In between trips to Amsterdam to see U2, I had two free nights - Thursday and Friday. But, you know, I'm spoiled flying between the UK and Ireland all the time - I hardly have to go through any passport checks. The queue for passports upon re-entering the UK on Thursday - albeit a lot faster if you had an EU passport - was an eye-opener, and exhausting. I definitely didn't feel like going out that night!
Last night, however, was a different matter. Well, considering the subject matter, anyway - the Let's Do London - for less! Meetup group was headed to the Globe to see Much Ado About Nothing - which, by the way, is my favourite Shakespearian play! Well, they were sold out - but tickets were still available on the Globe website, so two of us decided to go, and I booked us seats in the "Gentlemen's Box" - where we could still get in the front row.
I ordered Print at Home tickets - a good thing, as in the event it was a mad dash for me.. left the office later than I intended, and got on arguably the slowest Tube in history. It took forever to leave Earl's Court, and dawdled at several stations along the way. I figured I'd make it on time - just - but my worry was my companion, who arrived even earlier than we'd agreed, who'd never been there before, and who must have wondered whether I'd ever arrive! I did, after nearly giving myself a coronary dashing from the Tube - it's been a while since I had to rush that much. But you know, all's well that ends well! They hadn't closed the gate yet, I had the tickets in hand, and we made it inside and through the entrance just as the usher was thinking of closing the door. The music had started as we made our way to our seats, but it was only the prologue - we didn't miss much.
Well, this was posh! I'd never been in the Middle Gallery before, and it seems you automatically get cushions there, rather than having to hire them; also, the benches come with backs. At least in the Gentlemen's Box! (and probably in the Ladies', too). We kind of had a rear view, but not a big deal - just the odd action was obscured by the nearer of the pillars holding up the stage roof.
This was a terrific production! I can see why it sold out - the comic skills of the actors were superb. My companion was pleasantly surprised at all the audience interaction - and, indeed, there was more of it in this play than many others. Including orange-throwing, for the energetic in the pit. Not even a rain shower could dampen their enthusiasm, and at the end the place went wild! I bet the entire run sold out.. sadly, that was the last night of this run. Hope there's another..
Afterwards, to the Founder's Arms as usual, and we occupied a space at the back. Where we stayed, we talked, we drank, we talked, and they didn't throw us out till midnight! Shame in a way - we'd have stayed longer, those of us that were left - and there a few, this time. But then, Tubes do stop running at about 12.30, and there's no sign of that 24-hour Tube yet.. straight to bed when I got home.
Right! Well, more rushing today to catch another flight to Amsterdam - and my flatmate and her boyfriend hogging the shower at exactly the time I wanted to get ready. So, I couldn't go to the toilet, I couldn't even get my toothbrush. I left at about 10.15, Tube to Victoria (no delays, thankfully!) and the Gatwick Express got me there for 11.15. I had to change terminals - handy they say tell you which terminal, on the boarding pass - but fortunately there's a shuttle between them that only takes two minutes. The gate was due to close at 11.35 - I made it through security by 11.30. And it was a long, long way to the gate.. long before I got there, the departure boards were saying the gate was closed for that flight. Unnerving, but it does just mean you need to get through security by that time. I arrived in time to board without delaying the flight - and wasn't even the last one on.
No free stuff on Easyjet, but very friendly crew. And despite a "one-bag" policy, no-one seemed to object to me carrying my handbag separately. The flight was packed with people off to enjoy themselves for the weekend.. bumpy in parts, but no-one minded. Dear God though, if I thought passport control on Thursday was a nightmare, I'd seen nothing yet! The queues in Schipol today were so long they filled the room! I joined what seemed the shortest - there was an EU fast-track, but only for people with electronic chips on their passports. Which I don't have. So I stood in the queue for a full 20 minutes before it even moved, whatever they were doing. When it did, suddenly I was at the desk within five minutes, and processed in two seconds.
No sign of anywhere to buy a toothbrush (or shampoo - I didn't have a small bottle, or time to look for one). I got a ticket for the train to town, knew what I was about this time, and made my way quickly to the platform, where a train to Centraal was leaving within five minutes. And so it happened, even with the passport nightmare, that I was in town within an hour of my flight landing. I got another travel pass - only 48-hour this time (€12), I realised that'd do - and had an idea what direction to take for my hotel. This time, I let Expedia choose me a hotel, and have ended up in the "Fine Seasons", on Prins Hendrikkade. It's about a 10-minute walk from Centraal - just follow the right street, and you see it on the right. And on the way, joy of joys, I saw a convenience store that had shampoo. And toothbrushes. And I do intend to have a much-needed shower before I head out.. I'll grab my first meal of the day in a fast food place in Centraal, probably.
My third U2 concert of the year tonight - I'm on the North side of the venue again, but really close this time - Row 2 of the lower level! Tomorrow night, I'm only two seats away from that. I fly back on Monday, my U2-ing done.. for this month. ;-) And I daresay, again, I'll be too tired to venture out that night.
On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, I have Meetups.. For Tuesday, I discovered there's a Hammersmith and Fulham Amnesty group, who that night have a talk entitled Undercover - the True Story of Britain's Secret Police. And I'm going. On Wednesday, I'm (nominally) joining the London European Club, who are off to see John Doyle, at the Irish Centre. And on Thursday, I'm (nominally) back with the Free London Events and Talks group, who are off to the Scoop, where they show free films in September. Weather-dependant. That day, it's Selma, which I haven't seen. And then it's back to Ireland yet again - I go every two weeks.. on Monday 21, I'm finally back with the Crick Crack Club, in the Soho Theatre, for The Fate We Bring Ourselves - a retelling of Greek legends. The following day, I'm - again (nominally) - with Free London Events and Talks, for another free film at the Scoop - this time, it's Still Alice.
Saturday, 12 September 2015
Wednesday, 9 September 2015
Concert: U2, Ziggo Dome (#2)
After my last blog, I was just preparing to go out when housekeeping finally got around to my room. So that was good timing! I wanted to head into town for a bit, and looking up the easiest thing to do - which would also have to be quite quick, as I wanted to get back to the hotel and leave in good time for the venue - I came up with a one-hour sightseeing cruise, run by Holland Cruises and departing regularly all day from Centraal Station. Perfect!
I thought about getting a train to town - it's only a 10-minute journey - but first I had trouble finding a platform where such a train was going from - Sloterdijk Station has no general departures board - and then I'd have had to queue for the ticket machine - my pass doesn't cover that. So I said sod it, and took the Metro instead.
This would be a good time for a brief review of Amsterdam's Metro. Carriages are higher than the Tube, seats - which are quite hard - either face the direction of travel or backwards - not to the side. They come in singles and pairs. It's never as crowded as the Tube, but neither does it come as frequently. 10 minutes between trains is the norm. And there are only five lines. But you know, as usual in any city, it's the easiest to figure out!
Exiting Centraal Station, I saw a tourist office across the way. Goodee! I nipped in there, found a brochure with what I wanted, and asked the nice lady at the desk whether she'd sell me a ticket. She would, she did (€16), and she directed me "across the green bridge and to the right". And that I was looking for "Holland Cruises". I easily found them, and as it happened, a boat was just about to leave, and the captain let me on.
Today was gloriously sunny - perfect for this kind of trip. Mind you, being in a glass-covered boat was like being in a greenhouse, and we boiled for the next hour or so. But it was very pleasant, and a good way to get an idea of the city. Photos here - such as I could take, given the difficulty of shooting through glass and into the sun. And avoiding constant bridges we were going under. And it didn't help that I didn't notice the flash had turned itself on, which of course reflected in the glass.. but I got some presentable ones.
Well, by the time it was finished, it was about time to head back to the hotel, so I did - stopping off for another burger at the station on the way. And headed off nice and early for the concert - good thing, considering we stopped at a station in the middle of nowhere for 10 minutes without explanation..
Food not being an issue this time, when I arrived I turned my thoughts to merchandising. But first I went up to Level 2, where my seat was tonight. Where I found that yes, the queues were substantially shorter - but there was no merchandising! I had visions of being very bored for the next hour - potentially - until, phew, I found the stairs down. (I'd taken an escalator up.) So I shoved my way to the front of the merchandising scrum, identified a cap I wanted (yay! I hadn't had a U2 cap before..) and waited patiently for the guy who'd pushed in front of me to be served. Which took a while, as he bought over €300 worth of stuff - clothing for all the family, by the sound of it! 3 medium t-shirts, 1 small, 4 hats, a hoodie.. and this stuff ain't cheap! Me, I was just interested in my hat - and had a look at a necklace they're selling, but it didn't appeal. At €40 for the hat, that was enough for me, thanks! My, but he was relieved I paid in cash..
Well, tonight gave me an interesting perspective - I was on the other side, upper tier, but far more central: closer to the "e" than the "i". Excellent view - and I can now testify, at least for this venue, that being in the upper tier makes little difference to being in the upper part of the lower tier - in fact, I felt closer to the stage tonight.
