As I started writing this I noticed the number of day it is in the year. Number 182, which coincides with one of my favourite bands, Blink 182 who I got to saw live last week, so shameless plug of a blog post I wrote about it here.
Now for the tedious link, today's picture is about my all time favourite band, Feeder. It must run in the genes my youngest daughter having good taste in music as today's picture is her using her new found skills in sitting up to watch them on TV as we watched the highlights of last weeks Isle of Wight festival...
The last instalment of the epic week saw us head back to the stadium of light in Sunderland to see the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
The day started pretty wet, it had been raining, a lot. For the gig on Thursday we had bought some 97p ponchos at Asda, a great purchase but hadn't used them as the weather had held out, but unfortunately it looked like we would need to use them today. My friend Boozy picked us up and we headed through. As soon as we got out the car, we had been walking for 1 minute and the heavens opened and it absolutley lashed it down with rain, to say we got soaked was an understatement. We found shelter under a tree, yet that still didn't fully protect us, we headed for a nearby pub, and typical with rain as soon as we found this refuge it stopped.
We had a few drinks and a catch up amongst friends before deciding it was time to head towards the stadium. As we were 2 minutes away from the stadium, yep you guessed it the rain desended on us again, we found shelter from the worst of it by the side of a building, before running to the stadium and once again as soon as we were inside it had stopped.
Many people were in the same predicament and many drying themselves under the hand dryers in the toilets. Once inside we had to find our seats, little did we know that running in from the rain had took us to the wrong area of the stadium, we had to be guided through the corporate boxes by a very helpful steward, it was a little tempting to burst into one of the boxes and shout sorry were late, but somehow I don't think this would have been recieved well.
The gig itself seemed like a mini festival, there were 3 support acts, reverand and the makers, the local band the futureheads and the wombats before the Red hot chilli peppers. All were good and well recieved by the crowd. As I had predicted to my OH the futureheads would play hounds of love and divide the crowd to sing the chorus as they always do. The wombats were very lively and in all honesty looked like they could be a main stage headline act in their own right.
The Chillis came on in their usual high tempo energy. The band did a lot of old songs mixed with the new and the set felt very well balanced enough for the crowd to appreciate and please all types of fans. There was also a lot of their famous jams inbetween songs, this not something I was too aware of not being a huge fan, I enjoy their singles but can't confess to knowing many album tracks, but nevertheless I was able to enjoy the show. OH had us dancing, she had me stood up grabbing hold of me to ensure if she tumbled I'd be taken down with her.
So that was our epic week of gigs, it was great and gave me appetite to continue my love affair with live music, next up Leeds Festival...
No not youngest, although I don't think she'll be too far away from being more mobile, the person who started walking today is Rabbit, eldest daughters closest companion. We walked to the shops and she decided rabbit must wear her shoes before proceeding to walk down the street.... Until Rabbits shoes came off so she carrie Rabbit like a baby
Another day and another gig, the last day of the epic week and the last gig. Today is the day of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers in Sunderland. I like the Chillis but not as much as the OH, they are her favourite band. However I am looking forward to some of the support acts, reverend and the makers, futureheads and the wombats, it's kind of like a mini festival, I'm sure the Chillis will be good also....
We went to play football today and I feel that eldest daughter, with some good coaching could be a decent little footballer. However already she has displayed some worrying signs that she must of been taught by watching too much european football, firstly faking injury....
Thursday nite saw us go to Sunderland to go see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band live. To say that in the past 7 months I've been looking forward to this is an understatement. As many of you know The Boss is and always will be one of my favourite artists, I don't recall any of his songs it albums that I have outright disliked .
For this gig I had not only had the day or the next day off but the whole week. This was the jewel in the crown of my week, the day I was looking forward to the most. We had got to Sunderland for around 2pm, a full 5 hours before the show to have some drinks and some food. It was quite clear from walking round town that their was an air of excitement hanging around, many people walking with either flags of the USA or walking around with Bruce Springsteen t-shirts. There was even some people dressed as cowboys and plenty of denim for all to see. As we walked the streets many bars could be heard playing an array of The Bosses hits, plenty of them to choose from.
