Edinburgh skyline
Friday, May 20, 2005
No 23: Edinburgh Liquid Room 11th April 2005
Lizzy and I are up at 4.45am - Keith asks me why the f**k I'm getting up so early, then I remind him that we're on the early flight to Edinburgh - he puts the pillow over his head and goes back to sleep...
We're out of the house at 5.15am and drive into town to pick up Aake, who is sitting on the pavement outside his hotel waiting for us. I drive the 10 miles or so to East Midlands Airport, park up and we check in - we're numbers 1 2 and 3 to check onto our flight, the 7.30am Easyjet to Edinburgh. I've flown to Edinburgh several times before from here, but still manage to get us sitting in completely the wrong part of the airport, i.e. the part where we can't hear the calls for our flight. Never mind, we figure it out on the end, and we're all aboard with about 10 minutes to spare.
Off the plane and onto the airlink bus to the city centre, a really good service - we arrive just before 9am. Lizzy and I are staying with Fiona and Billy who are some of the brilliant people we've met before at Love gigs - we're meeting up with Fiona in Jenner's cafe at 9am - and there she is!! Its wonderful when a plan comes together.
We have a nice greasy Scottish breakfast and then all get the bus to Portobello, where Fiona and Billy live - its a lovely area, the Edinburgh seaside, their house overlooks the beach and the Firth of Forth. The three of us chill out for a while then Billy arrives back from his optician's appointment where he's had weird stuff squirted in his eyes and is finding it hard to see. We go for a walk to see the sights of Portobello, then back for a great lunch, then we all decide we could probably do with a bit of a kip to get a bit of energy back for tonight's proceedings after the very early start.
The next door neighbour Molly is coming to the gig as well - we've also arranged to meet up with Aake and Old Man (George) and his daughter Lorna who have come down from Aberdeen so we're going to be quite a large contingent. We decide to defer the great curry that Fiona has cooked for us and set off for the centre of town at about 6pm, to meet up with Aake, George and Lorna at the Last Drop pub in the Grassmarket. Everybody seems to hit it off famously - Fiona and Billy say that Aake must stay with them next time he's in Scotland, even though at one stage Billy accuses Aake of looking like one of the itinerant Grassmarket alkies!! (it must be the tattoos).
We head off towards the venue - I spot Troels typing away in an internet cafe we pass on the way and rush in to say hello. The unmistakable tourbus is parked up outside the Liquid Room, which is on one of those old narrow streets in the Edinburgh Old Town, however nobody seems to mind that. Lizzy's cousin Joan is driving down from near Perth as well, we had asked Glenn on Friday if her name could go down on the door as its late in the day to get tickets, but it doesn't seem to be there - anyway, the nice lady lets her in anyway, we mention Scottish Keith's name and his was on the door, I think it is for every show!
Inside and Lizzy, Joan, Aake. George, Lorna and I take up our familiar positions right at the front. Fiona, Billy and Molly prefer to be upstairs on there balcony where there's a good view and not such a crush - Lizzy and I filmed from there last time we were here. Its Primary 5 in support again tonight, as good as ever - Paul Quinn has a real stage presence. There are some real heavy bouncers in the area between the crowd and the stage, definitely no flash photography here tonight. We're joined near the front by the prodigious Loveshack, who's come over from Glasgow - he can't make the Glasgow gig because of some football match or the other.
The place is packed when Arthur and the band come on stage - I seem to remember Johnny getting a particularly warm reception. Another cracking show!!!!
At the end, after the encore, Johnny comes over to the edge of ths stage - he shakes my hand and I can feel that he's passing me something - its his guitar pick, which is now among my most treasured possessions.
Our (quite large) party all heads outside after the gig - Arthur and Johnny haven't come out to sign autographs tonight but Billy is determined that he'll get his album covers signed, so we wait around for a while for them to come out to get into the taxi back to their hotel. Billy isn't taking no for an answer and gets his autographs.
