Monday 15 August 2011

Good Charlotte. Bad Newspaper and Horrible Vets

This week it was off to Shepherd’s Bush Empire to see Good Charlottes – the fact that North London was turning into a riot zone didn’t turn out to be an issue as we had not seen the news and so didn’t really notice. That and Tom-Tom took us on a detour away from the war torn world formerly known as Tottenham.  In the good old days our old Sat Nav – Nafman - would have taken us into the heart of the action and all the entertainment that would have ensued…

The downside of not getting sidetracked through a riot zone is that we arrived at the gig with plenty of time to see the support. Now normally I  don’t have a problem with support bands – mainly because Mrs B is joining me after work and in general doesn’t arrives until moments before the main band hits the stage.  So no matter how bad the support act turns out to be I don’t have to worry about Mrs B complaining.  I would classify The Computers as heavy punk verging on crap – all frantic noise with very little tune or melody – Mrs B’s eyes were rolling at me within seconds of “The Computers” hitting the stage… She hinted that all would not be well if the Good Charlottes turned out to play live anything like the support…Gulp….

Now I have to admit that I have only ever listened to the Good Charlottes’ music.  I’ve not seen video footage, interviews or read much about them - so was not really sure what to expect…. I must admit that the baseball caps, tattoos and sleeveless denim jackets were a little unexpected. As was the good old boy southern accents.  Turns out that they are from Waldorf, Maryland and it looked like we had come to see a Dukes of Hazard reunion party – just needed Boss Hog and Daisy Duke (Ah, light bulb suddenly goes on -  so that’s what Katy Perry was referring to in her song "California Gurls")

California Gurls, we're unforgettable, Daisy Dukes, bikinis on top

Fortunately, first impressions can be deceiving and the Good Charlottes proved that they can play live. The joint was soon rocking, which was great for atmosphere but not good for Mrs B being able to see and an absolute nightmare in terms of trying to  get some concert footage with Mega Mini Beast…. I decided to move to the back of the auditorium, which was great for Mrs B and would have been better for taking some shots but before I could set the camera up properly I was tapped on the shoulder by a member of security and asked to step outside. 

He told me I had to hand Mega Mini Beast into the box office and collect it at the end….

I looked at the sea of camera screens glowing in front of me and asked him if he was being serious – apparently he was – just as well I had not sneaked The Beast in….

I was escourted to the I was told that I would have to collect Mega Mini Beast from the stage door after the show as the box office was just closing and was given a raffle ticket in exchange for Mega Mini Beast…

When I got back Mrs B asked me where I had been.

“Just entering Mega Mini Beast into a raffle.”

I enjoyed the rest of the show, especially when the lead singer said:

“We don’t care if you download and share our music – we started with nothing and have done very well out of the music business thank you (I’m pretty sure their record company would not be so happy with that statement).”

It made me wonder about what their feelings were about their digital picture images???

Afterwards it was round to the stage door, which was a bit ironic as the hoards of people wanting to get a look at the band were held back, while me with my little  raffle ticket was waved through and down the alley way, 25 metres to the stage door (I’m pretty sure that I heard some booing and hissing from the held back throng). I knocked on the door and was waved inside to be met by the band who insisted on giving me their autographs and posing for pictures….

Sadly not, just a young girl with a box of cameras, including, I kid you not this time, a phone  and not even a very sophisticated one…Fair play to security for stopping me using the Mega Mini Beast (although to be honest the results were so poor it deserved to go into detention)  but confiscating a phone just seems ridiculous…

Then I was back into the alley way (I probably could’ve hung around and waited for the band but I was already getting death glares from their fan base) and off home, taking yet another detour around the riot-torn streets of Tottenham and avoiding all temptation to pick up the free trainers, flat screen TV’s and designer clothing that are apparently essential for survival in modern Britain today….Mrs B and I will just have to do our best to survive on the things we bought and paid for ourselves….

At war with the local paper (although I suspect the paper neither knows nor cares.  This may turn out to be a mistake)

I’ve decided to abandon buying our local newspaper in protest at them totally ignoring my request for a photo pass for next week’s V festival.  I would totally understand if they came back and said no but to just ignore my request is the last straw.  It’s not as if they have much to do except cover the odd old lady bites dog story. The last Newspaper that upset me like this was The News Of The World and 15 years to the day (give or take a few months) of me stopping purchasing it and The News of The World was confined to history….Local Observer you have been warned…..15 to 20 years and I predict you will be no more….

