I just nicely got finished in time to get to Euston for the 7pm. With early evening traffic, it did take longer than usual - 40 mins once I caught the bus. Which, by the way, was horrendously crowded- so much so that it was impossible to board at the front. However, the driver saw there was space in the middle, and told us to get on there. Since it wasn't a Routemaster, there were no ticket readers there, and with the impossibility of getting to the reader at the front, I got to travel for free! Got a seat after a while too, so all was good.
I got to the station at 6.45, collected my ticket (why can't they get with the times and issue e-tickets?), and joined the sea of people boarding the Manchester train. The trains are frequent, but I fancied this one- the time suited, and it was one of the fastest, with only two intermediate stops. A lot of seats were marked "reserved" - including, as I noticed after I sat down, mine - but several others like me just sat in empty ones, and weren't challenged. I figured if we started off, we'd be safe enough, as the first stop wasn't until 90 mins into the two-hour journey. And so it proved.
It's a comfy train, with very comfy seats, and I'd have slept if not for the fractious baby in front of me, whose mother had to stand for most of the journey, jiggling her. We also had frequent announcements from the frazzled conductor, who was trying his best to get seats for everyone who didn't have one. He explained too that a relief train, which left 10 mins after ours, was only 2/3 full, and we might like to consider that in future.
I arrived walking distance from my hotel, Roomzzz Corn Exchange. It's an aparthotel, and leaving the station, I passed tons of them! Must be a thing here. I made my way past dozens of shops too - they're not wrong when they describe Manchester aa a shopping destination.
Try finding the hotel though, if you're not familiar with the area. I finally had to put its postcode into Google Maps- which got me the building, the old corn exchange. It's a large, triangular place, and of course I was on the wrong side. It was 9.50 by the time I staggered into reception, where she rapid-fired information at me, gave me my key and pointed me at the lifts.
Pity she didn't give me a map. See, it's like this. Odd numbers are on the outside, facing the road- even numbers on the inside. And they're more spaced out. So it felt like I'd walked half a mile by the time I got to 108. Plus I'd been lucky to turn the right way- I tried to exit the other way today and discovered an off-limits door barring my way! It pays to know that numbers start from the right of the lifts.
The room itself is lovely:
A huge tv occupies the table at the end of the bed, and if not from bed, is best watched from the long sofa. A kitchenette includes a fridge with icebox, a dishwasher, microwave and touch-control hob, a kettle and toaster, crockery, cutlery, pots and pans. (Mind you, I had to look up instructions for the hob online!) Although I'm on the first floor, triple glazing means that noise isn't much of an issue. Beautifully decorated throughout. My only quibble is that the ensuite has a sizeable, unused corner, which could easily house shelving, considering that there's nowhere to leave the towels!
At under £125 per night (£40 longterm), and with a 10% discount on their website with the code UpandAway, and so central, this is quite a find.
Great blackout curtains too, which meant I had a good, long sleep. There's a free drinks machine beside reception, and in the morning they leave other nibbles there - but I was too tired to bother. Instead, I eschewed the grocery shop at reception, and popped round the corner to the Co-Op, which is cheaper and has a much better range. It's lovely to have the option of catering for yourself..
The hotel is walking distance from the venue, the Manchester Arena. And in good time, I joined the sea of people on their way there.
Mind you, I'd have done better not to- we went a terrible round! I then queued for half an hour at the box office, and it was another 25 mins before I got into the building, as we all had to go through metal detectors. They had sent an email this afternoon, warning people about increased security.
The English concerts are the only ones whose tickets were posted to me - and would you believe it, what with booking them in January and moving in June, I completely forgot to make the connection. So I forgot to update my address with Ticketmaster (TM). Just remembered recently, by which time they'd already been posted. I've contacted my old flatmates, but the only response I got was from one who's also moved out - happily, TM said, if I contacted them this week, they'd void the old tickets and issue new ones that I can pick up at the box office. There's always some palaver on a U2 tour, and this isn't the first time I've had to pick up my tickets in Manchester!! Outside of England, they're all e-tickets..
Well, good luck with TM. I replied to my initial query emails - no response. With time tight, I thought I'd better ring them - yeah, good luck with that too, they don't provide the phone number! My boss was good enough to search for me - for future reference, if you need it, it's
0333 321 9999. Not on their website, not in the emails where they were telling me to contact them - he had to get it from a database of customer service numbers. I ask you! Anyway, the guy - with an appropriately Northern accent - promised me faithfully that the tickets would be at the box office for me. And I have to pay £5 per ticket for the privilege - never mind, it got sorted. As for email? I submitted another online query, which was finally responded to today.
