Meh.
So last night I got on the scales and weighed myself, and I'm up to 14 stone 10 lbs. That was fully dressed, but even this morning when I was wandering around my domain, lording it up naked, I still weighed in at 14 st 3 lbs.
No wonder I've been so lethargic recently. Life, it seems, has all been a bit "meh", and really it shouldn't be like that. I have a lovely lively wife and three beautiful girls, and I wasn't taking pleasure in any of them.
This week I've not been drinking, I thought that might help, and perhaps it has, but I think that when we get back from holiday I am going to have to take some serious action. I'm talking about running again, and keeping it up this time. I may even start going to the gym, I'm not sure if TW can still get me half-price membership, I'll have to check. I was looking in the mirror yesterday morning and I know I have a belly, right, there is no way I can be three stone overweight and not have a belly. But I noticed that I now have saddlebags too, above my hips and to the back? That's a new development I've not noticed before. So that's kind of like a call to action.
The trouble is that we go on holiday tomorrow, for a week, and so I'm not sure what state I'll come back in. Should I take an ascetic approach on holiday and live like a monk, watching my calories and limiting my booze intake? Or should I forget it all and pick it up when I come back? At which stage it'll be harder to achieve my aims, or it will take longer, at least.
Well, looking at that, it seems that I have answered my own question, and I have been thinking that I would limit my booze intake anyway, since the children will be with us. It seems like I shall probably do a lot of reading. Hopefully the children will be occupied with activity clubs, and TW & I can get some time to relax.
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Sunday 15-04-19 Easter at Petworth
As part of our strategy to keep the children occupied and happy, on Saturday 4th April (the day before Easter Sunday) we went to Petworth with some friends and their kids. Petworth House is managed by the National Trust and they tend to do seasonal activities for the kids, which is nice.
Our girls immediately tried to climb up to the folly using quite a steep approach, and as it was still slightly wet underfoot, they ended up slipping and getting muddy within five minutes of getting there, the muppets.
This time the NT had arranged an egg hunt in the gardens of the house, which ended with them receiving a chocolate egg - quite sizeable it was too, but then it was £3 per child to take part, so fair's fair. It took quite a chunk of time, 40 minutes or so, during which the children were rushing here and there, and we didn't see them, which was nice. They were playing nicely with each other and rushing around trying to find the eggs, which were quite well-hidden. Once the hunt had finished, we walked down to the lake, and had our picnic at a building (possibly an old boathouse?) on the lake.
After lunch we went up to the house and wandered through the rooms and the kitchens. Again, the children loved it and played nicely with each other. A lovely day was had by all, really.
We finished the day off with fish and chips from Old Nick's, and that was another day down. I can't believe that we're already midway through April and almost a third of the year is gone. It's Mum and Dad's wedding anniversary today, 46 long and happy years. I hope TW & I manage as long, and longer even.
TTFN.
Our girls immediately tried to climb up to the folly using quite a steep approach, and as it was still slightly wet underfoot, they ended up slipping and getting muddy within five minutes of getting there, the muppets.
This time the NT had arranged an egg hunt in the gardens of the house, which ended with them receiving a chocolate egg - quite sizeable it was too, but then it was £3 per child to take part, so fair's fair. It took quite a chunk of time, 40 minutes or so, during which the children were rushing here and there, and we didn't see them, which was nice. They were playing nicely with each other and rushing around trying to find the eggs, which were quite well-hidden. Once the hunt had finished, we walked down to the lake, and had our picnic at a building (possibly an old boathouse?) on the lake.
After lunch we went up to the house and wandered through the rooms and the kitchens. Again, the children loved it and played nicely with each other. A lovely day was had by all, really.
We finished the day off with fish and chips from Old Nick's, and that was another day down. I can't believe that we're already midway through April and almost a third of the year is gone. It's Mum and Dad's wedding anniversary today, 46 long and happy years. I hope TW & I manage as long, and longer even.
TTFN.
