Halloween

I somehow managed to skip writing about a lot of gigs (I've been to so many recently...and I don't think I wrote about Reading festival either?) but Halloween really can't be ignored.


I don't usually do anything for Halloween and hadn't planned to this year either, but then Bring Me The Horizon announced another London O2 Arena date. This wouldn't be particularly interesting...except Enter Shikari were to support as special guests. Um, yes please!


I missed part of Basement as they were on at 1830, which is when my lying ticket said doors were. I had been loitering around outside and checking out the merch tables! I only recognised one song, but they seem a pretty decent band and I would see them again at a festival, probably.


Next was Don Broco, who I have seen twice before. They were all dressed up as cowboys (like in their creepy music video) and put on the best show I've seen them do. They seem an odd choice of support being very poppy, but not complaining as they are a bit of a guilty pleasure!


Then the relief of not having to wait until next year to see Enter Shikari again! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous of people with standing tickets as I'd have been able to get to the front with ease and couldn't see well from my seat at the back of the venue, but then again I easily had one of the best seats in the house and I finally got the chance to appreciate the stage set-up and lighting which is easily missed when you're at the front.


The set was 11 songs long, featuring 4 tracks from The Mindsweep, 3 from older albums, and 4 non-album singles including brand new Hoodwinker. Only thing I'd have wanted different from the set would be for it to be longer - can't fault the song choice at all, even if it wasn't all that different from their February tour set.


Now Bring Me The Horizon are definitely a guilty pleasure for me. I don't like their older stuff at all but do like the 2 newer, more mainstream albums. I have to say they completely blew me away this time! I've always enjoyed seeing them before, but the stage set up, lighting, and all that jazz were superb. They definitely deserve their arena tour, and I hope they do Cardiff on their next run!

The next day after a swift hangover recovery (sitting at Marble Arch with a book and a can of Monster for an hour until I felt human), I went for a half-hearted shopping trip along Oxford Street. I had intended to do my usual an have a nice long read at Jubilee Gardens at the other end, but I was so exhausted that I decided to rush back for one of the last super off-peak trains rather than giving myself another 5 hours to kill.


I didn't end up buying much at all this time! Though I stupidly forgot to go in the toy store and was too fed up of how crowded it was (and by google maps getting me lost) by the time I got to Forbidden Planet. BMTH shirt from the gig, necklace from Primark, the others from H&M (I'd be lying if I said my main motivation for buying that shirt was anything other than that it looked like something Rory C would wear). Err I was too lazy to take a photo sooo maybe I'll add it at some point later. I just realised I'd never post this if I didn't just do it before I forgot entirely haha.

The Mindsweep Tour

Another somewhat belated post...and I have been neglecting my blog again. Oops! In my defence, I do actually have a reason this time - still recovering from last week!

The end of February saw Enter Shikari return to touring the UK for their album The Mindsweep that was released just over a year ago. The Bournemouth date was the day after my birthday, and the start of my awesome birthday week of awesomeness.


Rory shirt is a wardrobe staple haha. I stayed in a nice little hotel right near the BIC, and watched Rick & Morty whilst pre-drinking there haha.


Somehow managed to walk straight in and to the barrier in a great position! The first band were The King Blues, a mix of ska punk and folk punk. I liked them a lot!


The more generic The Wonder Years were up next, and while they were also good I wasn't really feeling it so much. Aside from the obvious Shikari hype I was feeling!


And then the Enter Shikari boys!


I was about as close to Rory C's mic stand as I could have hoped to be considering I didn't turn up early to queue. The happiest me! I love this photo so much ♥


I was up bright and early in order to fit in a walk along the seafront, since I haven't been to Bournemouth before. Decided to match Rory's guitar for this day, although it turned out I got brutally rejected in the evening when he started high-fiving people and stopped before me (not bitter AT ALL =P)


Somehow the sun was so strong that it was warm enough to take my coat AND hoodie off!


I half-wished I could have stayed there all day, but I had a Cardiff to get to and a Sophie to meet.


We lazed around at the hostel for a bit before getting some disappointing munch at Wagamamas.


