Okay – due to popular request – the shiner revisited… coming home from a gig, tired and a wee drunk – got off the bus (at the wrong stop, it turns out) – and as I was walking down the street, four guys run past me towards the bus – and one guy punches me in the chest as he runs past. I stop, kinda shocked into paralysis – then I have the sudden thought (I remember thinking the actual words) – “Nah, I’m not having this”. So – I gave chase – and as the guys were hopping onto a bus, I harangue the guy. His mates then all turn around, get off the bus, and confront me. One of the guys especially was particularly enthusiastic in protecting his mate. A couple of times I was turning away, and ready to walk away – when he’d say something and I’d remember “No – I’m in the right here, these guys need to be told they can’t get away with that kind of shit”. The last time, as I was really about to walk away – one guy hit me, then another guy. I think that only two of them hit me – neither of them the original guy. They then all got on a bus which had just pulled up, and off they went on their way. While I suddenly realised I wasn’t where I thought I was – and didn’t know how to get home, with a rather bloody face. But, as I mentioned last week, I called Ben to keep me talking until I got a taxi home. The next morning was when the doubts set in. Did they guy really punch me? Was it just an accidental elbow as he ran past? Was it just a swinging bag? Did he even know what the hell I was talking about when I accosted him? To him and his mates – was I the bad guy? In any case – it was downright rude of them to hit me, and very nearly get blood all over my new jacket. And all’s well ended well – the eye is all healed now, except for the scar which is bigger than I thought – I probably should have got stitches (but going to a London hospital on a Friday night… nah, don’t think so).
Anyway – now with that out of the way… last week’s quartet of gigs. Wednesday night – the Low Anthem. This was at the Roundhouse, so I was able to make use of my membership, and watch it all civilised-like – sitting at my own little barstool & table – with a candle on the table, drinking red wine, and reading my book during the gaps between acts. The first act was William Elliott Whitmore – who I think supported some other gig I attended recently? Dunno – but pretty good. Very good, in fact, for the first act in a 3-act line-up. Next up – Simone Felice… and it turns out that yes, he is related to the Felice Brothers (who I’m looking forward to very much) – and used to be a member of the band. But is now doing his solo thing – and doing it pretty well. And finally – the headliners – the Low Anthem themselves. A simple but very good gig, plenty of chit-chat, displays of musical talent by using various and odd instruments, etc. And a great encore with a Leonard Cohen cover, including a whole heap of crowd interaction. Oh – and for one of their songs, they ask the crowd to put their cellphones on speaker, and then hold them together with somebody else’s. Sounds very gimmicky – but it really does produce an odd sound throughout the venue – which they use as the background for a particular song. Works a lot better than I would have expected. And – I just found this video – which shows the clearly named “Members Bar” – although I am hidden directly behind the pretty lady for most of the song (I’m pretty sure that’s me revealed for a couple of seconds at around the 2:52 mark).
Thursday night – off to hang out with the students at the University of London Union (ULU) – to see the Dum Dum Girls. And typical students – disorganised and what-not – the doors didn’t open until over half an hour after the scheduled time. A fairly short set for the warm-up act Veronica Falls – and then the main show. The crowd a strange mixture of mostly very very young students, with a scatterring of old gig-goers – who all look just that much sadder when surrounded by so much youth. And I can only guess at where I stand in that spectrum. Anyway – the gig… pretty good. Nice cheerful indie-pop, smiles, quirky sunshine and what-not. Flowers presented to somebody for some reason – just married? Baby on the way, or recently had? I don’t know – wasn’t really listening. And an acceptable cover of the Smiths.
Friday night – off to the Jazz Cafe, for the unpronouncable Me’shell Ndegeocello. No support act – as gigs at the Jazz Cafe tend to just be the one act, and then it switches over to “club mode”. So – I camped out against a wall, reading my book, until Me’shell took the stage. And I’ve been asked to make more mention of these books I am supposedly reading – and in this case, it was rather apt – as I finished Half Blood Blues – by Esi Edugyan – while waiting. Half Blood Blues was rather good – but very similar to other Man Booker Prize shortlisted novels this year, in that it took me quite some time to start enjoying it, and very similar “multiple revelations throught changing who you think is in the right/wrong”. Which isn’t a bad thing – just noting t that three out of the four finalists I’ve read so far have had similar styles/themes. Anyway – yeah, good. But you gotta assume that when some experts judged it to be one of the top 6 books written by a Commonwealth citizen in the last year – it’s a safe bet it’ll be alright. Aptness – it’s about some jazz musicians. And I was in a jazz bar, about to listen to a musician. So back to Me’shell Ndegeocello who gained kudos when she early on asked everybody to just leave their phones in their pocket, turned off, or whatever – and just touch each other and enjoy the music. (So the videos I’ve linked to are from a previous gig, at the same venue). It’s a shame she hadn’t asked certain people to simply just stop talking so loud also. Good gig – amazing voice, beautiful music, and a (mostly) very appreciative audience – listening with a reverent hush. Talented woman. With a new album!
Saturday. Spent the afternoon watching the last 3 ‘Arry Potter movies – barely leaving enough time to rush off to the Hammersmith Apollo… for Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits), and Bob Dylan. Got there bang on time to catch Mark Knopfler come on stage – with my ticket in my pocket, where it should be. Unfortunately, my pocket wouldn’t open. My nice new Icebreaker coat – with zip-up pockets – had decided it wouldn’t let me unzip the pocket I had safely stored my ticket in. I spent ten minutes trying to coax it open, trying to force it open, swearing at it, and probably generally just making things worse. The inner lining had been caught up in the zipper – and to such an extent, it is now really really stuck. I eventually managed to curl the ticket into a tube, and slip it out the 1 cm opening the zip allowed. Rushed in, and got myself a dose of some classic ’80s guitar pop-rock – including a couple of classics. And then his Bob-ness. It is apparently a lottery nowadays – good Bob or bad Bob. I refrained from buying merch until I thought “yeah, this gig is worth it”. And yeah – it was. Sure, his voice (never exactly a gem) struggled at points – and excusing him due to his age shouldn’t be allowed when one is paying £65 to listen to him sing. But – the fact is – he is 80 years old. And I was impressed at how much he did do on stage, moving around, playing guitar, little mini leg-kicks, etc. And with the crowd favourites – to be honest the audience was more than happy to sing for him anyway.
Sunday – I had a day of rest. With a bit of housework, the first session of exercise in a long time, and a couple of movies. And I’ve got a fairly quiet week, this week. Gigs tonight and tomorrow – and then nothing for the rest of the week. Except I need to go and vote at some point. Although it seems a foregone conclusion that NZ’s own little version of David Cameron will be staying around for another three years.