Saturday, April 18, 2015
Saturday 15-04-17 A Trip to Knockhatch
So it was the Middle 'Un's birthday nearly three weeks ago. As a treat she asked to go to Knockhatch, which is an adventure playpark / petting farm over in East Sussex, near Polegate. She wouldn't have asked, except she was prompted by her older sister who went there last summer for a friend's birthday day out.
It was the 30th March and it was a little nippy, but we're a hardy bunch (or TW is, at least), and so off we went. It took about an hour to get there from Worthing, which isn't too bad, and they had a lot of parking. Tickets were £10 for the children and £8 for the adults, which seems only fair since it is an attraction for the kids and not the grown-ups. Someone very kindly gave us a twofer in the carpark, and so for me and TW, and four kids, it cost £36. The vouchers are apparently freely available on t'interwebs. There are a few attractions for which you have to pay £1 or £2 extra at entry, like Laser Quest and the "rock climbing", but we didn't bother with any of that. We did buy some animal feed, a beaker-full was 50p, which was well worth it when it came to feeding the animals.
When you get in, there is a barn close by with goats, sheep, llamas, donkeys, alpacas, all of whom you can feed, using the feed you just bought from the entry kiosk. I think it was The Eldest who got a bit squeamish and didn't manage to feed any animal, but even I had a go, so it was really not that scary at all. And the attendants were very engaged in caring for the animals, and talked enthusiastically about them all, which was good to see.
Next up was a barrel ride, where a tractor pulls a load of hollowed-out barrels on wheels, the girls quite enjoyed that. Then we went into the main part of the adventure playground.
They have a "demon drop" slide, which starts vertically, and then curves out to horizontal, the girls enjoyed that too; the Middle 'Un didn't quite get the courage to do that, and The Youngest took her time, but by the end we had to prise her off it! There was also a little "air chair" sedate fairground ride for the younger ones, and the more nervous ones, that had a height restriction.
They even have a Runaway Train Simulator, which the children loved but left me and TW feeling nauseous. I have no spatial awareness on those things, and so I was gripping the handrails and holding on grimly, although I'll bet that the simulator never tipped much at all; it was more the jerkiness of it which was unsettling.
After that, the main thing which occupied our kids was the Wave Runner waterslide. Basically, they went down a watery chute on a sled, and then skipped along a water-filled halfpipe, until they came out at the end onto dry land. There was a possibility that you could remain dry throughout, but it was a remote possibility at that. Although I took a change of clothes, I didn't go on it, but the girls were mad for it.
Which was handy, because TW & I were very interested in the bird display. We saw a Red Kite and several owls and the keepers at Knockhatch were very knowledgeable and engaging, explaining about their habitat and hunting practices.
And we even got to go on the boating lake (also included in the entry price), although I did keep steering into the bank. Practice makes perfect though; if we go back I shall definitely do that again.
All in all, it's a lovely place with few pretensions and there is enough there to keep the family entertained all day. I didn't even mention the indoor soft play area! In fact it was so good that TW took the kids there again the following week with a friend, while I was at work. I'd thoroughly recommend it for a day out, even if it does take a while to get there.
TTFN.
It was the 30th March and it was a little nippy, but we're a hardy bunch (or TW is, at least), and so off we went. It took about an hour to get there from Worthing, which isn't too bad, and they had a lot of parking. Tickets were £10 for the children and £8 for the adults, which seems only fair since it is an attraction for the kids and not the grown-ups. Someone very kindly gave us a twofer in the carpark, and so for me and TW, and four kids, it cost £36. The vouchers are apparently freely available on t'interwebs. There are a few attractions for which you have to pay £1 or £2 extra at entry, like Laser Quest and the "rock climbing", but we didn't bother with any of that. We did buy some animal feed, a beaker-full was 50p, which was well worth it when it came to feeding the animals.
When you get in, there is a barn close by with goats, sheep, llamas, donkeys, alpacas, all of whom you can feed, using the feed you just bought from the entry kiosk. I think it was The Eldest who got a bit squeamish and didn't manage to feed any animal, but even I had a go, so it was really not that scary at all. And the attendants were very engaged in caring for the animals, and talked enthusiastically about them all, which was good to see.