In recent years Sunderland had started hosting gigs in the summer, with bands such as Coldplay, Oasis, take that, kings if Leon all playing, but this gig, this act is on a whole different level to them. Yes they are all bug name bands, there's no doubting and denying that, all those gigs were spectacular shows I've no doubt, but Bruce and the E Street are in their own category of super stardom, far higher and mighty than shy who had played Sunderland before and it's because of this that you could sense the excitement.
Once the show had started we were already well oiled from the drink. We initially started quite close to the front enjoying the first few tracks, but had got separated from our group of friends. Usually at gigs I'm more far to just bopping around, listening to the music and moshing a little if need be, yet at Bruce I prefer a. It more space to dance (although I'm not a very good one, the fact I had a fair few beers probably helped aid this desire) with this in mind we soon went further back in the crowd. We had found our friends and enjoying the music.
The boss played a lot from his new album wrecking ball and then an encore if hits. His whole show lasting between 3 and a half and 4 hours. The weather may have not been the best, but it could have been a lot worse, it being overcast and for only 5 minutes actually raining. It didn't dampen any ones spirits as The band started belting out hits such as Born to Run, Dancing in the Dark and Glory days many people were singing and dancing, often with perfect strangers, but this doesn't matter as their is a certain cameradere present when seeing an act of this magnitude. Couple this with people hearing the Boss sing new songs live for us for the first time such as waitin' on a sunny day and Jack of all trades, the crowd took really well eager to hear each song thrown our way.
The highlight of the night was undoubtedly the tribute played to the late great Clarence Clemons, the saxophonist on Bruce's biggest hits. The Big man will never be replaced, and his presence on stage was duly noted. It's great that the E Street managed to keep it in the family and have his nephew take up sax duties, and I'm sure his uncle taught him how to be such a good saxophonist. The band played 10th Avenue Freeze out as one of the last songs, and the lyric hit, "When the big man joined the band" the music stopped and a montage of pictures of Clarence played on the screens, from years gone by, at this point the crown stood and clapped, this was the case for the next 2 minutes until the band restarted the song from that point. A touching and fitting tribute for the big man himself who is sorely missed, but a fitting tribute to his greatness as a truly fantastic sax player.
The gig was beyond words, its tough to describe how good it was, and that is why I have to finish my post now, I could keep going on about each song and how the crowd reacted or talk about the night in endless details, but it wouldn't do any of it justice. To simply say The Boss was electric, the E Street Band was on fire and the atmosphere was magnetic would be a few simple steps to describe it, but would still be nowhere near giving it justice.
Our eldest daughter often makes us laugh. As she gets older she seems to get more funnier and quirkier, I often wonder if youngest will be like her. Her mother thinks she'll end up being a stand up comic.
Just the other day I walked into the bathroom, eldest daughter had been the last person in there. She obviously has taken note that I spend longer than most in the bathroom as I like to read, so she has decided to do the same by the judge of this scene, although I'm a little worried at what she's trying to read....
Today is the day I've been waiting for 67 months, it's all about one band and his band, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. We are off to see him in Sunderland today, the kids are under the care of Nana and we are descending on Sunderland for a few pre show drinks. It may be wet but I don't care, the show must and will go on, to say I'm excited is an understatement....
The sun is shining and the children are playing, and what fun they look like they are having, I sit hear having a lovely cuppa as the sun does the hard work for me and allows the children to roam free in the back garden. Here is eldest daughter and her cousin playing freely on not one but two trampolines....
Meanwhile Nana is in the living room distracting youngest child with nursery rhymes, and from the giggles and gurgles I hear she seems to be enjoying. After having breakfast in the garden we took them all for a walk, or I say walk only me and the children's Nana ended up walking. Eldest daughter was on a scooter and CJ was on his bike while youngest daughter was in her push chair. We stopped by a local park for them to play on....
While Nana and Tabitha sat and watched....
Once we were finished it was time to head back to Nana's on the bike and scooter but unfortunately eldest child got bored of being on the scooter and ended up dragging it along instead of riding on it....
