Hallelujah, today it stopped raining. Still grey and cold, but with no rain, it qualified as glorious weather. We did look at the hotel carvery for lunch, but decided we'd prefer Milano's - where, to be honest, we had exactly the same as before. Except we shared a bottle of pinot grigio, and my companion had cheesecake. Well, if it ain't broke.. and it was even more scrumptious than before, if possible, the garlic bread more garlicky and the chicken pesto better mixed.
Now, she'd invited me to hers for the afternoon, and I knew she had chocolate cake. Still, I couldn't resist Milano's. I did manage a good slice at hers after, but was so pogged by the end that I'm still not hungry, at the end of the night! Hey-ho, saves trouble getting something to eat.
The Ferryman was playing U2 again on my way to the show, and that busker was wailing again. Wonder where they were last night.. There was also a cycle rickshaw driver dressed as MacPhisto (old version). Anyway, my seat tonight turned out to be the furthest away- on the plus side, there was no seat behind me, so no-one to complain if I stood!
My MacPhisto t-shirt attracted some attention, as always- I got it in Amsterdam, and haven't seen it for sale since.
My MacPhisto t-shirt attracted some attention, as always- I got it in Amsterdam, and haven't seen it for sale since.
Very satisfying start to the evening- there's one particular song played before they come on that I love, but didn't know. Thing is, I just discovered Shazam, designed for emergencies like this. So when it started tonight.. realising it'd be my last chance.. I immediately downloaded it and pointed it that way. How satisfying it was to have the name in seconds- I'd already figured out it was Nick Cave.
Earliest start yet. Ironically, just when I didn't need to worry about annoying anyone by standing, I found myself in the midst of the most enthusiastic crowd yet. Tends to happen in seats with less good views, interestingly. Honestly, they wore me out, standing.
setlist
- The Blackout
- Lights of Home
- I Will Follow
- Gloria / Van Morrison's Gloria (snippet) /Patti Smith's Gloria (snippet)
- Beautiful Day / Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (snippet)
- Dirty Day
- Zoo Station
- The Fly
- Stay (Faraway, So Close!)
- Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses (Intermission - Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me)
- Elevation
- Vertigo / It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (But I Like It) (snippet)
- Even Better Than The Real Thing
- Hall of Mirrors (snippet) / Acrobat
- The Showman (Little More Better) (snippet) / 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
- City Of Blinding Lights
- Women of the World (snippet) / Landlady
- One
- Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way
- 13 (There Is A Light) / The Miracle (of Joey Ramone) (snippet)
encore(s):
It was so gratifying to be among people as enthusiastic as I am. First time this tour that's happened. And wow, we had reason to be - Gloria, two nights in a row? It's not actually my favourite song live, but it is possibly the craziest. As usual, it was phenomenal to watch the crowd on the floor, who, tonight, were as enthusiastic as I've seen them.
No graphics for Beautiful Day- perhaps the screen was faulty.
Tonight, Bono remarked that he didn't know when they'd be playing Dublin again. MacPhisto said he wouldn't be around for a while, but he was leaving some representatives: Donald, Bolsonaro, Putin, Marine le Pen..
Christy Turlington was tonight's audience celebrity. And another surprise with the setlist, the first time I've heard Landlady live. Finally, Bono sweetly dedicated 13 to his in-laws, explaining how they acted as parents to him when he needed it.
Enjoy the break, Bono. Can't wait to hear what you get up to next. Life will be a bit greyer for a while now, without U2 concerts to look forward to. I fly back tomorrow. What will I do with myself if/when they stop touring permanently..?
On Monday, I booked for Macbeth, at the Wanamaker Playhouse. And then Let's Do This (LDT) 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 Tuesday, we have our monthly team outing - probably just the two of us, but hey.
On Wednesday, 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 Thursday, 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 a recent event! I've actually asked whether they're now defunct - we'll see whether I get a response. None yet.
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 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, I'm back to the National for I'm Not Running.
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.
On the 6th, 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. Whether this event happens is anyone's 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. But then Henning, with the London European Club, advertised a Happy Xmaths evening at Imperial College, the same night! Festive fun for maths geeks. Plus it's free - you just have to register with Eventbrite. I thought it'd be great to get back with this group. And since I booked the walk with Funzing, I've cancelled and will get a full refund. And I feel no sadness at missing an evening with Hazel, after what's been happening. But gee, this evening is proving to be one of the more popular- now a colleague has booked it for his leaving do. So I'm now going to that instead. Nibbles arranged at The Enterprise.
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 of next month, 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!
On the 11th, I'm going with North London Friends to The Convert, at the Young Vic. Discounted top-price seats, it seems!
The 12th is our office Christmas party, but LDT has now advertised a Christmas dinner- which sounds a more attractive prospect. So I'm doing that instead.
On the 13th, I'm thrilled to be going to Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, at Sadler's Wells, with UITCS. He's a fantastic choreographer, but I've never before gotten around to seeing this all-male version. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
And on the 17th of next month, the Crick Crack Club is performing Gilgamesh, at Soho Theatre. With Ben Haggerty in the spotlight, this will be a treat!
