Saturday 28 October 2017
An idiots guide to an Idiot: WASP gig.
An idiots guide to an Idiot: WASP gig.: Another great rock/metal gig enjoyed by Kevin & I, sadly T was unwell & didn't join us. Huge shame :( We pottered over to Camd...
WASP gig.
Another great rock/metal gig enjoyed by Kevin & I, sadly T was unwell & didn't join us. Huge shame :( We pottered over to Camden first & had the obligatory pre gig beer at The Oxford Arms and looked around, it was absolutely rammed with people. Had a walk, a shuffle really, through the Horse Hospital and then got something to eat at The Cobden Arms. This was just out of the main hustle & bustle of touristy Camden and considerably cheaper as well! Both had a excellent homemade Steak & Ale pie with chips...........and another pre gig beer! Sharps 'Atlantic' very nice. A beer that obviously travels well as its brewed in Cornwall!
Eventually pottered over to the Kentish Town Forum, (yet another venue now owned by the 02 group), couldn't get rid of Tara's ticket though, the tout I spoke to couldn't sell the ones he had as the venue had released a load of tickets just prior to the show! I guess that tells you it wasn't a sell out!
We got into the forum and got a seat. We had unreserved seats in the balcony, it was a strange seating arrangement as it was just padded 'benches' with only the seats at the back of each section having backs to them, that's where we sat.
The support act were called The Cruel Knives, I enjoyed them but Kevin wasn't so keen, true to say the singer did lack alittle oomph but I thought they passed muster.
The set the WASP played was alittle different to a normal gig. Its the 25th anniversary of the release of their album 'The Crimson Idol' and they played this in full. It was brilliant! I haven't been to a gig before where a complete album has been played, as with any album you listen to there's always the odd duff track but maybe because it was being played live, I didn't notice any. I'd bought the album a while back to get into it which probably helped. They also ran a film on screens while they were playing. It cost $5M to make according to Blackie Lawless.........I think they were robbed, to a degree anyway! It was abit art-house-y, shot in grainy black & white, I drifted in & out of watching it to be honest. The second part of their set was other songs from their halcyon days. It was a brilliant gig! They started with a cover of the old Who track 'The Real me' which was brilliant & just as good as the original in my opinion. Have to say that even by my standards it was also pretty loud, without a doubt Blackie Lawless, the only original member of the band, has still got it. I thought it was very brave of him to have videos of their hits from years back showing in the background with him far more svelte like that he is now......but aren't we all!
It finished all too soon & strangely didn't have an encore but I have to say a fantastic gig. To mention their name, there's a full stop inbetween each letter & Blackie has been asked over the years as to what it stands for with various answers! First was White Anglo Saxon Protestants, then later he said We Ain't Sure Pal & latterly in 2010 he said it was just using full stops to make their name stand out more, so you can take your pick really. Whether their name means anything or not it was a bloody good gig!
Here's the set list:
Eventually pottered over to the Kentish Town Forum, (yet another venue now owned by the 02 group), couldn't get rid of Tara's ticket though, the tout I spoke to couldn't sell the ones he had as the venue had released a load of tickets just prior to the show! I guess that tells you it wasn't a sell out!
We got into the forum and got a seat. We had unreserved seats in the balcony, it was a strange seating arrangement as it was just padded 'benches' with only the seats at the back of each section having backs to them, that's where we sat.
The support act were called The Cruel Knives, I enjoyed them but Kevin wasn't so keen, true to say the singer did lack alittle oomph but I thought they passed muster.
The set the WASP played was alittle different to a normal gig. Its the 25th anniversary of the release of their album 'The Crimson Idol' and they played this in full. It was brilliant! I haven't been to a gig before where a complete album has been played, as with any album you listen to there's always the odd duff track but maybe because it was being played live, I didn't notice any. I'd bought the album a while back to get into it which probably helped. They also ran a film on screens while they were playing. It cost $5M to make according to Blackie Lawless.........I think they were robbed, to a degree anyway! It was abit art-house-y, shot in grainy black & white, I drifted in & out of watching it to be honest. The second part of their set was other songs from their halcyon days. It was a brilliant gig! They started with a cover of the old Who track 'The Real me' which was brilliant & just as good as the original in my opinion. Have to say that even by my standards it was also pretty loud, without a doubt Blackie Lawless, the only original member of the band, has still got it. I thought it was very brave of him to have videos of their hits from years back showing in the background with him far more svelte like that he is now......but aren't we all!