Setlist;
1. The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)
2. Gloria / Gloria - Van Morrison (snippet)
3. Vertigo
4. I Will Follow
5. Iris (Hold Me Close)
6. Cedarwood Road
7. Song for Someone
8. Sunday Bloody Sunday / /Johnny Comes Marching Home (snippet)
9. Raised By Wolves / Psalm 23 (snippet)
10. Until The End Of The World / Love and Peace or Else (snippet) / Words(snippet)
iNTERMISSION
11. Invisible
12. Even Better Than The Real Thing
13. Mysterious Ways / Burning Down the House (snippet)
14. Desire
15. Angel of Harlem
16. Every Breaking Wave
17. October
18. Bullet the Blue Sky / 19 (snippet)
19. Zooropa
20. Where The Streets Have No Name / California (There Is No End To Love) (snippet)
21. Pride (In the Name of Love)
22. With or Without You
23. City of Blinding Lights
24. Beautiful Day
25. Mother And Child Reunion (snippet) / I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For / People Have the Power (snippet)
So! You'll notice some changes, if you're paying attention. The sections that can change are those that have least to do with the video screen - the bits heavily tied into that obviously won't change much. Now, I found tonight's show even better than last night's - although there's been talk that Bono didn't sound great, and they thought he was holding his arm as though it hurt. Well, I sincerely hope that's not true.
For me, it could have been the fact that I was more relaxed, knowing more or less what to expect - or my better seat.. it probably had a lot to do with the fact that they substituted Gloria for the second number! O my, I don't often hear that..
I didn't cry as much as last night, but there's something about Song For Someone that really gets me, heard live. The intermission had the remix of The Fly, again.. in the second part, again, Bono first pulled out a girl, then a guy. The girl got to film everyone, and got to film the whole of Desire, on someone's mobile phone - apparently it was streamed live to Meerkat, and the feed was shown live on the vidi-wall. Got lots of good responses from South America. And when the guy was pulled up, he was asked whether he could play guitar to Angel of Harlem.. he said he could, and after some brief instruction on chords, by The Edge, that he did. And got to keep the guitar for his troubles!
Ah, like I say, U2 concerts always merit another look. They have so much depth.. and they're so damn good! I'm looking forward to getting back to London, just to spread the word..
So, I probably won't do anything but go to the airport tomorrow. On Friday evening, I'm off to see Much Ado About Nothing, at the Globe. (Now, that is worth dragging myself along to!) Lucky the proposed Tube strike was cancelled though, or it'd have been impossible. Anyway, I was too late to book with the Let's Do London - for less! Meetup group, who are going the same night: but I've arranged to meet them, to go to the pub after. For the show, I got a ticket in the "Gentlemen's Box"..
..and then on Saturday, I'm back to Amsterdam again, for two more U2 concerts (Saturday and Sunday). As I say, I've been to Amsterdam before, to see them, and seen pretty much enough of the place, so didn't want to stay the whole week. I fly back on Monday, my U2-ing done.. for this month. ;-)
On the 15th, 16th, and 17th, I have Meetups.. For Tuesday 15th, I discovered there's a Hammersmith and Fulham Amnesty group, who that night have a talk entitled Undercover - the True Story of Britain's Secret Police. And I'm going. On Wednesday 16th, I'm (nominally) joining the London European Club, who are off to see John Doyle, at the Irish Centre. And on Thursday 17th, I'm (nominally) back with the Free London Events and Talks group, who are off to the Scoop, where they show free films in September. Weather-dependant. That day, it's Selma, which I haven't seen. And then it's back to Ireland yet again - I go every two weeks..
I thought about getting a train to town - it's only a 10-minute journey - but first I had trouble finding a platform where such a train was going from - Sloterdijk Station has no general departures board - and then I'd have had to queue for the ticket machine - my pass doesn't cover that. So I said sod it, and took the Metro instead.
This would be a good time for a brief review of Amsterdam's Metro. Carriages are higher than the Tube, seats - which are quite hard - either face the direction of travel or backwards - not to the side. They come in singles and pairs. It's never as crowded as the Tube, but neither does it come as frequently. 10 minutes between trains is the norm. And there are only five lines. But you know, as usual in any city, it's the easiest to figure out!
Exiting Centraal Station, I saw a tourist office across the way. Goodee! I nipped in there, found a brochure with what I wanted, and asked the nice lady at the desk whether she'd sell me a ticket. She would, she did (€16), and she directed me "across the green bridge and to the right". And that I was looking for "Holland Cruises". I easily found them, and as it happened, a boat was just about to leave, and the captain let me on.
Today was gloriously sunny - perfect for this kind of trip. Mind you, being in a glass-covered boat was like being in a greenhouse, and we boiled for the next hour or so. But it was very pleasant, and a good way to get an idea of the city. Photos here - such as I could take, given the difficulty of shooting through glass and into the sun. And avoiding constant bridges we were going under. And it didn't help that I didn't notice the flash had turned itself on, which of course reflected in the glass.. but I got some presentable ones.
Well, by the time it was finished, it was about time to head back to the hotel, so I did - stopping off for another burger at the station on the way. And headed off nice and early for the concert - good thing, considering we stopped at a station in the middle of nowhere for 10 minutes without explanation..
Food not being an issue this time, when I arrived I turned my thoughts to merchandising. But first I went up to Level 2, where my seat was tonight. Where I found that yes, the queues were substantially shorter - but there was no merchandising! I had visions of being very bored for the next hour - potentially - until, phew, I found the stairs down. (I'd taken an escalator up.) So I shoved my way to the front of the merchandising scrum, identified a cap I wanted (yay! I hadn't had a U2 cap before..) and waited patiently for the guy who'd pushed in front of me to be served. Which took a while, as he bought over €300 worth of stuff - clothing for all the family, by the sound of it! 3 medium t-shirts, 1 small, 4 hats, a hoodie.. and this stuff ain't cheap! Me, I was just interested in my hat - and had a look at a necklace they're selling, but it didn't appeal. At €40 for the hat, that was enough for me, thanks! My, but he was relieved I paid in cash..
Well, tonight gave me an interesting perspective - I was on the other side, upper tier, but far more central: closer to the "e" than the "i". Excellent view - and I can now testify, at least for this venue, that being in the upper tier makes little difference to being in the upper part of the lower tier - in fact, I felt closer to the stage tonight.
Setlist;
1. The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)
2. Gloria / Gloria - Van Morrison (snippet)
3. Vertigo
4. I Will Follow
5. Iris (Hold Me Close)
6. Cedarwood Road
7. Song for Someone
8. Sunday Bloody Sunday / /Johnny Comes Marching Home (snippet)
9. Raised By Wolves / Psalm 23 (snippet)
10. Until The End Of The World / Love and Peace or Else (snippet) / Words(snippet)
iNTERMISSION
11. Invisible
12. Even Better Than The Real Thing
13. Mysterious Ways / Burning Down the House (snippet)
14. Desire
15. Angel of Harlem
16. Every Breaking Wave
17. October
18. Bullet the Blue Sky / 19 (snippet)
19. Zooropa
20. Where The Streets Have No Name / California (There Is No End To Love) (snippet)
21. Pride (In the Name of Love)
22. With or Without You
23. City of Blinding Lights
24. Beautiful Day
25. Mother And Child Reunion (snippet) / I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For / People Have the Power (snippet)
So! You'll notice some changes, if you're paying attention. The sections that can change are those that have least to do with the video screen - the bits heavily tied into that obviously won't change much. Now, I found tonight's show even better than last night's - although there's been talk that Bono didn't sound great, and they thought he was holding his arm as though it hurt. Well, I sincerely hope that's not true.
For me, it could have been the fact that I was more relaxed, knowing more or less what to expect - or my better seat.. it probably had a lot to do with the fact that they substituted Gloria for the second number! O my, I don't often hear that..
I didn't cry as much as last night, but there's something about Song For Someone that really gets me, heard live. The intermission had the remix of The Fly, again.. in the second part, again, Bono first pulled out a girl, then a guy. The girl got to film everyone, and got to film the whole of Desire, on someone's mobile phone - apparently it was streamed live to Meerkat, and the feed was shown live on the vidi-wall. Got lots of good responses from South America. And when the guy was pulled up, he was asked whether he could play guitar to Angel of Harlem.. he said he could, and after some brief instruction on chords, by The Edge, that he did. And got to keep the guitar for his troubles!
Ah, like I say, U2 concerts always merit another look. They have so much depth.. and they're so damn good! I'm looking forward to getting back to London, just to spread the word..
So, I probably won't do anything but go to the airport tomorrow. On Friday evening, I'm off to see Much Ado About Nothing, at the Globe. (Now, that is worth dragging myself along to!) Lucky the proposed Tube strike was cancelled though, or it'd have been impossible. Anyway, I was too late to book with the Let's Do London - for less! Meetup group, who are going the same night: but I've arranged to meet them, to go to the pub after. For the show, I got a ticket in the "Gentlemen's Box"..
..and then on Saturday, I'm back to Amsterdam again, for two more U2 concerts (Saturday and Sunday). As I say, I've been to Amsterdam before, to see them, and seen pretty much enough of the place, so didn't want to stay the whole week. I fly back on Monday, my U2-ing done.. for this month. ;-)
On the 15th, 16th, and 17th, I have Meetups.. For Tuesday 15th, I discovered there's a Hammersmith and Fulham Amnesty group, who that night have a talk entitled Undercover - the True Story of Britain's Secret Police. And I'm going. On Wednesday 16th, I'm (nominally) joining the London European Club, who are off to see John Doyle, at the Irish Centre. And on Thursday 17th, I'm (nominally) back with the Free London Events and Talks group, who are off to the Scoop, where they show free films in September. Weather-dependant. That day, it's Selma, which I haven't seen. And then it's back to Ireland yet again - I go every two weeks..
Concert: U2, Ziggo Dome (#1)
#1 for U2 in Amsterdam (this year), U2 concert #1 for me this year.. #41 lifetime. Yes, after nearly five years, I've been to another U2 concert - after over six years, I'm back in Amsterdam!
