As usual, we’ll be in the private upstairs room at the King and Queen, 1 Foley Street, W1W 6DL. Go to the back of the bar, through the door, up the stairs and you’ll find us. People generally start arriving from 6pm onwards, tends to get rather busy from 7pm onwards.

The pub is less than a mile from Euston Station (the very nearest tubes - 3 minutes walk away - are Goodge Street on the Northern, Warren Street on the Northern and Victoria. Oxford Circus and Great Portland Street tubes are less than 10 minutes walk)
Should be plenty of on-road parking in the surrounding streets (you might have to pay for meter parking for a while, depending on what time you arrive, but Congestion Charging stops at 6pm.)

Please remember to bring some loose change – the pub don’t charge for room hire; all they ask is that we do a whip-round in support of Macmillan cancer support.

Home-cooked treats*, CD giveaways, book swaps all happening as usual. Can’t remember what the CD theme is, can someone please post it?

Have utterly lost track of who can make this one and who can’t (bit scatty at the moment with the impending house move). But it’s always a lovely crowd regardless. Please sign up below so I know who’s coming...

hope to see you there
Hannah xxx

* For the first time, I don’t think I’ll be able to bring a cake to this mingle. I feel tremendously sad about this. But, I’m moving house three days later, the movers will be in all day on the 6th itself packing us up, and I’ve already put away all my bakeware and equipment. Hey, I think I’ll have even packed my uke by then. To be honest, I’ll probably be asleep under a table by 8pm. Normal service will be resumed in March... (Friday March 2nd to be specific)

Final opportunity for extravagance before chubby checker begins again in earnest on Monday 9th!

It has just transpired that I will be meeting up with a friend I haven't seen in around 18 years on that very night BUT it is in the Goodge St area so I may be there later on as she will be travelling back up north that evening.
At the very least I will endeavour to leave a bag of goodies for those that do make it.

Count me in, I've been meaning to ask if the 6th was the date of the next one. Looking forward to seeing everyone

to make it.

Seem to be rapidly running out of time to make a themed CD. However, I will bring some music to throw onto the table:

1. The original CD where I've subsequently upgraded to an improved/classic/deluxe edition - definitely a couple of Calexico there at least.

2. One of the unfortunate side effects of Mrs toro's condition is that she is getting a bit forgetful. As a result, she managed to order 2 copies of a lot of the music she gave me for Christmas. Given that she ordered them from a wide variety of sources via Amazon, and cant be buggered to work out where to send them all back, I'll bring them to the mingle. Cant remember what's there off the top of my head - principally latin based world music type stuff I think.

Also got some books to bring as well (including some of Mrs toro's overorders in that department as well.

While I'm at it, is there anyone else staying over in that there London on the Friday night (apart from the locals that is)? If so, some guidance on hotels would be gratefully received. Not looking for the Ritz, but dont want to get bitten to death by bedbugs either.

Not sure yet if Mr Drakeygirl will be or not (depending on complicated work/babysitting/financial factors).
But I am definitely going to be there.
I'm doing a CD on the theme of 'Firsts'. At least, that's the plan, anyway.
Be good to see some old faces, and hopefully some new, too.

Trying to track down a Stax "Fingersnap" t-shirt for the occasion

have some stuff left over from the Reading Mingle. Don't ask, don't get and all that. Throw summat at me and I'll try and find it

(Sorry about that.)

...I speak of:

1. Myself
2. Carol From Luton
3. the hitherto little-known Sheryl From Luton

We're hoping the man.of.soup.meister will also be there...

Regardless of theme, in my very limited airplane baggage allowance I'll be bringing a small quantity of goodies (or not) including copies of the sought-after CD 'Dave Amitri Presents: The Mahavishnu Orchestra Bootleg Essentials'.

so, providing the GLW doesn't object, I should see you all there.

Doesn't look like I will have anything to hold me back. Missed the last London one so this feels well overdue. Already working on a compilation, should have a decent stack to bring.

See you there.

B there.

Can I suggest, for anyone who hasn't started a CD yet, that we do favourites from 2011?

I'd also suggest that it's not necessarily limited to new music released in 2011, but any new discoveries you may have made of old stuff. But decide for yourself how it should play.

I shall be there. Will probably get a CD together, which like my last one will contain a couple of token attempts to reference the theme.

I'd be *extremely* interested in your homemade pork scratchings / crackling bits. Thanks in advance.

However after two whole weeks away from the accursed work, the bastards will have left a pile of crap to sort out during the first few days back. This may entail some international jet-setting to the likes of Nottingham, Exeter or even Norwich.

I shall await my fate.

I'd love to make it though. I can bring books but probably no cd's.

I may also still be sporting my holiday beard. Grown for no other reason than I haven't shaved since the TVM Mingle. I like it for these reasons:

1. It gives my normally pudgy potato face a bit of shape.
2. You can't see the first 3 chins.

I think it makes me look like 'Faith'-era George Michael. The sister-in-law begs to differ; her choices now range across Demis Roussoss, Brian Blessed and Brian Redhead. Unaccountably she's now gone to bed with a dead leg.

and a no-show for the last two means this one has not only been pencilled onto the new calendar but inked in with parcel quality marker pen.

Might possibly bring food ... maybe.

... to attend my nephew's Christening (selfish little git).

I have missed two in a row. I will not miss a third...

