Lee Edward Armstrong

Wow.....What a weekend and a half that was. A complete dream come true as I played at being a Rock Star !

Geoff from Modulate, which is a band I already really liked and a good friend from Leeds & DJ'ing at The Wendy House dropped me an email when I was contemplating the Alt Whitby or Resistanz. He said come dance for me in your Droog outfit and i'll give you a free ticket. He had seen me bouncing many times at Wendy House and thought it would work well on stage.

For someone with very little in the way of musical talent and a love of bands this was pretty much a dream come true. A scary one yes, but something I just had to say HELL YES to. I later found out there was a minor request that came with it....That I wasn't allowed to tell anyone !!!!

I dropped a few hints that *something* was happening and i wasn't allowed to say what. I said that Resistanz had some surprises. I tried to nudge people towards both the festival and the Modulate gig. I even changed my FB icon to the Droog outfit. But i kept quiet.....and boy did I see some faces drop with amazement as I bounded out. Alas a few others missed it.

There were plenty of Cameras in the audience and shots have started appearing, also a couple of videos on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqk… - From Jamie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93-…

I'm sure more will appear.....I'm still in the dream !

Seems all my recent comment posts have gone missing. Strange, but hence the sudden bulk updates !!!

Listening to the radio and Why I don't Like Mondays came on.....It almost gave me the same smile i get from Friday I'm in Love, when heard on Fridays.....So...A week of Music :

Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2I…

Men Without Hats - On Tuesday
http://www.last.fm/music/Men+Witho…

Tori Amos - Wednesday
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTx…

David Bowie - Thursdays Child
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S2…

The Cure - Friday I'm In Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGg…

Wigfield - Saturday Night
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTI…

Velvet Underground - Sunday Morning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cW…

The only one i had to actually think about and then search for was Wednesday....I was thinking Adams Family, but theme music and songs are something a bit different. Bit disapointed On Tuesday isn't on Youtube. Its a great Men Without Hats track, they did way more than Safety Dance, Ya know !

Please read this, particularly if your a single / independent lady

( Now this is a post about something that has been playing on my mind and i wanted to run it past people.Collapse )

Stolen from venta


The book I am reading: The Time Travellers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger - Its actually an Audio book, but thats 'cos the police frown on driving and reading at the same time ! - Absolutely gripping and loving it

The book I love most: Wow....Thats a hard one. Big Pratchett fan but choosing there is hard. The one i've probably recommended most is Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke - Magic and History woven together in a seamless way. Utterly adorable.


The last book I received as a gift: A signed copy of Retromancer by Robert Rankin from simonsatori & morbidfrog

The last book I gave as a gift: The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox - An absolutely stunning book and one of my faves. The author creates a murderous character and then tries to redeem him. Historical setting too. Amazing.

The nearest book: The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch - Only just started it as i don't seem to get a chance to read much at lunch times since not having a foreman

Just paid my deposit for this trip to ade50021 - It is the last day to get the cheap deal (£30 quid off £265)- Damn good value for luxury coach travel (which is under booked so you have space to spread out) from the UK to the festival + tickets which include camping, Just beer money after that !

( A rough overview of what happensCollapse )




http://www.fkpscorpio.com/meraluna/

Did a listing almost exactly like this for last year as i found it useful to refer back to here and there, So....

Plans :

WGW - Whitby - 24-29 March

Have a ticket and will be in a friends cottage. Probably should have booked my own as I have less flexibility over what is happening, but hey ho. Anyway is pretty much sorted apart from the Holiday issue atm, so could get shortened a bit.

Alt Whitby - 1st April

Would like to do the Friday as Zeitgeist Zero are playing. However i don't know if they are doing day tickets. Dad has a place in East Ayton, just on the right side of Scarborough, so will just drive back on the night

Alas they have canceled the bands. May do an extra night in Sheffield ?

Resistanz - Sheffield 2-3 April

Booked into the Jurys in for Sat/Sun. Double at £86 for the two night via Laterooms. Am helping one of the bands out so ticket sorted. This is going to be a giggle. Given the layout etc it could rival infest for fun.
- This Explains *HOW* i helped a band out


Darkwaters Festival - Nottingham 13-15 May

Clashes with Waltz on the Wye Steampunk fest which is also tempting. Nothing booked either way, but I have some good friends in Notts so it will probably go that way.


Wave Gothic Treffen - Leipzig - 9-14 June

Already booked a Junior suite at the Pentahotel/Renaissance via a good deal last year. Will be odd rattling arround on my own, so open to the idea of sharing. Did that a couple of years back with a friend and enjoyed being part tour guide, though she was very independent too. Anyway if interested, bug me !
Flights booked Luton to Berlin Schoenefeld (9/6 13:55 out, 14/9 17:10 return). Need to sort train out and eventually tickets.


