Yesterday I had decompressed enough from the excitement of Thursday night that I shared the BIG SPECIAL part of the gig on the 11th.

The lead act was a British band I have loved since their first release.

I know you are not supposed to put an adjective before the word “unique” because it is an absolute term- something is either unique, or it is not.

Having said that, among “unique” acts PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING 🇬🇧 are extra special.

The founding member J.J. WILLGOOSE ESQ. started recording in 2010 as a solo artist and the band evolved from there. The modus of PSB is to take audio snippets from historical public information films and incorporate them persuasively into wonderful music compositions.

Their records and EPs are themed. Their second ep is “The War Room.” The songs (one of which I feature here) are about the London Blitz in WWII.

LPs/ EPs have covered, for example, the Space Race, the Titanic, climbing Mount Everest, Life in Berlin, and the British Coal mining industry.

Their most recent LP is entitled “The Last Flight” and the songs tell the tragic story of American female pilot and inspiration – AMELIA EARHART. She was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic.

In 1937, she and her copilot disappeared in the South Pacific as she attempted to be the first woman to circumnavigate the globe.

This was my first time seeing this outfit live. It was likely my favourite show of the year. As powerful as their music, the music is amplified exponentially live by the use of videos. It was, in a word, inspirational.

I will start with a video of “Spitfire” off YouTube. I watched the gig from the back of the main floor and didn’t have the vantage I would have if I had deserted my pal Stu and gone up to the balcony.

The video is from a gig at Brixton. There were added string musicians but you will get a sense of the experience. I have to say it was the nadir of gigs I attended this year and there have been many good ones.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VcEvFfne7Tk&list=RDVcEvFfne7Tk&start_radio=1&pp=ygUpUHVibGljIHNlcnZpY2UgYnJvd2RjYXN0aW5nIHNwaXRmaXJlIGxpdmWgBwE%3D

SPOTIFY-

https://open.spotify.com/track/0TZrCL4OmlGQAhNaEk0vqN?si=y_Q8vqRVTqiTpKLVdnK2iw

(SONG 1391)

POST SCRIPT-

The end of this stunning 16 song performance was not the end of the evening!

In keeping with almost professorial look and approach of PSB, they came over to the Merch table within 10 minutes of the end of the gig to chat and sign merchandise.

It was about 11 pm. I hadn’t eaten dinner and had seen my BIG SPECIAL pals off to the airport for their 7 am flight, but why would I leave? I went to the back of the lengthy line.

I had not come across “The Last Flight” in a store this year. I was also aware that I now had two records to buy as they did a remix version of the LP earlier this year. What a completist discographers dream it was to buy the LP at the merch table before the gig only to learn it was a Limited Gatefold 2X Release with the Remix LP included!!!

Not only did I get my PSB vinyl and the setlist signed, there was more.

I featured “Spitfire” for a reason on this post. There were 16 excellent choices.

However, as those of you who are local know, our hockey team here is named the WINDSOR SPITFIRES in honour of that plane.

I came equipped.

Anyway, an incredible evening all way round.

Thanks STU for inviting me and your friendship. Thanks to my new pals JOE and CALLUM from BIG SPECIAL. Thanks to PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING and thanks to you if you have read this far.

PLAY LOUD STAY YOUNG!

12/15/2025