Mike is around as well as Brummy Jim - we all pile into a nearby bar and have a cracking hour or two drinking and having a great time - then its a taxi back to Fiona and Billy's house where we eventually get to eat that curry - very welcome it is as well. Off to bed for a few hours - Lizzy is getting the early train back to Newcastle, and I'm flying back to Nottingham, so we've got a taxi booked for about 5.30 am again. Fiona gets up to see us off - they really have shown us fantastic hospitality! The taxi takes us to Waverley station, Lizzy goes off to catch her train and I get the bus back to the airport for the 8.20 plane.
Back in the East Midlands, I head for the great services near Junction 24 of the M1 where they have showers and everything - I've left my work gear in the car , so I shower, put on some make-up and my work suit and head for my 11.30 meeting in Leicester. I pick up my colleague who's come up from London at Leicester station and we head for the organisation where we are pitching for some business. I'm pretty tired but things seem to be going OK. Its going to be an early night tonight.
We hear a couple of weeks later that our pitch was not the successful one.
Hey ho
We're out of the house at 5.15am and drive into town to pick up Aake, who is sitting on the pavement outside his hotel waiting for us. I drive the 10 miles or so to East Midlands Airport, park up and we check in - we're numbers 1 2 and 3 to check onto our flight, the 7.30am Easyjet to Edinburgh. I've flown to Edinburgh several times before from here, but still manage to get us sitting in completely the wrong part of the airport, i.e. the part where we can't hear the calls for our flight. Never mind, we figure it out on the end, and we're all aboard with about 10 minutes to spare.
Off the plane and onto the airlink bus to the city centre, a really good service - we arrive just before 9am. Lizzy and I are staying with Fiona and Billy who are some of the brilliant people we've met before at Love gigs - we're meeting up with Fiona in Jenner's cafe at 9am - and there she is!! Its wonderful when a plan comes together.
We have a nice greasy Scottish breakfast and then all get the bus to Portobello, where Fiona and Billy live - its a lovely area, the Edinburgh seaside, their house overlooks the beach and the Firth of Forth. The three of us chill out for a while then Billy arrives back from his optician's appointment where he's had weird stuff squirted in his eyes and is finding it hard to see. We go for a walk to see the sights of Portobello, then back for a great lunch, then we all decide we could probably do with a bit of a kip to get a bit of energy back for tonight's proceedings after the very early start.
The next door neighbour Molly is coming to the gig as well - we've also arranged to meet up with Aake and Old Man (George) and his daughter Lorna who have come down from Aberdeen so we're going to be quite a large contingent. We decide to defer the great curry that Fiona has cooked for us and set off for the centre of town at about 6pm, to meet up with Aake, George and Lorna at the Last Drop pub in the Grassmarket. Everybody seems to hit it off famously - Fiona and Billy say that Aake must stay with them next time he's in Scotland, even though at one stage Billy accuses Aake of looking like one of the itinerant Grassmarket alkies!! (it must be the tattoos).
We head off towards the venue - I spot Troels typing away in an internet cafe we pass on the way and rush in to say hello. The unmistakable tourbus is parked up outside the Liquid Room, which is on one of those old narrow streets in the Edinburgh Old Town, however nobody seems to mind that. Lizzy's cousin Joan is driving down from near Perth as well, we had asked Glenn on Friday if her name could go down on the door as its late in the day to get tickets, but it doesn't seem to be there - anyway, the nice lady lets her in anyway, we mention Scottish Keith's name and his was on the door, I think it is for every show!
Inside and Lizzy, Joan, Aake. George, Lorna and I take up our familiar positions right at the front. Fiona, Billy and Molly prefer to be upstairs on there balcony where there's a good view and not such a crush - Lizzy and I filmed from there last time we were here. Its Primary 5 in support again tonight, as good as ever - Paul Quinn has a real stage presence. There are some real heavy bouncers in the area between the crowd and the stage, definitely no flash photography here tonight. We're joined near the front by the prodigious Loveshack, who's come over from Glasgow - he can't make the Glasgow gig because of some football match or the other.
The place is packed when Arthur and the band come on stage - I seem to remember Johnny getting a particularly warm reception. Another cracking show!!!!