Having booked the tickets for last night and tonight, I set about booking accommodation and flights. I decided to take some of the hassle out of it by using Expedia, where I could get the whole lot done. Now, this year's concerts are in the Ziggo Dome - I hadn't been there before, but it's right beside the Amsterdam ArenA, where I did see them last. I noticed there was a Holiday Inn right nearby, so was delighted when I got a booking.
Flights and hotel booked - non-refundable, of course - and I realised the Holiday Inn I'd booked was on the other side of town! Blast. And the one I'd wanted was, of course, booked up by now. Ah well.. as I was researching transport just last night, I discovered that I was at least on a direct Metro line to the venue! Well, not so bad..
I took yesterday off, and had booked a lunchtime flight from Heathrow. I checked in online the day before - BA lets you do that for free within 24 hours of the flight, which is convenient. And I printed out the boarding pass, which usefully told me that I'd be leaving from Terminal 5 - a first for me. It was nice to be travelling to Heathrow off-peak for once.. had a seat the whole way!
Terminal 5 had a couple of surprises. The first was the conveyor belt for security, which has a different arrangement from what I've seen before - a belt where you prepare your trays to go through, and another that you move them onto when done. The second surprise was how big this terminal is. Still, even with all those shopping options, I had some trouble finding somewhere to pick up some roll-on deodorant - I'm travelling hand luggage only, and can't bring aerosols. W H Smith finally obliged, with a small stand of tiny toiletries.
After some really soft-voiced boarding announcements, we boarded - interestingly, priority was strictly given by card held; those of us who didn't have any priority cards were just boarded in a lump. I had a good seat anyway - a window seat, on the wing. Damn stuffy plane though - I couldn't wait to get the aircon working. And I was very glad I'd picked up one of the free newspapers on offer - despite the cabin staff trumpeting that we were leaving on time, it took so long to get started, backed up, and queue for the runway that I had time to read the whole paper before takeoff! I was mollified by the unaccustomed free food & drink.. I wouldn't have thought to order wine, but for the person across from me who did. And they had lovely lemon biscuits in white chocolate..
And so to Schipol, and a marathon trek to Arrivals. Thank goodness for travelators. I needed a train going into town that stopped at Sloterdijk, the station apparently right beside my hotel. I'd done enough research to know that the best value for me was to buy a separate ticket to the city, then an unlimited card once I got there - there is one that includes the journey from the airport, but it works on the calendar day rather than on a 24-hour basis, so unless you get it in the morning you don't get the value. So I got a single ticket, valid to anywhere in Amsterdam, and after some perusal of timetables, finally found that trains to Sloterdijk go from Platform 3.
This is where the fun started. I knew I needed to touch the card off a reader, but couldn't see one. I'd just missed a train, and the next didn't go for about 10 minutes, so I had a look around and decided to try upstairs, where I'd come in, for a reader. And there they were! Touched it, and went down again to wait.
I was waiting for the 4:10. After a while, a phrase came up for that train that didn't look good - sure enough, it wasn't running. Never mind, there was another at 4:14 that said it was stopping at Sloterdijk. And then this conductor comes along and tells us that the train on the opposite platform was headed to Sloterdijk (Zloterdak, it's pronounced). Fine, and I got on. And was still waiting for it to pull away when the train I'd been waiting for arrived at the other platform, took on passengers, and left again. Blast!
Eventually, there was an announcement on the train I was now on - in Dutch - and everyone made exasperated sounds and got off. So did I. Then a train to Centraal arrived at the other platform. It didn't say anything about intermediate stops, though. And then our friend the conductor came along and announced that this train would go to Sloterdijk! Cool, and I got on. And as we were waiting on that one, sure enough, the one I'd just got off pulled away.. destination Sloterdijk..
When we finally pulled away - really, I'd had visions of spending the whole evening in the airport - and headed into town, it duly became apparent that this was a non-stop. And so I sailed through Sloterdijk and straight into the city centre. Where my first task was to get an unlimited city travel ticket - the guide book had said they have seven-day ones, but I couldn't see that option on the machine, so just got a three-day. Not bad value, at €16.50. Now, how to get to Sloterdijk? Well, there isn't a direct Metro option, but I grabbed a free Metro map at the info desk and determined that I could do it by transfer. And this being easier than figuring out trams and buses, that's what I did - doubtless spending a lot longer than I needed to, but never mind. That blasted conductor cost me a solid hour!
It was rush hour by now, but not half as crowded as the London equivalent, so that was ok. And I got off at Sloterdijk, relieved, and within sight of the hotel. Checked in (fortunately, she didn't offer me the selfie stick she'd given to the chap before me!), got a lovely, spacious room, and am very grateful for the free Wi-Fi. Although it does have a tendency to cut out.
Well, I freshened up and headed for the Metro again. Now, the concert ticket said the start time was at 7, but I got an email on Monday to say that it had been switched to 8 - for all concerts. Much more sensible, and I was relieved - I'd never make it for 7 at this stage. And there's no support for this tour, so start time is when U2 comes on. Of course, part of me was having paranoid terrors about this being a hoax mail.. but then, when has U2 ever started before 8? My long Metro journey began, and I debated with myself whether to get off at Duivendrecht, as suggested on the email, or at the next stop, Strandvliet, as suggested by Google maps. I remembered getting off at Duivendrecht last time, with the crowd. This time, however, there was no crowd, and I trusted Google Maps and stayed on to Strandvliet.
Now there was a crowd to follow, and I did - turning right on the platform, and right from the station, it was looking like the Streetview I'd seen - God bless Streetview! In due course, we passed the parking area for the tour lorries and coaches. It's always a spectacular sight in itself, all the lorries and coaches in dramatic black. I had a few gos at counting them - my final tally was 22 articulated lorries and 7 tour coaches - one attached to a generator (and had smoke billowing from it when we passed on our way back - I guess they were cooking up a late-night dinner).
Hang a left around this lorry park, and the Amsterdam ArenA and Ziggo Dome are before you - the arena to the left, the Ziggo Dome a black, boxy building to the right, on which ads are displayed. Now the crowds converged, and my excitement was growing. I could barely breathe as I made my way towards them.. such a long time since I'd seen this band. Checking my ticket, I saw that I needed the "Zuid" (South) side, so joined that queue. There was also one for members, with a doorman in a purple overcoat and top hat, one for Red Zone, one for floor, one for "Noord" (North). And my ticket was eventually scanned, and after the obligatory bag check (no food or drink), I was in!
A stand selling tour books - but I have never found them worth the money, just full of artsy photos. A stand to join the One foundation (founded by Bono). You could pay to have a professional photo taken in front of a giant i+e poster, with the money going to One. I went upstairs, where the entrances to the auditorium were.
Mayhem! Crowds thronged everywhere. The merchandising stands looked interesting, with some unusual stuff (albeit the t-shirts are a bit more expensive than the website, at €35 each) - I must get there when they open this evening, to try and have a proper look - the crowds were too thick last night, and I didn't have much time. Besides, I hadn't had time for dinner, and I was starving. Hallelujah, I came across a food stall, and asked for a sausage roll (XL) - only to discover that they only take tokens! The same is true of the bars - it's only the merchandising stands that take cash. Rip-off!! No wonder there were such queues at what I'd thought were cash machines - they were token machines! Not wanting to use my credit card, which I wasn't sure would have been activated yet for use here yet - I notified the bank a bit late - I queued at the machine that took cash. I gave up completely when I discovered that they don't take coins, and don't give change. The smallest note I had was a €50, and I certainly didn't intend giving them that much..
So, hungrily, I took my seat. I'll make sure to eat before I go this evening.. And then it transpired that my seat was shoved right over in the corner, and among a bunch of middle-aged people. Hmm.. not a great indicator of wild abandon. Anyway, my view was terrific - the stage, cleverly designed, forms an i-e shape, with the "i" comprising a traditional. rectangular stage at one end, an "e" shape at the other (pretty round) and a catwalk between them, above which is suspended a wire frame that transforms during the concert into a vidi-wall. The only sign of life so far was a large, lit lightbulb, suspended above the "i" stage. This is another image of the tour, and you can buy t-shirts of it.
In the event, they didn't start until 8.20. It's easy to tell when they're about to come on - they obligingly ratchet the music that's being played up to something just below "deafening". And fair play to the crowd around me.. they were up and jumping as soon as there was something to jump about. See now, this is why I choose my locations carefully, and why I love Amsterdam - never mind that we were stuck in a corner, never mind that they were a bit older. They know what's important, and they know how to behave at a major rock event.
Well then, what was the concert like? To begin, apologies for the lack of pictures. To be fair, there hasn't been anything outside the venue worth photographing - I'm in the industrialised outskirts. And inside, my phone camera wouldn't do it justice anyway.. that vidi-wall is absolutely spectacular, and these are the best visuals I've ever seen at a show - but my phone camera is terrible at photographing light effects. But hey, loads of people around me were photographing and filming.. it is not hard to get footage of U2 concerts, after the event. Checking the U2 forums just now, I see there's a lot of stuff on Twitter.. try #U2ie Tour.
