Oh, there is so much to dissect with what happened last weekend but there is so little time! After our return home on Monday night both Tuesday and Wednesday I tried to get more reading of the Glesga Twins’ book done. I’m now just over half-way through with not much of a chance to read any more of it before Sunday night’s thingy at the Citz. I’m in a better position than most! There are many fans still waiting for their copy. Something tells me the promise of signed copies was a bit of overstretch as there seemed to be signed copies being sold left, right and centre. No complaints here as I have learned today that the Edinburgh “signing” will be anything BUT that – no signing part of the night is happening, seemingly. Whaaaaaa? Go figure.
Alas, I digress. On to Newcastle last weekend.
Long story short, when we arrived at our accommodation – it was wrong. None of our fault, mind. We were just not provided with the right information on where we would be staying. Panic ensued. We started to think we’d been had and were dreading a frantic search for somewhere else to stay. Calls to Booking dot com EVENTUALLY sorted it all out. But the stress of it all made the idea of me heading to the venue for some of the Friday night gig a write-off.
Thankfully after that palaver, things went a bit more smoothly.
The next day I messaged Steve to see when he and Andy would be heading to the venue. I always like to try and catch up with them and have a bit of a chinwag before or around or in between soundchecks, and when they are actually due to perform. As it turned out, they were going to be at the venue soon for soundchecking so I headed on down there, the OH in tow. When I got there, Steve was already there but Andy was still making his way up from Manchester. A brief chinwag to Steve, retelling the woes of the afternoon before with the accommodation and he was back to it prepping for the soundcheck. Andy arrived a short while later, having been held up in traffic queues on the Tyne Bridge.
The clock was ticking as I had to be back at the accommodation for when Sue arrived. I viewed a bit of the soundcheck, waved a tara to the boys and said I’d see them later on.
All sorted with Sue, parking for the night guaranteed – fish and chips consumed, it was now time to head back to the Star and Shadow for some music! As soon as we were checked off the list of spectators and given our wrist bands, Steve and Andy arrived. After some chat, Sue and I checked out a bit of Idle Hands’ set – a few songs before heading back out again. We got talking to Daz – the man who headed the indie label that Warm Digits released their first two albums with. After that we decided to head into the Cinema area (there were two auditoriums in which the acts on the bill were playing) and watch the next act on. Zeroset was on and Sue and I really loved being immersed in his sound and vision. I can’t tell you how great in is to experience a music set in the comfort of cinema seats! It was ACE!
After Zeroset’s … set …. we went back out the main foyer bit and loitered around a bit again. Another chat with the guy manning the merch stall, then Steve and Andy again, we headed back into the cinema to watch Me Lost Me’s set. I love her voice and I find her heavy prog/folk music weirdly intoxicating. I can’t say that I am usually much of a fan of either “true” prog or traditional folk genres, but there is something about the way in which Me Lost Me integrates both in a really hauntingly ethereal way that lures me in. I LOVED her set.
Then it was on to the main draw! The guys were bloody stellar! I don’t take my trips to go and see them lightly. It’s never on a whim – I love these guys to bits and I am always rewarded with a fantastic night out. Every time I see them, I see the effect they have on people. We all dance about and have a whale of a time. Seemingly there was a smoke machine for use on the stage and someone had set it off unbeknown to Andy who then just bloody loved it (as you’ll hear from the footage I captured of a as yet named song). It was a short set, but a great one. There were on late – it was 10.30pm when they started their set. That’s late for us old fogeys! Lol
A short and somewhat painful walk back to the accommodation, a parting of ways with Sue and a restless night of sleep got under way.
We had two further days in Newcastle, the OH and I. Sunday was enjoyed down by the Quayside. The market was on and it was HEAVING!!!! That market gets sssooooooo busy! We decided to head for the Baltic. As I was saying my thanks and goodbyes to Andy post gig, he said friends of his had an exhibition on there and I should check it out. This we duly did. It was a fantastic afternoon. Warm and sunny – the weather gods were literally shining on us.
Mercifully we had changed accommodation for that final night and were staying at the Leonardo Hotel near Times Square. We headed back there after 5pm, weary as all hell, ready for a much comfier sleep.
Monday was taken up with a wee wander about the city centre and heading to the fave haunts of the Grainger Market and my favourite Chinese/Asian supermarket in Newcastle. This time they got me with a jar of pandan and coconut spread – oh, yes!!! As well as packets of salted egg yolk crisps. Nom nom nom!!! I would buy sssoooooo much from this place if I lived nearer. For as great as it is how many of these supermarkets exist in Glasgow (esp. here in North Glasgow – along Garscube Road, just a stone’s throw from home) – I also still miss SeeWoo – this place in Newcastle always seems to have things I never see in any of the Glasgow shops.
Overall, it was a great time away, but it was exhausting! I needed those two days recovery time (ie: reading OSATS time) just to be recovered enough to get my study head back on.
It’s soon all going to start again. Sue arrives tomorrow and we’re heading to town for a thing at the Mitchell Library in the afternoon. Then of course, it’s the Citz and the book thingy. Life doesn’t stand still man!
Tara! (I will share more things on this post – photos/vids – when I can.)
‘Salted egg yolk crisps’ definitely sound like an acquired taste. 😂
Good read as ever 👍
Lol. Trust me, they are delicious. (P.S. Had to look up your ‘nom de plume’ there.)