It finished all too soon & strangely didn't have an encore but I have to say a fantastic gig. To mention their name, there's a full stop inbetween each letter & Blackie has been asked over the years as to what it stands for with various answers! First was White Anglo Saxon Protestants, then later he said We Ain't Sure Pal & latterly in 2010 he said it was just using full stops to make their name stand out more, so you can take your pick really. Whether their name means anything or not it was a bloody good gig!
Here's the set list:
- The Titanic Overture
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Encore:
-
(The Who cover)
-
-
-
- The World We Were Sold
- The Cruel Knives
-
-
-
-
-
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| The Cruel Knives |
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| Blackie Lawless and WASP |
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| Camden Lock |
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| Kev and self enjoying a pint of Sharps Atlantic, even though the glasses say Doombar! |
Sunday 22 October 2017
An idiots guide to an Idiot: "The Immortal Memory of Lord Nelson and those who ...
An idiots guide to an Idiot: "The Immortal Memory of Lord Nelson and those who ...: That was the toast we drank in memory of Lord Horatio Nelson on Trafalgar Night at The Star at St Marys in the Marsh in Kent in the compan...
"The Immortal Memory of Lord Nelson and those who fell with him"
That was the toast we drank in memory of Lord Horatio Nelson on Trafalgar Night at The Star at St Marys in the Marsh in Kent in the company of the fantastic Romney Marsh Morris on the 21st October, the very date of the battle that was fought in 1805.
An evening of sea shanties and old songs sung with mucho gusto by the Morris with the chorus belted out by everyone else, what an absolutely fantastic night we had!
The enthusiasm of the side shone through backed by an excellent group of musicians including a couple of fine violin solos by Tom finishing with, of course the sailors hornpipe.
It was interesting to note, that amongst our number was an 'old salt' who knew all the songs, learnt in the Royal Navy of the 1970's. Despite losing 'the tot' it was good to hear that some traditions still prevail!
'All around my hat' the old Steeleye Span standard was sung by our own dear friend Kas, a song our boys will remember from singing in the car enroute to Eastbourne, even though they may not admit it these days!!
It was an evening we both thoroughly enjoyed, good company, good songs, good beer. What could be better? Rule Britannia!
https://www.facebook.com/Romney-Marsh-Morris-338999409774390/
An evening of sea shanties and old songs sung with mucho gusto by the Morris with the chorus belted out by everyone else, what an absolutely fantastic night we had!
The enthusiasm of the side shone through backed by an excellent group of musicians including a couple of fine violin solos by Tom finishing with, of course the sailors hornpipe.
It was interesting to note, that amongst our number was an 'old salt' who knew all the songs, learnt in the Royal Navy of the 1970's. Despite losing 'the tot' it was good to hear that some traditions still prevail!
'All around my hat' the old Steeleye Span standard was sung by our own dear friend Kas, a song our boys will remember from singing in the car enroute to Eastbourne, even though they may not admit it these days!!
It was an evening we both thoroughly enjoyed, good company, good songs, good beer. What could be better? Rule Britannia!
https://www.facebook.com/Romney-Marsh-Morris-338999409774390/
Sunday 15 October 2017
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Hols
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Hols: We had a superb week in Majorca didn't blog it straight away because I thought if I left it awhile I could relive it again! Determined...
Hols
We had a superb week in Majorca didn't blog it straight away because I thought if I left it awhile I could relive it again!
Determined to get abit of guaranteed sun on our backs this year we fore went our Cropredy gig and decided on Majorca, a very good deal that Tara found got us a week at a boutique hotel at Can Picafort on the North East side of the island. Unfortunately we got off to a false start with a three & half hour delay flying from Luton. Bugger! Ironically we were going to spoil ourselves & go in the VIP lounge before our flight but as it didn't open until 4.30pm & our flight was supposed to be 5.50pm it was hardly worth doing, if only we'd have known!
