Who? Steve Graham, with support from The January Men
Where? Toft House, Middlesbrough Little Theatre Club
When? 31 January 2025
Friday night at Toft House for a rare Teesside appearance by songwriter and guitarist Steve Graham, supported by local duo The January Men. Steve had been persuaded to come back up to Teesside for a one-off gig by his oldest friend Tim Maley, and the January Men’s Joe Harrison. Toft House, which brands itself as ‘the home of unpopular music’ was a perfect venue for this gig. An intimate place, hidden at the back of the Little Theatre in Linthorpe, with rooms amply ventilated by easy-to-open fire doors.
Ticketmaster
All of the proceeds of the gig were raised in aid of local food banks. It’s what people like this do. A few local celebrities dotted around the audience. ‘Fly me to The Moon’s Rob Nichols, Andy and Sally McDonald, not to mention Craig ‘Century in Stone’ Hornby.
The January Men
The support act were, three old friends who’ve played together for a long time, and it’s tight. Joe Harrson on lead vocals, but they’re a harmonic trio. No messing about, we were going to get the classics. Here are just some: Free Electric Band, Feeling Groovy, I’m a Believer, What a wonderful world. The trio was broken up for one number by the a cappella duo of Joe and Avril, with their take on ‘Hard Times Come Again No More.’ We were just down the road from one of the poorest communities in the country. Something ain’t right. Then, as an encore, ‘Irish Blessing’, with familiar lyrics, but a tune by band member Dominic.One for the Irish diaspora. And there are quite a few of us. The interval followed. A pint of Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, a visit to the first aid station, and back to the concert room to see the main act, Steve Graham.
Steve Graham
Heartfelt songs from Steve, and his guitar playing is beautiful. He plays a mean harmonica, too. It would be worth going through the entire set, song by song. But there’s not enough room here. I’ve selected a few:
Song for Mam and Dad
A song of appreciation to Steve’s parents, Edna and Tony, after a somewhat troubled relationship during his teens and early twenties. A thank-you for the start in life they gave him, and their unconditional love, no matter how he worried and upset them with his life choices. Edna was one of my first teachers, at St Peter’s Infants, and we all loved her too.
Unwanted Struggle
A song about communities being forced into armed struggle to defend their rights in the face of oppression. It is a questioning of the pacifism that Steve had espoused for a number of years, influenced by the Gandhian principle of “ahimsa” – non-violence – after thinking about the limited options people have in such extreme circumstances. They fight or they die”.
Song For TR
A song to Steve’s longest-standing friend whom he first met in primary school. It was inspired by him writing to Steve when his first child was due and communicating that his life was about to become very different (Steve didn’t have kids then). TR expressed a fear that the close friends might lose their connection because of their, at that time, very different life trajectories. The song provides memories of some of the key moments from their friendship and shares the hope that “we’ll always find the path in between these different roads”.
Reaching out
Steve chatted with us in between numbers. Still the same old Steve. Funny, self-deprecating and humane. But then the tempo of the gig was then disturbed by a test of the fire doors by an overzealous Health and Safety Official. This company man could easily have done this during the day. But boxes must be ticked, and it’s more than his job’s worth. You know the type. Anyway, back to the music.
Space Oddity
The Bowie classic. Bowie was a huge influence on Steve wanting to play guitar and write songs. Steve played this song for decades copying David’s version, then it got to the point where he couldn’t reach the high notes anymore. That’ll happen. He changed the key and slowed it down to be more of a ballad, in a way that helps the poignancy of the words to be heard. I’ll add that, whenever I hear this song or ‘Life on Mars’ from the same era, it reminds me that David’s artistry pervades all of our lives more than we realize.
These Are the Best Times
A song addressing Steve’s son and daughter, aged two and four, at the time when their mam and Steve separated. Steve’s future connection with them had felt uncertain, but the song celebrates the knowledge that he would be living near them again, and how much that meant to Steve. Of course, they were too young at that time to understand what it all meant, but Steve hopes that over subsequent years it’s shown that he dearly loved them, despite the relationship problems. A heart touching, poignant song.
The keys of the kingdom
And so to the post-gig party, and a gathering of the St Peter’s Comprehensive mafia. Six foot seven Craig Hornby’s time spent down ironstone mines wasn’t wasted when he learned how to duck under low arches. So, unlike some others, he wasn’t sideswiped by the low lintels of Toft House. I hooked up with Paul Pegden for the first time in a while. We worked together at Midland Bank back in the day, but neither of us were cut out for it, and we both left to follow a career of ‘portfolio employment’. Something of an understatement.
Harrison clan
I met up with January Men singer Joe and his younger brother Greg. Or is Greg the oldest? Who can tell? Greg’s wife couldn’t help. She was formerly Susan Binns, and went on to build a stellar career working on window displays with the likes of Bernie Slaven.
Female fan club
Tracey Wyke was there with another three women of Steve Graham’s year. Tracey goes by the surname Mann now. She must have got married or something. Steve had something of a female fan club back then. Still does, if truth be told. I had a giggle with the girls, pretending we were fifteen again. And, last but not least, Steve’s best friend Tim Maley. Tim had been pivotal in getting this gig together. We reminisced about some of the great teachers at St Peter’s school back then, such as Kevin O’Connor. I asked Tim about his brother Martin. I haven’t seen Martin since he eviscerated Jimmy Greaves for his petty racism during the 1982 World Cup. But Martin hasn’t been well for a while. Best wishes, Martin. Were there others there that I don’t know about? You never know who may be listening to you.
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