Amphi - Cologne - 16-17 July

Friends are going and i'm starting to get tempted. Would probably hotel and may fly. Train and camping is cheap, but lugging the gear all that way doesn't excite me, though travel with friends could be a blast. May just pick up a ticket for the heck of it and if needs be sell on later. They sold out last year by the time i'd hit "fuck-it i want to party" mode. Tickets E62, Hotel Twin 170ish, flights usually round £100 - Hmmm

This is now a GO. At the Ibis in a twin if anyone wants to join me. Flying from stanstead Friday afternoon and back Monday. Nachtmar gig friday night ftw


DV8 fest - York - 21-24 July

Its the UK, Its close(ish) and Chris would probably winge for ever if I didn't go after last years clash with Waregem. Probably should look at sorting this - Accomodation looks tricky and there is now Shadowplay to consider !

Gothic Festival - Waregem - 22-24 July

I've not heard anything on this one unfortunately. However last year i drove, with camping and bits it is cheap and doable at the last minute. I'm not hopeful on the rumours i've heard though.

This is now SHADOWPLAY in Kortrijk - Line up is still being finalised. *TEMPTED* ! -

Couldn't get the Monday off. DV8 Fest is a go though. Will drive back late Sunday !



Mera Luna - Hildersheim - 13-14 August

ade50021 is hopefully running 3 coaches this year. Said i'm going. Will have done deposit by the end of the month. (same bank details ade) - If you can handle camping and the utter mayhem that brings, this is *THE* festival to do. It is possible to hotel it and sure if you like the bands and being sensible, by all means do that. However it is the camping that makes this. The awesome partying and sheer madness.


Infest - Bradford - 26-28 August

The only really sensible option to do on the August Bank Holiday weekend in my book. Will be staying in halls again and driving up and causing party mayhem.

The Asylum - Lincoln - 9-11 September

Already bough my tickets for this. Booked into the same B&B as last year which was utterly adorable. Maybe in a twin!

> Squeezed another one in

Hemsby Rock'n'Roll Weekend - Hemsby - 7 - 10 October

Alt Whitby - 28-30 October

Bram stoker fest and goth stuff in the UK. I'll probably be there. Doubt it'll be a full week, but nabbing my dads place is always an option and keeps costs down, does preclude drinking, but that doesn't usually bother me too much.

Picked up a ticket for White Mischief in London. Abney Park playing. Could sell on, but will probably do other stuff instead of the alt thing !


WGW - Whitby - 3-7 November

Not booked or got cottage, but i'll no doubt be there !
Cottage Booked and for a bargain price too. The Old Auction Rooms round by the Silver Street fisheries. Win.


Anything i've missed ???

( Day 01 – Introduce yourselfCollapse )

Saw the Birthday Massacre last night in Northampton at the Roadmender in the big main room. Raggerdy Angry were the support who did an interesting set and had UV jumpsuits and guitars. The music was interesting but i didn't really like the vocals. There was a cool female computer voice that introduced songs, now if she sang....

The gig was a little empty in terms of people as it was 500cap, but a huge wide stage and lots of room for them to run about. No photo pit or any real evidence of security apart from on the way in. Chibi interacted with the audience posing for the odd pic (i have a pointy one near the beginning and a hand heart at the end), shaking hands and sitting on the edge of the stage when a sound lead needed changing chatting to the audience. I'd have guess at 80-100 people so was right at the front of the stage with ease and could dance and take pics and was awesome. There was enough audience for atmosphere, but open enough you could just wander in and be neigh on at the stage, perfect as a punter really.

Sound was excellent and it was only at the end of the Gig when the lights came up and i noticed Thomas at the sound desk. I should have guessed it was him as he did Mera Luna last year for them and Waregem too. I know Thomas from years back in London. German IIRC and was usually down Gosips and around the place.

They did an hour and a quarter set doing it straight rather than messing with encores. Lots of new stuff and a few old classics. No Tiffany though. I love the tittle track off the new album. Synth fiddles by the sounds of it. Remarkably polished.

After we were wandering home and round the back was the tour bus,dmh had picked up a couple of CD's including one for his sister and i said i wonder if they are about and if they'll sign stuff. Saying we wouldn't know if we didn't try. Anyway Chibi was at the back with the Raggerdy Angry singer smoking and i started chatting and she came over, insisted hugging us and went off to grab a pen to sign Dave's CDs. She was really lovely and friendly and made a great gig even more awesome !

In fact due to her being so lovely and friendly and the gig being so good i'm now tempted to do another gig. The one in Brum is a Friday which has potential. Oxford the next day on the Saturday is a possibility (1hr 20mins) or maybe Nottingham, though thats a weekday....

Oh and there is a quick mid gig snap from my HTC - http://twitpic.com/2v7l86 - I have a couple of hundred pics to process and hopefully some cool ones, but they'll take a while to get up on facebook !

( So....Collapse )