If I am to be impoverished, let it be for the best reasons.
Thank you bank manager for allowing February to be manageable. And thank you Sam, for suggesting SFX Weekender would help me lift the sadness for a while. If it weren't for that, then I'd have rested all my hopes for diversion and happiness on this weekend.
First - Dru cat has gone missing.
She sleeps by my side every night, but on Friday she was not there. We checked all over the house. We checked the greenhouse and the shed. We checked the cellar. We hoped she'd just gone wandering and would come back in her own time.
With little we could do, N and I set off late for London. We'd been hoping to take in an exhibition or something during the day, but we just had time to find our hotel, try to find food and head on down to the Hammersmith Appollo.
I'd bought N tickets to see Jay and Silent Bob 6 months ago. I like Kevin Smith movies, though N is the real fan. I couldn't stretch to the 'expensive' tickets, but at thirty quid a pop (plus fees, plus hotel, travel, food, etc) I think I spent enough.
We were very excited to be there. Doors opened at 6.30, and at 5.30 we managed to find an excellent Chinese all-you-can-eat buffet right by the venue. £4.50 a head? I'll have two, please!
As we arrived at the venue, the staff were warning us the show was running late and wouldn't start until 8pm. We settled in, got some drinks, did some people watching (an enormous number of Jay/Bob-like duos abounded, but mostly the crowd was beardily comfortable with the Bob-look) and debated whether or not to get sucked in by the merch. We got sucked in.
8pm - we were settled in our seats.
8.20pm - the background music had been mainly indie and rock. Then The Wurzels "I've Got a Brand New Combine Harvester" came on. N and I instigated a singalong.
When the song finished, N started booing. I wondered why he was booing himself... he wasn't. He just wanted the show to start. More booing caught on around us.
8.40pm - the whole crowd was booing.
8.45pm - Kevin Smith pushed his 12 year-old daughter on stage to calm the crowd down. The brave girl got a laugh straight away... then she introduced her dad and Jay.
The show was basically their podcast; it started well and had moments throughout... but it was clear that despite Smith's cleverness and sharp off the cuff remarks, a lot didn't work. N elbowed me awake at one point.
It was a shame... people were leaving throughout and I've never been to a show before where the crowd didn't hang round for an encore. They all just collectively decided it was over and got up. Then the house lights came on.
The whole thing is going to be made available for free on the internet. Now, this is a bit like what Richard Herring does with AIOTM, but he ensures the people who have bankrolled that get something extra out of the night that the internet crowds won't get access to. It was highly unfair of Smith and Mewes to charge so much, and I don't think it's something that their cult status justifies. "Oh, but wow, they're famous and like in the same place as me!" Seriously...
So a damp squib.
The next day we felt we had to rectify things and seeing as we were a mere 20 minute walk from the Doctor Who Experience, we decided to go to that. Much better value for money! There are some great effects in the Experience part, and the exhibition is very well-thought out. A lot is geared at kids, natch, but I did laugh when I saw a couple with their 3 year-old daughter. The little girl was posing for a photo by the 80s TARDIS console, but her mother was saying through gritted teeth "Get-out-of-the shot!"
Funny...
Sigh...
I'm waiting for my bus now... I have some leaflets to take round to my neighbours when I get in. We have already tried crazy cat lady and her cat is missing too. RSPCA weren't any help, Cats Protection league I've had to leave a message, PDSA have not had any cats handed in. Wish me luck, people.
First - Dru cat has gone missing.
She sleeps by my side every night, but on Friday she was not there. We checked all over the house. We checked the greenhouse and the shed. We checked the cellar. We hoped she'd just gone wandering and would come back in her own time.
With little we could do, N and I set off late for London. We'd been hoping to take in an exhibition or something during the day, but we just had time to find our hotel, try to find food and head on down to the Hammersmith Appollo.
I'd bought N tickets to see Jay and Silent Bob 6 months ago. I like Kevin Smith movies, though N is the real fan. I couldn't stretch to the 'expensive' tickets, but at thirty quid a pop (plus fees, plus hotel, travel, food, etc) I think I spent enough.
We were very excited to be there. Doors opened at 6.30, and at 5.30 we managed to find an excellent Chinese all-you-can-eat buffet right by the venue. £4.50 a head? I'll have two, please!
As we arrived at the venue, the staff were warning us the show was running late and wouldn't start until 8pm. We settled in, got some drinks, did some people watching (an enormous number of Jay/Bob-like duos abounded, but mostly the crowd was beardily comfortable with the Bob-look) and debated whether or not to get sucked in by the merch. We got sucked in.
8pm - we were settled in our seats.
8.20pm - the background music had been mainly indie and rock. Then The Wurzels "I've Got a Brand New Combine Harvester" came on. N and I instigated a singalong.
When the song finished, N started booing. I wondered why he was booing himself... he wasn't. He just wanted the show to start. More booing caught on around us.
8.40pm - the whole crowd was booing.
8.45pm - Kevin Smith pushed his 12 year-old daughter on stage to calm the crowd down. The brave girl got a laugh straight away... then she introduced her dad and Jay.
The show was basically their podcast; it started well and had moments throughout... but it was clear that despite Smith's cleverness and sharp off the cuff remarks, a lot didn't work. N elbowed me awake at one point.
It was a shame... people were leaving throughout and I've never been to a show before where the crowd didn't hang round for an encore. They all just collectively decided it was over and got up. Then the house lights came on.
The whole thing is going to be made available for free on the internet. Now, this is a bit like what Richard Herring does with AIOTM, but he ensures the people who have bankrolled that get something extra out of the night that the internet crowds won't get access to. It was highly unfair of Smith and Mewes to charge so much, and I don't think it's something that their cult status justifies. "Oh, but wow, they're famous and like in the same place as me!" Seriously...
So a damp squib.
The next day we felt we had to rectify things and seeing as we were a mere 20 minute walk from the Doctor Who Experience, we decided to go to that. Much better value for money! There are some great effects in the Experience part, and the exhibition is very well-thought out. A lot is geared at kids, natch, but I did laugh when I saw a couple with their 3 year-old daughter. The little girl was posing for a photo by the 80s TARDIS console, but her mother was saying through gritted teeth "Get-out-of-the shot!"
Funny...
Sigh...
I'm waiting for my bus now... I have some leaflets to take round to my neighbours when I get in. We have already tried crazy cat lady and her cat is missing too. RSPCA weren't any help, Cats Protection league I've had to leave a message, PDSA have not had any cats handed in. Wish me luck, people.