At the end, after the encore, Johnny comes over to the edge of ths stage - he shakes my hand and I can feel that he's passing me something - its his guitar pick, which is now among my most treasured possessions.
Our (quite large) party all heads outside after the gig - Arthur and Johnny haven't come out to sign autographs tonight but Billy is determined that he'll get his album covers signed, so we wait around for a while for them to come out to get into the taxi back to their hotel. Billy isn't taking no for an answer and gets his autographs.
Mike is around as well as Brummy Jim - we all pile into a nearby bar and have a cracking hour or two drinking and having a great time - then its a taxi back to Fiona and Billy's house where we eventually get to eat that curry - very welcome it is as well. Off to bed for a few hours - Lizzy is getting the early train back to Newcastle, and I'm flying back to Nottingham, so we've got a taxi booked for about 5.30 am again. Fiona gets up to see us off - they really have shown us fantastic hospitality! The taxi takes us to Waverley station, Lizzy goes off to catch her train and I get the bus back to the airport for the 8.20 plane.
Back in the East Midlands, I head for the great services near Junction 24 of the M1 where they have showers and everything - I've left my work gear in the car , so I shower, put on some make-up and my work suit and head for my 11.30 meeting in Leicester. I pick up my colleague who's come up from London at Leicester station and we head for the organisation where we are pitching for some business. I'm pretty tired but things seem to be going OK. Its going to be an early night tonight.
We hear a couple of weeks later that our pitch was not the successful one.
Hey ho
No 22: Nottingham Rescue Rooms, 10th April 2005
Nottingham - my home town - or at least the place where I live - I must admit that I continue to hold a torch for Newcastle where I spent the first 18 years of my life.
Lizzy is not too well over both Saturday night and Sunday morning - we have a quiet day at home as Sunday night and Monday are due to be pretty gruelling. Its a nice warm day in Nottingham.
We drive into town and park up and then wander round to the Rescue Rooms. Mike is walking through the bar area, we stop and have a chat - I've printed up the picture of Coops licking him at the Irish Centre in Leeds and give him a copy, he thinks its great and plans to put it up on the tour bus.
In the main room, we spot Aake who's over from Sweden. He's flying up to Edinburgh the next day, on the same plane as us (Easyjet!) so we arrange to pick him up from his hotel in downtown Nottingham at 5.30 am the next day (a good reason if ever there was one for not drinking too much beer tonight). Aake is taking in Aberdeen and Glasgow as well before heading off back to Stockholm - a true fan if ever there was one!! My old Nottingham friends Paul and Pam are there as well, Paul has been a fan since the 60s - I've prewarned him that Arthur and Johnny are likely to be in a signing mood , so to bring his old album covers. We all take up position near the front. Another guy, Mark aka Barber John, introduces himself, he's travelled down from Leeds - having your picture on Torben's Love website is a guaranteed way to get your face known at Love gigs.
Its a different support band this evening - I can't even remember what they are called so they obviously did not make much of an impression. Then the band come on stage, all bar Arthur who ambles on slightly later...
I'm not one to cast aspersions, but lets just say his mind and him are going on slightly different paths this evening. He starts to play his harp, something a bit bluesy and rambling - all this time Troels is standing nearby holding his guitar, and the rest of the band are looking on. He gets his act together after a few minutes and they start the normal show -which is great. The Rescue Rooms is a small venue and standing at the front, you're within a few feet of the band, which is brilliant as far as I'm concerned. Paul and Pam are having a fantastic time as well, their first time in the front row so to speak, and they love it.
At the end of the gig both Johnny and Arthur wander out from backstage - and Paul gets his album covers signed. We don't hang around, its going to be an early start tomorrow - Edinburgh.....
Lizzy is not too well over both Saturday night and Sunday morning - we have a quiet day at home as Sunday night and Monday are due to be pretty gruelling. Its a nice warm day in Nottingham.
