Christ on a bike - time flies. I was looking at some old N.M.E's the other day and saw these adverts for a 2003 tour featuring The Datsuns, The Thrills, Interpol, and The Polyphonic Spree. I went to the Newcastle gig, but can't believe it was just over 15 years ago. I loved the rowdiness of The Datsuns, but prefered The Polyphonic Spree on the night. A mate said they sounded like Beatles psychedelic out-takes. He wasn't impressed.
More out and about that l'd forgotten about from last month - The Strypes at Newcastle University. A lads night out and a lot of fun it was. I drove there and a mate drove back, so it saved on a taxi or hotel this time.
The Strypes have really improved and matured as a band, and their stage show is entertaining and varied, but the sad thing is, how much bigger can they expect to get, unless they hit lucky with a song on a commercial or film / TV series to help promote them?
It's a shame, and they deserve to gain a wider audience.
However, some might say they already have with us old farts going to see them
Another excellent night out, this time the day after the Left Lane Cruiser show (see Below), and an all day session and overnight stay for The Killers at Newcastle Arena with Robbo and the ladies.
We sorted our rooms at the Jury's Inn hotel, went for a drink and chat, then split up so the girls could go shopping (as they do). Myself and Robbo hit a couple of dodgy pubs (and a pretty empty Trillions).
When we met up again later, it was off to Jamie Oliver's restaurant for an evening meal (as usual - l had the lasagne), then back to the hotel to get changed, and out again for cocktails and the concert.
We had two lots of tickets, so myself and Robo took our seats, only to find they were quite a way back (and for over £60!!!). However, being the kind of lads we are, we just walked along the top corridor until we were close to the stage, and then cut in, and remained standing throughout the show, with a much improved view. I was even given free beer by a girl, which saved us having to go and get some, especially at the exorbitant price they were charging in the arena.
Met the ladies again, then more drinks and chat after the show, and finally back to the hotel.
A completely different show than the night before, and it is fascinating to see large crowds responding on mass, rather like a rally, but l much prefer seeing bands in smaller venues.
We all had a marvellous time throughout the day and night, but Kerry was certainly suffering the next morning and during the ride home (her driver duties had to be taken over).
What a lightweight!
Back in the day before it became really fashionable for people to go to concerts and festivals, you used to be able to turn up at most gigs and get in that evening, as evidenced here by a flier for Newcastle Mayfair. Cheaper before 10pm, slightly more afterwards. Also very cheap, which is why l went to so many gigs and festivals over the years.
As for the flier, I went to five of these advertised shows, including AC/DC and Motorhead on consecutive nights, without ever having an advance ticket.
An old documentary on The Broken Doll pub in Newcastle, which was knocked down to expand the road system.
I spent many a happy hour in there over the years, and it's crappy the way the old alternative type pubs in Newcastle end up getting demolished.
My favourite was The Haymarket, but that went years ago.
Pah! - Bloody progress and gentrification.
I'm back in Newcastle for training tomorrow, and while there, l've had to find things to do with my spare time apart from hitting the pub, as can't drink during the day, and in the evening l've got to drive back from Darlington. Therefore, l have been checking out the nearby museums, and the above photographs are all from The Hancock Gallery's natural history section.
It's an interesting enough way of killing time, but they might find that the T.Rex is slowly getting smaller. That's because l'm stealing it, bone by bone, as l intend rebuilding it in the back garden to scare away the neighbours cats. As long as those pesky kids don't catch me in the act.
Wish me luck.
Damn!!! I'm certainly not used to this.
Having to drag myself out of bed at silly o'clock so l can drive to Darlington and catch an early train to Newcastle each day, because l have got six days of training at the University, and have to be there for just after 9am.
I'm used to lying around in bed in the mornings, not this kind of nonsense!
I know most people live in the real world and have to get up early five days a week, but that is exactly what l have been trying to avoid for god knows how many years. Luckily for me, the training is spread out over a couple of weeks, so l've got three earlies this week, two next week, and then a final day on the following Monday.
It also involves looking at computer screens most of the day, and much as l love computers, it's too much for my tired eyes when l am meant to still be in bed.
Still........Two days just completed, not back there till Friday, so it's back to late nights and lie ins till then (and l'll be watching the 'glorious' Manchester United tomorrow night).