So it ended up with my riding on it, but I got told off for not having a crash helmet on....
Once we got back to Nana's it was time to enjoy the weather more by having lunch outside on the patio, before more afternoon fun in the sun....
Today the Olympic flame came past our house. Now I know many people are sick of hearing about the Olympic Flame, My mothers own words when I told her I and the children were going to see was, 'I wish the bugger would go out'. Obviously for those who aren't into their sports it's something that causes disturbance to their routine and lives in one way or another. However for me, being a keen sportsman it's an important symbol. The Olympics, ideally is all that's best with sports, traditionally, should I add, that it was about amateurs representing their countries, something that should be the proudest moment of any ones life.
Now I'm not defending the moder day Olympics, each Olympics is dogged by Political agendas, Governments seeming to use the games as an excuse to showcase their ideals of cause controversy, look back at the history of the games and this is intertwined. Also couple that with the fact that the games are sponsored by some of the worst companies in the world and it's clear to see that the Modern Day Olympics has come a long way from the traditional modern day Olympics set up by Pierre de Coubertin all those years ago.
But the games do bring out a lot of good, and I for one am proud we're hosting them in this country and looking forward to watching them, so the symbol of the Olympic flames represents to me all that is good with sport, bringing communities closer together and showing passion and pride in you country.
I sit here in my mothers garden, in the nice warm north eastern sun typing. Eldest daughter and my nephew playing freely in the garden and I can hear my mam singing nursery rhymes to youngest daughter. Today is going well at its only 9am!
Yesterday saw a few events take place. So where to start? Well first event of the day was the Olympic flame passed our house. We went to watch it and took the kids, we had a good vantage point and got to see it go right past use, it was good that alot of people also had the same idea and wanted to see, what, I am sure will be the only time I get to see it in my lifetime. We were at a change over point for the flame too, and I felt quite sad for the Guy who had to take on the flame, not because of anything to do with him etc but because he was being mobbed by everyone, getting people circling him until the police asked them to get away as the torch was coming. Ok it's great that he's getting attention and recognition but people were mobbing him just for a photo of him with a stranger, someone he never met and an as of yet unlit torch, no doubt people will be posting the pictures on facebook and fair does to them but surely that's not what the torch run is about is it? the chance for others to have a picture of them next to an unlit torch.
After this me and the daughters headed north to my mams house. We left mummy to have a day of relaxation to herself and have peace and quiet while we descended on Nana for 6 whole days, the girls mam is joining us all on Wednesday so she'll get a whole 24 hours to cherish by herself.
Last night I went to the first of three gigs this week. It was a great gig. Blink 182 were on form and looked to be at their best. I've had the joy of seeing them two times previously, each time better than the last, but last nights show saw the band act more comedic as ever before, they looked like they were enjoying it, and so because of their apparent enjoyment, this fed off onto the crowd, who in turn enjoyed the night. As the band seemed even more enjoying themselves their music playing and singing grew more bold, guitar and drum solos louder and harder than ever before. To say the gig was good is an understatement.
For an encore the band decided that restricting themselves to the main stage wasn't good enough, Mark and Tom (the guitarists) took to a pre arranged centre stage, something that was just bigger than the garden patio I'm currently sat on. The played with their acoustic guitars telling stories of the 2 songs they were about sing about how they were wrote when they were teenagers in California. Of course this probably had happened at all the other shows they've recently played, in fact I know they had as my good friend Disco Dave had been to them and told me about them, but you get a sense that all the comedy moments in the show was pre routine, but it just happens on the spot.
Blink also announced in the evening that England was winning the football, and 5 minutes later announced that England had won to a cheer from the crowd, this would also be something Tom would refer back to to get a cheer if one of his jokes fell flat on it's face, but he does so brilliantly the crowd laugh at him anyway. Theres not many American bands I can think of who would have had the courtesy to do such a thing, but with Blink you sense that these shows meant a lot to them, they meant a lot to the crowd, after all many had probably done as I had and bought the tickets 2 years ago expecting the show last year only to have it rearranged to this year.
