Happy Birthday To M

Who has just turned 30. :o)



He has just had a three day party (pics on flickr) so I took my kids to Dorset to their dads on Thursday, then drove straight to pub here for first night of madness. It was the noise night, and I had missed The Fez but got there just in time to see Faux Pride's set which was good, as I've missed him twice now on other occations. The other person I saw that night which I really liked was Zero Point Energy, who seemed to get a love him or hate him reaction with hs almost psychosis enducing noise, which I really really liked the feel of, but had lots of people covering their ears. Then post pub I stayed at Ms with a whole bunch of loons.

Then Friday I went into town and bought myself a present. But I've already posted a little about that. I love it way more than my new car. (Actually anyone here want an N reg BMW 320i I must get around to putting it in the paper or something).

Anyway, camera was purchased and then I met up with all the boys and we went for breakfast in a cafe yum. I had gone into jessops really early and they'd only just opened. The salesman was rubbish, I knew what I wanted but he didn't try to sell me any extras or bag or memory card or other lenses or anything. So we had breakfast, and then I went to my parents house to show off my new camera to my dad, and to figure out how to use it and charge it and all of that. And to pinch a flash card from him and order one myself from a rather excellent website - Memory Card Zoo. I ordered the card and a camera bag Friday afternoon and the card arrived Saturday morning!! I also had a bath there. Big luxury. I so wish I had a bath at home. Not so environmentally friendly I know, but I love having a bath. On second thoughts maybe I appreciate it more by not having one here. I dunno.

After that I went home and put clean clothes on then went to the pub where M's event was. As we know the landlord and lady, and it was their last weekend there I had offered to help with some of the packing. So I spent a good hour or so helping landlady to pack (landlord funnily enough had gone out drinking elsewhere). Friday night was Chiptune night! There was a bit of an arse about the venue as the landlord had decided we couldn't use the big semi-outside yard area that we had used on Thursday night. This meant that we had to use the little room upstairs. It got packed. So many people in such a little room, that people were sitting on top of people. It was amazing night. Henry Homesweet did really well, I think it was his first gig, and he didn't do a bad job at all. I of course really enjoyed Pixelh8's set. With people managing to get up and dance, even with very little space.

I didn't stay at Ms with the loons that night as I wanted some sleep at least. My dad came over early saturday morning to put up a couple of shelves for me (yes I could have done it myself but he has the advantage of being much taller than me and owning all the required tools!) so I managed to get myself out of bed by 8am so I could have an hour to do the huge mountain of dishes before he got here at 9. Then I went to my parents house to get the photos off the camera that I had taken the night before. And to see my Grandparents who were driving upto their house (which is fantastic because over the last year my grandad has been really really ill, and I really didn't think he'd come out the other side. But to manage to drive an hours drive is fantastic!!) I also hoovered out my old car, and the new one. Just have to try and get the mud off the interior of the old one now and get around to selling it. (Did I already ask if anyone wants a BMW?)

Saturday night (Breakcore/gabba/very noisy night) was back at the pub for another excellent night of music and mayhem, and me taking lots of pictures of it trying to figure out how to compensate for the flash of the strobe. Hours of snapping fun, as well as a bit of dancing. A couple of sets that stood out for me - Helix, Nesh and of course Hidden Fortress.

Funnily both landlord and landlady at different times said "If only this had been in the yard it would have been excellent" so I pointed out several times that yes it would have been excellent and they would have taken more money on the bar if it had been there (as the little room is upstairs and the bar is downstairs). Ah well, they were only doing what they thought was right at the time. I again refused to stay at Ms prefering to go home.

So Sunday M kicked everyone out to their respective parts of the country. I met up with him. We picked up the equipment from the pub. We took it back to his. We came back to mine where I finished off a crochet shawl I've been making (will try and get a photo or two of it later), we ate bacon sarnies, he played mario cart. Then we went to a lovely pub for dinner.

Now I'm just waiting for my camera bag to arrive and my children.

Busy weekend! Imogen Heap with Hidden fortress in Cardiff

Had a pretty busy weekend!  M was supposed to be supporting Imogen Heap in Norwich on Thursday.  As it turned out the force was not to be with him, as a 43 mins by train journey actually turned into all afternoon and evening, with him eventually arriving in Norwich at about 8.45, a mere two and a quarter hours after his sound-check, and an hour after he was due on stage.  Nevertheless I think he had a great time hanging out there, and had the fantastic news that he could open in Cardiff instead.  He stayed with Imogen and the other artists and crew on the tour bus there, and I planned to meet him in Cardiff after I dropped off E & R at their dads.