Bono fooled us all by arriving from the opposite end of the room to everyone else - mind you, the fact that they were keeping a path clear was a dead giveaway. Sadly, a mooted flashmob, where people in the stands were supposed to hold up cards with the colours of the Dutch flag, was a damp squib - I only saw the red ones displayed, and none at all were provided for my section! Here's the setlist, for those interested:
1. The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)
2. Out of Control
3. Vertigo
4. I Will Follow
5. Iris (Hold Me Close)
6. Cedarwood Road
7. Song for Someone
8. Sunday Bloody Sunday / /Johnny Comes Marching Home (snippet)
9. Raised By Wolves / Psalm 23 (snippet)
10. Until The End Of The World
iNTERMISSION
11. Invisible
12. Even Better Than The Real Thing
13. Mysterious Ways / Burning Down The House (snippet)
14. Elevation
15. Two Hearts Beat as One
16. Every Breaking Wave
17. October
18. Bullet the Blue Sky / 19 (snippet)
19. Zooropa
20. Where The Streets Have No Name / California (There Is No End To Love) (snippet)
21. Pride (In the Name of Love)
22. With or Without You
23. City of Blinding Lights
24. Beautiful Day / I Remember You (snippet)
25. Mother And Child Reunion (snippet) / One / Invisible (snippet)
They started hard and fast, got us moving with a few. Then had a bunch of songs based on personal, teenage experiences at home in Dublin. This was where the vidi-wall started to come into play, with some really moving home movies of Bono's mother, who - as he reminded us - died when he was 14, which had a huge impact on him.
Sunday Bloody Sunday focussed on victims of the war in Syria. And, as promised, we got a bit of the history behind Raised By Wolves, whose topic is the Dublin & Monaghan bombings of 1974. The "iNTERMISSION" is hardly recognisable as one - a recorded remix of The Fly (emphasis on the drums) plays while the traditional word display associated with it is played on the vidi-wall.
After the intermission, they start with the one song I meant to revise and didn't - Invisible. The second part of the show is much more mutable than the first - expect the greatest shake-up here. This was also when Bono started pulling people up on stage - the girl he pulled up for Mysterious Ways danced so well with him that he wanted to keep her on for a special video piece - but it seems it would've been too complicated, so he gave her a hug and a kiss and let her back. They played Two Hearts Beat As One, which - as he remarked - they've only played a couple of times live. Apparently it was a birthday request.
Musically, the highlight of the show for me was Every Breaking Wave, which they're playing as an acoustic version, and which I think is absolutely beautiful! The haunting October leads into their angriest song, Bullet the Blue Sky, and both are dedicated to the Syrian refugees. Bono is absolutely scathing about Europe's handling of the crisis, culminating in a mock-up of the EU flag (yellow stars in a circle on a blue background), but in this case formed by people in yellow jackets, floating in a circle, face-down in a blue sea. And surprise, surprise - it's Banksy's doing! The phantom artist strikes again.. Bono tra-la'ed an ironic version of the Ode to Joy, the EU anthem, over that. As he says, a European Union that can't handle this is no union at all.
Later, the second audience member he dragged on stage had a great time - cavorted with Bono, slapped the others on the shoulders, ran around the stage waving to the audience. Well hey, having that happen is marginally more likely than winning the lottery, so kudos to him for making the most of it!
In all, they gave us 2 hours and 20 minutes of the most incredible music, the most incredible visuals, and we had the most enthusiastic crowd. Now, to all those people who've questioned the wisdom of me going night after night.. just like a U2 album, a U2 concert merits an extra viewing. Or several. It is SO worth it! And I am so looking forward to seeing how the next concerts compare.
When I finally got back to Sloterdijk Station last night, I raided the excellent vending machine. And then I saw a fast food place still open! Oh, deep joy.. what's more, if you didn't fancy queueing, they had stuff in a kind of vending machine to the side - put in the coins (no change given), open the drawer for the burger or roll you want. And a burger has never, ever tasted so good.. think I'll drop by there on my way to the concert later.
It ultimately went too late to blog, if I wanted to be up for breakfast - and I wearily dragged myself to bed. A word of caution - if you ever find yourself staying here, bring earplugs - it's right beside both a Metro station and a mainline station, and even on the seventh floor, and with double glazing, the nonstop intercity trains are really loud. As I told Expedia, who were anxious to know how I was getting on. But the bed was the most comfortable I've had in an age, and I had a choice of "firm" or "soft" pillows - I chose soft - and I slept deeply.
Breakfast is continental - no fruit whatsoever! but bread rolls, croissants, bread and a toaster, cold sliced meats, two types of mini muffin - chocolate chip and chocolate-chocolate chip. They had six kinds of cereal, so I treated myself to Frosties. Initially, I didn't see the apple juice, so poured myself a glass of orange juice - they also have pineapple. As for spreads, they have marmalade, and "butter" that's really vegetable oil spread, and icky.
And here I am and it's nearly lunchtime, and sunny today. But you know, I've done my sightseeing in Amsterdam, and anyway I'll be staying closer to town when I come back for the weekend concerts. I'll head out soon for lunch, and maybe venture a bit further afield - my travel is paid for, after all. Tonight is the second concert, and as I say, it'll be fascinating to see what's different and what's not. I fly back tomorrow, and doubtless crash.
And, of course, Irish U2 dates have now been announced and go on sale on Monday - presale starts tomorrow, but only for those registered in Ireland. Of all the times for me to be living in the UK! Well, I can try.. for those not registered in Ireland, but eligible for presales, they start on Friday afternoon. Cue a late lunch for me..
On Friday evening, I'm off to see Much Ado About Nothing, at the Globe. (Now, that is worth dragging myself along to!) Lucky the proposed Tube strike was cancelled though, or it'd have been impossible. Anyway, I was too late to book with the Let's Do London - for less! Meetup group, who are going the same night: but I've arranged to meet them, to go to the pub after. For the show, I got a ticket in the "Gentlemen's Box"..
..and then on Saturday, I'm back to Amsterdam again, for two more U2 concerts (Saturday and Sunday). As I say, I've been to Amsterdam before, to see them, and seen pretty much enough of the place, so didn't want to stay the whole week. I fly back on Monday, my U2-ing done.. for this month. ;-)
On the 15th, 16th, and 17th, I have Meetups.. For Tuesday 15th, I discovered there's a Hammersmith and Fulham Amnesty group, who that night have a talk entitled Undercover - the True Story of Britain's Secret Police. And I'm going. On Wednesday 16th, I'm (nominally) joining the London European Club, who are off to see John Doyle, at the Irish Centre. And on Thursday 17th, I'm (nominally) back with the Free London Events and Talks group, who are off to the Scoop, where they show free films in September. Weather-dependant. That day, it's Selma, which I haven't seen. And then it's back to Ireland yet again - I go every two weeks..
Having booked the tickets for last night and tonight, I set about booking accommodation and flights. I decided to take some of the hassle out of it by using Expedia, where I could get the whole lot done. Now, this year's concerts are in the Ziggo Dome - I hadn't been there before, but it's right beside the Amsterdam ArenA, where I did see them last. I noticed there was a Holiday Inn right nearby, so was delighted when I got a booking.
Flights and hotel booked - non-refundable, of course - and I realised the Holiday Inn I'd booked was on the other side of town! Blast. And the one I'd wanted was, of course, booked up by now. Ah well.. as I was researching transport just last night, I discovered that I was at least on a direct Metro line to the venue! Well, not so bad..
I took yesterday off, and had booked a lunchtime flight from Heathrow. I checked in online the day before - BA lets you do that for free within 24 hours of the flight, which is convenient. And I printed out the boarding pass, which usefully told me that I'd be leaving from Terminal 5 - a first for me. It was nice to be travelling to Heathrow off-peak for once.. had a seat the whole way!
Terminal 5 had a couple of surprises. The first was the conveyor belt for security, which has a different arrangement from what I've seen before - a belt where you prepare your trays to go through, and another that you move them onto when done. The second surprise was how big this terminal is. Still, even with all those shopping options, I had some trouble finding somewhere to pick up some roll-on deodorant - I'm travelling hand luggage only, and can't bring aerosols. W H Smith finally obliged, with a small stand of tiny toiletries.
After some really soft-voiced boarding announcements, we boarded - interestingly, priority was strictly given by card held; those of us who didn't have any priority cards were just boarded in a lump. I had a good seat anyway - a window seat, on the wing. Damn stuffy plane though - I couldn't wait to get the aircon working. And I was very glad I'd picked up one of the free newspapers on offer - despite the cabin staff trumpeting that we were leaving on time, it took so long to get started, backed up, and queue for the runway that I had time to read the whole paper before takeoff! I was mollified by the unaccustomed free food & drink.. I wouldn't have thought to order wine, but for the person across from me who did. And they had lovely lemon biscuits in white chocolate..
And so to Schipol, and a marathon trek to Arrivals. Thank goodness for travelators. I needed a train going into town that stopped at Sloterdijk, the station apparently right beside my hotel. I'd done enough research to know that the best value for me was to buy a separate ticket to the city, then an unlimited card once I got there - there is one that includes the journey from the airport, but it works on the calendar day rather than on a 24-hour basis, so unless you get it in the morning you don't get the value. So I got a single ticket, valid to anywhere in Amsterdam, and after some perusal of timetables, finally found that trains to Sloterdijk go from Platform 3.
This is where the fun started. I knew I needed to touch the card off a reader, but couldn't see one. I'd just missed a train, and the next didn't go for about 10 minutes, so I had a look around and decided to try upstairs, where I'd come in, for a reader. And there they were! Touched it, and went down again to wait.
I was waiting for the 4:10. After a while, a phrase came up for that train that didn't look good - sure enough, it wasn't running. Never mind, there was another at 4:14 that said it was stopping at Sloterdijk. And then this conductor comes along and tells us that the train on the opposite platform was headed to Sloterdijk (Zloterdak, it's pronounced). Fine, and I got on. And was still waiting for it to pull away when the train I'd been waiting for arrived at the other platform, took on passengers, and left again. Blast!