CATch-up
After the cats were sentenced to death by our vets in December (bring them back in a few weeks time when you are ready to put them down) I unenthusiastically took them back for their half yearly check-up and innoculations.  I had been determined  to change vets after the last experience but being lazy I had not got around to it.  Reluctantly (this was both me and them) I got them into their cat basket and took them to the vets for the open surgery which starts at 9am. I like to get there a bit early so we don’t have to wait around for too long….only the vet never bothered to show. That was enough for me so I went out and found a new vets. A quick check over and they were passed fit and well – all that had been needed was a change of diet....I've even got McG eating cod liver oil to help ease his aging joints…So sod you, old vets. I will request one last thing from you, however, try not to condemn anyone else’s pets to an early and unnecessary demise…

Count yourselves lucky that I don’t write and complain about you to the local press….only I seem to have somehow managed to shut down that particular avenue…

This year’s music gigs and other shows
This is more for me than you guys – to try and make sure I don’t miss any of them - it's getting a bit congested again.

Up and coming
V2011 Sat 20th – 21st August - Hylands Park Chelmsford
Roddy Frame –Thu 20th October - Bush Hall, Shepherds Bush
KT Tunstall  - Tue 8th Nov - Union Chapel
The Pigeon Detectives - Thu 17th Nov, Electric Ballroom
Driving Miss Daisy - Fri 18th Nov, Wyndham's Theatre (Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones)
Duran Duran – Mon 12th  Dec, O2
Shed 7  - Sat 17th Dec, Shepherds Bush Empire

Blink and you missed it
Good Charlotte - Shepherds Bush
Tom Jones – Audley End
Athlete – Union Chapel
Blondie –  Kew Gardens
Much Ado about Nothing -   (David Tennant & Kathryn Tate)
Barenaked Ladies - Koko - CamdenTown

Childrens’ Hour  (Kiera Kightly & Elizabeth Moss)
Kylie – O2 Dome
Pigeon Detectives - Cambridge Juncton
The Feeling – Heaven - Charring Cross
Icicle Works – Islington Academy

V- Festival 2011 lineup
As the organisers don't release the times until the day before, these are the provistional based on last year - I'm confident that the running orders are fairly accurate, but the times might vary a little bit....
 
Saturday 20th August  Chelmsford & Sunday at Stafford
V Stage
1215 - 1245 : Fun Lovin Criminals
1310 - 1350 : Ziggy Marley
1420 - 1505 : KT Tunstall
1535 - 1620 : Bruno Mars
1650 - 1740 : Lostprophets
1810 - 1910 : Kaiser Chiefs
1940 - 2040 : Plan B
2120 - 2250 : Arctic Monkey

4 Music Stage
1200 - 1220 : Kassidy
1235 - 1255 : Big Country
1315 - 1345 : Aloe Blacc
1400 - 1430 : Kids In Glass Houses
1450 - 1520 : Cast
1540 - 1615 : Olly Murs
1635 - 1710 : Example
1735 - 1820 : Jessie J
1845 - 1930 : Tinie Tempah
1955 - 2045: Razorlight
2120 - 2250: Dizzee Rascal

The Arena
1215 - 1235 : Twenty Twenty
1250 - 1315 : Wretch 32
1335 - 1405 : Clare Maguire
1425 - 1455 : Labrinth
1515 - 1545 : Kele
1605 - 1640 : Chipmunk
1705 - 1740 : Wiz Khalifa
1905 - 1955 : Katy B
2020 - 2110 : Glasvegas
2140 - 2255 : Chase and Status

The Union
1200 - 1220 : Alice Gold
1240 - 1300 : Parade
1320 - 1340 : Alex Winston
1400 - 1425 : Maverick Sabre
1440 - 1505 : Beardyman
1530 - 1555 : Frankmusic
1615 - 1640 : SPECIAL GUEST
1655 - 1720 : Yasmin
1740 - 1810 : Chromeo
1835 - 1910 : Airborne Toxic Event
1935 - 2015 : Morcheeba
2040 - 2125 : Gomez
2150 - 2250 : Goldie Looking Chain

