Aberdeen! Its a long way from anywhere...
I'm i/c travel arrangements and come up with a cunning plan . I buy a Saver ticket from Newark to Aberdeen on the old GNER line, Lizzy buys one from Newcastle to Aberdeen - Savers allow you to break your journey on your return journey, so we can take in Edinburgh and Glasgow on the way back down, with the trip culminating in Newcastle. Four gigs in five nights - hmmm.
Wednesday dawns and I set off for Newark, about 20 miles from Nottingham, and leave the car in the station carpark - hope it's still there next Monday. I've got the trusty Argos tripod, and a suitcase full of aging rock-chick type gear. One train up to Newcastle, where Lizzy is waiting, and we set off again to Aberdeen. Its a terrific journey - when I was a child my family lived in a house right next to the Newcastle to Edinburgh railway line about 5 miles out from Newcastle - and there it is! Then up the Northumberland Coast, lots of castles, through Berwick and the ramparts and on up to Edinburgh. Over the Forth Bridge, on up the coast through Dundee, Montrose and finally at about 5pm we're at Aberdeen. It gives the impression of being a very solid place, they don't call it the Granite City for nothing. Not very warm in the middle of February however.
We're staying at the Premier Lodge right opposite the venue - a short walk through the rather grandiose streets and we're there. We check in - all of the other residents would appear to be oilmen straight off the rigs apart from us. We've arranged to meet Old Man (George) from the Love message board so after we've sussed out the venue, we go to a local pub where we've arranged to meet him and his family - they're at the gig tonight as well. One of the brilliant things about getting involved with the band has been meeting some great people from all over the country. We're tucking into beef lasagne when George (a committed vegan) arrives.
Back to the venue, which is run by some of the friendliest people you could ever wish to meet - God Bless you Marge! Its a great show, we return the camera to Bent and chat with folks at the end before heading off back to the hotel - a little too early we learn the following night, as Arthur deigns to come out and press the flesh with the fans after we've left, something he doesn't do too often. Not to worry - there's time for that yet.
The next day looking around Aberdeen and then travelling to Edinburgh is great - Lizzy's diary gives all the gen so I won't repeat it all here. Needless to say it was one of the funniest train journeys I've ever had.
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