Eventually, there was an announcement on the train I was now on - in Dutch - and everyone made exasperated sounds and got off. So did I. Then a train to Centraal arrived at the other platform. It didn't say anything about intermediate stops, though. And then our friend the conductor came along and announced that this train would go to Sloterdijk! Cool, and I got on. And as we were waiting on that one, sure enough, the one I'd just got off pulled away.. destination Sloterdijk..
When we finally pulled away - really, I'd had visions of spending the whole evening in the airport - and headed into town, it duly became apparent that this was a non-stop. And so I sailed through Sloterdijk and straight into the city centre. Where my first task was to get an unlimited city travel ticket - the guide book had said they have seven-day ones, but I couldn't see that option on the machine, so just got a three-day. Not bad value, at €16.50. Now, how to get to Sloterdijk? Well, there isn't a direct Metro option, but I grabbed a free Metro map at the info desk and determined that I could do it by transfer. And this being easier than figuring out trams and buses, that's what I did - doubtless spending a lot longer than I needed to, but never mind. That blasted conductor cost me a solid hour!
It was rush hour by now, but not half as crowded as the London equivalent, so that was ok. And I got off at Sloterdijk, relieved, and within sight of the hotel. Checked in (fortunately, she didn't offer me the selfie stick she'd given to the chap before me!), got a lovely, spacious room, and am very grateful for the free Wi-Fi. Although it does have a tendency to cut out.
Well, I freshened up and headed for the Metro again. Now, the concert ticket said the start time was at 7, but I got an email on Monday to say that it had been switched to 8 - for all concerts. Much more sensible, and I was relieved - I'd never make it for 7 at this stage. And there's no support for this tour, so start time is when U2 comes on. Of course, part of me was having paranoid terrors about this being a hoax mail.. but then, when has U2 ever started before 8? My long Metro journey began, and I debated with myself whether to get off at Duivendrecht, as suggested on the email, or at the next stop, Strandvliet, as suggested by Google maps. I remembered getting off at Duivendrecht last time, with the crowd. This time, however, there was no crowd, and I trusted Google Maps and stayed on to Strandvliet.
Now there was a crowd to follow, and I did - turning right on the platform, and right from the station, it was looking like the Streetview I'd seen - God bless Streetview! In due course, we passed the parking area for the tour lorries and coaches. It's always a spectacular sight in itself, all the lorries and coaches in dramatic black. I had a few gos at counting them - my final tally was 22 articulated lorries and 7 tour coaches - one attached to a generator (and had smoke billowing from it when we passed on our way back - I guess they were cooking up a late-night dinner).
Hang a left around this lorry park, and the Amsterdam ArenA and Ziggo Dome are before you - the arena to the left, the Ziggo Dome a black, boxy building to the right, on which ads are displayed. Now the crowds converged, and my excitement was growing. I could barely breathe as I made my way towards them.. such a long time since I'd seen this band. Checking my ticket, I saw that I needed the "Zuid" (South) side, so joined that queue. There was also one for members, with a doorman in a purple overcoat and top hat, one for Red Zone, one for floor, one for "Noord" (North). And my ticket was eventually scanned, and after the obligatory bag check (no food or drink), I was in!
A stand selling tour books - but I have never found them worth the money, just full of artsy photos. A stand to join the One foundation (founded by Bono). You could pay to have a professional photo taken in front of a giant i+e poster, with the money going to One. I went upstairs, where the entrances to the auditorium were.
Mayhem! Crowds thronged everywhere. The merchandising stands looked interesting, with some unusual stuff (albeit the t-shirts are a bit more expensive than the website, at €35 each) - I must get there when they open this evening, to try and have a proper look - the crowds were too thick last night, and I didn't have much time. Besides, I hadn't had time for dinner, and I was starving. Hallelujah, I came across a food stall, and asked for a sausage roll (XL) - only to discover that they only take tokens! The same is true of the bars - it's only the merchandising stands that take cash. Rip-off!! No wonder there were such queues at what I'd thought were cash machines - they were token machines! Not wanting to use my credit card, which I wasn't sure would have been activated yet for use here yet - I notified the bank a bit late - I queued at the machine that took cash. I gave up completely when I discovered that they don't take coins, and don't give change. The smallest note I had was a €50, and I certainly didn't intend giving them that much..
So, hungrily, I took my seat. I'll make sure to eat before I go this evening.. And then it transpired that my seat was shoved right over in the corner, and among a bunch of middle-aged people. Hmm.. not a great indicator of wild abandon. Anyway, my view was terrific - the stage, cleverly designed, forms an i-e shape, with the "i" comprising a traditional. rectangular stage at one end, an "e" shape at the other (pretty round) and a catwalk between them, above which is suspended a wire frame that transforms during the concert into a vidi-wall. The only sign of life so far was a large, lit lightbulb, suspended above the "i" stage. This is another image of the tour, and you can buy t-shirts of it.
In the event, they didn't start until 8.20. It's easy to tell when they're about to come on - they obligingly ratchet the music that's being played up to something just below "deafening". And fair play to the crowd around me.. they were up and jumping as soon as there was something to jump about. See now, this is why I choose my locations carefully, and why I love Amsterdam - never mind that we were stuck in a corner, never mind that they were a bit older. They know what's important, and they know how to behave at a major rock event.
Well then, what was the concert like? To begin, apologies for the lack of pictures. To be fair, there hasn't been anything outside the venue worth photographing - I'm in the industrialised outskirts. And inside, my phone camera wouldn't do it justice anyway.. that vidi-wall is absolutely spectacular, and these are the best visuals I've ever seen at a show - but my phone camera is terrible at photographing light effects. But hey, loads of people around me were photographing and filming.. it is not hard to get footage of U2 concerts, after the event. Checking the U2 forums just now, I see there's a lot of stuff on Twitter.. try #U2ie Tour.
Bono fooled us all by arriving from the opposite end of the room to everyone else - mind you, the fact that they were keeping a path clear was a dead giveaway. Sadly, a mooted flashmob, where people in the stands were supposed to hold up cards with the colours of the Dutch flag, was a damp squib - I only saw the red ones displayed, and none at all were provided for my section! Here's the setlist, for those interested:
1. The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)
2. Out of Control
3. Vertigo
4. I Will Follow
5. Iris (Hold Me Close)
6. Cedarwood Road
7. Song for Someone
8. Sunday Bloody Sunday / /Johnny Comes Marching Home (snippet)
9. Raised By Wolves / Psalm 23 (snippet)
10. Until The End Of The World
iNTERMISSION
11. Invisible
12. Even Better Than The Real Thing
13. Mysterious Ways / Burning Down The House (snippet)
14. Elevation
15. Two Hearts Beat as One
16. Every Breaking Wave
17. October
18. Bullet the Blue Sky / 19 (snippet)
19. Zooropa
20. Where The Streets Have No Name / California (There Is No End To Love) (snippet)
21. Pride (In the Name of Love)
22. With or Without You
23. City of Blinding Lights
24. Beautiful Day / I Remember You (snippet)
25. Mother And Child Reunion (snippet) / One / Invisible (snippet)
They started hard and fast, got us moving with a few. Then had a bunch of songs based on personal, teenage experiences at home in Dublin. This was where the vidi-wall started to come into play, with some really moving home movies of Bono's mother, who - as he reminded us - died when he was 14, which had a huge impact on him.
Sunday Bloody Sunday focussed on victims of the war in Syria. And, as promised, we got a bit of the history behind Raised By Wolves, whose topic is the Dublin & Monaghan bombings of 1974. The "iNTERMISSION" is hardly recognisable as one - a recorded remix of The Fly (emphasis on the drums) plays while the traditional word display associated with it is played on the vidi-wall.
After the intermission, they start with the one song I meant to revise and didn't - Invisible. The second part of the show is much more mutable than the first - expect the greatest shake-up here. This was also when Bono started pulling people up on stage - the girl he pulled up for Mysterious Ways danced so well with him that he wanted to keep her on for a special video piece - but it seems it would've been too complicated, so he gave her a hug and a kiss and let her back. They played Two Hearts Beat As One, which - as he remarked - they've only played a couple of times live. Apparently it was a birthday request.
Musically, the highlight of the show for me was Every Breaking Wave, which they're playing as an acoustic version, and which I think is absolutely beautiful! The haunting October leads into their angriest song, Bullet the Blue Sky, and both are dedicated to the Syrian refugees. Bono is absolutely scathing about Europe's handling of the crisis, culminating in a mock-up of the EU flag (yellow stars in a circle on a blue background), but in this case formed by people in yellow jackets, floating in a circle, face-down in a blue sea. And surprise, surprise - it's Banksy's doing! The phantom artist strikes again.. Bono tra-la'ed an ironic version of the Ode to Joy, the EU anthem, over that. As he says, a European Union that can't handle this is no union at all.
Later, the second audience member he dragged on stage had a great time - cavorted with Bono, slapped the others on the shoulders, ran around the stage waving to the audience. Well hey, having that happen is marginally more likely than winning the lottery, so kudos to him for making the most of it!
In all, they gave us 2 hours and 20 minutes of the most incredible music, the most incredible visuals, and we had the most enthusiastic crowd. Now, to all those people who've questioned the wisdom of me going night after night.. just like a U2 album, a U2 concert merits an extra viewing. Or several. It is SO worth it! And I am so looking forward to seeing how the next concerts compare.
When I finally got back to Sloterdijk Station last night, I raided the excellent vending machine. And then I saw a fast food place still open! Oh, deep joy.. what's more, if you didn't fancy queueing, they had stuff in a kind of vending machine to the side - put in the coins (no change given), open the drawer for the burger or roll you want. And a burger has never, ever tasted so good.. think I'll drop by there on my way to the concert later.