I ended the evening waiting for 40 minutes to see the band and the back gates, there was nothing pre arranged it was purely that's where Dave wanted to go, he had managed to go backstage last week in their London shows, so I thought might as well join him, we didn't see anyone and after 40 minutes I decided that I'd had enough of waiting, I'm still waiting to hear if he saw them today, but I wouldn't mind if I missed them, seeing them on top form like I did tonight was enough. They managed to get a healthy mix of old and new songs playing classics like carousel with new songs like after midnight. They also played their comic songs like Blew Job and Country song, much to the crowds delight.
No matter however as it was worth the wait, Blink didn't disappoint with some drab, boring, lifeless show, they were on form and wanted the whole crowd to see that they were back to their best and that they were worth the wait, and you know what, they succeeded.
Today I had some more time to myself, the family are due back later and so I decided to get some tasks done and take a trip to York, where we will be moving to in a months time. I needed to submit some paperwork so I hoped on the train, listened to my music and enjoyed the scenery passing by the train...
This week is a week I d been looking forward to for quite sometime, and for quite a few reasons. Where to start? Well firstly I have a whole 8 days off work! Fantastic, what could be better no work, no meetings, no late finishes, or early starts (apart from getting up with the kids) just quality family time. Don't get me wrong, I like and enjoy my job but everyone needs a break at times and in the past I've been guilty of being on holiday but still working at home, but not in this case this is a 100% break.
So aside from that obvious reason why else have I been looking forward to this week for so long? Well, in fact it all started in November 2010. One of my favourite Bands had reformed, Blink 182. I had seen them earlier in the summer at Leeds festival, it was then announced that they would be touring the UK, do naturally as I always do when tickets went on sale I bought some, the ticket was originally for June 2011 but a few months before the gig the band postponed the gig as there album wouldn't be ready in time and only wanted to tour with a new album, fair does I can wait, it'll be awesome.
The day of the Blink 182 gig the Olympic torch goes by our house too.
Now being a keen sports fan and working in the fitness industry this is
something I really want to take my kids along to as I am well aware that
this is a lifetime opportunity, it definitely won't happen again in my
lifetime and probably not in my daughters, is the fact it passes our
house is great and something we will definitely see before heading
north. I only wish I was lucky enough to run with it myself, big I'm not
so seeing it will be great in its own right.
Little did I know however how the rescheduled show would be joined with other events in the week. In October 2011 it was announced that the Red Hot Chilli Peppers would play in Sunderland on Sunday 24th June. At the time I thought great, nice easy present for the OH, I like them but she loves them do there's a Christmas present and well go together, as well as many of my good school friends going it'll be a good day out.
Then in November the big announcement came that took this week from being a great week off to being and epic, spectacular, one if the best weeks of my life event, to join seeing Blink 182 and the Chilli Peppers, on Thursday 21st June at Sunderland none other than The Boss, Bruce Springsteen is playing. My mam bought me tickets for Christmas, and since this was announced I've been counting down the weeks the days and into hours now. I've already seen the Boss live once and it was the best gig I've been too, I can't wait it's gonna awesome.
I guess what's best as well is free childcare and accommodation this is all happening in my native north raft do we are travelling up and staying at my mams, she gets time with the grab kids and me and OH get time together and I also get time with my mates. It's all a win win.
So to quote the awesome Barney Stinson, this week is gonna be Legendary.....
Today is of course fathers day. The daughters and there mother are away which means my present from them is a day of peace and quiet and a rare chance of me to do what I want. I of course miss them and would love to see them, but I am passing by my time with these....
As my most regular readers will know I write a music inspired post each month. Usually this is my own critique of a new album I've recently bought or it is simply me just writing about the music I've enjoyed listening to in my car on my commutes to work, if you've never read any before here is one.
Any who the other day as I was writing the latest music inspired post I noticed a trend. It was that all the songs I was writing about made me think about summer, as soon as I hear the first bit of the song, for some unbeknown reason I can't explain I instantly associate and think of summer. So this inspired me to write another post, the one you are reading now, dedicated to a great summer playlist.
