The plan was to have a quietish week...so when Blondie rang me on the Monday to ask if I fancied going to the Astoria 2 to see the last-ever Hellacopters UK show, obviously I said...yes. Well, it'd be rude to say no to a guestlist place to a sell-out, never-to-be-repeated night. Few pints in the Pillars of Hercules, met up with Tez, Lee & Will Rise Above, Frenchie...and the gig was great.
Tuesday - lovely quiet night in.
Wednesday - met up with Smiff at teatime, went to the flicks to see Tropic Thunder. Completely hilarious in parts, guffaw-out-loud funny. Am now more in love with RD Junior than ever. Afterwards, we went for a drink at The Big Chill House in Kings Cross. Cool building, with lots of little rooms, nooks and crannies. And then on to King's Place, for the opening of the first purpose built concert hall in London for over 25 years.
Very modern, huge, light, bright - bit like a museum, really. We were here to see John Smith play. John is a guitarist and singer, who I first saw play when he was supporting John Martyn at The Roundhouse a few years ago. He is superb, has a lovely, soft but rasping voice. Does a great cover of No One Knows by QOTSA, but is particularly good on traditional folk, but done his own way. He wasn't on until 11.15pm, so once he'd finished, we had to leg it sharpish for the last tube.Thursday - another day, another gig...Concrete and Glass is a two day festival, set in all the small venues in the area. Ours was in Hoxton Bar & Kitchen. I met up with Bernie & Kieran, and also with Tabby & Nads (I'll be partaking in holiday camp larks at All Tomorrow's Parties in December with them). We were there for O'Death, but also on the bill were Frightened Rabbit (Scottish indie-rockers - good) and Bodies Of Water (OK...sadly, my main preoccupation was with the main girl singer. She was wearing an all-in-one black leotard, and all I could wonder was..."is she wearing any knickers under that get-up???". Very distracting perhaps, but an interesting insight into the workings of my sorry mind). O'Death were brilliant yet again - they truly go for it, completely unselfconsciously mad and fun and riotous.
Friday - decisions, decisions...I could go to Shoreditch again, to see the wonderful David Thomas Broughton. But would I be overdoing him? Or should I go to The Forum to see Killing Joke (guestlist treat courtesy of dear Tez and the Forum Big Fish)? I opted for The Forum - and what a great choice. I'd thought that it'd just be a bit of nostalgic fun, harking back to my youth. But they more than delivered. From the opening strains of "Requiem", they had the whole crowd with them. Albeit a crowd of forty-something überfans, so no surprises there...finished the night at the aftershow, having a drink with the Germans over from Metalblade and Nuclear Blast. And then Jaz Coleman appeared and kindly let the Germans take a pic with him (they were also überfans). And then I went for a chip butty :) Perfect end to a brilliant and exhausting week. Next stop - Marsden Jazzfest - nice...
