New York mega snackies

LHR to JFK; iPod; Watch V; read book; long line at immigration; right index finder; left index finger; smile; pickup bag; airtrain to Hertz; Beige Toyota rental car; bottle of coke from vending machine; Van Wyke Expressway; find hotel; checkin; note large amount of snackies above the minibar; call Victor; meet in bar.

Tag: new york, nyc, metro

fringe trailer

So here's the trailer for the Warhol production by bubbleandsqueek at the upcoming Edinburgh Fringe! They are ramping up the promotion for this now and have the web site, a myspace, a photogallery, a blog, the bongo club link and the promos at the John Lewis department store in Edinburgh.

Click here to see the video

I think the fame may be more than 15 minutes.

problematique black hole revelation

I need to find a few minutes today to transfer Muse's new album to my iPod, for plane listening tomorrow when I pop over to New York for a few days. A decent travel soundtrack makes all the difference. Muse make big music and have quite a few classical sounding elements in their work. Three years since "Absolution", they seem to have been touring the USA and parts of Europe in the interval. The new CD's packaging is somewhat old school vinyl looking, and rather reminds me of a Floyd cover.

And here's that shiny guitar in full...

fringe countdown

I'll be visiting the Edinburgh Fringe later in August and am being asked by various people to mention events taking place. The main dates are between 6 August and 28 August and the full info is available here. Some shows run for the full duration and others for just a few days; as usual, there will be a blend of well known people and new people starting out.

Today I'm mentioning "Storm" - we need good satire and analysis of our esteemed leaders Bush and Blair. I think Steve Hughes will provide this. Its on my list of shows to see. At the centrally located Pleasance.

Christina asked me to mention the bubbleandsqueek Warhol production which I think she will be describing in any case. When they get the video trailer loaded I'll post a link.

tax

Enlivened by the great skip clearing activities, this weekend will also see me complete my tax forms. In the UK, we have until September before the forms need to be ready - thats if we want the taxman to do the calculations.

The main challenge is finding all the little pieces of paper that have the numbers to be transferred to the return. I think I have found everything now so I don't have any more excuses.

back to save the universe

Reggae is good listening on a hot summer day and this one made me smile. Here's Radiohead's "Airbag" done reggae style by Horace Andy.

skippy

A slight accumulation of household debris led to the hire of a skip. Some difficult questions, 'What type?', 'What size?' and so forth. I was thinking 'Yellow'. Great ceremony as it arrives on a noisy truck and then 3 hours to fill it with, er, Stuff. Sad bad thing is I need another one to finish the job.

There goes Saturday morning.

Thursday Thirteen (V28)

My last thirteen purchases

1) A train ticket from London Waterloo
2) A rather agreeable meal for two at the WInter Gardens, Marylebone
3) A taxi ride across London
4) A magazine about music
5) A strawberry smoothie
6) A cup of coffee on an aeroplane
7) A round of Guinness and other drinks
8) A small chocolate gift
9) A hotel room in Dublin
10) Two thin bicycle tyres
11) Three carrier bags of groceries
12) 65 litres of fuel
13) A bubble pack of gel finewriter pens

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Tag: Thursday Thirteen, free link friday

WW: Today in Dublin

Tuesday's Guinness in Dublin

Overnight stop

Full Irish breakfast with Paolo

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Tag: Wordless Wednesday, Ireland, Dublin

commercial road

Lunchtime in Commercial Road, in the East End of London. This is an area well known for Indian shops and many wholesalers. Its between the City of London (global banks) and Canary Wharf (skyscraper corporates).

The only logical choice lunch was to meet at an Indian restaurant - we'd been in the City, Docklands and I came in by train. The choice of food was delicious and refreshing in the current hot London summer.

Tonight I'm in Dublin.

Tag: london, Commercial Road, city

piper at the gates of dawn

Our Sunday musical interlude opened with the Pink Floyd set playing 'Shine on you crazy diamond' - referencing the recently departed founder member of Pink Floyd - Syd Barrett.

Its difficult now to contextualise the early psychedelia of Floyd with Interstellar Overdrive, Astronomy Domine and later 'Set the controls for the heart of the sun'. The Floyd's first album was named after Syd's favorite chapter from "Wind in the Willows". The much later "dark side of the moon" references the madness which dragged Syd away from the band.

Well you wore out your welcome
With random precision,
Rode on the steel breeze.
Come on you raver, you seer of visions,
Come on you painter, you piper, you prisoner, and shine!

as the song says.

Tag: Syd Barrett, music, Pink Floyd

shake it up, baby now

This evening we wandered along to Wellington Country Park to see the Beatles, Pink Floyd and T-Rex. Well replicas of them anyway. From around six o'clock in the afternoon we found a pleasant spot of grass and chilled to firstly Pink Floyd, then Marc Bolan and finally by late evening we twisted and shouted to the Beatles. This was a well organised concert with slick changeovers between the acts and some very strong performances. The Pink Floyd numbers were great sunny afternoon music as we lazed upon the grass. Then T-Rex's songs got us cosmically rocking. Finally, the Beatles songs were played with great energy and with some good Beatle-like repartee.

A fun evening. So here's my enlargeable snaps of Paul, George and John. Ringo was hiding in the background, but should come out when I upload the video from my phone.

Paul (playing right handed!)

George with a weeping guitar

John wanting some peace, shoo be doo wah

Tag: beatles, music, live music