Next up was a barrel ride, where a tractor pulls a load of hollowed-out barrels on wheels, the girls quite enjoyed that. Then we went into the main part of the adventure playground.
They have a "demon drop" slide, which starts vertically, and then curves out to horizontal, the girls enjoyed that too; the Middle 'Un didn't quite get the courage to do that, and The Youngest took her time, but by the end we had to prise her off it! There was also a little "air chair" sedate fairground ride for the younger ones, and the more nervous ones, that had a height restriction.
They even have a Runaway Train Simulator, which the children loved but left me and TW feeling nauseous. I have no spatial awareness on those things, and so I was gripping the handrails and holding on grimly, although I'll bet that the simulator never tipped much at all; it was more the jerkiness of it which was unsettling.
After that, the main thing which occupied our kids was the Wave Runner waterslide. Basically, they went down a watery chute on a sled, and then skipped along a water-filled halfpipe, until they came out at the end onto dry land. There was a possibility that you could remain dry throughout, but it was a remote possibility at that. Although I took a change of clothes, I didn't go on it, but the girls were mad for it.
Which was handy, because TW & I were very interested in the bird display. We saw a Red Kite and several owls and the keepers at Knockhatch were very knowledgeable and engaging, explaining about their habitat and hunting practices.
And we even got to go on the boating lake (also included in the entry price), although I did keep steering into the bank. Practice makes perfect though; if we go back I shall definitely do that again.
All in all, it's a lovely place with few pretensions and there is enough there to keep the family entertained all day. I didn't even mention the indoor soft play area! In fact it was so good that TW took the kids there again the following week with a friend, while I was at work. I'd thoroughly recommend it for a day out, even if it does take a while to get there.
TTFN.
Friday, April 10, 2015
Friday 15-04-10 Range Appliances
So a couple if weeks ago I made a cake. It was a coffee and walnut cake, and it was delicious. TW had to rescue the icing on the top, because for some reason it curdled, but other than that, it was all my own creation, and I was very proud of it.
Unfortunately, while it was cooking, the oven exploded. Well, I say "exploded", it did make a popping sound, and although I was able to finish cooking the cake, the oven didn't work again. So it was time to call out the repair man.
We called out Range Appliances before, to replace our grill. We had been without a grill for about 18 months, and when we had our fuse box replaced, I asked those guys if they had anyone they could recommend. They mentioned Range Appliances, and I gave them a call. The main guy came, checked the part, gave me a price which was acceptable, and then he came back a couple of days later and replaced it. Brilliant service.
So, on this occasion, I had no hesitation in calling them again. The cooker blew up on the Sunday, I called them on the Monday, and they came out to look at it on the Tuesday. Then the guy gave me the price, £73, and said he could come back on the Thursday. So I got two days working from home, and we got our cooker fixed.
If anyone local needs some oven repair work done, I would recommend calling Range Appliances, they're brilliant.
My only regret is that my attempt at a joke, as the guy was leaving ("thanks ever so much, but I hope not to see you soon") fell a bit flat. But as TW says, I can't tell jokes, so it's not surprising really...
Unfortunately, while it was cooking, the oven exploded. Well, I say "exploded", it did make a popping sound, and although I was able to finish cooking the cake, the oven didn't work again. So it was time to call out the repair man.
We called out Range Appliances before, to replace our grill. We had been without a grill for about 18 months, and when we had our fuse box replaced, I asked those guys if they had anyone they could recommend. They mentioned Range Appliances, and I gave them a call. The main guy came, checked the part, gave me a price which was acceptable, and then he came back a couple of days later and replaced it. Brilliant service.
So, on this occasion, I had no hesitation in calling them again. The cooker blew up on the Sunday, I called them on the Monday, and they came out to look at it on the Tuesday. Then the guy gave me the price, £73, and said he could come back on the Thursday. So I got two days working from home, and we got our cooker fixed.
