Day 12 - A Time For Reflection

I awoke looking forward to my free Holiday Inn Express breakfast, having hardly eaten the day before. Sadly, it was a big disappointment. It was too busy, there was a lack of crockery, the croissants were cold and the scrambled egg was still made with powdered eggs.

I checked out of the hotel at 10am and headed to a Sainsbury’s Superstore near Stockport to buy a bin, yes, a bin. They didn’t have one, but I used the opportunity to fill up with petrol using my nectar card.

I then booked a parking spot online for £5 at The National Memorial Arboretum which was a 90 minute drive south to Alrewas in Staffordshire. I arrived at 12.20pm, parked up and commenced my visit which is completely free, although donations are welcome.

The National Memorial Arboretum is described on their website as a space where everyone can celebrate lives lived and remember lives lost.
A beautiful and inspiring place, the 150-acres of the Arboretum form a living landscape, a home for more than 400 memorials waiting to be discovered.
Tales of bravery shown in the most extraordinary of times, selfless service and sacrifice, camaraderie and care are represented by the memorials. From the Armed Forces and Emergency Services to civilian organisations that supported our Nation in times of need, people from all walks of life are represented by the memorials, with designs that are rich in symbolism reflecting those they remember.

Luckily for me the weather had cheered up and I was able to stroll around in mainly sunshine. I followed the suggested route to take in the following:-

1. Armed Forces Memorial
2. Polish Forces War Memorial
3. Shot at Dawn Memorial
4. Christmas Truce Memorial; Football Remembers The Allied
5. Special Forces Memorial Grove
6. UK Police Memorial
7. Tree of Cherished Memories
8. Gulf War (1990-1991) Memorial
9. South Atlantic Medal Association Memorial
But annoyingly I accidentally missed
10. Burma Railway Memorial

It was a very enjoyable long walk and a perfect time for quiet reflection. It helped that I do love a sculpture. The arboretum was quiet. There were as many gardeners as I saw visitors and of those visitors half of them were whizzing around on mobility scooters.

Over two hours later, I returned to my car and set the SatNav for home. It was 6pm, when I finally arrived home having battled along a flooded M25 in rush hour and relieved that I won’t be having to make any more long journeys like this for a while.

On the subject of reflections, below is a very eloquent Facebook entry from a New Model Army fan describing last night’s gig in Manchester. Hopefully it goes someway in explaining why I and so many others, see them night after night of the same tour and follow them on their tours abroad.

New Model Army – The Ritz, Manchester – 19/10/25

So, after being introduced to New Model Army sometime around 1987-ish and falling in love with that trio of early albums, this band has sat firmly on my “must see live before I die” list for decades. Years of jumping around at various club nights to the likes of No Rest and 51st State have only cemented them as one of those bucket-list bands I just had to tick off.

Tonight’s gig was courtesy of my good mate Les Spiers — and let’s be honest, free tickets are always the best kind, especially those glorious last-minute surprises. This one had been postponed about a year ago due to band health issues, so anticipation was running high. Sometimes that kind of wait makes the payoff even sweeter, and tonight, it really did. I was properly hyped.

The band opened in a surprisingly intimate fashion — just Justin and Dean taking the stage for a short acoustic set. A bold move to begin the evening in stripped-back style, but it worked beautifully, easing everyone — and their creaky forty- and fifty-something bones — gently into the night. Not that it was an entirely older crowd; there was a healthy number of younger fans too, many of whom probably hadn’t even been born when New Model Army first stormed onto the scene. It’s a testament to their enduring relevance and power that they continue to pull in new generations.

Then came the gear shift. The moment Christian Militia kicked in, the room erupted. A New Model Army pit isn’t like any other — it’s not measured or polite, it’s a swirling, sweaty storm of arms, legs, and pure, cathartic chaos. I threw myself in briefly, though only in short bursts — my knees are still paying the price from colliding with a bollard outside the Academy last week (see Panic Shack review for full tale of woe).

With such an extensive back catalogue to draw from, guessing the setlist was near impossible. Justin commented at one point that many of their older songs are still painfully relevant today, even if the context has shifted slightly. He’s not wrong. The band has never lost its political edge or sense of righteous defiance — urging the crowd to reject division and instead embrace compassion, unity, and peace. In an age where so much feels fractured, those words hit home.

Every track landed like an old friend returning from a long absence — greeted with cheers, dancing, and that collective joy that only a proper gig can bring. Strangers hugged, spun, and sang together, lost in the beautiful chaos of it all. When No Rest and 51st State arrived, the room absolutely exploded — the biggest pits of the night and pure, unfiltered euphoria.

What really struck me was how seamlessly the new material blended in among the classics. There was no sense of “just playing the hits”; this was a band still evolving, still pushing forward, but fully aware of where they came from. The pacing of the set was spot-on, carrying the crowd through waves of energy and emotion.

The encore was the perfect capstone. A rare and unexpected treat came in the form of a cover of The Last Time by The Rolling Stones — a brilliant surprise — followed by Bittersweet, 1984, and the ever-stirring Green and Grey. As those final chords rang out, the crowd, young and old alike, were left grinning, exhausted, and utterly satisfied.

This wasn’t just a gig — it was a celebration of endurance, passion, and community. New Model Army proved once again why they’ve endured for four decades: they’re not just a band, they’re a movement. A masterclass in politically charged, emotionally driven punk-rock spirit.

Setlist:
Snelsmore Wood
Die Trying
Better Than Them
Christian Militia
Echo November
First Summer After
Winter
Notice Me
Brother
Lust for Power
If I Am Still Me
Legend
No Rest
Before I Get Old
Angry Planet
See You in Hell
Stormclouds
51st State
225

Encore:
The Last Time (Rolling Stones cover)
Bittersweet
1984
Green and Grey

John A Gilman (20/10/25)

NMA Song of the Day - Before I Get Old by New Model Army.

Non NMA Song of the Day - A Reflection by The Cure.Читать далее