Phew! One year of rambling posts and dozens of shows. Perhaps ‘dozens’ is too small a metric… tens of dozens, more like.
I started my blog so I could write about all the wonderful shows I go to, and swoon and give praise to artists who I think deserve it. And to post my photos.
It’s been a fun year, completely different to how I imagined it. I thought I would still be doing my business degree now… yip! Lucky to get out of that one. Wonder what the next year holds… hopefully many more mind blowing shows and swoon-worthy records.
Blogging has been fun.
Here’s to many more great shows and even more amazing music. Hurrah!
I have plenty of stuff to keep busy with, I’m rarely ever bored… not enough hours in the day and all that jazz. But, alas, none of my enterprises are profitable enough to keep me afloat. Though, I did spend a good year swanning about at university without an income. It would be good to be able to pay my rent without cutting into my summer savings though. I figure it’s an adventure atleast!
If you have any ideas I would really appreciate it if you would drop me a line. Or just any pearls of wisdom would be appreciated hugely. All I can hear in my head is get a job as a wai-ter-ess.
Also, kind people have been commissioning me to do various things lately. I’ve got time to draw stuff, photo stuff and do other stuff now, so if you fancy funding my life, get in touch.
One year ago to the day is when I moved to London and the gigging began. Actually, a year ago and one day is when I moved to London (but the gigging hadn’t began). One year ago to this day was a Monday. I ’started’ university, well, I registered myself onto the course (of DOOM). I can’t remember what else I did that day, but it wasn’t very interesting. I did, however, discover (joyously) that Pure Groove was a mere 10 minutes walk from my halls of residence.
So, me being me, I took full advantage of this right from the beginning. On that Monday I went to two Pure Groove instores, simply because they were free and close and it was exciting. I saw Sam Isaac at lunch and Heartsrevolution at dinner. Neither were really my cup of tea, but it was free (!) and I was so excited by the prospect of seeing live music more regularly than ever before.
The first week of uni was pretty uninteresting, they were ‘easing us in’ and I really wasn’t interested in going to any ’school disco’ parties at the University. I am boring, obviously. The next day I saw Ladyhawke for free, and Those Dancing Days the next. Apparently I have been to Pure Groove 56 times in total now. I had been once before moving (a month earlier to see Houlette), so in the year since that first instore since moving, Sam Isaac, I have been to 55 instores. I used to go to everything just because I lived close and it was free, though I go to less now.
I look back on that time with fondness. I hadn’t made any friends yet and I was going to all these shows alone just because it was so new and exciting. There’s something quite wonderful about going to shows by yourself. These days it’s pretty rare for me to go to a show and not spot a friendly face, which I think is also a wonderful thing, but nonetheles… going to shows by yourself is great. I’d say to anyone, if you can’t find anyone to go with you, or you are new and don’t know anyone yet: go anyway! I’ve been so lucky this year and met so many really amazing people.
Suddenly I feel quite nostalgic. I think with the cold weather I’ll feel even more nostalgic. I spent the whole winter eating barely anything and spending my entire student loan on going to shows. Maybe this winter I will go back to eating nothing and spending my savings on some music-centric ideas and schemes. It’s been a brilliant year and I’ve gotten to see so many wonderful bands and meet so many wonderful people and learnt such a lot. I love music and live music so much and I hope that the coming year will be as exciting, even though I have absolutely no clue at all what’s in store…
So, everything is in bags. Everything, being my camera and a tent and some stuff. I am going away for a few days and will be back on Monday. I am going to End of the Road festival. I think they will have computers in the press tent and I might pop in if I’m in the ‘hood. No computer for 3 whole days is a funny thought, but also very nice. So in the mean time, I would recommend listening to some Alessi’s Ark until I get back. And also some repeat listens of Hospice wouldn’t go amiss.
To the people who have sent me self addressed envelopes: I will post your mini books on Monday.
To people who have emailed me and I haven’t replied: Sorry. I will reply on Monday.
To the people coming to End of the Road: See you tomorrow.
Tomorrow Wildbirds & Peacedrums are playing at Union Chapel. I have been to Union Chapel a number of times and it’s pretty much my favourite place to see a show in London.
It’s located just a couple of minutes from Highbury & Islington tube station and is basically a giant church with epic acoustics that work particularly well for folky acts. The building itself is Grade II listed and was built something like 130 years ago. It’s a super pretty place with beautiful arches at the back of the stage. Around the bottom of the banisters for the balcony that wraps around the church they sometimes light little candles which makes for a beautiful, cosy feel. The pews aren’t that uncomfortable and they are spaced nicely apart. The staff are wonderful, and you can buy ice cream from vendors walking around the venue.
So, basically, if you’re in London, I would really recommend paying a visit to the chapel.
I have succeeded in making a 9 day streak in which I have only been in the house for a couple of hours each day. Bravo, bravo. It’s made blogging hard, but I am in the house tomorrow and will have a blogathon. In the meantime, why not visit The Allotment.?