It ultimately went too late to blog, if I wanted to be up for breakfast - and I wearily dragged myself to bed. A word of caution - if you ever find yourself staying here, bring earplugs - it's right beside both a Metro station and a mainline station, and even on the seventh floor, and with double glazing, the nonstop intercity trains are really loud. As I told Expedia, who were anxious to know how I was getting on. But the bed was the most comfortable I've had in an age, and I had a choice of "firm" or "soft" pillows - I chose soft - and I slept deeply.
Breakfast is continental - no fruit whatsoever! but bread rolls, croissants, bread and a toaster, cold sliced meats, two types of mini muffin - chocolate chip and chocolate-chocolate chip. They had six kinds of cereal, so I treated myself to Frosties. Initially, I didn't see the apple juice, so poured myself a glass of orange juice - they also have pineapple. As for spreads, they have marmalade, and "butter" that's really vegetable oil spread, and icky.
And here I am and it's nearly lunchtime, and sunny today. But you know, I've done my sightseeing in Amsterdam, and anyway I'll be staying closer to town when I come back for the weekend concerts. I'll head out soon for lunch, and maybe venture a bit further afield - my travel is paid for, after all. Tonight is the second concert, and as I say, it'll be fascinating to see what's different and what's not. I fly back tomorrow, and doubtless crash.
And, of course, Irish U2 dates have now been announced and go on sale on Monday - presale starts tomorrow, but only for those registered in Ireland. Of all the times for me to be living in the UK! Well, I can try.. for those not registered in Ireland, but eligible for presales, they start on Friday afternoon. Cue a late lunch for me..
On Friday evening, I'm off to see Much Ado About Nothing, at the Globe. (Now, that is worth dragging myself along to!) Lucky the proposed Tube strike was cancelled though, or it'd have been impossible. Anyway, I was too late to book with the Let's Do London - for less! Meetup group, who are going the same night: but I've arranged to meet them, to go to the pub after. For the show, I got a ticket in the "Gentlemen's Box"..
..and then on Saturday, I'm back to Amsterdam again, for two more U2 concerts (Saturday and Sunday). As I say, I've been to Amsterdam before, to see them, and seen pretty much enough of the place, so didn't want to stay the whole week. I fly back on Monday, my U2-ing done.. for this month. ;-)
On the 15th, 16th, and 17th, I have Meetups.. For Tuesday 15th, I discovered there's a Hammersmith and Fulham Amnesty group, who that night have a talk entitled Undercover - the True Story of Britain's Secret Police. And I'm going. On Wednesday 16th, I'm (nominally) joining the London European Club, who are off to see John Doyle, at the Irish Centre. And on Thursday 17th, I'm (nominally) back with the Free London Events and Talks group, who are off to the Scoop, where they show free films in September. Weather-dependant. That day, it's Selma, which I haven't seen. And then it's back to Ireland yet again - I go every two weeks..
Sunday, 6 September 2015
Restaurant: Nuala's
With my flight not leaving till evening, we had time to eat out, and headed to Teach uà Bhriain, as has become our habit on Sundays. Handily, there was a space in front, where we could park.. and that was when we noticed the name change! It's now Nuala's. And as you enter, a large stone plaque proclaims that it's been revamped, courtesy of Francis Brennan, who officially relaunched it last Monday.
The refurbishment now seems complete. I'd already noted the pale yellow paint, which brightens the interior - the reduction in clutter - the brighter upholstery - the new window frames - the removal of the booths in the restaurant, which opens up more space and makes the place lighter and brighter. To add to this, they have replaced the front door with one that includes a large glass panel - with the logo of Nuala's, which now appears everywhere: on the new window blinds, the menus, the bill heads. Good on them - everyone was remarking on the makeover, and may it do them well.
Today was a raucous one in Nuala's, with the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final showing on two screens in the bar - Galway ("The Tribesmen") vs Kilkenny ("The Cats"), and everyone there cheering for Galway. Well, it borders Clare, and in Tuamgraney you're not far from Galway. Galway were also the underdogs - Kilkenny always seems to win. I caught a bit of Up For the Match on television last night, and heard many Galway supporters dismissing the idea that it was an honour to be in the final. "No good to be there if not to win," was the general sentiment, and as the match got under way - it started shortly after we arrived - it became evident that the Galway players were giving it their all - it was a very even match.
Now, where I was sat was perfect to watch it, if I just leaned back and twisted to look to the left. So it became quite a distraction, during our late lunch. Well, I did just about manage to eat as well.. I ordered soup, which I've had here before and knew to be excellent, and - avoiding the dry panfried chicken - decided on the stuffed chicken in bacon. And at the last minute, remembered to order chips instead of their tasteless mash. My mother asked for, and got, the salmon, which is on the dinner menu rather than the lunch one, but now poached instead of baked.
The soup and brown bread were excellent. The stuffed chicken was definitely an improvement on the panfried one, although still a bit dry - and while the stuffing was delicious and the sauce very good, the bacon was dry and chewy. What the hey, it was decent, and my mother ate her salmon, despite probably wishing it were baked. Oh, and it seems someone finally remembered to flavour the mash.. Ice cream for dessert, and we were stuffed. Sadly, we had to leave before the end of the match (I later heard that Galway lost their vim in the second half, and the Cats - once again - got the cream).
And so back to London, for one day's work. On Tuesday, I'm off to Amsterdam, where U2 are playing that night and the next. (On Wednesday, news to be announced about gigs in Ireland, late November!) I fly back on Thursday, doubtless wanting nothing more than to sleep. On Friday, I'm off to see Much Ado About Nothing, at the Globe. (Now, that is worth dragging myself along to!) Lucky the proposed Tube strike was cancelled though, or it'd have been impossible. Anyway, I was too late to book with the Let's Do London - for less! Meetup group, who are going the same night: but I've arranged to meet them, to go to the pub after. For the show, I got a ticket in the "Gentlemen's Box"..
..and then the next day, I'm off to Amsterdam again, for two more U2 concerts (Saturday and Sunday). Now, to those who know me, this shouldn't be a surprise. I friggin' love this band, and Amsterdam is a great city to see them in! And yes, I got a good travel deal (Expedia), and you know, I've been to Amsterdam before, to see them, and seen pretty much enough of the place, so didn't want to stay the whole week. I fly back on Monday 14th, my U2-ing done.. for this month. ;-)
On the 15th, 16th, and 17th, I have Meetups.. For Tuesday 15th, I discovered there's a Hammersmith and Fulham Amnesty group, who that night have a talk entitled Undercover - the True Story of Britain's Secret Police. And I'm going. On Wednesday 16th, I'm (nominally) joining the London European Club, who are off to see John Doyle, at the Irish Centre. And on Thursday 17th, I'm (nominally) back with the Free London Events and Talks group, who are off to the Scoop, where they show free films in September. Weather-dependant. That day, it's Selma, which I haven't seen. And then it's back to Ireland yet again - I go every two weeks..
The refurbishment now seems complete. I'd already noted the pale yellow paint, which brightens the interior - the reduction in clutter - the brighter upholstery - the new window frames - the removal of the booths in the restaurant, which opens up more space and makes the place lighter and brighter. To add to this, they have replaced the front door with one that includes a large glass panel - with the logo of Nuala's, which now appears everywhere: on the new window blinds, the menus, the bill heads. Good on them - everyone was remarking on the makeover, and may it do them well.
Today was a raucous one in Nuala's, with the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final showing on two screens in the bar - Galway ("The Tribesmen") vs Kilkenny ("The Cats"), and everyone there cheering for Galway. Well, it borders Clare, and in Tuamgraney you're not far from Galway. Galway were also the underdogs - Kilkenny always seems to win. I caught a bit of Up For the Match on television last night, and heard many Galway supporters dismissing the idea that it was an honour to be in the final. "No good to be there if not to win," was the general sentiment, and as the match got under way - it started shortly after we arrived - it became evident that the Galway players were giving it their all - it was a very even match.
Now, where I was sat was perfect to watch it, if I just leaned back and twisted to look to the left. So it became quite a distraction, during our late lunch. Well, I did just about manage to eat as well.. I ordered soup, which I've had here before and knew to be excellent, and - avoiding the dry panfried chicken - decided on the stuffed chicken in bacon. And at the last minute, remembered to order chips instead of their tasteless mash. My mother asked for, and got, the salmon, which is on the dinner menu rather than the lunch one, but now poached instead of baked.
The soup and brown bread were excellent. The stuffed chicken was definitely an improvement on the panfried one, although still a bit dry - and while the stuffing was delicious and the sauce very good, the bacon was dry and chewy. What the hey, it was decent, and my mother ate her salmon, despite probably wishing it were baked. Oh, and it seems someone finally remembered to flavour the mash.. Ice cream for dessert, and we were stuffed. Sadly, we had to leave before the end of the match (I later heard that Galway lost their vim in the second half, and the Cats - once again - got the cream).
And so back to London, for one day's work. On Tuesday, I'm off to Amsterdam, where U2 are playing that night and the next. (On Wednesday, news to be announced about gigs in Ireland, late November!) I fly back on Thursday, doubtless wanting nothing more than to sleep. On Friday, I'm off to see Much Ado About Nothing, at the Globe. (Now, that is worth dragging myself along to!) Lucky the proposed Tube strike was cancelled though, or it'd have been impossible. Anyway, I was too late to book with the Let's Do London - for less! Meetup group, who are going the same night: but I've arranged to meet them, to go to the pub after. For the show, I got a ticket in the "Gentlemen's Box"..
