Happy Halloween

a spooky sexy one hopefully!

The concert

a long post may follow, so this may not be anyone else’s cup of tea, but if nothing else it will serve to document a night I really enjoyed. My memory won’t always last as well, so I’ll have this to look back on.

As previously stated I was late getting out, in my bid to ensure the kids got their bedtime story.

This meant that I missed the first support act entirely. Mumblings I heard said they were reasonable, but nothing special.

The venue itself, sort of resembled a building site. They were refurbishing it. This meant that the bar area was restricted, so I didn’t drink much all night. Probably a good thing, as the toilets were of the portaloo variety, and not very pleasant.

To set the scene of who I was seeing I should divulge a little history. The Wedding Present were the first band I ever saw in Manchester, shortly after arriving at college, back in (Eeek!) 1987.

This was the year they released an album called George Best. For me it had been the soundtrack to my early college days. The songs were all about falling in love, having your heart broken and the other flotsam and jetsam of relationships. I was a prime age for all this type of stuff.

This current tour was the George Best 20th anniversary tour  and the band were following the original pattern of gigs played.

I was really unsure what the audience make up would be. I couldn’t imagine many young people being into them – they have released an album last year, but it’s a good 12 yeras since the one before that. I last saw them play live about 15 years ago, so it was going to be a real blast from the last for me. Only the lead singer remains from the original line up, but he real is The Wedding Present, being the songwriter.

Looking around me, at the fellow concert goers, I  realised that I’ve worn quite well: lots of balding heads and beer bellies that I don’t have!

The second support act came on, Calvin Party, and did about a 30 minute set. They were good and lively, with a quirky lead singer: lots of curly hair and thick glasses. I’d got myself a prime position down at the front by now, having written off queuing at the bar as a waste of time.

When Calvin Party had finished, I turned round and was quietly astonished how full the venue was. There were more nostalgia merchants out there than I thought clearly.

A short wait ensued, during which the front became packed. A real buzz of anticipation was building, reaching a height as the lights dimmed, signalling the start of the main act.

The female bass player walked out first, and started playing a rhythm. Then came the drummer, the guitarist and finally the lead singer, to rapturous applause.

(Excuse quality, but these are from my camera phone!)

They then launched into the first song, from a later time than the George Best album. After this the singer announced it was good to be back in his home town (more cheering) and explained that there would be a few songs more, then they were going to play the whole of the George Best album, in order, and then there would be a few more songs to round it off, but stating, as ever, that there would be no encores.

They then launched into another song, followed swiftly by a new song for the new album, the singer announced. I was starting to wonder how they were going to launch into the George Best section.

All became apparent: at the end of a song the guitarists held a wailing feedback note, and a large “rabbit” appeared on stage, holding up large cards. The cards counted down 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and the final one was a picture of the album cover.

The “rabbit”

Then the band catapulted into the first track from the album. Now they always used to play at a million miles an hour, and I wasn’t certain they would still do the same, but they did. The energy they put in was always hypnotic, even with the chaos that usually ensued, involving broken strings (thankfully there were no such mishaps on Friday).

The crowd was getting livlier, and there was a real sense of enjoyment coming from all around me. People singing/shouting along to the words, a couple of 40something crowd surefrs, who would surely pay for it the next morning.

All too soon they album was through, although given the breakneck pace it was played at, not too surprising! A few more old favourites began to be played and the crowd seemed to sense that the end was coming, so a final surge of energy was found from ageing limbs and throats.

 

 With a final swirl of feedback and a shout of “See you next year” from the singer it was over.

As ever, people clamoured for an encore, but as ever, the band never relented from their promise.

I was slightly disappointed that they hadn’t performed a cover version, I had fond memories of them playing “It’s Not Unusual” by Tom Jones at the last few concerts of theirs I’d seen.

But I was amazed that the songs had stood the test of time so well. The energy I remebered was still there and teh whole experience had been like turning the clock back all those years. I emerged from the venue into a slight drizzle, absolutely buzzing from the night.

I felt alive in a way I haven’t for quite some time.

Here’s a better picture stolen from another person!

and to round off this memory for me, some Youtube clips also nicked from other sources, from the concert earlier in the tour at Stirling. I should stress that we can’t access Youtube at work, so I have no idea if these clips still work,or the quality of them!

Don’t Take Me Home Until I’m Very Drunk

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XxDNwNx83mw

Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah and the bunny countdown

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=b9r2Nwqh6D8

Something and Nothing

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KKBG8lKO-UQ

No details

still, as I’m waiting to get chance to save my camera phone pics. If Mrs Zilla ever stops playing The Sims long enough, I’ll take my chance!

I guess I had a real awakening on Friday – it took me back to an age when I was carefree and self-indulgent.

I haven’t felt like that in a LONG time. I guess I’ve always put other people first. Something to do with insecurities and wanting to be liked probably.

I’ve resigned myself to the way things are, especially since the kids arrived. Not that I’m saying that’s a bad thing. I want them to be happy, and they do add an awful lot to my life.

I always put them first, often to my detriment – I miss out on things to make sure I’m there to read them a story at bedtime, as I did on Friday – so missing the first support band.

I know time with them is precious though, and you can’t live through things twice, so something has to give. Perhaps I need to stop being the one that gives all the time though?

Is there ever an ideal balance between putting your wants first and all your other responsibilities?

I hope I can find out. 

A View From the Past

I was struggling to come up with a post title, as I seem to have so many conflicting ideas clashing around my mind. Ultimately though Friday night’s concert rolled back the years for me, so I’m seeing things from a different viewpoint in time almost.