We drive into town and park up and then wander round to the Rescue Rooms. Mike is walking through the bar area, we stop and have a chat - I've printed up the picture of Coops licking him at the Irish Centre in Leeds and give him a copy, he thinks its great and plans to put it up on the tour bus.
In the main room, we spot Aake who's over from Sweden. He's flying up to Edinburgh the next day, on the same plane as us (Easyjet!) so we arrange to pick him up from his hotel in downtown Nottingham at 5.30 am the next day (a good reason if ever there was one for not drinking too much beer tonight). Aake is taking in Aberdeen and Glasgow as well before heading off back to Stockholm - a true fan if ever there was one!! My old Nottingham friends Paul and Pam are there as well, Paul has been a fan since the 60s - I've prewarned him that Arthur and Johnny are likely to be in a signing mood , so to bring his old album covers. We all take up position near the front. Another guy, Mark aka Barber John, introduces himself, he's travelled down from Leeds - having your picture on Torben's Love website is a guaranteed way to get your face known at Love gigs.
Its a different support band this evening - I can't even remember what they are called so they obviously did not make much of an impression. Then the band come on stage, all bar Arthur who ambles on slightly later...
I'm not one to cast aspersions, but lets just say his mind and him are going on slightly different paths this evening. He starts to play his harp, something a bit bluesy and rambling - all this time Troels is standing nearby holding his guitar, and the rest of the band are looking on. He gets his act together after a few minutes and they start the normal show -which is great. The Rescue Rooms is a small venue and standing at the front, you're within a few feet of the band, which is brilliant as far as I'm concerned. Paul and Pam are having a fantastic time as well, their first time in the front row so to speak, and they love it.
At the end of the gig both Johnny and Arthur wander out from backstage - and Paul gets his album covers signed. We don't hang around, its going to be an early start tomorrow - Edinburgh.....
Saturday, May 07, 2005
Cream, Royal Albert Hall,6th May 2005
I had the great good fortune to win three tickets for Friday night at the Royal Albert Hall for the Cream reunion - the company I work for receives an allocation of complimentary tickets and staff can enter a ballot for them, and this time my luck was in. My husband Keith and our friend Steve Nelson came with me - as Steve wanted to be back in Nottingham that night, he said he would drive down and we were happy to let him. I'd prearranged parking at Imperial College, which was surprisingly easy to find.
I've only been to the Royal Albert Hall once before, for an Al Green concert in 1999 - great night, great sound, but we were up in the Gods and Al was a long way away.Tonight the tickets were for the front row of the stalls, just behind the mixing desk and the arena which seemed to be full of friends of the band - these were £125 face value tickets, with a brilliant view of the stage. Its a lovely venue, completely round,with great acoustics, and although it holds a lot of people it feels very intimate (or at least it does from the good seats!).
We took our seats and their was a bit of a buzz behind us - the whisper was that Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney were in one of the boxes behind us - I didn't see them so can't confirm that. It was definitely an affluent crowd for a rock gig, no surprise at these prices, and there seemed to be an awful lot of American voices in the audience. The atmosphere was great waiting for the main event to start, every seemed very happy and out to have a good time.
Shortly after 8pm the lights dim and they come out on stage - Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton - obviously a lot older than when they'd last been here in 1968, but not looking bad at all. Eric is the youngster of the trio at 60, but Jack and Ginger are looking lithe and pretty well considering the fact that they've both suffered from bad health and Ginger is reported to be suffering from arthritis. They launch into "I'm so glad", with the background of a psychedelic light show, and its like being transported back in time.
This was and is a band pared down to the essentials - drums, bass and guitar. I know that there have been a couple of successful duos with just guitar and drums lately, but that doesn't do it for me, I need to hear that killer bass line - and Jack Bruce provided that in bucket loads - remember the opening riff of "Badge" and you'll know what I mean. He was also the main vocalist, he always was the one with the voice, Eric only got into it really when he became a solo artist, and he seemed content to be second line/backing vocalist.
