6 posts tagged “bristol”
Not feeling like I could be arsed, but having brought tickets and havin really wanted to see Retribution Gospel Choir for ages..I forced myself to make the journey back to Bristol for the 2nd night in a row.
Leaving a bit later than planned, myself, Ash, Grace, Ben and Beev piled into my car and we braved the mental rain, occasionally aquaplaning down the M4, to the Thekla. As I walked up to the venue I could hear them on stage already. I legged it downstairs, pushed through the crowd, stood at the front mesmerised as a quite clearly wasted Alan Sparhawk chucked his head back and forth while hammering out the awesome Low tune 'Breaker'. I was hugely excited/impressed. They finished their song and Alan Sparhawk leans forward to the mic and says 'Thank you and Good night' (or words to that effect).... EPIC FAIL!
I was gutted...... Tampin' I was.
Here is the photo I managed to take during their last song
After the bands finished playing, we hung around for a bit while the Thekla club night started. Ash couldn't resist the temptation of an empty dance floor so embarked on a one woman dancing extravaganza. It was great. Here is a video of her moves. Unfortunately for us (fortunately for her) it is too dark to see much, but you get glimpses of her leg work which gives you an idea of her dancing skills (ills).
So Friday night saw a load of us jump on a train to Bristol for the long awaited Sigur Ros gig in Colston Hall. I brought my tickets way back in the summer and have been really excited to see them. Caught them playing on the main stage at Electric Picnic and they did nearly make me cry. Maybe it was the jetlag to Dublin. Maybe it was the thought of sharing a tent with Grace.... but at the time I put it down to Sigur Ros playing an epic, emotional assault of songs which were reinforced with a beautiful string section. So, as you can imagine, I was expecting great things from them this time.
On the train up, it was deemed wise to skull back bottles of beer and neat Jack Daniels.
On hanging around outside the venue, while having a fag Ben
nearly sat on a docile pigeon having a nap.
When we alerted him to his near miss, he proceeded to pounce towards
said pigeon and try and pick it up. I only wish I got my phone out
quick enough to capture this moment. It was a beautiful thing.....
until the pigeon seemed to get quite annoyed, very quickly. After a
short skuffle between Ben and the Pigeon, he released it (i.e.
dropped it) back into its natural habitat (a bin*). Comedy
gold.
After this beautiful moment of 'Man v's Bird' we headed into the venue, got more drinks in and watched the support band, who were really good. Like a harder, edgier Sigur Ros I think it is fair to say.
Stood waiting for Sigur Ros, Beev asked the what the time was. I said 9:00 to which he replied 'No! I thought it was gone 11!' followed by the fatal words "Oh no, I've peaked to soon!" I was fearful. (later on during the night, in an epic display of being ruined, Beev failed to notice a massive amount of confetti falling on him from the sky. He only realised this when Ben told him it was happening. He had his eyes closed in a vertical mong out. Ha ha. What a winner.
I wasn't disappointed. Just not blown away. Know wha I mean? :)
The last/next train for Cardiff was due to leave Bristol at 1:30am, so we had time to kill. We ended up in taking refuge in a pretty dire 'bar'. To pass the time Ash threw herself down some stairs, Beev napped and Ben danced to a live band playing the likes of Red Hot Chilli Peppers (with Ash - I know, I was ashamed)... while I sat shouting such classic lines as 'Your Shit!' every time the band finished a song.
We some how managed to end up leaving it pretty late to get our train, so in a demonstration of impressive physical endurance, we proceeded to run for what seemed like 10 miles to the train 'just' about making it. It hurt.
Apologies to the people on the train for the misbehaviour that ensued for the duration of the journey.
Here is Ash, Beev, Ben and I locked in the train toilet. good times.
*by not in
My average of gigs per week this year is slipping. I was running at a 1.5 per week average. Its down to 1.3 now. This must mean that my fun to work ratio has changed. You would think. OR is it that I have been finding alternative ways to have fun other than by going to see bands....
Last week I did get to see some live music in the form of Lyrics Born at the Thekla in Bristol.
