Blood Red Shoes (+ irregular sleep even for me)

Manchester, Night & Day, 15/12.



Usual routine shoot off from work and get the train. Got to the Crown & Anchor at about 19:10. When I come to book in they didn't have my booking on file. Anyway they found me a room. The landlady gave me the keys, one for the room and one for the side door to get in after hours. I went up to the room, the door was open so I just went in sorted myself out and went back downstairs, shuting the room door behind me (this is relavent information for later).
I decide I haven't time to eat now so I have a drink in the bar and leave to check the venue. I check the N & D doors are at 8pm, it also has plastered all over that tonights show is sold out (I have a ticket so I'm ok). I found this stange as BLR are not that well known, they've only released a couple of singles. It's now about 19:45 so I nip to a pub I know round the corner to have a pint or two. I'm thinking get there about 20:30ish. I get back just before the half hour and go straight in. I find out there are 4 bands playing BLR being the main and last act. The firt two bands come and go, in fairness the first band "The Situationists" weren't too bad. The third band on were "The Pigeon Detectives" who I know from the few singles they have released. As it turned out most people here had come to see TPD as there was a huge crush up to the front by a hundred or so spotty oiks. It was very lively almost violent at times there were two stage invasions. I'm ok with all this as I have plenty of expierience of this sort of thing. What I couldn't understand was why? The PDs hail from Leeds, they play what I would describe as "anthemesque cock rock" a`la Kaisers. The band themselves are not that good if it wasn't for the lead singer who crowd surfed several times. I just couldn't see the reason why they were so popular (mmm! age Tim I think).

Blood Red Shoes.

After the mayhem of TPD's BLR took the stage a two piece drum and guitar - male(drums) female (guitar)- set up a`la Giant Drag/White Stripes ect ect. I've only heard their "myspace" songs so I was a little blind here, but I liked what I heard more punky and angular than GD. They set up in a manner so that they play at each other which was good. It created a good intraction and musical raport I think. All of the "oiks" had left front stage and there were only a few people at the very front. Stephen did say they felt a bit daunted by following TPD's but to me they were by far the best/most interesting band of the night.

Ok the reason for the detail earlier is thus:-

I left the venue headed into China town (2/3 mins) and found a restaurant still serving , as it's gone 12:30 by now. I have a nice meal and head back to the pub I'm staying in. When I get back I can't get the key I had been given to work in the side door. I tried and tried. It's 01:45 by now, so I don't want to start making a racket and wake up other residents. I try the key in all the doors to the place, no luck. After about an hour of trying, and pondering I start to thing I'm gonna have to find somewhere to else to stay here (and this is Manchester, it's raining, permanantly). At about 03:15 - 30 after some more anger fuelled bangs on the door the landlady opens the door, finally I'm in. Both of us being pissed off with each other not too many words are exchanged, so up to my room I go. I try the key to my room, DOES NOT WORK!! I try and try ect ect. I give up and decide to just kip on a small couch on the landing. Eventually some guy comes up to the landing and asks what room I'm in, gets a key and lets me in my room. It has well gone 4am now, I'm wet, cold, tired, and pissed off. I was up for breakfast at 8am though.

I wont carry this on detailing the next 24 hours, other than to say even for me my sleep patterns were very weird this weekend, and limited.

Was it a good weekend? Hell yes!