Updates include more of the interview with Family of the Year and reviews of Monotonix and I’m From Barcelona, comics, and some excited ramblings about all the great shows coming up.
Lately, with it almost being a year since I first moved to London (and I am overly sentimental about stuff like that), I’ve been thinking of all the wonderful folk I have met. I think about it alot, I am actually in complete awe of alot of my friends and the sweet people I’ve met. And not just the people I’ve met, everyone who has ever left a comment or wrote me a sweet email… I really appreciate it. It’s very lovely to have met people and to have people come say hello because they’ve read my blog. It’s such a treat and I love it. Here are two wonderful people I am appreciating alot right now:
1) PAULA! Paula is a sweet lady who adores live music and it’s always a pleasure to see her at shows. She is especially wonderful because of this:
She baked ginger bees for She Keeps Bees (!!!). Jessica gave one to Bobbles and I and I can confirm that they were tasty. If I was less inept I would love to bake something for Jess and Andy, but I wouldn’t want to kill one of my favourite bands with some sort of death-cake. Actually, I’m not that bad at baking, just, everything I bake always looks ugly. Nevermind
2) GERLIN! Gerlin is from Ghent and is amazing. She is one of the ladies behind Neon Englightenment and has a sweet, kind spirit. Earlier this year I sent her some drawings and in return she sent me this beautiful letter and some Belgian chocolate:
Yay for these lovely people. I’m very lucky indeed. If you ever want to come say hello, please do.
The bees aren’t that busy this time of year though, are they? What happens to bees in winter? I am keen to know. Anyway, moving on… semi-unfortunately, I have given up my free night in this week in favor of eating Nando’s with Alessi. WORTHY CAUSE. This means that I don’t have a night in until Friday, so I might build up a little backlog of posts and reviews. Blogging at 1 am makes my eyes hurty, you see. I shall perhaps post a few things in my lunch break at work. I still have several million parts to my interview with the lovely Family of the Year to post. And I want to write all about that insane Monotonix show I went to on Monday. And of course, it’s I’m From Barcelona on Thursday…
Also, when I am tired and my bones are tired too, I always think of the beautiful She Keeps Bees song Bones Are Tired. It’s on Nests and is a beautiful a’cappella song. Go find it and have a listen!
If you are in a band or manage a band or are friends with a band, etc etc, maybe you could pry in to their opinions on the fine eatery that is Nando’s. Then you can send me your findings via email (anikainlondon@gmail.com) or tweet them @ me here. Then, I will excitedly add it to the geeky spreadsheet. Shall we set a goal? Maybe 100 different bands’ opinions on Nando’s by the end of the year? Ok. Set. We will celebrate the achievement of this goal in stages, when we get 25 opinions we shall go to Nando’s for a quarter chicken, when we have 50 we’ll get a half chicken, and when we get 100 (!!!) we will get a whole chicken. Ok? Deal.
Phew! One year of rambling posts and dozens of shows. Perhaps ‘dozens’ is too small a metric… tens of dozens, more like. 
I have plenty of stuff to keep busy with, I’m rarely ever bored… not enough hours in the day and all that jazz. But, alas, none of my enterprises are profitable enough to keep me afloat. Though, I did spend a good year swanning about at university without an income. It would be good to be able to pay my rent without cutting into my summer savings though. I figure it’s an adventure atleast!
One year ago to the day is when I moved to London and the gigging began. Actually, a year ago and one day is when I moved to London (but the gigging hadn’t began). One year ago to this day was a Monday. I ’started’ university, well, I registered myself onto the course (of DOOM). I can’t remember what else I did that day, but it wasn’t very interesting. I did, however, discover (joyously) that Pure Groove was a mere 10 minutes walk from my halls of residence.
The first week of uni was pretty uninteresting, they were ‘easing us in’ and I really wasn’t interested in going to any ’school disco’ parties at the University. I am boring, obviously. The next day I saw Ladyhawke for free, and Those Dancing Days the next. Apparently I have been to Pure Groove 56 times in total now. I had been once before moving (a month earlier to see Houlette), so in the year since that first instore since moving, Sam Isaac, I have been to 55 instores. I used to go to everything just because I lived close and it was free, though I go to less now.
Tomorrow Wildbirds & Peacedrums are playing at Union Chapel. I have been to Union Chapel a number of times and it’s pretty much my favourite place to see a show in London.
The bees aren’t that busy this time of year though, are they? What happens to bees in winter? I am keen to know. Anyway, moving on… semi-unfortunately, I have given up my free night in this week in favor of eating Nando’s with Alessi. WORTHY CAUSE. This means that I don’t have a night in until Friday, so I might build up a little backlog of posts and reviews. Blogging at 1 am makes my eyes hurty, you see. I shall perhaps post a few things in my lunch break at work. I still have several million parts to my interview with the lovely Family of the Year to post. And I want to write all about that insane Monotonix show I went to on Monday. And of course, it’s I’m From Barcelona on Thursday…