I read a review in the week that said that Ginger looked like Wilfred Bramble from Steptoe and Son, and he definitely had a gaunt look to him. I never saw Cream live when they were going, only bits and pieces on TV, but it was always the pure physicality of Ginger's drumming that I remember. He hasn't got the energy that he had then but he is still a great drummer and still gives a very physical performance - he pulls in your eyes on stage, whatever the other two are doing. He took over for vocals only on one number, the quirky "Pressed rat and warthog" - the sort of strange track that bands thought they had to do in the 60s, still very entertaining. He raised a laugh at the end of the track when he said " I have to tell you that Pressed Rat and Warthog have opened a shop and are selling T shirts in the lobby".
The bluesy numbers brought Eric to the fore - "Crossroads" in particular. Eric Clapton is an international megastar, and I remember seeing "Eric Clapton is God" written on every blank wall in Newcastle back in the 60s, so this is a man with an awesome reputation and back catalogue - but he came across as one of the most balanced, non-ego driven artists I've ever seen perform. His guitar playing is just ... I can't come up with an adjective that does it justice, at several points it just makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. He makes the guitar cry and sing, and gently weep.
They did all the classics (apart from one - more about that later) - "Badge", "Strange Brew", they have a great back catalogue to plunder. Jack switched to harmonica for a couple of numbers - OK, but I prefer that killer bass line. Ginger does the obligatory drum solo -not the 45 minutes of yore, more like 10 and just about bearable. Then they're off stage to tremendous applause.....
.....and then they're back
.....and its the one we've all been waiting for, "Sunshine of your love" - do do do do do, dit der der derrrr der - the riff beloved of air guitarists the world over. We love it, we're all 16 again, its the 60s and peace and love and we don't have to worry about pensions and mortgages and university fees and all that crap, we're free as birds...... and then they're gone, and we're off into the London night. I talk to two American guys on the way out, it was definitely worth the air fare as far as they're concerned.
Nights like these, and the great Love gigs I've been too, and the Magic Band and the other stuff, are what makes life worth living as far as I'm concerned - those hair on the back of your neck moments when Eric makes it weep, or Arthur goes "I want to love you, but wo wo wo wo wo wo wo" and and and
And with that, ladies and gentlemen, its goodnight from me.
I've only been to the Royal Albert Hall once before, for an Al Green concert in 1999 - great night, great sound, but we were up in the Gods and Al was a long way away.Tonight the tickets were for the front row of the stalls, just behind the mixing desk and the arena which seemed to be full of friends of the band - these were £125 face value tickets, with a brilliant view of the stage. Its a lovely venue, completely round,with great acoustics, and although it holds a lot of people it feels very intimate (or at least it does from the good seats!).
We took our seats and their was a bit of a buzz behind us - the whisper was that Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney were in one of the boxes behind us - I didn't see them so can't confirm that. It was definitely an affluent crowd for a rock gig, no surprise at these prices, and there seemed to be an awful lot of American voices in the audience. The atmosphere was great waiting for the main event to start, every seemed very happy and out to have a good time.
Shortly after 8pm the lights dim and they come out on stage - Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton - obviously a lot older than when they'd last been here in 1968, but not looking bad at all. Eric is the youngster of the trio at 60, but Jack and Ginger are looking lithe and pretty well considering the fact that they've both suffered from bad health and Ginger is reported to be suffering from arthritis. They launch into "I'm so glad", with the background of a psychedelic light show, and its like being transported back in time.
This was and is a band pared down to the essentials - drums, bass and guitar. I know that there have been a couple of successful duos with just guitar and drums lately, but that doesn't do it for me, I need to hear that killer bass line - and Jack Bruce provided that in bucket loads - remember the opening riff of "Badge" and you'll know what I mean. He was also the main vocalist, he always was the one with the voice, Eric only got into it really when he became a solo artist, and he seemed content to be second line/backing vocalist.
