Thursday: Managed to get my interview on Friday put back to Tuesday, I doubt I'd be able to get there myself without a lift at ten in the morning. Got a train from Rochester, found a carriage with hardly anyone in it and some transport police came in to inspect for gang graffiti. Got to Victoria, went straight to a coffee place and got myself a four shot Espresso (hail fucking Satan). Went to Sister Ray and picked up the new Oxbow album (haven't heard it yet but it's Oxbow, it's bound to be mindfuckingly good), broke with tradition and got chips instead of Thai food before heading to Islington. Got in line and ran straight into Will handing out flyers, he saw my Straight Fucking Edge shirt and said "I always forget that you're Straight Edge, whenever I see you, you always seem a bit out of it" (most people get that impression). For once I've gotten in the Academy and the bands haven't already started, it would seem they had their curfew pushed back an hour. Got a Sick Of It All baseball cap and the new tribute album (you'd think that the money would go to the bands on the record, but seeing as Sick Of It All wrote all the music they are probably entitled to a good chunk of the royalties), found a Ruction distro with stuff by bands who aren't on Ruction that I'd actually want to buy, got a Death Threat album cheap.
Honour Among Thieves: Surprised to see the Asian dude who works at the Underworld playing bass, thought they were good but not great. The best bit was when the singer was walking around the crowd and managed to rope a bunch of dudes into a circle with the mic cord.
Injury Time: The last time I saw them I didn't even last one song let alone get through their whole set to see Deny Everything, but for Sick Of It All, I will endure them, even on the front row. It's a wonder why they have Pierre from Knuckledust, all he does is pace about one side of the stage and shout along to the chorus, even when he takes the lead vocal it's nothing too complicated that the lead singer couldn't do himself.
Crime In Stereo: The stuff I'd heard from them on the Radio One Punk Show that sounded more Pop Punk but they had a tough guy element to some of their songs, they were good but I was a bit undeceive by the end of their set, I think I'll try downloading some of their stuff and see how it sits with me.
Sick Of It All: After an excruciatingly long time waiting for the roadies to sort out Pete's guitar amp they finally take to the stage, they opened with Good Lookin' Out and went straight into Take The Night Off but after that the set became much less predicable, they didn't play anything really old and unexpected but they did play America for the first time in a few tours, was surprised that they did Forked Tongue with one of the roadies doing Freddy from Madball's part. There were a load of people trying to get onstage to stage dive but the bouncers weren't having it, they even through out a couple of people (cunts), a Brazilian guy I met at one of their shows a couple of years ago (and who I've seen at many of their shows since) managed to get onstage at the expense of his Earth Crisis shirt getting torn by the bouncers, after the song finished he held the shirt aloft so they could see it, Lou said "look they tore his Earth Crisis shirtif I could make a suggestion, don't waste your money on that shit" by the end of the set the bouncers were actually letting people onstage who asked to stagedive. One thing I've never been able to do is sing on the mic at a Sick Of It All show, during My Life Lou came down front and shoved the mic in the face of a guy I was standing next to at the start of the set before I moved away from because I was getting jostled around too much, I did get to scream kind of near the mic later in the set during Friends Like You.
They played Us Vs. Them as their last song and had a massive stage invasion, I started taking pictures with my phone and had it knocked out of my hand by a stagediver, managed to find it before someone kicked it away or stamped on it.
Now how's this for surreal, I get out and run a gauntlet of people handing out flyers for shows, the last guy hands me a flyer for a Ruction show, I look up and it's Pierre! Got to Victoria, went to the Japanese place for Vegetarian Sushi (I just wanted to try it when I saw it last time I was there, it was ok, not that great). Sat on the train and got annoyed by pissed up Indie goons that sat right around me with awful smelling pasties, singing Maximo Park songs and talking about Facebook and their top friends on MySpace, got up at the first stop, pretended that I was getting off just to get away from them. Got off at Rochester and walked home.