It’s been at least 11 years since I last went to a concert, a shameful fact, made all the more painful by the enjoyment I had on Friday.

There will no doubt be more to post about it, including a couple of dodgy camera phone pictures I took, but more now I just need to record the sheer joy I had, and how I felt more alive than I have done for some considerable time.

It’s made me question what I’m doing with elements of my life, and why something so inherently simple should have had such a profound change in the way I’m looking at things.

It almost feels like I’ve been in hibernation for the last few years, alive, but dormant. I don’t want to feel like that any more.

Details and more to follow no doubt, but I need to get my thoughts straight and articulate. Well more than they are right now, anyway.

Ramble warning

I’m feeling fairly unconnected today, a probable consequence of disturbed sleep.

I’m also giddy as a kipper, with the prospect of my first concert in years.

Another part of my life that seems to have taken a backseat since the arrival of children.

I used to love attending concerts, and even some really  bad ones I’ve enjoyed (which I may blog about next week)

Not looking forwardto the clocks going back this weekend – it used to mean an extra hour in bed. Kids change all that though, they have no concept.

I seem to be taking a negative tone about the children, so I should balance things up.

It was lovely to get home last night – no-one had heard me enter the house, and the way the kids’ faces lit up when they saw me was a joy to behold.

Godzooky 3 is starting to become more vocal, and can almost say all our names. Hopefully this will mean no need for speech therapy this time around!

Another thought provoking show:

last night I watched a documentary about some disabled men visiting a brothel in Spain.

It stemmed from one of them visiting it the previous year in an effort to lose his virginity.

He was sick of being patronised by women on nights out, and realised that he was unlikely to lose his virginity in the normal way.

His parents fully supported him, and had accompanied him to the brothel, even helping him onto the bed in preparation.

He show followed a return visit, when he was accompanied by two other disabled guys; one with sight problems and the other confined to a wheelchair after an accident.

The guy with the sight impairment agonised with his mother over whether it was the right thing to do, losing his virginity to a prostitute. It was very emotional stuff, but he was tired of being a virgin at 35, and wanted to experience what sex was like.

The other man, who had become disabled, had serious reservations about the whole thing, and ended up not sleeping with a prostitute. He felt that he wanted to lose his virginity with someone who meant something to him, and I knew exactly what he meant.

The original “pioneer” felt completely differently. He said it made him feel normal for once, and he didn’t see it as in anyway exploitative.

To me it wasn’t normal at all – it was all very artificial, and nothing like a normal relationship would be.

I still can’t make my mind up on the whole situation. I’m not sure who was exploiting who, and whether it was really enhancing anyone’s life, but then again it’s up to the individuals involved maybe?

More details here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7057929.stm

NEWS FLASH

I finally got my ticket !

 So relieved.

Roll on Friday now!

Literacy shocker

I was shocked by a tv programme I watched the other night, which said that 1 in 5 of children was leaving primary education unable to read or write properly!

20%! Our education system is clearly failing this generation.

I wasn’t quite as surprised to read the results of a survey which revealed that 1 in 10 parents had never read their children a bedtime story .

It’s a sad fact, but all too believable.

I love reading, and have done from a very early age. My mother tells stories of me always walking around with my head in a book and me returning home in tears from my first day at school, because I hadn’t learnt to read!

I really enjoy reading my kids bedtime stories, it’s great to share some real quality time with them, and have them hanging on my every word for once!

Back to the programme: it went on to describe a method of teaching reading that has a high success rate, using phonetics to learn.

In Scotland one area has seen illiteracy fall from almost 20% of kids, to just 3 children, that’s not 3%, but 3 in number terms.

Sadly one of the lasting memories from the show was the inappropriate name the schools minister has:

Lord Adonis.

Now I am far from God’s gift to women, but blimey, someone was having a laugh giving him that title surely?

The world is a mess

I’m writing this post early, as I have to go and try and sort out my concert ticket debacle. 

Despite ordering and paying for my ticket months ago, when I went to pick it up yesterday (hobbling all the way across town) I was told that they didn’t have one for me.

Someone had neglected to press a button when I paid, and so I hadn’t been reserved a ticket! 

What sort of organisation doesn’t reconcile their cash received to orders placed?

Sorry, the accountant in me, bubbling to the surface there. 

Hopefully there should be a shiny ticket waiting for me today!

It still involves hobbling across town again, but at least I’ll have my ticket. 

I was going to write a post about a tv programme I watched last night about childhood literacy, but some news items caught my eye instead. 

My faith in humanity is sinking fast, reading stories like these:

Simply outrageous behaviour

How this man avoided prison is beyond me.

Predators are everywhere

I find the thought of such people fishing for vulnerable targets sickening 

UPDATE 

My ticket is still not available. Things could be going horribly wrong.

Ouch again!

With my impeccable sense of timing I’ve managed to inujre myself again.

Saturday morning I was going down stairs, in just my boxers, (don’t dwell on that mental image for too long!) when I slipped.

I went a few steps down before jamming my foot in the spindles to stop myself falling further.

This worked, but caused me to fracture a toe.

At least that pain took my mind off my carpet burns.

I now know that the casualty department of the local hospital is quiet on a Saturday morning!

There wasn’t much they could do – just strap my toe to the one alongside it, and give me some painkillers. Which I soon learnt are not to be taken on an empty stomach!

Of course this would be the week of my much anticipated concert. So that’s put a dampner on that.

I need a change of luck.