Tonight a few of us joined a departing colleague for a meal out. Little did we expect birthday parties and a balding bouncer-a-like Lounge Singer! When the time came to deliver the birthday cake to the celebrant the restaurant lights would first dim.

Silence would briefly descend as the background music was faded out. Then, yay, a loud fanfare dittie was rolled as the birthday cake was escorted over to its eager recipient. The fanfare would change to a Loud renditiion of "Happy Birthday To You!

" and after that a jolly smiley (and Loud!) Cliff Richard number would erupt to climax the birthday party. Lovely.

The problem? This exact same sequence happened not once. Not Twice.

Nor Thrice. BUT FOUR TIMES!!

!! I pity the staff.

McDeeganus threatened to tell the staff that it was in fact my birthday...

I'm no big fan of noisy venues (unless it's a concert hall and the band are playing), the rest of the time I prefer something where you can hear people around you at reasonable volumes. Sadly Larry Lounge Lizard the Bald Bouncer then proceeded to woo us with his iPod backing band and a series of presumably 'bar classics'! Anyhoo, Prog on, dude!

!