With no handrails, I was glad my row wasn't far down. Despite the lady beside me complaining that we wouldn't see anything from that side of the arena, and with the vidiwall in the way, our seats were decent:
Of course, she didn't realise that the vidiwall was what we would be watching the most, and they raise it when not in use. Now, after my woeful companions in Amsterdam, I was most anxious about whether the crowd around me would stand.. hallelujah, they did, and was I glad! Proud of you, Manchester! Mind you, it's not a direct comparison- it'll be interesting to see what happens at tomorrow night's concert, when I'm in the upper tier, as I was in Amsterdam. It's a great concert either way, of course, but it just means so much more to me to stand when I want to.
Setlist:
- The Blackout
- Lights of Home
- I Will Follow
- Gloria
- Beautiful Day
- Zoo Station
- Stay (Faraway, So Close!)
- Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
- The Fly (Intermission - Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me)
- Elevation
- Vertigo / Rebel Rebel (snippet)
- Even Better Than The Real Thing
- Hall of Mirrors (snippet) / Acrobat
- You're The Best Thing About Me
- Summer Of Love
- Pride (In The Name Of Love)
- Get Out Of Your Own Way
- New Year's Day
- Ode To Joy (snippet) / City Of Blinding Lights
- Women of the World (snippet) / One
- Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way
- 13 (There Is A Light)
encore(s):
Man, with my relief at being able to stand, Gloria was sweet! And what a treat to hear The Fly - I think it's the first time in 25 years I've heard it live! With interesting new graphics, too. As there are new graphics on Even Better than the Real Thing. Before which, we have that great "I'm fuckin' Bono!" speech, which has become one of my favourite parts of the show.
I'd been wondering what they'd do about Brexit in this country- well, they have a new EU graphic! I don't have a copy yet, but in this one, the star representing the UK has a Union Jack in it, and a heart around it. As he said tonight, Brexit will mean an end to shared strengths and shared dreams. And he also pointed out that, everywhere they've toured in Europe, people love the UK. And the UK will be missed.
Finally, I'm really loving 13 as a closing number- as he said, noting the victims in this arena last year, this is a prayer for our children. And as ever on this tour, he walked off singing- right under where I was! Goodnight Bono - see you tomorrow. And indeed, at all the rest of this year's concerts! (Except the repeat one in Berlin.)
I take the train back on Sunday. Better not leave it too late, as I've actually booked for the Smithfield & Clerkenwell Walk: Guts & Glory, with Walking in London - but more specifically, with Katie of Look Up London! Excellent - I was booked for this in July, but she had to cancel. She's one of the best around. Should be close enough to me, too, and it doesn't start too early. And it being a Funzing event (like all of Walking in London's) I scoured my old Funzing discount codes, and discovered that Funzing_Fb20 seems to be working again - for all of them I've recently booked! So, a 20% discount - better than any recently offered on their Facebook page.
On Monday, I'm back with the Crick Crack Club for Buddha Babies, again at Soho Theatre. Naturally, not advertised on their Meetup group. I wonder whether that's now defunct, as they have advertised no upcoming events.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, I don't have to travel so far to see U2 - they're playing the O2 in London. These tickets, I got my address changed in time for, it seems - they've just arrived. Helen is going on Tuesday.. sat in the corporate box, poshly! Nah, I'd rather be closer and sweatier, thanks! I wonder how many of them stand during the show.. I am absolutely mithered with Twickets alerts for ticket offers for these shows!
Thursday is my colleague's last day before he quits for a new life in Stockholm - we're headed out that night. Amazing that I still had that day free when we arranged it!
Next Friday, I fly to Belfast. Yep, U2 again. Told ya. Staying in the Crescent Townhouse, walking distance from the SSE Arena, where the concerts take place on the 27th and 28th. On the 29th, I'm taking the train down to my mother for a week - makes more sense than jetting back and forth to her!
On the 5th, I'm back up to Dublin. U2 again, dont'cha know? Staying in the Clayton again, which is a hop, skip and jump from the 3Arena, where there are concerts on the 5th and 6th. Would you believe, not even I could swing a ticket for the 5th - well, I'll just rock up on the day, and hopefully I can get something at the box office. I have heard of such things happening. I've had stranger things happen!
