Little did Paul Heaton realise how apt the lyrics would be. 'The first to find out it’s raining is the last to find out it’s a flood'. Thankfully the flood was at Glastonbury. But those words to 'This old skin' had as much relevance in Nottinghamshire as they did in Somerset. The hard core fans, around four thousand of them, showed what it is to be British. When the heavens opened so were the boxes of wine and up went the umbrellas. At a tightly packed venue at Sherwood Pines in Robin Hood country a sea of raincoats replaced the anticipated short sleeves, but there was no sign of midsummer blues, just a slightly damp atmosphere. The forty something crowd have probably experienced a wet weekend in Wales in their time, and just as well, experience of sitting in soggy conditions was essential. A grey haze descended as darkness fell and the lights took full effect. As a thick mist filtered through the imposing perimeter of tall pine trees, the stage was set. The thunder and lightning had long since departed the East Midlands by the time the New York support group, Hem, made way for the star billing. But the rain stayed with us. Any self respecting Beautiful South fan would be undeterred by a little bit of the wet stuff, and so it proved. They’ve seen Paul Heaton through thick and thin, come rain or shine, and the love affair continues. Apart from the weather, it all went to plan. The faithful weren’t disappointed. 'A Little Time', 'A Song for Whoever', 'Don’t Marry Her', 'Rotterdam', just some of the old favourites. It was a night for the old and less of the more recent. The tour started in Thetford Forest and finished in Dalby Forest, fitting venues for a band who, some might have thought, had entered the wilderness for good. But as long as there are fans around to listen, Beautiful South will 'Carry on Regardless', whatever the weather. | 