I read a review in the week that said that Ginger looked like Wilfred Bramble from Steptoe and Son, and he definitely had a gaunt look to him. I never saw Cream live when they were going, only bits and pieces on TV, but it was always the pure physicality of Ginger's drumming that I remember. He hasn't got the energy that he had then but he is still a great drummer and still gives a very physical performance - he pulls in your eyes on stage, whatever the other two are doing. He took over for vocals only on one number, the quirky "Pressed rat and warthog" - the sort of strange track that bands thought they had to do in the 60s, still very entertaining. He raised a laugh at the end of the track when he said " I have to tell you that Pressed Rat and Warthog have opened a shop and are selling T shirts in the lobby".
The bluesy numbers brought Eric to the fore - "Crossroads" in particular. Eric Clapton is an international megastar, and I remember seeing "Eric Clapton is God" written on every blank wall in Newcastle back in the 60s, so this is a man with an awesome reputation and back catalogue - but he came across as one of the most balanced, non-ego driven artists I've ever seen perform. His guitar playing is just ... I can't come up with an adjective that does it justice, at several points it just makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. He makes the guitar cry and sing, and gently weep.
They did all the classics (apart from one - more about that later) - "Badge", "Strange Brew", they have a great back catalogue to plunder. Jack switched to harmonica for a couple of numbers - OK, but I prefer that killer bass line. Ginger does the obligatory drum solo -not the 45 minutes of yore, more like 10 and just about bearable. Then they're off stage to tremendous applause.....
.....and then they're back
.....and its the one we've all been waiting for, "Sunshine of your love" - do do do do do, dit der der derrrr der - the riff beloved of air guitarists the world over. We love it, we're all 16 again, its the 60s and peace and love and we don't have to worry about pensions and mortgages and university fees and all that crap, we're free as birds...... and then they're gone, and we're off into the London night. I talk to two American guys on the way out, it was definitely worth the air fare as far as they're concerned.
Nights like these, and the great Love gigs I've been too, and the Magic Band and the other stuff, are what makes life worth living as far as I'm concerned - those hair on the back of your neck moments when Eric makes it weep, or Arthur goes "I want to love you, but wo wo wo wo wo wo wo" and and and
And with that, ladies and gentlemen, its goodnight from me.
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
No 21: Leeds Irish Centre, 8th April 2005
Leeds is a Friday night so Lizzy and I are staying over, in the Jury's Doyle Hotel which Multimap shows as the nearest hotel to the venue. I've got a lunchtime meeting in Sheffield, so go straight to Leeds from there - I need to get some work done at the hotel in the afternoon but its worth it to miss the late Friday afternoon rush on the M1.
I check into the hotel and we've got a nice twin room on the 1st floor. I get changed, get my work stuff sorted out then decide I could do with a bottle of mineral water so go down to the hotel bar to buy one - and who should be there, sitting in the corner, but Mr Lee and Mr Echols, just finishing a late lunch.
I try to act cool and walk up to them and say "Hello gentlemen" - Arthur says "Hello Lizzy" (not that old one) and I say "Its Tina, the other one". He asks what I'm doing here and I tell him I'm here to see them perform tonight. Its obvious from the ensuing conversation that Arthur associates Lizzy and I very strongly with videoing and not just as fans, as he immediately starts to tell me about his video camera being stolen by his ex-girlfriend, and how good it would be if we could video some of the upcoming shows, and also let him know which gigs we filmed last tour - the tapes presumably are with the New Guy. He also tells me that someone wants to make a documentary about him here in the UK. Johnny is silent all through this exchange, I then say that its great that they're over here at the moment and how great it is to see Johnny touring - Arthur tells me that Johnny can't believe what a good reception he's getting over in the UK and thinks he in Disneyland! Johnny continues to be silent but smiles happily throughout. After that I leave them to their lunch and repair to the room to try and get some work done.
Lizzy, Chris and Scottish Keith arrive at about 7pm - only Lizzy is staying because she's coming back to Nottingham with me for the gig on Sunday night at the Rescue Rooms. She's not very well, full of cold. We have a drink in the bar and then set off for the Irish Centre.