Friday: Ah yes, trying to get to sleep after an evening of caffeine abuse, tossed and turned for over an hour, managed to agitate the trapped nerve in my leg which caused me to bolt up in pain at three am, slept for three hours then got up to search for throat sweets as mine was fucking killing me, tried in vain to get back to sleep but couldn't, thank Christ/Allah/Buddha/Satan (delete as applicable) I didn't have my interview today as I wouldn't be anywhere near coherent. Got a double Espresso from that Latino's place in the Pentagon, nice people, piss weak coffee. Walked to Rochester and got the bus the rest of the way to the Tap. I was at the bar when Steve, Liam and Nadine came in, bought Steve a drink in aid of his Birthday last week, he tried to give me money for a drink for Nadine but I just bought one for her too. Just spent most of the night chatting in the garden, later Chris and Zak showed up. Went up to the top floor to listen to Tyn play horrible music, saw Ollie and assorted associates. Lost track of Steve and Nadine, eventually found them in the garden. Before we made a move to leave Deano came up to us well fucking pissed up, he started shout "I'VE HAD A WHOLE BOTTLE OF WINE TO MYSELF" and then to this dude I always used to see down the Manor, trying to ignore him "A WHOOOLE BOTTLEYOU CUNT!" we just got up and fucking left. Saw Geoff before we tried to leave but it took a while as Nadine saw a bunch of her friends then Liam bought another drink (which Steve had to smuggle out so we could leave). They went up to the statue with the cone on it's head for a joint, I went to the kebab shop. The queue was just out on the front step so I moved inside, this tall skinny guy tap me on the shoulder and said "you were at the back weren't you" I smiled and turned back, he taps me again and says "you were at the back or you'll get a smack in the head" again I just smiled in his fucking face and turned back, I've noticed that some people who think just cause they are taller than you it automatically makes them harder, I let him in front of me but I made sure I was right at his side so whenever he turned back I'd be there smiling at him. They came down and got their own food then we got a taxi to stop at Liam's, then mine, then Steve and Nadine went back to his.
Saturday: Out like a light, managed four and a half hours of sleep, an improvement on last night. Got the train from Rochester after three, got a coffee from the trolley service and read Howard Zinn. Sent Mills a text asking if he was coming to the show tonight, he texted back saying he was still on holiday in Minorca (I didn't know he left). Got an Espresso right after I got off the train, discovered to my horror that most of the Victoria line was shut down that day but thankfully I could still get about on the Circle and District line. Took the long way to Oxford Circus, got Jesu's first EP from HMV then went to Sister Ray and got a Nick Cave album and a Why? single. A Bizarre thing happened when I walked down Berwick Street, I saw a brothel among all the music shops, it wasn't really obvious, it just had a metallic hallway with a list of girls on the wall near the entrance (I just remember reading "AMBER sexy blonde"), it wasn't that shocking seeing as when you go to the end of Berwick Street and turn left, hello Red Light district, it was just weird that it should be there and all the years I've been going there I've only just noticed it. Went to a different Thai place to eat this time, was let down when I found out they stopped doing Vegetarian food (did they ever do Vegetarian food or did I just imagine it? No, I do remember when they opened they had "Vegetarian" in the window, but seeing as they had to compete with the other Vegan Thai place just down the street I guess they just started to offer the one thing they didn't have; meat), they did have enough rice, noodles and vegetables. Walked around Soho Square to find a Gay pride thing, laughed at just how many corporate sponsors they had and watched people queue to pay to get in the park to get rained on and listen to dance music. Got the train to Sheppard's Bush, found the venue after a little searching, which opened actually on time. Went to the merch stall, saw they were selling the same Jesu twelve inch I got through the post that morning for cheaper than what I ordered it for but it was also the first pressing were mine is the second (that's the kind of anal record collecting geek I am). Found that the Empire was a lot smaller than I expected, maybe just the same size as the Mean Fiddler, they did have two levels of balconies but they were open.
Guapo: Didn't care for them.
Final: Justin just comes out with his guitar connected to his laptop, sitting on a stool making soundscapes occasionally rocking back and forth, interesting musically but fucking boring to watch.
