This time, I was one section over from last night, which was enough to make me enter by the rear door. So I ended up walking all the way around - and discovered that my habitual eatery, Water Margin, was closed, with a notice on the door that seemed to indicate they'd been evicted! I ended up with a very yummy katsu chicken curry, from Kitchen 110, right beside my entrance to the arena - card only, which did stymie some people. Overpriced, of course - but tasty. Now, I still hadn't heard from Helen, who had a corporate ticket for tonight. Fair play to her though, she made it, despite rail strike and signal failure - sadly, too late to meet, as the corporate entrance is separate. I did manage to message her though, before the dreadful reception in the arena gave out completely.
Oh my, I had far and away the best seat so far of this year. I might have been a bit closer in Madrid, but I was near one end - and for this configuration, it's better to be in the middle, as they move around so much:
(i stage)
(e stage)No, they're not zoomed-in.. I was close enough to the floor that I practically felt part of it! So close that the vidiwall was dazzling.
The setlist was their standard second-night setlist, as last presented at the second Manchester show. And while tonight's section had all been standing, from what I could see, last night - well gee, they didn't, at the start of tonight's set! Nor did anyone else around the arena, from what I could see. Now, that's kind of ok for the first two songs - but when they got to I Will Follow.. and someone a few rows in front of me got up.. I couldn't stand it any more, and up I jumped too. And so did the rest of my section - apart from the glum-looking woman behind me. And so did the rest of the arena. Well, that's ok then, and I was suitably stiff from standing by the end of the show.
Tonight, we discovered that London was the first place that Bono slept with "his missus" - and there were thousands of witnesses! Yep, they kipped on the floor of Victoria Station. As he pointed out, what a difference from tonight! Highlights of the concert for me: as ever, the start, I Will Follow, Zoo Station. The Fly was probably my main highlight, tonight, interestingly. The fabulous comic strip at the intermission, followed by the silhouettes of the band, Bono leading the others onto the e stage. The "I'm fucking Bono!" speech. Even Better than the Real Thing. Mr. McPhisto, who could come out with anything. Summer of Love, leading into Pride, with its images of European neo-fascism. New Year's Day, with the massive EU flag behind the band, the UK picked out with a love heart. And that beautiful rendition of 13 to finish.
Yeah, I know that's a lot of highlights. But look whom we're talking about. As someone coming out remarked to his companion, "There are bands, and there are superbands. That is a superband. The sheer imagination that went into that show..!" Superior to last night's, if not the match of Manchester 2.. these have been the top three concerts so far, this year. Well done London, I'm impressed.
The busker was playing One - again - on the way out. And passing through London Bridge, we were treated to an instrumental version of Gloria.
Tomorrow 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!
On Friday, I fly to Belfast. Yep, U2 again. I get busier when they come around these parts. Staying in the Crescent Townhouse, walking distance from the SSE Arena, where the concerts take place on Saturday and Sunday. I had fun today, when the hotel contacted me to let me know that my payment card had been declined! Odd, considering I paid through Expedia, in full, at the time of booking. A lovely lady from Expedia sorted it, calling the hotel for me and instructing me to stay on the line while she sorted it. No probs, we're now good to go. On Monday, 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! Funnily enough, London Social Detours have now advertised the same thing (and are charging more, as usual) - there's a terrible rivalry between the groups, with the leader of the latter group thinking she has prior claim to the floorspace. Sparks might fly. Meantime, 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. 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. Then I'm back to Ireland again for the weekend.
On the 19th, News of the Strange, from the Crick Crack Club, at Soho Theatre. The club does have a Meetup group, but it seems to have gone dormant, and is no longer advertising upcoming events. Not that that stops the organiser from attending - I'm sure I saw her at Monday's event!
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 of next month, 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 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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