If anyone local needs some oven repair work done, I would recommend calling Range Appliances, they're brilliant.
My only regret is that my attempt at a joke, as the guy was leaving ("thanks ever so much, but I hope not to see you soon") fell a bit flat. But as TW says, I can't tell jokes, so it's not surprising really...
Friday 15-04-10 There's an Election Coming...
Unless you've had your head buried in the sand for the previous three months, you'll know that there is a general election in just under four weeks. And what a mouth-watering, interesting few weeks we've got coming.
We've already had the "Leaders' Debate", which of course I watched. I zoned out a bit during parts of the debate, but overall I thought it was quite interesting.
There are more debates to come, and I believe Cameron and Militant are going to be on a Question Time type show, although not debating head to head.
And then there is the question of who to vote for... It's a bit of a moot point here in West Worthing, or it has been up until now, as Sir Bottomley is our sitting MP. But I have heard that Bob Smytherman is standing for the Lib Dems, and he used to be Mayor, so he might stand a chance of challenging Sir Peter.
I don't think I can vote Tory this time around, so I am trying to see what my options are. Cameron, whom I quite like, suggested that if the Tories get into power with a clear majority, they would freeze JSA (Job Seeker's Allowance), which would save £2bn. But at the same time they've raised the threshold at which taxpayers pay the higher rate of tax, which is costing approximately £2bn. So they are causing hardship for those who have to count their pennies, and they are rewarding those, or reducing the tax burden on those who have a bit extra and can probably afford to have their wings clipped a bit. And I include myself in that; I am acutely aware of where the higher-rate tax threshold is, since my salary is slightly higher than that threshold. But then I spend a lot of my salary on comics, and wine, and electronics. I don't have to juggle necessities, and decide whether I am going to eat well or heat the house. I don't have to go to loan companies like Brighthouse and get finance on unacceptable terms. I don't have to borrow from loan sharks and put my belongings and limbs at risk. If I was a bit short one month, I could just stay sober for longer, or more likely dip into the kids' savings - they have more tucked away than I do.
Of course, with inflation at close to zero, any increase in JSA would be minimal anyway, and he probably could have got away with saying nothing, and still not increasing JSA, but it's a "dog whistle" tactic, or a policy aimed squarely at the natural Tory voter, and despite the fact that I'm 43 and getting older, it seems a bit distasteful to me.
One of the other policies or beliefs that the Tories espouse is the "trickle-down" theory, that the super-rich benefit the rest of the nation through spending their wealth. And so newsagents see more business, restaurateurs take in more in earnings, etc. It's not a belief I share, and so again I can't vote for that.
As I've said previously, West Worthing is a Tory stronghold, but they have a strong Lib Dem presence on the council, so Lib Dems might be the way to go. I'm certainly not going to vote UKIP, that's for sure :-D.
We'll see how it goes, I will have to make up my mind soon-ish. I am looking forward to the horse-trading which will happen after the election; I think that will be the most interesting and convoluted part.
Tally-ho!
We've already had the "Leaders' Debate", which of course I watched. I zoned out a bit during parts of the debate, but overall I thought it was quite interesting.
There are more debates to come, and I believe Cameron and Militant are going to be on a Question Time type show, although not debating head to head.
And then there is the question of who to vote for... It's a bit of a moot point here in West Worthing, or it has been up until now, as Sir Bottomley is our sitting MP. But I have heard that Bob Smytherman is standing for the Lib Dems, and he used to be Mayor, so he might stand a chance of challenging Sir Peter.
I don't think I can vote Tory this time around, so I am trying to see what my options are. Cameron, whom I quite like, suggested that if the Tories get into power with a clear majority, they would freeze JSA (Job Seeker's Allowance), which would save £2bn. But at the same time they've raised the threshold at which taxpayers pay the higher rate of tax, which is costing approximately £2bn. So they are causing hardship for those who have to count their pennies, and they are rewarding those, or reducing the tax burden on those who have a bit extra and can probably afford to have their wings clipped a bit. And I include myself in that; I am acutely aware of where the higher-rate tax threshold is, since my salary is slightly higher than that threshold. But then I spend a lot of my salary on comics, and wine, and electronics. I don't have to juggle necessities, and decide whether I am going to eat well or heat the house. I don't have to go to loan companies like Brighthouse and get finance on unacceptable terms. I don't have to borrow from loan sharks and put my belongings and limbs at risk. If I was a bit short one month, I could just stay sober for longer, or more likely dip into the kids' savings - they have more tucked away than I do.