Sunday 21st August  Chelmsford & Saturday at Stafford
V Stage
1215 - 1245 : Imelda May
1310 - 1350 : Squeeze
1420 - 1505 : Ellie Goulding
1535 - 1620 : Scouting For Girls
1650 - 1740 : Manic Street Preachers
1810 - 1910 : The Script
1940 - 2040 : Rihanna
2120 - 2250 : Eminem

4 Music Stage
1200 - 1220 : The Knux
1235 - 1255 : D12
1315 - 1345 : Noisettes
1400 - 1430 : Ocean Colour Scene
1452 - 1520 : You Me At Six
1540 - 1615 : Good Charlotte
1635 - 1710 : N-Dubz
1735 - 1820 : The Wombats
1845 - 1930 : The Courteeners
2000 – 2130 : Pendulum (Guessed a rough time)
2200 - 2250 : Primal Scream

The Arena
1215 - 1235 : Slaughter House
1250 - 1315 : Hanson
1335 - 1405 : Chiddy Bang
1425 - 1455 : Dionne Bromfield
1515 - 1545 : The Wanted
1605 - 1640 : Eliza Doolittle
1705 - 1740 : The Saturdays
1805 - 1840 : Hurts
1905 - 1955 : Big Audio Dynamite
2020 - 2110 : Mark Ronson
2140 - 2255 : Duran Duran

The Union
1200 - 1220 : Wolf Gang
1240 - 1300 : Emma’s Imagination
1320 - 1340 : Morning Parade
1400 - 1425 : Fitz and the Tantrums
1440 - 1505 : Kitty, Daisy & Lewis
1530 - 1555 : Mummers
1615 - 1640 : SPECIAL GUEST
1655 - 1720 : Fenech Soler
1740 - 1810 : The Pierces
1835 - 1910 : Bellowhead
1935 - 2015 : Stornoway
2040 - 2125 : I Am Kloot
2150 - 2250 : Jaguar Skills

If anyone wants a copy of my 'band clash' excel spread sheet,  just let me know...
Show me the sunny
Monitoring our way to a fortune (or not) with our Solar Panels - This Summer is not proving as sunny as we would like but we are still on track for this years predition

KW Produced so far –  2318  2405

KW generated in the last week – 87

This has earned us approximately – £1201

Record of the week

The Little Things by Good Charlotte -

Jealousy by Good Charlotte -

I Fought The Law by Green Day - Well to be honest it's more like "I fought security and security won..."

California Gurls  by Katy Perry - just for those Daisy Duke's...

Watch of the week
The regular section in support of Joe (Stunt Cock) and his growing watch business Xupes

Xupes has been trading for over 2 years and  Joe has recently developed some great contacts in the trade which enables him to pick up surplus stock and sell them at great prices. Mrs B is a regular purchaser from his jewellery section, going self service once she finally realised that her husband is not the jewellery buying type…
Breitling Chronomat Evolution SS MOP Diamonds
Xupes price £6,995.00
RRP£11,950.00
Saving£4,955.00
 Excellent condition rare Breitling Chronomat Evolution Stainless Steel with factory Breitling Mother of pearl dial and diamonds mens watch on stainless steel strap with deployment buckle. This is the mens 43.7mm model. This model was manufactured in very limited numbers and are rare with the diamond bezel and dial. This particular model is now discontinued so definitely a collectors piece for the future. The watch is in excellent overall condition having barely been worn from new.

Photo Finish
A mix bag this week - including the cats, proving that they are in rude health. My attempts at getting some of our garden birds in flight and some very poor efforts of Good Charlotte.  The firts two subjects were taken with The Beast while the Good Charlotte ones by the Mega Mini Beast (You can see why he ended up in detention).

Mischief, always finds grass is the best medicine
much better than a visit to the sodding vets.....

McG, doesn't exactly look like he's on his sick bed....


Goldfinches playing musical chairs,
someone should tell them that two
birds and two chairs makes for a very
long and dull game....


"Ron, Ron have you seen my Hummingbird impression??"


Surely a straight red for this nasty two footed challenge….
 Good Charlotte - by the Mega Mini Beast - shortly before being incarceration for poor services to photography
More camera's than guitars....


Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous....


Be thankful I spared you a sight of
his Daisy Duke's.....


I can at least pass this one off as arty...
I hope to bring you some better concert pictures from the V-Festival  next week... 

28 comments:

  1. Roddy Frame is fantastic live. Well, he was when I seen him.
    I notice I Am Kloot are playing V, they come with a Cynical Scribble thumbs up too.

    Hsve fun at V :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. good charlotte never caught on to me but those cats did

    ReplyDelete
  3. Graces her subjects, and her thoughts the king. Supporting!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I saw Pulp and Gary Numan at a V festival, years ago - I still have the T-shirt. I think Sparks were there as well [Chelmsford]...
    I hope you are not boycotting Coronation Street - I'd hate to see that pulled in 15 years time. I will blame you if it is.
    Sx

    ReplyDelete
  5. I like Good Charlotte's music, but never expected them to look like that. Wow, the power of video.
    Too bad I can't fit into my Daisy Dukes anymore.

    ReplyDelete
  6. cynicalscribble said...
    Roddy Frame is fantastic live. Well, he was when I seen him.
    He’s great except for his tendency to come on 24 hours early…
    I notice I Am Kloot are playing V, they come with a Cynical Scribble thumbs up too.

    Hsve fun at V :)

    Down loaded some kloot might just drop in and give them your regards…V will be great as long as the weather holds and I can get The Beast in.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Clueless Dolphin said...
    good charlotte never caught on to me but those cats did
    Yeah sorry about that McG is not very good at retracting his claws

    ReplyDelete
  8. Mr Jack House said...
    Graces her subjects, and her thoughts the king. Supporting!
    I’m still trying to work out if this is English or some strange dialect that I can’t comprehend. Well I guess some people think that about the BlackLOG…

    ReplyDelete
  9. Scarlet Blue said...
    I saw Pulp and Gary Numan at a V festival, years ago - I still have the T-shirt. I think Sparks were there as well [Chelmsford]...
    Blimey how many years ago was that? I didn’t think you were that old
    I hope you are not boycotting Coronation Street - I'd hate to see that pulled in 15 years time. I will blame you if it is.
    Sx

    Not a big fan of British Soaps but Corrie is far better than the misery that is East Enders – so I promise not to boycott the Street with my 15 year plan of destruction….Besides as far as I know my special powers are restricted to the paper media…

    ReplyDelete
  10. Al Penwasser said...
    I like Good Charlotte's music, but never expected them to look like that. Wow, the power of video.
    Too bad I can't fit into my Daisy Dukes anymore.

    I feel the rest of the world will be forever grateful….

    ReplyDelete
  11. my day in a sentence said...
    Wait, the GC is still together?
    If a little out of focus and fuzzy on film… No wait that was me and the Mega Mini Beast

    ReplyDelete
  12. Glad to hear the kitties are alive and well and that you've rid yourself of the jackass vet. Also happy to see you've got a good taste for music. I'm envious if you're making it to those Pigeon Detectives shows. Those fellas have been one of my most-listened-to in the last couple months. Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  13. A Beer for the Shower said...
    I can’t believe it, a Blog of Note visiting the little people…lots of choruses of “We are not worthy…”

    Glad to hear the kitties are alive and well and that you've rid yourself of the jackass vet.
    I’m thinking of taking the vets to Switzerland on a one way ticket – Dignatas is such a nice place to visit at this time of year

    Also happy to see you've got a good taste for music. I'm envious if you're making it to those Pigeon Detectives shows. Those fellas have been one of my most-listened-to in the last couple months. Cheers!
    Having caught the last notes of their support performance last year, F***ing traffic and then Mrs B not being able to see them earlier this year it is such a hardship to have to see them for a second time…

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  14. My aunt had a similar experience with her dog. Supposedly, it needed to be put down a year ago, but the vet allowed her to take it home and let the kids say goodbye. My aunt proceeded to have a meltdown and kept procrastinating the "inevitable". It finally became apparent that the dog was just fine. It's still just fine.

    Glad to see your concert-going is still going strong. Keeping track of those could be a full time job ;)

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  15. wow lots of good bands too see there!!

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  16. Thank you for the lengthy list of bands for me to check out. Love the pics from the show too. Sometimes security will pull your film or make you delete all photos- you were lucky in that respect!