Shikari things happened.


We were on the barrier but kind of on the corner, but that means behind-the-scenes goodness!


We did a spot of shopping the next day and got sushi before heading home. We were both too tired out to do much more.

Pretty much as soon as I got home, I started trying to resist buying a ticket for the London show. But, naturally (as I always knew I would, even back when buying the Bournemouth and Cardiff tickets), I caved.


There was a Tea Party Club meet near Hyde Park in the afternoon, with a raffle, tea, and cakes. I turned up a bit late due to my check-in time over in Hammersmith, but was still a nice afternoon!


A quick outfit shot before getting changed in the toilets...


I ended up a bit late to the Ally Pally due to the tea party and it being a long way out, but I think I only missed part of the first Arcane Roots song. The rest of the running order was the same as before, only this time I sat out The Wonder Years near the bar with a pint in each hand. Which, as it turns out, was a terrible idea.


I was so drunk for the rest of the evening that I don't remember much at all other than being escorted to the bus by a concerned member of staff and being judged on the tube for getting grated cheese and crumbs everywhere other than my mouth. And the crowd was INTENSE.


But the stuff on my camera made me laugh so much when I looked through it, and after a shower the next morning I just couldn't stop smiling. The happiness lasted for a couple of days. And I'm NEVER happy. So it was still worth it (although I'm super annoyed at myself for not staying sober enough to remember more of it!).


Obviously after 3 intense gigs in stupid platform boots, you get achy. So I decided to just chill in my favourite part of London for a little while (the grass out front of the London Eye). I had a good raid of the local Boots as well, so my tum was happy!

I headed home early again as I just had no energy to do anything else. I don't really mind too much as I'm back in London again soon anyway and I'd had far too much excitement and exertion for one week. I still wish I could do the whole thing again though! Best week ever!

NASS Festival

When I was 14, I wanted to go to NASS Festival but wasn't allowed. Now, ten years later, I finally got to go! It's a small festival just down the road from me with more focus on skating/BMXing and DJ sets than live music, but this year my beloved Enter Shikari were headlining on the Friday. So naturally I had to go.


Getting there was easy since I got a lift from my grandparents (literally too about 20 minutes), but I was queueing to get in for almost 2 hours, I think. The day tickets went through the VIP queue, but there were very few checkers and they were checking bags VERY thoroughly. Was super annoying as I was really thirsty and had no water on me as I knew I would get it taken off me on the way in. Generally not well organised as I was also sent through the camp site on the way in AND out even though I shouldn't have been there on a day ticket. Useless!


After buying a programme and a drink and getting lost and annoyed, I spent most of the day at the vert ramp as live music didn't start until 5pm.


Whenever I got too hot I went to the dirt ramps to sit under a tree. I'm glad I took a book with me to read (Fight Club) as it kept me occupied.


Back at the vert I could see some guys posing for photos but didn't think much of it. But then when I looked properly I realised it was only bloody Enter Shikari so I had to go muscle in on the action for a bit nand have a chat and a pose. Grinned like a mad thing for a solid hour afterwards.


At abvout 4pm the skateboarders came off the vert and it was BMX time.


Live music started on Main Stage at 5pm, where there were also invisible toilets.


The first band was Bare Knuckle Parade, who offered a kind of folk punk mix of goodness. Think Mumford & Sons, but with an accordion. They're also from Bath which means I should be able to go see them again some time too!


I'll admit to being a bit distracted during their set as Rob Rolfe and some Shikari crew were playing frisbee to the side of the stage...


Black Peaks were next, with some good clean wails.


Spotted some guys with Enter Shikari balloons at this point. Apparently Rob took the skies as soon as they arrived.


Near the end of their set I spotted Rory C, but waited until the band had finished playing before going to say hi and get a selfie. I'm glad I waited as he seemed to have really enjoyed Black Peaks. I'm still fangirling a bit now to be honest...


Decided to get some nachos which looked terrible but tasted amazing. Managed to make a friend who wanted to watch me eat as it's 'good to see skinny girls who actually eat', who then proceeded to assume I was a lesbian as I hadn't noticed any hot guys (apparently they were everywhere?), and tell me that she smuggled mkat in via the vajayjay. Uh huh haha.