So, while he was faffing about with trains, we were umming and ahhing over driving to Thetford for the weekly sports hall meetup.  In the end the wind looked too bad and we decided just to head to my mums for chinese for dinner instead :o)

Friday we left at lunch time, and did the drive down to Dorset, stopping at our usual Avon Country Park for a run around, and a hot chocolate and some chips.  Then I dropped the girls with their dad and drove like a maniac to try and reach Cardiff in time to see Ms set.  I already knew this was an impossability really, as Wimborne to Cardiff is a very slow road indeed.  Single windy carriageway for most of it until you get to the M4.  Then I had to battle with the ambiguous directions (as printed out from multimap) where it seemed every signpost for Cardiff was the one I needed according to which A road I was supposed to join.  (I guess the A road and the M4 run parallel for several junctions).  I stopped to ask directions at a garage, but it turned out the man there had not long moved there, and could only give me a general point in the right direction.  I then stopped at a bus stop to ask, and a lady there said she was going that way and she could direct me in exchange  for a lift, which I gladly took-up!  Having dropped her off, it then took me another 10 or so minutes to find somewhere to park, which was then a bit of a walk away from the venue.  (The Point).  I arrived, gave my name at the door, all was fine, went into the main hall just in time to see M pick up his laptop and walk off stage.  I did hear people talking about his set though, saying nice things.  So I assume he was upto his usual good standard.  I think he surprises people that they look at him onstage, and his music comes as a bit of a shock.  Particularly Hidden Fortress, even more so than Pixelh8.  I mean, to be fair, he does look a bit of a gaming geek, so the chiptune gamey stuff not quite so much of a surprise.  But the hard alternative electronic dance/pop sound from Hidden Fortress is always a bit of a surprise *grin*, although I imagine he played a bit of a chiptuney set, bearing in mind where he was.  I really should find out just what he played - I wonder if there was anyone out there that got any video footage of the gig.

So having seen him go offstage it was my mission to find out how on earth you get back there, eventually collaring a security guard that let me in the back, to be told by Imogen (I had no idea she was quite so tall!) that he'd just gone through another door to where the merchandise stand was.  So after brief hellos I went through that door (which led back to the front lobby) and back into the main hall.  Round and round in circles!  Eventually finding M fielding various questions from people asking him about his music, which is always a good sign.  Listened to NEMO, the band touring with Imogen, who do a set of their own, as well as providing a band for some of Imogen's music.  Now, to be completely honest, I'd never listened to any of Imogen Heap's music before.  I know she has quite a following, and that the Cardiff date sold out really fast, I'm not even sure of the best way to describe her music.  Its kind of Bjork like, kinda strange electronic noise, mixed with piano chords and haunting vocal melodies.  Not really my thing entirely, but I have to say, from a geeky music point of view that woman is queen of the sampler.  Sampling herself on the fly, building up harmonies and counter melodies over the top, layer upon layer.  She did an amazing version of one of her tracks (I have no idea what it's called) using only these techniques, including sampling hand claps and other noises to build this great song, looping the different samples live with amazing expertise and dexterity.  And on top of all that she's an ace Mbira player!  So once all that was done, we hung around for a while, chatted with various people before heading back to a friends house where M and I were staying until we had to leave at the horrible time of 7am this morning so drive back down to Dorset to pick the girls up.

We then spent the afternoon at my mum's, painting and playing board games, and eating a lovely roast dinner.

Ooo and I should also mention the great article written in a local magazine about Pixelh8.

Another Mad Weekend

I'm going to be accused of this being a non-HE blog soon! But this past weekend has been music filled with no children. So thats what I'll blog about.

Thursday we got in the car and drove down to Wimborne to drop the girls off. Had a couple of hours to kill at Avon Country Park, bought a new card game there Animal Match, but found out )the hard way) it was way too windy to play it outside, so sat in the car playing it for a while. Did some climbing and stuff (well, they did while I sat and drank coffee) then dropped them off with K. I drove back to Ipswich and went over to Ms where he had a few houseguests.

A couple of weeks ago we went up to Buxton for a gig, and this wednesday they all came down here to return the favour. They had done a gig in Bury (At The Grapes) Wednesday night, and appeared on ICRFM Thursday night.

Friday during the day we drove to Felixtowe had a wander around the arcades, got very wet as it was raining a fair amount and ate terrible chips.





Then we were supposed to have a party Friday night, but since so many people texted to say they couldn't come, and at least one guest was ill so we went to town instead. Although once we got to town M then felt ill also, so M and I went home early. Which worked out for the best, as two party goers arrived, two people I hadn't met before, and turned out to be really lovely. We sat up talking and drinking and chatting until the small hours, which always suits me far more than a party does anyway. Then the others returned rather drunk having sampled the delights of Harry Palmers (a terrible indy night) and eventually we all went to bed.

Saturday we got up had breakfast in town




and M was playing at the Respect Festival at the local college. Now you have to give them top marks for effort, and wanting to create an event highlighting the great community groups and support and equal opportunities and all that in Ipswich. But it is so badly advertised, that you get there, and there are lots of stalls, but not many people. They were running rather late with the music, so M didn't start his 30mins set until about 2pm and we had to be back at ICRFM at 3pm. But it was worth it to see the bemused looks on peoples faces as we shouted and heckled and cheered him from the back of the pretty empty room, and he put out lots of chiptune music. He followed a blues band, and was followed by a dub DJ, so lots of variety there. That done, we then had to walk fast through town to ICR where they appeared on Susanne's show. Then back home via the joke shop, where they all purchased various animal masks, I haven't had quite so much fun walking through town in a long time, harrassing young girls, and older ones, and generally causing a (loveable) nussicence - "What, you've never seen a rabbit before?"



A bit of chill out time, before getting down to The Drum and Monkey for that nights gig - VENT, which bearing in mind was the first time we've put on an electronic night there (and we had a bunch of mad nutters from t'north) went really well. I danced like a lunatic. Must remember I am no longer 17. Today my back and neck are aching a lot. Was great fun though.

There was loads of other stuff that happened. Just can't remember it all now. Had a fantastic time though.