Bev Bevan Diaries: My summertime and some important dates for you

sMost Tuesday evenings throughout June, July and August I could be found at The Mailbox in Birmingham, broadcasting live on air, the Bev Bevan and Jimmy Franks show on BBC WM 95.6fm, 10pm 'til midnight. The programme is also repeated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on bbc I player, available on your computer by clicking on BBC WM and going to "Programmes".

Wednesday June 15th
I played in a "Celebrity Tour" charity golf day at one of my favourite golf courses, The Forest of Arden.

Friday June 17th
Went to see Peter Kay at the LG Arena in Birmingham. He was very, very funny when he, eventually, got on stage around 8.15, following the expected 7.30 pm. There was a long interval too, during which we had to endure some dreadful, overloud disco style music, The evening not helped either by me being sat behind a guy the size of an American basketball player who never sat still. Took an eternity to get out of the car park too. Enough hassle in fact to put me off going to any more Arena style concerts.

Saturday July 2nd
Gig for "The Move, featuring Bev Bevan and Trevor Burton" at Kings Heath Cricket Club. Two 45 minute sets to an enthusiastic crowd.

Thursday July 7th
My annual charity golf day at Aston Wood Golf Club in Sutton Coldfield and a lovely, sunny day for the 24 teams of four who had paid to play. My team consisted of my oldest pal Jasper Carrott, Rocking Berrie's Geoff Turton and Tony "Show me the way to Amarillo" Christie. Great guys to play with, but we did not score well. My group, The Bev Bevan Band played on the evening, following the fund raising dinner, and joined on stage by my good friends Trevor Burton, Geoff Turton and Danny King.

Sunday July 17th
Went to the Botanical Gardens in Edgbaston, Birmingham for a celebratory dinner to mark the 70th birthday of my BBC WM colleague, the legendary Ed Doolan. From September onwards Ed's show moves to Sunday mornings, 9am to midday on BBC WM 95.6fm.

Sunday July 24th
Gig at Wakes Festival in Burntwood, Staffordshire for The Bev Bevan Band. An all day event bathed in glorious sunshine, The New Amen Corner and Dave Berry on before we took to the stage around 8pm, and , as with my golf day, joined by Trevor Burton, Geoff Turton and Danny King.

Thursday August 4th
Went to see "We will rock you", the Queen / Ben Elton musical at the Birmingham Hippodrome. The third time I have seen the show and still really enjoy it - great songs , fine singing and acting, and the hidden, live band just excellent.

August 8th/9th/10th
"The Move featuring Bev Bevan and Trevor Burton" played Ypres Festival in Belgium. We flew from Liverpool's John Lennon airport, which must be the friendliest airport in Britain. Flew to Brussels and met by minibus for the two hour drive to Ypres. Following day got the opportunity to visit the museum and the cemeteries in the area, where thousands upon thousands of young soldiers are buried, all victims of the dreadful and ultimately pointless 1914 to 1918 First World War .

A very moving experience.
The concert on the evening went splendidly, playing outside to a huge crowd, in the beautiful town square, Ypres ( Ieper ), a serene and peaceful place, with not a single piece of litter to be seen anywhere. Meanwhile, in my hometown of Birmingham, the riots raged, As a foreigner abroad it was not a time to feel proud of being British.

Friday August 26th
I went to Birmingham Children's Hospital to be given a conducted tour and handed over the £16,200 cheque, the money raised from my "Bev Bevan charity golf day" at Aston Wood Golf Club on June 15th. The money we all raised that day and evening is going to a most worthwhile cause,

That's all folks!

Please do tune into my radio show and read my columns in the "Sunday Mercury every week. Here's a list of upcoming gigs for the "It's Only Rock'nRoll" tour dates, plus a few for the Bev Bevan Band..

September

15th The Place, Oakengates
16th Tivoli Theatre, Wimbourne
17th Henley in Arden Tennis Club
23rd Spa Centre, Leamington Spa
24th Babbacombe Theatre, Torquay
28th Arts Centre, Solihull
29th Arts Centre, Solihull.
October
9th Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon.
28th Aston Wood Golf Club, Sutton Coldfield
29th Ivy Leaf, Sheldon, Birmingham.
November
10th Robin 2, Bilston
12th Artrix, Bromsgrove
16th Garrick Theatre, , Lichfield
18th Assembly Rooms, Ludlow.
19th The Barn, Aston, Birmingham

24th Macmillan Gala Ball, Birmingham Hotel.
27th Memorial Theatre, Frome.

December
17th Rover Club, Sheldon, Birmingham.

Cheers!
Bev.