Neurosis: It's so weird to see them on a stage so small I could almost reach over the barrier and touch them. They played mostly stuff from the last two albums and not a whole lot of older stuff, still very cool.
Took fucking ages to get back to Victoria, when I got there I decided I couldn't be arse to get something to eat so I just got straight on my train. When I got to Chatham there was a big queue for taxis because the cunting Mystery Jets played at the Tap. When I got a taxi there was an accident in Rochester so the road had to be closed down, the driver backed up and had to go round the vines to get the other side of the High Street, adding an extra pound to my fare, managed six hours of sleep.
Honour Among Thieves: Surprised to see the Asian dude who works at the Underworld playing bass, thought they were good but not great. The best bit was when the singer was walking around the crowd and managed to rope a bunch of dudes into a circle with the mic cord.
Injury Time: The last time I saw them I didn't even last one song let alone get through their whole set to see Deny Everything, but for Sick Of It All, I will endure them, even on the front row. It's a wonder why they have Pierre from Knuckledust, all he does is pace about one side of the stage and shout along to the chorus, even when he takes the lead vocal it's nothing too complicated that the lead singer couldn't do himself.
Crime In Stereo: The stuff I'd heard from them on the Radio One Punk Show that sounded more Pop Punk but they had a tough guy element to some of their songs, they were good but I was a bit undeceive by the end of their set, I think I'll try downloading some of their stuff and see how it sits with me.
Sick Of It All: After an excruciatingly long time waiting for the roadies to sort out Pete's guitar amp they finally take to the stage, they opened with Good Lookin' Out and went straight into Take The Night Off but after that the set became much less predicable, they didn't play anything really old and unexpected but they did play America for the first time in a few tours, was surprised that they did Forked Tongue with one of the roadies doing Freddy from Madball's part. There were a load of people trying to get onstage to stage dive but the bouncers weren't having it, they even through out a couple of people (cunts), a Brazilian guy I met at one of their shows a couple of years ago (and who I've seen at many of their shows since) managed to get onstage at the expense of his Earth Crisis shirt getting torn by the bouncers, after the song finished he held the shirt aloft so they could see it, Lou said "look they tore his Earth Crisis shirtif I could make a suggestion, don't waste your money on that shit" by the end of the set the bouncers were actually letting people onstage who asked to stagedive. One thing I've never been able to do is sing on the mic at a Sick Of It All show, during My Life Lou came down front and shoved the mic in the face of a guy I was standing next to at the start of the set before I moved away from because I was getting jostled around too much, I did get to scream kind of near the mic later in the set during Friends Like You.
They played Us Vs. Them as their last song and had a massive stage invasion, I started taking pictures with my phone and had it knocked out of my hand by a stagediver, managed to find it before someone kicked it away or stamped on it.
Now how's this for surreal, I get out and run a gauntlet of people handing out flyers for shows, the last guy hands me a flyer for a Ruction show, I look up and it's Pierre! Got to Victoria, went to the Japanese place for Vegetarian Sushi (I just wanted to try it when I saw it last time I was there, it was ok, not that great). Sat on the train and got annoyed by pissed up Indie goons that sat right around me with awful smelling pasties, singing Maximo Park songs and talking about Facebook and their top friends on MySpace, got up at the first stop, pretended that I was getting off just to get away from them. Got off at Rochester and walked home.