The venue has the appearance of a working men's club - there's a party going on upstairs with a big "Dad" poster in the window. Downstairs is very much the same, with a seated area with tables at the back, and a standing area at the front - its quite a large place. We immediately see Mike and Rusty who are there with a number of the York crew including Ringo's parents who we are introduced to by Mike. The lovely Coops is there as well, the man with the strange licking fetish - more about that later.
We stay at the back while the support band is on, a different band tonight and IMHO not particularly memorable. The place is filling up and its obvious we're not going to get our preferred spot of down the very front, so we don't even try. Love come on and we can see quite well from near the back but is not the same, we need to be near the action, so we move down one side and end up fairly near the stage. Then Lizzy and I stand on chairs to get a better view - everything is going swimmingly until I decide to try standing on a table and send several glasses flying, so give that idea up as a bad job. Its a lively gig with a crowd who are really up for it, a really good show.
After the show, we see Glenn guiding Arthur and Johnny out towards the merchandise stand which is right at the back near the door, quite a long walk from backstage. There's a buzz around the venue, it seems like everyone wants to get Arthur and Johnny's autographs. There's a young lady standing near us who is desperate to get herself signed for some reason, I take it on myself to guide her to the table and she gets her arms signed by both Arthur and Johnny!! I take her picture and promise I'll send it on to her.
Mike is around at this stage and Coops starts licking his face - I take a picture of this lovely scene as well. Lizzy and I have a quick chat with Kose and Troels, they're staying at the hotel as well so we say we'll meet up with them for a drink later.
Chris and Scottish Keith drive us back to the hotel and then leave us to drive back to Newcastle via Darlington. I have had the foresight to bring along a bottle of whisky (extortionate prices at these hotel bars!!) so we collect that from the room, Kose and Troels join us fairly soon once all the gear is packed up. We engage the Polish barman in conversation to see if any food is available - it isn't, but he gives us some leaflets from nearby takeaways which deliver so we order some pizzas.
Sometime after that the bar is closed, although we're still drinking the whisky, when two chaps arrive who engage us in conversation. It transpires that they have just been to see British Sea Power at a venue somewhere in Leeds, we tell them what we've been doing and how wonderful Love are (they've never heard of them) and invite them to have some of our whisky. The pizzas have arrived by this time. At one stage one of the chaps ( I won't call them young men, they were probably mid 30s) who is an accountant from Middlesborough, tells me I'm quite attractive for an older woman!! I'm regaling Lizzy with this story the next day when she reminds me that I was sitting in a closed hotel bar with a bottle of whisky in one hand and a pizza in another - in those circumstances even Camilla Parker-Bowles would look attractive !! I take her point and decide to forestall my career as a femme fatale.
Lizzy isn't too well through the night, nothing to do with the drink, she's got a terrible cold and gets the shivers. We get up for breakfast the next morning, a quick hello to Kose and Troels who are down there as well (dear readers, read into that what you will but I can assure you the assignation was pure chance). We're checking out when we see Mike and Daddyo walking into the lobby, each wearing a fine hat - its fairly cold in downtown Leeds today. They've slept on the tour bus but are swapping over with Kose and Troels - oh what a life of luxury these rock star types lead! We say we'll see them in Nottingham on Sunday - they've all got a Saturday night off in Leeds. With that its off down the M1 back home, with a sick Lizzy who needs some more sleep.
I check into the hotel and we've got a nice twin room on the 1st floor. I get changed, get my work stuff sorted out then decide I could do with a bottle of mineral water so go down to the hotel bar to buy one - and who should be there, sitting in the corner, but Mr Lee and Mr Echols, just finishing a late lunch.
I try to act cool and walk up to them and say "Hello gentlemen" - Arthur says "Hello Lizzy" (not that old one) and I say "Its Tina, the other one". He asks what I'm doing here and I tell him I'm here to see them perform tonight. Its obvious from the ensuing conversation that Arthur associates Lizzy and I very strongly with videoing and not just as fans, as he immediately starts to tell me about his video camera being stolen by his ex-girlfriend, and how good it would be if we could video some of the upcoming shows, and also let him know which gigs we filmed last tour - the tapes presumably are with the New Guy. He also tells me that someone wants to make a documentary about him here in the UK. Johnny is silent all through this exchange, I then say that its great that they're over here at the moment and how great it is to see Johnny touring - Arthur tells me that Johnny can't believe what a good reception he's getting over in the UK and thinks he in Disneyland! Johnny continues to be silent but smiles happily throughout. After that I leave them to their lunch and repair to the room to try and get some work done.