Now we all have playlists on our iPhone, iPods, laptops, heck some of us still use mix CDs or mix tapes, so here is what I would have on my summer playlist...
1/ The Old Crow Medicine Show; Wagon Wheel,
This song always makes me feel like summer, Firstly it's a simple song, not too complex with loads of different instruments and is quite easy listening. But the main reason why this to me is a great summer song is the memories I have linked with it. I first heard this song in the summer of 2007 when I was working in America. It became the sound of that summer for me, working in Minnesota I would hear it most days and so hearing this songs instantly takes me back there. The lyrics tie in very nicely and makes me think of my time travelling around as this song is about exactly that travelling around. It may sound very country, but I love it and that's why its on my summer playlist and makes me think of nice hot weather and the perfect song to listen to in the garden enjoying a beer....
2/ Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff; Summertime,
Again another very chilled relaxed song, this song obviously is associated with summer as it's all bout summer, hence the title. The lyrics describe summer time in the US of A and is a great song, again another favourite of mine to have playing as I am busy cooking over the BBQ with a nice ice cold beer in hand waiting to serve the perfect burgers....
3/ Dizzie Rascal; Holiday,
This song naturally makes you feel of the summer. Again another song that is about the summertime and the holiday season. I remember this song when I was working in Texas. The summer is undoubtedly hot there and I remember this song playing on the radio as I;d be driving round in my rental car and the sun is scorching hot. The weather is so humid that once you've cooled down and taken a shower and step out of the shower you start sweating again. This song is different than the last 2 on this list as its more upbeat, not as chilled out and relaxed and is of course a song that would have been played time and time again in clubs in Ibiza and ayia napa and the UK no doubt one its release...
4/ Sean Paul; Get Busy,
Not a song I particularly like but that's why Ive included. Huh? You may say why have I put it in my playlist but it's a song I don't like? Purely because it's a song that reminds of of Summer 2003. My and 9 Friends went to Falaraki on our first lads holiday. It was great but what I learnt that every bar pretty much owned the same CD and played the same song so for the 2 weeks I was there I remember this song being played around 100 times (probably more but I was quite drunk most of the time) So although it's not a song I particularly like it reminds me of that fantastic holiday.It reminds me of my mate Disco Dave 'rubbing' sun cream on my back but not actually doing do so I ended up sun burnt. I remember my mates getting annoyed at me as I would wake up at 4pm in the afternoon and stay out til 6am as I couldn't be bothered with the heat and just wanted to drink. It was my send off to Uni and was so much fun, so this song earns its place on the list as it's the best of a bad bunch of songs being played on holiday....
5/ The Streets; Fit but you know it,
Ahh The Streets, they were a great band. Mike Skinner was great at what he did telling a story. I saw the Streets in 2004 at Leeds Festival, when this song was released. It was my first time at a festival and so this song is not just connected to memories off that, but also memories of Magaluf in 2004 with my mate Disco Dave, and also memories of University. I remember walking to and from uni listening to the Streets albums. Whenever I hear the Streets songs I usually picture the streets of Liverpool and my journey home. As I also said I saw them live in 2004 and I remember dancing to Van Halen 'Jump' as the Streets were running late so Colin Murray played some essential songs to keep spirits high. I then remember Mike Skinner coming on stage ad being fantastic and getting everyone to do a sun dance as it looked like it was going to rain, he was successful, it didn't ran all weekend and I ended up sunburned and then going to Magaluf and being sun burnt already!...
I'd love for other people to get involved and I am quite freely opening up my blog to everyone. I've never had guest posts or anything before so I wold love people to write to me and write about what songs they associate with summer and what songs they would have on there playlists. Even if you don't have a blog I'd love you to join in, just contact me and I'll put your words up on this screen. If you want to write about 5 songs that make you feel the summer buzz that would be great, similarly if you want to write how to make the perfect summer playlist or just want to write about memories of one particular summer I;d love to have loads of different peoples views and posts, so please feel free to get involved.
