WIDATW
The weekend mostly sped past in a blur - in fact so much I ended up doing very little more yesterday than try and recover. Today will be better. Oh yes.
Friday was fishthecat's birthday do at Chez quondam. Much Micro Machines was played, there was much cursing of consoles and I was reminded how hilarious playing two-people-one-controller can be. A little booze passed my lips, but it only served to improve my game, honest.
Saturday I got the train to Sheffield for Batfink. This was at the kind invitation of The Way Of All Flesh. We'd hoped to spend a bit of time with my new lights and get some live shots. Alas the soundcheck wasn't quite as efficient as it could have been so we didn't have very much time. However some shots were grabbed of the band (plus paul_sticks who was DJing) and then I got to say a brief hello to gothgrr, ayrton_nix, sarcaustick, darkstones, toripink and thirstypixel; watched some bands and then hung around with ant_girl and grufti who kindly let me enjoy their new spare bed.
Batfink started well but never actually seemed to take off despite the early promise. It seemed reasonably healthy but not especially vibrant. Of the bands, 3ulogy had a little bit of promise but aren't there yet; TWOAF I enjoyed - a little old school for my current taste but they seemed to be enjoying themselves (unlike 3ulogy who were trying very hard to be angry); Rome Burns I've not seen before and I'd make the same comments as for TWOAF; Voices of Masada I've seen a number of times and while the confidence and production are improving they're not really my thing. Maybe ten years ago...
What was disappointing was the size of the crowds for the bands. It seemed to me that each band was mostly just watched by "their friends" who then didn't stay for the others. Obviously I can understand the importance of seeing your friends and offering them support but a generally healthy, vibrant scene it does not make.
Sunday morning I didn't see my hosts as I dashed to Leeds station; took a particularly slow train back to Birmingham; charged my camera batteries then got back on a slow train - this time to London for NMA. It's been a while since I saw them and Justin now has the most ill-advised haircut I've seen him with (but then he is 50 so deserves some latitude). I caught the end of the support (Dave Blomberg's current band - Nozzle) who were quite impressive.
I can't remember much about NMA themselves - it was good; probably not the best I've seen them, but that might have been because I was absolutely shattered. Needless to say I have plenty of pictures of varying quality and will put some up at some point. An early finish meant I was on the 22:56 from Euston, so to bed at a healthy 2am...
I'm not sure I'll be able to do that kind of thing when I'm working in Nottingham - another unforseen cost.
Anyway - some pictures...
Click Thumbnail for Larger Image
Friday was fishthecat's birthday do at Chez quondam. Much Micro Machines was played, there was much cursing of consoles and I was reminded how hilarious playing two-people-one-controller can be. A little booze passed my lips, but it only served to improve my game, honest.
Saturday I got the train to Sheffield for Batfink. This was at the kind invitation of The Way Of All Flesh. We'd hoped to spend a bit of time with my new lights and get some live shots. Alas the soundcheck wasn't quite as efficient as it could have been so we didn't have very much time. However some shots were grabbed of the band (plus paul_sticks who was DJing) and then I got to say a brief hello to gothgrr, ayrton_nix, sarcaustick, darkstones, toripink and thirstypixel; watched some bands and then hung around with ant_girl and grufti who kindly let me enjoy their new spare bed.
Batfink started well but never actually seemed to take off despite the early promise. It seemed reasonably healthy but not especially vibrant. Of the bands, 3ulogy had a little bit of promise but aren't there yet; TWOAF I enjoyed - a little old school for my current taste but they seemed to be enjoying themselves (unlike 3ulogy who were trying very hard to be angry); Rome Burns I've not seen before and I'd make the same comments as for TWOAF; Voices of Masada I've seen a number of times and while the confidence and production are improving they're not really my thing. Maybe ten years ago...
What was disappointing was the size of the crowds for the bands. It seemed to me that each band was mostly just watched by "their friends" who then didn't stay for the others. Obviously I can understand the importance of seeing your friends and offering them support but a generally healthy, vibrant scene it does not make.
Sunday morning I didn't see my hosts as I dashed to Leeds station; took a particularly slow train back to Birmingham; charged my camera batteries then got back on a slow train - this time to London for NMA. It's been a while since I saw them and Justin now has the most ill-advised haircut I've seen him with (but then he is 50 so deserves some latitude). I caught the end of the support (Dave Blomberg's current band - Nozzle) who were quite impressive.
I can't remember much about NMA themselves - it was good; probably not the best I've seen them, but that might have been because I was absolutely shattered. Needless to say I have plenty of pictures of varying quality and will put some up at some point. An early finish meant I was on the 22:56 from Euston, so to bed at a healthy 2am...
I'm not sure I'll be able to do that kind of thing when I'm working in Nottingham - another unforseen cost.
Anyway - some pictures...
Click Thumbnail for Larger Image