The predicament I had was having to collect the drums, after pull down and traipsing my way to Wimbeldon and back in time so that they're not left on the pavement in the rain for me. As it was the last one, as soon as it could be achieved, everyone was going to be scuttling off across London in separate directions after pull down. I was never going to be able to set the drums down, get my car and back before this. I didn't manage last time but it wasn't so bad as I had Matt and Da looking after the drums on the side of the street until I arrived. Not today! I had to devise a new plan.
This consised of parking the car a lot closer to the theatre but still outside the congestion zone. As parking inside that inner sanctum is upto and over £35 for a day!! Fucking London and its ripoff culture.
Soon to come:
Actually entering the congestion by foot - £2 per person
Talking in public - £5 per day upto 5 people - £1 per every extra one thereafter.
Breathing that lovely London air - £3.50 per person per day.
Prices are subject to change without prior notice you fucking mugs.
Maybe.
Anyway, a mate of mine suggested an industrial park just outside because "it's free all day and you won't get booked or clamped" Not according to the fucking signs mate! This was after I had got there. I drove around for ages and ages trying to find exactly where "free all day and you won't get clamped or booked" was. After lots of swearing, I eventually struck a deal with a guy who assured me I'd be okay to park outside his unit for the day. I assured him it would only be for today. He seemed cool and I walked away hoping I'd come back to it later and it won't have been impounded.
The 1.5 mile walk to the nearest tube followed and the the journey to Piccadilly Circus. The Piccadilly Circus of horrors.
When I arrived I was an hour and a half late, but 30 minutes in time for the build up. No one questioned me, in particular Haze. He did enquire about my parking arrangement which I explained my hassle. No more was said.
And so it was down to build up, in the pissing rain. What a way to go out on. I took enough pa stuff in as to get starting with routing power and got on with it. We were done in just over two hours which was nice!
The posse Angelow (chris, Claire, Suzanne, Rhian) were up for this show as it was Suzanne birthday and they'd figure a trip up the smog to see a west end show, a great way to see in her 40th. I spent mine in Gendros, I wished I'd thought a little bit bigger on times.
The show went really well, probably the best I think the band sounded and played. Though I did lose the top of my stool, between the Birmingham show and this one, which wasn't so good. I sneaked behind into the thriller set to borrow one of the stools that band use hoping no one would notice. THEY DID! And I expect that Haze will get a letter/email of complaint soon who will then come to me about it.
The pull down was fast, though we all got soaked, and we got out of the theatre in the nick of time. One minute over and the show would be charged £300 for extra staff hours. Even though that extra staff generally don't do a fucking thing to help. They just stand/sit around occasionally saying we can't do something or other. Again, fucking rip off London!!!
I decided to leave the drums in the lorry and collect them on the way home from Southampton the following afternoon. I was going there to visit Dee who was in on the Arcadia for the day and would be travelling via Swindon home that night. By luck, the truck is stored there all over Christmas.
And that's pretty much how it all went down mother fuckers.
Hope you enjoyed reading this tour blog as much as I enjoyed writing it.
See you all in January for London After Midnight tour part 2....
Anyone?
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