. Stokes showed himself to be far more than an aggressive slogger with some impressive 'proper cricket shots'. Any glimmers of trouble for the Durham man were simply shaken off with the confidence of a young star with the world at his feet. Cook meanwhile was watchful and careful - two qualities so rare these days that make innings such as these fascinating to watch. He edged along at one run per over he'd been at the middle, anchoring the innings in the 'lead by example' way in which he conducts his captaincy.

Sadly though, both batsmen perished before they reached the hundreds I felt they had deserved. First Stokes proved unable to last until lunch, dragging a skiddy Mitchell Marsh delivery onto his timbers. This sent a ripple of shock through the Lord's crowd who were just beginning to settle down to a long day at the crease for the home side.

If Stokes' dismissal was disappointing, Cook's was a hammer blow and one which provided the defining image of the whole match. Well set on 96 runs, the captain was braced for a 28th test match hundred, his first home Ashes ton, just before the arrival of tea. Most importantly of all, he was wel in ahead of the impending arrival of the second new ball. Yet Cook reached for a delivery outside off stump from Marsh - that man again - and followed Stokes' suit, crashing the ball into his leg stump off an inside edge. He instantly sunk to his knees in realisation. It may have been some time before the last rites, but this was effectively the moment England finally lost the match.

Alastair Cook sweats blood for England but misses out on ton | @selvecricket http://t.co/1TuYIoVsxa (Photo: Reuters) pic.twitter.com/odYPSCn6vW

— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) July 18, 2015

Predictably, without Cook the innings faded and, equally predictably, Australia didn't enforce the follow on. Clarke instead chose to come out and grind England down, pile on the runs and let his bowlers recharge for another burst. Warner offered a chance to Lyth but from then on played a sensible and impressive innings with Rogers, the wise old head, the perfect foil. If Cook is England's study in test match poise and patience, Rogers is Australia's. The duo both ended the day unbeaten to put the cherry on the cake.

That pair and Cook and Stokes aside this, though, was a day for the Australian quick bowlers to flex their muscles.

A happy block of Australians in standard-issue yellow caps

Having seen plenty of mid-80 mph bowlers over the years I was struck by how much quicker Johnson did actually seem in real life. It's easy to see why a batsman might struggle against a bowler who operates with an unusual action and, these days, unusually quickly. The slow pace of the pitch might have negated most of the bowlers but not Johnson, who bowled with enough venom to transcend the conditions.

He had control to go with his ferocity as part of a bowling unit that was impressive as a whole - the fast and full Starc, naggingly accurate Hazlewood, skiddy Marsh and wily Lyon.

Credit, too, must go to Clarke for the way he shuffled his pack. No batsmen was allowed to settle - not even Cook and Stokes - as he rotated his quick bowlers in short spells to ensure his men never burned out. The combination of different angles and speeds make for a tough test of a batsmen's ability to adapt.

It was clear by the time we left the ground that it was only a case of when and not if England succumbed to a defeat. The manner of the loss the next day was worrying though - with batsmen unable to put up much of a fight against Johnson and co. Defeat was one thing but the manner of it was something else, giving blood for the Aussies to scent come Edgbaston next week.

Still, cricket is a sport I am able to enjoy in spite of the performance of 'my team'. Yes, I wanted England to win but it was a pleasure to see the Aussie attack in the flesh and, above all else, finally make the pilgrimage to Lord's. 

It'd be interesting to go back for a county game to explore the surrounds fully - away from the crowds of a test match day - but equally it was special to be there for the Ashes. England may not have performed but the weather did and the venue lived up to the occasion. 

Trent Bridge will always be my cricketing home but Lord's, like the ever-flowing Veuve Clicquot, was the sort of classy-but-expensive pleasure well worth sampling for a treat (although I stuck to the £4.80 beer and benefitted from the skills of a friend to get in).