..and then the next day, I'm off to Amsterdam again, for two more U2 concerts (Saturday and Sunday). Now, to those who know me, this shouldn't be a surprise. I friggin' love this band, and Amsterdam is a great city to see them in! And yes, I got a good travel deal (Expedia), and you know, I've been to Amsterdam before, to see them, and seen pretty much enough of the place, so didn't want to stay the whole week. I fly back on Monday 14th, my U2-ing done.. for this month. ;-)
On the 15th, 16th, and 17th, I have Meetups.. For Tuesday 15th, I discovered there's a Hammersmith and Fulham Amnesty group, who that night have a talk entitled Undercover - the True Story of Britain's Secret Police. And I'm going. On Wednesday 16th, I'm (nominally) joining the London European Club, who are off to see John Doyle, at the Irish Centre. And on Thursday 17th, I'm (nominally) back with the Free London Events and Talks group, who are off to the Scoop, where they show free films in September. Weather-dependant. That day, it's Selma, which I haven't seen. And then it's back to Ireland yet again - I go every two weeks..
Thursday, 3 September 2015
Concert: Philharmonia
When a cheap ticket came up for a classical concert tonight at Cadogan Hall.. yes please! quoth I. Nice and close..
So off I wandered this evening. Just four Tube stops, and a couple of minutes' walk from the station at the other end. If only all journeys were this easy! Collected my ticket, and made my way straight upstairs - all levels require a climb (there is a lift if you need it), but I was in the gallery anyway. I've been there before, so the warning sign of there being 62 steps to the gallery didn't phase me!
I can only speculate that the patrons of this venue have great hairdressers. Every time I attend, I'm confronted with unusually glossy, bouncy curls. Anyhoo, I embarked on my climb, and when I arrived at the gallery, discovered that my seat was quite a good one. It was what you might call "restricted view", what with the railing in the way, but still perfectly fine, with a pretty straight-on view.
Well, lover that I am of dramatic music, this was one of the best classical concerts I ever attended! Each piece, punctuated with beautiful melodies, was more dramatic than the last. We started with Sibelius - fast becoming one of my favourite composers. The second piece was a world premiere - a violin concerto composed by the conductor and lead violinist! She was Japanese, and the piece had many Japanese influences. And o my! if I thought the soloist at the Proms had a spectacular outfit, tonight's beat her hands down.. with a gorgeous, mediaeval-inspired dress in red and gold, with a bustle and a skirt slashed as if to reveal an underskirt, of black traced with gold. The night ended with Dvorak, and I felt well entertained.. afterwards, eschewing the overpriced and pretentious eateries of Sloane Square, I returned home, where I had, wisely, stocked the fridge.
Back to Ireland tomorrow, for the weekend. And then the fun begins in earnest.. now, on Monday, the best thing coming up is Angel Comedy. Well, actually the Proms look good, but apart from standing, the cheapest ticket I can find for them (on SeatWave, the official site is sold out) is £64. And they don't look that good. As for the comedy.. sounds good, but I might decide to stay in..
Because, you see, on Tuesday, I'm off to Amsterdam. Because that's where U2 will be on Tuesday, and I'm going to their concert that night. And the next night. I fly back on Thursday, doubtless wanting nothing more than to sleep. On Friday of next week, I'm off to see Much Ado About Nothing, at the Globe. (Now, that is worth dragging myself along to!) Lucky the proposed Tube strike was cancelled though, or it'd have been impossible. Anyway, I was too late to book with the Let's Do London - for less! Meetup group, who are going the same night: but I've arranged to meet them, to go to the pub after. For the show, I got a ticket in the "Gentlemen's Box"..
..and then that Saturday, I'm off to Amsterdam again, for two more U2 concerts (Saturday and Sunday). Now, to those who know me, this shouldn't be a surprise. I friggin' love this band, and Amsterdam is a great city to see them in! And yes, I got a good travel deal (Expedia), and you know, I've been to Amsterdam before, to see them, and seen pretty much enough of the place, so didn't want to stay the whole week. I fly back on Monday 14th, my U2-ing done.. for this month. ;-)
On the 15th, 16th, and 17th, I have Meetups.. For Tuesday 15th, I discovered there's a Hammersmith and Fulham Amnesty group, who that night have a talk entitled Undercover - the True Story of Britain's Secret Police. And I'm going. On Wednesday 16th, I'm (nominally) joining the London European Club, who are off to see John Doyle, at the Irish Centre. And on Thursday 17th, I'm (nominally) back with the Free London Events and Talks group, who are off to the Scoop, where they show free films in September. Weather-dependant. That day, it's Selma, which I haven't seen. And then it's back to Ireland yet again - I go every two weeks..
So off I wandered this evening. Just four Tube stops, and a couple of minutes' walk from the station at the other end. If only all journeys were this easy! Collected my ticket, and made my way straight upstairs - all levels require a climb (there is a lift if you need it), but I was in the gallery anyway. I've been there before, so the warning sign of there being 62 steps to the gallery didn't phase me!
I can only speculate that the patrons of this venue have great hairdressers. Every time I attend, I'm confronted with unusually glossy, bouncy curls. Anyhoo, I embarked on my climb, and when I arrived at the gallery, discovered that my seat was quite a good one. It was what you might call "restricted view", what with the railing in the way, but still perfectly fine, with a pretty straight-on view.
Well, lover that I am of dramatic music, this was one of the best classical concerts I ever attended! Each piece, punctuated with beautiful melodies, was more dramatic than the last. We started with Sibelius - fast becoming one of my favourite composers. The second piece was a world premiere - a violin concerto composed by the conductor and lead violinist! She was Japanese, and the piece had many Japanese influences. And o my! if I thought the soloist at the Proms had a spectacular outfit, tonight's beat her hands down.. with a gorgeous, mediaeval-inspired dress in red and gold, with a bustle and a skirt slashed as if to reveal an underskirt, of black traced with gold. The night ended with Dvorak, and I felt well entertained.. afterwards, eschewing the overpriced and pretentious eateries of Sloane Square, I returned home, where I had, wisely, stocked the fridge.
Back to Ireland tomorrow, for the weekend. And then the fun begins in earnest.. now, on Monday, the best thing coming up is Angel Comedy. Well, actually the Proms look good, but apart from standing, the cheapest ticket I can find for them (on SeatWave, the official site is sold out) is £64. And they don't look that good. As for the comedy.. sounds good, but I might decide to stay in..
Because, you see, on Tuesday, I'm off to Amsterdam. Because that's where U2 will be on Tuesday, and I'm going to their concert that night. And the next night. I fly back on Thursday, doubtless wanting nothing more than to sleep. On Friday of next week, I'm off to see Much Ado About Nothing, at the Globe. (Now, that is worth dragging myself along to!) Lucky the proposed Tube strike was cancelled though, or it'd have been impossible. Anyway, I was too late to book with the Let's Do London - for less! Meetup group, who are going the same night: but I've arranged to meet them, to go to the pub after. For the show, I got a ticket in the "Gentlemen's Box"..
..and then that Saturday, I'm off to Amsterdam again, for two more U2 concerts (Saturday and Sunday). Now, to those who know me, this shouldn't be a surprise. I friggin' love this band, and Amsterdam is a great city to see them in! And yes, I got a good travel deal (Expedia), and you know, I've been to Amsterdam before, to see them, and seen pretty much enough of the place, so didn't want to stay the whole week. I fly back on Monday 14th, my U2-ing done.. for this month. ;-)
On the 15th, 16th, and 17th, I have Meetups.. For Tuesday 15th, I discovered there's a Hammersmith and Fulham Amnesty group, who that night have a talk entitled Undercover - the True Story of Britain's Secret Police. And I'm going. On Wednesday 16th, I'm (nominally) joining the London European Club, who are off to see John Doyle, at the Irish Centre. And on Thursday 17th, I'm (nominally) back with the Free London Events and Talks group, who are off to the Scoop, where they show free films in September. Weather-dependant. That day, it's Selma, which I haven't seen. And then it's back to Ireland yet again - I go every two weeks..
Wednesday, 2 September 2015
Film: The Look of Silence
D'you know, it's a relief, finally to get The Look of Silence seen? It's been highest rated on my film list for so long now.. Last time it was showing, it wasn't at a time I could manage, but this week the BFI was showing it, and I booked because it was selling out.
Having chosen the early show, I went straight from the office. Exiting at Embankment Station, I made way for a lady in a wheelchair, who took the wide gate.. she wasn't as lucky at the riverside exit, where there are a few steps, but her companions reassured those who wanted to help that she would walk down them. It was taking her forever to get out of her chair though - pity those who need extra help, there are few facilities for them.
Another rainbow as I crossed the bridge - the second rainbow in as many days. An advantage of wet weather! Rarely, I wasn't in much of a hurry as I approached the BFI - I was a little early. Which was as well, considering the riverfront entrance was closed for a private function, and I had to go round the side. And then, having collected my ticket, I completely forgot where the Studio was.. in my defence, it's been a while since I was at the BFI at all, and I've only been to the Studio once before. So a bit of running around was in order - but I made it in time (it's right across from the box office), and was shown to my seat. And not the last to arrive either!
My God, but I was uncomfortable. I don't know what the problem was, but my bum was numb by the end, despite the seat being plushly upholstered. And the guy in front of me was tall enough to make the reading of subtitles very awkward - the person beside me was straining as well, and a little old lady in the row in front moved into the front row to make it easier for herself - although the screening was pretty sold out, not everyone showed. When the fellow in front of me decided to scooch down in his seat, life became much easier for me..