Of course, with inflation at close to zero, any increase in JSA would be minimal anyway, and he probably could have got away with saying nothing, and still not increasing JSA, but it's a "dog whistle" tactic, or a policy aimed squarely at the natural Tory voter, and despite the fact that I'm 43 and getting older, it seems a bit distasteful to me.
One of the other policies or beliefs that the Tories espouse is the "trickle-down" theory, that the super-rich benefit the rest of the nation through spending their wealth. And so newsagents see more business, restaurateurs take in more in earnings, etc. It's not a belief I share, and so again I can't vote for that.
As I've said previously, West Worthing is a Tory stronghold, but they have a strong Lib Dem presence on the council, so Lib Dems might be the way to go. I'm certainly not going to vote UKIP, that's for sure :-D.
We'll see how it goes, I will have to make up my mind soon-ish. I am looking forward to the horse-trading which will happen after the election; I think that will be the most interesting and convoluted part.
Tally-ho!
Monday, April 06, 2015
Monday 15-04-06 Richard Herring @ The Ropetackle (Saturday 28th March)
So, the night after I went to see Courtney Barnett, and TW went to see Murdoch's Crazy Eyes, we treated ourselves to a second night of 'cultcha'. I've been a long-time fan of Richard Herring, I remember being blown away by TMWRNJ, and apparently it might be out on DVD this year. I've listened to his Leicester Square Theatre podcasts, AIOTM, and the Collings and Herrin chats. I've bought a couple of his DVDs and I even pay (more than) a pound a month to support his wacky and way-out internet-based ventures which are bound to end in disaster.
So when I heard he was coming to the Ropetackle Arts Centre, I was overjoyed. I bought tickets for myself and TW in a wild act of celebration, and then sat back and waited for the date to roll around.
I like the Ropetackle. It's staffed by ageing volunteers who do a damned fine job, while still leaving it a little rough around the edges. They let you pick up tickets on the door, and they serve Long Man beers, which are locally brewed, so it's all good. We turned up and the guy on the desk spent a minute or two searching for our tickets before admitting defeat and printing off two new tickets for us. The couple before us had experienced the same issue, so I think we got our tickets slightly more quickly; the guy behind the counter was muttering darkly about having a chat with someone as he handed our tickets over. We bumped into some friends so sat with them as we nursed our soft drinks; I still felt a bit fragile from the previous night, and TW was driving, so we were both on the wagon.
Then it was time to go in, so we filed in and sat near the back. Herring was a few minutes late on, apparently this was because he hadn't done his local research, the slacker. Overall I enjoyed the show. It was good, but in parts it seemed like he was reciting a speech. The bits where he freestyled, about Shoreham-BY-Sea, and chatted to a harp player in the front row were more sparky. But it was a heart-warming show, especially the finale. Now that he's married and a father, it seems that he is enjoying life, and that certainly came through. As I say, I enjoyed it, and I would recommend going to see him if you get the opportunity. I think he's added a date in Worthing, here. It would be an interesting experiment to go and see him again, to see whether the show was different at all. But I think I shan't.
We got out of the performance pretty quickly, being at the back, and Rich walked past us. He really is very short. I'm not tall, weighing in at 5' 8", but I reckon I towered over him. He was busy setting up his stall, and TW asked if I was going to get my programmed signed, but I chose not to. And then he was swamped and there was no chance. Maybe next tour? We'll see. So we got out sharpish, got back to the car, and drove home. We stopped for sandwiches at Tesco once we got back to Worthing, and relieved my baby-sitting parents, and normality resumed.