Ten talking points as the Ashes heads to HQ

The Lord's test begins on Thursday, with England heading to the Home of Cricket in good shape after a superb 169-run win over Australia in Cardiff.

England win by 169 runs!! Yes boys! Top performance #Ashes pic.twitter.com/I6E0Xflx6L

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 11, 2015

Here's ten thoughts looking back on that victory, and forward to the next game (everyone loves a listicle right?)...

1. Siddle on the slope

It's refreshing to be able to go into the second test with no selection debates for England. Australia, meanwhile, might be weighing up a change or two. Personally, if I were the Australians I'd turn to Peter Siddle. He's aggressive, consistent and experienced and should drive the likes of Johnson, Starc or Hazlewood on. The aggression would be help the visitors go toe to toe with the likes of Stokes while his consistency and experience could be vital given the lack of the recently retired Ryan Harris. I also fancy he'd do well on the infamous Lord's slope.

2. Haddin Out

He may be one of the more combative members of the touring party, but every cricket fan must surely wish Brad Haddin well. He has withdrawn due to family reasons and you only have to hope all is well. He leaves big shoes to fill - and 29-year-old Peter Nevill will be faced with that daunting task.

Brad Haddin has withdrawn from second #Ashes Test for family reasons. Peter Nevill to debut: http://t.co/2L3kvg5z7t pic.twitter.com/rC4hV7inCX

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) July 14, 2015

3. Pitch perfect?

There was a lot of crowing about the pitch in Cardiff and it seemed unfair. Plenty of runs were scored at a good pace, while bowlers were able to chip in with wickets when they put the ball in the right areas. The pitch delivered a good match and a result, what more do people want? Graeme Swann made a good point when he alluded to the fact that new drainage systems have dried out many pitches in this country and made them a little slower. 

4. Ali again

At some point people are going to have to accept that Moeen Ali is a worthy first choice spinner for England, especially in home conditions. If 19 wickets against India last summer weren't enough, he took big wickets at important times in the first test to remind a few of the critics what he can do. I enjoyed Ed Smith's piece in the Sunday Times on Moeen, he has, oddly, become the ideal number eight.

5. Lyon king

While we're on spin, Nathan Lyon deserves a mention. Little is said about the Aussie spinner but he was probably the most potent part of the attack in Cardiff. England should underestimate him at their peril, he'll take plenty of wickets this summer if he continues in the same vein.

6. Captain Cook

Hats off to Alistair Cook. While the skipper didn't deliver the best of tallies with the bat, he more than made up for it with good catching and excellent captaincy. In typically understated fashion he rotated his attack to good effect and they all responded with excellent execution of their skills. This should form the blueprint for success going forward.

7. Leave Root alone

Man of the match Joe Root was magnificent again and a real joy to watch. Let's leave him exactly where he is in the order - and not weigh him down with the captaincy any time soon - and hope his form can continue for as long as possible. 

8. Complacency

It's not only Lyon that England would do well be mindful of. Some pundits - probably the same ones who wrote England off entirely - have virtually written the Aussies off and that's dangerous. The experience and talent in the Aussie squad is such that nothing should be taken for granted. Darren Lehmann is hardly going to let his men roll over either.

9. Any draws?

One thing that struck me about the way both teams played their cricket is how neither side seems suited to toughing out a draw. Both sides are filled with naturally attacking batsmen with just a couple of characters who look as though they could drop anchor and see out time. Rain or circumstances may prove me wrong, but the manner in which both teams play suggests there could be plenty of results and maybe not too many fifth days.

10. Ticket holder

Thanks to a friend - a VERY good friend - I shall be heading to Lord's for the first time to see day three of the upcoming test. Last time the Aussies were here I had tickets to the fourth day at Trent Bridge and it's amazing how this affects your view of the play. In 2013 I endured a highly nervy third day, desperately hoping the game would slow down and things would stop 'happening'. It's an odd thing as a fan, you want your side to do well, but not too well until you see your slice of the action.