This is a documentary about an optometrist whose brother was butchered in the Indonesian massacre in 1965, before he was born. And which I'd never heard of, before this - and its companion piece, The Act of Killing, which I didn't think I'd fancy and didn't go to see. Having seen The Look of Silence, I'm rather glad I didn't..
So, this rather brave individual travels around the country interviewing people involved in his brother's death. I wondered how he could be so brave - the same people are still in power, and surely he was putting himself in danger! Illuminating was the interview with the district army commander, where he wouldn't tell him where his family was from. Even more illuminating were the credits at the end - it's worth watching them, just to see all the roles marked as "ANONYMOUS", because the Indonesians involved in the film didn't want to give their names.
I said I was glad I didn't see the other film. Primarily, this was because of the interviews with the killers in this film - I think I've seen quite enough of them, thanks! Interview after interview, and they showed no remorse. They were following orders. The opposition were branded "communists" and were guilty of atrocities. (A prologue explains that the designation of "communist" was applied to any opponents of the military government.) There's a chilling video, clips of which are played throughout the film, where two who performed these killings describe, with great glee, the fear of their captives, and how they reacted when being killed.
The most productive interviews are those where family members are present, who had no idea of the atrocities their relatives were part of, and whose shocked looks and apologies go some way to restoring a sense of decency. A disturbing film - particularly as the people who perpetrated this are still in power, and the government anti-communist line is still being taught in schools, alongside how the communists deserved what they got.
A detour to Tesco's to get dinner, and so home - almost in time to escape a heavy shower.
Tomorrow, I got a cheap ticket to a classical concert at Cadogan Hall - nice and close. Then it's back to Ireland at the weekend..
Having chosen the early show, I went straight from the office. Exiting at Embankment Station, I made way for a lady in a wheelchair, who took the wide gate.. she wasn't as lucky at the riverside exit, where there are a few steps, but her companions reassured those who wanted to help that she would walk down them. It was taking her forever to get out of her chair though - pity those who need extra help, there are few facilities for them.
Another rainbow as I crossed the bridge - the second rainbow in as many days. An advantage of wet weather! Rarely, I wasn't in much of a hurry as I approached the BFI - I was a little early. Which was as well, considering the riverfront entrance was closed for a private function, and I had to go round the side. And then, having collected my ticket, I completely forgot where the Studio was.. in my defence, it's been a while since I was at the BFI at all, and I've only been to the Studio once before. So a bit of running around was in order - but I made it in time (it's right across from the box office), and was shown to my seat. And not the last to arrive either!
My God, but I was uncomfortable. I don't know what the problem was, but my bum was numb by the end, despite the seat being plushly upholstered. And the guy in front of me was tall enough to make the reading of subtitles very awkward - the person beside me was straining as well, and a little old lady in the row in front moved into the front row to make it easier for herself - although the screening was pretty sold out, not everyone showed. When the fellow in front of me decided to scooch down in his seat, life became much easier for me..
This is a documentary about an optometrist whose brother was butchered in the Indonesian massacre in 1965, before he was born. And which I'd never heard of, before this - and its companion piece, The Act of Killing, which I didn't think I'd fancy and didn't go to see. Having seen The Look of Silence, I'm rather glad I didn't..
So, this rather brave individual travels around the country interviewing people involved in his brother's death. I wondered how he could be so brave - the same people are still in power, and surely he was putting himself in danger! Illuminating was the interview with the district army commander, where he wouldn't tell him where his family was from. Even more illuminating were the credits at the end - it's worth watching them, just to see all the roles marked as "ANONYMOUS", because the Indonesians involved in the film didn't want to give their names.
I said I was glad I didn't see the other film. Primarily, this was because of the interviews with the killers in this film - I think I've seen quite enough of them, thanks! Interview after interview, and they showed no remorse. They were following orders. The opposition were branded "communists" and were guilty of atrocities. (A prologue explains that the designation of "communist" was applied to any opponents of the military government.) There's a chilling video, clips of which are played throughout the film, where two who performed these killings describe, with great glee, the fear of their captives, and how they reacted when being killed.
The most productive interviews are those where family members are present, who had no idea of the atrocities their relatives were part of, and whose shocked looks and apologies go some way to restoring a sense of decency. A disturbing film - particularly as the people who perpetrated this are still in power, and the government anti-communist line is still being taught in schools, alongside how the communists deserved what they got.
A detour to Tesco's to get dinner, and so home - almost in time to escape a heavy shower.
Tomorrow, I got a cheap ticket to a classical concert at Cadogan Hall - nice and close. Then it's back to Ireland at the weekend..
Tuesday, 1 September 2015
Concert: What's It All About? Bacharach
Tonight was What's It All About? Bacharach, at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Wow, it's ages since I booked this! very unusual for me. Got the cheapest ticket at London Box Office - seating in this theatre is uniformly priced, so you don't have to worry about that.
I was so glad it didn't start until 8 - things in London usually start at 7.30, and having that extra half hour makes it so much more relaxed. So I strolled down the road to the theatre, for once! I'd noticed on the website, when I was double-checking the start time, that it had sold out - and sure enough, the bar was thronged. I went to the box office to collect my ticket, and after sifting through every pile she had, she found it.
Seating in this theatre is usually on upholstered benches. Well, they're still there for this production, facing the stage; to the sides though, the seating is in the form of sofas and armchairs. The floor and walls are decorated with rugs - tacked down, for safety. Even the benches are decorated with swathes of material, and my place happened to be one of those that came with a cushion! As I sat - and remarked what an excellent seat I had, facing and pretty central - I noticed the musical instruments attached to the walls around the stage. And the sofas hanging from the ceiling! which were duly occupied, not by audience members, but by members of the band.
As my row filled up, I got pushed to the side as a group of elderly people took their places - and when a group of younger people approached from the other side, I was in their seat. I explained what had happened, and looking past me, the guy next to me agreed to try and squeeze everyone in at the end. Younger people squeeze better, you see.
The show is a re-imagining of the music of Burt Bacharach. Is it any good..? BELIEVE THE HYPE! It's terrific!! While the songs are still recognisable (and hummable), new life is breathed into them in an 85-minute show (without interval) that focuses on rock, r n b, a little reggae.. the quality of the performances is top-notch, the staging is imaginative, and pretty unique for each song. The woman beside me really got into it - obviously Burt's greatest fan, she rocked out! Really, we were so disappointed when it ended.
Can't recommend this highly enough. Now for the bad news - the official website is sold out for the rest of the run (which finishes on Saturday), and London Box Office doesn't have any tickets either, at time of writing. But if you can find a ticket, you won't see a better show in London right now! Pray for an extension, or a West End transfer.
On the way home, of course, someone was singing a number from the show as we entered the station. As our train approached Earl's Court, the driver was good enough to inform us that there would be a train on the other platform as we pulled in, that that train would be headed the same way, and that it would be leaving first. And so it proved. Now, if only all drivers did the same!
Tomorrow, I'm off to The Look of Silence, which is finally showing at a time I can manage. The BFI is running it, and I've booked for the early showing that day, which was already mostly sold out. At time of writing, there are two tickets left. It's ages since I've been there!
For Thursday, I got a cheap ticket to a classical concert at Cadogan Hall - nice and close. Then I'm back to Ireland at the weekend..
I was so glad it didn't start until 8 - things in London usually start at 7.30, and having that extra half hour makes it so much more relaxed. So I strolled down the road to the theatre, for once! I'd noticed on the website, when I was double-checking the start time, that it had sold out - and sure enough, the bar was thronged. I went to the box office to collect my ticket, and after sifting through every pile she had, she found it.
Seating in this theatre is usually on upholstered benches. Well, they're still there for this production, facing the stage; to the sides though, the seating is in the form of sofas and armchairs. The floor and walls are decorated with rugs - tacked down, for safety. Even the benches are decorated with swathes of material, and my place happened to be one of those that came with a cushion! As I sat - and remarked what an excellent seat I had, facing and pretty central - I noticed the musical instruments attached to the walls around the stage. And the sofas hanging from the ceiling! which were duly occupied, not by audience members, but by members of the band.
As my row filled up, I got pushed to the side as a group of elderly people took their places - and when a group of younger people approached from the other side, I was in their seat. I explained what had happened, and looking past me, the guy next to me agreed to try and squeeze everyone in at the end. Younger people squeeze better, you see.
The show is a re-imagining of the music of Burt Bacharach. Is it any good..? BELIEVE THE HYPE! It's terrific!! While the songs are still recognisable (and hummable), new life is breathed into them in an 85-minute show (without interval) that focuses on rock, r n b, a little reggae.. the quality of the performances is top-notch, the staging is imaginative, and pretty unique for each song. The woman beside me really got into it - obviously Burt's greatest fan, she rocked out! Really, we were so disappointed when it ended.
Can't recommend this highly enough. Now for the bad news - the official website is sold out for the rest of the run (which finishes on Saturday), and London Box Office doesn't have any tickets either, at time of writing. But if you can find a ticket, you won't see a better show in London right now! Pray for an extension, or a West End transfer.
On the way home, of course, someone was singing a number from the show as we entered the station. As our train approached Earl's Court, the driver was good enough to inform us that there would be a train on the other platform as we pulled in, that that train would be headed the same way, and that it would be leaving first. And so it proved. Now, if only all drivers did the same!
Tomorrow, I'm off to The Look of Silence, which is finally showing at a time I can manage. The BFI is running it, and I've booked for the early showing that day, which was already mostly sold out. At time of writing, there are two tickets left. It's ages since I've been there!
For Thursday, I got a cheap ticket to a classical concert at Cadogan Hall - nice and close. Then I'm back to Ireland at the weekend..
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