Day 1886: There's no patrol like snow patrol!

They say a week in politics is a long time, but over the last few weeks I have found that a week has been an even longer time when it comes to whats going on, in and around my life!

It probably started a few days before I went to London/Brighton to see Magazine/stay with Adrian. I stumbled onto some sort of fast track conveyor belt and it is going so quickly I have been unable to get off. But then I don't actually want to get off, so that is fine!

So I had just got a nice new phone with some birthday money so I made use of the train journey to London getting used to it as well as listening to some music on it. I found the sound is definitely superior to my iPod so this means my iPod is no longer getting used much and my last.fm page is no longer keeping up to date with my listening habits. I managed to work out how to get onto the dreaded facebook using the phone, so the jourmey flew by.

I was met off the train by Adrian and after a quick look around the new St Pancreas station, we headed off to The Bull and Gate, near The Forum, to meet up with Ashley and Jonny.

The Light Pours Out Of Me

The gig opened with the stage hidden behind a black curtain while the strains of In The Thin Air made the hairs on the backs of our necks stand up. Then followed a short monologue, where Howard Devoto gave us a few of the reasons for them getting back together for these gigs. The main one seemed to be that there was this girl he wanted to impress.

Then they started playing and we were transported back in time. The playing was just as tight as it always was and the sound through the PA was superb. I hear they will now be recording a new album and playing some more dates over the summer. I will definitely be seeing them again.

Following the gig we had a nightmare train journey down to Brighton. crowded train, no free seats and over 2 hours for, what should have been, a 50 minute journey.

So - I slept well and we had a good walk around Brighton the next day with valentines day lunch out in a nice restaurant. I asked for a table for 4 instinctively, then when we sat down wondered why there was an empty seat. The fact that I was single had reared its ugly head again - and on valentine's day too of all days!

For Valentines evening Adrian and I met up with Julian for a quiet drink in a local pub. It was quiet until I decided the evening would not be complete without us getting heavily involved with some absinthe. So after drinking all they had left in the pub we wondered the streets of Brighton on a quest for more. Unfortunately we did find more and after staggering back to Adrian's at the end of the evening, barely able to stand up, I spent the next 4 days regretting I had even had the stuff and vowing never to touch another drop for the rest of my life.

So I got back to Leeds on Sunday and had to go straight into work - not much fun feeling how I was, but it passed the time.

Then it was back to work on Monday - and this is where I seemed to inadvertently step on that conveyor belt.

The days have flown by and I wasn't fully aware what was going on, but I do seem to have increased the rate at which I am turning back into the real me, so it can only be a good thing.

Before I knew it I had arrived at the day I was supposed to be going to see Snow Patrol. I had bought 2 tickets before christmas and felt sure I would have found someone to go with, but ended up going with my Dad (familiar story) but he really enjoyed it so that was great.

I break, you don't

The show opened with If There's A Rocket Tie Me To It, which is what I was thinking they might open with, and it was a fantastic start to a superb show. The sound was amazing. as where the visuals which should have made it enjoyable even for those at the very back.

All the songs were taken from the most recent 3 albums so I knew everyone and all the ones people would have expected where in there. The encore began with the 15 minute The lightening Strike, which was definitely a highlight, though the whole show was fantastic.

What if this storm ends, and I don't see you?

It is quite strange that I even ended up going to this as it is only recently that I have begun to open up a bit to new bands (ok I know they aren't that new) rather than being stuck in the late 70s/early 80s.

I felt inspired to, not only get more involved in the music scene, but also to learn to play Run on my acoustic guitar - watch this space!