Well, I started a bit late for what is actually quite a long journey from here. So, to try to make the start time of 7, both on the ticket and on the Meetup site, I took the Tube - remarking how many steps have to be climbed! You do forget. Anyway, I got off at Earl's Court, to save myself a few pence by not changing travel zones, and had a very nostalgic walk past my old office - on the evening of a quite hot, and very sunny day:
Google Maps got me to the end of Mornington Avenue, and then got confused - pinpointing the venue to my left, and saying I had to go right. I was standing there trying to decipher this, when an elderly guy passed with his shopping. "You're not looking for the club as well, are you?" So, he directed me around the corner, to the other side of Sainsbury's - used to be my local shop, that, when I was living in Kensington - I used to pop in there for a snack on my way back from the airport. Sure enough, there it was - the scruffy-looking place beside Sainsbury's. And a queue.
This person decided to take a photo of the ever-growing queue. I'd arrived just after 7 - just as well I hadn't hurried more. At about a quarter past, a guy came out to apologise and tell us it'd be 10 minutes more, and at least, for once, he was telling the truth about that - within 10 minutes, we were in. So much for having to print out our tickets - the same guy had a checklist with our names on it. The cloakroom was £2 per item, so I passed that - and there was a guy to peer in our bags. Once I was through with all of that, up some stairs with an interesting, illuminated, recessed banister, and some unusual, black wallpaper. I couldn't see a Meetup group, so went to get a drink at the bar. Waited a very long time - they're slow, here - and took a seat in the flat area in front of the stage. I was surprised they had seats there, actually.
Left a message on the Meetup page about where I was. Never did get a response. First on stage, at 8, was a guy plugging his new book, about how music and political activism are inextricably linked - seems that Kefaya are more politically aware than was obvious. He played us a clip of Billie Holiday singing Strange Fruit, and one from the second Wembley concert in honour of Nelson Mandela. Unfortunately, he lost me when he started to describe Jeremy Corbyn as "progressive"..
Finally, he was off, and I was hoping that Kefaya would lift my mood. Until the mc apologised to us sitting in the seats in front of the stage - but we'd have to be moved, to clear the floor for the main concert. I figured these seats weren't permanent! Well, frankly, that just took the biscuit. The only seats left that I could see were right over in a booth in the far corner - which I didn't fancy, stuck over there on my own because I couldn't find anyone else, unable to see, and I didn't even want another drink (although I must compliment them on their wine selection, it was very nice). Neither was I in a standing mood. So - I left! in a huff.
Glad I did, frankly - the night was just ill-fated. Mind you, here I was, at home writing the blog, and the blasted fire alarm goes off! Four fire engines they sent - paranoid after Grenfell, y'think?
Tomorrow, a group called Theatre and Stuff is off to see Prism, at Hampstead Theatre. They're charging extra to go with them, though - so I happily bought my own ticket. What the hey, odds are I won't know any of them anyway.
On Tuesday, I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats - to see Wings, at the Young Vic. Accidentally booked standing, I think.. :-/
On Wednesday, I was with Up in the Cheap Seats again - for Jekyll & Hyde, presented by the National Youth Theatre, at the Ambassadors Theatre. But gee, of course, London Literary Walks is out again - King's Cross and John Betjeman, this one. Likely to be the last of the year - I couldn't miss it.
On Thursday, I was with another new group: London, Surrey and Beyond.. for an event called "A Unique Experience. Olde Pub, Gerry's Private Club, 2 'i's Famous Fish 'n' Chips". Which says it all, really! But then TunedIn advertised flamenco at Sands Films.. irresistible really. So I've booked that instead. And then RSVPed with the World Music Meetup, when they finally got around to advertising it. (I see that London, Surrey and Beyond event has been cancelled now, for lack of interest.) Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again.
On the 2nd October, I had booked at Hampstead Theatre, for No One Will Tell Me How to Start a Revolution. North London Friends are attending - and charging extra, so I was going it alone! But now it turns out I'm spending the week in the Stockholm office - back on the 8th.
On the 3rd October, it was free comedy in Hammersmith - nominally. With Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich. So, that was easy to cancel, for Stockholm!
On the 4th October was Up in the Cheap Seats and Labour of Love, with Martin Freeman, at the Noel Coward Theatre. Cheapest tickets from the venue, for once!
On the 5th October, same group - headed to see the Company Wayne McGregor, at Sadler's Wells.
And finally! on the 6th October, headed to see Chekhov's The Seagull, at the Lyric. Third night in a row for that group - almost as busy a group as I am a person! So, four things in all I had to cancel, without refund.. what the hey, I'll doubtless be saving money in Stockholm! Expenses paid, after all.
On the 9th October, I'm finally going to see the show so many people have asked me whether I'm seeing. Ink is showing at the Duke of York's Theatre.
On the 10th October, I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Ballet Boyz at Sadler's Wells.
On the 11th October, back with Funzing (London Speaks Sessions and LDN Talks @ Night) for a talk on Revolution in Iran: Girl with a Gun. This will be an interview with a female Kurdish revolutionary.. on the Battersea Barge, which I believe can get choppy. Never mind. This is one I got for free, for completing a loyalty card with three talks.
On the 12th October, Let's Do This are back to St. Martin-in-the-Fields, where London Concertante is performing Bach Violin Concertos. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
And on the 16th October, back at Southwark Playhouse with Up in the Cheap Seats - this time, it's for A Day By the Sea.
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