You can email me any questions at shastagr81@yahoo.co.uk or tweet me @Daley_84
It's been a long time coming, it's been building up. But finally it's here! I'm off work on holiday for 9 whole days!!!! Wow, so my diary obviously celebrated thus fact today. It will go fast, too fast I know that but I've got loads of fun filled activities planned with the family, let the good times roll...
Here she is, mini Lady Gaga throwing one if her divas. With her spotty sunglasses on, indoors of course, clutching a straw for ammo, you don't want to be on the receiving end of this....
Tonight saw the marking of an end of an era. Some 3 years ago I embarked on my career with a well known fitness establishment at a club based in Leeds City Centre. Recently it was announced that that specific club would close. So tonight a party was held for staff, former staff and members. It was a small affair but a nice one as it have me opportunity to catch up with familiar faces. The club holds many fond memories, I learned how to be a manager there and met many lifelong friends. I have so many happy memories of the place and would dare say it was the place I was most happiest in my professional career so far. The club closes at the end of the month, it will be a sad day, but I'd rather focus on the memories of all the staff and members. The great nights out, the banter, the practical jokes and the ever present professionalism....
This past weekend had seen a nice family orientated activity filled one. To start with we had to pick both girls up from great grandpa's as me and OH went out to celebrate one of her friends birthdays on Friday night. After picking up the girls and realising that I had had no breakfast which subsequently meant I needed to pull the car over so I could be sick we found a coffee shop in a small nearby village. There we sat and ate some breakfast/lunch before heading off to our days activities.
Every year Knaresborough have a bed race. This is an event where the streets get closed off to traffic and instead people push 'beds' through the streets in a time trial race.We only moved to the area last year and heard of the race but missed it. So this year I was quite excited to go and thought it would be quite fun. Each year there is a theme. This years theme was of course the Olympics, each team would represent a country and with close to 100 teams there would be a fair representation of the world. Unfortunately due to us typically running late we didn't manage to see any of the 'beds' decorated. We arrived as the race had started. All the beds were stripped off of their decorations and everyone was in the competitive spirit. The beds were racing down the hill which was our vantage point. The atmosphere was nice, everyone clapping each team of contestants spurring them on to the finish line...
Once the race had finished we popped for a bite to eat and a drink, We were told by an old woman about the story of why there was a statue of a cat on top of the local pub the Market Tavern, saying that the cat had a crooked tail and the cat spirit could often be seen at night. The weather started turning cold so eldest child borrowed my coat and anyone could have mistaken her for a mini grim reaper how it sat on her.....
The next day we popped into town, we had seen that in Valley Gardens there was a family fun day themed in the 1940's. We went along taking the children with us. Many people were dressed up as soldiers or wearing styles of the 40's. We saw some steam engines and children's rides from the 40's. Eldest has never been one for rides but today saw her change her mind and actually she wanted to go on the see saw swings, so we paid the £1 entry fee for her to decide 30 seconds later that shes in fact didn't want to be on it....
We sat in the park and took in the view of the surrounding area, as we sat and ate out very typically British lunch of ham and cheese toasties with a spot of tea a marching band went past playing music to entertain us, it was very loud but fun to see...
After a spot of lunch we walked around.Valley gardens is a very pretty park in the middle of the town. It has a stream with ducks in it, which made eldest child happy as we had finally found some ducks after our failed attempt early this year on our duck hunt, unfortunately this time we forgot the bread...
After the 40's themed day in the park we decided to walk home, we walked past the stray in Harrogate which over the last week has had a fun fair on it. We stopped by to walk around it, Eldest decided she was going to be daring again and wanted to go on the rides. So she was told that if she went on a ride she wouldn't be able to get off and would have to stay on until the ride ends. She agreed and was allowed on the rides, as she went on her first, she grew more and more daring enjoying more and more daring rides....
And it wasn't just eldest who had fun, I saw a football game where you had the option to kick a football at either Rooney or Messi and try to knock them over. I thought this was a great opportunity for myself to smack Rooney square in the head....
Which I successfully managed....
Meaning a prize for daughters....
After all this fun it was time to go home and rest. It's been a long weekend, but also a fun weekend. We have seen lots and it's been nice weather. Hopefully this is just the start of many more great events this summer