So when I heard he was coming to the Ropetackle Arts Centre, I was overjoyed. I bought tickets for myself and TW in a wild act of celebration, and then sat back and waited for the date to roll around.
I like the Ropetackle. It's staffed by ageing volunteers who do a damned fine job, while still leaving it a little rough around the edges. They let you pick up tickets on the door, and they serve Long Man beers, which are locally brewed, so it's all good. We turned up and the guy on the desk spent a minute or two searching for our tickets before admitting defeat and printing off two new tickets for us. The couple before us had experienced the same issue, so I think we got our tickets slightly more quickly; the guy behind the counter was muttering darkly about having a chat with someone as he handed our tickets over. We bumped into some friends so sat with them as we nursed our soft drinks; I still felt a bit fragile from the previous night, and TW was driving, so we were both on the wagon.
Then it was time to go in, so we filed in and sat near the back. Herring was a few minutes late on, apparently this was because he hadn't done his local research, the slacker. Overall I enjoyed the show. It was good, but in parts it seemed like he was reciting a speech. The bits where he freestyled, about Shoreham-BY-Sea, and chatted to a harp player in the front row were more sparky. But it was a heart-warming show, especially the finale. Now that he's married and a father, it seems that he is enjoying life, and that certainly came through. As I say, I enjoyed it, and I would recommend going to see him if you get the opportunity. I think he's added a date in Worthing, here. It would be an interesting experiment to go and see him again, to see whether the show was different at all. But I think I shan't.
We got out of the performance pretty quickly, being at the back, and Rich walked past us. He really is very short. I'm not tall, weighing in at 5' 8", but I reckon I towered over him. He was busy setting up his stall, and TW asked if I was going to get my programmed signed, but I chose not to. And then he was swamped and there was no chance. Maybe next tour? We'll see. So we got out sharpish, got back to the car, and drove home. We stopped for sandwiches at Tesco once we got back to Worthing, and relieved my baby-sitting parents, and normality resumed.
Saturday, April 04, 2015
Saturday 15-04-04 Leaders' Debate
So I watched the Leaders' Debate on Thursday night. It wasn't very illuminating. No particular leader punched through as a clear leader.
The Welsh leader spoke to her Welsh audience; I don't think she had a "national" message aimed at including England and Scotland.
The Scottish leader, Nicola Sturgeon, did okay, at least she tried to aim her message at the whole of the UK and not just Scotland.
Natalie Bennett did okay for the Greens, I think she was debating at a slower, more low-energy level of debate. Which suited her, and I think suited a lot of the viewers.
TW said that Nick Clegg did okay, but as damaged goods, the Lib Dems are a losing proposition.
In my view, Miliband looked out of sorts, and Cameron (as current PM, let's not forget) did not impress.
So I think this debate was a showcase for the "minor" parties; and as others have argued. the major parties are sitting in a winning position and can only lose from these types of debates.
And I've not mentioned UKIP; their discourse is on a completely different level which is a foreign language to me. But I would say that Farage's comments on "heath tourism" and AIDS are worth viewing if you want to see a black & white view on things.
All in all, as I said, there was no breakthrough winner in the debate on Thursday night. I guess we will need to wait for more to come over the coming weeks if there is to be a voting groundswell in any particular direction... It'll be interesting to watch the next few weeks, however things turn out...
The Welsh leader spoke to her Welsh audience; I don't think she had a "national" message aimed at including England and Scotland.
The Scottish leader, Nicola Sturgeon, did okay, at least she tried to aim her message at the whole of the UK and not just Scotland.
Natalie Bennett did okay for the Greens, I think she was debating at a slower, more low-energy level of debate. Which suited her, and I think suited a lot of the viewers.
TW said that Nick Clegg did okay, but as damaged goods, the Lib Dems are a losing proposition.
In my view, Miliband looked out of sorts, and Cameron (as current PM, let's not forget) did not impress.
So I think this debate was a showcase for the "minor" parties; and as others have argued. the major parties are sitting in a winning position and can only lose from these types of debates.