With the delayed flight our pick from Palma airport was also cocked up with an hour waiting there so we didn't get to our hotel until about 4am! We seriously considered not going to bed, just going for a walk or find a bar or something have breakfast and lounge by the pool all day, but once we got to our room the bed looked too inviting!
Up at 9.30am for brekky. The restaurant the hotel had was about a minutes walk round the corner, very pleasant surroundings and plenty of brekky to be had.
We did a great deal of pottering & strolling hand in hand from café to café and from bar to bar, just enjoying the great weather and each others company on this holiday.
We did do a couple of trips though. A guided tour of Palma was good with a funny old chap called Jordie. He was very interesting though, he gave an in-depth history of Palma and the cathedral. On Tuesday evening we went to a show at Son Amar which was well worth seeing. It was a show of dancing and acrobatics and comedy with dinner included. We sat with a couple from Switzerland and got on very well. The Spanish cater very well for wheat and gluten intolerances, puts us in the UK to shame quite honestly.
There was some Phoenician tombs not far from where we were staying. One afternoon T had a lay down and I went for a walk to these tombs. Only about half an hour along the coast, a glorious day, I'd worked up quite a sweat once I'd got there, the tombs were fascinating albeit alittle knocked about. I popped into a local supermarket to pick up a few nibbles and drinks for our room. I got a litre bottle of red wine for just under 2 Euros! It was very nice!
Had some really good dinners here. We decided to go on a B&B basis only to give us the opportunity to sample the local fare, so we ate at a different restaurant on all but one evening. Can Picafort was once a small fishing harbour, its got bigger due to tourism but still has alot of fish on the menus of just about everywhere
we went so for a change Tara had a reasonable choice!
One place we went to used old vinyl records as menus, some items printed on the album cover,& some the record itself. That was abit different.
We already knew that this end of the island was very Germanic, no problem with that, everyone we spoke to was very friendly, afew other English about but not many. It was a touristy area but not the kiss me quick hats and 'Full English breakfast here' type place, it was quite laid back really. We'd seen a singer advertised in one of the bars so we went back there after dinner one evening and had a great time. Even got a few dances as well, great stuff!
We had an absolutely brilliant time and our week came all too quickly to its end. Trouble free journey home, we flew with Monarch airlines and two days later they went bust so bit of a close call!
We enjoyed the place so much we are seriously considering going there again next year. Can't wait!
Determined to get abit of guaranteed sun on our backs this year we fore went our Cropredy gig and decided on Majorca, a very good deal that Tara found got us a week at a boutique hotel at Can Picafort on the North East side of the island. Unfortunately we got off to a false start with a three & half hour delay flying from Luton. Bugger! Ironically we were going to spoil ourselves & go in the VIP lounge before our flight but as it didn't open until 4.30pm & our flight was supposed to be 5.50pm it was hardly worth doing, if only we'd have known!
With the delayed flight our pick from Palma airport was also cocked up with an hour waiting there so we didn't get to our hotel until about 4am! We seriously considered not going to bed, just going for a walk or find a bar or something have breakfast and lounge by the pool all day, but once we got to our room the bed looked too inviting!
Up at 9.30am for brekky. The restaurant the hotel had was about a minutes walk round the corner, very pleasant surroundings and plenty of brekky to be had.
We did a great deal of pottering & strolling hand in hand from café to café and from bar to bar, just enjoying the great weather and each others company on this holiday.
We did do a couple of trips though. A guided tour of Palma was good with a funny old chap called Jordie. He was very interesting though, he gave an in-depth history of Palma and the cathedral. On Tuesday evening we went to a show at Son Amar which was well worth seeing. It was a show of dancing and acrobatics and comedy with dinner included. We sat with a couple from Switzerland and got on very well. The Spanish cater very well for wheat and gluten intolerances, puts us in the UK to shame quite honestly.