On the 7th, I fly back to London (BA) - purely so I can work on the 8th, before flying back to Dublin that night! Was supposed to be Cityjet, but they've now ended their flight schedule after this month - so now I'm going Ryanair. Same hotel, same venue, same band - on the 9th and 10th. I fly back on the 11th, exhausted, and finished with U2 concerts for the year!
On the 12th, I booked for Macbeth, at the Wanamaker Playhouse. And then Let's Do This finally posted that date for the Shirt Tail Stompers at Wilton's - well, I couldn't miss that! Eh, anyone want a spare ticket for Macbeth?
On the 13th, we have our monthly team outing - probably just the two of us, but hey.
On the 14th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) at last for Love Lies Bleeding, at the Print Room at the Coronet. Got my ticket from London Theatre Direct.
On the 15th, I'm going to try the Seven Deadly Sins Pub Naughty History Tour. Walking in London again, so discounted again! Then I'm back to Ireland again for the weekend.
On the 19th of next month, News of the Strange, from the Crick Crack Club, at Soho Theatre.
On the 20th, back with UITCS for Pinter at the Pinter - Pinter plays at the Pinter Theatre. Two long ones on this occasion - this is Programme Four: Moonlight & Night School.
On the 21st, back at last with The London Jazz Meetup, who are off to the London Jazz Festival for a concert by the Faraj Suleiman Quartet at King's Place. UK premiere, apparently!
On the 22nd, with UITCS at the Garrick for Don Quixote. The only cheap tickets left for this were terrible, so I went a bit upmarket. A bit - I'm still behind a pillar!
On the 23rd, I'm on a Paranormal Activity Tour - ooh! Now, for this one, we get ghost-hunting equipment, which could make it interesting - I don't fancy the dowsing rods, myself, but we'll see. Walking in London, again. Discounted, again. And this was after my loyalty discount - so I got it at better than half price! which is good, considering the price.
On the 24th, I'm off on my own to see A Small Place, at the Gate.
On the 25th, back at last to Winter Wonderland! That evening, I'm off to Cirque Berserk - an annual tradition for me. The latest show is the cheapest, so that's the one I booked.
On the 26th, I'm back with UITCS for Programme Three of Pinter at the Pinter - Landscape / A Kind of Alaska / Monologue.
On the 27th, I'm going to see Company, by Sondheim, at the Gielgud. No tickets available for the upper levels on the official site - they must all have been bought up by resellers! Cheapest I found was with OfficialLondonTheatre, run by See Tickets.
On the 28th, I'm with Walking in London again (and the same discount) for the Haunted London Pub Tour.
On the 29th, I'm back with UITCS at the National for Hadestown. Then back to Ireland again for the weekend.
On the 3rd of December, I'm back to the National for I'm Not Running.
On the 4th, I'm off to the Bush, for Drip.
On the 5th, LDN Talks @ Night and London Speaks Sessions (both Funzing) advertised a "Winterville" talk on The Science of Santa, where we get the scientific explanation of how he does it. Taking place at The Windmill. However, seems they meant the day before, when of course I'm busy. So instead I'm going to True West, with Kit Harington, at the Vaudeville. Cheapest tickets from the venue.
The 6th could be interesting - Hazel of Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts, London Guided Walks (and, indeed, Walking in London) has a Christmas Carol Tour. Now, the last two events I booked with her turned out to be no-shows.. the first might not have been her fault, as she was advertising someone else's event, but the second, she just missed the ball on and left three of us standing on a street corner. We shall see whether this event happens, I guess! Now, it's technically more expensive if you book on Funzing - but if you have my discount ;-) it comes down to the same price she charges on her own site, without the booking fee! So I did it that way.
On the 7th, back with UITCS at the Royal Court, for The Cane. Got the very last ticket, phew!
On the 8th, with them again at the Orange Tree Theatre for The Double Dealer.
On the 9th, the Crick Crack Club is back at the British Museum for I Know Not, an afternoon of Sufi legend.
On the 10th, I'm off to the Bridge Theatre for A Very, Very, Very Dark Matter, by Martin McDonagh. Starring Jim Broadbent, this is a dark take on Hans Christian Anderson!
And on the 11th of December, I'm going with North London Friends to The Convert, at the Young Vic. Discounted top-price seats, it seems!
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