And I've not mentioned UKIP; their discourse is on a completely different level which is a foreign language to me. But I would say that Farage's comments on "heath tourism" and AIDS are worth viewing if you want to see a black & white view on things.
All in all, as I said, there was no breakthrough winner in the debate on Thursday night. I guess we will need to wait for more to come over the coming weeks if there is to be a voting groundswell in any particular direction... It'll be interesting to watch the next few weeks, however things turn out...
Friday, April 03, 2015
Friday 15--04-03 Courtney Barnett @ The Concorde II, Brighton
A week ago I saw Courtney Barnett at The Concorde II in Brighton. I was at work during the day and decided to stay in town as the doors opened at 7pm and I thought that as it was a Friday, there was likely to be a club night, and so Courtney would be on early.
I started at the Great Eastern, and as soon as I walked in I was assailed by that old pub smell of stale spilt beer. It was a comforting smell, bringing back good memories of the Peds and the Park Crescent. I enjoyed my pint, and moved on to William IVth. I had another there, and then caught the bus out towards the end of Kemptown and the Bristol Arms.
By then it had gone 7pm, so I wended my way to the Concorde and started watching the music. There were two support acts, the first of which was Fraser Gorman, who was a good fella. He had a good rapport with the crowd (as small as it was, at that stage), and he had some good tunes. He did say that he was planning to come back with a full band for The Great Escape, I think he's one to watch, especially if the record labels start looking for "the next Courtney Barnett" - although, of course, he's not a woman.
The second support was called Spring King, and their lead singer was the drummer, which was an unusual twist. They were a bit punky, which was offset by the rest of the band doing some really good harmonising, which was really nice. I had a couple of beers watching the supports, and then it was time for the main event.
Courtney Barnett came on with her band and she rocked it. I don't know that there is much more to say. She has just released her debut album, but she has previously released a double EP, which was almost as good as an album. Anyway, I only bought the album last Wednesday, and only listened to it once before going to see her promote it. Each track is brilliant, with perhaps "Pedestrian At Best" being the stand-out track, although I think that other tracks will grow on me more. She played all the good 'uns, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, although to be fair I was more drunk than I intended to be. Next time I shall ensure I stop off for a dirty burger or some other guilty pleasure rather than hit the booze straight away. She is certainly worth watching again, and I hope she comes back to Brighton at some point in the near future. Recommended.
I started at the Great Eastern, and as soon as I walked in I was assailed by that old pub smell of stale spilt beer. It was a comforting smell, bringing back good memories of the Peds and the Park Crescent. I enjoyed my pint, and moved on to William IVth. I had another there, and then caught the bus out towards the end of Kemptown and the Bristol Arms.
By then it had gone 7pm, so I wended my way to the Concorde and started watching the music. There were two support acts, the first of which was Fraser Gorman, who was a good fella. He had a good rapport with the crowd (as small as it was, at that stage), and he had some good tunes. He did say that he was planning to come back with a full band for The Great Escape, I think he's one to watch, especially if the record labels start looking for "the next Courtney Barnett" - although, of course, he's not a woman.
The second support was called Spring King, and their lead singer was the drummer, which was an unusual twist. They were a bit punky, which was offset by the rest of the band doing some really good harmonising, which was really nice. I had a couple of beers watching the supports, and then it was time for the main event.
Courtney Barnett came on with her band and she rocked it. I don't know that there is much more to say. She has just released her debut album, but she has previously released a double EP, which was almost as good as an album. Anyway, I only bought the album last Wednesday, and only listened to it once before going to see her promote it. Each track is brilliant, with perhaps "Pedestrian At Best" being the stand-out track, although I think that other tracks will grow on me more. She played all the good 'uns, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, although to be fair I was more drunk than I intended to be. Next time I shall ensure I stop off for a dirty burger or some other guilty pleasure rather than hit the booze straight away. She is certainly worth watching again, and I hope she comes back to Brighton at some point in the near future. Recommended.
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