There was some Phoenician tombs not far from where we were staying. One afternoon T had a lay down and I went for a walk to these tombs. Only about half an hour along the coast, a glorious day, I'd worked up quite a sweat once I'd got there, the tombs were fascinating albeit alittle knocked about. I popped into a local supermarket to pick up a few nibbles and drinks for our room. I got a litre bottle of red wine for just under 2 Euros! It was very nice!
Had some really good dinners here. We decided to go on a B&B basis only to give us the opportunity to sample the local fare, so we ate at a different restaurant on all but one evening. Can Picafort was once a small fishing harbour, its got bigger due to tourism but still has alot of fish on the menus of just about everywhere
One place we went to used old vinyl records as menus, some items printed on the album cover,& some the record itself. That was abit different.
We already knew that this end of the island was very Germanic, no problem with that, everyone we spoke to was very friendly, afew other English about but not many. It was a touristy area but not the kiss me quick hats and 'Full English breakfast here' type place, it was quite laid back really. We'd seen a singer advertised in one of the bars so we went back there after dinner one evening and had a great time. Even got a few dances as well, great stuff!
We had an absolutely brilliant time and our week came all too quickly to its end. Trouble free journey home, we flew with Monarch airlines and two days later they went bust so bit of a close call!
We enjoyed the place so much we are seriously considering going there again next year. Can't wait!
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| Inside Palma Cathedral |
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| Outside Palma Cathedral |
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| View from a waterfront bar. |
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| Memsahib at the rooftop cocktail bar at our hotel |
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| And the view from the roof |
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| Us. |
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| With accompanying drinks. |
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| View from our room. |
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| Phoenician tombs |
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| Interesting lamps in one of the resturants |
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| Albums used as menus |
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| A pillbox even though Spain was neutral during the second world war. Probably to keep both sides off the island! |
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| Phoenician tombs |
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| Resturant |
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| Interesting collection of chilli's outside a shop in Palma |
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| Jordie, our guide around Palma |
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| My find of the week, a 2 Euro bottle of wine! |
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| Street in Palma. |
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Roman murder!
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Roman murder!: Host a murder to be exact. Tara fancied doing a host a murder for her birthday,we have a couple that we still haven't done so it was a ...
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Roman murder!
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Roman murder!: Host a murder to be exact. Tara fancied doing a host a murder for her birthday,we have a couple that we still haven't done so it was a ...
Roman murder!
Host a murder to be exact. Tara fancied doing a host a murder for her birthday,we have a couple that we still haven't done so it was a good opportunity.
It's for eight players, so me, Tara, Gary, Olly, Laura, Ella, Julian & Bev. Tim was here as well though didn't play as he had to get back for Tia. Everyone did really well with costumes as well. The game is in four rounds and each round takes place during a course of the dinner. I wanted to try to be as authentic as possible so found some Roman recipes online.
As a starter we had Roman eggs. That's boiled eggs with a pine nut sauce. Doesn't sound like it would go but it did! The pine nuts soaked in vinegar & sweetened with honey, pepper & celery seeds, bashed to buggery in the food processor and served with boiled eggs (still just a little runny in the middle) and a little salad.
Main was chicken with peppers, an old Roman recipe, basically a casserole of chicken and red, green and yellow peppers cooked nice & slowly so the meat fall off the bone, Tara had Herring with cumin, cheese & oil which worked really well. Pud was changed a little as I did pears poached in red wine, more medieval than Roman I think but as an accompaniment I made a Roman sweet cake with almonds and thyme & cinnamon & honey. Romans liked sweet things so I also made some Muslum which is honeyed wine. Very easy, warm up half a cup of honey & add it to a bottle of white wine. Mix, chill, drink. very nice!
The characters we had were: Tara-Flotilla Submergia, the owner of a large shipping operation, I was Bogus Fortunatus sort of a priest cum soothsayer, Olly was Harangus Adnauseum part politician part philosopher, Gary was Licentius Caesar a ruler of the known world, Rotunda Immaculata was Ella, a Vestal virgin, Julian was Maximus Testosterus a soldier, Laura was Cleptopatra Queen of the Nile & Bev was Mercedes Accelleratti a free spirited type who drove chariots. The murder victim was called Flabious Corpus.