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  17. Brooke said...
    My aunt had a similar experience with her dog. Supposedly, it needed to be put down a year ago, but the vet allowed her to take it home and let the kids say goodbye. My aunt proceeded to have a meltdown and kept procrastinating the "inevitable". It finally became apparent that the dog was just fine. It's still just fine.
    I think some Vets don’t take into account how stressful some animals find a trip to see them is…. which makes me wonder if some of them are so egotistical that if the animal doesn’t fawn (I guess that would be faun if the vet happened to be treating a Roman god) all over them they don’t deserves to live…

    Glad to see your concert-going is still going strong. Keeping track of those could be a full time job ;)
    I probably either need to hire a full time assistant or give up my day job and make gigging a full time career…

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  18. Lady Lunacy said...
    wow lots of good bands too see there!!
    So many bands so little time, if I hire an assistant I would probably need them to mop up the ones I miss….

    ReplyDelete
  19. One Bad Pixie said...
    Thank you for the lengthy list of bands for me to check out.
    It’s bad enough that V has 4 stages to deal with, I think Glastonbury has over 12 (might even be as high as 20) I thin k I would explode from over choice…

    Love the pics from the show too.
    Thanks, although they are probably some of the worst I’ve taken recently

    Sometimes security will pull your film or make you delete all photos - you were lucky in that respect!
    I think things have changed a bit recently, now that every phone, makeup mirror, hairbrush and shoe seem to have a 12 megapixel camera on board….Fortunately even if you are forced to delete photo’s there is recovery software out there that can put a smile back on your face….

    ReplyDelete
  20. It's interesting that you didn't expect Good Charlotte to look the way they did (and do)!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Jessica Thompson said...
    Haha, wow that's cool!
    Damn, there was me aiming for hot…Shows how out of touch I’m getting…

    ReplyDelete
  22. Julia, the Thanksgiving Girlsaid...
    It's interesting that you didn't expect Good Charlotte to look the way they did (and do)!
    I think it is because I download albums rather than purchase CDs, so you don’t get the full art work. Plus Good Charlotte aren’t that big in the UK (more shame us) so they don’t get much coverage…

    ReplyDelete
  23. You'll have to excuse me. I've been on a blogging summer vacation. I haven't been to any blogs all month either.

    The local paper can kiss my arse. I'm sorry Mini Mega Beat was confiscated too.

    I've seen Ziggy Marley dozens of times =D & that's a lot of live music you got lined up there.

    Really, really great pictures! I'm glad the kitties are still around & well. It's really up to the animal, not the vet. We can tell when our pets are suffering too badly to want to be around anymore.

    That description of the Good Charlotte crowd was hilarious, and another beautiful watch on display as well.

    I know I've been absent for a ridiculously long time, but I'm tellin' ya, DON'T lose me hope in me yet. I'll be back in the swing, for summer is almost over.

    ReplyDelete
  24. LilPixi said...
    You'll have to excuse me. I've been on a blogging summer vacation. I haven't been to any blogs all month either.
    Sorry to drag you off Blogcation early…

    The local paper can kiss my arse.
    They probably won’t get back to you even for that sensational offer…

    I'm sorry Mini Mega Beat was confiscated too.
    We he came back none the worse for wear

    I've seen Ziggy Marley dozens of times =D & that's a lot of live music you got lined up there.
    Ziggy wasn’t on my see list (sounds like you got the monopoly on him)as I was at Aloa Blacc

    Really, really great pictures! I'm glad the kitties are still around & well. It's really up to the animal, not the vet. We can tell when our pets are suffering too badly to want to be around anymore.
    It’s not as if they had bitten the vet recently….

    That description of the Good Charlotte crowd was hilarious, and another beautiful watch on display as well.
    They certainly were vibrant

    I know I've been absent for a ridiculously long time, but I'm tellin' ya, DON'T lose me hope in me yet. I'll be back in the swing, for summer is almost over.
    You should have told me that you are a winter blogger, I would not have been so worried about your absence….

    ReplyDelete
  25. Your cats are sinfully beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Sarah said...
    Your cats are sinfully beautiful!
    they are certainly beautifully sinful

    ReplyDelete

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