Friday: Ah yes, trying to get to sleep after an evening of caffeine abuse, tossed and turned for over an hour, managed to agitate the trapped nerve in my leg which caused me to bolt up in pain at three am, slept for three hours then got up to search for throat sweets as mine was fucking killing me, tried in vain to get back to sleep but couldn't, thank Christ/Allah/Buddha/Satan (delete as applicable) I didn't have my interview today as I wouldn't be anywhere near coherent. Got a double Espresso from that Latino's place in the Pentagon, nice people, piss weak coffee. Walked to Rochester and got the bus the rest of the way to the Tap. I was at the bar when Steve, Liam and Nadine came in, bought Steve a drink in aid of his Birthday last week, he tried to give me money for a drink for Nadine but I just bought one for her too. Just spent most of the night chatting in the garden, later Chris and Zak showed up. Went up to the top floor to listen to Tyn play horrible music, saw Ollie and assorted associates. Lost track of Steve and Nadine, eventually found them in the garden. Before we made a move to leave Deano came up to us well fucking pissed up, he started shout "I'VE HAD A WHOLE BOTTLE OF WINE TO MYSELF" and then to this dude I always used to see down the Manor, trying to ignore him "A WHOOOLE BOTTLEYOU CUNT!" we just got up and fucking left. Saw Geoff before we tried to leave but it took a while as Nadine saw a bunch of her friends then Liam bought another drink (which Steve had to smuggle out so we could leave). They went up to the statue with the cone on it's head for a joint, I went to the kebab shop. The queue was just out on the front step so I moved inside, this tall skinny guy tap me on the shoulder and said "you were at the back weren't you" I smiled and turned back, he taps me again and says "you were at the back or you'll get a smack in the head" again I just smiled in his fucking face and turned back, I've noticed that some people who think just cause they are taller than you it automatically makes them harder, I let him in front of me but I made sure I was right at his side so whenever he turned back I'd be there smiling at him. They came down and got their own food then we got a taxi to stop at Liam's, then mine, then Steve and Nadine went back to his.
Saturday: Out like a light, managed four and a half hours of sleep, an improvement on last night. Got the train from Rochester after three, got a coffee from the trolley service and read Howard Zinn. Sent Mills a text asking if he was coming to the show tonight, he texted back saying he was still on holiday in Minorca (I didn't know he left). Got an Espresso right after I got off the train, discovered to my horror that most of the Victoria line was shut down that day but thankfully I could still get about on the Circle and District line. Took the long way to Oxford Circus, got Jesu's first EP from HMV then went to Sister Ray and got a Nick Cave album and a Why? single. A Bizarre thing happened when I walked down Berwick Street, I saw a brothel among all the music shops, it wasn't really obvious, it just had a metallic hallway with a list of girls on the wall near the entrance (I just remember reading "AMBER sexy blonde"), it wasn't that shocking seeing as when you go to the end of Berwick Street and turn left, hello Red Light district, it was just weird that it should be there and all the years I've been going there I've only just noticed it. Went to a different Thai place to eat this time, was let down when I found out they stopped doing Vegetarian food (did they ever do Vegetarian food or did I just imagine it? No, I do remember when they opened they had "Vegetarian" in the window, but seeing as they had to compete with the other Vegan Thai place just down the street I guess they just started to offer the one thing they didn't have; meat), they did have enough rice, noodles and vegetables. Walked around Soho Square to find a Gay pride thing, laughed at just how many corporate sponsors they had and watched people queue to pay to get in the park to get rained on and listen to dance music. Got the train to Sheppard's Bush, found the venue after a little searching, which opened actually on time. Went to the merch stall, saw they were selling the same Jesu twelve inch I got through the post that morning for cheaper than what I ordered it for but it was also the first pressing were mine is the second (that's the kind of anal record collecting geek I am). Found that the Empire was a lot smaller than I expected, maybe just the same size as the Mean Fiddler, they did have two levels of balconies but they were open.
Guapo: Didn't care for them.
Final: Justin just comes out with his guitar connected to his laptop, sitting on a stool making soundscapes occasionally rocking back and forth, interesting musically but fucking boring to watch.
Neurosis: It's so weird to see them on a stage so small I could almost reach over the barrier and touch them. They played mostly stuff from the last two albums and not a whole lot of older stuff, still very cool.
Took fucking ages to get back to Victoria, when I got there I decided I couldn't be arse to get something to eat so I just got straight on my train. When I got to Chatham there was a big queue for taxis because the cunting Mystery Jets played at the Tap. When I got a taxi there was an accident in Rochester so the road had to be closed down, the driver backed up and had to go round the vines to get the other side of the High Street, adding an extra pound to my fare, managed six hours of sleep.