I have just read on the Plymouth Alternatives Facebook Group that Alternation is no more until further notice. For those of you that are uninitiated, Alternation is an alternative club night based at the Voodoo Lounge in Plymouth that I started nearly two years ago. I handed over control of the night to my co-DJ last month after I had decided to make a fresh start here in the US with my fiancee and her son. The night was constantly under threat from closure almost from the outset because a Wednesday night rock night was never gonna be packed in today’s financial climate. The owner of the club can only see £ signs, if a particular night isn’t making unreasonable amounts of money it gets closed down. The night had a regular following of around 50 people (bearing in mind the club only holds 250) and about 100 floating punters who come every now and again. The night has never actually run at a loss, it has come close a few times but always ended in profit somehow! As the title suggests, this really comes as no surprise to me from what I have been hearing about the (ill-advised) new direction the venue is taking!
Football update time; Liverpool missed a golden opportunity to increase their lead over Chelsea at the top of the Premiership table. The Reds were lucky to come away with anything after going 0 – 2 down within 22 minutes. Paul McShane opened the scoring in the 12th minute heading Marlon King’s cross into the roof of the net. The visitors doubled their lead 10 minutes later, Jamie Carragher’s mistimed clearance ending up in his own net. Liverpool’s talisman Steven Gerrard pulled one back two minutes after going 0 – 2 down putting Dirk Kuyt’s cross into the back of the net from six yards. It was Gerrard again that levelled the scores 10 minutes later with another power shot from six yards after Yossi Benayoun neat little hook pass for Gerrard. Sami Hyypia could have won it for Liverpool but his headed effort hit the post in the 59th minute! New boys Hull have been a revelation this season grinding out results to root themselves in the top six. Despite Liverpool dominating the game, Hull stood tall and resolutely defended in the second half to take a point away from Anfield. The Reds were lucky that Chelsea could only manage a 1 – 1 draw with West Ham on Sunday at Stamford Bridge or Liverpool could have found themselves one point behind instead of one point ahead. It was definitely two points lost rather than one point gained as Hull really aren’t a match for the Liverpool XI on paper!
Plymouth Argyle also had a disappointing draw with QPR at Home Park. Plymouth looked comfortably in control when suddenly against the run of play, Heidar Helguson beat the home defence to the ball in the air to find the back of the net in the 16th minute. Jamie Mackie missed a sitter walloping the ball high over the bar into the stands. Plymouth finally got the equaliser with seven minutes left on the clock, Rory Fallon headed cross fell to Steven MacLean who stroked home from six yards. Plymouth drop to 13th in the league and seven points away from a play-off spot. It’s not an insurmountable position but Argyle need to start winning their home games, one point from the last two home games isn’t good enough form for a play-off place.