On Saturday night, just gone, Bellx1 were due to play in Paradiso. Tickets were €12.50 and sold out by the time I got my ass in gear (story of my life). I was gutted as I really wanted to see them, and I love Paradiso so it was a double whammy to me.

Only one thing for it… 6.30pm saw me standing outside Paradiso hoping to catch the eye of someone with an extra ticket. By 7.30pm I had almost given up hope, but I had noticed a handsome man walking towards me….. hmmm…. “what are you doing here” he said leaning in with a grin.

It was the lovely Xbox and after our almost/nearly/neverdid meeting in Cork Airport after the bloggies I was glad he came to say hi!  Unfortunately he didn’t have a spare ticket either so after a quick chat and a prompt to go back up to the door and ask again he was gone.  Well that was that, my resolve was made, I wasn’t going to miss a night at Bellx1 in Paradiso with one of my favourite  bloggers. Up I marched to the door again, the ticket booth was empty of punters as the gigs were all just about to start.

The conversation went a bit like this:

Me: Any chance of a ticket for Bellx1? Have there been any cancellations or sell backs?

Ticket Lady: No… sorry its totally sold out.

M: *sigh* ok, I really wanted to see them but I guess I’m out of luck.

TL: Is is just you, or are you with friends?

M: No I’m on my own, but I’m ok in the city, thanks for asking.

TL:  No I mean, do you just need one ticket?

M: Eh.. yeah… just one, just for me… I’m on my own (I’m babbling at this point)

TL:  Ok ask that man over there (points to burly doorman who previously growled at me) to come talk to me.

M: Ok… (runs to door man) Eh that lady in the ticket-box wants to speak to you

He ambles over to the ticket box and then turns on his heel and grabs me by the shoulder  I pretty much think I’m going to hit the pavement for harassment or just being weird.

He ushers me inside the door and says… “gig is upstairs, enjoy!”

Wow, I literally did a little dance in the lobby of the Paradiso, the lovely lovely ticket lady came out and said “Run its about to start” I asked her if I could pay her for the ticket and she said no, she had a guest pass and it was not going to be used so I should have it!

Anyway, I legged it up the stairs and met Xbox at the bar. I went to join his gang and we watched a great set by Bellx1.

Highlights were Bad Skin Day, Rocky Took a Lover, Eve the apple of my eye, and Ribs of a Broken umbrella. They also did Flame and Blue lights on the runway and a fair few others I cant remember now.  It was 2 hours of music and I loved every minute. Seemingly its their first sell out gig in Amsterdam, and I hope they come back soon so we can give them another sell out audience. They were excellent. I’m just annoyed I didn’t pluck up the courage earlier to ask the ticket lady (and not the doorman who growled at me) so I could have caught Duke Special’s set. They played upstairs in the small room, which is really intimate and I was feet from the stage.

Thing was, I had spent the day shopping for my nemesis… frickin wedding shoes (or just shoes to normal 30yr old women) I only wear winter boots, trainers or converse (for smart occasions) so as I’m off to a wedding at the end of the month, I needed to buy wedding shoes. More anon

But lets just say I hadn’t had time to eat all day as I was on my shopping mission impossible. I went straight to Paradiso and then gig (plus beers) From there I went out with Xbox and his lovely wife Elaine who has the most beautiful smile ever; her whole face lights up, she rocks. (not hitting on your wife Martin – promise) and their mates. Yep I was not the best for ware as I cycled home at quarter to three on Sunday morning….

My left hand, wrist, elbow, inside leg, Right wrist, knee, ankle will all attest to the fact that drunken cycling isn’t the smartest thing I’ve done. Several beers and one sharp turn too many saw the road quite literally (to me anyway) rise up to meet me from a sharp bend off the Prinsengracht, and I went from sitting on my bike to lying face down on the pavement.

Oh well… hope the bruises and scabs heal up in time for the wedding or the sophisticated look I was going for might be impaired, it might just be a bad skin day.

Ps If you havent already bought Blue Lights on the Runway please do. Its a fantastic album

I forgot to get tickets!