We've been looking forward to seeing him for fair few weeks now. His album 'Everywhere at Once' is a classic summer album which I can be heard pumpin out loud from my car, low riding through town with the windows down... often with ash in the passenger seat trying to master the words to his awesome tune 'I like it I love it' (she usually fails after the first verse, but what she lacks in accuracy, she makes up for in effort!).....
Since I last blogged, I hammered this whole book (almost) in 24hrs.
Worked in spillers on Saturday. Always fun and I get to go home with an arm load of new CD's. There is not a lot better than having a bag of new music to listen to. Pisses over downloading 0 and 1's i'm telling you.
Had a lovely evening hanging out with my home girls on Saturday. Especially loved driving around town listening to:
In a new experience for me, I had my mates make the 30min ride out of town to come see me in my manor. We went for a walk down to the beach and hung out in the sun. Was a nice day.
Here is a photo I took. I have hidden the identity of one gentleman who attended as he doesn't like people knowing what he has been up to via my blog :)
I am currently having my mind blown by Smog and Neil Young..... while embarking on a love affair with 60's Psych.... hoping this affair will blossom into a full blown relationship. Its really doing it for me now anyway.
Off to the 'don tomorrow. £12 return on the Megabus! barryargin!
Occasionally when I watch people play music, when they finish a song my legs are almost like jelly and my hands start to shake. This happened tonight watching Low. So so subtle and quiet, but absolutely beautiful.... and in some parts the sound is just so intense it just blows you away. When you are watching something so good, it is hard to think about anything else. I even forgot where I was at one point (good job I had satnav eh... booom boom)
I feel lucky to absolutely love bands and be able to watch them up close as illustrated in this photo:
I watched this band all by myself cos I managed to lose everyone at the beginning. I didn't care. Had an ace time regardless.
Also, it took fuckin ages to drive back. Bastarding road works, again. After dropping everyone home (Beev, Ellie, Mark, Ash, Grace and Rhodri) I had another half hour to get home BUT I was so into the album I was listening to when I actually did get home, that I coulda kept on driving until the end of it. Now that is a testament to good album!.......... oh and it was Why? 'Alopecia' by the way.
Bjork next week! Cannot wait I tell thee!
I am listening to Low and they are literally ripping my insides out. Drums and Guns is on at the moment. The tune 'Murderer' to be specific.
I am going to watch them in Bristol on Monday. I cannot wait. I am fully prepared for intermittent dampening of the eyes throughout.
Also, Bjork the week after in Plymouth. I can't wait for that either. I am a lucky lucky lady.
Gig #16, how they are clocking up.
Tonight Ash, Grace, Beev and I Took a jaunt to Bristol to see the obscenely named Holy Fuck! in the Thekla. I rate their album loads. Its worth checking out their tune 'Lovely Allen' if you aint heard them before. This tune was probably the highlight of their set. Lots of dancing at the front. This included me, ash and grace and other assorted mentals.
They were way more electronic that I woulda thought them to be live. Electronic = good. But despite this, they still weren't mind blowing (see last post for Efterklang :) ). Can't expect to have my tiny mind blown to pieces 2 nights in a row. Wouldn't want it to be either. Too much for one tiny mind.
The support band Free Blood, were good sounding but lazy as fuck as they just sang and danced around to a backing track. Like a cool karaoke. Good to listen to. A bit shite to watch.
I like the Thekla though. Its a great venue. Its good because, its a venue, but its on a boat. Thats right, ON A BOAT. I love venues, and I love boats, therefore I love this place :)
Marathon journey home. Had to go via Bath cos of bastarding road works. We amused ourselves by taking it in turns to DJ on the Ipod, combined with much singing (from me) and dancing (from me also). We had an eclectic mix bag of tunes which included hits from the likes of The Black Ghosts, Skream, Smog, Sparklehorse, Bjork, Aesop Rock and Wu Tang Clan. A dip in the volume on the stereo caused a shout from the back "Turn it up, this aint no Bistro" from smAsh. Which made me laugh. She is the only person to get in my car and turn the tunes up. Everyone else turns them down and complains.
Its is 2:17am. I should go to bed.
Night y'all. :) x
Oh one last thing before I hang up the line for the last time....... I have just found this really nice Holy Fuck! remix of Radiohead's 'Nude'. Check it!
