A Journal Of Beer (A JOB - innit)
How many beers did PH use to rate the whole week?
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CLOSING DATE - TUESDAY 31st OF JANUARY (midnight)
Saturday 21st of January 2006
And we’re off! Ah – Lennons on a Saturday night. It’s like ordering from your 
favourite take-away – you know pretty well what you’re going to get, but sometimes you’re surprised at just how good it is. And sometimes you wished you’d tried the new one down the road. Last night was a pretty standard Lennons Saturday night – three bands, three different styles of music, a heaving club, drunk people falling asleep in corners, pissed students mouthing off in the take-away afterwards. If ever a word were over-used, it was by this particular student. ‘Cunt’ was his word of choice - every sentence had at least two of them, much to the embarrassment of his friends. Strangely, it’s the same adjective they were using to describe him. Absinthe was apparently to blame. Anyway – a good start to the week, but I suspect there’s better to come. Oh – I nearly forgot. In addition to my beer ratings, I will also be keeping a ‘freebies count’. As any local gig-goer will know, the experience is made all the better if you come out of it with something. Normally it’s badges or stickers or something like that. Last night wasn’t particularly fruitful, but they were, none the less, free.
Freebies:
- Fortune Drive sticker (x2)
- Plectrum (although, I confess, this wasn’t really band merchandise. A friend of mine found it and gave it to me saying ‘here – you can write about this!’. He was probably joking, but still – it was free and is vaguely band related.)
Beer rating: Six.
Sunday 22nd of January 2006
Sunday night in Mono is the perfect antidote to the loud, heaving, messy experience that is Lennons on Saturday. It’s chilled and the bands are tuned into this vibe, providing a suitable soundtrack. The music, I have to say, is better than Saturday’s. Two truly unique and talented solo performances really stand out, as do Hijera with their funky tunes. The evening passes without any incident of note, really – no drunken students, no lairy punters, no cunts in chip shops – just a (rather large) crowd enjoying Sunday night with a few beers and some live music. Just how Sunday nights should be and an appropriate start to what promises to be a frantic week. Nice.
Freebies:
- Long Live Rock and Roll badges (x3)
Beer rating: Seven.
Tuesday 24th of January 2006
“I dropped my phone,” says an excited gig goer to his friend, “but I found it on the floor! Is my mum here?”
That snippet of overheard conversation has nothing at all to do with last night’s gig, really. But I thought it was quite funny.
Anyway – The Kooks? At The Joiners? With The Automatic? Bit of an overuse of ‘The’ there? Possibly. Very good, though. Yes – very good. I’m sorry – it’s still not 10am yet and I’m at work so I’m having to keep this very simple. Gigs and beer do not really go well with 8am and work. If you want an in-depth report on the bands you’ll have to wait for the big review at the end of the week, I’m afraid. For now, you’ll have to make do with tales of lost phones and, possibly, lost mums. Oh – and the freebies:
Freebies:
- The Kooks badges (x2)
- The Kooks stickers (x7 – I have no idea how I ended up with so many)
- The Automatic special edition (so I’m told) sticker (x1)
- The Kooks limited edition vinyl single, signed by the band (x1)
- A lift home (thank you)
Beer rating: Ten.
Wednesday 25th of January 2006
“This next one’s about Dolly Parton’s tits.”
Today’s quote comes courtesy of SixNationState, who were the highlight of an otherwise fairly uneventful evening. That’s not to say it wasn’t enjoyable – 90s Britpop doesn’t get much of an airing these days, so it was nice for a bit of nostalgia. £1 for a bottle of Fosters helped things along quite nicely as well, although I’m feeling them this morning. I also couldn’t resist a quick look in on DJ Hammy upstairs. Now that’s nostalgia for you! The last time I had a proper night out with DJ Hammy, I was a young lad in short trousers…etc. Anyway – I won’t bore you with my tales of youth. We’re over half way through now – three gigs left. One more and then I reach the (sleep) haven of the weekend! I really don’t need this day job.
Freebies:
- Long Live Rock and Roll poster (ripped off the wall and handed to me on my way out, just to ensure I got one ‘free’ thing. Cheers.)
Beer rating: Six.
Thursday 26th of January 2006
I wasn’t too enthusiastic about going out last night, I must admit. Put simply, I was fucking knackered and needn’t some decent kip. I didn’t realise, however, that we were going to ROCK! Thanks Echobeat, for waking me up. And thanks Metro Riots for just being rather bloody good. Not that many of the Thursday regulars in Lennons seemed to realise that, but hey – more fool them. So the gig count is five down, two to go and the weekend is upon us (at last)! In the words of Mr Marvin Gay, Let’s Get It On!Freebies: I’d rather not talk about that, thank you very much.
Beer rating: Eight.
Friday 27th of January 2006
I have to be a bit subjective with this entry I think because, after a week of standing around in nightclubs, a packed (and I mean packed) Joiners wasn’t necessarily what I was in the mood for. That makes me sound like a right boring git, doesn’t it? Well, so be it. The cycle of work, eat, gig, try to sleep, work, eat, gig, try to sleep…was, I have to admit, starting to wear a bit thin. But this shouldn’t, and doesn’t, mean that I don’t appreciate a night of decent live music. A free night of decent live music, no less! Sine Star Project are definitely one of the highlights of this week. I’ve had some sleep now and, more importantly, don’t have to go to prison, I mean work, today, so I should be wide awake and raring to go for the Lennons finale tonight.Freebies:
- Sine Star Project stickers (x8)
- A mystery freebie! (which, I have been promised, will be handed over tonight)
Beer rating: Nine.
Saturday 28 January 2006
My head hurts too much to type anything meaningful. Thank you for having me, Long Live Rock and Roll.
Freebies:
- The Bright Space Badges (x3)
- But no mystery freebie! (yet...)
Beer rating: Eight.
How many beers did PH use to rate the whole week?
Win yourself some goodies, see here for full details
CLOSING DATE - TUESDAY 31st OF JANUARY (midnight)