Lizzy, Chris and Scottish Keith arrive at about 7pm - only Lizzy is staying because she's coming back to Nottingham with me for the gig on Sunday night at the Rescue Rooms. She's not very well, full of cold. We have a drink in the bar and then set off for the Irish Centre.
The venue has the appearance of a working men's club - there's a party going on upstairs with a big "Dad" poster in the window. Downstairs is very much the same, with a seated area with tables at the back, and a standing area at the front - its quite a large place. We immediately see Mike and Rusty who are there with a number of the York crew including Ringo's parents who we are introduced to by Mike. The lovely Coops is there as well, the man with the strange licking fetish - more about that later.
We stay at the back while the support band is on, a different band tonight and IMHO not particularly memorable. The place is filling up and its obvious we're not going to get our preferred spot of down the very front, so we don't even try. Love come on and we can see quite well from near the back but is not the same, we need to be near the action, so we move down one side and end up fairly near the stage. Then Lizzy and I stand on chairs to get a better view - everything is going swimmingly until I decide to try standing on a table and send several glasses flying, so give that idea up as a bad job. Its a lively gig with a crowd who are really up for it, a really good show.
After the show, we see Glenn guiding Arthur and Johnny out towards the merchandise stand which is right at the back near the door, quite a long walk from backstage. There's a buzz around the venue, it seems like everyone wants to get Arthur and Johnny's autographs. There's a young lady standing near us who is desperate to get herself signed for some reason, I take it on myself to guide her to the table and she gets her arms signed by both Arthur and Johnny!! I take her picture and promise I'll send it on to her.
Mike is around at this stage and Coops starts licking his face - I take a picture of this lovely scene as well. Lizzy and I have a quick chat with Kose and Troels, they're staying at the hotel as well so we say we'll meet up with them for a drink later.
Chris and Scottish Keith drive us back to the hotel and then leave us to drive back to Newcastle via Darlington. I have had the foresight to bring along a bottle of whisky (extortionate prices at these hotel bars!!) so we collect that from the room, Kose and Troels join us fairly soon once all the gear is packed up. We engage the Polish barman in conversation to see if any food is available - it isn't, but he gives us some leaflets from nearby takeaways which deliver so we order some pizzas.
Sometime after that the bar is closed, although we're still drinking the whisky, when two chaps arrive who engage us in conversation. It transpires that they have just been to see British Sea Power at a venue somewhere in Leeds, we tell them what we've been doing and how wonderful Love are (they've never heard of them) and invite them to have some of our whisky. The pizzas have arrived by this time. At one stage one of the chaps ( I won't call them young men, they were probably mid 30s) who is an accountant from Middlesborough, tells me I'm quite attractive for an older woman!! I'm regaling Lizzy with this story the next day when she reminds me that I was sitting in a closed hotel bar with a bottle of whisky in one hand and a pizza in another - in those circumstances even Camilla Parker-Bowles would look attractive !! I take her point and decide to forestall my career as a femme fatale.
Lizzy isn't too well through the night, nothing to do with the drink, she's got a terrible cold and gets the shivers. We get up for breakfast the next morning, a quick hello to Kose and Troels who are down there as well (dear readers, read into that what you will but I can assure you the assignation was pure chance). We're checking out when we see Mike and Daddyo walking into the lobby, each wearing a fine hat - its fairly cold in downtown Leeds today. They've slept on the tour bus but are swapping over with Kose and Troels - oh what a life of luxury these rock star types lead! We say we'll see them in Nottingham on Sunday - they've all got a Saturday night off in Leeds. With that its off down the M1 back home, with a sick Lizzy who needs some more sleep.
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