Hurrah!!!!
What a day l've had today. I had a 3.15pm appointment at the Dental hospital in Newcastle and decided to go up early by train from Darlington, rather than driving and trying to find a decent parking place nearby. It was a splendidly sunshiny day and l perused the charity and record shops before my appointment, which passed the time rather nicely (Record shop grandad?? It's all CD's and downloads these days). My glorious day in the sunshine came to an abrupt end when l hit the dentist chair, as l was massaged (not in a good way), manhandled, examined, scrapped, electrocuted, and then X-Rayed afterwards. This was because it was my first appointment at the Dental Hospital, and they managed to get me an X-Ray slot straight away. No wonder l don't like dentists, even if Zara (my current one) is loveliness itself. I then went for a couple of ales in The Trent House and Bar Loco to recover my composure, indulged in a bit of shopping, and headed home, already dreading the next appointment in a couple of weeks. Bloody dentists. Maybe l saw 'Marathon Man' at too early an age (Is it safe?), or was scarred by the crappy butchers/dentist that used to be in Catterick, but either way, it's not something l look forward to. Then again, l suppose not many people do. If l could just overcome my fear of the dentists chair and spiders, l would be sorted, as l am now indestructible, and l can handle anything else.
A long, long time ago, l used to play football a lot, and to keep fit for it, l also used to do a lot of running. I had always been pretty good at long distance running, so as a bit of a laugh, l used to enter some organised runs with mates. These included the two Richmond / Swaledale James Herriot runs above, one of which l couldn't be bothered finishing, as it went near my home at the end, and l was going to get a bad time as l had to stop a couple of times due to my shoelaces malfunctioning. Therefore l walked of to my flat, got changed, and went to The Hildyard Arms, not completing the run and missing out on my medal and t-shirt (not that l cared).
The Great North Run ones l did for at least 5 years, and have a mixture of medals and programmes from them lying around. Before one run, myself and a mate called Rocker went to a late night reggae disco in Newcastle, and were the only white people in there. We still had a great time, got back in the early hours to my ex girlfriends house in Newcastle, then cracked on with the run the next morning. I was fine, but Rocker felt like being sick all the way round it. Now it would kill both of us (especially me with my bad knee).
This is what a programme ends up looking like when you foolishly buy it before the show, roll it up and stick it down your trousers (it impresses the laydees), then head down to the front of a Motorhead gig (on this occasion at Newcastle Mayfair in 1980).
Like me, a bit worse for wear.
I was recommended this book before last Christmas, but have only just got around to reading it.(out in the hammock with hot sunshine and a beer - bliss).
It's an autobiography by Al Davison in the form of a graphic novel (originally in comic form). He's from Newcastle, was born with Spina Bifida, and the book tells of his struggles in life, his childhood and schooldays, adult life and relationships, plus his interest in martial arts and Buddhism (which he puts to good use).
Michael, the person who recommended it to me, is a fan of comics, and knows Davison personally, so correctly guessed it would be something that would interest me, and he was proved to be correct.
An excellent read, all the more gripping because it is true (plus it bought back memories of going into Timeslip, the Newcastle comic shop, to flog a comic l was involved with).
Well, l finally got around to finishing this while away in Egypt (Sharm el-Sheikh), as l had been starting and stopping it for some time, mainly because l was reading it at night while l was tired at work. 'We' (by Yevgeny Zamyatin) tells the story of a glass covered and bleak dystopian future, where everything is state controlled, and kept in order by 'One State', until some of the citizens (who have no names, only numbers) decide to rebel and go back to the old days and break down the (literal) green wall separating them from nature. They try to enlist D-503, the architect of a rocket, who falls in love with one of them (1-330). However, he feels he may be being used, and thinks the rebels goals are insane as (to him) everything is logical and perfect, but he slowly starts to come around to their way of thinking. In the meantime, the state fights back by ordering compulsory 'Great Operations', basically a lobotomy that will put the populace back under their control. From 1921, and the first book to be banned by the Soviet censorship board, it's well worth sticking with, even if it does take some time, and it's weird to think that Zamyatin got some of the ideas for the book while working in the shipyards at Jesmond, Newcastle (just up the road from me).