There is an accompanying booklet for each character with some information that you need to bring out during the course of that round during the conversation
and some things about your character that you don't want to mention, but if questioned, you can't lie. Sounds easy. It isn't. This is the forth or fifth host a murder I've taken part in & I haven't got the murderer right yet, during the inevitable chat and banter over dinner, not to mention the wine I usually don't have a clue who done it! No one got it infact, though Gary claims he did as he'd written some thing about every character in case it was them!
It was a great night with much fun and laughter, just love having everyone round the table. A great race the Romans!
It's for eight players, so me, Tara, Gary, Olly, Laura, Ella, Julian & Bev. Tim was here as well though didn't play as he had to get back for Tia. Everyone did really well with costumes as well. The game is in four rounds and each round takes place during a course of the dinner. I wanted to try to be as authentic as possible so found some Roman recipes online.
As a starter we had Roman eggs. That's boiled eggs with a pine nut sauce. Doesn't sound like it would go but it did! The pine nuts soaked in vinegar & sweetened with honey, pepper & celery seeds, bashed to buggery in the food processor and served with boiled eggs (still just a little runny in the middle) and a little salad.
Main was chicken with peppers, an old Roman recipe, basically a casserole of chicken and red, green and yellow peppers cooked nice & slowly so the meat fall off the bone, Tara had Herring with cumin, cheese & oil which worked really well. Pud was changed a little as I did pears poached in red wine, more medieval than Roman I think but as an accompaniment I made a Roman sweet cake with almonds and thyme & cinnamon & honey. Romans liked sweet things so I also made some Muslum which is honeyed wine. Very easy, warm up half a cup of honey & add it to a bottle of white wine. Mix, chill, drink. very nice!
The characters we had were: Tara-Flotilla Submergia, the owner of a large shipping operation, I was Bogus Fortunatus sort of a priest cum soothsayer, Olly was Harangus Adnauseum part politician part philosopher, Gary was Licentius Caesar a ruler of the known world, Rotunda Immaculata was Ella, a Vestal virgin, Julian was Maximus Testosterus a soldier, Laura was Cleptopatra Queen of the Nile & Bev was Mercedes Accelleratti a free spirited type who drove chariots. The murder victim was called Flabious Corpus.
There is an accompanying booklet for each character with some information that you need to bring out during the course of that round during the conversation
It was a great night with much fun and laughter, just love having everyone round the table. A great race the Romans!
Tuesday 3 October 2017
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Tom Petty
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Tom Petty: Saddened to hear that another great rocker departed far too early today. Unfortunately I never saw him on stage, I think I'm right in s...
Tom Petty
Saddened to hear that another great rocker departed far too early today. Unfortunately I never saw him on stage, I think I'm right in saying he didn't come to the UK very often but he was one of a breed of rock n roll star that had something special. I've only got one CD of his & its a 'greatest hits' album, having just played it again I think every track is a gem. One of my faves is 'Into the great wide open' with the line about being a rebel without a clue! I like that.
I also liked him in the 'Travelling Wilburys' & of course there's only two of them left now! (Jeff Lynn & Bob Dylan). I suppose what touched me the most was the fact that he's a name in rock n roll that, to a greater extent, I've grown up with and I've always enjoyed his music. We've lost far too many of late & the passing of the likes of Lemmy, Rick Parfitt, David Bowie & now Tom Petty has diminished that great vibe that is rock music. There'll never be another.
I also liked him in the 'Travelling Wilburys' & of course there's only two of them left now! (Jeff Lynn & Bob Dylan). I suppose what touched me the most was the fact that he's a name in rock n roll that, to a greater extent, I've grown up with and I've always enjoyed his music. We've lost far too many of late & the passing of the likes of Lemmy, Rick Parfitt, David Bowie & now Tom Petty has diminished that great vibe that is rock music. There'll never be another.
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