By the time We Are The Ocean took to the stage, it had become very obvious that this isn't a festival for music lovers. There were less than 50 people watching, and I had considered them to be a fairly big band. I had seen more people at Sika Studios watching a DJ earlier that day. Sheesh.


Last trip to fill up my water bottle and grab some drinks at the bar (two-fisted style) allowed me to see some inline skating. Makes me want to buy a pair and give it a go again!


Even though only a small crowd was gathering, I hurried to the barrier before Modestep to guarantee a good spot for later.


I enjoyed them much more than at Download and had a good dance, although the dumb girl behind me was recording herself and screaming "NASSHYPE" intermittently for the whole set and kept smacking me in the head, and someone tried to grab my hat off my head and was surprised when I swore at them for it. One of the staff told her to stop though and checked I was okay afterwards, even warning me that Shikari crowds were well known for being rough and crowd surfers...lol.


My panic on placement was for nothing, as the crowd cleared before filling up again for Enter Shikari. My balloon friends even ended up next to me on the barrier with their backpacks on their fronts stuffed with pillows to avoid pain (I wish I'd thought of that...).


The setlist was pretty much the same as the night before, aside from the unfortunate strict curfew that cut them off a few songs short of the end so we were all left hanging. I thought that was pretty ridiculous considering the fact that we were in the middle of the bloody countryside and the DJs would be just as loud until 3am+...


Rory crowdsurfed right by me haha luckily not on me or I'd have been crushed. A couple other crowdsurfers went over me but I'm short enough to just duck below the barrier and shield my head with my arms until they're over!


The staff wouldn't give us any setlists, but I did convince the nice lady from before to get Rory C's #NASSHYPE paper plane for me! I mean, I have no proof whatsoever that he made it, but shhh.

Overall it was an odd festival. It definitely would be much more fun in a group, but I have no friends so I had to go by myself. Chilling in the sun with a drink watching skateboarding was good fun, but could have used some chatter. Most of the people there seemed to only care about getting drunk, taking drugs, and DJs. I would probably go again if there was a good live music line up though, as it was nice to get to the front with minimal effort or injury and to meet my favourite guys in the world again.

Enter Shikariiii

So the Download warm-up show ended up being rescheduled to Thursday the 9th of July, which meant that I could go! I was so desperate to grab a ticket haha.


I decided to wear my big boots just in case I needed them to see!


And of course got a curry in 'Spoons first. It was way too mild, but sadly there was only one veggie option!

The venue (Motion, in Bristol) was only a 5 minute walk from 'Spoons which was handy, and it was easy to find because there was a huge queue. Apparently the meet and greet was just for people who were already in the queue like 4 hours before doors, so I had to miss it as I was at work (also hell no to waiting in a line for that long!).


MythCity were up first. I picked a spot on the balcony to hog so I could have a good view. Nice little genre blend of rap-metal-y goodness going on, plenty of crowd participation. Will definitely be looking them up at some point.


Area 11 were next. I feel kind of bad for them as they just didn't stand out as much as the openers. But still good! To be honest I didn't remember what they sounded like...ought to start taking notes like the girl next to me was doing. Upon listening again afterwards I actually much prefer them on recording to MythCity which is weird. And catchy enough that I was singing along at the time even though I'd never heard them before.


Then Enter Shikari!! You can probably tell from all my photos that the fog/smoke machine was badly abused for all the bands' sets, so getting photos was impossible. Especially with all those strobes!


Lack of photo opportunities was easily forgotten however, as they put on one of the best performances I've seen. Even if Slipshod did start before it was supposed to before they stopped it & carried on with the setlist haha.


Aaand the setlist! Good mix of stuff, pretty predictable aside from using Gandhi Mate, Gandhi as an ender. Wondering what kind of vases they're using for Slipshod since Rou smashed it off his head! Sugar glass?

After a 40 minute wait for the bus and another 40 minutes to get home, I was pretty tired afterwards...but also filled with excitement for getting to do it all over again the next day!