We asked Simon Lee Morgan from The Insurance Men, aka the UK’s finest alternative punky band, if we could do a spot of casual fundraising at their gig last weekend, to round off Mental Health Awareness Week.
“Yes, absolutely do that thing”, came the reply. Hudson’s Ale House, which was hosting the event, already had a Mind Cambridge tin behind the bar, and they welcomed us too.
The evening’s entertainment kicked off with Vince “Too Tall” Taylor, who delivered a set of witty songs, laced in irreverence, including some of his greatest hits, notably Crisis in Saffron Walden and Cattitude – a warm up par excellence, complete with plush cat dangling from the microphone (guess what he’s thinking about in our pic… related to cats?)
The Insurance Men then took to the stage to deliver a cracking set of dynamic punk and edgy alt rock classics, infused with their very own retro style and dry humour. Vibey guitar by Andrew Duds and epic drumming by Kevin Heart shaped a perfect soundscape for Simon’s bass and punchy lead vocals, peppered with some compelling voice effects.
Punk still rocks and the dance floor did too! As for the Mind Cambridge tin, donations of £75.72 helped us swell the grand total for the week to £548.45, including donations direct to the shop, with every penny going to local mental health services.
Thank you Vince “Too Tall” Taylor and The Insurance Men for ensuring a successful end to the MHA week, and to the fabulous staff and customers at Hudson’s Ale House, for their generosity, especially those who had already supported Mind and The Fine Line Project at the Wednesday Session gig.
Watch this space for the next one… all in aid of mental health awareness, because mental health affects us all.
Pics and text © The Fine Line Project 2026
Discover more from The Fine Line Project
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