...Carol From Luton loses all sensibility in the presence of a fine lemon drizzle cake.

(Sheryl From Luton is - as Twang will corroborate - a caravanning enthusiast... but we wouldn't for a moment expect anyone to bring along any caravans.)

I might do a bit of cooking..

I'm in - looking forward to it.

Will definitely try to do a CD for this one but the theme for it might be, er, 'Songs on this CD'...

I'll have CDs, my favourite songs of 2011.
Looking forward to it! Thanks for organising us Hannah.

I should be able to make it. Not sure about CDs though, will have to think about what I can come up with.

Delighted so many of you lovely chaps and chapesses can make it. see you there...

Our twins are having their 4th birthday party that afternoon and whilst it finishes at 6pm, disappearing soon after to get to London will take the gloss off the day.

I was really looking forward to the mingle - but this is evidence that I am a classic bloke in that I have to be within 7 days of a diary clash to actually notice it.

Have fun.

Unfortunately (for me, if not for the rest of you) I won't be at the Mingle on the 6th.

I shan't be in London that day I'm afraid.

Curses! Foiled again! *twirls moustache*

Have fun. I can send a photo of me to your mobiles if that helps?

No? Right.

I've missed two in a row, so plan to be at this one.

Warning: I've made CDs.

... that 6th January is my 50th Birthday? I have? Oh.

One of these days I cetainly hope to get along to a mingle, and maybe have a small dry sherry or two.

In the meantime, have a good one at the King and Queen on Friday.

duly achieved. I will try to make it there (and, more to the point, back) without adult supervision.

indiejules84 may accompany me, but I haven't yet checked - those of you crazy kidz on Twitter could ask her for me(?)

Not sure if I have time to make a CD (I may need adult supervision for that too). One day I promise to bring more than just myself and a raging appetite.

several potential Mingle CD themes but I think I'll just do a "Things I Like That I've Not Put On Previous Mingle CDs" CD. And a Vivian Stanshall "Sir Henry Live At Brainwashing House" collection, if I can remember where the downloaded files are..

With Hannah's blessing we're going to attempt to record a podcast on the night (it'll be our 200th). We aim to start at 7.15pm sharpish, and although we haven't quite figured out what we'll be doing yet, there'll no doubt be some kind of interactivity, so we'd advise an early arrival if you'd like to witness the recording or to take part - it'll also keep the disruption during recording to a minimum.

And if anyone wants to bring a musical instrument along, there may well be some kind of Later with Jools intro-meets-Kumbayah opportunity to be heard.

See you Friday.

I'd have loved to seen you lot catching lightning in a bottle!

*mutters darkly about atheist parents having a child christened in Germany of all places*

its a step too far, thin end of the wedge, too clique-y and why does it have to be in London all the time? *

* Aside - I don't. I just wanted to get that guff out of the way

Can I produce a video bootleg? Three camera mix with DAT sound? :-)

sans CDs as by the time I've packed the drum kit I don't think there will be room. I've got the chords for Ian Paice's "The Mule" so don't worry.....

.

Looking forward to it; Son of Allan will be coming along too as before.

No instruments easy for me to bring on't train, as much as I'd like to. I might have a couple of sweet tims hanging around to bang on animal style though if you wish.

count me in! 1,2,3,4...

Bugger and blast it...

Going to have to call off (again) - this is becoming a rather tiresome habit.

Mrs toro entered hospital on Monday evening (bank holidays are great for people watching in A & E) and is still there whilst they try and get to the bottom of some, as yet unidentified, abdominal pains. Even if she comes out today it would be a tad insensitive to stroll of down to London tomorrow.

A pity really. Was looking forward to meeting you all again (assuming I could remember who everybody was) as well as meeting new pals. Had got my overnight stay pass stamped as well, so that will have to carry over to the next time. Just don't make it Friday 2nd March - I'v got a stag do to go to that weekend so couldn't mingle.

Particularly disappointed to miss the opportunity of making a late bid for a career in broadcasting as well, although I'm sure the Massivishnu Orchestra won't miss my wonky clapping.

Have a good time y'all*

*but not too good, if you don't mind.

Here we go!

If you're thinking of bringing an instrument along, we want weird. We'll have one of these:

my saxamaphone and play it like the master

...and am sitting up and taking notice, I'll be there.

I'll bring a guitar

and see ya there.

A lot.

Lots and lots, in fact.

...Me & Carol From Luton (& Sheryl From Luton) arriving circa 6.45 with a bit of luck. Make sure a slab of Hannah's lemon cake awaits CFL, or there'll be a riot... I can't be held responsible etc etc...

...I should say that I haven't had a chance to go to the butcher's, so won't be supplying grub this time. Apols.

I get bouts of tinnitus in my right ear and it sometimes comes with a side order of throwing up and falling over. Today seems to be one such day. So, looks like I'm not going to make it tonight as aside from the anti social elements I'd only spend a lot of time saying "eh?". Bugger and bollocks.

Have a great evening and I look forward to the podcast. Hopefully see you all in March.

I was seriously thinking about turning up tonight but am off sick from work with a back/neck pain thing, so won't be able to make it.

For anyone thinking of driving via the M4, be aware that the Hammersmith flyover has been closed much of the week... do check and allow extra time (about a week).

Anyway, have fun everyone.

http://wordmagazine.co.uk/content/london-mingle-friday-2nd-march

Hope to see you next Friday xxx