I have been following James Yuill via Twitter and his blog on his tour around Europe with PBJ.

And today when I realised that he was in Amsterdam playing the Melkweg, I freaked and went straight to Melkweg site … that lovely word greeted me

Uitverkocht – Sold Out

Gigs are cheap enough here , as you see €14 for two class acts, but they sell out fast, even on a School night!
And even more so if you feck off to Ireland for a week and forget to get your ticket! Doh!

So I sent a tweet or two but to no avail…
I even hung around at the venue, but it was such a horrid night that there were no tickets to be had

I came home, made tea…. had a purple snack bar, my band aid to the worst of emotional “owies” and tried to think of things other than the fact that I was missing the gig. I was briefly cheered to find that a few of my mates are fans too. Then Twitter broke again, and I had to find something else to do.

I settled with my Barry’s and Cadburys to lick my wounds and watch TV, United States of Tara, to be exact.

But James’s yearning folktronica beats kept calling me out…

I had thought this post might be something else, but now its…

A big James Yuil love-in!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Check out his Blog Here

And his Main Site below (click image)

Make sure you BUY his CD HERE or iTunes

Just a final thing, I first heard about James from the very cool and wonderful smelling Barrie Willliams on his Blog, Hearcanal

Pop over and see what gems Barrie will uncover for you.

*Ps the blog title is a lyric of a song Left Handed Girl from James’s new Album “Turning Down Water for Air”

So last night I was introduced to an amazing group, German band called Notwist, performing with the Andromeda ME Orchestra in Paradiso WOW….
I have a thing for rock bands (although in this case it was Rock and Electronica) with Orchestra’s. Part of my love for Sigur Ros… is that rock with amazing delicate notes. Last night I was delighted to see a Harp on stage (no there was no pint of bass, smart asses). I love the Harp and Harpischord … weird I know…. which reminds me of Dustin OHalloran.

Nightlife here still exhausts me, I mean its remarkably peaceful for a city in which the pubs serve until 4/5am during the weekends and nightclubs seem to go on until breakfast, take that Dermot Ahern. Here is proof that turfing everyone out of the pub at the one time, rather than allowing people to chose when to go home and filter out accordingly is the far better option.

Really looking forward to my holiday… 8 weeks and I will be in New York with Catriona, can’t wait. Really looking forward ot having time to explore the city unlike the last rushed visit where I saw nothing only a New Jersey outlet mall.

Thinking about Catherine today, she will have to have the leg amputated….. and today the Metro began working again, although I think that for as long as the weather remains half decent I will stick to biking. I’d like to try the “shorter” Dam Square cycle on the way home but not sure I am brave enough just yet. Morning is one thing, but I dont fancy doing that route back in the evening.

Must be homesick, considering leaving RTE online on after the news to see a bit of the Rose of Tralee…. perhaps I need an emergency slap! Its been in my head since mum mentioned it at the weekend, the usual Irish Mammy, “you know its the end of the Summer when the Rose of Tralee is on” I actually like Ray Darcy on the Rose, he’s a big Queen (well for an Irish mucker) and very Bitchy

On the topic of RTE news, I enjoyed the piece on Drivetime this evening about the blogger room, sponsored by Google at the Democratic Convention in Denver today, sofas, sweets, soft drinks… google seems big into tooth decay!!
Not too sure about all the “hype” surrounding the US elections, I mean yes its a big country and yes its a rich country…. but really… I heard a soundbite from some US celebrity stating that this was the most important election in history… REALLY? That’s taking it a tad too far for my liking.

Had the best cup of tea this evening …really good….. just needed to say that!

Anyway…. ad break over… back to good ole RTE News, six months of BBC brainwashing has formed a deep appreciation of RTE One (Radio and TV). Well at least thats my current excuse, other people might say Im showing my age, Morning Ireland, Liveline and Drivetime…. its a little bit middle aged of me … but I dont care… pass me my knitting!

Final disturbing note…. An Taoiseach Brian Cowen TD singing ‘Paddy’s Green Shamrock Shore’ at the Fleadh Cheoil in Tullamore